239 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

IMPORTANT TRIP UPDATE:

Well gang I hope we can still make this trip will a go. In Jan 2011 I locked in a Oct 2012 date for Maldives with a corresponding exchg rate. On the April Truk and Palau trip we looked at the schedule and decided that Feb 2013 would be better. Several things happened that I did not realize until it was too late and I hoped would be corrected if the Euro continued to go up in value but alas it did not...

1. The trip rate went from 2600 euros to 2800 euros since we moved it from 2012 to 2013. (They raised prices in early 2011 but later dropped them back to their 2010 pricing of 2600 which I am arguing with them over)
2. The exchg rate went from 1.33 to 1.40 since we made a contract chg therefore we triggered an exchange rate change.

Thus making the cruise $3920 vs $3389 we had once looked at.

So now the trip will cost $3920 for the cruise. If I take the profit on the trip which usually pays for airline ticket to reduce the price the lowest I can get the price down to $3519. Alternately if I cut my losses with the boat I will lose about $7k in deposits.

I am hoping that we can still get people wanting to go at the $3519 price. The only other thing I can do is leverage the small profit margin on another trip and offer an add'l $100 off for early booking which would put the price at $3419 which is very close to the originally discussed price of $3389.

I really do not know what to do... I will certainly need to fill every spot to break even and I truly appreciate your support. Had the dollar continued to weaken against the dollar we would have been sitting pretty but the euro weaken and my crystal ball just did not see out this far into the future.

So this is what final pricing should look like:

10 day Maldives Trip All Inclusive $3519 or $3419 if paid in full during the early booking period to be opened up soon. (See overview of what's included and what is not below)

Air is working out to be $1555 per person on our contract from LAX to MLE (Male) need min of 10 people to get this rate

Package Includes:

• All foods & accommodations during the cruise
• Tea, (real) Coffee from our espresso machine, fruit juice, soft drinks & beer
• Up to 34 dives, including 5 night dives
• Most dive equipment rental is free*

(except dive computer & underwater torch)
*Please note that our rental wetsuits are 3mm shorties. If you tend to feel the cold easily it's advisable to bring your own 5mm long wetsuit.

NOT Included:

• International flights,
• Domestic flights,
• Hotel accommodation and transfer (if required),
• Marine park fees,
• Massage
• Laundry

Payments on board:
Free Nitrox fill for those who are certified Nitrox divers
Marine park fee: 80EUR/pax*
*Marine park fee is payable in our office prior to departure

Extras that can be purchased on the boat.

• dive computer rental: 5EUR per day
• UW torch rental: 5EUR per day
• laundry: 50 Euro cents per piece
• massage: 15EUR per hour
• Waterskiing/Wakeboarding: 12EUR / 20 mins
• Bottle wine: 30/40EUR
• spirits: 4EUR per shot
• cocktails: 5EUR per glass
• T-shirt: 8EUR
• Polo Shirt: 12EUR
• Tip: optional

Payments for onboard purchases are made in our office at the end of your cruise. We accept all major credit cards, US Dollars, Euros, British Pounds and Maldives Rufiyaa.


Predicted Average Water Temperatures in the Maldives:
26-29C throughout the year

[WreckWench]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

If you are hoping to do both Maldives and Lembeh the Lembeh pricing and air will be posted later today. The trips are not yet open for booking but will be in a day or so. I just wanted to get the pricing out there.

[ev780]

Kamala:

I don't quite understand. Post one says you locked in a contract at 2600 euros ($3,135 today according to Yahoo). Disregarding the fact that 200 more euros appeared, 2800 euros is $3,376. Where does $3,900 come from? Does your contract allow for price fluctuations and define the exchange rate?

Edited by ev780, 25 July 2012 - 09:04 AM.

[ScubaTex]

While my interest to make this trip has changed, I must contribute my 2 psi concerning the perceived price increase. First, I've read the term & conditions of payment for WWD&S when considering other trips with them, and can confirm Kamala's statement concerning the lock in exchange rate. Certainly, WWD&S is in a unique position in the market and some of their cruises are chartered years in advance. Second, I suggest you do some research airfare from LAX>>MLE, I believe you'll find $1,555 is cheap. In fact the air savings may nullify the effect of the $3,900 price. There are additional charges involved in booking such a trip, wire transfer cost of $30-35 per transfer, not to mention banks usually tack on an additional 5-7 cents per Euro to the 'posted' exchange rate when making wire transfers. In my experience the payment terms and conditions vary with almost every liveaboard and resort, especially when dealing with foreign owned/financed operations [I've even found a resort which tied its price to the Swiss Franc].

