Mis sells dive itineraries. Poor customer service and ethics.
This company and its owner Miki Mori is a total disappointment and a disgrace to the diving and liveaboard industry. We did this trip to Helens Reef on 28 January 2023. It was supposed to be a 13N 11D dive schedule advertised and sold on their website. However, due to a problem with the boat shaft/ engine, the cruising speed of the vessel was limited to 8 knots instead of 14 knots resulting in longer travel times and less diving time - 8 Days!The entire charter have provided negative feedback to the Solitude on our return and whilst on the trip and it’s owner Miki Mori who acknowledged the boat engine problem (I have a letter from them acknowledging this which I can upload provide or print) refuses to be fair or reasonable and offer any useable compensation. This trip was $6000+ per person with 25% of the dive schedule not delivered due to an engine problem which the solitude boat owners were aware of before leaving the dock. I absolutely do not recommend this boat or company. Their customer service and ethics to their customers and the dive industry are disgraceful and beyond disappointing. They are more Interested in money making and profits than considering their reputation or paying customers. With an already compromised dive schedule and engine problem, the solitude continued to divert to islands on route back to Palau to deliver supplies it was carrying which was financially lucrative to them and even further compromised its dive schedule and paying guests. Plus continued to also charge a extra daily fuel surcharge for every day of the charter! When a whole charter of well traveled, experienced and reasonable divers complains - there is a real problem. The solitude one and Miki Mori have tried to say the loss of dive days was weather related which it was not as you can see from their posted video! As scuba divers, we will all make allowances for unpredicted weather but we shouldn’t be expected to make allowances for a vessel engine failing being the result of lost dive scheduled days and be expected to suffer the financial consequences. Even more so when those paying guests have shown loyalty and commitment to keeping bookings with this company from before the through covid. It would be nice to see the same respect back. All this company have been asked to be is reasonable and fair and they have totally let down it’s guests, it’s boat and reputation. If you are considering a liveaboard in Palau or Philippines - there are plenty of better and cheaper choices with really good and reputable companies. I don’t recommend this one on the basis of their ethics and how they treat their customers. This boat sells itineraries it can’t deliver. In most cases if something was sold and was broken or what you purchased was not what was advertised - this is a mis sale and people would be entitled to at least a partial refund or compensation. The whole charter asked for a reasonable figure which didn’t even represent the 25% loss of the dive schedule to account for the full board which was provided on the boat on those travel days - we have been reasonable and fair and considerate. This company is not even acknowledging our request or even prepared to offer any fair response. Very disappointing.