49 replies to this topic

[georoc01]

What is really tough to beat is that most trips are pp, do..So unless you have a travel buddy to dive with, those lower prices do you no good with the single supplement that most charge. So that's where the price single divers charges really becomes a good value.

For me, the biggest challenge is scheduling. My job gives me small windows to take vacation in, and if there is no trip during that time, I have to find others. Or where there are a bunch of trips back to back to back (like this year May-June), you pick one. This is a trouble with all group travel, and not unique to SingleDivers.com.

[WreckWench]

For me, the biggest challenge is scheduling. My job gives me small windows to take vacation in, and if there is no trip during that time, I have to find others.

Next year we will be capitalizing on more non-group travel! I'm working on the details to help with that problem AND save you money!

[ScubaDrew]

I realize this is an old thread, but I am quickly becoming an old man, so if I may, as a veteran of 1 1/2 trips (damn hurricanes), allow me to answer a few questions...

are we safe? I thought safety was a constant topic and concern during my experiences. Some of the better safety related conversations I have had actually. But in reality, it doesn't matter how safe SD is or isn't, your personal safety is your personal responsibility. There are experienced divers and even professionals that will look out for new divers, but it is also important that individuals know their limits and training and make sure the diving of a given trip is for them before booking.

are we wild crazy partiers? Well if you are looking for Girls Gone Wild partying, you won't find that. If you want some fun and silliness, this is a great place to be, but SD is a dive centered organization, so expect the partying to be rather minimal until the diving is done. After all, you can get drunk anytime at home, but you can't dive in these locations every day, so why not keep the blackouts and hangovers at home? That being said, NEVER A DULL MOMENT. And as a member, Zack I believe said on one trip, "I bring my own good time with me". Words to live by, learned right here

are we a bunch of eccentric dorks? I think so, but I see nothing wrong with that either. Diving for some people is an activity, for others it is a lifestyle. If you are the latter, or want to see what that is all about, join a trip. On the other hand if you don't like diving, divers, talking about diving, well, what are you reading this for? Admit you are an eccentric dork and have some fun.

are we all super incredible snobish divers who don't want to dive with newbies? The trips I was on were incredibly appropriate for new divers. Plenty of options so that both advanced divers as well as new divers had good dives, and with plenty of friendly experienced and knowledgeable divers, if you just got a C-card, well, can you afford NOT to go on one of these trips?

are we ignorant divers who don't dive safe? This goes back to my original point. Safety is everyone's concern, I thought the group was safe, I also think that I do not care, because I am in charge of myself.


are we accepting of new people into the group? I never felt like "new people" so I can't answer this one. Then again, perhaps I just did.


will I feel left out? Only if you want to be, and then you may get annoyed as people keep trying to include you.

how will I find my ride at the airport? The ride found me, and everyone looks like their pictures so I didn't feel as though introductions were even necessary.

what kind of a roommate will I get? Well if it is me, it will be a room mate who thinks farts are funny. If it is not me, then I don't know, ask SD...

what if I'm not single? Whether you are or are not, it doesn't matter, everyone has to participate in the introductory org....nah, not really. If you want a date you should try and figure that out before you go, otherwise, this is a dive trip, so single, attached, married, do you know how to have fun? Thats all that matters...

See you around!

[WreckWench]

This thread is NEVER too old...especially for our new members!

Heck I might even go on one after reading that!

[Diver Ed]

I started reading through these posts, and decided that this was a good post to respond to. I found SingleDivers online, and briefly met Kamala at the Beneath the Sea show in March. I have read a lot of posts, and feel like this is a great group of people. I have paid for two trips so far, and will book a third even before the first one starts. I dont know if that says more about the ability these people have to make someone feel comfortable, or my faith in people, but I feel it is both. As for the cost of trips, I have done a lot of travel in my life, and have organized a lot as well. Kamala seems to have more extras added to the trips she is putting together. The constant work that it sounds like she does during every trip has even more value than the prep work prior to a trip as far as I am concerned. I organized a trip for a dozen people one time, and spent the entire " vacation " making sure everyone was having a great time. When I got home, I realized that I was the only one that did not have an actual vacation. You cant put a price on that work and effort during a trip, and you dont get it when you book something yourself. Just my 2psi. Ed

.....from all the trips i have seen most seem to be a good time, but to me they seem a little expensive. iI have seen some trips that were comparable to SD`s for less.

