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Amazing snorkelling and diving on unspoilt reef

We were transferred to Dive Ningaloo from another company and had a great day on the full day... read more

Reviewed 3 January 2024
AmberJocelyn
via mobile
Amazing experience with an awesome DM

I did a DSD at the Navy Pier and Charlie was amazing and keep me calm when i panicked a few times... read more

Reviewed 25 August 2023
eduardorK1442AW
,
London, United Kingdom
via mobile
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Reviewed 12 July 2018

We went out on 28 June, the day after my 50th birthday. The week in Exmouth was my birthday present.

From the moment we stepped on the bus we felt excluded because the rest of the bus had all been diving with Dive Ningaloo the previous few days. Were the only two snorkelers amongst around ten or so divers. The bus trip was loud as there were a few alpha males on board. Our names were also listed on another clipboard, so we immediately felt like outcasts as Chez made mention that we were the only snorkelers. My heart sank.

After arriving at the tender boat, I awaited an offer of assistance similar to my boat trip the day before. I have balance issues. No assistance was offered and the boat had a broken bit of metal dangling precariously.

The wet suits were different to the day before in that the zip was at the front and they were reversible. I'm not sure if that was what caused severed chafing on my neck but I was in pain as it was swollen and the salt water made it sting even more. Our first location was 12 metres deep and you could barely see anything. I was also very nervous about the current, which we were told about by the skipper via Chez. I started to feel very scared about drifting away as the skipper had told us he could not start the boat due to the divers beneath (fair enough but no help to me). The skipper suggested dangling off the mermaid line, which I did but still could not really see anything exciting due to the depth.

I decided to get out and changed as my neck was really sore, my fins didn't fit properly (too big). No-one gave a damn about our comfort, a stark difference to the service we'd received the day before from Live Ningaloo's crew. The skipper then drove us (after the dive finished) to a different site. This was more shallow, however I'd changed and my neck was still sore. My partner went in and said it wasn't bad, but still too deep where there were no bombies.

Prior to the first dive, we were on the top deck enjoying the boat ride and one of the dive leaders popped her head up as she was bringing her group up for a briefing. She looked at my partner and I and said "I suppose you can stay here, I'm doing my dive briefing". Talk about making us feel like a third wheel!!

The entire day was a waste of time and essentially we paid $150 each for a sausage sizzle and boat trip. When I saw the website showing the island, I'd imagined it would be similar to, say, Fiji - snorkelling on a nice reef near and island. It is not like that at all.

My partner spoke to Kirsten about our experience and she took on board the disrepair on both boats (tender and main boat). She also acknowledged that we should have been offered a hand getting on the tender boat.

I would not recommend this trip for snorkelers, however the divers had a ball.

On a side note, my partner had wanted to do the dive experience but because he hadn't dived in a while, he was told he'd have to do a refresher at nearly $100. While we were top deck, another passenger was talking to the skipper about a similar issue with another company, and that she was glad they didn't make her do a refresher. A bit inconsistent in my opinion.

Food was offered around to all the divers but we missed out on the banana bread for afternoon tea as it was all polished off by the guys downstairs. The crew should ensure that a plate is passed around so all guests get a feed.

Date of experience: June 2018
1  Thank madashell47
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diveningaloo, Owner at Dive Ningaloo, responded to this reviewResponded 16 July 2018

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your day with us. You mention that this tour is not for snorkelers...however every time we run tours to the Muiron Islands, we have snorkelers onboard and always receive very positive feedback about the quality of snorkelling at these sites. Its a shame it just wasn't what you were expecting. Please see our other 5 star reviews for examples from other snorkelers.

Most of points you have raised were not even mentioned to me on the phone when I spoke to you?! Regardless, I have replied to your points:

The day you came out there was excellent visibility, far better than average. The sites we went to that day (I double checked), were some of the shallowest spots we have at the islands. I checked the dive log for the divers and they had a maximum depth of 7m on the first dive, less on the second.
We go to these particular spots because we do not get any current. Any current experienced would have been form the wind only, and therefore very very slight as there was hardly any wind. Im sorry you didn't enjoy your first snorkel site, but it was not due to depth, visibility or current....

The snorkel and dive tour is advertised as going to 2 different sites, however on your tour we went to 3 different sites - this was especially for you as you didn't like the first site. I feel that is most certainly not excluding you as snorkelers! However, you didn't want to get back in and snorkel again. If you decide not to get into the water, and on 2 occasions a crew member comes up to you and offers to take you in herself and you don't want to, then thats fine... but then we can't really improve your snorkel experience! You based the whole day snorkelling on 10 minutes at one spot, if you gave it more of a chance then I'm almost certain your option would have changed.

Our wetsuits are much warmer, much much higher quality, and more comfortable than those used on the whale shark boats!! This is because they are used for scuba diving and the front zip means you can do it up yourself. When we give out all equipment we ask you to try it on and check the size and fit, if your fins are too big you need only say and we will swap them straight away. Saying that we didn't give a damn is simply not true!

