Nekton Pilot Aug. 29 - Sept. 5 Northwest Bahamas

[WOODMAN]

Pray for me.

Consider yourself prayed for. :signofcross: Shanghied on a ship of doom, eh? That's a metaphor I had not considered. I hope you and yours manage to have a good time and make it back from the pits of Hades intact. All these negative vibes aside, I strongly suspect that the only real issue you may face is any possible weather problems abrewing. But, you have been there before, haven't you? Good luck, my friend. Woody

 

[Doc]

I wish I knew what the criteria were for allocating single rooms.

Go on one trip and attempt to be as annoying as me. (Vlad, you really will have no problem with this) But, if others who are reading and are essentially a pleasant persons, try eating a lot of beans. Next time through, they will likely do that single room deal for you- another good way is to specifically request smaller tiny Port side (forward) cabin right under the spiral ladder (staircase).

All these negative vibes aside, I strongly suspect that the only real issue you may face is any possible weather problems abrewing.

We bought the trip insurance two months ago. I've got Don watching the Hurricane maps for me. We're good.

But, you have been there before, haven't you? Good luck, my friend. Woody

It's nice to be known for something:zap: :storm: (Beside that annoying thing)

 

[vladimir]

Go on one trip and attempt to be as annoying as me. (Vlad, you really will have no problem with this)

I don't know, Doc. Just this week I've gotten one person to call me an ass and another to put me on his ignore list, but until somebody starts a whole thread about what a jerk I am, I'd have to say that I'm not yet in your league.

Have a great trip!

 

[Doc]

I don't know, Doc. Just this week I've gotten one person to call me....

Savvy readers will understand that Vladimir's "week" just began today, on the date of this post- It's Sunday in Hong Kong. So, not a bad start for the week, Vlad.

...to put me on his ignore list...

The people that say that really can't bring themselves to do that.

...but until somebody starts a whole thread about what a jerk I am, I'd have to say that I'm not yet in your league...

I don't think any have started that way (altho I don't doubt it), but a few have ended up that way. Lord knows, I'm trying :angel:

I've come to the defense of many a dive-op that I have no familiarity with. I enjoy and absorb posts from recent guests who report any and all experiences, good or bad. At the same time, I weigh their stated or apparent background experiences in evaluating their comments. ("First Posts" are quite often a real knee slapper)

Many of these posters make one or two posts and then fade away forever... but not their posts. Some carry a grudge like twin 120 steels.

The internet can be a useful tool. It can be great for finding your next dive vacation. Unfortunately, some people use it as a tool- like a grinding wheel for their heavy, heavy axe. Old bad experiences keep foaming to the surface as if they were relevant today. Maybe the posters have a belief that they are? I believe in giving people and dive-ops the benefit of allowing them to pick up the pieces and move on... hopefully learning and getting better.

The destructive influence of beating old dead horses is quite startling on the internet. The poster might feel some temporary analgesic effect, but after the target corporation goes under or suffers... what will be the next target? After harangues like these, how many times have you seen posts from other inquisitive folks stating, "I've been reading a lot of rumors...." The damage is pervasive and long lasting.

Certain world class dive-ops are are subject to the same sidewalk evaluations and scrutiny as cars, ski areas, "what caliber to select" handgun debates, split fins and MOF arguments. Except here, on the most powerful internet presence in the dive world, ScubaBoard, the refusal to "let up" can cause long term financial damage.

Maybe that is what some people want.

As Warren Zevon reminded us, "Enjoy every sandwich".

 

[DebbyDiver]

Okay, you did mention this before. Let's have some of the gory details. Quit teasing us. You can't be afraid of offending her any further, just call her "Penelope" or something

Oh, she's not on ScubaBoard, and she is Dr. Marie S. from the Chicago, IL area. The moment she got on the boat and laid eyes on me she said "oh, I'm not rooming with HER!" The captain said there was no room to move her to and I said "listen, I'm easy going, I'm not a PRINCESS." Look at my profile pic to see just how scary I am, heh.

She is a petite middle-aged "princess" who spent the entire trip working on her tan, shaving her legs and blow drying her hair multiple times a day, wearing her cute little matching outfits with coordinating jewelry and high-heeled sandals, nose stuck in a book when she wasn't eating or sleeping, and never, ever asking anyone anything about themselves but talking about her own very, very boring life ad nauseum. She's the only one onboard who didn't make any friends. She started the week with some guys trying to be nice to her but they all abandoned her.