When comparing SD trip costs to whatever you can find on the internet, you can't just look at "a week D/O with 2 tank diving" and say that SD is more expensive. You have to add in the value of all the extras that SD provides: arranging transportation to/from resorts, running interference on problems with resorts & dive ops on your behalf, side trips, extras that WW arranges for like free drinks/Manager happy hours, cultural exchanges, charitable efforts for kids around the world, and don't forget the fact that you're on a trip with friends you've gotten to know on SD, not a bunch of strangers who are at the resort - but not as part of your circle. You're not eating at a table by yourself and sitting in your room by yourself at night. Instead, you're part of a group having a great time together.

The value of trusting who you're diving with?? PRICELESS!!!

[weescot]

I have noticed with a name like
SingleDivers
It has been hard to shake off that image or presumption that this is some kind of Dating web site!

This is Not a Dating web site...It is a Diving web site first and foremost.

Bubski

This is so true. In fact the website is blocked in the Middle East as it is assumed it is a dating website. I realise it would be difficult to rename it now, but I always have to clarify with people that it is a buddyless divers site, and nothing to do with dating.

I have done just the one trip with SD - Wakatobi/Bali 08 and especially loved the Wakatobi week whihc was a lot of fun - especially as the holiday went on and we got to know one another. Kamala does take care to match up roomies that have common interestes/likes and puts a lot of effort into making sure everyone has a good holiday. She also works tirelessly in the background sorting out the crap, as has been mentioned. I don't think the costs are especially high and I would ratther pay a premium for someone else to handle the niff naff and trivia.

I have been interested/initially booked to do other SD trips, but they havn't happened for various scheduling reasons. Also as I live so close to so much nice diving that isn't regularly featured on SD, and the fact that nowadays I have a regular buddy, I tend to go away with her. But I would recommed any SD trip. Most people that go on them are dive nuts, really nice people from all walks of life and just want to have a great holiday with lots of fab diving.

[SirenaCansone]

Wakitobi, Bonaire....places I'd love to see! My "problem" with joining a trip now is....I'm still not certified. In the future, if I can't join a trip it will probably be because dates don't work for me. I'm enjoying this forum though because everyone has been so nice about answering my questions and just browsing and reading is helpful.

[Parrotman]

Wakitobi, Bonaire....places I'd love to see! My "problem" with joining a trip now is....I'm still not certified. In the future, if I can't join a trip it will probably be because dates don't work for me. I'm enjoying this forum though because everyone has been so nice about answering my questions and just browsing and reading is helpful.

Don't forget that there is almost always an instructor on an SD trip so it could be good fun to go on a trip and take a certification course. I did my Nitrox cert on an SD trip a couple of years ago. It was much more fun that doing it at a land based dive shop. I got to sit on the sundeck of the liveaboard and study my class room stuff.

Jim

[scrappykidz]

Wakitobi, Bonaire....places I'd love to see! My "problem" with joining a trip now is....I'm still not certified. In the future, if I can't join a trip it will probably be because dates don't work for me. I'm enjoying this forum though because everyone has been so nice about answering my questions and just browsing and reading is helpful.

Don't forget that there is almost always an instructor on an SD trip so it could be good fun to go on a trip and take a certification course. I did my Nitrox cert on an SD trip a couple of years ago. It was much more fun that doing it at a land based dive shop. I got to sit on the sundeck of the liveaboard and study my class room stuff.

Jim

Ditto - The SD instructor on my trip worked me through my Nitrox Cert on the Mayaguana trip and I could not have been happier (other than the fact that Nitrox was down on the boat - definitely not the instructor or SD's fault).

Also, Sirena, if you get the chance, sign up for the Rent-a-Buddy. I had Kamala working with me on that same trip and it was money and time well spent. Broke a couple of bad habits, learned some good ones, doubled my bottom time per psi and ENJOYED the diving, saw and did much more than I had before. Came out of the experience feeling that I was much more competent and safe on the dive deck and under water.

Just closing in on 50 dives, but have asked about signing up for a Buddy again for the Halloween trip to Cozumel... figure I can definitely still benefit from someone working directly with me.

