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

[avatar]

As a loyal customer, I'm with Dave on this one. The OP loves to complain as is evident from all the lengthy replies. I'm glad he wasn't on my boat.
Dive Aldora-but no crybabies.

 

[DevilEyeDog]

Fair enough. I had a minor complaint that escalated because of an inflammatory message from Dave. I even wrote it was a tiny complaint. I've said what a great dive operator Aldora is multiple times. But fair enough, if you ask for 2 tanks and only get one then you just keep your mouth shut because that's complaining.

 

[ggunn]

Fair enough. I had a minor complaint that escalated because of an inflammatory message from Dave. I even wrote it was a tiny complaint. I've said what a great dive operator Aldora is multiple times. But fair enough, if you ask for 2 tanks and only get one then you just keep your mouth shut because that's complaining.

So, I have to ask... what was your motivation in bringing this into this forum? Dave's on-line persona, for better or worse, is well known around here. What sort of response were you expecting?

 

[Jayfarmlaw]

This could become another Anita thread....

 

[outofofficebrb]

So, I have to ask... what was your motivation in bringing this into this forum? Dave's on-line persona, for better or worse, is well known around here. What sort of response were you expecting?

As @DevilEyeDog stated in the original post title...It's a review. They still recommended Aldora but mentioned they wished communication could have been better and that they were disappointed with not having a private guide. While it did not ruin the entire dive experience, it is still something worth mentioning. Reviews and trip reports, whether good or bad, are welcome and a normal occurrence on the boards. Just because someone such as an owner of an operation is well known and on the boards regularly does not mean someone can't share an honest review about their personal experience to share with others.

If you're suggesting that the @DevilEyeDog was looking for some type of compensation, I don't see that in their original post. In fact, they loved the diving and had a good experience outside of the miscommunication/misunderstanding or lack of communication/lack of understanding. If you are suggesting that because Dave is well known and liked, that most people would disagree or write this off and not be empathetic or sympathetic, that's also a bit strange.....I don't think the OP was looking for any of that. Just an honest sharing of experiences.

If anything, I think the OP left with an overall good impression of the operator and would recommend the operation to others until Dave's response on the board here.

 

[DevilEyeDog]

Ggunn:
First of all I didn't know Dave was the owner of Aldora or how active he was on the site. And that should not matter. I actually posted it because when I was searching for dive operators in Cozumel that catered to cruise ship divers AND who were traveling solo I personally found it difficult to find a reputable one. I posted it in case others were in search for something similar like I was.

Aldora allowed a solo diver, offered private DMs and offered dives for cruise ship divers.

Plenty of individuals post reviews of various items on this site from gear to locations to dive operators. I was unware Dave was so active on the site. You can clearly see I don't have many posts on this site. My intention was merely to share an experience like so many people do on this site. And, my review was more than fair. It started off and ended with praising Aldora. I wrote about an experience I had with facts and the very email I sent to Aldora. I didn't say I'd never use them again. I didn't say they were terrible. I even wrote it was a TINY thing.

Would I have posted my review on this site if Aldora had made right and apologized or even acknowledged the inability to provide the requested private DM? Likely not OR it would have had a statement about how it was not ideal, but I, as a customer, felt cared about. I waited 2 weeks for a reply. That seems more than reasonable.

Like so many on this site Ggunn I wrote a review about a dive experience I had.

 

[ggunn]

If you're suggesting that the @DevilEyeDog was looking for some type of compensation, I don't see that in their original post.

I wasn't. Where did you get that?

 

[outofofficebrb]

I wasn't. Where did you get that?

I didn't know for sure, so was indirectly asking and sharing my thoughts if you were. I know a lot gets lost in translation in written text so I was also hoping to understand what your questions meant or why Dave's online persona and being well known mattered at all.

 

[DevilEyeDog]

As @DevilEyeDog stated in the original post title...It's a review.
If anything, I think the OP left with an overall good impression of the operator and would recommend the operation to others until Dave's response on the board here.

Bingo...
At some point I look at this and think "it's just a review people". I'm sorry I don't know Dave. It seems he had a bad day and his reply was a-typical. Fair enough. I've mentioned many times all the great reviews I read about Aldora before booking. But as a solo diver, who is new, I really wanted a private DM and was provided no reason or apology. It was a review catering to solo new divers who were interested in diving in Cozumel who may or may not be coming off a cruise ship. That's it. It's that simple.

 

[deepsea21]

Since you are a relatively new diver, did you expect to be put on a boat that did not have other new divers?

What are you saying Dave? All I've (and everyone on this board) has ever heard from you is how Aldora strives to place divers on boats with other divers of similar experience. If this diver had been reading your posts here for years he absolutely should have been certain he would be placed on a boat with other divers of comparable experience.

That weird buddy breathing practice with the DM in his group to maximize everyone's dive times is also again mentioned which I absolutely do not agree with but that is just me.

Everyone here knows Aldora is in the "top 10" and you run a highly regarded dive op but your response to this diver was a contradiction to what you've stated Aldora is about over and over. A prudent businessman with a business such as yours would refund his $ immediately and be done with it before it ever made it to Scubaboard.