Looks like a new dive boat has come to town. They're docked in the same marina as Walkers and a few others.
I was going to check them out next month during my next trip but not I went to their website to check out the schedule and the policies and there it was:
"4 divers minimum".
So here we have a new charter that is less likely to fill up their boat because they don't have an established clientele, why would I book with them when I can go with another charter in the same marina who is less likely to cancel due to lack of divers? Also the only rental tanks available are AL80s.
The whole "we won't run if we can't make a profit" policy of many charters is questionable to me. I fly from out of state as do many others, so we can dive our favorite spots. Here we are paying for airfare, usually lodging as well, missing several days or more of work, possibly traveling the better part of a day in each direction, only to be told the afternoon prior to a dive "sorry we won't make any money we're canceling you're out of luck".
Can you imagine if airlines worked this way? Sometimes you gotta take a hit on the profits in exchange for good customer service especially when you're the new guy in town. And in West Palm Beach most of the reefs and wrecks are right outside the inlet so even the gas isn't all that much. I'd think a new charter would make adjustments especially when it's a short run to the dive sites.
Anyway Walkers is looking good for me once again. They haven't disappointed me yet. They're also $25 cheaper for a two tank dive. And they have steel 100s.
I was going to check them out next month during my next trip but not I went to their website to check out the schedule and the policies and there it was:
"4 divers minimum".
So here we have a new charter that is less likely to fill up their boat because they don't have an established clientele, why would I book with them when I can go with another charter in the same marina who is less likely to cancel due to lack of divers? Also the only rental tanks available are AL80s.
The whole "we won't run if we can't make a profit" policy of many charters is questionable to me. I fly from out of state as do many others, so we can dive our favorite spots. Here we are paying for airfare, usually lodging as well, missing several days or more of work, possibly traveling the better part of a day in each direction, only to be told the afternoon prior to a dive "sorry we won't make any money we're canceling you're out of luck".
Can you imagine if airlines worked this way? Sometimes you gotta take a hit on the profits in exchange for good customer service especially when you're the new guy in town. And in West Palm Beach most of the reefs and wrecks are right outside the inlet so even the gas isn't all that much. I'd think a new charter would make adjustments especially when it's a short run to the dive sites.
Anyway Walkers is looking good for me once again. They haven't disappointed me yet. They're also $25 cheaper for a two tank dive. And they have steel 100s.