Kamala is willing to sacrifice the value of her extensive work preparing this trip, in order to price it close to the perceived cost mentioned in previous posts. We should all be grateful she's willing to continue provide such service with such a low profit margin.

Aloha from Maui
Bill

Edited by ScubaTex, 24 July 2012 - 03:38 PM.

[WreckWench]

The price originally locked in was for an Oct charter in 2012....it was 2600 euros. But in April when I changed the contract to Feb 2013 after talking to the peeps on the Truk and Palau trip...I did not realize that they would change my exchange rate nor that the price went up 200 euros. (I have been arguing that they have dropped prices again and I should not be locked in at the higher price.) I did not notice it until a few weeks ago when I was getting this trip ready. I have gone back and forth thinking it was a mistake but alas it is a learning lesson.... making a major contract change in effect is like creating a new contract. It can go either way....sadly the dollar was weak to the euro during that timeframe and getting weaker.

Bill thank you for your support. I hope to make this trip fly...otherwise I have to walk away from $7k I've paid in deposits.

I hope we can make this work.... thank you all... kamala

[WreckWench]

GOOD NEWS!

I have been able to come to a workable compromise with Siren/WWDS and while we are still locked in at 1.40 exchange rate we are NOW at 2600 euros since they did not raise the prices like they anticipated and billed me for at the time of the cruise change in April 2011.

That makes my pricing 1.40 x 2600 Euros = $3640 - my profit = $3276 which is now VERY close to today's exchg rates and LESS than the $3389 we originally locked in at back in Dec 2010.

And with the savings using the air contract we should be golden....

So hopefully you all can help me fill this trip and make it up on the Lembeh trip so we can continue to offer great trips for our members.


p.s. I hope to have this trip open in the next day or so...stay tuned!

[WreckWench]

IMPORTANT REVISED TRIP UPDATE:


This is what final pricing should look like:

10 day Maldives Trip All Inclusive $3389 price locked in at for Dec 2010 less early payment discount $100 = $3289 if paid in full during the early booking period to be opened up very soon. (See overview of what's included and what is not below)

Air is working out to be $1555 per person on our contract from LAX to MLE (Male) need min of 10 people to get this rate

Package Includes:

• All foods & accommodations during the cruise
• Tea, (real) Coffee from our espresso machine, fruit juice, soft drinks & beer
• Up to 34 dives, including 5 night dives
• Most dive equipment rental is free*

(except dive computer & underwater torch)
*Please note that our rental wetsuits are 3mm shorties. If you tend to feel the cold easily it's advisable to bring your own 5mm long wetsuit.

NOT Included:

• International flights,
• Domestic flights,
• Hotel accommodation and transfer (if required),
• Marine park fees,
• Massage
• Laundry

Payments on board:
Free Nitrox fill for those who are certified Nitrox divers
Marine park fee: 80EUR/pax*
*Marine park fee is payable in our office prior to departure

Extras that can be purchased on the boat.

• dive computer rental: 5EUR per day
• UW torch rental: 5EUR per day
• laundry: 50 Euro cents per piece
• massage: 15EUR per hour
• Waterskiing/Wakeboarding: 12EUR / 20 mins
• Bottle wine: 30/40EUR
• spirits: 4EUR per shot
• cocktails: 5EUR per glass
• T-shirt: 8EUR
• Polo Shirt: 12EUR
• Tip: optional

Payments for onboard purchases are made in our office at the end of your cruise. We accept all major credit cards, US Dollars, Euros, British Pounds and Maldives Rufiyaa.


Predicted Average Water Temperatures in the Maldives:
26-29C throughout the year

[ev780]

Kamala/Bill

I get that the schedule change can open up the contract, its the exchange rate thing that is wierd. Early in the thread we talked about exchange rate risk and came to the conclusion that there was no rate lock. (you could always go to your local bank and buy some Euros as a hedge) Now late in the game there appears to be a rate lock?!?!?! Makes it appear that Siren gets it both ways. On a trip of this magnitude a few hundred here or there is not deal breaker but I am not sure I want to reward Siren's behavior. I say we all go to the bank and buy euros and pay them their contract amount. But maybe I misunderstood. Help me here!

