Beware Mike Ball

[scubaviol]

A word of caution for those who consider diving with Mike Ball company. Request your price quote in Australian dollars and be very firm about getting it in Australian dollars. As someone who recently came back from diving Coral Sea aboard Spoilsport, I found out (too late for me) that Mike Ball Co. charges much more in US dollars than in Australian. Example: I have paid US $1820 for 6 days aboard Spoilsport (Coral Sea Expedition). Another American, who happened to be living in Middle East and booked the same trip from Middle East, requested and got a price quote in Australian dollars. His price was AU $2800, which translates into approximately $1473 US. And he had exactly the same type of cabin I had. As you can see, a considerable difference. When I got home, I contacted Mike Ball General Manager - Mr. Kielbaska with request for explanation. His responce to my questions about difference in price was: " It is a considered and fair policy based on real overheads associated with attracting and servicing different sectors of our market".
Draw your own conclusions, but as far as I am concerned, this is the last time I was diving with the company, that, in my opinion, has a very unfair and discriminatory pricing policy.

 

[socaldiver]

Scubavoil,

We had a lengthy discussions on this about 6 to 7 months ago if memory serves me correctly. And I believe, but not sure, a rep from Mike Ball responded to our inquiries and responded in the thread.

You might want to check it ou.

 

[Jonathan]

I think this is what you want: Original Mike Ball

 

[Bure Boy]

Common practice....don't talk to the Japanese...the're even taken for more!!! In most tourism around the world its "buyer beware!!!"
I can assure u Mike Ball isn't the only one..With the many avenues of booking and tours and trips, its always best to try as many avenues as possible: email, fax, phone, and websites as well as the thousands of booking agents who all get a commission, someone has to pay for it. Always try as many avenues for booking as possible, and remember most of the tours have standby rates the day before travel. Having booked tours before I have rarely had trouble getting people onto tours the day before travel, and at a good price. Its amazing how much discount you can haggle for so they can fill out the numbers.

 

[Jonathan]

the yen has it's moments.... fotunately I am paid in sterling. Loved it in Sydney last month, everything was so cheap - very happy sales girl in a certain popular jeans store when I could not make up my mind about which pair of jeans to buy, saw the price, baught both!

I digress - the tourism industry round the world is just trying to help by giving people a set price in advance. How happy would you be if you booked a holiday 6 months in advance, something unforeseen happened that affected the money markets in one or other country involved and when you go to get on the plane or boat the operator says - excuse me another $500 please?

Just my 2 yen....

Jonathan

 

[caymaniac]

Recently in April at "Our World Underwater" I talked to the Mike Ball rep. who clearly admitted that there was a three tier system to Mike Ball liveaboard charges. One price for Jap-land, one different price for U.S.A., and if you could book and pay in Aussie-land then you could get their low price. I said to him : "Let me get this straight, I'm going to spend my hard earned dollars to fly to Australia and then because I'm American you're gonna charge me more, even if I pay ahead?" His answer was " Yep " that this is accepted in the travel industry, I said loudly " You won't be collecting extra from me because I'm American" and "I hope all these people around this booth realize that Mike Ball charges Americans extra just because they are Americans." To put it bluntly, that guy and Mike Ball are idiots!

Caymaniac:boom:

 

[donacheson]

Originally posted by caymaniac
To put it bluntly, that guy and Mike Ball are idiots!
Caymaniac:boom:

Yes, but Mike is profitable.

If you think Mike Ball is the only person on this Earth charging what the traffic will bear, wake up! Damned near everyone - U.S. airlines, U.S. gasoline refiners and distributors, U.S. power companies, ... - is playing the same game. For that matter, so do many employees.

Your challenge - and mine - is to be aware enough of price disparities to drive the best bargain we can. But one must realize that depriving oneself of something because one perceives its price to be too high doesn't always produce a satisfactory result.

 

[Jonathan]

caymaniac I look forward to you changing the world of travel especially in places like Guam and Hawaii where to be blunt you yanks rip off the Japanese something rotten......

Also if you read the earlier response from the Mike Ball mob I think you might find your guy spoke out of turn......

 

[mattiedread]

Different pricing structures are true in many places throughout the world. Two incidents that stick out in my mind:

I was on a boat on the Mekong river with 3 Iranians (interesting trip, me being an American and this being right after 9/11 and Bush's "Axis of Evil", interesting in a very friendly way). We booked in Phenom Phen, they in Tehran. We paid $25 for the 3 days, they paid $300.
In Botswana we met two German guys who were staying together at a game lodge. They had planned meeting at this game lodge months earlier. One worked for Bristol Meyers in Johannessburg, the other in Dusseldorf. The German expat living in SA paid less than a third of what the German resident did, and we paid slightly more than him (had to do with FX rates, the DM was very strong at the time). Same cabin, same meals, different booking agent.

I knew all this before booking anything in Africa.. my brother and a co-worker of mine lived there for several years). I still booked in the US prior to leaving... it was my honeymoon, I wasn't taking the chance. Even though I knew I'd be paying $250/night and an African would be paying $50-75.

If possible, I always try to book 'in country'. For a short trip to Africa, it is difficult, and I paid what every American/European did. I would assume the same holds true for luxury liveaboards. Would you be willing to change your plans last minute in a foriegn country if the space wasn't available? Normally yes I am... but if I were to schlepp to Australia for less than a month, with dive equipment, I think I would pay the premium to gurantee the spot. If you are not comfortable getting on a plane and not knowing where you are staying when you get off (and I am), I don't see why it is a big deal.

If I were to go back to Southern Africa (and I will) I wouldn't book much in advance, I'd wait and hit a travel agent in Jo'berg or Cape Town. That being said, I probably wouldn't be visiting the Okavanga Delta, or staying at any of the 'Top 10 Safari Camps". I bet it isn't too different in many of these dive detinations.

What do you think a Suadi would pay for an all inclusive trip to Disneyland for a week? Bet I could get a better deal.

And, quite honestly, if you were willing to pay the price before you knew someone from a poorer nation was getting it cheaper, you should still be willing to pay the price. That was one of things the Iranians were laughing about, when they travel in Egypt or Morrocco, it is the Americans that pay more. (But they were willing to pay $100/day to take a trip down the Mekong, so they weren't upset).
Just my <eeech> 50 cents.

 

[Natasha]

Hey Matt:
I couldn't have said it better myself. I can also add with the cruise lines it's the same thing. If you live in Florida you can hop on a ship for much less then I can booking it ahead of time in Chicago. That's just they way it is. I have a balcony booked for my next cruise that I wouldn't be guarenteed to get if I book it last minute when I get to Florida.
Kinda the same as Mike Ball don't you think? So don't put the blame on them.
By the way the man you met in the Chicago shop, works for Mike Ball and sells more then a million dollars a year for the company. He must be doing something right. His name is Ron, and I consider him a friend.