When a liveaboard trip is cancelled the day you arrive....

[outofofficebrb]

Agreed. This is an odd situation and in the end I would be very unhappy with Aggressor as oppossed to any travel insurance company. the OP was put in a terrible situation. Could it have been avoided?

It seems that many people do not understand what situations trip insurance covers. The cheaper the insurance, the less situations that will be covered.

If Aggressor had notified before departure from home, then you likely should have been able to not fly and submit an insurance claim for the unrefunded portion of the flight tickets. But the OP successfully flew so there is no basis for an insurance claim for the cost of the flights.

The OP had elcheapo travel insurance which has some extremely broad exclusions for the liveaboard costs (you get what you pay for). A better travel insurance product would have covered this case of the liveaboard defaulting (mine does). But the OP would still not be able to make a claim as their cost of the LOB was $0. It was a free LOB trip that they won. Nothing to insure.

The only insurance claim I can think of could be a daily subsistence allowance (my coverage is $300 per day per person) but since the boat offered to provide room and board for the week it does not seem like this could be claimed either.

Dive Assure with liveaboard rider is no "elcheapo" travel insurance, which the OP had. It is actually very, very inclusive..one of the best for dive specific travel. It's just not inclusive of "cancel for not reaching group minimums and horrible communication about it".

Edited to add: What would be considered a better insurance product that would also cover business decision cancellations for the liveaboard because they did not reach their minimums and then tried to contact the OP about it while she was en-route, likely on a flight already?

I think this is a very unique situation that might require some finagling with Dive Assure and strong arm with Aggressor.

 

[Lorenzoid]

DiveAssure recently quoted me over $700 for their mid-range travel insurance with the Liveaboard Rider for my wife and me. I'm really on the fence about buying it. As the OP's situation shows, airfare and other travel costs (not to mention precious days off from work) can be as big a part of the total cost as the liveaboard itself. A voucher for another trip or reimbursement for some number of lost diving days is nice, but it pales in comparison to airfare and other travel costs--often not refundable, expensive to change, or in the OP's case, simply wasted. I guess there are just some things for which insurance coverage is not available.

 

[outofofficebrb]

DiveAssure recently quoted me over $700 for their mid-range travel insurance with the Liveaboard Rider for my wife and me. I'm really on the fence about buying it. As the OP's situation shows, airfare and other travel costs (not to mention precious days off from work) can be as big a part of the total cost as the liveaboard itself. A voucher for another trip or reimbursement for some number of lost diving days is nice, but it pales in comparison to airfare and other travel costs--often not refundable, expensive to change, or in the OP's case, simply wasted. I guess there are just some things for which insurance coverage is not available.

Is this for primary or secondary coverage? Another question is what event you are worried about that will cause disruption or lost dollars for your trip. I think this instance is a unique, isolated event. Other than that, it's pretty inclusive...

 

[Lorenzoid]

Is this for primary or secondary coverage? Another question is what event you are worried about that will cause disruption or lost dollars for your trip. I think this instance is a unique, isolated event. Other than that, it's pretty inclusive...

It's the secondary coverage. I honestly don't know what specific event(s) I'm "worried about." Really, this thread has made me consider the possibility that there are events that haven't even occurred to me. I've taken lots of trips (though not many liveaboards) without buying trip insurance, figuring that I'm basically self-insuring against the unlikely. I wasn't even aware of the Liveaboard Rider until you posted about it in another thread.

 

[runsongas]

I’m sorry to hear what happened to you, but this sounds really strange & very unprofessional coming from a worldwide reputable liveaboard company that strives for the best liveaboard company in the world. They should at least have contacted you before you go on that long flights.

I just came back from a similar long-flight liveaboard trip (Houston-Palau) with Palau Aggressor II last week. I was so impressed with their service & professionalism. I rank them the top 2 of 9 liveaboard companies I have been in. They ran the dive program so smoothly, on time and as planned like a German fine tune machine. Great food & kept my cabin cleaned too. Gave them very good tips at the end as a token of my appreciation. I even already booked for another trip on Maldives Aggressor II for December 2018 and bringing a couple of my dive buddies to join me on this upcoming trip. Your situation makes me leery about my next dealing with Aggressor Fleet. At least I’ll make dang sure to check with them that the trip would be a go at least a month before the trip as my vacation time is very limited & worth a lot more to me than the flight & liveaboard cost combined.

When I booked a liveaboard trip through liveaboard.com, they always warn me to not buy any flight tickets until the trip is a go. I can see why now.

The issue with aggressor is that they are franchises, so you get reports of bad experiences on some boats whereas others are fine. the kona aggressor and the 2 palau based aggressors are owned by the same company iirc and have a good reputation.

 

[Scared Silly]

My thoughts, first I will never utilize the Aggressor Fleet even if the trip was free. The Aggressor Fleet is well known for NOT taking care of their customers when things go arise. This incident is just another example.

While I do not have an extensive resume of live-a-boards (< 6) I can say that every live-a-board I have utilized has required full payment typically within 30 days of departure. To my knowledge the Aggressor Fleet is no different regardless if one is an individual or a charter group. In fact theirs is 90 days: Liveaboard Scuba Dive Yachts Vacations & Trips | Aggressor Fleet

As such, something in the story smells like rotting fish. Sinking rotting fish. But then again I am not surprised given the Aggressor Fleet's past transgressions.

As others have said full payment would have been received before departure with no refunds. So financially there should have no reason why they should not depart. Given they did not we are left with some hypotheticals.

