No dive ops have replied to my emails!

[Christi]

You answered your own question in the first post "they are fully booked" so why waste time answering e mails when there is going to be no return on it for them.

I have a friend in St Lucia even more backward (electronics wise) and we are in daily contact. Sure it go's down at his end now and again but never for a day.

Sorry, I have to disagree. I am not going to go into a full explanation here...but you have no idea of the ongoing internet problems that we experience down here...it's infuriating, especially when there's NOTHING you can do about it...NOTHING!

As recent as a few weeks ago, every cable internet subscriber was without service for up to a week, some longer. Can you imagine the backlog of e-mails that caused and how overwhelimg that can be?

Another thing that my wireless ISP guy explained to me is that many servers, particularly those in larger companies with high security block incoming e-mail from foreign ISP's because they think they are SPAM or contain "malicious code." My website host and e-mail host in on Chicago, but the ISP is here.

I can't speak for other ops, but I answer every inquiry I receive even if I cannot accommodate...and I offer alternatives if I cannot accommodate.

If you don't get an answer from me, it either means I didn't receive your message or I replied and it didn't go through...and yes, every once in awhile when I get behind because I had other business obligations to attend to that took precedence over sitting in the office...a few can slip through...I'm human...not perfect and I can speak for my colleagues on that too. This is a tough business, and even tougher in a foreign country...but I guess we're all disorganized down here by your standards cdiver.

I also have an auto-reply (that comes off my server is Chicago) that says to follow up by phone or another e-mail if you don't hear back for this very reason. Check out various Coz websites as well and you'll see this disclaimer on many Coz websites.

I did receive a call a few days ago from someone that said they had e-mailed...I had no record of a message from them and I am booked for the dates they requested, so I gave them two referrals of two excellent operations...and I am guessing it was mstevens...possibly not. If it was, let me know and I can help you follow-up with these ops and/or offer some other recommendations.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

They nicely provided names of two alternates. Now, neither has responded to emails from last week, or at least I haven't received any replies.

If you haven't already send them another message. When I email Coz and don't get a response with in a couple of days I resend it. Their communication is crazy at times as Christi has explained. No one wants to turn business away. When booking a popular dive op I would suggest starting 6 months out if time allows. Looks like you are about 27 days out now so again if you haven't already resend your message. There are a lot of good dive ops on the island I am sure you won't have trouble finding one. Here is a link to a some of them http://www.scuba-diving-cozumel.com/

Have fun

 

[richhagelin]

I agree with those who say to keep trying. There are around 100 dive operators in Coz and many, many high quality ones.

If you haven't tried Alison Dennis (www.scubawithalison.com), contact her. I have used her and been very pleased with the quality of her operation and her timeliness in responding to e-mails.

Rich Hagelin

 

[UltimateAg]

If you don't get an answer from me, it either means I didn't receive your message or I replied and it didn't go through...and yes, every once in awhile when I get behind because I had other business obligations to attend to that took precedence over sitting in the office...a few can slip through...I'm human...not perfect and I can speak for my colleagues on that too. This is a tough business, and even tougher in a foreign country...but I guess we're all disorganized down here by your standards cdiver.

...

I did receive a call a few days ago from someone that said they had e-mailed...I had no record of a message from them and I am booked for the dates they requested, so I gave them two referrals of two excellent operations...and I am guessing it was mstevens...possibly not. If it was, let me know and I can help you follow-up with these ops and/or offer some other recommendations.

Christi,
This explains alot. I've emailed you twice in the past week or so with no response. After the first, I thought well she must be busy but then after the second I started getting suspicious of network problems. You had been very prompt before this, and what makes it even more baffling is the auto responses go through fine!?

 

[Christi]

Christi,
This explains alot. I've emailed you twice in the past week or so with no response. After the first, I thought well she must be busy but then after the second I started getting suspicious of network problems. You had been very prompt before this, and what makes it even more baffling is the auto responses go through fine!?

Got your e-mail a few minutes ago...you should have a reply

 

[Moodiejeff]

You had been very prompt before this, and what makes it even more baffling is the auto responses go through fine!?

I'm going to try to not confuse myself on this one, maybe somebody with more "tech" experience will be able to explain it better but here goes...

When you send an email to Christi it first goes to Chicago (where her site is hosted from) and will be stored on a server. Here's where the Auto Response message get's sent from. No problems so far. The email basically sits there in Chicago until it is accessed or deleted. At this point Christi hasn't seen the email and doesn't know it is there (yet).

The problem will occur when she will try to access the email that is sitting on the server in Chicago. A whole number of problems can occur, especially dealing with the sub-par ISP she has to deal with in Coz. The two previous emails almost definitely made it to the server in Chicago but have no way of getting to Christi as they were blocked or lost or who knows what by the ISP in Coz.

Did that make any sense? it's obviously more complicated than this but that's all my pea brain can comprehend. Ouch, that hurt! I think I just fried my brain trying to actually use it for something! :11ztongue

Obviously this will apply to most of the other Dive Ops and businesses down there. If at first you don't get a response, definitely give it another try in a day or two.

 

[richhagelin]

No Jeff, this is the way it works.

The little hamster gets into the wheel and then he/she runs around and around ...... opps, that's about flying an airplane. Never mind

Rich Hagelin

 

[jawfish]

Email some others that were suggested above and see what happens. 4 weeks out is NOT that much notice. Perhaps planning a bit earlier next time will get you that spot with the dive op of your choice.

 

[UltimateAg]

Yeah that makes sense Jeff. I had incorrectly assumed Christi would be using her local ISPs mail server.

Planning :11: ?! What's that jawfish?
We don't need no stinkin' planning.

My wife and I went to Kauai on 1 weeks notice last month. A month and half out is a lifetime.

 

[GPdiver]

Yeah that makes sense Jeff. I had incorrectly assumed Christi would be using her local ISPs mail server.

Planning :11: ?! What's that jawfish?
We don't need no stinkin' planning.

My wife and I went to Kauai on 1 weeks notice last month. A month and half out is a lifetime.

Put my Coz trip together less than seven days ago
I dont know where I am staying or who I am diving with.
But I know my way around and have some friends there so no worry's.