After purchasing a Groupon for $149 (a $249 value) to sky dive with Sin City Sky Diving in Las Vegas, we decided to do the jump last weekend.
This is what the Groupon said:
…The outing includes the following:
- A tandem skydive
- Limousine service to and from Bally’s
- A complimentary beverage after the dive
…After climbing into a limousine at Bally’s, jumpers cruise 25 minutes off the Strip to the airport jump site, where they check in, suit up, and chart maps to Neverland. After 15 minutes of training, anticipation builds as a Cessna 206 or 208 Caravan ascends to 15,000 feet, where doors swing open and tandem skydivers leap into the arms of a 30-second free fall. Professionals pull chords, releasing parachutes and slowing the speed for a five- to seven-minute descent over the vast desert. A shuttle rolls newly minted aviators to the airport before they toast smooth landings or exchange traditional eagle pleasantries during a complimentary drink during the limousine ride back to town.
The van arrived 25 minutes late and after a 20-minute ride to the airport outside of Vegas, we arrived at the airport-station where we were given instructions and harnessed, ready to fly out.
For safety reasons, one would assume that the airplane doors would be shut until before we were ready to jump off, which was not the case. They left the doors open all the time! Fail #2.
Their website and Groupon clearly says jumping off of 15,000 feet. We took off from 10,000 feet, which lessened the free fall by a few seconds. And when you are in the air, even those few seconds count. Fail #3.
Although we had booked for three persons, a friend chickened out at the last minute. But during the booking process, no one told us that is we cancel out 24 hours before the jump there will be a $50 charge. Fail #4.
What about that complimentary beverage?! Fail #5.
The Groupon was $149 for a $249 actual value and the video + pictures cost $99, which turned out to be good. No complaints there. All in all, make sure you get the details right and your money back if the terms and conditions are not met.