ocean college

[lairdy]

HELLO
LAST YEAR I HAD A RANT AT OCEAN COLLEGE,
BAD DIVE GUIDES OVER CROWDING POOR CHOICE OF DIVE SITES 2 DAYS OF CHECK OUT DIVES 25 DIVERS ON ONE BOAT ETC,
A WRITER FOR A WELL KNOWN DIVE MAG GOT INVOLVED AND ADDED A POST(HE HAS BEEN A PROFESSIONAL WRITER SINCE 1990 GUESSED YET)
AND THE THEN MODERATOR REMOVED MY POST
BUT THATS BY THE BY
WENT BACK TO OCEAN COLLEGE THIS YEAR MARCH 18TH.(group of ten
WHAT A CHANGE
ONE CHECK OUT DIVE
VAN TO BOATS
GOOD SITES
STAYED ON THE SAME BOAT REGARDLESS OF OUR
DESTINATION,
NO MORE THAN 16 ON BOARD ANY BOAT,
DIVE GUIDE AMAR A1 REALLY KNOWS HIS STUFF AND COMES WITH NO EGO,
SO WELL DONE OCEAN COLLEGE YOU SEEM TO HAVE HEARD WHAT HAS BEEN SAID AND RESOLVED THESE NIGGLES ,
credit where credits due full marks for customer service.

[Alan Ewart]

No need to shout mate.

[Angus]

Reading your post I wouldn't say they have changed at all; I've been using Ocean College for the past 8-9 years and have always found them to be on the ball. :)

[Steve in Sharm]

As Angus said, nothing has changed at Ocean College in Years, I've been working here for nearly 18 months and only 1 guide has left.

I didn't see your original post but please feel free to drop me a PM if you like.

Steve:cool:

[Paul Morris]

I'd agree with Ocean Colleges excellent level of organisation, but have to say it does sometimes feel like you're just a vital ingredient in the big money/sausage making machine.

We were out there in January this year, with another member from our club that has used OC 7 times previous. This time, they were let down by the attitude of one of their dive guides (wasn't you Steve ;) ). Both of us felt the guide obnoxious, unhelpful and he proceeded to bully and wind up my wife (nervous about snorkelling anyway), to the point where she very nearly didn't get in. He then proceeded to take the p155 out of her all the way back. Not a nice man.

This was after the previous "no problem to take snorkellers" spiel a couple of days ago. When I started to ask questions why we weren't mooring for lunch & snorkelling as planned it was a case of, well she can jump in and drift with the divers (at Tiran, I don't think so :mad: ). Not at all impressed considering I'd discussed our requirements the previous evening (i.e. me take her in for a snorkelling refresher). No refund was forthcoming, just a raft of excuses why it was down to circumstances beyond control etc. etc. And the next time out when we did get to go in, we managed to fit in 15 minutes at the expense of my paid for dive time, and he wound her up, bullied her and took the P all day long. :mad:

Essentially they're an outfit setup to take divers. Snorkellers were not made welcome on our boat, no special provision was made, though they would happily take their money. The boats seemed to be out all day long despite the early starts (back around 4-5pm whatever the destination), so if you want to dive dive dive (and why not), then you will have no problem. If you want to fit in diving with family stuff in the afternoon, couldn't reccomend it.

Also, my mate noticed this year that although the headline prices are still very keen the "extras" prices are creeping up steeply (now charging for 15l, nitrox pricing, 3rd dive pricing, etc.).

I personally wouldn't use them again, as they made no efforts to remedy my complaint, a complaints procedure was non-existent at Ocean Bay. However, if you just want to dive you won't have a problem with them.

All IMO, YMMV and probably our experienced marred by one personality clash (and I hasten to say EVERYONE on the boat was glad to see the back of him! :) ).

Paul.

[Tristan Green]

No need to shout mate.
Lairdy,

See here:

http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/showpost.php?p=323&postcount=1

Cheers,
Tristan

[sharkhunter]

Alan, that had me in stitches and brought tears to my eye :D

No need to shout mate.

[markbsac]

I'd agree with Ocean Colleges excellent level of organisation, but have to say it does sometimes feel like you're just a vital ingredient in the big money/sausage making machine.

We were out there in January this year, with another member from our club that has used OC 7 times previous. This time, they were let down by the attitude of one of their dive guides (wasn't you Steve ;) ). Both of us felt the guide obnoxious, unhelpful and he proceeded to bully and wind up my wife (nervous about snorkelling anyway), to the point where she very nearly didn't get in. He then proceeded to take the p155 out of her all the way back. Not a nice man.