Group canceled no refund. They keep the money and screw over the one guest and give the crew the week off without pay.

Group canceled but a deal is made to reschedule with a penalty. They keep the penalty monies and screw over the one guest and give the crew the week off without pay.

There was no group and the minimum for departure was not met. Contacted all customers but forgot to tell the free customer cause they were on a different ledger.

The hypotheticals are endless but at the end of the day just another example of the Aggressor Fleet screwing over customers when things go arise.

If the Aggressor Fleet was a stand up operation they would have arranged for a hotel, all meals, and all the diving you wanted with land based operator for the week all at their expense. And a voucher for another trip for free. But they they are not a stand up operation they are flotsam with the customers jetsam.

For the OP, if they given you a new voucher make sure it is transferable. Then donate it to some worthy cause.

 

[Schwob]

Wow so sorry!
Thanks for posting.

This is a very sad eye opener.

 

[BDSC]

My thoughts, first I will never utilize the Aggressor Fleet even if the trip was free. The Aggressor Fleet is well known for NOT taking care of their customers when things go arise. This incident is just another example.

While I do not have an extensive resume of live-a-boards (< 6) I can say that every live-a-board I have utilized has required full payment typically within 30 days of departure. To my knowledge the Aggressor Fleet is no different regardless if one is an individual or a charter group. In fact theirs is 90 days: Liveaboard Scuba Dive Yachts Vacations & Trips | Aggressor Fleet

As such, something in the story smells like rotting fish. Sinking rotting fish. But then again I am not surprised given the Aggressor Fleet's past transgressions.

As others have said full payment would have been received before departure with no refunds. So financially there should have no reason why they should not depart. Given they did not we are left with some hypotheticals.

Group canceled no refund. They keep the money and screw over the one guest and give the crew the week off without pay.

Group canceled but a deal is made to reschedule with a penalty. They keep the penalty monies and screw over the one guest and give the crew the week off without pay.

There was no group and the minimum for departure was not met. Contacted all customers but forgot to tell the free customer cause they were on a different ledger.

The hypotheticals are endless but at the end of the day just another example of the Aggressor Fleet screwing over customers when things go arise.

If the Aggressor Fleet was a stand up operation they would have arranged for a hotel, all meals, and all the diving you wanted with land based operator for the week all at their expense. And a voucher for another trip for free. But they they are not a stand up operation they are flotsam with the customers jetsam.

For the OP, if they given you a new voucher make sure it is transferable. Then donate it to some worthy cause.

You absolutely nailed it!

 

[chillyinCanada]

Agreed. This is an odd situation and in the end I would be very unhappy with Aggressor as oppossed to any travel insurance company. the OP was put in a terrible situation. Could it have been avoided?

It seems that many people do not understand what situations trip insurance covers. The cheaper the insurance, the less situations that will be covered.

If Aggressor had notified before departure from home, then you likely should have been able to not fly and submit an insurance claim for the unrefunded portion of the flight tickets. But the OP successfully flew so there is no basis for an insurance claim for the cost of the flights.

The OP had elcheapo travel insurance which has some extremely broad exclusions for the liveaboard costs (you get what you pay for). A better travel insurance product would have covered this case of the liveaboard defaulting (mine does). But the OP would still not be able to make a claim as their cost of the LOB was $0. It was a free LOB trip that they won. Nothing to insure.

The only insurance claim I can think of could be a daily subsistence allowance (my coverage is $300 per day per person) but since the boat offered to provide room and board for the week it does not seem like this could be claimed either.

Who do you use?

 

[Erica Watson]

What you have outlined below are exactly all of my thoughts. There was one other person that was to be on the boat and he was given a refund (he paid full price bc all of the incentives came out after he had signed up) and offered a 1/2 price voucher for the same trip at a later date (the same incentive that is being offered in many emails i currently get). So all in all - my best guess is there was no group and somehow they forgot to tell us until we were there or on our way.

My thoughts, first I will never utilize the Aggressor Fleet even if the trip was free. The Aggressor Fleet is well known for NOT taking care of their customers when things go arise. This incident is just another example.

While I do not have an extensive resume of live-a-boards (< 6) I can say that every live-a-board I have utilized has required full payment typically within 30 days of departure. To my knowledge the Aggressor Fleet is no different regardless if one is an individual or a charter group. In fact theirs is 90 days: Liveaboard Scuba Dive Yachts Vacations & Trips | Aggressor Fleet

As such, something in the story smells like rotting fish. Sinking rotting fish. But then again I am not surprised given the Aggressor Fleet's past transgressions.

As others have said full payment would have been received before departure with no refunds. So financially there should have no reason why they should not depart. Given they did not we are left with some hypotheticals.

Group canceled no refund. They keep the money and screw over the one guest and give the crew the week off without pay.

Group canceled but a deal is made to reschedule with a penalty. They keep the penalty monies and screw over the one guest and give the crew the week off without pay.

There was no group and the minimum for departure was not met. Contacted all customers but forgot to tell the free customer cause they were on a different ledger.

The hypotheticals are endless but at the end of the day just another example of the Aggressor Fleet screwing over customers when things go arise.

If the Aggressor Fleet was a stand up operation they would have arranged for a hotel, all meals, and all the diving you wanted with land based operator for the week all at their expense. And a voucher for another trip for free. But they they are not a stand up operation they are flotsam with the customers jetsam.

For the OP, if they given you a new voucher make sure it is transferable. Then donate it to some worthy cause.