Orca Tauchreisen belongs to Explorer Travel GmbH and says it has organized dive trips since 2011. It is aimed at divers who want hotel, dive base and flight from one source, and anyone who would rather be advised than piece together single bookings. The website is in German.
What you can book
You find dive hotels, dive safaris, complete packages with a dive program and group trips, sorted by destination and trip type. Many offers include flight, transfers, meals and a set number of dives. There are also promotional offers at reduced prices. If you want something special, you can ask for an individual trip: Orca builds it from components, including a hotel or safari boat that is not in the program. Just ask whether booking via Orca is possible.
What a booking really costs
The from-price per person in a double room is the starting point, not the final price. Read the description carefully for what is included: meals, number of dives, transfers, tank and weights, national park or marine fees. For flights and special services Orca publishes a page with service fees, stated including VAT. It lists, for example, fees per flight ticket, for rebooking and cancelling an issued ticket, seat reservation and visa handling. Airline charges and tax changes are not included.
Baggage is its own topic on dive trips: the flight ticket includes free baggage, and the amount depends on the airline. Dive gear can often fit within the free allowance on scheduled flights. On most charter airlines it is registered as special baggage. The exact details are in the offer, and extra baggage for a fee is often possible.
Cancellation and payment
Cancellation costs follow the terms and conditions and above all the timing of the cancellation. Special conditions may also apply and appear on your invoice, because hotels, airlines and dive safari boats often charge high cancellation costs for special prices or in high season. Travel insurance is not included automatically but is strongly recommended. On its insurance page Orca offers cover for trip cancellation, interruption, health abroad and diving accidents. Read what your package covers.
For package tours, you may only pay the trip price once you have been given an insolvency protection certificate. That is how the terms put it. Ask for it before transferring a deposit.
How to save
The promotional offers with a crossed-out price are the easiest route, since the discount is built into the price. No voucher codes are stored at the moment. Cashback works differently here: the credit is tied to a travel inquiry, and you can see the conditions on our provider page. Travel outside high season if you want to save on hotel and flight.
Who Orca suits
Orca suits divers who prefer to plan with an experienced advisor and want a complete package of accommodation, dive base and flight. If you only need a flight, you are better off elsewhere. The travel reports on the site help with choosing destination and season, and the advisors know the regions from their own experience.
If it is your first dive trip, ask about the dive base, group size and rental equipment. Check that your medical fitness and certification match the planned dives, and settle the insurance for diving accidents before you leave.
Before booking
In the consultation, ask for the exact travel dates, flight times and baggage allowance, and have the scope of services put in writing. Check whether minimum participant numbers or seasonal periods apply to your trip. If you need extras such as Rail and Fly, seat reservation or visas, say so right away so they appear on the invoice and you do not pay service fees later.
Tips
- Write all names exactly as in the passport, wrong names on flight tickets can be expensive.
- Say at booking whether you want Rail and Fly, adding it later costs extra.
- Clarify dive gear baggage before you commit.
- Check visa and entry rules for your destination.
- Take out travel insurance before cancellation costs apply.
Booking with cashback
The cashback runs through daily cashback. First open the daily cashback store page for Orca Tauchreisen, continue from there to the provider and book as usual. The credit arrives once the trip is confirmed. The credit is tied to a travel inquiry, not only to a direct booking. You can see the current rate on our provider page for Orca Tauchreisen.