I'm sure someone that has attended the SSI Business Academy has the contact info for Mcneese.
Scuba Schools of America/Rusty Berry
- Thread starter Lina77
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marinuse
Registered
So did something ever come out of this? Did he get punished? Or is this another cover-up let's-be-quiet-for-awhile-and-it-will-go-away type of thing?
Money talks.
Atule
New
Rusty Berry gives used cars salesmen a bad name. Total "bait & switch" game.
Called Scuba Schools of America and requested info on taking a refresher course since it's been 5 years from my last dive. I asked "How much is the class?" His exact words were "Nothing, can you come in tomorrow?" I was elated and asked if I could bring him coffee or anything else. He declined and told me to bring my gear. When I arrived, he tries to sell me the new diver certification course $750 (6 hours classroom, boat dives & $150 educational materials). I told him we talked about the refresher course and he said it's also $750 (for the exact same curriculum as previously stated). I questioned him about the "no cost" to which he replied "That's if you buy equipment from us." I then told him I don't need 6 hours of training and most definitely don't need to spend $150 for a updated SSI training book. To which he responded "It's completely updated, everything has changed". Changed? Are scuba tanks & regulators out and now gills are somehow being used? What a complete waste of my time. How big of a fool was I played? I bring my gear, swimsuit, towel, change of clothes & offer to bring lunch in return for a salespitch, WTF?
Called Scuba Schools of America and requested info on taking a refresher course since it's been 5 years from my last dive. I asked "How much is the class?" His exact words were "Nothing, can you come in tomorrow?" I was elated and asked if I could bring him coffee or anything else. He declined and told me to bring my gear. When I arrived, he tries to sell me the new diver certification course $750 (6 hours classroom, boat dives & $150 educational materials). I told him we talked about the refresher course and he said it's also $750 (for the exact same curriculum as previously stated). I questioned him about the "no cost" to which he replied "That's if you buy equipment from us." I then told him I don't need 6 hours of training and most definitely don't need to spend $150 for a updated SSI training book. To which he responded "It's completely updated, everything has changed". Changed? Are scuba tanks & regulators out and now gills are somehow being used? What a complete waste of my time. How big of a fool was I played? I bring my gear, swimsuit, towel, change of clothes & offer to bring lunch in return for a salespitch, WTF?
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That seems overkill for a refresher. If one of my past students wants to do a refresher with me, then I'll do a pool session for free (additional cost for ocean dive). I customize refresher courses per student needs which ends up being about 3 hours of pool time with me teaching them something new about buoyancy.
$750 is insane for a refresher. For that price you could almost fly out to me in Hawai'i and do a refresher with me
.marinuse
Registered
The PADI ReActivate is about AU$100. So I reckon you could potentially pay about the same in US$.
Since I think the entire ReActivate is just another way to get money out of divers, the way we usually do it here, is we take you on a normal dive, sit you down in the beginning of the dive in shallow water and do a number of basic skills from the Open Water course with you. If you show you can do these without any issues, we'll continue with the rest of the fun dive, and you pay for just the fun dive.
If not, THEN we will continue with the entire Tune Up, which would then of course cost a bit extra.
US$750? Total rip off.
US$150 for educational material? Still total rip off. The cost price for an Open Water manual + certifying credit is appr. US$75, the entire course hovers between US$300 and US$450 depending on location.
This guy...
I guess business men are free to decide their own profit mark-up, so I can't really call him a thief. But... well... What do I know, anyway...
I'm sure "everything is better with SSI", as he so many times has said.
Since I think the entire ReActivate is just another way to get money out of divers, the way we usually do it here, is we take you on a normal dive, sit you down in the beginning of the dive in shallow water and do a number of basic skills from the Open Water course with you. If you show you can do these without any issues, we'll continue with the rest of the fun dive, and you pay for just the fun dive.
If not, THEN we will continue with the entire Tune Up, which would then of course cost a bit extra.
US$750? Total rip off.
US$150 for educational material? Still total rip off. The cost price for an Open Water manual + certifying credit is appr. US$75, the entire course hovers between US$300 and US$450 depending on location.
This guy...
I guess business men are free to decide their own profit mark-up, so I can't really call him a thief. But... well... What do I know, anyway...
I'm sure "everything is better with SSI", as he so many times has said.
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LACounty4806
Contributor
6 years after the first post in this thread, we're still correctly assessing the ride down bulls$%t mountain that is run by Rusty and the SSA crew. Bad news is that with the closure of Sports Chalet, his business is only going to pick up,
marinuse
Registered
I'm just surprised that he's still in business.
Would've thought he'd go before Sports Chalet...
Would've thought he'd go before Sports Chalet...
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