First...
We've added quick links to paying, docs, the special forums and a NEW "How to Sign Up for a SingleDivers.com Trip in 5 Easy Steps". These will be found at the top of all remaining 2012 and 2013 trips. Here is what it looks like:
- Click HERE for Why our Trips are Unique & What Others Have Said About our Trips!
- Click HERE for How to Sign up for our Trips AND Important SD Trip Booking Related Info.
- Click HERE to Pay via our Secure Payment Portal
- Click HERE to find the Documents for this trip (password will be sent in your "Welcome To This Trip" PM aka private message)
- Click HERE for the Special Forums which are open approx 60 days prior to the trip to discuss more private trip details (password will be sent in your "Welcome To This Trip" PM aka private message when open)
- Click HERE to Register as a Premier Member or HERE to Upgrade to a Premier Member of SingleDivers.com
Secondly....
We've created a "How to Sign Up for a Trip in 5 Easy Steps" Document/Post that will walk you thru signing up for our trips. Here is the sample for the 2012 Bonaire Trip below.
Let us know if this helps and what we can do further to simplify the USE OF THE FORUMS. Once we have streamlined and simplified the booking process using the forums we hope to start working on automating various steps of the booking process such as the documents, or the booking template. But we have to simplify the manual processes first so we don't automate chaos!
This trip is NOW OPEN FOR BOOKING!!!
Welcome to the Bonaire Trip Details and Booking/Sign Up thread/topic. Below you'll find the 5 easy steps for signing up for one of our trips and the booking template we use to capture your booking requirements correctly. Let us know if you need any help signing up via trips@singledivers.com or charlies@singledivers.com or kamala@singledivers.com. Otherwise come and join us for a fun week that show cases the great diving of Bonaire and our 6th Annual Single's Week and Costume Contest! See you in Bonaire!!!
How to Sign Up for A SingleDivers.com Trip in 5 Easy Steps:
Step 1. Register as a Premier Member:
A. Are you new and have not registered on the site yet? Then think of a fun screen name click HERE for ideas and then register HERE. Follow the prompts and choose the 'premier member' option or above in this process and you'll be done.
B. Currently a basic member? Then simply upgrade to premier by clicking on the MEMBERSHIP TAB along the top of the forums HERE and following the prompts for payment.
Step 2: Pay for the trip
We offer a secure payment portal to pay via check or credit card. Our system accepts MC or Visa and all checking accounts and some credit unions. Since all our pricing is offered at a cash discount, the system will add a 3% non-cash convenience fee for credit payments. We accept check payments via the "echeck" option in the payment portal/gateway at no additional charge so please do not "mail" us a check as it can take days and weeks to receive it in rural SC where SingleDivers.com is now corporately based. HERE is the link to our payment portal which is also found on our home page, in my signature line under my posts, across the top of the forums as the blue PAY HERE link and at the top of the trip details.
HOW TO USE THE PAYMENT SYSTEM:
- After clicking the payment link you will need to enter your SingleDivers.com Screen/Display name so we can link you to the trip and your membership name.
- Choose the trip you are paying for from the dropdown menu and the amount you are paying for. ONLY enter what you are paying for in each payment.
- If you wish to provide extra payment details or summarize what you've already paid to date please do so in the details/extra information box and not in the payment template itself or it will think you are trying to pay all of the amounts listed again and total them up. (If this happens simply hit the back button and start over again. You will receive an order summary email every time you attempt a payment so do not worry. The ONLY time you've made a payment is when you receive a 2nd generic email saying "Thank you for your payment". If you get more than one of these please let us know and we'll be happy to refund your duplicate payment. Chances are we have already discovered it and let you know that we've refunded it accordingly.)
Want to express intent in joining one of our trips? Ideally this is done in the trip details topic which is called a "thread" in the forums we use. In other words THIS TOPIC YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING. Let our volunteers help you learn the posting process as its critical to all of our 'back and forth' communications. (It can also be done via email and we'll "post" your intent for you in the trip topic/thread if you absolutely can't post it yourself.)
