13 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Forums Menu: Orientation 2018-2019 Trips Topic Listing
Trip Topic Menu: Trip Details Who's Going??? Ask a Question Trip FAQ Book Now

 

 

REMEMBER EACH TRAVELER MUST BE PREMIER MEMBER OR ABOVE & HAVE DIVE INSURANCE THAT COVERS RELATED TRIP DATES TO BE ELIGIBLE TO JOIN OUR AMAZING TRIPS!

 

Location: Raja Ampat
Dates:      Oct 12-23, 2018

 

Introduction:
 

Hello and   not only to our club but to the topic you can ask any questions you want about this trip. Please use this topic you are reading right now to ask your questions. You will need to be registered on the SingleDivers.com site and logged into our forums to be able to post. See below for links on how to do these things or email admin@singledivers.com for help.  We will answer your here AND update the main trip topic if necessary as well as keep the TRIP FAQ updated in the 2nd topic related to this trip.

 

The primary trip topics will be as follows:

 

#1 =  Full trip details, pricing, discounts, accommodations, travel details, etc.  (Locked. Only Admins can post to this)

#2 =  Ongoing Trip FAQ and Answers to the questions from topic #3  (Locked. Only Admins can post to this)

#3 = Questions Topic... ask all your questions in this topic  (Open to anyone to post who is registered and logged in)

#4 = Who's Going, Who's doing what extras, Tours, Add On's etc. (Open to anyone who is GOING on the trip to post in if registered and logged in)

 

More detailed information is available in the thread title "How to Use this Forum to Manage Your Trip"

 

Other trip topics:

 

We will have other trip topics to help manage the pre-trip experience and ensure that you are as updated as possible.

 

HOW TO REGISTER ON THE SINGLEDIVERS.COM SITE:

 

• www.singledivers.com
• click on Forums or click on Take me to the Surface Interval Forums under Forums
• Click on REGISTER in the upper right corner
• Choose a FUN SCREEN NAME ...email admin@singledivers.com if you need help. (Changing your screen name is very difficult to do after the fact so please take a few minutes to come up with a name you will like!)
• Finish the registration process

NOTE: Only upgraded premium members can sign up for our trips. The premium membership enables you to receive private trip communications, see the profiles of who else is going, PM others on the trip (and other premium members on the site) as well as entitle you to numerous specials, discounts, perks and deals throughout the year.

 

HOW TO LOG IN SO YOU CAN POST:

 

To post in the forums you need to log into the FORUMS. If you log into the homepage www.singledivers.com you will be able to book a trip IF your membership is upgraded to a premium level but you will not be able to post in the forums. If you log into the forums you can post in the forums but can not book a trip. YOU USE THE SAME LOGIN INFO BUT YOU LOG INTO TWO DIFFERENT PLACES DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. (This is a security measure to keep your information safe.)

 

• www.singledivers.com
• Forums
• Take me to Surface Interval Forums
• Log into the upper right corner

 

HOW TO BOOK A TRIP WITH SINGLEDIVERS.COM:

 

To book you trip please follow the following simple steps:

 

1. Register a FUN screen name

2. Log into the FORUMS and upgrade your membership to Premier or higher (you can also do when you are creating your screen name. If you use paypal you will be automatically upgraded by the system. If you use the SD payment portal it will take 24-48 hrs to verify your payment and manually upgrading you)

3. Once your membership is upgraded and your account is upgraded you can then log into the homepage as follows and book a trip.

• www.singledivers.com
• login 
• Trips
• Choose the trip from the trip table and either click on the BOOK NOW link to book or DETAILS LINK to be taken to the forums for the trip information and to ask questions, see who is going etc.
• Complete the trip booking process either by paying in full to qualify for our early booking discounts or by paying the deposit for the trip you are interested in.
• Complete your online documents for your trip within 21 days to avoid a $75 late document fee OR within 3 days if signing up within 30 days of the trip's departure date.
• You will be added to the TRIP PM (Private Message) within several days of signing up for a trip, which send courtesy emails to your inbox when an admin posts in it or you can check all messages sent 24/7 by logging into the forums and clicking on the message icon by your name.

 

HOW TO GET HELP:

 

1. Ask trip related questions in this topic so we can reply back to you and everyone else reading this topic as soon as we can.

