From the worst dive centers review on Face Book. See all the other reports on Rip-Off
Richard NorburyHas to be Aquanauts in Pattaya, Thailand, when I was there in November 2007. Diving equipment was falling to bits, the boat was in a right sorry state, the internship students and instructors were arrogant except for one or two and thought they knew it all when they had only been diving for six months and in one place only. I had to laugh on that one!!!! The only place you went to by boat was Koh Sac and nowhere else. I would recommend Mermaids or The Pattaya Dive Centre (on beach road) any day over Aquanauts. However when diving anywhere in the world I would recommend taking your own diving equipment for peace of mind over a year agoReport
Rajiv SharmaI have heard bad stories about them too - good decisionover a year agoReport
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Old School
Internet, Thailand
Would these testimonials be from the same students you called liars?
#3Consumer Comment
Wed, December 15, 2010
Would these testimonials be from the same students you called liars?
I don't have an ax to grind but in Pattaya everyone knows who the good guys are and who the bad guys are and I go back years knowing Aquanauts before Bob was even a Course Director when they used regional Course Directors for their IDC, Last one I remember was a guy named Hans i think. And back then the the problems were the same as they seem to be today. You never get a straight answer for any problems from the owners. I read all reports and wonder why the Owner will not address the actual issues and I agree with some other reports that blaming a students parents for their problems was a bit uncalled for.
Its a still fact that mostly the interns dive one location. But its a buisness decision, surely the boat going all over with no paying clients on board would not be profitable for Aquanauts.. oh wait the interns are paying customers. I guess that small fiscal tangible was overlooked.
I meet and talk to a bunch of Aquanauts interns as they spend time on the beach and they were not a happy bunch. All have complaints but then you cant make everyone happy, but the amount of complaining does indicate a true problem. They all felt they haveto stay the course as there is a strict no refund policy. And that any complaint made to PADI is just overlooked. Who knows but seems like Deja Vu.
Well guys sorry to hear you haven't fixed your sinking boat.. Its a new world I guess where you do right by folks or your failure at customer service will turn right around and bite you in the butt.
An American expat living in Pattaya
Aquanauts Dive Centre
Pattaya, Internet, Thailand
15 Years, Thousands of Happy Divers & Hundreds of Successful Instructors
#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, December 15, 2010
Looking at the Facebook link, what strikes you is the large number of dive centers mentioned. Some, including Dressel, are worldwide regarded as a top-class center.
EVERY business -- diving or not -- that has been in business as long as Aquanauts (15 years) is always gong to have some complaints. And the Internet has made it easy for two or three people, especially if a couple know each other, to gang up and find a forum to grind their axes.
No business in the world -- diving or not -- can thrive over 15 years as Aquanauts has done if things were as bad as the few people here have claimed.
The truth is that Aquanauts has 15 years of having satisfied divers, many who return year after year. We have trained hundreds of instructors who are still working around the world in places such as Fiji, Cancun, Cayman Islands, the Red Sea, Philippines. Malaysia and more not only happy with their time here, but referring new students to us.
Always get both sides of the story. See the link below for real people, with real names and real photos who've given their success stories to Aquanauts as testimonials:
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Old School
Internet,Thailand
Would these testimonials be from the same students you called liars?
#3Consumer Comment
Wed, December 15, 2010
Would these testimonials be from the same students you called liars?
I don't have an ax to grind but in Pattaya everyone knows who the good guys are and who the bad guys are and I go back years knowing Aquanauts before Bob was even a Course Director when they used regional Course Directors for their IDC, Last one I remember was a guy named Hans i think. And back then the the problems were the same as they seem to be today. You never get a straight answer for any problems from the owners. I read all reports and wonder why the Owner will not address the actual issues and I agree with some other reports that blaming a students parents for their problems was a bit uncalled for.
Its a still fact that mostly the interns dive one location. But its a buisness decision, surely the boat going all over with no paying clients on board would not be profitable for Aquanauts.. oh wait the interns are paying customers. I guess that small fiscal tangible was overlooked.
I meet and talk to a bunch of Aquanauts interns as they spend time on the beach and they were not a happy bunch. All have complaints but then you cant make everyone happy, but the amount of complaining does indicate a true problem. They all felt they haveto stay the course as there is a strict no refund policy. And that any complaint made to PADI is just overlooked. Who knows but seems like Deja Vu.
Well guys sorry to hear you haven't fixed your sinking boat.. Its a new world I guess where you do right by folks or your failure at customer service will turn right around and bite you in the butt.
An American expat living in Pattaya
Aquanauts Dive Centre
Pattaya,Internet,
Thailand
15 Years, Thousands of Happy Divers & Hundreds of Successful Instructors
#3REBUTTAL Owner of company
Wed, December 15, 2010
Looking at the Facebook link, what strikes you is the large number of dive centers mentioned. Some, including Dressel, are worldwide regarded as a top-class center.
EVERY business -- diving or not -- that has been in business as long as Aquanauts (15 years) is always gong to have some complaints. And the Internet has made it easy for two or three people, especially if a couple know each other, to gang up and find a forum to grind their axes.
No business in the world -- diving or not -- can thrive over 15 years as Aquanauts has done if things were as bad as the few people here have claimed.
The truth is that Aquanauts has 15 years of having satisfied divers, many who return year after year. We have trained hundreds of instructors who are still working around the world in places such as Fiji, Cancun, Cayman Islands, the Red Sea, Philippines. Malaysia and more not only happy with their time here, but referring new students to us.
Always get both sides of the story. See the link below for real people, with real names and real photos who've given their success stories to Aquanauts as testimonials:
http://divinginstructortraining.com/students/testimonials/