Rachelleny
New
Hi All,
Before heading to the Maldives, I appreciated using Scubaboard as a resource. There were some questions answered and some not, so I wanted to post my review of my week on the Carpe Vita.
Before heading there, I read that you should be a very experienced diver (100 dives) but this was after the trip was booked. I was assured by several divers who had been to the Maldives that my 32 dives wouldn't be an issue - and they were correct. Although I did struggle a bit with the reef hook & maintaining a good trim & bouyancy, I had a patient & wonderful dive guide who made sure I was safe & steady. At least for our trip, most currents were slight to moderate, so that helped. It also helped that I don't panic even when encountering issues - I learned early on... stay calm & carry on.
Our trip schedule was below:
Day 1 - North Male & Rasdhoo Atoll (3 dives)
Day 2 - Rasdhoo Atoll & North Ari (4 dives including night dive with Mantas)
Day 3 - North Ari & South Ari (3 dives)
Day 4 - South Ari (3 dives)
Day 5 - South Ari & Vaavu Atoll (3 dives)
Day 6 0 Vaavu Atoll & South Male (2 dives)
The Carpe Vita has 10 cabins & can have up to 20 guests. We had 14 - a couple from Colorado, US, a couple from Switzerland, a couple from England, a woman from Germany, a dive group of 5 from South Korea, myself & my friend. Everyone got along really, really well & the entire week was full of camaraderie & fun. For dives, we were broken in 3 groups - 4/5/5.
The staff was AMAZING - especially my dive guide Chakku. Given that I was the least experienced, he made sure to always keep an eye on me & lend a steady hand. However, he was clearly there for our entire group of 4 & we all respected & appreciated him. He's incredibly knowledgeable & made sure to point out interesting fish, anemone, sharks, etc., but also ensured everyone was near & safe.
The rooms were huge & comfortable - A/C worked very (too?) well. Always clean & serviced daily. Dining al fresco was lovely, and lots of room to lay out on the top deck. The boat is a little dated as it's a bit older - but not one person commented on it or seemed to mind.
Also a special thanks to Captain Adam who would check on me & shared a bit about himself. But as I said the entire staff was friendly & helpful - they couldn't do enough to ensure a memorable & special experience.
I won't go into the dives as I know they will vary from trip to trip - we experienced mantas, sharks & whale sharks up close & personal. Juvenile octopus - sometimes 2 at a time. Visibility would vary, as would the current. Unfortunately, some sites would be crowded, while others weren't.
I hope this is helpful for anyone out there who doesn't have 100 dives & is considering it... although I will say that if you are a nervous, less experienced diver, you may want to hold off.
Cannot recommend the Carpe Vita enough!!!!
Before heading to the Maldives, I appreciated using Scubaboard as a resource. There were some questions answered and some not, so I wanted to post my review of my week on the Carpe Vita.
Before heading there, I read that you should be a very experienced diver (100 dives) but this was after the trip was booked. I was assured by several divers who had been to the Maldives that my 32 dives wouldn't be an issue - and they were correct. Although I did struggle a bit with the reef hook & maintaining a good trim & bouyancy, I had a patient & wonderful dive guide who made sure I was safe & steady. At least for our trip, most currents were slight to moderate, so that helped. It also helped that I don't panic even when encountering issues - I learned early on... stay calm & carry on.
Our trip schedule was below:
Day 1 - North Male & Rasdhoo Atoll (3 dives)
Day 2 - Rasdhoo Atoll & North Ari (4 dives including night dive with Mantas)
Day 3 - North Ari & South Ari (3 dives)
Day 4 - South Ari (3 dives)
Day 5 - South Ari & Vaavu Atoll (3 dives)
Day 6 0 Vaavu Atoll & South Male (2 dives)
The Carpe Vita has 10 cabins & can have up to 20 guests. We had 14 - a couple from Colorado, US, a couple from Switzerland, a couple from England, a woman from Germany, a dive group of 5 from South Korea, myself & my friend. Everyone got along really, really well & the entire week was full of camaraderie & fun. For dives, we were broken in 3 groups - 4/5/5.
The staff was AMAZING - especially my dive guide Chakku. Given that I was the least experienced, he made sure to always keep an eye on me & lend a steady hand. However, he was clearly there for our entire group of 4 & we all respected & appreciated him. He's incredibly knowledgeable & made sure to point out interesting fish, anemone, sharks, etc., but also ensured everyone was near & safe.
The rooms were huge & comfortable - A/C worked very (too?) well. Always clean & serviced daily. Dining al fresco was lovely, and lots of room to lay out on the top deck. The boat is a little dated as it's a bit older - but not one person commented on it or seemed to mind.
Also a special thanks to Captain Adam who would check on me & shared a bit about himself. But as I said the entire staff was friendly & helpful - they couldn't do enough to ensure a memorable & special experience.
I won't go into the dives as I know they will vary from trip to trip - we experienced mantas, sharks & whale sharks up close & personal. Juvenile octopus - sometimes 2 at a time. Visibility would vary, as would the current. Unfortunately, some sites would be crowded, while others weren't.
I hope this is helpful for anyone out there who doesn't have 100 dives & is considering it... although I will say that if you are a nervous, less experienced diver, you may want to hold off.
Cannot recommend the Carpe Vita enough!!!!
