Best "bare bones" liveaboards in US/Caribbean?

[jhh]

Lately I've been jonesing for another cheap trip like Blackbeard's. For those unfamiliar with it, it's not so different than "camping on the seas". Small boat, roughing it with just a tiny bunk and a curtain, and the focus was on diving and not a whole lot else except for evening beers. I don't need private accommodations, or five star food, or the luxury experience - just something floaty to jump off of into the water. I do need for there to be no singles supplement though.

Anyone have suggestions for which ones I should look at?

 

[sea_ledford]

The Fling does dives out to the Flower Garden Banks from Freeport, TX (about an hour south of Houston), and the Spree does a wide variety of dives in the Keys, Dry Tortugas and now Cuba. They run out of Key West. Wookie is the Owner/Captain, I'm sure he'll be along in a bit.

Both are bunks rather than stateroom type liveabords, although the food is generally excellent and plentiful on both of them. No idea on costs vs Blackbeards though.

-Chris

 

[diversteve]

Sometimes when a group charters Cat Ppalu they let them sell off unused spaces. It's the "better" Blackbeards boat.
The Bahamas Charter Sailboat Cat Ppalu

INDIVIDUAL BOOKINGS: The Cat Ppalu is normally charter only, but a few of the groups sometimes have space that we can fill. If you have a interest in a particular date, please contact us and we will check with the group that has that date booked.

Check Availability

INDIVIDUAL PER PERSON RATE:
2016 and 2017 $1,700/person plus a $105 port fees and $10 park fee

PAYMENT SCHEDULE FOR INDIVIDUAL BOOKINGS: A deposit of $500.00 is required within 7 days to confirm reservation. Balance is due 60 days prior to departure.

 

[diversteve]

Maybe check with Lost Island Voyages also - Welcome to Lost Island Voyages | Scuba Diving Adventures in the Bahamas | Miami, FL

Can I book the trip as an individual?
Yes, call us for details.

 

[drrich2]

From what I've found researching cheap regional live-aboards:

1.) Blackbeard Cruises - you mentioned. I liked T.C.'s review of it from 2014.

2.) The Juliet and Lost Islands Voyages have been discussed as somewhat more expensive but still cheap options nicer than Blackbeards.

3.) Don't forget California, which I've been researching in preparation for an upcoming trip. Specifically, Truth Aquatics, the Peace and I think Great Escape run multi-day live-aboard trips to the Channel Islands. It's colder water and a different kind of diving, but should be a good way to branch out and diversity your experience.

4.) The Fling was mentioned; I'd like to try it. Undercurrent has a free review on it. My issues are that the trips are short, and the weather can cancel a trip, so booking round trip airfare & committing to take a week's vacation on such a short 'maybe' has put me off. I asked someone who'd know my best chance for a successful, warm water time of year trip; he told me July 15 - Sept. 15.

5.) Sometimes you can swing a land-based destination with a lot of diving; when I dove with Rainbow Reef Dive Center back in 2013, I got in 4 dives/day. That's about how many dives you'd get on Blackbeard's from what I understand, and bought in a 10 trip/20 dive pack it was very cheap diving, with a mix of shallow reef & deep wreck. Hotel & car rental are cost factors, but for some, it's a viable land-based alternative.

Richard.

 

[jhh]

Thanks for the heads up on the Cali boats - Great Escape looks like it has potential.

1.) Blackbeard Cruises - you mentioned. I liked T.C.'s review of it from 2014.

That's a great and pretty accurate review. The crew (especially the chef) did a great job, and apart from constantly whining LDS members I was with and some drunken inter-crew drama after we had docked it was a great trip. Pics from my last visit here: Blackbeards Liveaboard - June 2014 - Photos by G D - 500px

The Fling has been tempting me off and on for a while, but I just don't feel like driving to TX for such a short trip. I actually want to be gone a while, like at least four or five days.

It's not a liveaboard, but reefci seems to have that same "camping" vibe to it. Sorta considering them as well, even though I'd prefer a boat. http://reefci.com/

 

[TONY CHANEY]

Loved the pigs in the surf!

 

[drrich2]

If it would be helpful, shoot me an e-mail at drrich2@mac.com and I can sent you a Microsoft Word document of my California dive destination selection write-up that I've put together in researching my trip.

I opted for a Truth Aquatics Limited Load (a bit more expensive, but fewer passengers so you get more space) 5 day (longest I've found in California) trip aboard the Vision to the Southern Channel Islands (still cold, but a little warmer than the Northern Channel Islands, and I didn't see any other significant distinguishing feature).

Truth Aquatics is often spoken of online and appears to have a strong positive reputation overall. I keep reading really good things about the Peace boat, too.

Crush627's recent thread, If Cozumel is #1...where is #2?, has some budget destination discussions. In that thread, I put out a ball park total trip cost figure for my planned Truth Aquatics trip (Lord willing and providing it goes as I hope):

1.) $1,123. The live-aboard, includes all meals and regular air fills.

2.) $610.59. Round-trip airfare from Nashville, TN to Santa Barbara, CA.

3.) $120. Round-trip baggage, 2 checked bags.

4.) Gear rental (e.g.: 95 cf steel tank, weights, maybe a 7 mm wetsuit, got my own hood, gloves, boots & other stuff) - I don't recall what that ran.

5.) Roughly around $200 hotel for 1 night. Get back Saturday evening, can't spend that night on the boat, local lodging ain't cheap.

6.) Cab fare from airport to & from Truth Aquatic's boat: $55 going, let's say $75 coming back due to side trip to hotel for the night, and 2 cabs used; maybe $130 plus tip?

Probably looking at somewhere in the grand ball park of $2,300 plus tips for live-aboard, various shuttle & taxi drivers, eating out the evening the boat gets back, etc...? For the option to get in a bunch of diving. And I plan on nitrox, which will be an up charge. Throw in some airport food and let's call it $2,500.

Looks expensive compared to Blackbeard's, but wait a minute. Blackbeard's - About $1,000, but add about $100 port fees, $150 tips, maybe $450 airfare, taxi cost to & from, I assume $120 round trip baggage cost, by the time it's all over I suspect that vacation is going to push $2,000 (e.g.: airport parking, some airport food, etc...). For 19 dives.

With Truth Aquatics, 5 days, but IIRC you can hit 20 dives if things go well, nitrox is an option (for a fee), and while you don't have Caribbean coral reefs & warm water, how about kelp forest, sea lions & other life you haven't seen before if you haven't been there?

Richard.

 

[jhh]

Loved the pigs in the surf!

Next time I go back I'm taking a dome lens for the pigs.

 

[Jax]

The M/V Spree!

It's not so small, and also makes Cuba trips. It's a divers' boat, not a floating hotel.