You'll find the BOOKING TEMPLATE below and an example of how to complete it. We hope in the near future that this step will be automated but until then please 'copy and paste' this into the the trip thread/this topic by clicking on the blue ADD REPLY button at the top of the forums (make sure the dialog box is empty before you start typing so your reply is not lost in other content.
Step 4: Trip Documents...Where to find them and what to fill out and why:
The trip documents are needed for rooming, diving, understanding your preferences, as well as helping us help you in the case of an emergency etc. They are required to be returned within 21 days of signing up for a trip or if you need more time we'll add a $75 document fee to your invoice. They must be returned within 3 days if you are signing up within 45 days of departure. The trip docs are located HERE You will need to complete the first 3 documents...the Rooming/Diving Survey, The Medical/Liability Release and the Insurance Summary form. (There is also a check list you can download that will help you as well.) NOTE: All docs need to be returned to either trips@singledivers.com or via fax to 888-480-0906.
Step 5: ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS...
Its a two way street...here's how we tell each other what we need:
We use several tools to keep EVERYONE on a trip updated. They are vitally important for you to monitor and stay apprised of. They are as follows:
A. The "Welcome to the Trip" PM (private message) which is sent to as soon as you sign up for the trip. You can not receive these unless you are a Premier member or above. As soon as you either pay or show interest in the trip thread/topic we'll send you this PM. It has helpful info about signing up for the trip and will be used THROUGHOUT the pre-trip process to keep you updated on critical things regarding your trip with us.
B. The 2nd & 3rd 'posts' in this trip thread (the first has the trip details in it) will contain summarized updates so you don't have to follow every post in the original trip thread. PLEASE monitor these for IMPORTANT UPDATES that affect your trip.
C. The Special Discussion Forums. They are private forums that open up approx 30-60 days before a trip and they are FILLED WITH HELPFUL INFORMATION you need for your trip like how the transfer work, money/tipping issues, who's doing what extra tours or diving, etc. We also use these forums to discuss PRIVATE matters such as exchanging celfone numbers so you can meet up at the airport together etc. ONLY members on the trip have access to these private trip discussion forums. Since they are password protected you will receive the special password for the private forum via the TRIP PM.
And that's it. If you need help feel free to email trips@singledivers.com or charlies@singledivers.com or kamala@singledivers.com and one of us will help you!
PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING BOOKING TEMPLATE AND CUT AND PASTE IT INTO A NEW POST WITH YOUR REPLIES.
1. YOUR FIRST NAME aka YOUR SCREEN/DISPLAY NAME
Payments Summary To Date: We'll list your payments as we receive usually within 24-48 hrs. When completely paid we'll show you as PAID IN FULL
7nite/5day Pkg: Please tell us which pkg you want (see first post for pkg options)
CHOOSE DATES April 20-27 or 21-28 - Choose your dates
Extra Days/Nights: Tell us if you are doing extra nights in Bonaire
Nitrox $100 by Jan 1, 2013 after Jan 1 $200: Tell us yes or no to Nitrox and how much you paid if doing nitrox
D/O or S/O: Tell us if single or double occupancy
Documents:
SD Waiver - We'll list when REC'D
SD Survey - We'll list when REC'D
SD Ins Summary - We'll list when REC'D
Dive Insurance Current: We'll list when rec'd - Tell us who and your policy #
Trip Insurance: CHOOSE ONE & DELETE THE REST
a. I have trip insurance that covers this trip already.
b. I will purchase trip insurance to cover this trip.
c. I will not purchase trip insurance and will accept all losses accordingly.
Flight Details: TELL US YOUR FLIGHT DETAILS WHEN YOU GET THEM
Costume Party Participation: YES or NO
School & Life Supplies for orphanage participation: YES or NO
Discounts & Incentives: (Delete all that do not apply)
1. REPEAT Divi Singles Week Diver
2. Paid in full by Nov 19 for $100 early booking special and 3 chances at FREE Room Upgrade to Ocean View and 3 chances at Free Nitrox!
