Review for Disappointing Experience with Parasail Catalina: July 15, 4:30pm
I am giving Parasail Catalina 1 star, not because of the company, but due to a particular staff member who marred our experience. Let me begin by acknowledging that the company's other employees were amazing and very helpful throughout our visit.
This review primarily focuses on our interaction with one person, who made our time unpleasant. We were a group of friends, including my first-timer friend and two children aged 8 and 9, all eager to try parasailing for the first time. As we waited for our boat to arrive, I, being the one who booked the experience, was keeping an eye out for it. Strangely, there was an announcement saying, "This is the last call for 4:30 parasailing," which confused me since the boat had just arrived. However, I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and quickly gathered my group to board.
Upon reaching the boat, there was no greeting or warm welcome, but we brushed it off, thinking it must have been a busy day for them. We were excitedly chatting about our upcoming adventure when suddenly, a crew member singled me out and asked us to leave, accusing us of being disrespectful. This came as a shock to us, as we had experienced parasailing with the same company before, and it had been an enjoyable time. But the surprising part was that this crew member continued to be rude and disrespectful, not just once, but more than three times, even when I chose not to respond to him.
Despite this unpleasant encounter, I decided not to engage in an argument, understanding that it could ruin the day for everyone. Instead, I chose to ignore the rude crew member and make the best of our time. However, I feel the need to express my disappointment in this person's lack of basic etiquette, especially in a customer-facing role like this. If they are unable to treat customers with respect and courtesy, perhaps they should consider a different line of work.
My biggest concern was that the encounter made my 8 and 9-year-old children quite scared, affecting their ability to fully enjoy the experience. They were whispering their excitement to each other, worried about the situation.
If there were an option to rate below one star, I would have chosen it for the experience with this specific crew member. I strongly advise against booking with this individual if you plan to parasail with Parasail Catalina on Catalina Island. I am attaching a picture of the person for reference.
Overall, the experience with Parasail Catalina would have been much better if it weren't for this one staff member. I hope the company addresses such issues, ensuring that all their customers have a pleasant and respectful experience.