She demanded special meals for every single meal and was a big PITA to the divemasters...well, when she dove that is. Diving takes away from working on the tan time, you know. When she did dive it was in a vertical position, bicycling away but she refused to listen to advice from instructors and divemasters on board.

She totally took over the room with her stuff, big huge luggage, she took over most of the clothing area too. But the worst is that she would go to bed at 8 so when I got back from the night dive I had to be really quiet and not turn on lights so I never got the benefit of primping like she did, I always went up to the salon after my night shower to look at my pics and others' pics with wet hair and no makeup. One night I did blow dry my hair but it woke her up and while she wasn't nasty about it, it just wasn't worth it.

Then this princess would awake at some ungodly hour (5:30 I think) and would rearrange her luggage for hours, then shave her legs then primp and basically be a big PITA while I was trying to sleep because there was no reason to be up before 8.

I've never in my life met a more antisocial, self-absorbed, haughty, vain person. I've never in my life met anyone more devoid of class. She's never been married and no wonder. I wonder if she even has any friends, she never talked about any on the trip. She wouldn't speak to me at all during the week other than asking me things like "when will you be out of the room, I have to do my nails." But I could overhear her talking to the guys on board, she seemed to really be trying to make a hookup but the guys were all mocking her behind her back. Even the staff hated her but they had to be nice all week. Oh heck, the passengers were nice to her face all week too, but that's because we had a really nice group.

Some onboard asked me why I didn't just come into the room after the night dives and turn on lights and do my hair and makeup etc. and I said I just didn't want to make a bad situation worse.

The last morning we had to have all of our stuff packed by a certain time and she woke up uber early and fussed and fussed over her luggage for hours. I just laid there waiting for her to be done but she wouldn't quit. Finally I got up and said the first nasty thing I said to her ALL week: "listen, I'd like to be able to use this room for a few minutes too, you know!" She was so startled and she said "yes sir, ma'am, George, whatever your name is!" WHATEVER MY NAME IS??? She was my roommate all week and didn't know my gender or my first name? What an idiot. This person is a doctor? God help her patients. Well, her luggage was all over the floor of the cabin and there was no room for mine, and of course I couldn't pack the night before because she was asleep, so I slung my luggage onto her bed and started packing. She zipped hers up, locked it and left in a huff. Made me laugh my a s s off.

Early in the week, she had a question about her camera and Woodman had the same camera so I asked him about it for her and he lent her a book about it. She gave me the book back and said "here give this to your friend." I said "you borrowed it, why don't you return it so you can thank him?" What an idiot, it's not like she had to drive 40 miles to give it back! GEEZ.

So, does that description qualify for "roommate from hell"?

 

[cappyjon431]

Oh, she's not on ScubaBoard, and she is Dr. Marie S. from the Chicago, IL area. The moment she got on the boat and laid eyes on me she said "oh, I'm not rooming with HER!" The captain said there was no room to move her to and I said "listen, I'm easy going, I'm not a PRINCESS." Look at my profile pic to see just how scary I am, heh.

She is a petite middle-aged "princess" who spent the entire trip working on her tan, shaving her legs and blow drying her hair multiple times a day, wearing her cute little matching outfits with coordinating jewelry and high-heeled sandals, nose stuck in a book when she wasn't eating or sleeping, and never, ever asking anyone anything about themselves but talking about her own very, very boring life ad nauseum. She's the only one onboard who didn't make any friends. She started the week with some guys trying to be nice to her but they all abandoned her.

She demanded special meals for every single meal and was a big PITA to the divemasters...well, when she dove that is. Diving takes away from working on the tan time, you know. When she did dive it was in a vertical position, bicycling away but she refused to listen to advice from instructors and divemasters on board.

She totally took over the room with her stuff, big huge luggage, she took over most of the clothing area too. But the worst is that she would go to bed at 8 so when I got back from the night dive I had to be really quiet and not turn on lights so I never got the benefit of primping like she did, I always went up to the salon after my night shower to look at my pics and others' pics with wet hair and no makeup. One night I did blow dry my hair but it woke her up and while she wasn't nasty about it, it just wasn't worth it.

Then this princess would awake at some ungodly hour (5:30 I think) and would rearrange her luggage for hours, then shave her legs then primp and basically be a big PITA while I was trying to sleep because there was no reason to be up before 8.

