A group dive trip becomes easier to organise when the decisions are made in the right order: agree dates, check what each person wants to book, build a rooming plan, and then confirm the travel and payment arrangements. Collecting money before those details match often creates extra work for the organiser.
This checklist is for the friend, club contact or colleague coordinating the booking. It is an administrative plan, not a substitute for the dive team's decisions about diver suitability, groups or daily operations.
Create One Working Guest List
Use one shared planning list rather than trying to reconstruct commitments from a chat. Keep it simple enough that people actually complete it. Each traveller should confirm their own entry before it is used for a booking.
| Field | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Traveller Name | Connects each person to the correct package and room |
| Arrival And Departure | Reveals anyone staying for different dates or nights |
| Activity Or Course | Separates certified-diver bookings from training and non-diving plans |
| Certification And Last Dive | Helps the dive team understand the group's experience |
| Room Preference | Shows proposed sharing arrangements before selection |
| Equipment Needed | Identifies rental questions to confirm in advance |
Keep sensitive health information and identity documents out of the general group sheet. Ask travellers to provide those directly through the appropriate booking or operator process. The organiser usually needs to know whether a required step is complete, not every private detail behind it.
Separate Preferences From Commitments
“Interested” is not the same as “confirmed for these dates.” Give your group a clear reply date for the initial plan and explain when a final decision is needed before you book. These are your coordination deadlines; they do not replace TDB's payment or cancellation terms.
Use a simple status beside each traveller: checking dates, ready to book, or no longer joining. Avoid keeping an unconfirmed person in a full room arrangement just to make the numbers work. If they later withdraw, the people remaining may need a different room type.
Check Rooms Before Taking Payment
TDB's private-room occupancy requirements are one guest for Single, two for Twin, three for Triple and four for Quad; dorm beds are booked per person. When combining travellers from different packages, the resort, exact room type, arrival date and number of nights must match.
For example, a group of six might propose a Quad and a Twin, subject to the options available for the selected dates. That is a planning example, not confirmation that those rooms are available. Two people leaving early should be flagged before the booking is made, not handled as a last-minute note.
Review the Room Occupancy And Booking Terms, then send any mixed-package room proposal to TDB for confirmation. Read the room label carefully: matching the word “Quad” without matching the resort and exact room type is not enough.
Give The Dive Team A Useful Group Summary
Do not describe a group as “all experienced” if some members have only recently qualified. Summarise the range of certification levels, recent diving and any training requests. Ask each person about their own experience rather than answering for them.
A shared holiday does not guarantee that every guest will join the same dive group or visit the same site. Explain this before anyone pays. If a particular activity is central to the trip, ask about suitability and arrangements first; avoid making a group promise based only on a photo or site description.
Use the Fun Dive Package Guide to shortlist recreational packages, and the relevant course page for guests who need training. Keep those booking types clear in your list.
Coordinate Travel Without Creating A Tight Chain
Record each person's ferry operator, terminal and sailing once confirmed. Send the group one current travel summary and use the Getting To Tioman Guide for orientation. Different departure points or arrival sailings need to be highlighted, even if everybody intends to stay at the same resort.
Choose a lead contact and a backup who can pass on changes. If someone is delayed, give TDB the affected names and booking reference rather than saying “some of us will be late.” The aim is accurate information, not a busy message thread.
Do A Final Booking Read-Back
Before paying, ask every traveller to check the dates, chosen activity, resort, room arrangement and final amount shown for them. Confirm which costs remain separate, and read the Payment Terms. Keep the payment receipt and booking confirmation; an item placed in the cart is not a confirmed place.
Send one consolidated enquiry through the TDB Contact Page if anything does not align. A well-organised group is one whose details are clear before arrival, leaving the holiday itself for diving and time together.
