Appropriate to ask for a refund? Trip report from my first salt water dive!

[Mike]

Write it off, welcome to scuba diving. I think you're well ahead when they gave you the $20 back for the dive master. I think it was a bit distasteful when you demanded more, when you did that you crossed over to the realm of the customer from hell, the customer with unrealistic expectations. The refund for the dive master was a good faith gesture, asking for more was kind of bad form.

 

[1bubbleoff]

Ummmm....No..it's not appropriate imo.

1) They refunded the private DM service fee for the dive in question
2) You didn't bother to read the Operators service terms..unless I miss my guess...refunds ONLY due to weather cancellations or Capt's call.

You came out ahead...leave the entitlement issues ashore and enjoy your dives.

Bubs

 

[kelemvor]

I agree with the others, the "DM" refund was about all that was reasonable to expect back. You still did two dives, and obviously that included the transportation. I wouldn't let this mess up the emperor's groove.

 

[The Chairman]

I think they did what was appropriate by refunding the DM's fee. That's the lowest fee I've ever heard of. I charge $125 to guide and $200 to teach for such a trip.

 

[TMHeimer]

This thread is related to the "Collapse of the Buddy System" one. A situation where a perfect situation for a 2 tank boat dive just didn't work out. Cramps, separation, etc. No, I wouldn't ask for any other refund. Reality is that if you dive enough you may just have the attitude that you're confident in your own abilities and will pretty much dive anyway if things aren't perfect. If you have a regular good dive buddy with you, of course, problem solved anyway. Solo certification is not available around here, and I have on occasion found myself alone at depths I prefer not to be, as my solo diving is normally to a max of 30'. Things happen and you do what decide to do, if that makes sense.

 

[spoolin01]

Not hard to sympathize with your disappointment and frustration. If your reporting is faithful you appear to have gotten a fairly disinterested approach to customer service. I particularly liked the DM taking his option to blow off any service obligations in favor of his own pleasure. I've certainly seen that attitude as well - we were once rushed through two shallow afternoon dives in the Keys, asking us to be back at 45 on the first and 35 minutes on the second, so the two 'pros' running the trip could get back out themselves with some daylight left - but not all operations are that way. Most are quite the opposite, of those that I've seen. Patronize those that treat you well, and talk them up.

 

[Pro Dive Davao]

As a dive business owner you custom is important to me. Please let me refund your the DM fees and here is a voucher for 25% off your next dive with us to make up for it

 

[DENLASCUBA]

They did refund the $20 for the DM.

As an operator I would have done exactly the same thing. If it was at the very start of the dive different story, also if you were diving multiple dives through me then I would offer a small discount due to the dive being cut short due to the DM having an issue an not being able to send you off to a nearby group.

 

[Steve_C]

I understand your frustration in that you chartered with the understanding you would have a DM to dive with. Early in my diving that was a concern myself on some dives that I now do not worry about and instabuddy on.

Couple questions. Did you talk to the second DM yourself? Always a good thing to do. The first DM may not have talked to the second DM before his SI dive. Always verify directly yourself .

Even in NC, where the DM is often also working on the boat so the dive money is extra, $20 sounds very low. Usually it is around $40 (or more) and that does not count as tip. I still sometimes hire a NC DM for example if I am out digging teeth and do not have one of my regular buddies. They can run the line and I can just dig. rate is $40 plus a tip and that tip is separate from the crew tip. On some of the NC boats the only pay the crew gets is from tips.

The NC dive boats get a lot of experienced repeat customers. I know that for novice divers looking for instabuddies they will sometimes make a point, if they can, of suggesting an experienced buddy.

The dive site matters a bit too. NC ocean dives can range from 50 ft to over a hundred. Inshore or offshore. Be curious to know which site you were at.

 

[PsyWulf]

Been there as the victim of such a dive gone awry (12 minute dive and I called it myself - DM was being a tard swimming up a ripping current). It's just one of those things that can happen. DM Fee was fair