3. Did not pay in full by Nov 19th BUT Deposited and Booked by Jan 1 and get 1 chance at free room upgrade.
4. Did not pay in full by Nov 19th BUT Paid in Full by Jan 1 and get 2 chances at a free oceanview upgrade and 2 chances at free nitrox!!
5. ($25) rebate for SD premier or charter membership valid for 1-30 days after the trip if you file for it. (It's in the forms forum link in my signature.)
6. Cash Discount: Price includes cash discount. Please add 3% if paying via any non-cash form of payment.
7. 50% off Nitrox- Get nitrox for $100 vs $200 if paid in full by Jan 1, 2013
Submitted my documents within 3 days of signing up for the trip (since we are within 45 days of departure) so no $75 document fee.
8. Submitted my docs (does not have to have airfare included) within 21 days of signing up to avoid $75 document fee or within 3 days if within 45 days of the trip departure.
SAMPLE OF HOW TO COMPLETE THE BOOKING TEMPLATE:
1. Kamala aka WreckWench
Payments Summary To Date: $1447-$100 early pay = $1347 + $100 nitrox early pay PAID IN FULL
7nite/5day Pkg: Pkg 1 Boat diving d/o $1447
April 20-27 or 21-28 Pkg - April 20-27
Extra Days/Nights: 1 nite til 28th
Nitrox $100 by Jan 1, 2013 after Jan 1 $200: YES (paid $100 by Jan 1 for 1/2 price discount + two chances for free Nitrox) PAID IN FULL
D/O or S/O: D/O
Documents:
SD Waiver - REC'D
SD Survey - REC'D
SD Ins Summary - REC'D
Dive Insurance Current: YES Dive Assure & DAN... BOTH CURRENT
Trip Insurance: CHOOSE ONE & DELETE THE REST a. I have trip insurance that covers this trip already.
a. I have trip insurance that covers this trip already.
b. I will purchase trip insurance to cover this trip.
c. I will not purchase trip insurance and will accept all losses accordingly.
Flight Details: TBD
Costume Party Participation: YES
School & Life Supplies for orphanage participation: YES
Discounts & Incentives:
1. REPEAT Divi Singles Week Diver
2. Paid in full by Nov 19 for $100 early booking special and 3 chances at FREE Room Upgrade to Ocean View and 3 chances at Free Nitrox!
3. Did not pay in full by Nov 19th BUT Deposited and Booked by Jan 1 and get 1 chance at free room upgrade.
4. Did not pay in full by Nov 19th BUT Paid in Full by Jan 1 and get 2 chances at a free oceanview upgrade and 2 chances at free nitrox!!
5. ($25) rebate for SD premier or charter membership valid for 1-30 days after the trip if you file for it. (It's in the forms forum link in my signature.)
6. Cash Discount: Price includes cash discount. Please add 3% if paying via any non-cash form of payment.
7. 50% off Nitrox- Get nitrox for $100 vs $200 if paid in full by Jan 1, 2013
Submitted my documents within 3 days of signing up for the trip (since we are within 45 days of departure) so no $75 document fee.
8. Submitted my docs (does not have to have airfare included) within 21 days of signing up to avoid $75 document fee or within 3 days if within 45 days of the trip departure.
Remember our EARLY BOOKING DISCOUNTS end Nov 19th!
See you in Bonaire!!!
[i]A few extra notes:
And finally...since this trip is anticipated to fill out quickly, your spot will NOT be guaranteed until we receive you $500 deposit AND which pkg you are choosing i.e. April 20-27 or April 21-28, OR ANY COMBINATION THEREOF and whether you have or will get TRIP insurance. In order to be fair all payments will be received via our SECURE ONLINE payment gateway ONLY so they will be timestamped accordingly. The payments are NOT realtime so to compensate for the lag...[b]ONLY PAYMENTS EITHER CHECK OR CREDIT CARD RECEIVED VIA THE SECURE ONLINE PAYMENT GATEWAY WILL BE HONORED. As noted in the first post, if you have ANY problems please document them and contact kamala@singledivers.com asap to manually enter your payment in the gateway or resolve the problem for you.
