Question for DM's working in warm vacation spots.

[Eric Sedletzky]

I have a question for Dive Masters working in warm water tropical destinations.

Who are the neediest divers you ever run into?
What I mean by that are people who need everything done for them, complain about most everything,...the seas are too rough, the food isn't good enough, the service isn't good enough, the DM's didn't pay close enough attention to me,
don't know how to set up their gear, expect to be waited on hand and foot, too expensive, blah blah blah.
I'm just curious if you see a pattern of certain people from different counties maybe (one nationality sticks out more than another), or maybe a region in a country, or an age group, or a gender, or combinations of any of the above. And I also realize that different parts of the world will attract different people based on geographic location/logistics so that may also mean a different set of needy people for that location.
Also, which group tends to have the poorest dive skills that causing damage to reefs and otherwise just being a "handfull".
Which group tends to be the most arrogant/obnoxious about everything diving. Is there a specific group/nationality age group that tends to be worse than others, or is it about equal?

The point of all this is I'm doing some independent research on changing times and trends, more specifically the way in which people behave and what they expect now days as opposed to 10, 20 or even 30 years ago, and all that info based on regional/national/cultural influences. I'm curious to know if neediness, and or rudeness combined with neediness, is generational thing (the me me me generation), or if it generational at all and maybe cultural/generational. And which country/group tends to be the worst. Plus any other info you could add, example character traits/habits from specific regions/nations, bad (no) tipping, etc, would be a plus.

It also doesn't have to be all negative, you can add information about who tends to be the best (age group, diving experience level, most grateful, best tippers, least maintenance, and country of origin/region, etc.)

I know this is completely politically incorrect and it will inevitably offend the crap out of most/many people, but that's fine, that's part of the point. Be truthful, don't worry about offending people, this is the internet who cares? Somebody might learn something.
I'm just hoping there are enough working DM's to be able to supply the thread with info.
If you are not a DM, but dive in many tropical locations often enough that you can identify a pattern please participate.

 

[RJP]

Had this exact conversation with several experienced liveaboard crew members (10+ years experience) and when I asked who the worst, are there any patterns etc I was told "I wish it was that easy. Truth is, you never really know where the next idiot is going to be from."

Makes sense.

Though, when I said "But seriously... who are the worst?" They all immediately said "Russians are the worst. Across the board. No question."

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Had this exact conversation with several experienced liveaboard crew members (10+ years experience) and when I asked who the worst, are there any patterns etc I was told "I wish it was that easy. Truth is, you never really know where the next idiot is going to be from."

Makes sense.

Though, when I said "But seriously... who are the worst?" They all immediately said "Russians are the worst. Across the board. No question."

Wow, and I'm of Russian descent, LOL!
BTW, no offense taken.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Had this exact conversation with several experienced liveaboard crew members (10+ years experience) and when I asked who the worst, are there any patterns etc I was told "I wish it was that easy. Truth is, you never really know where the next idiot is going to be from."

Makes sense.

Though, when I said "But seriously... who are the worst?" They all immediately said "Russians are the worst. Across the board. No question."

LOL!
I was told the same thing the last time I was in Palau.

 

[Doc]

Ask a DM in paradise who are the neediest/worst guests?

It's harder for most visitors to see who are the worst DMs among the otherwise Minor-Gods of Diving.

The vast majority of DMs are as transitory as the guests they serve. There's a very high wash-out ratio. Go home and get a real job.

Thus: Hard to find those qualified to be survey respondents for this.

I used to talk with Chris Lexau (Bob Soto/Cayman for 22yrs) who never had a negative word. She just knew it was how her job worked. Now this was at a time when the once-a-year vacay divers started showing up in Cayman, things changed from the early 70's when "Ralph" took this young kid down with him on a real-deal no-bull dive trip. Real manly-man stuff. There's no whining in SCUBA. Buck up, Sparky... this is Cayman!

After a 1982 trip to UNEXSO (Freeport Lucaya), I sensed that something had gone critically wrong in the industry's initial 10 years. I didn't know that UNEXSO was fast becoming a model for some/most resort operations.

Get to Roatan, stat. It's 1984 back when Roatan was a place where you accepted as the norm DC3 aircraft, dirt runways, Clutch Cargo, that sort of thing. Whiners and those needing catering? Not likely to live through it.

Roatan was barely capable of supporting diving in 1985. We had a night-diver who sucked a Sea Wasp into his mouth via snorkel. Doc Radawski appeared out of the CocoView jungle (rain forest, for all you young divers) and applied some Adolph's Meat Tenderizer. Nowadays, you'd be left on the beach to choke while somebody Skyped on live-chat with a DAN Physician. (and then a follow-up call to your attorney)

There is very little adventure left to find in Roatan. For that, you really have to know where to go, but it's no country for old men, I am sorry to say.