This was after the previous "no problem to take snorkellers" spiel a couple of days ago. When I started to ask questions why we weren't mooring for lunch & snorkelling as planned it was a case of, well she can jump in and drift with the divers (at Tiran, I don't think so :mad: ). Not at all impressed considering I'd discussed our requirements the previous evening (i.e. me take her in for a snorkelling refresher). No refund was forthcoming, just a raft of excuses why it was down to circumstances beyond control etc. etc. And the next time out when we did get to go in, we managed to fit in 15 minutes at the expense of my paid for dive time, and he wound her up, bullied her and took the P all day long. :mad:

Essentially they're an outfit setup to take divers. Snorkellers were not made welcome on our boat, no special provision was made, though they would happily take their money. The boats seemed to be out all day long despite the early starts (back around 4-5pm whatever the destination), so if you want to dive dive dive (and why not), then you will have no problem. If you want to fit in diving with family stuff in the afternoon, couldn't reccomend it.

Also, my mate noticed this year that although the headline prices are still very keen the "extras" prices are creeping up steeply (now charging for 15l, nitrox pricing, 3rd dive pricing, etc.).

I personally wouldn't use them again, as they made no efforts to remedy my complaint, a complaints procedure was non-existent at Ocean Bay. However, if you just want to dive you won't have a problem with them.

All IMO, YMMV and probably our experienced marred by one personality clash (and I hasten to say EVERYONE on the boat was glad to see the back of him! :) ).

Paul.


why did you let him bully your wife..he would'nt have bullied mine...i have dived with OC for the last 8 years....in the past there have been a few guides with big egos...i basically tell them what me and my buddy will be doing then we go off and do it...never with a problem....you should have contacted tim(oc manager) and talked to him about what had happened
send me a PM who the instructor was and i could maybe tell you a bit more ?

mark

[Alan Ewart]

why did you let him bully your wife..he would'nt have bullied mine...i have dived with OC for the last 8 years....in the past there have been a few guides with big egos...i basically tell them what me and my buddy will be doing then we go off and do it...never with a problem....you should have contacted tim(oc manager) and talked to him about what had happened
send me a PM who the instructor was and i could maybe tell you a bit more ?

mark


Have to agree with Mark.

Last time I was out with OC we had an issue with the attitude of one of the guides, spoke to the management and never saw her again. She was replaced by Alun Evans and we had a brilliant time for the rest of the trip.

Steve is Alun still with you?

[Paul Morris]

why did you let him bully your wife..he would'nt have bullied mine...i have dived with OC for the last 8 years....in the past there have been a few guides with big egos...i basically tell them what me and my buddy will be doing then we go off and do it...never with a problem....you should have contacted tim(oc manager) and talked to him about what had happened
send me a PM who the instructor was and i could maybe tell you a bit more


Er yes, I didn't let them get to herwhen I was around. He was nasty enough to wind her up whilst I was underwater, and then give her a hard time for me giving him a hard time! It was totally unacceptable. I tried complaining, and requesting to speak to management at Ocean Bay, but no-one was available, they didn't have a complaints procedure etc.

Not a good experience.

[Alan Ewart]

Er yes, I didn't let them get to herwhen I was around. He was nasty enough to wind her up whilst I was underwater, and then give her a hard time for me giving him a hard time! It was totally unacceptable. I tried complaining, and requesting to speak to management at Ocean Bay, but no-one was available, they didn't have a complaints procedure etc.

Not a good experience.


Quite, not acceptable at all if your complaint wasn't resolved. He's lucky he didn't come that one with SWMBO as a punch in the face often offends!!

[Taff Griffiths]

Hi all

I was a Red Sea virgin up until I went in Mar this year. I had no choice who I went with because I joined an organised trip. I found Ocean College set up and logistics pretty well organised and effcient. Steve Hinton our guide was very good and accommodating to our requirements.

My only grip would be all the other boats seem to have all the scantily clad bikini fish on them :p !!!!

[Alison Boler]

So, Paul. You know what to do! Write a trip report. It's really important to let other people know what experiences are like - good and bad. Yeah, if its really bad we will probably give the place a chance to respond, but what's important is that they didn't respond to you at the time.
Any form of bullying is completely unacceptable and we should expose it and root it out.
Write it up and send it to me.

Allie
PS Must try diving with them next time I'm in Sharm. Would like him to try and bully me :)

[Alan Ewart]

Allie
PS Must try diving with them next time I'm in Sharm. Would like him to try and bully me :)


God. the mind boggles, really scary thought!! :D