I've never in my life met a more antisocial, self-absorbed, haughty, vain person. I've never in my life met anyone more devoid of class. She's never been married and no wonder. I wonder if she even has any friends, she never talked about any on the trip. She wouldn't speak to me at all during the week other than asking me things like "when will you be out of the room, I have to do my nails." But I could overhear her talking to the guys on board, she seemed to really be trying to make a hookup but the guys were all mocking her behind her back. Even the staff hated her but they had to be nice all week. Oh heck, the passengers were nice to her face all week too, but that's because we had a really nice group.

Some onboard asked me why I didn't just come into the room after the night dives and turn on lights and do my hair and makeup etc. and I said I just didn't want to make a bad situation worse.

The last morning we had to have all of our stuff packed by a certain time and she woke up uber early and fussed and fussed over her luggage for hours. I just laid there waiting for her to be done but she wouldn't quit. Finally I got up and said the first nasty thing I said to her ALL week: "listen, I'd like to be able to use this room for a few minutes too, you know!" She was so startled and she said "yes sir, ma'am, George, whatever your name is!" WHATEVER MY NAME IS??? She was my roommate all week and didn't know my gender or my first name? What an idiot. This person is a doctor? God help her patients. Well, her luggage was all over the floor of the cabin and there was no room for mine, and of course I couldn't pack the night before because she was asleep, so I slung my luggage onto her bed and started packing. She zipped hers up, locked it and left in a huff. Made me laugh my a s s off.

Early in the week, she had a question about her camera and Woodman had the same camera so I asked him about it for her and he lent her a book about it. She gave me the book back and said "here give this to your friend." I said "you borrowed it, why don't you return it so you can thank him?" What an idiot, it's not like she had to drive 40 miles to give it back! GEEZ.

So, does that description qualify for "roommate from hell"?

Sounds like the dive deck crew should have given her the 60 pound weight belt at the beginning of the week.

I'm not sure if the policy is still the same, but it used to be that single rooms were allocated by the order of booking. If there were extra cabins available, those that booked the earliest were given the single cabins without having to pay the single supplement.

I am glad that you had a great trip (aside from the roommate from hell), and hope that the roommate experience does not sour you to liveaboards.

 

[vladimir]

Sounds like the dive deck crew should have given her the 60 pound weight belt at the beginning of the week.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Oh, they were tempted!!! One of them finally could not help himself and said something very sarcastic to her on her last dive, I about passed out from laughter!!!

No, that didn't sour me from liveaboards. What are the chances of getting someone like that on a liveaboard dive trip again? Less than being struck by lightning, I reckon!

 

[Doc]

So, does that description qualify for "roommate from hell"?

I suppose I've met a few. Never as a roomie.

The most startling was a "Well known internationally published SCUBA Photographer" who was on-board a ship in the Red Sea. His gauges were a'dragging as he clawed his way over the coral walls nearby to the Shark Observatory divesite.

One of the most interesting? I met a most interesting lady, also a Doctor (this one from Falicornia). She was the lead shrink for the Bureau of Prisons. She had numerous contacts and insights on all of the (in)famous whack-job California Killers that we hear about on the History Channel.

Coincidentally, that was while aboard the Nekton during a cool and rainy week. We spent each after-dive session in the top-deck "warm-tub", with the hard cover half-pulled over us to shield from the rain. I'm a pretty good listener.

Divers, in general, are some interesting people. You can get to know them pretty well, good or bad, when you're stranded on a floating ship at sea.

I have even see one angry Canadian couple board a ship in Asia, and by midweek she was boinking one of the crewman every night on the top deck at 2 am.
I don't even think he spoke English. (Not a lot of talking going on anyway, and "Ooh Baby" seems to be universal)

Come to think of it, there are any number of benefits to being a liveaboard crew member~ from what I've seen.

 

[DebbyDiver]

What a funny post!!!

We really had nice people on my trip, passengers and crew alike. There was one very young crew member on his first trip with Nekton who was whining about all the hard work by the end of the week, but I don't expect him to last. Another even younger crew member on his first trip had an awesome time and went out of his way to make sure we all had a great time. The rest of the crew were tripping over each other to help us, I personally felt that I received excellent service.

Most of the passengers were so sweet and helpful!!! I had already "met" H2O_Girl and Woodman here on ScubaBoard and it was nice to meet them and their spouses in person and to dive with them. If you ever have a chance to buddy up with H2O aka Laura, do it, that woman can spot the cool critters!!! I had a very minor leak in my housing and two different passengers kept me supplied with moisture munchers throughout the week. I saw people helping each other out with camera cords and batteries and books and all sorts of things.

Let's face it, divers are mostly really nice people and also pretty much good storytellers too!