Also, Kamala noone expects you to run a business on no profit but that is your decision and we do appreciate you sticking to your word. That will breed loyalty, but Siren is pissing me off. What other little hidden costs/charges/limitations are we going to see when we get there.

Edited by ev780, 25 July 2012 - 09:35 AM.

[WreckWench]

I opted to lock in a dollar rate when I set up the contract vs playing the exchg game. It was in hindsite a bad decision but it could of easily been a good one. I locked in at 1.30 in Dec 2010 but did not realize that changing the dates would result in a new contract and therefore a new exchg rate. Again learning curve...the increase in rate did not stick so they did reverse me back to 2600 which is only right. By doing the trip at cost (or slight loss) will mean that we are at the same rate I locked in at and puts us closer to today's rates.

I have subsequently booked several more trips with Siren for other groups and people and now I can advise them accordingly. I also get advance notice of new destinations etc and so all in all I like the company...despite a few growing pains.

Now to finish the trip details and fill the trip and have a great time! THAT is all I want right now...

[Parrotman]

As of today the euro is 1.27. I would be telling the Siren that they need to honor that exchange rate or find someone else to fill the trip.. No one in the Euro market is going to pay 1.40 to go on that boat.

[ev780]

A little Clairvoyant weren't you?

Again some vessels...perhaps the ones that will be in business in 2 years...do not vary in their business practices especially if they do not rely exclusively on the US market. Siren is quite attractive because their client base is VERY diversified and they are not financially hurting like many operators are.

Also keep in mind most experts think the euro will vary as low as parity to the dollar to as much of $1.50 so perhaps the best option would be to get the trip open for booking ASAP and let divers BUY INTO THE EXCHANGE RATE THEY WANT.

So in other words if you want to pay for the trip when the exchg rate is $1.30 then you can. If someone wants to wait to see if it goes down they can do that.

Again if the euro drops...we will not be happy if we are locked in at $1.30. On the other hand if it goes up we'll be happy.

So you take your chances and with this trip being 2 years out... I think the best option we'll have is to lock into your rate as you buy your trip. This will allow those to lock in when they think they have a good exchg rate.

Here is the rate lock I missed.

WELL GANG!!! It seems our reputation PROCEEDS US (or I negotiate better than I thought) LOL! Either way...they will lock in the exchange rate for us IF we book before the end of the year.

So at our current rate would people be interested in Maldives at $2600 euros retail? I plan to have some smoking sign up deals since we are so far in advance.

Now the trick is WHEN if we opt to do the Maldives!!!

Here is the reopening of the contract.

Hey gang...its official we have our Maldives dates LOCKED IN!! The date has slipped a bit BUT the NEW DATE is superb!!!

We'll be traveling to the lushious Maldives in Feb 2013...specifically:

Destination: Central & Southern A Itinerary Male - Kaadedhdhoo
Trip Dates: 20th February - 2nd March 2013
Cruise Cost: 2,800 Euro/pax

I was even a little clairvoyant.

Better put me on the list. When I am bankrupt and selling pencils on the corner I will make sure Kamala's face is on the tin cup.


Another trip not to miss!!!!

Darling...I'll stand with ya...you won't need the picture! But hey...we'll say to ourselves...DAMN WHAT A RIDE!!!!

So after reading most of the thread I apologize for being snippy. Kamala locked the rate and came up craps. Happens! Who knew almost 2 years ago about Greece and the near collapse of European Union.

Anyway, water under the bridge. Screw it lets go diving!!!!!

Gonna be EPIC!!!!!

Fred

[ev780]

Kamala:

Another question.

If we just use your air contract for out and backs from Singapore for both this and the Lembeh trip does that help your contract?

[scubaclint]

I like your style, Que!

[WreckWench]

Kamala:

Another question.

If we just use your air contract for out and backs from Singapore for both this and the Lembeh trip does that help your contract?

I only have to have 1 leg in common for the contract so it will be the first LAX flight and it can be for the combo trip or just the Maldives... so...YES!!!