Cancelled/postponed trips due to COVID - please share your outcomes

[kelemvor]

I know of many overseas ops that take payments by PayPal but you can pay by “goods and services” for protection and use a credit card at the same time. Those same ops or some other ops also take credit card but charge a % fee or add that percentage to PayPal transfers to cover the cost of the fee that is imposed on them. There are some other ops I’ve come across overseas that alternatively deal with wire transfers and that’s scary to me. Not because they are shady or even trying to be, but a lot can go wrong with the wires themselves and of course, if there are any issues, it’s much more difficult to manage. I like booking with my agent for these reasons. It costs no more for me and in fact, I can use my credit card and get bonus travel points as they’re a travel merchant.

I'll admit I've only traveled internationally a handful of times. I've used a travel agent each time. However the prices the agent charged me were exactly what is listed on the destination's website. Presumably the agent gets a price break and gets to pocket the difference.

 

[TabeaK]

A quick note from DAMAI:
we never use platforms as Scubaboard to debate with guests, in the end we all have our own views and opinions and so should be. But in this unique occasion we are forced to reply as what this person has stated is unjustified, defamatory, and untrue.

We will just reply to this specific post and unless there are more posts stating facts that are incorrect and damaging, we will be not engage in further discussions and be back to what we should be doing: taking care of our guests and our crew

[..]
is absolutely FALSE.
Anyone who has been with us and anyone who knows us is perfectly aware that we do take care of our gusst in the best possible way.

• It is false that DAMAi has cancelled any trip, we still have our vessel's ready and the crew as well.Of course we recognized the difficulties for many to arrive to the harbor and the impossibility with others and we were in communication with the agent who chartered the vessel to find alternatives
• It is ABSOLUTELY FALSE that we have not offered any alternative and decided to keep with a 100% of the funds collected from the trip

Well, I certainly do appreciate the communication, but I will reiterate the following:

The communication we have had from our agent is:

1) No refunds from Damai
2) No reschedule from Damai - we were told we would not be offered any options or vouchers
3) Trip is cancelled

Our agent insists they have been negotiating with Damai, we have asked for reschedule options and been told no multiple times. Further, we have reached out to Damai directly, who only want to communicate through our agent (fair enough, as we have an agent) and not with us directly. Damai has not provided any pro-active communication to us in the lead-up to this. I certainly would welcome an open line of communication from the Damai directly.

So, from my point of view I am stating the facts as they were presented to me - I appreciate that the involvement of a third party (the travel agent) makes the situation a little more complex.

I also very much appreciate the severity of this worldwide crisis and its impact on the vendors. Everyone is impacted severely and needs to figure out a way to survive.

Categorically, I am not presenting any falsehoods, I am presenting my real-time experience as a customer at this moment in time.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Well, I certainly do appreciate the communication, but I will reiterate the following:

The communication we have had from our agent is:

1) No refunds from Damai
2) No reschedule from Damai - we were told we would not be offered any options or vouchers
3) Trip is cancelled

Our agent insists they have been negotiating with Damai, we have asked for reschedule options and been told no multiple times. Further, we have reached out to Damai directly, who only want to communicate through our agent (fair enough, as we have an agent) and not with us directly. Damai has not provided any pro-active communication to us in the lead-up to this.

So, from my point of view I am stating the facts as they were presented to me - I appreciate that the involvement of a third party (the travel agent) makes the situation a little more complex.

I suspect that miscommunication or a misunderstanding has occurred here and perhaps a good resolution can be had here. I would have your agent reach out to @divedamai again or maybe they will be willing to chat with you directly to avoid further issues. Is it possible to get on a conference call or copied on an email? good luck and please keep us posted.

 

[TabeaK]

I suspect that miscommunication or a misunderstanding has occurred here and perhaps a good resolution can be had here. I would have your agent reach out to @divedamai again or maybe they will be willing to chat with you directly to avoid further issues. Is it possible to get on a conference call or copied on an email? good luck and please keep us posted.

Will do - I have already attempted direct communication - but as I said, Damai wants to go through our agent, which is fair enough really. I am open to further communication at any point of course.

 

[flyboy08]

Well, I certainly do appreciate the communication, but I will reiterate the following:

The communication we have had from our agent is:

1) No refunds from Damai
2) No reschedule from Damai - we were told we would not be offered any options or vouchers
3) Trip is cancelled

Our agent insists they have been negotiating with Damai, we have asked for reschedule options and been told no multiple times. Further, we have reached out to Damai directly, who only want to communicate through our agent (fair enough, as we have an agent) and not with us directly. Damai has not provided any pro-active communication to us in the lead-up to this. I certainly would welcome an open line of communication from the Damai directly.