2. If you need help with using the forums please email admin@singledivers.com

3. If you need specific trip help please email trips@singledivers.com

3. If you need any other help please email info@singledivers.com

[o2dive12]

Thoroughly confused on where to find latest chatter about Oct 2018 Raja trip. I know there are many forums, but only discussion I've seen relative: itineraries, sightseeing, hotels, local flights to Sorong, who's doing what/when, is very old. I'm trying to buy air and insurance and want to get up to speed to avoid a booking faux pas. Can I find all this on the private "sub-forum" contained on the trip link, or where and how? I've tried to read the tutorials but am still stuck. If the sub-forum is the right place, I need the password. Thanks. 

[dive_sail_etc]

Thoroughly confused on where to find latest chatter about Oct 2018 Raja trip. I know there are many forums, but only discussion I've seen relative: itineraries, sightseeing, hotels, local flights to Sorong, who's doing what/when, is very old. I'm trying to buy air and insurance and want to get up to speed to avoid a booking faux pas. Can I find all this on the private "sub-forum" contained on the trip link, or where and how? I've tried to read the tutorials but am still stuck. If the sub-forum is the right place, I need the password. Thanks. 

Hello Jeff, the protected subforum password is posted in the Raj Ampat 2018 Trip Private Message (PM) thread. System records indicate you last accessed the Trip PM May 14 2018 10:49 AM and the password was posted by Kamala December 05 2017 - 12:40 PM so please check again to find that pasword, we cannot post it in this public Trip topic for obvious reasons.

[o2dive12]

What time does the boat leave the dock in Sorong on Oct 12th? If it works out that I should arrive day before, is there a hotel we're dialed in with?

[WreckWench]

What time does the boat leave the dock in Sorong on Oct 12th? If it works out that I should arrive day before, is there a hotel we're dialed in with?

 

 

Yes all replies are HERE. Let me know if you have any add'l questions.

 

The basic reply is you can arrive anytime on the 12 and depart anytime on the 23rd.  YES book to stay in Bali or Jarkarta at least one day prior to flying to Sarong. Do the same on the return.  If you miss the boat's departure on the 12th you can still connect with the boat but it will run about $3k. A hotel the night before is far cheaper.

 

See THIS link for all domestic flight details and hotel options etc.  NOTE: This link will only work for the Oct Raja trip goers are members are sharing private flight details and info that we do not post in the public forums. So log in to see what is there using the special password the trip goers all have.  NEED THE PASSWORD?  Email trips@singledivers.com and request it if you are on this trip. 

[o2dive12]

When buying trip insurance, do I include the costs of airfares in the total trip cost to be insured, or, if a flight is cancelled-(like for weather or that Bali volcano), is that covered through the card that purchased the airfare?? I recall something mentioned to that effect. 

[WreckWench]

When buying trip insurance, do I include the costs of airfares in the total trip cost to be insured, or, if a flight is cancelled-(like for weather or that Bali volcano), is that covered through the card that purchased the airfare?? I recall something mentioned to that effect. 

 

Jeff air can be recovered sans the $150-250 re-booking fee. If you are worried about cancellations due to MOTHER NATURE pls ins your air. If you are worried about mechanical failure the airline has to cover that. MANY credit cards offer some ins for using them to buy the ticket. Pls verify with your card to know what it covers.

 

Pls le us know if this addresses your questions.

[o2dive12]

Concerning dive insurance for this trip. Am I required to have dive AND trip insurance, or just dive, (like DAN)? When getting a quote from Dive Assure for trip insurance only, should I include cost of all sightseeing trips and accommodations in Bali and Pandang, or just the live aboard portion? And, finally, what about airfare? Should an airline be unable to get me to a destination, would they make good, or do I need to insure for cost of airfare as well? Jeff. 

[WreckWench]

Concerning dive insurance for this trip. Am I required to have dive AND trip insurance, or just dive, (like DAN)? When getting a quote from Dive Assure for trip insurance only, should I include cost of all sightseeing trips and accommodations in Bali and Pandang, or just the live aboard portion? And, finally, what about airfare? Should an airline be unable to get me to a destination, would they make good, or do I need to insure for cost of airfare as well? Jeff. 

 

 

Great questions. I think I covered them all. Let me know if I missed anything.

 

DIVE INSURANCE

 

1. Based upon watching clients who had both polices and inadvertently had both activated during an emergency we have found Dive Assure is better for int'l DIVE ins as it is primary and DAN is secondary. Primary pays directly whereas secondary has you pay and then refunds you.  DiveAssure is also proactive so will spend more money trying to help you and do more things like pay for translations of medical records in foreign languages, fly resources to you sooner vs later etc. They also have larger coverage limits both per incident and for lifetime coverages. I carry both but I only use DIVEASSURE when I travel internationally and DAN when I travel and dive domestically.

