Key Dive Package - Too good to be true?

[fisherdvm]

New! Florida Keys Resort and Dive Special offered for a limited time!
DIVE & STAY FOR FREE!!!
La Siesta Resort and Key Dives have teamed up to offer the dive deal of a lifetime. All you have to do is pay for a three-night stay. In return, you will receive two additional nights and a two-tank dive trip - FREE. Prices start at $217.50 pp, double occupancy plus tax.

This means you get 5 nights at a top Islamorada resort plus a two-tank dive for just $217.50 per person, double occupancy plus tax.

THERE’S MORE. This incredible deal also includes tanks, weights, use of brand new ScubaPro equipment and a dive master with you in the water as your guide.

This deal is offered from August 15 through December 20, 2006 not including holidays or special events.

For more details, contact Key Dives or La Siesta Resort, www.LaSiestaResort.com.

 

[fisherdvm]

Anyway, we booked 5 nights on Sept 16, 06, to arrive the next day, Sept 17, 06, to stay for 5 nights with 2 free (2 tank) dives, for $435 for 2 persons, excluding tax.

I called on Sat night, at 9 pm, to confirm the reservation at La Siesta Resort, they said that my cost would be $1222 for 5 nights.

I showed them the ad on the internet, they said that it was really $217.50 per night, not per 5 nights, double occupancy.

I told the woman that it was dishonest or misleading advertisement, she said it was not. I said the ad needs to be changed, she said it was clear to her.

I wanted my money back, as they charged me $240 for deposit, she said she can't. She called her manager, and she claimed that he agrees the price was not what I thought it was. I told her that both my wife and I are college graduate, and we can not read the ad any other way. We asked our friend, and she said she read the same deal I did.

 

[fisherdvm]

Next day, we arrived in Miami, now with a different arrangement that we made late late Friday night. Before our flight the next AM..... We barely got any sleep....

I called Key Dives to complain at about 12 pm... A man answered the phone, and said yes, he knows the ad. And it is $217 per night, not 5 nights as I have read. He said the dive shop owner is out fishing, and I should talk to him. Anyway, he said, "everyone knows that you can't find a place down here to stay at any less than $200 a night, so the 217 a night for 3 nights and 2 days free is a good deal!"

So there it was, 2 strikes against Key Dives, and La Siesta resort.

 

[fisherdvm]

OK, whats the third strike?? The lies and threats that Key Dives owner made against me. The owner left a message on my answering machine at home, accusing me of swearing at La Siesta's staff. My wife, who over heard the whole argument on the phone, said "I have never heard you swear in the time we've been married, and that I have known you".

Yes, I did say, "I just want my darn deposit back", not "D$MM".....

Yes, I did say, "your ad is deceptive, dishonest, and misleading".

Yes, I did say, "I will report you to the BBB"....

Yes, I did raise my voice, but I did not swear. Woulnt you raise your voice too if your reservation is for Sept 17, and they had you down for Oct 17. Woun't you raise your voice if they took $240 deposit, and say they can not give it back without the manager's approval at 9:30 pm the night before your flight will take off at the wee hour the next morning? Woun't you raise your voice when you expect a bill for about $500 but was told it was $1222?

 

[fisherdvm]

Then the threats and lies goes on record as the emails from the owner arrived, he will sue me for libel, and likely will sue Scubaboard too!

 

[fisherdvm]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas " <m1@yahoo.com>
To: <Info@KeyDives.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2006 8:00 PM
Subject: Your ad is deceptive, and we are reporting you to the BBB


> Your ad clearly stated, 5 nights at La Siesta, for
> 217.50, or $435 for 2 people for 5 nights.
>
> First, La Siesta charged us a 246 for deposit.
>
> Then they were going to charge us $1222.55 for 5 days.
>
> I pointed the ad to them, they said it is 217.5 per
> person, per night, not per 5 nights.
>
> Your ad is as phoney as it gets. You have disrupted
> our vacation plan, and I am very angry.
>
> I will definitely report you to both the BBB online,
> and the local BBB.
>
> Sincererly
>
>
> Thomas *****
>

 

[H2Andy]

in my opinion, that ad is at the very least, very poorly drafted

the meaning that comes across is that if you pay $217 total for 3 nights, you get two nights free. i.e. you get five nights for $217

however, that doesn't necessarily mean that it was meant to be misleading.

