Resorts we should avoid?

[ggunn]

Gordon, I don't think making a choice where to spend one's tourist dollar is "try(ing) to tell them how to run their country". This is commerce, not law. Granted my choices may not amount to much but it's my choice where and how to spend my money.

I agree with you. If you don't want to spend your money where it doesn't get you what you want, then by all means don't do it. What I was talking about is all the rhetoric in here about whether it's right or wrong from some sort of moral standpoint for a resort to charge for the use of their pier, or whatever. The reasons behind their decision are not mine to pass judgement on. If you object to a resort charging a dock fee and it's not worth it to you to pay it, then go somewhere else. I am not, however, going to participate in a boycott in an effort to get a resort to change a policy because what they are doing is "wrong"; it's not my place to judge. YMMV.

 

[cvchief]

I agree with you. If you don't want to spend your money where it doesn't get you what you want, then by all means don't do it. What I was talking about is all the rhetoric in here about whether it's right or wrong from some sort of moral standpoint for a resort to charge for the use of their pier, or whatever. The reasons behind their decision are not mine to pass judgement on. If you object to a resort charging a dock fee and it's not worth it to you to pay it, then go somewhere else. I am not, however, going to participate in a boycott in an effort to get a resort to change a policy because what they are doing is "wrong"; it's not my place to judge. YMMV.

I didn't say wrong, did I? If I had a hotel and my goal was to make money, I might try to push everyone in an op at my hotel. The bigger they get, the more I can charge them to operate out of my hotel.

I said we should consider doing our part for the small ops we love so we don't end up diving with Wal-dive, the one dive shop. Do out part to preserve the status quo. Of course if you a hoping for more of a large commercial experience, I won't say you are wrong, just that we disagree on the Cozumel our dollars should build in the future.

 

[ggunn]

I didn't say wrong, did I? If I had a hotel and my goal was to make money, I might try to push everyone in an op at my hotel. The bigger they get, the more I can charge them to operate out of my hotel.

I said we should consider doing our part for the small ops we love so we don't end up diving with Wal-dive, the one dive shop. Do out part to preserve the status quo. Of course if you a hoping for more of a large commercial experience, I won't say you are wrong, just that we disagree on the Cozumel our dollars should build in the future.

Did I say that that is what I want? I stay at a small resort and dive with a small op. I will not participate in a boycott per se in order to try to get anyone there to change what they do, although you could say that I already am de facto because I already don't patronize any of the places you named. But why is no one up in arms about SCC's policy of not letting any other ops pick up divers there at any price?

 

[cvchief]

Did I say that that is what I want? I stay at a small resort and dive with a small op. I will not participate in a boycott per se in order to try to get anyone there to change what they do, although you could say that I already am de facto because I already don't patronize any of the places you named. But why is no one up in arms about SCC's policy of not letting any other ops pick up divers there at any price?

So that is a distinction without a difference. You won't participate, because you already participate? Close enough. We will claim you as part of the great silent majority then. And you can feel like you aren't changing the way anything in Cozumel happens. :wink1:

As for SCC, I would propose that is different. Their policies don't disadvantage small ops over big ops in a way that could change the face of diving in Cozumel. They treat all other ops the same. They are more an op with a hotel right?

 

[mmtndiver]

Cvchief,

What's next will you also want to boycott the shops that offer pick up at the in town piers?

Check with Aldora, Blue XTC, Deep Blue, etc I'm sure they pay a fee to use those piers also.

 

[Christi]

We will pick-up at any resort/pier from downtown south EXCEPT the Iberostar. This is the only resort that is actually charging the op directly. It doesn't make sense for us to pay the monthly fee as we get very, very few people staying there.

I am always up front with my divers who are staying at one of the resorts who have begun charging the pier fees that these are charged by the hotel, not by us - so we do not cover them. We simply can't - otherwise, we would have to raise prices across the board to cover the pier fees. I am up front about these pier fees, but I do not discourage people not to stay at these properties because of the pier fees (except Iberostar)- I simply give them the option to make an informed choice.

I agree that piers cost money to maintain, but this is an amenity that should be offered to guests of the hotel. I've covered this before, but raise the room rates a couple of dollars a night and the pier fees are covered! To make the dive ops, especially the smaller ones that use the piers infrequently pay to pick up hotel guests that have CHOSEN to dive with outside operators is wrong.

As far as charging "the competition" to use the piers as someone mentioned - the dive ops onsite at the hotels are not part of the hotels - they simply rent space and many onsite ops of the various hotels have changed frequently over the past few years. It is the hotels charging, not the onsite dive ops.

