Resolved: VERY negative experience with Cristal Clear Char ters- Key Largo

[deepstops]

Dawn,
I think at the very least you ought to refund Hilary's dive cost. I think also since she seems to have been the one to bring business (group divers) to your place of business you ought to do more than that. In my world bad reviews spread so much faster than good ones. Make it right, and people are happy...

I'm sure Dawn will more than make this right with Hilary but you're reading it incorrectly. Hilary made her arrangements through a shop that was bringing a group there:

I went down to Key Largo this weekend to meet up with a friend and a group of divers from the Midwest. They were bringing students down to certify in the clear waters. Beats a lake in Arkansas even if conditions weren't great. I had arranged through the shop bringing the group for 2 days of diving with Cristal Clear Charters.

I'd also imagine the captain will be keel hauled and then "drawn and quartered" for good measure.
Rather than put an offer on the table in a public forum that wasn't acceptable to Hilary (or even worse, to the rest of you) I think Dawn will be calling Hilary tonight or tomorrow and that's where any compensatory offerings would be made

 

[Jeff Toorish]

[/FONT]Dawn,

On behalf of the staff here and ScubaBoardians in general, THANKS for your response. This goes a LONG, LONG way to making things right. As you can tell, we like to hear from both sides of the issue, which is why you were contacted about this thread. No person or entity (including ScubaBoard) is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's how we respond when those mistakes are pointed out that seperate the pros from the wannabes. Thanks for being a pro.

BTW, have you drawn and quartered the Captain yet??? (Just kidding!)

I usually agree with you Doc, but not this time.

I DO NOT believe this goes a long long way to making things right, not by a long shot.

The words "...and the captain has been fired" were not included.

It is interesting that Hilary pretty much assumed (more than necessary in my opinion) some responsibility for this situation. But the fact is, it is the boat captain and crew who are responsible for the manifest. Clearly, they made changes to the manifest as Dawn has mentioned. No one knows what doesn't happen in their absence so not knowing there was or wasn't a roll-call when they were away is understandable. The fact is, every boat does things differently, even boats belonging to the same charter companies often have variations on procedure.

But these things all fall into the line of misunderstanding and, fortunately, no harm done.

The actions of the captain are far more serious. Based on what is now an undisputed description of his handling of this situation: his behavior bespeaks someone whose fitness for command is in question. I can understand his not allowing a diver to go into the water without a legal release. But that is one of those things that can be quietly handled in a way that protects the dignity of everyone.

For the captain to disrecpect a paying customer so publicly calls into question this man's judgement at a level that is truly frightening.

Hilary, if I were you, I would notify the Coast Guard that, at the very least, you have concerns about the stability of this captain. Hell, I may call them myself.

I do appreciate Dawn's response and her taking the time to investigate and let us know her company's view on this. Clearly she is distressed by this and her response would have sufficed for me right up to the point where the captain started yelling at Hilary. At that point, the response has to be far more severe.

As a matter of course full a refund should have been issued, not just for the lost dive, but for the entire day at the very least.

But for me, I won't consider diving with this outfit until I hear the magic words, "the captain is no longer with us."

Jeff

 

[deeper thoughts]

[/FONT]Dawn,

On behalf of the staff here and ScubaBoardians in general, THANKS for your response. This goes a LONG, LONG way to making things right. As you can tell, we like to hear from both sides of the issue, which is why you were contacted about this thread. No person or entity (including ScubaBoard) is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's how we respond when those mistakes are pointed out that seperate the pros from the wannabes. Thanks for being a pro.

BTW, have you drawn and quartered the Captain yet??? (Just kidding!)

I agree

 

[dumpsterDiver]

The fact that the operator did not offer a full and complete refund as part of the written response is a very bad sign. The diver now has to call her and ASK for a refund?

There are a lot of operations in the keys, after seeing this type of customer treatment why even consider giving these people another chance?

 

[deepstops]

The fact that the operator did not offer a full and complete refund as part of the written response is a very bad sign. The diver now has to call her and ASK for a refund?

Stop making ASSUMPTIONS. I know without any doubt Dawn will be contacting Hilary by phone at her first opportunity to do so.

 

[Scuba-Jay]

deepstops i think the point that dumpsterdiver and a lot of other people are making is that, in such a competitive industry, one would expect an operator who has been slandered (and for apparently good reason) in such a public arena to go out of her way to make sure that the specific customer in question, as well as the general public who have been watching the discussion, feels like "justice" had been done. I too am sure your friend will call the customer and offer a refund, but is it not a much better idea to do it publicly? Me thinks yes!! (=

Jay

 

[deepstops]

deepstops i think the point that dumpsterdiver and a lot of other people are making is that, in such a competitive industry, one would expect an operator who has been slandered (and for apparently good reason) in such a public arena to go out of her way to make sure that the specific customer in question, as well as the general public who have been watching the discussion, feels like "justice" had been done. I too am sure your friend will call the customer and offer a refund, but is it not a much better idea to do it publicly? Me thinks yes!! (=

Jay

It might just be because Dawn wants to make sure Hilary is happy with the compensation offer before it's rejected by everyone else here who wasn't even on the boat. And it will carry more weight when Hilary posts saying she's happy.

 

[The Chairman]

I would agree with Deep Stops.

Let's see if HILARY is happy when it's all said and done. That's the REAL test. Patience is a GOOD thing, peeps!

 

[Jupiter31]

Don't know this operation but before I read 3/4 if your post, I knew it was a cattle boat - and typical of the operators that thake a bunch of divers - often new and/or inexperienced to Molassas or French and dump 'em.

Happens all too frequently, which is why I'll stay ashore before I dive with this type of operation - even the "good cattle boats" - an oxymoron, I know - by their very nature can't measure up to a smaller, more personalized operator. I dove with Sea Dwellers to the Speigel Grove once; the smaller boats let their divers do the wreck; we were unable to make the dive because of "conditions" - the conditions were too many divers to worry about on a day with not ideal conditions - and they are a pretty good operator!

There are many in the Keys - at your level of experience, realizing that you wanted to dive with this group - you should be with a smaller operator and the likeihood of what happened - would not.

No one has the right to talk to a customer in the way you described - period.

OTOH, you are experiened enough to know that the way they track divers (unless they use the "DAN System" and even then they still call roll just to be sure) here in FL is via a list - and could have asked.

Its not the same issue when there are 6 or 10 on the boat vs 25+++ Yet another reason to avoid cattle boats.

Use the search function and the recomendations in these posts and you will get a feel for the better operators - and you are unlikely to see (at least from an experienced person) a glowing reccomendation that includes a cattle boat.

 

[Divingguy]

I think Dawn made a good start. I will be waiting to hear further from Hilary.