When Dive Trips Get Cancelled

Cuddlefish Divers
28 minutes ago
3 min read

Liveaboard Horror Stories, Hard Truths & Why Accountability Matters

You’ve booked your dream dive trip.

Flights confirmed. Leave approved. Gear freshly serviced. You’re already picturing blue water, giant strides and that first descent.

Then an email lands.

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, your liveaboard has been cancelled.”

No clear explanation. No refund timeline.Sometimes… no reply after that.

If you’ve been hanging around scuba forums or dive groups lately, you’ll notice this topic popping up more and more. Divers sharing stories of cancelled liveaboards, missing refunds, and operators who suddenly go quiet. Unfortunately, this isn’t rare anymore.

Here’s the part nobody really explains when you’re clicking “Book Now” on an overseas operator’s website:

When you book directly with an overseas dive operator, you are the one carrying the risk.

If the trip is cancelled, delayed, or the operator runs into trouble, you are usually dealing with:

A company based overseas
Foreign laws that don’t protect you
No regulator you can easily turn to
Very limited ability to enforce refunds

That’s why so many forum posts sound the same:“I’m still waiting for a reply.”“They promised a refund but nothing yet.”“Anyone else affected by this boat?”

“Due to unforeseen circumstances, your liveaboard has been cancelled.”

Why Liveaboards Get Cancelled So Often

Most cancellations fall into a few familiar categories.

Sometimes it’s operational issues — vessel maintenance, crew shortages, or safety checks not completed in time. These can be legitimate, but refund processes are often slow and unclear.

Sometimes it’s numbers. If a liveaboard doesn’t fill enough slots, some operators cancel the trip entirely. Your flights and leave? Unfortunately, that’s considered your problem.

Then there’s the catch-all excuse: “force majeure.” Weather, port issues, or vague unforeseen circumstances. Sometimes genuine, sometimes conveniently broad.

And in the worst cases, the operator simply disappears. Emails bounce, social media goes quiet, and divers are left wondering what happened to their money.

“I’ll Just Do a Credit Card Chargeback”

This is one of the most common assumptions divers make.

Sometimes chargebacks work. Often, they don’t.

Travel services are tricky. If the trip is months away, or the operator disputes the claim, or the terms and conditions technically allow cancellation, the chargeback can fail. Many divers only realise this after weeks of back-and-forth with their bank.

By then, the stress has already set in.

So What’s Different When You Book in Singapore?

This is where accountability really matters.

When you book through a Singapore dive centre that holds a travel agent licence, the responsibility doesn’t disappear overseas. It stays right here.

That means the organiser:

Is regulated locally
Is accountable under Singapore laws
Has obligations to customers
Cannot simply vanish when problems arise

At Cuddlefish Divers, when we organise a trip, we don’t get to say, “Sorry, nothing we can do.”

If something goes wrong, we:

Communicate clearly and early
Engage the operator directly
Look for alternatives or solutions
Stand between our divers and the problem

That’s not a value-add. That’s a responsibility.

The Myth of “Cheaper Direct Booking”

Direct booking sometimes looks cheaper at first glance.

But what that price doesn’t show is the hidden cost:

The risk you are taking on
The stress if plans fall apart
The potential loss if refunds don’t come through

A few hundred dollars saved quickly disappears if a trip worth thousands is cancelled without recourse.

Questions Every Diver Should Ask Before Booking

Before committing to any overseas dive trip, ask yourself:

Who is accountable if this trip is cancelled?
Which country’s laws protect me?
Who holds my money?
Who will actually help if something goes wrong?

If the honest answer is “just me,” it’s worth stopping to think.

Our Approach at Cuddlefish Divers

We are not perfect and sometimes things do go wrong. But being a licensed Singapore dive centre means we don’t just sell trips — we stand behind them. — We are not perfect and sometimes things do go wrong. But being a licensed Singapore dive centre means we don’t just sell trips — we **stand behind them**.

We love diving. We love travel. We also believe divers deserve peace of mind.

Being a licensed Singapore dive centre means we don’t just sell trips — we stand behind them. When things go smoothly, great. When they don’t, we stay involved and accountable.

Diving already involves enough uncertainty. Your booking shouldn’t add to it.