Dive Review of Mike Ball/Spoilsport in
Australia/Coral Sea

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Mike Ball/Spoilsport, May, 2002, by Peter Snitkovsky, PA, United States . Report 114.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	A word of caution for those who consider diving with Mike Ball company. Request your price quote in Australian dollars and be very firm about getting it in Australian dollars. As someone who recently came back from diving Coral Sea aboard Spoilsport, I found out (too late for me) that Mike Ball Co. charges much more in US dollars than in Australian. Example: I have paid US $1820 for 6 days aboard Spoilsport (Coral Sea Expedition). Another American, who happened to be living in Middle East and booked the same trip from Middle East, requested and got a price quote in Australian dollars. His price was AU $2800, which translates into approximately $1473 US. And he had exactly the same type of cabin I had. As you can see, a considerable difference. When I got home, I contacted Mike Ball General Manager - Mr. Kielbaska with request for explanation. His responce to my questions about difference in price was: " It is a considered and fair policy based on real overheads associated with attracting and servicing different sectors of our market". Draw your own conclusions, but as far as I am concerned, this is the last time I was diving with the company, that, in my opinion, has a very unfair and discriminatory pricing policy.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Fiji, Palau, Truk, Galapagos, Cocos, Malpelo, Cozumel and several Caribbean islands
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy	Seas	choppy, surge, noCurrents
Water Temp	78-82°F / 26-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	0
Water Visibility	50-90 Ft/ 15-27 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

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Dive Review of Mike Ball/Spoilsport in Australia/Coral Sea

Mike Ball/Spoilsport, May, 2002,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Mike Ball/Spoilsport in
Australia/Coral Sea