So, from my point of view I am stating the facts as they were presented to me - I appreciate that the involvement of a third party (the travel agent) makes the situation a little more complex.

I also very much appreciate the severity of this worldwide crisis and its impact on the vendors. Everyone is impacted severely and needs to figure out a way to survive.

Categorically, I am not presenting any falsehoods, I am presenting my real-time experience as a customer at this moment in time.

I have no skin in this game. You seem to be handling this as best you can ....surprisingly since your from New Joisey

I wish u an amicable resolution....

 

[TabeaK]

Oh, and it occurred to me that I never mentioned our agent, we are booked with Equator Diving Equator Diving - Dive Travel Specialist, as are all our travel companions - we've all had the communication of trip is cancelled, no refunds, no rescheduling, no vouchers, go with your travel insurance - maybe if our claim is unsuccessful we can talk. I'll begin posting screenshots if I keep being accused as a liar. I have an official cancellation invoice from Equator Diving in my hands right now to support an insurance claim.

So, it either is Equator Diving not representing Damai properly or Damai not giving the claimed flexibility - we as the customers have thus far been stuck in the middle. Again, in these unprecedented times I am still happy to communicate - I have thus far had almost no proactive communication from either party - all has been in response to us reaching out multiple times.

I have reached out to the Damai AGAIN directly. I am happy to talk.

 

[TabeaK]

surprisingly since your from New Joisey

Oi! Not a born and bred Jerseyan, so maybe that helps.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Well, I certainly do appreciate the communication, but I will reiterate the following:

The communication we have had from our agent is:

1) No refunds from Damai
2) No reschedule from Damai - we were told we would not be offered any options or vouchers
3) Trip is cancelled

Our agent insists they have been negotiating with Damai, we have asked for reschedule options and been told no multiple times. Further, we have reached out to Damai directly, who only want to communicate through our agent (fair enough, as we have an agent) and not with us directly. Damai has not provided any pro-active communication to us in the lead-up to this. I certainly would welcome an open line of communication from the Damai directly.

So, from my point of view I am stating the facts as they were presented to me - I appreciate that the involvement of a third party (the travel agent) makes the situation a little more complex.

I also very much appreciate the severity of this worldwide crisis and its impact on the vendors. Everyone is impacted severely and needs to figure out a way to survive.

Categorically, I am not presenting any falsehoods, I am presenting my real-time experience as a customer at this moment in time.

looking forward to finding out how this one ends. The agent perhaps not being completely transparent with both sides?

Well, I certainly do appreciate the communication, but I will reiterate the following:

The communication we have had from our agent is:

1) No refunds from Damai
2) No reschedule from Damai - we were told we would not be offered any options or vouchers
3) Trip is cancelled

Our agent insists they have been negotiating with Damai, we have asked for reschedule options and been told no multiple times. Further, we have reached out to Damai directly, who only want to communicate through our agent (fair enough, as we have an agent) and not with us directly. Damai has not provided any pro-active communication to us in the lead-up to this. I certainly would welcome an open line of communication from the Damai directly.

So, from my point of view I am stating the facts as they were presented to me - I appreciate that the involvement of a third party (the travel agent) makes the situation a little more complex.

I also very much appreciate the severity of this worldwide crisis and its impact on the vendors. Everyone is impacted severely and needs to figure out a way to survive.

Categorically, I am not presenting any falsehoods, I am presenting my real-time experience as a customer at this moment in time.

 

[JamesBon92007]

We were booked for April 11 to May 12 and decided to cancel mainly because of the risks involved, and just then AirBnB offered us a full refund for our non-refundable (over 30 days) rental. Due to our suspected economic impact of the virus on Cozume in general we told our host (ess) that we would glady accept a credit instead of a refund, but she sent us the refund anyway so I guess she's doing OK. Meanwhile, the last flights in and out of CZM via SouthWest are tomorrow so our flights are cancelled anyway.

Now the government is saying they are going to send everyone $1000. That means I should be able to afford two 12-packs of toilet paper. We ordered a case of T.P. from China--it will be a miracle if nobody steals it along the way. And then we have to de-contaminate it.

We have a trip booked for Puerto Vallarta in August so we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Quick tip. If the govnt gives you money in a crisis....try to spend it in your own country...