Escorted International Dive Trips
How do I know that a dive trip will actually go and not be cancelled due to not meeting a minimum number of people?
Good question, but I have a good answer: dive trips are never cancelled. You have discovered a dive travel program that runs only escorted trips. The trip leaders are former owner Matthew Zimmerman and Blue HAT Travel agent Sheila Jordan. Sheila and I like going on dive travel vacations with groups. We plan trips that we want to go on. Then we invite our friends, old and new ones we haven’t met yet. So every trip starts with two people, Matt and Sheila, and that is the minimum number!
Everyone can come on their first trip with us, but making the Dive Travel Alumni email list does require that you be a reasonable travel companion (don’t worry, the bar is not that high, lol). We prefer fun loving people that are nice to local staff, and when things don’t go as planned, can vent their frustrations once, and then let it go and concentrate on enjoying themselves.
Are deposits and payments refundable?
No. But when I can get money back from an operator, I will. But don’t count on that. When booking follow the link to trip insurance!
There are some exceptions to “payments are not refundable” rule. For example, on a full trip, someone may pay full price to replace you. Of course you’d get any payments back in this case. However, as a trip gets close and you can’t go, Dive Travel Services will use the deposit to discount the trip for others if Dive Travel Services has already committed to the space with the operator.
Another example, on a land based trip sometimes even last minute the cancellation plenty is not 100%. This varies from resort to resort, and it will vary depending on the group space commitment I have made to that resort. I am telling you that Dive Travel Services will NOT look to make money on a canceled trip. However, you should not expect to get any money back once you have sent it.
If you have deposits and payments on a trip that you cannot attend, you should let me know as soon as possible. I will update trips and try to sell spaces for you. Better chance to do that the more time we have to do it. This is your best chance for a canceled trip. If you can bring me someone to replace you, even better.
Dive Travel Services pretty much IS me, Matt Zimmerman (and Sheila). Anybody that has been traveling with us is a friend, those on their first trip are potential new friends. I will work for you to get the best outcome if you have to cancel a trip. But you, as a friend, have to realize that when you commit to a trip you may not get money back.
Any money I do recover will most likely come back a month or two after the trip, when I know for sure I did not end up with a bill for cancellation.
As my friends, please get trip insurance. A lot of the bad experiences with missed trips and disappointments due to illness are fixed by having the trip insured.