The Dancer Fleet donates $30 for each passenger that travels in 2010 and 2011 to our selected "Ocean Minded" charities. These conservations efforts strive to promote sustainable diving and marine interactions worldwide. From supporting marines preserves, education and research efforts and partnerships with like minded organizations, we are ensuring that our oceans and all its entire ecosystems are there for future generations to explore and enjoy. Our efforts focus on eliminating destructive practices, pursuing government policy improvements and developing programs to inform and educate on the critical symbiotic relationship of every marine life form. For more details on our Ocean Minded programs please click here. Komodo Dancer

Q: What are you seeing in dive travel sales?

A: We are seeing a marked increase during Q1 of this year. Reservations are coming in at a strong pace. Everyone was concerned about how bad the recession would be and once they felt secure in their individual situation, they came back to travel with their pent up diving demand.

Wayne B. Brown CEO Dancer Fleet

A: All businesses have been hard at work curtailing all unnecessary costs. Yet, you must have inventory in order to be able to sell. Dive travel is the perfect way to have 'Inventory' without the carrying costs. With our group travel program, you have zero chance of losing any money due to our liberal policy of reducing your group down to even one customer without penalty should that be necessary. Active dive travelers are also those who regularly come in for their "gear fix" before taking off on each trip.

Q: Liveaboards are sometimes seen as on the more expensive side of travel, and people are looking for deals today. How is the Dancer Fleet responding?

A: Liveaboard travel offers all inclusive value. Our packages typically include 4-5 dives a day, 3 meals, 2 snacks, beverages (including soda and alcohol), air conditioned accommodations and private baths. All while parking your "hotel" right on top of the dive site. If you add together all of the elements from a land based resort to match and compare with everything we offer, guests will find that we are less expensive in many locations. Plus – in the vast majority of our destinations, land based dive operators simply cannot reach the locations that our yachts dive.

In the Dancer Fleet we offer our guests many choices in the world's top dive destinations. For a first time Liveaboard guest, consider the Sun Dancer II in Belize. She offers 5 dives a day on the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, for only $1895 per person for a 7 nights and 5 ½ days diving package!

Q: What is the Dancer Fleet doing to help stores get back into the group travel business?

A: We are very excited about our "Giant Stride" group program that we introduced at DEMA last year. This program was created to minimize the risk and maximize the reward to dive stores when booking Liveaboard group travel. To ensure the best outcome for your group, there are two important guidelines that each group should follow:

1. Start with a half yacht and grow. Your deposit is only $750. Once you sell ½ yacht and earn your first comp space, you can add on additional spaces and earn a pro-rated comp with each new space sold. This minimizes your risks of space reduction penalties. (This applies to all of our yachts carrying 16 passengers or more.)
2. Be very cognizant of the 9-month release date. Plan your group travel calendar 18-24 months in advance so that you can have your half yacht sold at this point. Outside of 9 months, there are no reduction penalties and your deposit can be 100% applied to any one person who travel on that original reservation!

To read all of the details of this program, download this PDF document that explains the whole program.

Q: What is one area where you see dive stores leaving money on the table regarding travel?

A: Many dive stores just assume that they cannot participate in individual travel sales. You don't have to have a full time travel agent on staff to do that. If a customer is in your store and wants to book a liveaboard, recommend the Dancer Fleet to them. Then pick up the phone and call 800-9-DANCER. Let the reservation agent know the store you are with and we'll take it from there. Your store earns a commission on every referral booking!

For more information on the Giant Stride group program click here or phone any of your yacht specialists at 800-9-DANCER to get the full scoop and a group quote for your store. Your group can "Dive Easy Around The World" at one of the 11 Dancer Fleet destinations including: Alor Islands (Indonesia), Belize, Cocos Island (Costa Rica), Fiji, Galapagos Islands (Ecuador), Komodo National Park (Indonesia), the Maldives, North Sulawesi (Indonesia), Papua New Guinea, Palau, and Raja Ampat (Indonesia).