TRAVEL Why All These Forms? The Operational Logistics of a Dive Resort – by David Prichard and Lily Mak, Enchanted Sea Images, Inc., Dallas, TX
You have set up a dream dive va- cation to a tropical resort with warm, clear water and exotic marine life to enjoy. But a few months ahead of your departure, the resort is sending you and your group a lot of forms to fill out and requests for copies of your main passport page and certifi-
assigned accordingly. Part of the common questions asked by resorts are about dietary restrictions or special occasions. The restaurant staff has to order food items in advance to match the dietary re- strictions of the guests, and that usually means planning a meal menu that covers the needs of the guests on any given day. Have a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion to celebrate? Resorts normally would love to bake that cake, set up decorations and entertainment, but they need to know in advance to pull it off correctly. We were part of a dive group that visited Anse Chastanet Resort in St. Lucia and requested weeks in advance a birthday cake for one of the guests on the Fourth of July, but she was a vegan. The chef at the resort brought out two cakes, one being a white cake for the main group decorated for the 4th celebration, and also a vegan chocolate cake that turned out
cation card(s). Some divers may remember the old Three Dog Night hit “Mama told me (not to come),” and the third line of the lyrics says: “What's all these crazy questions they're askin' me?” That is probably what many divers are thinking when getting these requests from the resort, and while your inclination might be to put down “none of your business,” this information is ac- tually a key process to ensure you have an enjoyable time dur- ing your stay.
to be the favorite for everyone. A last-minute request for this would probably not have been possible. “Why do you need a copy of my passport page?” Besides collecting required in-
Major resorts often host multi- ple dive groups at the same time, with groups arriving on different days, so management has to figure out the logistics of having the right amount of staff (resort,
formation to meet local laws, guest security, and administrative purposes, resorts often use the passport photos for staff train- ing purposes. “We have all our staff study the photos so they can identify and greet you by your name,” said Kris Mears of Scandi Divers in Puerto Galera, Philippines. This training also aids in security if an unfamiliar face is sighted on the resort property. Questions concerning divers’ certification level and experi- ence are also needed to match up groups with dive staff and appropriate dive sites. A relatively inexperienced group of divers would require dive staff that is more focused on divers’ safety (and perhaps calmer dive sites), while more experienced divers could handle more challenging sites and only really need a good dive guide to point out interesting marine life.
dive, and restaurant), dive boats, rooms, transportation, and the right food available to match the stay of each group. “Generally, we try to have each group’s stay planned out a month in advance,” said Joseph Asguerra of Atlantis Resorts in Dumaguete, Philippines. Such intense planning can’t be left up to the last minute to ensure there is no shortage (or excess) of people, accommodations, gear, or food to keep everyone happy. Junnar Kitane, the manager for all the dive staff at the Du- maguete Atlantis resort, said he has to plan in advance the right amount of divemasters and boats (including captains) to match each group size, plus ensure that the requested dive gear rentals are available and in working order, as well as gear storage lockers for all the guests. When the resort is full, he often has to arrange for trusted non-resort boats and crew to be brought in to accommodate the number of guests. Many dive guests request private dive guides, so his staff must be
While resort questionnaires may seem burden- some to incoming divers, they prevent logistical nightmares that can ruin a dive trip.
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