mruseless
Contributor
Do you have any pics of the boat, problems with the room, etc?
Maldives Aggressor- VERY BAD EXPERIENCE- If you have a scheduled trip read this!
- Thread starter RNDIVER88
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Damn.
To plan so far ahead, and then fly half way around the globe for "the trip of a lifetime", which for most of us a Maldives Live Aboard would be, and then be treated that horridly....... just, wow.
I have not been paying much attention to threads about the Aggressor fleet having issues, but if this is how they are operating the entire dive world needs to know to avoid them. It's too bad because for years theirs has been a respected name, but it is what you are today, and not what you used to be that is important when someone is spending that kind of money, and placing their lives in your hands.
A friend just sent me a link to this thread because she knows I just booked a similar trip (our first live aboard dive) and she wanted to warn me, in case we booked through the Aggressor. We did not, thankfully!
Just damn.... demand a full refund. Too bad you can't collect for your travel expenses too. That experience as described amounts to bait and switch, since the Aggressor folks obviously had to be aware of the boat issues, long before you arrived, and they appear to have made no effort to inform you
To plan so far ahead, and then fly half way around the globe for "the trip of a lifetime", which for most of us a Maldives Live Aboard would be, and then be treated that horridly....... just, wow.
I have not been paying much attention to threads about the Aggressor fleet having issues, but if this is how they are operating the entire dive world needs to know to avoid them. It's too bad because for years theirs has been a respected name, but it is what you are today, and not what you used to be that is important when someone is spending that kind of money, and placing their lives in your hands.
A friend just sent me a link to this thread because she knows I just booked a similar trip (our first live aboard dive) and she wanted to warn me, in case we booked through the Aggressor. We did not, thankfully!
Just damn.... demand a full refund. Too bad you can't collect for your travel expenses too. That experience as described amounts to bait and switch, since the Aggressor folks obviously had to be aware of the boat issues, long before you arrived, and they appear to have made no effort to inform you
Unbelievable 
. Publish pictures 
. Publish pictures 
coldwaterlloyd
Contributor
Thanks for sharing your horror . Aggressor is just another booking agency . We had a great experience on Cayman Aggressor this past summer .
However , I doubt I would trust any of their third world affiliates .
Aggressor may want to tighten their standards rather than just collecting commissions , too bad
Hope you are reimbursed to your satisfaction . good luck , coldwater L.
However , I doubt I would trust any of their third world affiliates .
Aggressor may want to tighten their standards rather than just collecting commissions , too bad
Hope you are reimbursed to your satisfaction . good luck , coldwater L.
tangfish
Contributor
Wow. I'm glad I saw this, I am just planning a Liveaboard trip to the Maldives and the Aggressor was one of the boats I was looking at. No way Jose!
PS- I had a disappointing experience on the Komodo Dancer less than a year ago due to an insect infestation and diesel fumes directly into the cabins, on an otherwise fine vessel. Found out during the trip that they'd been battling the insects for a long time and that our sailing wasn't as bad as others (I can hardly imagine worse). Not as bad as your horrendous trip but also good to know that these lack of disclosures and shabby quality boat issues span both fleets. Sad.
PS- I had a disappointing experience on the Komodo Dancer less than a year ago due to an insect infestation and diesel fumes directly into the cabins, on an otherwise fine vessel. Found out during the trip that they'd been battling the insects for a long time and that our sailing wasn't as bad as others (I can hardly imagine worse). Not as bad as your horrendous trip but also good to know that these lack of disclosures and shabby quality boat issues span both fleets. Sad.
Tippytoes12
Contributor
How disappointing when you travelled half way around the world...thanks for sharing. We had a terrible experience once on a lovely boat , but with guides who were dire and a boat with a significant numbers of inexperienced divers. One passenger nearly died. All our subsequent experiences though have more than made up for this.
Hope you get at least a refund.
Hope you get at least a refund.
CAPTAIN SINBAD
Contributor
Why is it that any freaking time there is a nightmare story about a liveaboard experience, the boat is always called "AGGRESSOR." All one needs to do is do a search and a history of nightmare experiences comes up from different parts of the world from Palau, to Red sea to Galapagos to Maldives etc. I am also taken aback by the lack of ownership repeatedly displayed by Aggressor that has become the hallmark of Aggressor Fleet. It seems like they get these problems so many times that they are no longer worried or shocked by them. They have written a standard formatted letter that could be summarized as follows:
Dear Customer:
We are sorry that you had to put up with this. We do not own the boats. We are only a website that charges money from shady boat operators to use our name and since they give us money we don't care. We will investigate! Thanks.
After this if you b!tch and moan and threaten to blackmail them on chat boards you get offered a free nitrox coupon for your NEXT trip which is a sales gimmick rather than any form of compensation. This nonsense on part of Aggressor has come to the point where I am no longer surprised by Aggressor as they are a crooks. Reputable liveaboards do not need the name "AGGRESSOR" to sell their trips and the ones that do need it are unable to build a client base for themselves due to obvious reasons. I am now surprised by stupid customers who continue to give Aggressor their business when so much about this company has been documented. If anyone chooses Aggressor boat anywhere in the word, they really deserve whatever happens to them.
Dear Customer:
We are sorry that you had to put up with this. We do not own the boats. We are only a website that charges money from shady boat operators to use our name and since they give us money we don't care. We will investigate! Thanks.
After this if you b!tch and moan and threaten to blackmail them on chat boards you get offered a free nitrox coupon for your NEXT trip which is a sales gimmick rather than any form of compensation. This nonsense on part of Aggressor has come to the point where I am no longer surprised by Aggressor as they are a crooks. Reputable liveaboards do not need the name "AGGRESSOR" to sell their trips and the ones that do need it are unable to build a client base for themselves due to obvious reasons. I am now surprised by stupid customers who continue to give Aggressor their business when so much about this company has been documented. If anyone chooses Aggressor boat anywhere in the word, they really deserve whatever happens to them.
I'm not certain I even believe how separate they are from the boats. Isn't it the "Aggressor Fleet" and the vessels are named the "Maldives aggressor" or some other similar name?
I'd never use them, there are far too many other options out there that don't have such a bad reputation.
I'd never use them, there are far too many other options out there that don't have such a bad reputation.
Although it may be too late for our unfortunate OP, I did a live aboard in the Maldives in early September aboard the MV Orion (Constellation Fleet). It was my first live aboard and absolutely amazing it was as well. If any of you want a lifetime trip on a live aboard in the Maldives - that's the company to go for. The staff are amazing, the boat I was on was spacious, clean, well maintained and a very good Dhoni.
During our stay, they did have one boat in dry dock but the passengers were informed and put on to boats only owned by Constellation. A very well managed business IMHO.
I suspect Aggressor is an American only company as they are one I had not heard of before this forum.
I hope this experience doesn't persuade you to stay away from the Maldives as they are an amazing place to dive.
During our stay, they did have one boat in dry dock but the passengers were informed and put on to boats only owned by Constellation. A very well managed business IMHO.
I suspect Aggressor is an American only company as they are one I had not heard of before this forum.
I hope this experience doesn't persuade you to stay away from the Maldives as they are an amazing place to dive.
chart7258
New
I'm sick to be reading this NOW! Just made down payment for 3/1/2015 trip with my family of 5 divers. Our last trip with the Aggressor Fleet was in the Galapagos. It was the best trip we have ever been on. My kids did the Kotomo boat last year and had no issues. What are my options for live-aboard diving in the Maldives?
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