Usual YD Rules - What’s Reasonable?

[stevechesh]

The other option for the bigger dive trips is for the organiser to ask for an initial deposit on booking and then regular monthly payments by Standing Order (SO) or Direct Debit (DD) each month on that persons pay day, until the full amount is paid. Trips like Scapa, at approx £300 per space is a big shortfall to try and find for the organiser.

As these trips are generally booked at least 6 months in advance, people have plenty of time to pay off the cost using SO or DD.

[Sparky750]

Originally Posted by stevechesh

The other option for the bigger dive trips is for the organiser to ask for an initial deposit on booking and then regular monthly payments by Standing Order (SO) or Direct Debit (DD) each month on that persons pay day, until the full amount is paid. Trips like Scapa, at approx £300 per space is a big shortfall to try and find for the organiser.

As these trips are generally booked at least 6 months in advance, people have plenty of time to pay off the cost using SO or DD.

I like that idea

[warmwaterdiver]

I take 50% at time of someone booking on a trip of mine (if they answer the PM's ) if not they get right royally kicked off, and I'll get people that will pay

then normally the balance a month before, unless I know you very well, then I'll take the balance on the day, also depending upon if I need to settle up with the skipper

that way I've enough to pay a skipper a deposit if they want one, and the divers booked have a reasonable financial investment that they won't just drop out

also if they do, then I have a month before the trip to fill places, in the worst case, for just the 50% outstanding

all my trips are with well known skippers and if anyone has any concerns over whether I've booked the boat, they can contact the skipper directly and check my booking

a lot of skippers will let me pay on the day, but its my reputation, and I will have to pay

that said, I won't be organising any next year due to a couple of reasons, so its time for others to do some

[stevechesh]

Originally Posted by JasonP

The trouble with that is that then you end up with everyone asking you for lots of money at the beginning of the year. And I can't afford to pay for an entire year's diving in February all up front.

So then you end up with people not booking on your trip.

I'm finding it harder to get people to even sign up in the first place. Still got spaces on my two remaining trips of the year.

Jason

yep, i know how you feel, as i'm in a similar situation. There's no easy solution, which is why i tend to try and hold on when i see trips i want to go on, until i know i have the cash for them which obviously doesn't help the other organiser at all . . . . .

[Steve Jones]

It seems you have a few options

1) No deposits and everyone pays on the day. OK as long as everyone is trusted. This my preferred method for my trips unless I don't know the person who has booked on.

2) About 50% deposit the rest payable just before the trip. Good idea if you advertise trips on a wider forum where just about everyone can add their names and you will not know them.

3) Full costs up front, not ideal as some of us book a year in advance for a lot of our trips.

What it all comes down to is trust, whether it is no up front payment, or a deposit. I am firmly of the belief that no one will ever stitch me up twice, and even after they have done it once then they will have trouble booking on any other dive trips. I have a very wide circle of dive organisers that I know and will blacken the name of anyone who refuses to pay.

Fortunately no one has refused to pay me yet. However I have been on several trips (change several to "quite a few") where we have been asked to pay extra where the organiser has been screwed by certain individuals.

Steve

[stevechesh]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

I take 50% at time of someone booking on a trip of mine (if they answer the PM's ) if not they get right royally kicked off, and I'll get people that will pay

then normally the balance a month before, unless I know you very well, then I'll take the balance on the day

that way I've enough to pay a skipper a deposit if they want one, and the divers booked have a reasonable financial investment that they won't just drop out

also if they do, then I have a month before the trip to fill places, in the worst case, for just the 50% outstanding

a lot of skippers will let me pay on the day, but its my reputation, and I will have to pay

that said, I won't be organising any next year, its time for others to do some

I won't be organising that many trips up front next year. I've got some offshore wrecks i want to visit (which you know about) which will initially be by invite only (i.e TOSSERS) , as they have the potential to be a bit special (i hope ), so hopefully the financial side of things won't be too bad....Is £700 for a boat and one dive a lot of money

It's nigh on impossible to get people on deep offshore exploratory trips
, and they get even more dis-heartened when it turns out to be a pile of rubbish. I know of one trip, approx 45 miles offshore and 120 odd metres down last year. All the research was done as far as possible, but when the guys got down there, it turned out to be an old mulberry harbour! Well, you can understand the disappointment, but it doesn't take too many of those trips before the enthusiasm starts to drop off. . .

[divegyrl]

Originally Posted by warmwaterdiver

I take 50% at time of someone booking on a trip of mine (if they answer the PM's ) if not they get right royally kicked off, and I'll get people that will pay

then normally the balance a month before, unless I know you very well, then I'll take the balance on the day

that way I've enough to pay a skipper a deposit if they want one, and the divers booked have a reasonable financial investment that they won't just drop out

I'm with Gary on the 50% deposit & balance before the day; we implemented that for the Easter trips and it worked well. Keith kept to the same plan for this past Easter.

I have given up booking whole boats though due to the pain it is to chase up payments.
Luckily there are loads of great people out there who do organise trips that we can book on

I was on a trip out of Newquay over the last BH weekend & due to illness couldn't dive, but I did kit biatch on board, the organiser offered to split my cost with the divers on board, but I still insisted on paying the balance for my spot, the old adage 'you says, you pays' is a good one

[Sparky750]

Originally Posted by Steve Jones

It seems you have a few options

1) No deposits and everyone pays on the day. OK as long as everyone is trusted. This my preferred method for my trips unless I don't know the person who has booked on.

2) About 50% deposit the rest payable just before the trip. Good idea if you advertise trips on a wider forum where just about everyone can add their names and you will not know them.

3) Full costs up front, not ideal as some of us book a year in advance for a lot of our trips.

What it all comes down to is trust, whether it is no up front payment, or a deposit. I am firmly of the belief that no one will ever stitch me up twice, and even after they have done it once then they will have trouble booking on any other dive trips. I have a very wide circle of dive organisers that I know and will blacken the name of anyone who refuses to pay.

Fortunately no one has refused to pay me yet. However I have been on several trips (change several to "quite a few") where we have been asked to pay extra where the organiser has been screwed by certain individuals.

Steve

Surely being welsh you only get screwed by sheep?











Coat and tin hat on

[Steve Jones]

Originally Posted by Sparky750

Surely being welsh you only get screwed by sheep?

Other way around mate

Steve

[Sparky750]

Originally Posted by Steve Jones

Other way around mate

Steve

I heard you where twisted though