PADI dive center designation?

[Heffey]

I was getting a referral form from my instructor and I was telling him about the dive operation I was going to finish my certification with when he started to laugh. Evidently he was not as impressed by the dive center’s PADI Gold Palm Resort designation as I was. He informed me that the dive ops pay for those PADI designations and are not really physically inspected by PADI.

What is the deal with these designations?

Gold Palm Resorts
PADI Resort
PADI 5 Star Dive Centers
PADI Dive Centers

Do they really tell me anything about the dive centre or not?

 

[MikeFerrara]

Those designations are those of PAID retail members. There are some qualifications you have to meet but mostly it means that you pay your anual membership dues.

If you look around the board you might find where I've posted the requirements for things like 5 star PADI facilities because we've had this discussion before.

You have every bit as good a chance of getting a good class with an independant instructor (if not better) than from a shop regardless of what kind of agency stickers they have on the window.

I don't feel like typing standards right now but beyond the requirement that the member not have any quality assurance claims there is no measure of instruction quality envolved. It's all marketing bs, IMO and I used to own a dive shop that was a PADI retail member. Now, I wish I had my $300/year back.

 

[ScubaTwo]

Those designations are those of PAID retail members. There are some qualifications you have to meet but mostly it means that you pay your anual membership dues.

If you look around the board you might find where I've posted the requirements for things like 5 star PADI facilities because we've had this discussion before.

Im sorry, can you point us in the right direction as I would like to know also. I tried a search and didnt come up with anything even close. Thank you

 

[MikeFerrara]

Im sorry, can you point us in the right direction as I would like to know also. I tried a search and didnt come up with anything even close. Thank you

Sorry. I found the marker for the thread I was thinking about but the thread was pulled.

This is long so I can't include it all but I'll try to summerize. ok?

you have to have been a resort and a PADI resort for a specified length of time.

You have to have accommodations as part of an advertised package

have air analyzed quarterly

If boat diving is what's done in the area you have to have a boat and there are some standard safety requirements like a fire extinguisher and O2.

Must have issued 250 PADI certifications and 150 of those in one year.

Each year issue 10 PADI certs beyond OW.

Ensure that all resorts in a multiresort chain are PADI members

You must display PADI educational and promotional material in a prominent location amd display the gold palm resort decal.

All rental equipment must be maintained according to the manufacturers recommendations.

Standards for a PADI resort must also be met. These are typical dive shop no brainers with the addition of some stuff related to oporating boats.

I'm looking at the PADI general standards and procedures manual and I don't see anything in there that would give me a warm and fuzzy that I'm going to get a good class.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Some of these 5 star resorts get lax at times with a touch of arrogance. Such as the shop I went with.

 

[ScubaTwo]

Sorry. I found the marker for the thread I was thinking about but the thread was pulled.

This is long so I can't include it all but I'll try to summerize. ok?

you have to have been a resort and a PADI resort for a specified length of time.

You have to have accommodations as part of an advertised package

have air analyzed quarterly

If boat diving is what's done in the area you have to have a boat and there are some standard safety requirements like a fire extinguisher and O2.

Must have issued 250 PADI certifications and 150 of those in one year.

Each year issue 10 PADI certs beyond OW.

Ensure that all resorts in a multiresort chain are PADI members

You must display PADI educational and promotional material in a prominent location amd display the gold palm resort decal.

All rental equipment must be maintained according to the manufacturers recommendations.

Standards for a PADI resort must also be met. These are typical dive shop no brainers with the addition of some stuff related to oporating boats.

I'm looking at the PADI general standards and procedures manual and I don't see anything in there that would give me a warm and fuzzy that I'm going to get a good class.

Thank you very much. It sounds more like advertising then a quality rating.

 

[mike_s]

I think that a Gold, Palm, or 5-star Dive Center has to agree not to do other "non" Padi training. Such as NAUI, etc.

 

[MoonWrasse]

LOL, "PADI Gold Palm Resort" designation?

Sorry, I can see why even someone who doesn't know a thing about diving would find that funny

Do they have a "green palm" or a "greased palm" designation as well?

 

[emtdan]

Here is a good description, as far as I see it...
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=55942&highlight=5+star+padi

 

[Heffey]

Thanks for the info guys.
It sounds as though my instructor was right on the money.
I am glad that the Gold Palm designation was not instrumental to the choosing of the dive operation I plan on using.
Thanks