Master Diver - worth getting?

[boulderjohn]

It's $67 now I see. Back in '07 I paid $41. Has there been THAT much inflation?
I have bachelors and masters degrees and neither time did I pay a "graduation" fee to get my diploma (though for the masters I was a TA).

The fee you pay is not PADI's fee. It is the fee whoever sent it in charged you to cover PADI fees and a little for himself/herself.

 

[TMHeimer]

The fee you pay is not PADI's fee. It is the fee whoever sent it in charged you to cover PADI fees and a little for himself/herself.

Thanks, I didn't know that. So I assume the fee varies from shop to shop--from free to whatever? What then is PADI's fee that the shops pay PADI? Is that a set fee for every shop/independent instructor,etc.?

 

[Sevenrider860]

The fee you pay is not PADI's fee. It is the fee whoever sent it in charged you to cover PADI fees and a little for himself/herself.

I disagree with that. The PADI Master Scuba Diver Application fee for 2017 is published as $67. This goes directly to PADI. Most customer's provide credit card information on the application form and PADI charges them directly. If they write a check to include with the application, it is written to PADI. I know of no LDS in my local area that will charge extra $$$ to complete and mail Master Scuba Diver applications.

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks, I didn't know that. So I assume the fee varies from shop to shop--from free to whatever? What then is PADI's fee that the shops pay PADI? Is that a set fee for every shop/independent instructor,etc.?

Yes. When you send in a certification, you pay a fee to PADI. I am about to do that today for a student I instructed yesterday. I will do it online. I first have to purchase the certification, and then I fill out the student information and submit it. It can also be done via a mail-in form, which again the shop/student purchases ahead of time and then mails in. With me, I include the cost of the certification in the cost of the course, so the student would not even realize I had to pay for it if we didn't talk about it. Some people charge the student for the certification separately, and they charge whatever they want. They can break even, or they can make a profit.

It's like almost anything else in retail The store buys something and then sells it for whatever it feels is appropriate.

I am not sure, but I do not believe the fee is completely consistent. Like all things retail, there are volume discounts from vendors.

 

[boulderjohn]

I disagree with that. The PADI Master Scuba Diver Application fee for 2017 is published as $67. This goes directly to PADI. Most customer's provide credit card information on the application form and PADI charges them directly. If they write a check to include with the application, it is written to PADI. I know of no LDS in my local area that will charge extra $$$ to complete and mail Master Scuba Diver applications.

Well, perhaps it is different for Master Scuba Diver (which I have never submitted) and all the others that I submit.

EDIT: The MSD is done differently from other certifications. It is sent in with a separate form. My apologies for writing without checking first. I try to avoid that for just this reason.

 

[Sevenrider860]

Well, perhaps it is different for Master Scuba Diver (which I have never submitted) and all the others that I submit.

EDIT: The MSD is done differently from other certifications. It is sent in with a separate form. My apologies for writing without checking first. I try to avoid that for just this reason.

I would also like to clarify that the $67 application fee for Master Scuba Diver is for PADI Americas. I am sure the price and currency is different with PADI Asia/Pacific and EMEA.

Not sure if it is still the case, but for a while PADI Asia Pacific was waiving the Master Scuba Diver application fee. All the instructor had to do was complete the application form and mail it in. I would like to see that be standard across the world. While the AOW and Rescue certifications can be from other agencies, the 5 Specialties must be PADI Specialties...so the MSD applicant has already paid for 5 certification cards at a minimum.

 

[Colliam7]

I know of no LDS in my local area that will charge extra $$$ to complete and mail Master Scuba Diver applications.

I teach through a shop that does EXACTLY that. I won't consider the particular shop to be in your 'local area'. But, I mention it to point out that there are definitely shops that engage in that practice.

A diver who has completed all of the required certifications comes to the shop with their log book, a staff member verifies their 50 dive criteria has been met, the shop charges the customer a fee, completes the MSD application for the diver, and submits it using the shop credit card number.

 

[GlennL]

I teach through a shop that does EXACTLY that. I won't consider the particular shop to be in your 'local area'. But, I mention it to point out that there are definitely shops that engage in that practice.

A diver who has completed all of the required certifications comes to the shop with their log book, a staff member verifies their 50 dive criteria has been met, the shop charges the customer a fee, completes the MSD application for the diver, and submits it using the shop credit card number.

I could see maybe doing that for some dude randomly walking in off the street. However the only thing that has to be signed is the the block verifying the log book and they saw 5 specialty cards. The person can fill out the rest. If they did at least one class through the shop then I don't see why they can't look at five specialty cards, look at the logbook. And sign their name for free.

 

[JemB]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask so feel free to move it.

Just finishing my 5th PADI specialty and will soon qualify to apply for the Master Diver cert. Have any of you done so? Is it worthwhile? Any advantages to doing so?

Regards,

Bert

Having a 6th Specialty certification is worth more than Master Scuba Diver certification.

 

[happy-diver]

Yeah but Master Scuba Diver sounds so much better than Sixth Specialty Certification Diver