Gcrackr
Registered
In a word: Fantastic. First class all the way and worth every penny of the pricy fare. And the word applies to the diving too!.
Our week of Oct 23 - 30 had a total of 17 guests, one short of capacity. We traveled with a dive group from our local dive shop that comprised all but 3 of the guests on board for the week. Our weather was excellent adding an extra level of enjoyment to the trip.
The ship is in excellent condition; well maintained and clean. Staterooms are adequate in size with plenty of storage; but dont expect something the size of a mainstream cruise ship (you probably wont spend much time in your cabin anyway). Beds were adequate. Public spaces are also clean and well maintained. The ships layout is good and it was never difficult to find a place for some quiet time in-between dives (the Salon, outside deck at the Salon, or the upper deck). No complaints about the ship.
Our crew of 7 was fantastic. Helpful, easy to talk with, courteous, energetic. The Crew learns your name quicklyfaster than we could learn theirs!!!
Food: Diverse, Flavorful and Plentiful, Hearty. We cant imagine anyone being disappointed. If you have special dietary needs, advise the front office when booking, when completing on-line pre-departure info and/or advise the crew at embarkation (special form provided in your cabin). Breakfast and Lunch are served buffet style; Dinner in courses served at your table by the crew. Dishes are collected by the crew after all meals. Coffee, Tea, Soda, and a few nibbles are available at all times. If you get a snack attack (hard to imagine) or would like something specialjust ask and the Chef will accommodate. The food day starts at 6:00 AM with continental breakfast items of all types available: cereal, breads, fruit, yogurt, etc. At 6:30 add the hot items such as eggs, potatoes, pancakes, oatmeal, biscuits/gravy, etc. A snack after the first divecinnamon roll, fruit, etc. Lunch: At least two entreess to choose from, along with a selection of salad & sides. Examples: Burgers, Pizza, BBQ chicken, etc. Another snack after the 1st afternoon dive: pizza roll, cookies, nachos, cheese/crackers, etc. Dinner starts with a soup with homemade bread, continues with a salad. There are two choices for an entrée (make your selection on a form in the Salon earlier in the day) served with a starch (rice, potatoes, couscous, etc.) and a veggie. Examples: Flank Steak, Salmon, Pasta w/ Meat Sauce, etc. The style and type of the food depends in part on what is available locally and the particular style of the Chef. Most dinners had a fish selection and our trip also had lamb, pork and beef. Our main dishes usually had a bit of a spicy Asian twist (the Chef for the week following ours was from India so his food was expected to have Indian flair). The crew eats what the guests eat (after the guests are done) so the Chef varies the menu each week to give the crew some variety (None of the its Wednesday so it must be Meatloaf for the crew!!). We had no complaints, but if you are a picky eater, we think it may be possible that have a meal or two when you do not walk away completely stuffed!! And yes, there is dessert to completely stuff your tummy!!
Dive Operations
All dives are done from a skiff, not the ship itself. The skiff is stored crosswise on the rear of the main boat and raises and lowers by hydraulics. When in the up position, it is a simple step over the transom of the skiff to the main dive deck.
At embarkation, each guest sets up his/her BC/reg on a station on the main dive deck. Stations are roomy, have a hanging area overhead for wetsuits etc and a storage area under the seat for other gear. Also at embarkation, the crew checks out to you on loan any essential safety gear you did not bring: reef hook, dive alert, SMB. After set up, the crew transfers your rig to your station on the skiff, where it stays for the remainder of the trip.
Each dive is announced via bell 15 minutes before dive time. This is your signal to move to the dive deck, don your wetsuit and attend to any pre-dive activities (camera set up, nitrox analysis, etc.) About 5 minutes before dive time, a thorough briefing of the dive is given. All divers then move onto the skiff and the skiff is lowered into the water. Dive sites are generally not more than 5 to 10 minutes from where the ship is moored/anchored. At the dive site, the skiff is moored or drifts with the current as appropriate for the conditions. Divers enter the water via back roll. A very sturdy ladder is used to re-board the skiff. Upon return to the main ship, the skiff is hoisted up and the divers literally walk off. There is room under your seat on the skiff to store your fins, mask & stuff.
On the main dive deck, divers rinse their wetsuits, boots, cameras etc while the crew fills the tanks (on the skifflots of long hoses--) for the next dive. There are two wetsuit rinse tanks, 2 camera rinse tanks and two showers (with hot water!). The crew washes all the BCs on the skiff at the end of the dive day. The entire dive operation works smoothly and effortlesslythe crew has the whole system down pat, and after the first dive day, so do the guests.
The skiff is cozy, but since you spend so little time on it, it is not bothersome. The main dive deck is roomy and there is a large camera table in the center, with lots of power outlets for battery charging.