---------- Post added July 21st, 2013 at 10:30 AM ----------

Cvchief,

What's next will you also want to boycott the shops that offer pick up at the in town piers?

Check with Aldora, Blue XTC, Deep Blue, etc I'm sure they pay a fee to use those piers also.

Yes we do - but this is still a different situation than a hotel charging for their guests to use what should be an ammenity of any hotel located on the water.

 

[cvchief]

We will pick-up at any resort/pier from downtown south EXCEPT the Iberostar. This is the only resort that is actually charging the op directly. It doesn't make sense for us to pay the monthly fee as we get very, very few people staying there.

I am always up front with my divers who are staying at one of the resorts who have begun charging the pier fees that these are charged by the hotel, not by us - so we do not cover them. We simply can't - otherwise, we would have to raise prices across the board to cover the pier fees. I am up front about these pier fees, but I do not discourage people not to stay at these properties because of the pier fees (except Iberostar)- I simply give them the option to make an informed choice.

I agree that piers cost money to maintain, but this is an amenity that should be offered to guests of the hotel. I've covered this before, but raise the room rates a couple of dollars a night and the pier fees are covered! To make the dive ops, especially the smaller ones that use the piers infrequently pay to pick up hotel guests that have CHOSEN to dive with outside operators is wrong.

As far as charging "the competition" to use the piers as someone mentioned - the dive ops onsite at the hotels are not part of the hotels - they simply rent space and many onsite ops of the various hotels have changed frequently over the past few years. It is the hotels charging, not the onsite dive ops.

---------- Post added July 21st, 2013 at 10:30 AM ----------



Yes we do - but this is still a different situation than a hotel charging for their guests to use what should be an ammenity of any hotel located on the water.

Well, that is just as good. Charge your divers and let them decide and boycott the flat fees. That would make it viable for a small op.

You didn't get a letter from old Andres at the El Cid saying on June 14 saying that on June 15th they would begin invoicing you 3 dollars americano for every diver every day?

And the Secrets/Sunscape GM Armando sent out a sliding scale on May 27th:

The minimum fee for up to 40 passengers per month is $ 66 dollars Americans at the exchange rate of
the day. This payment is made directly administration offices of my client and / or
bank transfer.
1) increase in passengers brings an increase in the right to use and goes as follows

50 passengers / $ 70 dollars.
60 passengers / $ 80 dollars.
70 passengers / $ 90 'dollars.
80 passengers / $ 100 dollars.
100 passengers / $ 110 dollars.
110pasajeros / $ 120 dollars
120 passengers / $ 130.dollars,
130 passengers / $ 140 dollars
140 passengers / $ 150 dollars
150 passengers / $ 160 dollars as take maximum.

---------- Post added July 21st, 2013 at 12:03 PM ----------

Cvchief,

What's next will you also want to boycott the shops that offer pick up at the in town piers?

Check with Aldora, Blue XTC, Deep Blue, etc I'm sure they pay a fee to use those piers also.

I agree with Christi on that. What I would suggest to you is if you are choosing a hotel, pick one that has a pier you are entitled to use as part of your booking there. These hotels do not allow you to use their pier as part of your stay there, so basically you are staying at a hotel without a pier.

And MMTN, don't try to put words and my foot in my mouth. I will do that all by myself eventually!



Add: the letter are being handed out at the docks on pickups, so if you haven't been to El Cid lately, you may not have received it yet.

 

[Ron Lee]

Knowing the hotels that charge and the dive op policy regarding those fees is plenty adequate. If I stay at Iberostar and my dive op does not go there or would charge me $60, I can change dive ops or hotel.

$3 a day or $5 a week is in the noise since I pay that much to get from a northern hotel to Rock n Java for breakfast....then an early pick up the Aldora pier.

 

[cvchief]

Knowing the hotels that charge and the dive op policy regarding those fees is plenty adequate.

Thanks for agreeing the thread was needed!

 

[Karibelle]

Dock fees that penalize the small operator only do so because that operator chooses to eat those fees, instead of passing them along. How about you support your boutique dive shops by letting them know you're happy to pay the dock fee to use them, rather than the in-house op at the place you're staying? problem solved. You get what you want, you pay a few bucks more - which is a tiny fraction of the overall cost of your week of vacation budget - your op stays financially healthy. It would be better for all of us if businesses charged enough for their services to actually BE in business... instead of limping along.