Just my 2psi

[SirenaCansone]

Gotta do a search for "Rent-a-Buddy". Haven't heard about that yet.

I am moving slower than a nudibranch on my cert. Coming to this has been an epic trip for me. I was raised to be AFRAID of the water (my mom had a phobia that was foisted on me. She would not let me near the ocean when the family went for our once-yearly beach trip). I forced myself to overcome my fears because I was absolutely ENTHRALLED by Cousteau and was naturally attracted to water (I now live by a lake. It absolutely SPOOKS my mom to come here!) I learned to swim, took refresher pool lessons two years ago, signed up for scuba. I'm progressing but I'm moving slowly. Little by little I'm getting to that SD trip!

[ThatJoeGuy]

Rent-a-Buddy is paying to have a dive master as your buddy. They focus on you and your diving to help you find the little things that are impeding your diving. Heck, just overhearing the debriefing for someone else is fairly educational.

[Lloyd Christmas]

I know times are tuff right now financially, but I would like to leave money out of this conversation. Let's just say if money were no object, what is keeping you from jumping on an SD trip? For those members who have been on one or several SD trips, how did you feel on your first one? Do you have any experiences to share about your first trip that might help assure a new member?

I have heard from a couple members recently and many over time about how they are or were a little apprehensive about joining a group of people who they have never met to go on vacation with. I guess I didn't feel that way when I went on my first trip, I was just so excited about the diving, that I didn't think of much else. On the other hand, many people do kind of wonder about us.... here are some things that might run through their minds:

are we safe? are we wild crazy partiers? are we a bunch of eccentric dorks? are we all super incredible snobish divers who don't want to dive with newbies? are we ignorant divers who don't dive safe? are we accepting of new people into the group? will I feel left out? how will I find my ride at the airport? what kind of a roommate will I get? what if I'm not single? I'm sure you could add a million more.

My hope is that we might be able alleviate some fear for people who are sitting on the fence about going on a trip, and maybe answer some of the questions that they are affraid to ask.

My first trip with SD was to Bonaire and it set the bar pretty high. Bonaire is still probably my favorite place, but I haven't been to that many places. It was all about the diving for me. My roommate the first trip was WreckWench...nuff said! Just kidding, she was a great roommate. We were in a condo with maybe 3 or 4 rooms at Buddy Dive so we had 6 or 8 women in the condo. Everyone was very friendly, the dive op was great, I learned to shore dive after getting beat up a couple of times on the rocks! Don't ask me how, but this group always manages to find each other at the airports, with or without the SD T-shirts! Aside from the diving, most will agree that the People are the best thing about SD. We are not a certain type of people, we are all very, very, very different! That's just one of the things I think make it so great.

So tell us your story, or ask those questions that everyone is curious about.

Due to the pastey white nature of my skin pigmentation, I fear I will be laughed at and persecuted for the Casper resemblance. However, I started tanning in July 2012; if the ultraviolet rays can get through the backhair, I should have a base tan by a March 2013 trip...

[ScubaPunk]

Due to the pastey white nature of my skin pigmentation, I fear I will be laughed at and persecuted for the Casper resemblance. However, I started tanning in July 2012; if the ultraviolet rays can get through the backhair, I should have a base tan by a March 2013 trip...

If you do that, you will be one of the very few who have a tan. Most of us show up pastey white, and some of us try very hard not to get too much sun. Not always easy on a dive boat.

[Lloyd Christmas]

Due to the pastey white nature of my skin pigmentation, I fear I will be laughed at and persecuted for the Casper resemblance. However, I started tanning in July 2012; if the ultraviolet rays can get through the backhair, I should have a base tan by a March 2013 trip...

If you do that, you will be one of the very few who have a tan. Most of us show up pastey white, and some of us try very hard not to get too much sun. Not always easy on a dive boat.

so I guess waxing my back and ear hair would just be a sign of vanity?

[Racer184]

I think I finally figured out why I have not been on any SingleDivers.com trips.......

I live in south east Florida




I have been to a few SingleDivers.com hapy hours....

My first dive at Blue Heron Bridge was with Single Divers....... but for me that was not a 'trip', just a 45 minute drive.