2. You can carry DAN (I carry both) but they are secondary ins and are truly best for the US and not as proactive as DiveAssure is internationally.

 

TRIP INSURANCE

 

1. You can get trip ins from anyone you like.

 

2. You insure what you can't afford to lose. So if the tours are not that much then don't insure them OR see how much the policy goes up to insure them and then decide. It its a few bucks then ok but if its a lot then self insure.

 

3. Air can usually be reused if cancelled before the flight for a $250 chg fee and any fare increases. So technically you can self ins some here and save money. If you are using an int'l carrier you may want to rethink this as its harder to rebook with them and SOME fares are non-refundable. So if non refundable you should include in the policy. Check the air policies that most airlines offer for covering the air and some trip interruption expenses?  You may get better coverage for less money using them.

 

4. The last element of trip ins pertains to a liveaboard. To be covered for missing a liveabaord IF you start the trip ...and miss the boat...you must have liveabaord ins.rider. However if you miss for any other covered reason it is covered...just not for trip interruption that causes you to miss the boat.

 

Epic trips like this usually require this insurance because the loss is so great if something happens. I would NOT recommend it.  But it you need to opt out you can send a notarized letter to SingleDivers.com Attn Kamala Shadduck 2234 N Federal Hwy #1010 Boca Raton FL 33431 AND advise me in advance that this will be sent stating the following. 

 

I ___your name____ choose to opt out of trip insurance for the Oct 12-23, 2019 Raja Ampat trip and fully understand and comprehend the risks associated with choosing to self insure. I fully accept all consequences for trip cancellation, travel delays, travel interruptions to this epic trip and will not hold SingleDivers.com nor Damai responsible nor will I seek any refunds or remedies against these organizations nor from Kamala Shadduck nor any other principals of these agencies.  I furthermore acknowledge that I have been strongly advised to get trip insurance to cover my sizeable investment in this trip and I still choose to not insure my vacation with SingleDivers.com and Dive Damail Oct 12-23, 2018 with any ins carriers offered by SingleDivers.com or that I have found on my own.

 

YOUR NAME                                                                                     WITNESSED BY ________________________  (with seal and date)

 

___________  Signature

 

___________  Date

[o2dive12]

Thanks Kamala. Last question: Are we, who previously opted into it, already booked for sightseeing in Bali and hotels there and in Pangang? If yes, were those costs added onto our trip payment totals?...same question for SD booked airfare from Bali to/from Sarong. 

[dive_sail_etc]

Here is a question presented by our latest addition to Raja Ampat 2018, Mindy aka Mintastic, as she submitted her booking documents:

 

Rooming Survey -> Comments:
Wondering whether the boat has WiFi or sat phone capability. Also, if it has DVD player or other entertainment options (in room and/or in the salon)?
 

[WreckWench]

Thanks Kamala. Last question: Are we, who previously opted into it, already booked for sightseeing in Bali and hotels there and in Pangang? If yes, were those costs added onto our trip payment totals?...same question for SD booked airfare from Bali to/from Sarong. 

 

• Now that I have provided the final pricing and options I need everyone to opt back in for hotel options, tours etc. to avoid any confusion.
• The trip payments you've made to date ONLY cover the boat's amazing and luxurious experience and the Complementary booking of your local flight from Bali or Jarikata or Manado to Sarong and the complementary arrangement of the group hotels, tours, transfers etc. (Note there is a small hotel fee for intransit hotel during the flight from Bali to Sarong as well. See the private forum for full details)
• The pricing does not include any hotel expenses, nor any tours etc.
• The pricing doe not include the local air either which has been paid for you as a courtesy by SingleDivers.com
• Once all land accommodations are finalized in the next day or so...I will bill each of you for the amts due so they can be paid. Thank you!

[Resqdew]

What would be the price to rent a BC & regulators on the boat for this trip?

 

Do they have the gear on the boat, or is this by pre-reservation only?

 

Haven't decided yet if I want to take my dive gear on this trip, or rent locally.

Edited by Resqdew, 12 September 2018 - 12:23 PM.

[WreckWench]

What would be the price to rent a BC & regulators on the boat for this trip?

 

Do they have the gear on the boat, or is this by pre-reservation only?

 

Haven't decided yet if I want to take my dive gear on this trip, or rent locally.

 

I will get rental prices for you and find out but I think its pre-reservation.