Considering a liveaboard - my first - in December

[DeputyDan]

To the OP - I think your thought process is good and that you are not chosing between good and bad but between good and better.

I agree with the other posters that a liveaboard is a good choice for a single diver.

You probably need to take a 5 mil suit if you do the Bahamas during that time period!

 

[Darnold9999]

I dive as a single all the time and find liveaboards to be the best way to go. Easy to meet people, have never had a problem finding a buddy that I got along with. The conversation around the dinner table tends to be pretty interesting. (All sorts of people dive.)

Can't comment on the itineraries other than to agree with DeputyDan Bahamas can be cool at that time of the year. Was just fine in a full 3 mil last year off Freeport, but that was 3 dives a day from shore not 5. You get colder doing 5 dives from a liveaboard.

 

[GramercyGirl]

Thank you for all the excellent advice. In the end I was lured by cheap airfare ($430 RT to Nassau on non-stop flights with a stop in FL on the way home to visit family) and all the fabulous reviews of the AquaCat. I will get myself a 5 mm wetsuit and hope for the best weather-wise! I really appreciate all the comments and will post a report when I return. Since everyone has me convinced I'll be hooked on liveaboards after this trip, the advice will be useful in planning my next trip!

 

[Karloss]

We have used Exploere Ventures for our last three trips and haven't had any real complaints. The Caribbean Ex 1 has been sold and is no longer there. Check the web site.

 

[BigBothersom]

I spent a week on The Odyssey in Chuuk/Truk Lagoon in October. It was amazing.
We dived on nearly 15 WWII Japanese shipwrecks and they were all incredible, as was the sea life on and around them. Depths averaged 80 - 120 ft, with little or no current at all.
The only drawback is the airfare and the travel time. It was three flights and about 19 hours in total getting there from Seattle. Coach air was around $1800 and 1st class was nearly $4700.
Still, there is no place like Chuuk if you enjoy wrecks, and the beauty of it is they are diveable with little or no actual penetration. The swim-through locations on each ship can keep you busy all day long without any official 'penetration'.
I highly recommend saving up for this one at least once in your diving lifetime.

 

[hypersonic]

GG,

My wife and I dove on the AquaCat in July.

Also on board was a single female...Donna from Albuquerque.

It was like her fifth trip on the AC. She keeps coming back because she always feels safe and comfortable.

You made a good choice, enjoy your trip and safe diving.

 

[Mkschmidt@comcast.net]

I am researching liveaboards for a trip in March. What is the the best way to sign up or are the rates pretty much the same whether you book directly or through a travel agent or club? Right now I am interested in the Utila Agressor.

 

[ncchuck]

The prices are the same regardless of how you book. Liveaboards are different than resorts however in that the often have groups rent the entire boat. Some boats only have openings for individuals a few times a year. Popular boats often book a year or more in advance. The Utila Aggressor is a great first live aboard. The diving is very easy, the crew is terrific and the boat and food are both good.

You should have started a new thread instead of posting your questions in the middle of another.

 

[robint]

You should have started a new thread instead of posting your questions in the middle of another.

ditto......... you should start your own thread and ask your questions.

 

[Aqua Cat]

Glad to see you are able to Join us GramercyGirl! New Years is always a BLAST onboard. Everyone is there to have a great time and ring in 2009 with some awesome diving! Look forward to splashing with you next week