Liveaboard Recommendations

[darkstar]

You can't go wrong with Aggressor. I did a lot of research before booking on the Belize Aggressor last Feb. The boat and the service lived up to everything that I'd heard. Great boat, awesome crew and world class diving.

And through a very cool turn of fate, I get to go back in Nov and do it all again. Can't wait.

 

[octopuppy]

The Aggressor fleet is great. Very little rocking motion. Warm shower right there as you exit the dive and nice water pressure in your room too. Nummy chow and attentive crew. DMs you follow or not (though they may be busy taking photos/video). Kona would probably be cheapest - direct flight to Kona from Phoenix - the main highlight being the night Manta dive. Fairly consistent 30% Nitrox.

 

[robint]

For your first liveaboard, especially if you are concerned about sea sickness, I would seriously look at the boats with more of a pontoon system rather than a monohull design. Kona Agressor, Palau Aggressor, Nekton boats, Aquacat Bahamas - look into those. (I have several different groups of friends who did trips on the monohull boats in Fiji, Bahamas, Cocos, who spent part of the trip seasick because of rough seas or a passing storm.)
We picked the Nekton for that reason for our first. No problem at all. Now we feel comfortable doing any boat.

robin

 

[AZdiver1279]

Thanks everyone for the replies!

I hadn't been on the board for a couple days so I missed all the post until today.

All of the posts are helpful. It's good to hear the PG has a recommendation. Out of all the places we've dived FP is probably the place we would love to return to. PG seems like a good option because although it is a cruise ship there is a good emphasis on diving. PG is attractive because of the opportunity to dive off several different islands. Although we had also thought about a land package with Rangiroa, Moorea and Bora Bora.

Out of all the places we have not been Bonaire (obviously Bonaire wouldn't be a LOB option), Philippines and Micronesia are at or close to the top. I'm probably not spelling it right but Raja Ampat is also a place we would like to dive.

We did dive Bahamas’ but were in Nassau. I would like to dive northwest Bahamas. We have not had a chance to dive with dolphins and have heard the chances are good some times of the year in NW Bahamas.

The Caribbean I think is a good destination for us and there are so many areas we haven’t visited. I would love to hear of any experiences with LOBs in the Caribbean.

Nekton – I just really like the whole concept. I also like the thought we could fly into Ft. Lauderdale and board from there. We could even stay a few days on either side of the trip and drive down and dive Key Largo again or even stay in Ft. Lauderdale and dive a few days there.

The Cocos really is a destination I want to dive, definitely on the bucket list. However, I wonder about it as a first LOB trip. May not be the best choice until I can determine my betters half’s ability to cope with seas on a smaller LOB type vessel.

Peter Hughs seems like a luxury type experience, is that a fair or accurate assessment? If you had to classify LOB (company or organization) according to a star system like we do hotels how would you rate PH in relation to Aggressor or Nekton? How about the Explorers?

There was a good comment about LOBs diving sites that were accessible from local dive ops. Could someone supply specifics on this? I certainly wouldn’t exchange staying in a nice hotel and using a local dive op just for the chance to sleep on a boat every night. The attractive part of a LOB is the opportunity to dive less accessible dive sites, dive 4 - 5 times a day, the convenience of sleeping, eating and diving all being within steps of each other.

Thanks again for any and all posts.

 

[AZdiver1279]

The Aggressor fleet is great. Very little rocking motion. Warm shower right there as you exit the dive and nice water pressure in your room too. Nummy chow and attentive crew. DMs you follow or not (though they may be busy taking photos/video). Kona would probably be cheapest - direct flight to Kona from Phoenix - the main highlight being the night Manta dive. Fairly consistent 30% Nitrox.

On the Kona Aggressor is the experience much different than using a dive op?

I only ask because we were 10 days in Kona last May and did quite a bit of diving both from boats and from shore. We did the Manta Night Dive twice......it was a blast! Ranks up there with our Whale shark experience!

