Cost diff between in person and online

[Doug444]

I did some searching and could not find it.

If I do the Advanced Diver with the school directly it is $380. If I do PADI e-learning they drop that to $345. But the online course at PADI is $183. So where is the the additional $148 from?

If I do it online I can dive a day earlier so of course that would be nice. Just seems a bit high just to use a online system.

I am a good online learner so that is fine. It would also be nice to not have to worry about studying anything each night. Because I will be in the Caribbean and all.

Any info is appreciated.

 

[saxman242]

Studying for advanced usually consists of reading the chapter of the dive before you do it. It is nothing like the studying you did as part of your openwater. I wouldn't bother doing e-learning ahead of time with advanced.

 

[Doug444]

Thanks. They are telling me I can go diving a day earlier if I do it online.

 

[JackD342]

PADI does not set shop prices. They do have Suggested Retail Prices, and Minimum Advertised Prices, but after that it is up to the individual shop to determine what they are collecting for courses and for PADI products that they resell - including eLearning access passes. (That's right, a shop can purchase the eLearning course and sell it to you for less than the online signup price.) The shop (or independent instructor) does get a variable revenue share from an eLearning course, which is assigned based on the shop affiliation you select when you sign up for the course - so don't direct some revenue to one shop, and expect to then get best pricing from a different shop for just the instruction portion.

Also, the shop can run the course any way they like within standards, and it sounds like they prefer to go over the Knowledge Review one day prior to the dives. But if they are flexible, that is not a necessity. First, you could be doing the reading, the Knowledge Reviews, and the dives piecemeal. But we are also allowed to dive first with a thorough briefing, and then cover the Knowledge Reviews later. Of course that sometimes means some double work, and I do not consider it an ideal "best practice." I prefer a student to have read about the dive before doing it.

 

[saxman242]

Thanks. They are telling me I can go diving a say earlier if I do it online.

Are you sure they're not referring to regular open water classes?

I'd imagine with most resorts, you'd arrive, check in, get signed up to dive the next day, then get the reading material for AOW. Doing your reading that night and then dive in the morning. For a regular OW class, you'd definitely be able to be in the water a day sooner with e-learning.

 

[Doug444]

It is the Advanced. It may just be a timing issue. With my flight it is going to be prob 7 pm before I would be there night 1. I am not staying at any resort. My guess is they are out in the boat in the morning and no time to work with me. They said if I do elearning I can do one of the specialty dives right away at 11 am the next day. Otherwise I do the learning that day and dive the next. Just a pretty big diff in price so i wanted to ask.

thanks

 

[BlueTrin]

I did some searching and could not find it.

If I do the Advanced Diver with the school directly it is $380. If I do PADI e-learning they drop that to $345. But the online course at PADI is $183. So where is the the additional $148 from?

If I do it online I can dive a day earlier so of course that would be nice. Just seems a bit high just to use a online system.

I am a good online learner so that is fine. It would also be nice to not have to worry about studying anything each night. Because I will be in the Caribbean and all.

Any info is appreciated.

Are you sure you are comparing the same thing ?

If you are talking about PADI advanced open water, there is theory and practical dives.

When you ask for e-learning, you may not get the paper version of the material so maybe that’s why the price is different, between the two first options.

Now about your last option at $183, I suspect you are only paying for the theory and this does not include the practical dives: you’ll have to contact a dive centre to do the practical dives with them and negotiate the price. I didn’t do this option but I know that you can get a certificate saying that you have done the theory and give it to a PADI centre and the do the practical dives with them.

The difference in price, I think, is due to the fact that the two first prices are all inclusive and contain the practical dives required to get your AOW.

Link to the e-learning directly from PADI: PADI Shop

 

[saxman242]

It is the Advanced. It may just be a timing issue. With my flight it is going to be prob 7 pm before I would be there night 1. I am not staying at any resort. My guess is they are out in the boat in the morning and no time to work with me. They said if I do elearning I can do one of the specialty dives right away at 11 am the next day. Otherwise I do the learning that day and dive the next. Just a pretty big diff in price so i wanted to ask.

thanks

Depending on how many days you're there, can you not just do a normal dive with them the next morning and start your "class" dives the following day?

 

[Doug444]

Are you sure you are comparing the same thing ?

If you are talking about PADI advanced open water, there is theory and practical dives.

When you ask for e-learning, you may not get the paper version of the material so maybe that’s why the price is different, between the two first options.

Now about your last option at $183, I suspect you are only paying for the theory and this does not include the practical dives: you’ll have to contact a dive centre to do the practical dives with them and negotiate the price. I didn’t do this option but I know that you can get a certificate saying that you have done the theory and give it to a PADI centre and the do the practical dives with them.

The difference in price, I think, is due to the fact that the two first prices are all inclusive and contain the practical dives required to get your AOW.

Link to the e-learning directly from PADI: PADI Shop

Yes the $183 is just theory. Just seems like it is way more than the book. If a skip elearning it is $145 less by my math.

The last time I tried to do my advanced they said I could do either. But when I got there they were not happy that I was not done and ready to dive. So I wanted to check.

It would be nice to just be done with it and spend more time doing other things since I am on an island!

 

[saxman242]

The last time I tried to do my advanced they said I could do either. But when I got there they were not happy that I was not done and ready to dive.

What resort is being this difficult about having someone do advance?