benjaminrE640WT
02 Oct 2024
I have been a certified diver for years and have worked in scuba diving insurance for over 4 years, and what I experienced at Great Escapes was a nightmare that made me lose faith in humanity. This is by far the most negligent, unsafe, and unprofessional dive operation I have ever encountered. If you value your safety and that of your loved ones, do NOT trust this business with your time or your money.
I visit Puerto Rico annually as my grandmother was born here, and this year, I wanted to share that experience with my girlfriend and 4 of our friends. I booked a Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) course for 7:30 AM, hoping for an incredible introduction to the sport I love. Instead, what we received was a disaster from start to finish. The instructor, Chandler, arrived an hour late without any sense of urgency or apology. From there, it only got worse.
He rushed through the pre-dive instructions, skipping crucial safety protocols. Out of the six vital skills that must be taught for a Discover Scuba Diving session, he barely mentioned three. This is a violation of safety standards that could seriously endanger people’s lives. When we finally made it to the water, two hours after arriving, I noticed my air tank was leaking, and one of my friends was taking in water through her regulator. Both issues were brushed off by Chandler, who assured us “it’ll be fine.” It was NOT fine.
To make matters worse, we later found out that they had sent us to the wrong location—a snorkeling spot—where the current was dangerously strong and completely unsafe for scuba diving. The instructors forgot basic safety equipment, including the safety flag, and the strong current quickly separated our group. This was beyond unacceptable—it was reckless. Three of my friends were so terrified that they returned to shore, feeling utterly abandoned by the instructors.
When we finally went underwater, Chandler was completely inattentive, only sticking with one person while the rest of us were left fending for ourselves. I found one of my friends completely alone. This is exactly how accidents and fatalities happen. This level of negligence is the reason why dive shops have astronomical insurance rates, and why people think diving is dangerous. Because of careless, irresponsible operations like this one.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Chandler talked about wanting to spear fish during our session—a complete lack of focus and professionalism. The visibility underwater was awful, and we barely saw any marine life, maybe 3 fish in total. It felt like a total scam.
After the ordeal, I contacted the owners, Dave and Robert, hoping to address the situation and at least give them the chance to make things right. Instead of listening, they became defensive, hostile, and dismissive. They accused us of lying and demanded that we provide proof of our experience. They even went so far as to threaten to charge my card further. This is not how a business should handle a customer’s legitimate safety concerns—it was downright appalling.
Here’s where it gets even worse—when my mother overheard how they spoke to me and wrote an honest review based on what happened, they retaliated by looking her up online and leaving an inappropriate, defamatory review on her small business page, trying to damage her reputation. This was a direct attack on her livelihood—completely uncalled-for and disgusting behavior. It was an attempt at intimidation and defamation, purely because we stood up for ourselves.
This company is a disaster waiting to happen. The aggression, unprofessionalism, and complete lack of regard for safety and customer experience was beyond anything I’ve ever encountered in my life. Do not go to Great Escapes if you value your safety or your sanity.
Stay far away from this place. They put profits over people’s lives, and that is unforgivable.
Stay clear. Being a business owner and someone who has frequently visited Rincon over the past 15 years all I can say is please consider another reputable business. Taino Divers, Rincon Paddleboards, Rincon Diving & Snorkeling, 413 Divers, Puntas Surf School….
My son is a certified scuba diver as well as in the scuba and dive insurance industry. Between taking a group out in unsafe conditions, instructors arring 1hr late and having faulty equipment where do I begin! And for the absentee owner Dave to discount the groups experience taking his instructors word is beyond horrible. Rincon is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people however this is not the place nor the people.