Also, we did like Kona but we'll be in Oahu for 10 days in November. We may be done with HI for awhile. Also, it's not really a warm weather destination. Wife got chilled a few times on land and shore..............if it get's below 80 F wife is pulling out the sweater.

 

[AZdiver1279]

For your first liveaboard, especially if you are concerned about sea sickness, I would seriously look at the boats with more of a pontoon system rather than a monohull design. Kona Agressor, Palau Aggressor, Nekton boats, Aquacat Bahamas - look into those. (I have several different groups of friends who did trips on the monohull boats in Fiji, Bahamas, Cocos, who spent part of the trip seasick because of rough seas or a passing storm.)
We picked the Nekton for that reason for our first. No problem at all. Now we feel comfortable doing any boat.

robin

Have you been on the Aquacat Bahamas? I wondering about the cabins and overall experience with the vessel?

 

[mike_s]

Peter Hughs seems like a luxury type experience, is that a fair or accurate assessment? If you had to classify LOB (company or organization) according to a star system like we do hotels how would you rate PH in relation to Aggressor or Nekton?

FYI, Peter Hughes and Aggressor are owned by the same company now. (as of last year or so). So you'll see a lot of similarities in them in pricing/packages.

They are still operated as seperately owned franchise boats though...

Have you been on the Aquacat Bahamas? I wondering about the cabins and overall experience with the vessel?

several reviews/posts about the AquaCats and some recent ones comparing it to the Nektons. I don't think I've ever seen a review of the Aquacat that wasn't positive. do a quick search here and you'll find them.

 

[AZdiver1279]

You'll first have to narrow down your choices by choosing where in the world to go. There's a lot more than just the Caribbean but it's what's interesting to you. Consider the cultural experiences you could have by going to some of these places. It ranges from cities you've only seen on TV to literally natives in dugout canoes. It's not that difficult to see the latter.

I'd say overall cost (air and boat )and travel time- would be the determining factors rather than quality of the boat and how they dive. Boat cost is actually pretty similar across the world. It flight cost and time to get there that differs. Boat quality, when talking about the major players is probably close to the same minimum level. You can go up from there. Realize that you're talking about going places where people don't do things the same way. Whether it's how they live, the food they eat, or how they act, these things can all be different and not necessarily good or bad.

I think I get a lot more from a LOB experience than just a dive platform. Moving from place to place and seeing new views and diving in amazing locations is just the tip of the iceberg.

I'd suggest considering where you're willing to spend the time and money to fly to and then determine the boats involved. For example, you can go to Fiji but it's 11 hours from LA. And if time and cost aren't an issue, tell me your secret.

And which little boat you dive from in Cocos will be completely inconsequential, because you'll spend most of your time reassembling your wife after that 36 hour trip out to the island!

Good points!

flying half way around the world is worth it for a top notch diving experience.

I do have concerns about Cocos until we try LOB in calmer sea conditions. We have talked to people that have done the trip and said it was rough......I can't rmember which boat though......we'll have to ask again.

 

[octopuppy]

Kona - you've been there done that. All Aggressors are stable and the Kona is one with easy diving - hence 1st time LOB experience suggestion. In August it was plenty toasty. They do plenty of other locals though. LOBs MUCH less hassle, much MORE diving per day than dive op. Eat-dive-eat-dive-eat-dive-eat-dive-eat-dive-wine/beer...sleep...do over.

 

[AZdiver1279]

Kona - you've been there done that. All Aggressors are stable and the Kona is one with easy diving - hence 1st time LOB experience suggestion. In August it was plenty toasty. They do plenty of other locals though. LOBs MUCH less hassle, much MORE diving per day than dive op. Eat-dive-eat-dive-eat-dive-eat-dive-eat-dive-wine/beer...sleep...do over.

Thanks! Yes the whole eat-dive, eat-dive, eat-dive, eat - drink beer schedule sounds good......also no lugging equipment around..........wake up, eat, and few steps away is the dive platform.

Also, I have to admit I wouldn't mind visiting Kona Brewing Co. again..........also like the direct flights from PHX.