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#622
 Dive Charters
Matt65 - 12/30/2008 4:50 AM
Category: General
Replies: 8
 When you are planing for a diving vacation and are looking into various dive charters, how do you go about it? I realize most if not all use the iternet, but what I’m asking is how do you go about your search? Do you use a search engine such as google and randomly select web sites for charters where you will be going and start from there? Do you use recomendations from your LDS, friends, or perhaps comments and suggestions from web sites such as Dive Buddy? When you are looking for a charter service, what are the things you look for in a charter when you are making your selection? I guess I’m asking this with the idea that you are going someplace new, and are looking for a good reliable charter. What are you criteria? Also, and equally just as important, what do you avoid? What might be a deal breaker for you?
#28742
RAWalker - 12/31/2008 12:57 AM
I ask plenty of questions from friends and post questions on scubaboard and Scubatoys forum.
#51936
Greg - 12/31/2008 10:05 AM
From RAWalker: I ask plenty of questions from friends and post questions on scubaboard and Scubatoys forum.

Nice, RAWalker, Nice :)

I’d suggest researching the dive sites in the area your interested in, check out the members that have been there and ask them for suggestions. You can also research dive charters and dive centers on DiveBuddy.com. In the dive site section, when you’re looking at a dive site, there is a link that says "Who’s Been Here"...that will tell you everyone that has been to that dive site.

To continue to make this service better, everyone should update their local dive sites once and a while so we all have a wonderful resource of information at our finger tips.

Greg
#355
davidfricks - 12/31/2008 11:58 AM
First I start with Google. Once I have an idea about the operations running in the area I’m looking at, I hit the phone and start asking questions.

Here’s my standard list of questions
  1. Do you dive nitrox?
  2. Can we dive on our own without a DM? (only allowed in some areas)
  3. How many divers per DM and per boat?
  4. What are your advanced dives, wreck dives, night dives and the requirements to participate?
  5. Then i ask about pricing, package deals, and flexibility if we need to make a change.
After answering a few basic questions I quickly get a feel for how professional an operation I’m dealing with. If they don’t cater to advanced divers, or allow inexperienced divers to participate beyond their certification level, it’s a deal breaker.
#11875
badintexas - 1/01/2009 3:22 AM
Yep, google.com or divebuddy websites (and the members) are so much better than any others out there. Stick to them, they won’t steer you wrong!
#2157
MouthBreather - 1/03/2009 1:49 PM
Dude! You could be Greg’s twin. You guys even tilt your heads the same way for photos! Sorry, off topic....found it funny.
#2157
MouthBreather - 1/03/2009 1:56 PM
On topic and much more seriously: I wonder how you can find out if the charter has had recent accidents/deaths. There are some charters out there (none domestic that I can recall) that have had several accidents before they were shut down, usually not till someone has "gone west" Check out http://www.cdnn.info/ for all the gloom and doom stories. Be forwarned, don’t get discouraged.
#622
Subscribed
Matt65 - 1/03/2009 1:57 PM


From MouthBreather: Dude! You could be Greg’s twin. You guys even tilt your heads the same way for photos! Sorry, off topic....found it funny.



ROFLMAO!!!!!!
#2276
dwightfrie - 1/05/2009 1:25 AM
From Matt65:

From MouthBreather: Dude! You could be Greg’s twin. You guys even tilt your heads the same way for photos! Sorry, off topic....found it funny.


ROFLMAO!!!!!!
she’s way prettier than he is!!!!! lol