The fact that some people had been on a tour with us previously, shouldn't been seen as a negative, but a good sign that they have come back again! If you didn't like some of the other passengers the 'alpha males' as you called them, then that is unfortunate, but not exactly a negative towards Dive Ningaloo or anything we can control. The previous day we only had 6 divers onboard and 10 snorkelers, so the boat were predominantly snorkelers, so it was just bad timing that you were the only snorkelers on your day.... although it does mean that you had the sites all to yourself!

Our crew are always at the back of the boat to help people on and off, this is a fact that never changes because they also have to be there to tie up the tender boat. There is always someone there to offer assistance, please never be afraid to ask either, its not always easy for us to judge, sometimes people don't want our help!

Our boat is most certainly not in disrepair!! We are complimented daily on it, just read some of our other reviews. Everything is clean and well maintained. A small crack had appeared in one of the welds at the front of the tender boat, not even an area where you sit or even touch and therefore had absolutely no affect on you or your safety whatsoever. This was repaired the very next day.

We don't offer cake or banana bread in the afternoon. So that is why you didn't get any! Not because anyone else ate it! We did hand around a fruit platter in the afternoon, which was brought upstairs to you. There is always plenty of food at lunch as we always seem to over cater for everyone!

A refresher depends on the divers ability and experience. Your husband hadn't dived for several years. The other lady you are referring to, was a rescue diver with a couple of hundred dives under her belt, it had been less than 2 years since her last dive which is why she didn't require a refresher. Not inconsistent, we don't just make up rules! She was just in a different situation to your husband.

I hope you read these responses and see that we did indeed go above and beyond to try to make your day the best. There are sometimes factors that beyond our control which can change experiences, but we certainly don't want anyone to feel left out or that we don't care about them.

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Reviewed 4 July 2018

I appreciated that they shifted my booking at short notice for the Navy Pier, which was a great night dive, as I was only in Exmouth for 3 days. Did Thrasher Reef next day which was good even though I was really tired. Kirsten, Kat and Ciara were the bubbliest dive guides I've met. I would like to come back again to see some of the other dive sites, weather and bank account permitting....

Date of experience: July 2018
Thank Ben N
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diveningaloo, Front Office Manager at Dive Ningaloo, responded to this reviewResponded 6 July 2018

Hi Ben,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this great review! I'm so glad you got to experience the Pier and one of many dive sites here on the Reef even during the lovely northerly winds ; ) And yes we do have the best team @ Dive Ningaloo and you know the girls absolutely love what they do and make sure everyone has the best day ever no matter what the conditions. Would love to have you back and show you more of our beautiful backyard when the $$$ permit. All the best The Dive Ningaloo Team!!!!

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Reviewed 28 June 2018 via mobile

I did two double boat dives with Dive Ningaloo and both were amazing. I booked the second trip after I had such a fabulous time the first day. Dave and Cheryl are both extremely professional and focused on safety as well as making sure everyone gets the most out of their trip. The second trip to Murion Islands was well worth staying an extra day and i will definitely dive with Dive Ningaloo next time I am in Exmouth.

Date of experience: June 2018
Thank Louise C
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diveningaloo, Front Office Manager at Dive Ningaloo, responded to this reviewResponded 6 July 2018

Hi Louise, what an awesome couple of days out on the boat you had with some pretty amazing weather for the Islands trip! Hopefully we can get you onto the Navy Pier next time you come to town and we can organise for Chez to be your guide again ; ) We appreciate you taking the time to write this really great review and look forward to seeing you again. All the best, The Dive Ningaloo Team!!

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Reviewed 26 June 2018 via mobile

We did two dives with them, the pier dive which was phenomenal, such huge and unique Marin life down there, none that I have seen anywhere else in the world. Then the next day we did west side with them and it was sublime! What a day!!! She’s and Dave are legends and really did their best to give us the best day they could ! We will never forget it! Thanks guys!

Date of experience: June 2018
Thank Mango46
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diveningaloo, Manager at Dive Ningaloo, responded to this reviewResponded 28 July 2018

Wow what an amazing review! Thank you so much and great you experienced the best of the Ningaloo and had such incredible dives.
The pier is a fantastic site, such an experience to be able to dive it and sounds like you had a great day for it! I will make sure Chez and Dave see this glowing review they thrive on giving customers the best experience possible which sounds like you had! Hopefully see you again. The Dive Ningaloo Team :-)

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Reviewed 25 June 2018 via mobile

Best day ever! Our tour guide Dave took us to the best spot ever. I was nervous about going in the water. Dave was really cool, he was patient with me as I was freaking out,he instructed me and I did it ! I snorkled for my life and had the best day :) I expressed my concerns to reception while booking and checking in, they were good about it too, explaining the process and easing my mind. It really was the best day ever. They provided wetsuits ,equipment, snacks and drove us there and it was great. Thanks heaps Dive Ningaloo, forever memories to brag about :) great pricing too.

Date of experience: June 2018
Thank carlie f
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diveningaloo, Front Office Manager at Dive Ningaloo, responded to this reviewResponded 18 July 2018

Hi Carlie,

Thanks so much for coming out with us! I'm so glad you had an awesome experience and got over your fear. Please come back any time as it was a joy to have you both on the boat. Dive Ningaloo Team!!

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