Need something different? So Cayman's DM service model evolved into what it has become, and the highly commercialized distillation of Club Dread's dive op became a viable pay-for-play carnival ride dive operation.

Next up? Shark Rodeos and Dolphin Pesters. If that is too sissy boy for you, buy your James Bond self a real manly adventure and jump in a Shark cage in South Africa.

The market has evolved to cater to the expanded horizons (thank you Nature Channel and Steve Irwin) Go hump a Stingray- pay for it with Master Card.

...The point of all this is I'm doing some independent research on changing times and trends, more specifically the way in which people behave and what they expect now days as opposed to 10, 20 or even 30 years ago, and all that info based on regional/national/cultural influences. I'm curious to know if neediness, and or rudeness combined with neediness, is generational thing (the me me me generation)

The dive traveler has changed in character in the 40 years that it has only existed to any sort of large scale. It all began (in volume) in 1975. Has this type of traveler changed in description and character since then? Just look at the change in dive shop clientele. Pick-up trucks in the parking lot have been replaced with BMWs.

Have we subverted Darwin, bred the survivability DNA right out of divers? I think the answer is yes, don't be confused by the marketing of auto-reversion to redundant equipment ornamentation. We have become a divernation of 4G 2.0 USB dependent ticket buying space tourists... no longer astronauts.

After a Cayman dive in 1975, we would drink a beer while "the girls" fixed lunch and actually debrief the dive. Repeat 2x a day.

This very important process has now been replaced by Surface Interval "debriefs" that consist of vacationers sitting at a bar staring into their laptops while using PhotoShop on their downloaded imagery. How quick that transition from the badge-of-honor, toting a Nikonos, now every idiot has a digi-cam on their open water skills dive. Ahh, Go-Pro. Record every exciting moment of your adventure.

God help us. But we will not know, the most of us. It will seem the norm.

Now, as to Russians? I've been there, done that. But I've also been on a 45pax Liveaboard with 43 Japanese divers in the Indian Ocean for 14 days. Did you know, just like skiing, they all go and rent matching wetsuits (that year Thunderball Silver with Orange accents was all the rage) and everybody has one if not two cameras.

Them godless commie rooskies ? Oh, you have no idea of how really bad it can get.

Think of it: 43 at one live boat drop. Wished I had a GoPro- just that once.

NSFW but it is Carlin....

 

[charlier]

Had this exact conversation with several experienced liveaboard crew members (10+ years experience) and when I asked who the worst, are there any patterns etc I was told "I wish it was that easy. Truth is, you never really know where the next idiot is going to be from."

Makes sense.

Though, when I said "But seriously... who are the worst?" They all immediately said "Russians are the worst. Across the board. No question."

Although I might agree, it is a sweeping generalization. I wish it was that easy. For me, the best clients are former military personnel or pilots.

 

[sheeper]

in truth, I simply AMAZES me. I have seen divers who just need everything. I recently had an AOW diver with supposedly 200 dives who clearly had no idea how to setup their gear. On another boat I had students and the boat's DM had just the worst buoyancy, trim and control I have ever see from a supposed "pro".

Who know what i'll see next week?

 

[UserNameBella]

Although I might agree, it is a sweeping generalization. I wish it was that easy. For me, the best clients are former military personnel or pilots.

As an ex-military family i love this. Me and perma buddy have caused DM's to fight over us. Why? We set up our own gear, listen to the briefing, ask questions, take care of each other, are always available to help each other, work on our skills each dive, never run away mid dive and are generally pleasant. It's not too difficult. Military people are used to protocols, and listening to debriefings and improving their skills I think.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

I tip boat crews NOT to touch my gear.
I'm a very easy customer. No drama, no hand-holding, no BS.

For the past few years the majority of my dive buddies have been current or prior military. It has been wonderful.

 

[charlier]

As an ex-military family i love this. Me and perma buddy have caused DM's to fight over us. Why? We set up our own gear, listen to the briefing, ask questions, take care of each other, are always available to help each other, work on our skills each dive, never run away mid dive and are generally pleasant. It's not too difficult. Military people are used to protocols, and listening to debriefings and improving their skills I think.

As a former professional ski guide, all of my military clients would show up on time with the proper gear, listen and carefully follow instructions in sketchy, avalanche prone snow conditions, and leave great tips, or at least buy the after trip beers. Charlie