C-Card Recognition: Myth or Fact?

[Tigerman]

I have never had any issue having my cards accepted, but they are mainstream and they are for the level of diving I do.
I have dived with two types of dive ops. The ones that just want your creditcard and the ones that actually KEEP your c-card (and copy of your creditcard) untill you check out.
My most frequented op wanted to see AOW or higher first couple of times, then it became "can I have one of your cards please". They know I hold the cards, but they want to keep one on file while Im there. Usually I just give them my nitrox card along with "that unlimited nitrox deal?" just to get it confirmed that its on my bill already.. €30 for 2 weeks usually works out to less than €1 a tank so why not..

 

[Pavao]

I wonder how the C-card "collectors" are going to adapt to the more and more common electronic C-cards, the ones on your smart phone.

 

[Tigerman]

I wonder how the C-card "collectors" are going to adapt to the more and more common electronic C-cards, the ones on your smart phone.

If I where collecting cards (which Im not) I wouldnt.. Kinda the same way as Im collecting certain movies and series I want the DVDs.. But thats just me, the "not a card collector, but a simpsons collector"..

 

[Pavao]

No no Tigerman, not that, I was referring to the operators which collect the customers cards while they're out diving, THOSE C-card collectors

I don't keep taking classes to collect cards either, but I'm not sure what that means to be honest, I have more C-cards than I can hold with one hand, but how else can we go from OW to full trimix/full cave, become an MSDT and taking some GUE classes along the way and not have a ton of C-cards?

If I where collecting cards (which Im not) I wouldnt.. Kinda the same way as Im collecting certain movies and series I want the DVDs.. But thats just me, the "not a card collector, but a simpsons collector"..

 

[Tigerman]

Ahaa. Well, they are going to have to keep digital records of their customers cards instead of physical ones I guess.
To be honest there is one thing I DO NOT like in the least with everything being more and more digital and that is that everything is more and more online.. Server or internet goes down? Sorry, you're up a creek with no paddle - and infact the canoe is leaking badly too..

 

[JohnN]

I can think of only one time my C-card was collected, but this was at a dive "destination" (Gilli T on Lombock) and it was more of an incentive to come back and pay my bill. Much better IMHO than asking to keep a credit card.

 

[TMHeimer]

Unless people know me, all the boats I've gone on (as well as shops to get air/nitrox the first time) have asked to physically see a C card. Interesting that no one anywhere has EVER asked to see a log book. Another idea--The poll may be better if those with major well known agency cards didn't vote?

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

No one asks for a c-card around here. Maybe on vacation but even then it is the exception rather than the rule. Last time I dove warm water, in Rapa Nui, the shop owner asked about experience he did not give a damm about c-cards.

 

[kelemvor]

My buddy who has an old NASDS card has been given a hard time about it numerous times. Apparently it was good for quite a bit more than regular OW is these days. I get the impression that diving used to be less about making money on card sales and more about diving. For example; they balked at Ginnie Springs but eventually relented and let him dive after we talked to a "supervisor".

Several ops I've dove with asked if I had a card but didn't actually care to see it. Some ask you to write the card# on a waiver. Some want you to show plastic and write the number on a waiver.

There is definitely a correlation to an operation selling cards and the likelihood the operator will ask to see your card.

 

[Tigerman]

Yeah, OR there is a correlation between an op not asking to see your card and "cowboy diving"... or both...