I used to be a deepblu ambassador and got approached by Padi to support their new "travel" platform (at the moment it seems to be booking?) I rejected, as I believe to support smaller businesses and I have had some bad experience with Padi loyalty. Nevertheless i want to know why Padi is trying a business model they are clearly not good at??? Can they copy everyone/every idea all the time? Do people really want a Padi world? How shall i trust booking a liveaboard trip with Padi with 0 given transparency? i dont understand how this can attract divers, is the pricing even competitive or the reviews real?
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BDSC
Contributor
I'm not sure I understand your concern. It's my understanding that Diviac was sold to PADI and PADI is now fulltime in the dive travel business. I checked out their website and I thought is looked nice and was well done.
They are now just another booking option for folks or groups wanting to travel. They would be a wholesaler for dive shops doing group travel and a retail outlet for individual divers wanting to book travel. I suspect if a dive shop wanted to book group travel through them, the shop would get the standard 10% commission as well as free spots, etc.
When you say "How shall I trust booking a liveaboard trip with Padi with 0 transparency" what does that mean?
As far as pricing, anyone can easily check the pricing to see if it's competitive by going to the resort or liveaboard website. If you want real reviews, you can find them almost anywhere. You can check right here on SB or join Undercurrent for perhaps the best reviews of all.
They are now just another booking option for folks or groups wanting to travel. They would be a wholesaler for dive shops doing group travel and a retail outlet for individual divers wanting to book travel. I suspect if a dive shop wanted to book group travel through them, the shop would get the standard 10% commission as well as free spots, etc.
When you say "How shall I trust booking a liveaboard trip with Padi with 0 transparency" what does that mean?
As far as pricing, anyone can easily check the pricing to see if it's competitive by going to the resort or liveaboard website. If you want real reviews, you can find them almost anywhere. You can check right here on SB or join Undercurrent for perhaps the best reviews of all.
I don't know if you could call it new as they bought Diviac. I would guess that if they kept people from Diviac onboard then the knowledge of how to run travel would stay in-house.
I actually think it makes good sense for them to have a travel business. Train and travel within an organization you like (if PADI is your thing).
Whether it works or not is another thing.
Can you clarify as to what you mean by booking a liveaboard with no transparency?
I actually think it makes good sense for them to have a travel business. Train and travel within an organization you like (if PADI is your thing).
Whether it works or not is another thing.
Can you clarify as to what you mean by booking a liveaboard with no transparency?
BDSC
Contributor
As far as pricing goes, I just checked their pricing against several different liveaboards and it's exactly the same as you find on the liveaboard websites.
The world has no shortage of travel agencies. I've used Bay Adventures for all of my international travel. Bay Adventures | Dive Adventures and Island Vacations Ask for Al.
BDSC
Contributor
I've always used Scuba Travel Ventures. They have always done right by me.
Scuba Diving Vacations | Scuba Diving Trips | Scuba Packages
Scuba Diving Vacations | Scuba Diving Trips | Scuba Packages
I think PADI sees a bigger opportunity to bridge a gap for divers, and to offer an easy method for shops and even individual instructors to execute trips for their student base. Result will be better opportunity for advancing continuing education courses / refreshers, but also it will just get more new people out diving and staying active in the sport, at least in areas like Canada, where there are many divers that may not be interested in cold water diving.
Once you certify, you are excited and want to go south and see some amazing stuff.....why not capture that?
Once you certify, you are excited and want to go south and see some amazing stuff.....why not capture that?
Personally, I rarely (if ever?) used dive travel agencies for my trips. I preferred to do the research myself and plan the trips.
outofofficebrb
HARRO HUNNAYYY
PADI Travel was formerly Diviac. Their customer service and platform is excellent and continues to be so. In my experience, nothing has changed for me as a customer. I have 4 active bookings with them right now. Their prices are exactly the same as booking direct.
I’m not really sure what you mean by your post. Can you please elaborate?
@drbill I agree with you. I like to plan and usually book direct with most things. However, PADI Travel isn’t so much of a do-the-research-and-legwork-for-you type of travel agency as it is really just a place where you can book liveaboards. It is often times much easier and convenient to book and pay PADI for the liveaboard and enjoy nearly 24 hour customer service in English while being able to pay by CC with no fees and earn possible bonus points with your CC as they are a travel merchant if that is what you like. Sometimes, booking direct with liveaboards incurs a credit card fee (3-6%!). Others only accept wire transfers which I don’t like doing because there’s little recourse and no protection from my CC company if I need it. (Indonesia is a great example.) LOBs are no small purchase and it’s nice to have that extra credit card protection (in case of chargebacks), and the travel benefits from booking my trip on it, as well as the bonus travel points, etc.
Apart from PADI Travel, I often get a return discount with another travel company I use. The savings add up!
I’m not really sure what you mean by your post. Can you please elaborate?
@drbill I agree with you. I like to plan and usually book direct with most things. However, PADI Travel isn’t so much of a do-the-research-and-legwork-for-you type of travel agency as it is really just a place where you can book liveaboards. It is often times much easier and convenient to book and pay PADI for the liveaboard and enjoy nearly 24 hour customer service in English while being able to pay by CC with no fees and earn possible bonus points with your CC as they are a travel merchant if that is what you like. Sometimes, booking direct with liveaboards incurs a credit card fee (3-6%!). Others only accept wire transfers which I don’t like doing because there’s little recourse and no protection from my CC company if I need it. (Indonesia is a great example.) LOBs are no small purchase and it’s nice to have that extra credit card protection (in case of chargebacks), and the travel benefits from booking my trip on it, as well as the bonus travel points, etc.
Apart from PADI Travel, I often get a return discount with another travel company I use. The savings add up!
cburgert
Contributor
Just what we need, more people in the pool.
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