What's Up With Panunee Liveaboard?

[cleung]

So I've been eyeing the Panunee liveaboard for their Raja Ampat trip leaving Nov 30 and since they have two single cabins, I want to secure one of them. I started communicating with them in early March and up to now at end of April, they told me that they won't be taking my deposit yet since they still don't know if that trip is going to run or not. I thought that most Raja Ampat trips are solidly booked even a year in advance. They claim that they are currently working with a group to get enough divers to make the trip a go but I hope they don't bump me off for one of those single cabins. So am I missing something here about Panunee? What's up with them -- is this situation odd?

 

[FishCity]

Nothing specific about them but you also don't want to pay a deposit or even the full amount then have the trip not go and you get a "credit" with a time limit and no trip at all in November.

 

[Carlos Diver]

I've been looking at them for possibly early October. I like that they at least are being honest and not just wanting to get your money until they know they can provide a trip.

 

[Cali_diver]

I think there are more than 100-150+ boats trying to operate in Raja right now so I am not surprised. There are way too many boats...

 

[living4experiences]

I don't know anything about this company, but if I was told they may not run the trip for lack of customers, I would look elsewhere for your trip. It does seem a bit odd.

 

[cleung]

Thanks for all your input on this folks. Yes on one hand it's good that I didn't put in a deposit that might get stuck indefinitely but on the other hand, I thought that pretty well all liveaboards in Raja Ampat get booked up way in advance. In the case of Panunee, I'm worried that if they do successfully book a group to get their numbers, my single room might be booked off to those in that group even though I put my name in earlier.