Bad Experience with Fishing Charter Company

[jaemt]

Four of us, from the USA to Palm Beach Aruba, reserved a full day’s fishing charter through the “fishingboataruba.com” web site. On Wednesday January 12, 2011 we were picked up at the hotel by Marcellino de Jesus, the captain and guide of the fishing boat “Caroline” for the trip to the Hadicurari Marina to board the boat. Shortly after arriving at the boat, fishing guide Mr. de Jesus informed us that he would not be aboard, guiding the fishing trip for us as he was very busy that day and as a businessperson had many important things to do. After a brief discussion with Mr./ de Jesus we elected not to spend the day and $600 fishing without the guide featured in the web site information. We unanimously agreed to cancel the trip whereupon Mr. de Jesus became abusive and threatened to call the police which we encouraged him to do. He recanted his threat and blurted out an expletive which I will not repeat here but is contained in the police report.
While walking along the public beach sidewalk, on our way back to the hotel, Mr. de Jesus ambushed us along the way and made physical contact with three of us before running away. We strongly recommend that you do not use this person. All of this information can be verified in the report to the Aruba Beach Police Dept.

[jerseygirl]

Thank you for this info. This is important info for those of us who are new and frequent visitors to the island. I hope to see more of these posts...both good and bad.

[Andrea J.]

i forwarded this thread to the ATA and to the contact person at the fishing boat aruba place inviting him/her to reply.

[dfranklin]

I am very disappointed to here this about Marcello. I have gone with him many times, and once without him as his wife had just given birth. I have always known him to be professional and a gentleman.

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience with him.

[dfranklin]

The more I think of this, the more I believe that it was an honest mix up. You most likely assumed that when you chartered the boat, you were also getting Marcello. Unless you specifically addressed this issue when you agreed to the charter, i believe that the only thing Marcello is obligated to do is provide you with the boat along with a qualified captain and crew. Not necessarily him.

These boats operate year round, 7 days a week. Any particular captain and crew can't possibly be expected to work that entire schedule day in and day out without any days off. All of the boats have alternate captains and crew. They have to in order to operate 7 days a week so they can make ends meet.

I think the main problem is expectations due to an assumption, not an actual written or even verbal agreement. Under normal circumstances with most boats, he would have collected a 50% reservation fee and been well within his right to keep it if you decided you did not want to go at the last minute. Again, if he had agreed to be your captain, then I am wrong and you would be fully correct in being upset and well within your right to cancel. However, I’m guessing that is not the case.

I've rented a couple of charters from in-town and experienced the same thing. Sometimes you get the primary captain, sometimes not.

I'm sure he was upset that he was losing a charter. He most likely could have chartered the boat out to another party had he known a few days earlier that you didn't want to go. He still should have acted perhaps more professionally and not cursed you out. But other than that, if the subject of who was going to captain the boat was never discussed prior to that morning, sorry to say, but he was more right than you.

Next time, make sure this is a discussion you have prior to agreeing to the charter. Again, if you did have this discussion and he had previously agreed to be your captain, then you were well within your rights to walk away and he should not have been upset at you doing so.

[jeffnev]

I don't think I ever would feel comfortable with anyone who verbally and physically abused someone. Absolutely no excuse for that.

[dfranklin]

It said he became abusive and threatened to call the police. I trust he wasn't physical. And I agree, he should have been more professional than that.

I somehow think if he had kept 50% of the fee and kept his cool, that the individuals would have been far more upset.

[Arubalisa]

Originally Posted by dfranklin

It said he became abusive and threatened to call the police. I trust he wasn't physical. And I agree, he should have been more professional than that.

I somehow think if he had kept 50% of the fee and kept his cool, that the individuals would have been far more upset.

Originally Posted by jaemt

Four of us, from the USA to Palm Beach Aruba, reserved a full day’s fishing charter through the “fishingboataruba.com” web site. On Wednesday January 12, 2011 we were picked up at the hotel by Marcellino de Jesus, the captain and guide of the fishing boat “Caroline” for the trip to the Hadicurari Marina to board the boat. Shortly after arriving at the boat, fishing guide Mr. de Jesus informed us that he would not be aboard, guiding the fishing trip for us as he was very busy that day and as a businessperson had many important things to do. After a brief discussion with Mr./ de Jesus we elected not to spend the day and $600 fishing without the guide featured in the web site information. We unanimously agreed to cancel the trip whereupon Mr. de Jesus became abusive and threatened to call the police which we encouraged him to do. He recanted his threat and blurted out an expletive which I will not repeat here but is contained in the police report.
While walking along the public beach sidewalk, on our way back to the hotel, Mr. de Jesus ambushed us along the way and made physical contact with three of us before running away. We strongly recommend that you do not use this person. All of this information can be verified in the report to the Aruba Beach Police Dept.

[dfranklin]

My appologies. I did not see that. I am very surprised and disappointed with him.

[cindyo]

Originally Posted by jaemt

Four of us, from the USA to Palm Beach Aruba, reserved a full day’s fishing charter through the “fishingboataruba.com” web site. day and $600 fishing without the guide featured in the web site information. We unanimously agreed to cancel the trip whereupon Mr. de Jesus became abusive and threatened to call the police which we encouraged him to do. He recanted his threat and blurted out an expletive which I will not repeat here but is contained in the police report.
While walking along the public beach sidewalk, on our way back to the hotel, Mr. de Jesus ambushed us along the way and made physical contact with three of us before running away. We strongly recommend that you do not use this person. All of this information can be verified in the report to the Aruba Beach Police Dept.

Note to self....Been 14 years in a row, pass on this charter...
Haven't heard Mr. deJesus responding....hmmmm