February 2003

Vol. 18, No. 2     What's this?

Thumbs Up

from the February, 2003 issue of Undercurrent  

In the October issue of Undercurrent, we reported that reader Nansy McKenzie was evacuated from the Atlantis X liveaboard in Thailand in July, while on her way to the Similan Islands. Within an hour, she watched the boat sink. When she returned to Phuket, she reported, the owner of the boat, Keith Holmquist, couldn’t place her on any other liveaboard when she was there, then issued charge backs that were never honored. She told Undercurrent, “It was the end of a once-in-a-lifetime adventure — although I prefer to think that maybe someday, I will be able to do this trip again. I just don’t know when!” She was about to enter a chemotherapy program.

The owner of Fantasea Adventures and a well-regarded Phuket-based liveaboard, the Ocean Rover, read our Thumbs Down and contacted us with this thoughtful and generous offer:

“Could you please pass the following message on to the reader that was duped by the owners of the boat that sank, Nansy McKenzie in Miami Springs, Fla.:

“I was sorry to read about your misadventure in Thailand. I hope you do not think that all dive operators in Phuket are such insensitive and unprofessional louts. To make up for the bad experience you had to endure, I would like to invite you, free of charge, on a liveaboard cruise on board Ocean Rover. I can’t help you with your plane ticket, but perhaps you still have some unused frequent flier miles. Please have a look on our websites, www.ocean-rover.com or www.fantasea.net, and e-mail me at jeroen@fantasea.net once you know which cruise you would like to join. I look forward to welcoming you on board.”

Nansy McKenzie e-mailed us to say, “I wrote to them and thanked them for their generous offer. I am hoping to go during our spring break. I can’t believe how nice these people are. Thank you so very much for putting us together!”

-- Ben Davison