Bad news from Galapagos, Aggressor 1 Liveaboard is out of service 06/13

[Scared Silly]

The response to the accident, not the accident itself, will cause this company to go 'under.' They should be ashamed of their response (or lack thereof)!

Yes, but it does make you question the safety practices across the fleet....

Well as it is they already planned to pull one of the ships out of the market this fall. The accident comes some what poorly because originally it was planned for this month(?). For what ever reason it was postpone to this fall so they just offered a 2 for 1 discount to fill the ships.

Also other than a couple of the ships like Carib Dancer the "fleet" is actually made up of private enterprises sailing exclusively under one name. That is the office is simply booking you on a ship that is using the company name. There is some discussion of this business practice in some other threads. However, a search on the Belize Wave Dancer is a good example of what really happens when things go wrong, really wrong.

That said - it should be understood that almost all foreign live-a-boards no matter where their home office is located are typically two businesses - a business office and a ship business located in the country of operation. This detail is rarely mentioned and when the hull goes belly up one is dealing with the local judicial system not the American. The same can be said for most foreign land based operations.


Edit - the above is not to be pro or con but that people should understand what they are booking so to be fully informed.

 

[H2O Gal]

Roshenamin, did I read you correctly? This horrible incident on your trip, and all they offered you is a voucher for ONE DIVE?!? Unbelievable.....

 

[cephalopod2]

A small point in a much larger incident. It seems that the Siren fleet of liveaboards has learned from their experience with sinking boats.
They take your passport at the beginning of the trip, put them all together in a waterproof bag....

The Siren fleet sank 2 boats in quick succession. Personally I am not reassured by a new system for collecting passports.

I am glad all on board escaped the Aggressor I to safety, but very sorry that they had to experience this.

 

[koozemani]

Wow, one whole free dive. These forums must have them on the ropes. This is head and shoulders above their free nitrox offer last time around.


wait a minute. On this free dive is nitrox included or is that an extra charge?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Unbelievable lack of reasonable response from Aggressor . . . AGAIN. What pray tell is one to do with a voucher for a missed dive? Or nitrox? How can they imagine that any of their past clients would do a repeat for such an insulting offer? Why would any potential clients book with them once becoming aware of this ongoing insulting treatment?

What were the Siren passengers offered?

 

[letterboy]

Well as it is they already planned to pull one of the ships out of the market this fall. The accident comes some what poorly because originally it was planned for this month(?). For what ever reason it was postpone to this fall so they just offered a 2 for 1 discount to fill the ships.

Also other than a couple of the ships like Carib Dancer the "fleet" is actually made up of private enterprises sailing exclusively under one name. That is the office is simply booking you on a ship that is using the company name. There is some discussion of this business practice in some other threads. However, a search on the Belize Wave Dancer is a good example of what really happens when things go wrong, really wrong.

That said - it should be understood that almost all foreign live-a-boards no matter where their home office is located are typically two businesses - a business office and a ship business located in the country of operation. This detail is rarely mentioned and when the hull goes belly up one is dealing with the local judicial system not the American. The same can be said for most foreign land based operations.


Edit - the above is not to be pro or con but that people should understand what they are booking so to be fully informed.

I had not realized that. So essentially they are contracted to put a name on a boat and take people out, like the plumber that was sub contracted out and screws up my plumbing...

That makes me, at least, wonder if people should ask, or be told, whether the boat is actually a part of the same company or being run by someone else...

But back to the topic, seriously aggressor no response, not even a "we are looking into the cause of the incident and are working to ensure it never happens again"?!?!

Wookie, when you gonna start going to Darrin island? ;-)

 

[tridacna]

I can't wait to hear Pete's excuse when this gets moved to W&C or whatever they call the "safe" forum these days. It'll be the usual something along the lines of "more than one side to this story you know. We will not be a party to blackmail". Yes, believe it or not, that was the pissy excuse SB offered the first time they caved.

A voucher for the dive that they missed? Wow! What an offer.

 

[Doc]

I had not realized that. So essentially they are contracted to put a name on a boat and take people out... whether the boat is actually a part of the same company or being run by someone else...

Much the same as Holiday Inn or similar such "flagged hotels". They even use the same term as the nautical. They contribute fees for advertising, they pay a commission on bookings, they enjoy the flow of guests from a "recognized name". Not all ships work this way, but quite a few.

Juts like "flagged hotels", they have to meet certain expectations and standards. Having been involved myself in a fair share of ship incidents, all of the superfluous stuff falls aside at the sound of the first crunch and Newtons laws take over at this point... that and International Maritime Law.

Wookie, when you gonna start going to Darrin island? ;-)

Clarification: Darrin 1 got busy with Samantha and was Tabitha's Father. Darrin 2 begat Adam. Don't feel bad, Endora called him Darwin a number of times. Bewitched - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I can't wait to hear Pete's excuse when this gets moved to W&C or whatever they call the "safe" forum these days.

I first posted this thread in General Travel Discussions. It has already been moved once. (Thus, Rule #7, Paragraph C2, Subpart 9 has taken effect)

 

[Scared Silly]

I had not realized that. So essentially they are contracted to put a name on a boat and take people out, like the plumber that was sub contracted out and screws up my plumbing...

That makes me, at least, wonder if people should ask, or be told, whether the boat is actually a part of the same company or being run by someone else...

Even if the boat, like the Carib Dancer is owned by the company, it is registered and run as a separate business in the Bahamas. As such, it is no different than the other ships which have private owners. So if something goes wrong you are dealing with it in the Bahamas.

For many years now I have said the way to judge a company is not when they get it right but when it goes wrong. Few companies are lucky enough to get it right 100% of the time. Years ago while talking to mountaineering guide who has had clients die in accidents noted that they had never been sued. He said that he believe much of the reason was because when an accident occurred the families were immediately included and were right there getting information and updates just as the companies. I.e. they were open and transparent. It also helped that they had damn good waivers in place.

Look at the fiascos the cruise industry has had and continues to endure. I think with the poop cruise passengers were not only refunded the cost of the cruise but gave a free cruise. Even with that the cruise industry is hurting. Once on day dive trip we were given 2 for 1 coupons for the delay in departure (an afternoon dive turn into a twilight dive). I did not mind the delay but the lack information of why we were delay was annoying. So it is all in the way the company chooses to handle the situation regardless of where they are located.

 

[chillyinCanada]

For many years now I have said the way to judge a company is not when they get it right but when it goes wrong. Few companies are lucky enough to get it right 100% of the time.

I wish I'd said that.