“You made getting certified easy and fun”.....Melissa, Texas

To date, $150 is the lowest advertised price we’ve seen for a PADI certification course on Maui. The question is, can you really get certified for only $150? The answer, unfortunately, is no. Based on what is costs a dive business to run a certification course, at $150 a pop, it isn’t going to be in business for very long. It’s important to understand that $150 is the advertised price, not the total price you’ll actually end up paying. Rest assured, the hidden charges for the course are conveniently never advertised. For instance, the certification course manual and other required academic materials will not be included. The scuba gear needed for the course may be subject to a “rental fee”, and many dive companies require students to supply their own personal masks, fins, and snorkels. (How convenient for you, that they just happen to sell masks, fins, and snorkels, eh?) An additional fee to “process” your certification can also be added, which is nothing more than an instructor signing off on a form, and dropping it in a mailbox. A minimum number of students will also be required, in order to qualify you for the advertised price. (You didn’t think you were doing a private certification for $150, did you?) We won’t even discuss the quality of the instruction you’ll receive from any business that makes a career out of false and misleading advertising. Remember, in the end, you always get what you pay for. Basing your certification decision on cost alone, is a good way to get burned.

So far, up to this point, we’ve established several important facts: 3 days for certification is not enough time.....Scuba diving has risks, and needs to be taken seriously.....Lowball prices are never to your benefit. We’ll conclude our discussion, by showing you how to get certified the right way.