Need 4 to go. Pompano Dive Center 4 wrecks on 1/10/2020

[Divin'Papaw]

As a local diver I find that winter conditions are so hit or miss that when the weather does cooperate, most of the boats magically have enough locals jumping on that the trip runs. If you don't have enough to run the trip, the conditions probably aren't the best anyway.

There are really cool things to do in the area besides diving! Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Wakodahatchee, Green Cay (when it reopens in a few months), Morikami, and numerous other parks. If things don't pan out and you cannot dive take the opportunity to explore the other amazing natural areas we have to offer.

It sounds like you are wanting a "risk free" trip and those simply don't exist. I once drove 15 hrs to Morehead City and we were blown out all 4 days. Had to drive all the way home with gear that never got wet. It happens.

 

[Joneill]

Your statement is wrong and misleading. Do a Google search on "do airlines cancel flights if not enough passengers" and you will quickly realize how wrong you are, which makes your argument null and void.

Flights are rarely canceled when there aren't enough passengers and if and when they are, they rebook passengers on the next available flight. That's not what a dive Op will do with their screwy policy of 4 to go. They simply cancel and don't care if you find another boat to go on.

I don't get how you can whine about a "screwy policy of 4 to go" when the Ops are upfront about it - so they are not pulling a fast one on you if they cancel. They have obviously run the numbers and determined that it does not make good business sense to run trips with 1 diver. Maybe you should open your own dive shop with a "1 to go" policy and see how that goes for you?

From my own personal experience, I had booked the a bunch of dives with a big Op in Grand Cayman last February including an afternoon 1 tank drift dive they run once a week (very cool dive with high likelihood of seeing sharks).

When I signed in for the morning 2 tank, they said they were not sure they had enough divers to run that afternoon trip and when we got back after the AM 2 tank, they confirmed I was the only diver signed up and they had to cancel. They offered to put me on an afternoon 2 tank, but I had early family dinner plans and the 2 tank would get me back too late.

Was I disappointed? Sure - but I understood their min diver # policy and that it would make ZERO sense to send out a 46' Newton with a captain and a DM for 1 diver! I understand their business and don't have a selfish, entitled attitude...

 

[Norrm]

I don't get how you can whine about a "screwy policy of 4 to go" when the Ops are upfront about it - so they are not pulling a fast one on you if they cancel.

Not whining. But not expecting the Dive Op to whine when "I pull a fast one" and cancel outside of 24 hours and dive with another Op, given that they would have done the same thing to me by canceling on me (with even less notice than I am obliged to give them).

I understand their business and don't have a selfish, entitled attitude...

I've paid for an airline ticket and a place to stay and taken time off of work and I expect to dive. The Dive Op reserves the right to cancel on me (with less than 24 hours notice), I reserve the right to cancel on them. I'm simply following their posted 24 hour or longer cancelation policy.

it sounds like you are wanting a "risk free" trip

I know it happens, I've lost dive days after traveling out of state to Florida due to weather conditions, it's the nature of the sport. I am not expecting a risk free trip, I'm mitigating risk by booking with multiple dive Ops given that none will guarantee a trip even if weather permits.

 

[Norrm]

Lol, that's not my site. Lol

Is that yours with the one negative review that says you've got a bad attitude? I think it is.

 

[Open Ocean Diver]

I see a huge opportunity here… You book we dive. As a business owner you know the slow periods, raise your price a little to cover the guaranteed “you book we go”. Or have a cancellation fee. If I flew to Cayman Island and the boat operator cancel do to not enough divers that would be the last time.

 

[Joneill]

Not whining. But not expecting the Dive Op to whine when "I pull a fast one" and cancel outside of 24 hours and dive with another Op, given that they would have done the same thing to me by canceling on me (with even less notice than I am obliged to give them).



I've paid for an airline ticket and a place to stay and taken time off of work and I expect to dive. The Dive Op reserves the right to cancel on me (with less than 24 hours notice), I reserve the right to cancel on them. I'm simply following their posted 24 hour or longer cancelation policy.

I know it happens, I've lost dive days after traveling out of state to Florida due to weather conditions, it's the nature of the sport. I am not expecting a risk free trip, I'm mitigating risk by booking with multiple dive Ops given that none will guarantee a trip even if weather permits.

I have no problem with you cancelling in compliance with an Ops 24 hour cancellation policy or booking with multiple ops to cover your bases (as long as you cancel within their policy timing).

My issue was your complaining about their published "4 to go" policy and suggesting it's a reasonable expectation for an Op to run a dive boat trip with less than the min # of divers that their policy states.

 

[Joneill]

I see a huge opportunity here… You book we dive. As a business owner you know the slow periods, raise your price a little to cover the guaranteed “you book we go”. Or have a cancellation fee. If I flew to Cayman Island and the boat operator cancel do to not enough divers that would be the last time.

I'm sure they would have taken me out if I paid for the other required spots - but it was not worth it for me to spend that much $ for a single dive.

It's known that this particular dive needs a min# of divers to run and it was quite rough that week so several folks cancelled - I knew that dive was at risk when I booked it. They even offered to run me back in after the 1st dive on the afternoon 2 tank so I could make my dinner plans - but I did not want to be that guy dragging everyone else back in and extending their day just for me!

Great Op and it would be your loss if you chose to not dive with them again due to known scheduling limitations kicking in on a single dive.

 

[scubadada]

An idea for you. You are on vacation, so paying a little extra could be a way to guarantee your 4 dives. Offer to pay for 4 spots for the day, in the event the other 2 spots don’t get filled. This way aside from weather, you are guaranteeing your 4 wreck dives. Worse case you spend more but have a private dive boat for the day. Best case, the other 2 spots get filled.

And, tip for 4

 

[Jcp2]

I'm not so sure about the tip for four when you pay for four but only go out as two. There are half as many tanks to load, half as many tanks to unload, half as many weights to loan out, half as many divers to keep track of. Otherwise a group of six should tip for four as well.

 

[HavanaDaydreamin]

I see a huge opportunity here… You book we dive. As a business owner you know the slow periods, raise your price a little to cover the guaranteed “you book we go”. Or have a cancellation fee. If I flew to Cayman Island and the boat operator cancel do to not enough divers that would be the last time.

I was thinking something similar, but then realized market economics was against me. If supply is unchanged (operable boats in favorable weather), then prices shouldn't rise if demand goes down. The result would be even less demand as prices rose, and that would be counterproductive.