Diving
No report would be complete with discussing the diving. In a word: Great. Most dives are on a wall, at least for a portion of the dive. Great walls with lots of diversity. Many dives have a portion of the dive in gardens, usually at the end; huge corals of all types. Several dives use a reef hook to stay a while at a reef corner watching the action with sharks and bigger fish of all types. Our trip had one visit to a Manta Cleaning Station and the Mantas arrived on cue. Most dive sites had little or mild current; only one dive site had a strong current. Three crewmembers are in the water with the guests on each dive (one additional crew stays with the skiff). Water temp was most commonly 86F and the viz was great. Divers used a range of wetsuits from lycra skins, shorties, full 3mm to one couple with a 5/3mm with hood; it all depends on your resistance to cold when you dive 4 or 5 times a day. Dive length was a maximum of 60 minutes. Dive times vary depending on the dive site, but 7:15, 10:30, 1:30 and 4:30 were the norm. Night dives (3) were after dinner at 7:15. No need to feel guilty if you dont do all the dives; there was usually someone sitting out the last afternoon dive, and on our week, no one did the 2nd or 3rd night dive (we did a before breakfast dive one day instead of a night dive). Read the full report by the Captain/Crew at www.aggressor.com/CaptLog-View.php?log=2382
Our trip included a stop at Jellyfish Lake on Saturday morning. Great way to see the lake--we arrived long before the day groups from Koror so we had the lake to ourselves. Worth the stop (and the hike up and over the hill to the lake).
Tips for future passengers:
Bring your own hard liquor only wine & beer is available on board (and included with the price of the trip). Mixers can be purchased locally before you board.
It is a very long trip from the statesbest to arrive at least a day before boarding to rest up/recover from jet lag before for a very full week of diving.
The standard itinerary calls for the final night (Saturday) on board the ship, with disembarkation at 8:00 AM Sunday morning. Since most flights to the US depart at 2:00AM +/-, you can consider a Sunday early AM flight. Several in our group arranged transfers from the ship to the airport at 10:00 PM on Sat night for a Sunday 2:00AM flight departure. This avoids a full Sunday in Palau if you do not want to see the sights in Palau. (Note: the last and only dive on Saturday ends at approx Noon and is very shallow. No-Fly time might be a little tight for a 2:00AM flight so best to use your planning tools to see if you will be OK after the dive.)
Consider some time in Yap before or after your trip. Yap is only a 1 hour flight away and well worth the additional time and money. Since you have so far to go to get to Palau, Yap is an easy jump. We stayed in Yap 4 nights/3 days of diving before Palau. Great warm up to heavy duty diving in Palau. And, the Mantas in Yap should not be missed.
Our week of Oct 23 - 30 had a total of 17 guests, one short of capacity. We traveled with a dive group from our local dive shop that comprised all but 3 of the guests on board for the week. Our weather was excellent adding an extra level of enjoyment to the trip.
The ship is in excellent condition; well maintained and clean. Staterooms are adequate in size with plenty of storage; but dont expect something the size of a mainstream cruise ship (you probably wont spend much time in your cabin anyway). Beds were adequate. Public spaces are also clean and well maintained. The ships layout is good and it was never difficult to find a place for some quiet time in-between dives (the Salon, outside deck at the Salon, or the upper deck). No complaints about the ship.
Our crew of 7 was fantastic. Helpful, easy to talk with, courteous, energetic. The Crew learns your name quicklyfaster than we could learn theirs!!!
Food: Diverse, Flavorful and Plentiful, Hearty. We cant imagine anyone being disappointed. If you have special dietary needs, advise the front office when booking, when completing on-line pre-departure info and/or advise the crew at embarkation (special form provided in your cabin). Breakfast and Lunch are served buffet style; Dinner in courses served at your table by the crew. Dishes are collected by the crew after all meals. Coffee, Tea, Soda, and a few nibbles are available at all times. If you get a snack attack (hard to imagine) or would like something specialjust ask and the Chef will accommodate. The food day starts at 6:00 AM with continental breakfast items of all types available: cereal, breads, fruit, yogurt, etc. At 6:30 add the hot items such as eggs, potatoes, pancakes, oatmeal, biscuits/gravy, etc. A snack after the first divecinnamon roll, fruit, etc. Lunch: At least two entreess to choose from, along with a selection of salad & sides. Examples: Burgers, Pizza, BBQ chicken, etc. Another snack after the 1st afternoon dive: pizza roll, cookies, nachos, cheese/crackers, etc. Dinner starts with a soup with homemade bread, continues with a salad. There are two choices for an entrée (make your selection on a form in the Salon earlier in the day) served with a starch (rice, potatoes, couscous, etc.) and a veggie. Examples: Flank Steak, Salmon, Pasta w/ Meat Sauce, etc. The style and type of the food depends in part on what is available locally and the particular style of the Chef. Most dinners had a fish selection and our trip also had lamb, pork and beef. Our main dishes usually had a bit of a spicy Asian twist (the Chef for the week following ours was from India so his food was expected to have Indian flair). The crew eats what the guests eat (after the guests are done) so the Chef varies the menu each week to give the crew some variety (None of the its Wednesday so it must be Meatloaf for the crew!!). We had no complaints, but if you are a picky eater, we think it may be possible that have a meal or two when you do not walk away completely stuffed!! And yes, there is dessert to completely stuff your tummy!!
