Aldora Divers Review: Two Tank Solo New Diver Experience Coming off a Cruise Ship

[DevilEyeDog]

It's only my second time diving in the Caribbean. I'm fairly new to diving (40 dives). I came in from a cruise ship. I was by myself.

Cozumel diving really is amazing and I simply need to come back and spend more time diving. I picked Aldora Divers because of their great reputation as being top notch. Unfortunately they didn't live up to the expectations.

I waited 2 weeks for a reply to my below email from Aldora and it added to my disappointment I never received one. So unfortunately I added another small deduction to them. This dive operator practices good safe diving which is the most important thing, but below is my email that they never replied to. Long story short. If you hired a private guide with them don't expect they'll have one.

Another small thing of note; While they were expecting me at the dive shop the boat was surprised when I tried to board. Their roster said I was staying at Villa Aldora and there was a two minute exchange about "how it really was me" and "how the shop was wrong" and "I'd like to get on the boat to dive today please."

Here is my email to them sent two weeks ago from this post.

*****
I had an amazing two dives yesterday with Aldora! The dive center is top notch and great!

Just one tiny (tiny) disappointment. I booked with Aldora about 8 months ago. I asked for a private guide because I like to shoot photography and wanted someone to help with pointing out small creatures, hopefully find a splendid toadfish, etc. I confirmed a week ago that I had the two dives, full rental equipment and the private guide. Then again I confirmed 24 hours before.

I arrived to find there was no private guide for me. The guide (she was awesome) apologized and said she was not aware of my request. While she attempted to show me one or two things we had brand new divers with us. The last 20-30 minutes of each dive he had to buddy breathe off her tank which rendered her incapable of doing anything other than holding on to him.

She's great and honestly bless her for being so calm, kind and patient with the new divers, but I was definitely disappointed. I had wonderful dives, but just floated along guessing at what I was looking at and trying to find stuff on my own.

On my end, confirming 3 times and booking so early I couldn't have done much more. I just wish someone had been honest and upfront that a private guide was not a possibility. To be honest when I ever come back to Cozumel I may consider booking with someone else because I REALLY wanted a private guide to make the experience a little more personal for what my goals were for diving.

I would recommend you to anyone, but with a * sign about the private guide.

Thank you again. It truly was amazing. I loved every second of it.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Since you are a relatively new diver, did you expect to be put on a boat that did not have other new divers? And if you come at the busiest time of year…and DMs do get sick is it possible that we did our best-- but "stuff" happens?

Serving cruise ship divers makes every aspect of what we do much more complicated, especially when we are booked to near capacity. This is why we did, and will probably stop taking any cruise ship divers unless we know them.

I am very sorry that your expectations were not met, but we try very hard.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

PS I will update the website as to Cruise Ship divers

 

[Lorenzoid]

As I read it, a timely reply to the email would have gone a long way.

 

[Dogbowl]

None of my business and I don’t know more than what I glean from the first 2 posts here, but that sounds like poor customer service to me, with a generous dash of attitude.

When I booked a private DM with another shop on the island, off a cruise ship, as a beginner, I got one. That’s why I went back to that dive op as a day diver after my initial experience with them. A little respect goes a long way.

Sorry I had to add this, it sounds a lot like customer victim blaming to me. He was a beginner, off a cruise ship...therefore, he was just not worthy of good service.

 

[BertStevens]

Sorry you had a bad experience. I had a great week diving with Aldora last summer. Steel tanks, 60+ minute dives, and amazing dive masters. I loved that boats were separated by experience levels. If things settle down in the ferry travel advisories I’m going back for 2 weeks this summer.

 

[DevilEyeDog]

Dave:
First of all nice to "meet" you in cyber space. Second of all I praised your operation several times and even thanked it.
Yes, a reply to my email would've gone a long way. Your reply however is very disappointing.

Let me clarify a few points for you.
1) Me being a new diver has nothing to do with the fact that I booked something and it was not followed through. I not only booked a private guide, but I sent two emails confirming the request. When I arrived at the shop and spoke to the gentlemen who got my gear ready I talked about how I hoped someone could point out a splendid toadfish he said "let your guide know". I stated I had requested a private guide and asked if I would meet him/her on the boat. He said "on the boat". Why would he not then tell me "stuff happened" as you so put it? No apology or acknowledgement there was no private guide. It wasn't until I got to the boat and asked the guide about the private DM did she say "I'm the only one here and I don't think there's anyone available."

2) I also don't recall complaining at all about new divers being on the boat. That's what I expected and why I wanted a private guide. Not once did I complain about the new divers. I put that part of the story in there to illustrate why a private DM would've been nice.

3) Me coming off of a cruise ship and being a new diver are actual not factors in my complaints against Aldora Divers. I could have 1,000+ dives under my belt, be a DM myself, stayed at Villa Aldora and still want a private DM to show me the area. Even with all that anyone would be less than happy to find out what they requested wasn't available. After I sent an email about the situation and received no reply at all (not even a "stuff happens" reply) I feel even more like a "they don't care about their customer".

It's disappointing you think my skill level or a cruise ship matters to this story. (Side note: That day you were not booked to capacity and my boat could've had one more diver) The point of this customer posting a less then desirable review about Aldora Divers is because I requested a private DM. None was provided and no one apologized for "stuff happening". The guide on the boat wasn't aware I wasn't staying at Villa Aldora. She initially said I couldn't get on her boat because I must be "wrong" as her list said she was picking me up at Villa Aldora. I didn't bring up the fact that I detected a leak on my tank and requested the guide change out the O-ring to which she replied "nice catch". I'm just a new diver, right? What do I know?

Your reply back is sadly even more disappointing. I didn't feel like I mattered before and definitely don't feel that now.

As I mentioned, Aldora Divers is a great dive operation, but now I add in the fact that it doesn't seem they care about their customers concerns and are dismissive of any issues.

 

[DevilEyeDog]

BertStevens: I did have two great dives and, as I wrote, think they are a great operation. However, without question they failed some aspect of my experience which has nothing to do with me being a new diver or coming off a cruise ship. In the end, they likely could have made it right with a simple apology. That said the owner apologized above and now will stop taking cruise ship divers because apparently that's the issue...not that they failed to have a private DM for me.

It's really a small issue I had which has been made in to a larger one because of a failure to communicate or care.

 

[Jaysun1327]

Wow Dave, that's a lot of attitude. The OP starts off their email with " had an amazing two dives yesterday with Aldora! The dive center is top notch and great! Just one tiny (tiny) disappointment." and you responded like that?!?

Sounds like they just wanted some kind of explanation for why no private DM was provided. No one informed them that the DM got sick or whatever. I saw no where in the OP an expectation that they would not be on a boat with new divers, but an expectation that they would have a private DM, because ya know, they are a new diver themselves.

Seems the biggest concern of the OP was the lack of communication. They waited two weeks for a reply to their email. They posted here at 6:36am, you replied at 10:53am, maybe try replying to your emails like you do SB.

 

[Kinglake]

Poor poor response from Aldora. Actually unbelievable to me. Can't fathom why Dave would think it wise to post as he did.

 

[Altamira]

Dave, I usually respect and agree with your posts, but this one has me baffled. You seem to have overreacted to what seems to be a minor criticism of your dive op's response to DevilEyeDog's request for a private DM, and less than timely email replies. Then you basically told an entire category of cruise ship divers that you do not know, to look elsewhere for a dive op in Coz. I hope that you were just having a bad day, and you will rethink your policy.