Beware:(

[lord1234]

Dear Cave Diving Community,
This is probably the first negative review of an instructor I have seen posted. And the only one posted after never having taken a class with the instructor.

Let me tell you what occurred. In the early part of this year I started searching for a way to improve myself in an overhead environment. I decided that I would take Cavern + Intro from Nick Leone(who some of you know as caver95) and emailed him with my dates. Unfortunately he was unable to do my dates, but recommended me to . Having heard the names before and hearing good things about them as teachers, I called them, and we agreed upon a class date of June 1st(since I was planning to fly down on the 1st and stay for 2 weeks to get good and waterlogged). I had already booked tickets prior to discussing the class with them and was happy to send them the full amount for the class ($550).

Unfortunately about a month after I booked the class with them, the airliner I had booked with went bankrupt(Skybus Airlines). I called and told them about this unfortunate situation and asked if due to the extremely strange circumstances(who knew that more airliners would follow) if I could have a refund. seemed understanding and replied in the affirmative. This call was made in the 2nd week of April. A few weeks went by, and no check had arrived, so I called again. This time, while I forget which of them I spoke to, I was told something to the gist of “as soon as the next paycheck comes in we’ll get the check out to you”. That was fine by me, I wasn’t in a rush to get it and was ok with waiting. The beginning May came and went, towards the end of the month I started calling them. I think I called 20 times before anyone picked up(and only when using a number that was not the usual one I called from). I once again asked where it was, got the run around, and was told to call back to speak with .

3 weeks ago I finally got in touch with who said she was ready to mail a check, but misplaced my address. I excitedly gave it to her. A week passed and still no check. 2 weeks. Today makes 3 weeks.

I feel lied to and I’m sick of waiting. I hope that in future people will consider who they do business with a bit better and check around a bit more before they go in the wrong direction.

I’m going to cross post this to TDS, the CaveDiver forum and a few others in hopes of perhaps getting some reaction.

Thanks for reading
Lord1234
Leo Laskin


TDS post at: http://thedecostop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32283

[Scubastud16]

Leo, while I'm not familiar with personally, but they are not the best with communication. I sent them an email (my generation would much rather Email than call...isn't that sad?), and it took a long while to get one back about a prospective class. The email only said to call a (given) number at a certain time because email/PC's weren't their thing, and they'd rather speak on a phone, and aren't home very often. Just a little info that might help you.

Danny

[lord1234]

Thanks for the heads up. The thing is I hae spoken to them plenty, and I am just upset about being lied to. Frankly, if they had told me back then(3 months ago) that there were no refunds, then I would have probably been ok with it. It's being told, "sure you can have a refund" and then not getting one that upsets me.

[Sludge]

My buddy Robin booked a Mexico trip through them. They cancelled it, and when she asked for a refund, they said they would give her one.

Several years later she gave up.

[ARY]

i would never pay in front... Some # yrs ago i paid for my class to one mr.sidemount guru. Guru cancelled the class few times and then dissappeared avoiding to respond to my attempts to contact him and his "civil" business. However he kept being consistently listed as a honorary board member of N??? for all these years (not sure for if he is still a big guy in N??? because i just lost interest to that agency for the last couple yrs).

The lesson should be learned but i have short memory for such things so the last summer i did my ow divemaster training w/one gone by now diveshop. Guess what? I still don't have a card and instructor was gone. This time i was more offended by the fact and i finally got to the person in PADI who suspended that guy instructor's status so he had to explain to PADI what is going on. For a few month before his final disappearance he lied to me that he requested all the required paperwork and it was all the PADI's fault. I had to pay annual fee again (smth like $80 more) but at least i feel happier now waiting for the stupid card.

Should i say the names? It is not going to help anyone because some other instructor will do the same next time and these guys from my story are already probably gone to fool people elsewhere than diving. Just don't pay upfront period.

[lord1234]

yes...i guess thats my fault for trusting people and paying in advance.

[deepdiver4]

bash the hell out of them everydive shop you go to tell anyone you can fly a flag @ your local dive spot thanks for the heads up i will add then to my list of shi$ heads

[lord1234]

bash the hell out of them everydive shop you go to tell anyone you can fly a flag @ your local dive spot thanks for the heads up i will add then to my list of shi$ heads

these posts are only the beginning.

[stairman]

Obviously they're annoyed by people who change the're mind.

[skip]

I have had better experience with tec dive instructors and agencies. Having paid up front in full and then having personal issues that prevented me from completing the class for a bit over two years, the instructor has continued to honor the pre-payment, inviting me to rejoin whenever able. I did not ask for a refund, but am not the type that would. I paid up front on good faith for a specific date and time and did not fulfill my end. Not my fault, things beyond my control. Nonetheless, it's my problem, not theirs. I'm pretty sure they would have honored your payment had you sought another time, rather than a refund. Certainly a bit of clarity about nonrefundable deposit/payments would have prevented ill-will, but not everyone thinks that far ahead. It's not their fault you couldn't do what you said you would.

Admittedly, they should not have said ok to a refund then not provided it right away. But what are you gonna do?

I wonder what the general consensus is on paying up front and not getting refunded when wanted, or getting refunded on demand?

-skip