Dive Operations
All dives are done from a skiff, not the ship itself. The skiff is stored crosswise on the rear of the main boat and raises and lowers by hydraulics. When in the up position, it is a simple step over the transom of the skiff to the main dive deck.
At embarkation, each guest sets up his/her BC/reg on a station on the main dive deck. Stations are roomy, have a hanging area overhead for wetsuits etc and a storage area under the seat for other gear. Also at embarkation, the crew checks out to you on loan any essential safety gear you did not bring: reef hook, dive alert, SMB. After set up, the crew transfers your rig to your station on the skiff, where it stays for the remainder of the trip.
Each dive is announced via bell 15 minutes before dive time. This is your signal to move to the dive deck, don your wetsuit and attend to any pre-dive activities (camera set up, nitrox analysis, etc.) About 5 minutes before dive time, a thorough briefing of the dive is given. All divers then move onto the skiff and the skiff is lowered into the water. Dive sites are generally not more than 5 to 10 minutes from where the ship is moored/anchored. At the dive site, the skiff is moored or drifts with the current as appropriate for the conditions. Divers enter the water via back roll. A very sturdy ladder is used to re-board the skiff. Upon return to the main ship, the skiff is hoisted up and the divers literally walk off. There is room under your seat on the skiff to store your fins, mask & stuff.
On the main dive deck, divers rinse their wetsuits, boots, cameras etc while the crew fills the tanks (on the skifflots of long hoses--) for the next dive. There are two wetsuit rinse tanks, 2 camera rinse tanks and two showers (with hot water!). The crew washes all the BCs on the skiff at the end of the dive day. The entire dive operation works smoothly and effortlesslythe crew has the whole system down pat, and after the first dive day, so do the guests.
The skiff is cozy, but since you spend so little time on it, it is not bothersome. The main dive deck is roomy and there is a large camera table in the center, with lots of power outlets for battery charging.
Diving
No report would be complete with discussing the diving. In a word: Great. Most dives are on a wall, at least for a portion of the dive. Great walls with lots of diversity. Many dives have a portion of the dive in gardens, usually at the end; huge corals of all types. Several dives use a reef hook to stay a while at a reef corner watching the action with sharks and bigger fish of all types. Our trip had one visit to a Manta Cleaning Station and the Mantas arrived on cue. Most dive sites had little or mild current; only one dive site had a strong current. Three crewmembers are in the water with the guests on each dive (one additional crew stays with the skiff). Water temp was most commonly 86F and the viz was great. Divers used a range of wetsuits from lycra skins, shorties, full 3mm to one couple with a 5/3mm with hood; it all depends on your resistance to cold when you dive 4 or 5 times a day. Dive length was a maximum of 60 minutes. Dive times vary depending on the dive site, but 7:15, 10:30, 1:30 and 4:30 were the norm. Night dives (3) were after dinner at 7:15. No need to feel guilty if you dont do all the dives; there was usually someone sitting out the last afternoon dive, and on our week, no one did the 2nd or 3rd night dive (we did a before breakfast dive one day instead of a night dive). Read the full report by the Captain/Crew at www.aggressor.com/CaptLog-View.php?log=2382
Our trip included a stop at Jellyfish Lake on Saturday morning. Great way to see the lake--we arrived long before the day groups from Koror so we had the lake to ourselves. Worth the stop (and the hike up and over the hill to the lake).
Tips for future passengers:
Bring your own hard liquor only wine & beer is available on board (and included with the price of the trip). Mixers can be purchased locally before you board.
It is a very long trip from the statesbest to arrive at least a day before boarding to rest up/recover from jet lag before for a very full week of diving.
The standard itinerary calls for the final night (Saturday) on board the ship, with disembarkation at 8:00 AM Sunday morning. Since most flights to the US depart at 2:00AM +/-, you can consider a Sunday early AM flight. Several in our group arranged transfers from the ship to the airport at 10:00 PM on Sat night for a Sunday 2:00AM flight departure. This avoids a full Sunday in Palau if you do not want to see the sights in Palau. (Note: the last and only dive on Saturday ends at approx Noon and is very shallow. No-Fly time might be a little tight for a 2:00AM flight so best to use your planning tools to see if you will be OK after the dive.)
Consider some time in Yap before or after your trip. Yap is only a 1 hour flight away and well worth the additional time and money. Since you have so far to go to get to Palau, Yap is an easy jump. We stayed in Yap 4 nights/3 days of diving before Palau. Great warm up to heavy duty diving in Palau. And, the Mantas in Yap should not be missed.
