Help Needed: Shady Dive Operator?

[cdmbrennan]

Hello!

I am currently in the Turks & Caicos and am preparing to start my Advanced Open Water Certification tomorrow morning.

On the website for the dive shop, it states:

The full Advanced Open Water course includes all books, materials, tanks, weights, instruction, training dives, and certification.
Cost:
$285 + gear (full Advanced Open Water Course) or
$200 + gear (Advanced Open Water eLearning)

When I expressed interest in AOW, the dive shop manager quoted a price close to $600 for the AOW, explaining that it was $285 + the cost of five dives and equipment. On this forum, it seems that many people say the AOW costs between $150 and $300- but does that include dives?

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[roll_tide_daniel]

I can't tell you what it will cost there, but I just did mine for $350 including all books, air, dives, etc. That seems high, but I did all shore dives in Maui. I used all my own equipment except tanks and weights, but the operator I used didn't charge for rental gear if you took a class.

 

[shortdivemedic]

Simple answer take it somewhere else if you think the cost is high

 

[TheRealScubaSteve]

The full Advanced Open Water course includes all books, materials, tanks, weights, instruction, training dives, and certification.

Seems to be the cost should be $285 + rental equipment if you do not have it.

 

[Scott]

Just enjoy T&C and wait until you arrive back stateside and do your AOW at home. The $600 is outrageous and $285 a little high...for my area, course we don't have a nice ocean with pretty fish near by.

 

[boulderjohn]

The same thing happened to me when I got my AOW many years ago. The advertised price was for instruction only and did not include the price of the dives. Technically they were correct, but I felt it was deceptive advertising. Ask around and see if there are better options. That option is pretty expensive.

 

[cdmbrennan]

Simple answer take it somewhere else if you think the cost is high

Hard to do if you don't know if the cost is high!

Thank you everyone who has responded with their experience- anyone else remember approx. how much it cost for AOW?

---------- Post added August 1st, 2014 at 12:03 AM ----------

Thank you, John. Any idea of a ballpark estimate for what a "fair" price might be for an AOW?

---------- Post added August 1st, 2014 at 12:05 AM --------

---------- Post added August 1st, 2014 at 12:05 AM ----------

Thanks for the advice, Scott.

 

[Damselfish]

"including dives" is cheap when shore diving is readily available, like at a shop sitting on the water with shore diving right there, which is unlikely in T&C - I assume you are on Provo and these would be boat dives? By including "training dives" I'm guessing they mean having an instructor do the training dives with you, but not the cost of the boat dive trip itself. So while their website may be misleading, or at least not as clear as it could be, and I can see the sticker shock - T&C isn't a cheap place and when the going rate for a 2 tank boat trip runs around $130 - the whole thing can add up to $600 pretty easy, especially if you need to rent gear.

If you were just diving and did 2x2 tank trips and a 1 tank trip, that already adds up to more than they are charging for the course. I don't think they're going to do the class and give you all the boat trips, for less than the price of the boat trips themselves.

 

[beanojones]

While I do not teach AOW this way, it is worth noting that the instructor does not have to do all the dives with AOW student. If you do not have a buddy, then you are paying for a guide on the dives.

 

[Centrals]

I am glad I did all my rec and tec training in Philippines. Everything(boat charges, book, dive, gear, tuition etc) is included in the course fee. Extra is O2 for Nitrox or deco and He( have to pay for the instructor as well).

US$600.00 for a AOW! Wow.
That dive operator has been economical with the truth on its web site!