Thinking of Trying a Liveaboard

[cubbiegirlem]

I am thinking of taking a solo dive trip, and I thought a liveaboard would be a good option to ensure I'll meet people and have people to talk to. (Thinking fall of 2014.) However, I am overwhelmed with the number of options. So many places to go and things to see. I've been looking at Australia/Cairns, as I could pair it with a trip to New Zealand, where a family friend is currently living. (I know it's a long flight between the two, but I figure I could do both in a 2 week trip.) However, I'm not married to that, so if there's something else you LOVE, I'm all ears.

My dive experience: I am AOW certified and will have my 50th dive on Saturday. I've only been diving a year. By the time I do this trip, I will probably have about 75+ dives, if I have the same pace this summer I did last summer. I've dove in Belize, Florida, Turks & Caicos, and Fiji. I have not done a ton of diving in strong currents, so I'll probably be more comfortable in somewhat calmer waters. I'm working on building up my leg strength, so fingers crossed I will be stronger by then!

What I'm looking for: I'll be on my own, so I'm looking for an operation that will be cool with that and pair me with a buddy. (It sounds like that's the case with most of them, but I wanted to be explicit.) My favorite diving I've ever done was in Fiji, because I love beautiful corals and interesting/diverse sealife. Don't get me wrong, I love to see sharks, but I'm not someone who will be disappointed if I go a whole dive trip without seeing one. Some of my favorite dives have been in shallower waters because the colors are so vibrant, but that's not to say I don't like deep dives. I'd like an operation that gives the option to dive with a divemaster, as I enjoy myself more when I don't have to worry about navigating on my own. (I can use a compass, but my biggest diving fear is not being able to find the boat, so I feel more comfortable with a DM.)

Anyway, I know this is opening things up to a broad array of answers, but I figure it will help me narrow things down more than google. Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[Darnold9999]

I travel solo and find liveaboard's perfect. You have the opportunity to meet some very nice people that share a passion. (Not too many people on liveaboards are not avid divers) Have never had a roommate that was an issue, did end up with a female roommate on one trip - she was a last minute addition to the trip, and we both agreed in advance and found it worked out just fine. Not my first choice, but it did work out. (Very uncommon for a liveaboard to do this and if I had said no she was not doing the trip as it was the last space on the boat)

You can pretty much have as much or as little company as you want. Most liveaboards have enough room on them to get some privacy if you want it, but if you want someone to talk to - wander in to the main salon/dining area - usually something going on.

Typically there are more solo male travelers than female, but not by a wide margin. Most of the trips I have been on have had one or two, and of course every one I have been on has had at least one solo male me.

 

[jmsenger]

I've done all my liveaboard trios solo and have really enjoyed them all. I think your best bet is to choose an area you're interested in and then focus on boats in that area. Personally, I recommend the Carpe Vita in the Maldives. Lovely boat, great dive guides, and really nice & helpful crew.

 

[beaverdivers]

Live-aboards are a great way to dive. Give one a GO!

 

[TSandM]

I've done two liveaboards in the Red Sea, and they were AWESOME. There's nothing like slipping into your gear and falling into the water, over and over again.

If the Red Sea appeals to you, I'd highly recommend our boat, the MV Tala (Red Sea Explorers). But I know I'd be a little hesitant about going anywhere that involved flying through Cairo these days.

 

[JimQNY]

i was just on the Acqua Cat diving out of the Bahamas. Had a very nice time. Solo diver and met some very nice people.
Vessel is great, food was very good, room was great ( only 16 divers so I had my own room and an upgrade at that).
Only issue was dive masters were doing more video/pictures then really leading the dives. So plan on doing some solo diving, following them
while they do the media work, or make some quick friends and buddy up with them.

 

[Hintermann]

I have been on 16 liveaboard cruises to date and was solo on 13 of them. IMO, liveaboards, when available, are the best way to dive. The boat goes to the best diving spots, some too far for dayboats. Also, the whol;e atmosphere is so relaxed and easy with everything set-up and ready for you - none of the pre-dive hassle so common with land based diving. You get to know the other divers within 24 hours and need to mingle with them only as much or as little as you like. Between dives you can sunbathe, relax with a book, sort out your photos, relax in a Jacuzzi if available or simply take a nap in your cabin. When the briefing bell rings, all you have to do is get-up and go and your chosen spot on the dive deck is ready for you.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I've only recently returned from my first liveaboard; had never done it before believing it wouldn't be the right thing for me. Turned out to be very much the right thing for me. I encourage you to do it and the advice above was great. Pick where you'd like to dive, research the area as to currents if that's a concern, and then check into the boats in the area.

As for your pace of diving over the summer, see if you can't pick up that pace a little. You'll be glad you did once you start diving off the liveaboard.

 

[Jenniferd]

We did two liveaboards a few years ago with Mike Ball out of Cairns and Townsville (about an hour south of Cairns) and loved both. Most of the divers on our trips were solo travelers and it was a great way to meet people. We dove the Yongala wreck off Townsville and it was a bit of a rough overnight getting there, 10 foot seas...I don't really get seasick and I was a little green, but the diving was incredible. The wreck is at 100+ feet with giant turtles, rays, sharks. We drove back up to Cairns and spent about a week on Supersport over thanksgiving. The crew, diving, accommodations, other divers - all awesome. They are big on safety and there is always a DM on every dive. Divers were everything from beginners to very experienced. We saw some reef sharks, but not many, colorful coral. Best dive was Cod Hole, giant 1 meter long cod! Definitely the best dive trip we ever took. We took 2 weeks and spent a couple of days in Sydney. Flew via san Francisco and the flight was long but fine. Its worth the trip!

 

[dirtfarmer]

Go for it! Just pick your region than start narrowing your choices. I'm a huge fan of the coral triangle, that region can book far in advance so the sooner you look into bookings the better.
As a solo diver you'll find it easy to meet other divers. And because your female you may end up with your own room in some areas. Always tell your agent that you want a shared room.

There are also some great dive resorts in the coral triangle where I've never been lonely for human interaction. they are less costly then liveaboards. Resorts can be harder to get a shared room and you may have to pay a single supplement. ( as a solo diver on some of my trips, I hate single supplements)

Do you have a region picked and a budget?