 

[fisherdvm]

Hi Thomas,

I understand from La Siesta you have cancelled your reservation. I am
sorry
things did not work out. I'm not sure what went wrong in the
communications
we had, but I personally made your reservation and never misrepresented
what
was to happen. You were told you would be charged a deposit. You were
quoted $217.50 per person double occupany plus 11.5% tax and $2 per
person
per day resort fee. This works out to under $500 TOTAL FOR ALL FIVE
NIGHTS
including two dive trips, which is nowhere near the $1222 you said you
were
going to be charged. The manager of the resort said he tried to
communicate
this to you, but you wouldn't stop yelling and swearing long enough to
listen. Mike, my partner, also said he tried to call you and clarify
you
did have the special rate and were not being mis-charged, but you did
not
return his call.

Obviously, there was a misunderstanding somewhere and I'm sure this
would be
upsetting. This doesn't change the fact that you were not falsely
charged
any monies. A misunderstanding does not amount to fraudulent intent.
I
wish you had given us an opportunity to clarify things before becoming
so
angry. We have booked a dozen people on this special without any
problems
and no one has been mis-charged.

You must know, since you made a threat, there is a legal cause of
action
called Defamation and Libel. If you defame or libel Key Dives, our
staff,
or La Siesta in any way, we will have to take legal action. We cannot
allow
you to sully Key Dives reputation because of a misunderstanding that
could
have easily been cleared up if you had waited to speak with us. The ad
is
still out there, is not deceptive, and is being honored every day
without
fail. I'm sorry things became unclear for you and wish you had given
us the
opportunity to fix it. We have booked many dive vacations for people
without problem.

Regards,

Marcia Goldberg
KEY DIVES

 

[fisherdvm]

And lastly,

Thomas,

I don't know who you talked to and why they would say there's nothing
under
$200/night. I TOOK YOUR BOOKING AND I KNOW I CERTAINLY DID NOT SAY
THAT. I
also don't understand why La Siesta's staff would say $200 plus per
night
when they don't even charge that for their basic room in high season.
Again, this whole mess seems to have been a huge misunderstanding or
miscommunication.

Everyone who works here knows there are motor lodges for as little as
$40/night, but we don't recommend them because they are on the highway,
noisy and not the cleanest places. I find my divers are happiest in
places
starting around $100/night. Until La Siesta & Key Dives came up with
this
special, I would warn my guests that anything "decent" in Islamorada
was
$100 plus/night in season.

Off season is a whole different story - hence, the special we arranged.
Other hotels also run specials or offer discounts.

I don't know what you mean by "backing up their words". It was more
than
apparent there was a misunderstanding somehow and Mike from Key Dives
and
Steve from La Siesta both tried to communicate to you that the special
was
as quoted and we were backing it. Whatever mis-quote you heard could
have
been a simple mistake by a clerk and humans do occasionally make
mistakes.
Again, I was working with you directly and I wish you would have asked
for
me or Mike before assuming we lied to you because we didn't.

You're right, Thomas, this is very sad for all of us. Sad for you
because
you are upset and sad for me because I don't like being called a liar.
I
quit the law profession because I'm very old-fashioned in my values and
simply don't lie. I remember speaking with you and enjoying our
discussions
over the phone. As a former lawyer, I'm very careful in my word choice
and
made sure I was clear about what the special covered. It's sad that I
didn't at least earn the benefit of doubt from you. If someone said
something contrary to what I told you, I would have appreciated the
opportunity to correct it.

Best wishes to you,

Marcia Goldberg
KEY DIVES

 

[fisherdvm]

So there were the 3 strikes:

1. The resort employee who said my wife and I can't read english.

2. The dive shop employee who looked at the same ad, and said that I can't read english.

3. The dive shop owner who is a lawyer, who said I can read english, but if I complained to the BBB, she'll sue me for libel.

To me, these 2 businesses are either very dishonest, or have staff who can't read english.