What makes a dive boat trip luxurious?

[Atom]

I suppose we could do that if we did not want to risk having someone drop a fin while giant striding in while carrying them. That only has to happen once on a trip to screw that person's trip. From the point of view of the people running the boat, it really was the best way to do it. I am perfectly capable of putting on my own fins, but I thought the system worked well.

Yeah that would suck. I was asking just to know if something else prevented people from doing that. Although I guess that would be less than ideal on a drift dive.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Maybe that's what I'll do with my 10 year trip from work. I could do it on $8,000?

Our trip was a bit less than $8,000 per person ... for that we had 23 days in Indonesia (17 diving days) ... three days in Tulamben, Bali ... the 7-day liveaboard in Komodo ... three days in Bunaken, Sulawesi and four days in Lembeh Straits.

If I had it to do over again the only thing I'd change would be to skip Bunaken and spend all my Sulawesi time in Lembeh Straits.

That price also included all our air fare ... deluxe class flights round-trip between Seattle and Bali (through Taipei) on Eva Air as well as domestic flights between Bali to/from Sumbawa (for Komodo) and Bali to/from Manado (for Sulawesi).

Your money goes far in Indonesia ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I suppose we could do that if we did not want to risk having someone drop a fin while giant striding in while carrying them. That only has to happen once on a trip to screw that person's trip. From the point of view of the people running the boat, it really was the best way to do it. I am perfectly capable of putting on my own fins, but I thought the system worked well.

I'm with you, John ... you go with what works best for the boat.

Opposite side of the spectrum for us was our trip to Menjangen Island (Bali) ... the boat looks like an elongated canoe with an outboard motor on it. When you get to the island they toss your gear overboard (inflated, so it floats). You drop over the side of the boat with your fins in your hand, don your fins, put your rig on and go diving. When you're done, you reverse the process ... getting out of your rig, taking your fins off, handing everything up to the boat crew and using the outboard motor for handholds and footholds to get back on the boat.

That wasn't my idea of a luxury boat trip ... although the diving was blissfully wonderful ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Charlie59]

Clear, warm water is a real luxury for most of us.

 

[Charlie59]

Anymore, seeing lots of sea life is a luxury!

 

[TerryC]

Luxury liveaboard ...

Having a maximum of 12 divers on a 115-foot boat. Each diver, or couple, gets their own private stateroom ... some of which are nearly the size of a hotel room ... each with its own private bath/shower.

You wake up in the morning, head upstairs to the galley where there's a coffee machine. You place a cup in the machine, press a button indicating the type of coffee you want, and listen as the machine grinds the beans and brews you a perfect cup of coffee. As you sit at the galley, slowly waking up, sipping on your coffee, a crewmember (in this case a beautiful crew member) brings out a platter of freshly made cinnamon buns. Within a half-hour or so, everyone's up, had their morning coffee, had a continental breakfast (and you've placed your order for your "real" breakfast), and you're off for your first dive of the day.

You slip into your wetsuit, grab your mask, fins and camera, and head off to a RIB ... where the rest of your gear awaits. The RIB is loaded on the main deck and lowered into the water, where the crew disconnects the davit ropes and you head off to a beautiful wall. After the dive the RIB is raised up to the main deck level, you step off, rinse at one of the boat's fresh-water showers (there are four of these on either side of the boat), peel off your wetsuit, and step into the galley ... where you are served the breakfast you ordered before the dive.

After breakfast, you go diving again ... having placed your order for lunch. The process described above is repeated.

After lunch, you go diving again ... having placed your order for dinner. The process is repeated again.

After dinner, you do a night dive.

Between dives and meals you can make use of the boat's spacious camera/recharge facility. Or you can lounge on the upper deck, the galley, or take a nap in your room ... as you please. The only time you need touch your dive gear is when you are getting into it or wearing it on the dive. Otherwise, the crew takes care of everything, including any incidental repairs needed during the trip.

Dive guides are there to show you the site and find local critters for you to take pictures of. Depth limits are reasonable, and time limits are only mildly adhered to (they were set at 70 minutes, but we routinely pushed them to 80) and you are free to follow your own dive plan if that's what you choose to do.

And if four meals a day isn't enough ... coffee, soft drinks, fruit and snacks are available whenever you feel like having them.

This is my idea of a luxurious dive boat trip ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

ALL of the above
PLUS
A proper steamin' hot cup of english tea waiting for me after every dive!

T

 

[cooldives]

As far as luxury diving in British Columbia goes, I would have to say a trip on the Nautilus Explorer would be awesome. Although NWGratefulDiver has me salivating!!

This review (although a little colder than above) sounds great too:

Nautilus Explorer - Awesome Liveaboard

 

[Doc]

Where's that thread we had about liveaboard design and the Naked Swedish Divemistresses?

 

[divnlite]

Bob (Grateful Diver), lol while reading your description I kept thinking of our trip - Pelagian
While our trips vary from spartan to luxury the Pelegian will always be the measuring stick for the luxury side.

Truly a fantastic trip.

Terrie

 

[pittyyofool]

luxury #1 - MY BOAT

Sleep when I want
Dive when I want
Drink when and what I want
Eat when I want
Dive where I want, and if I don't like it call the dive after 5min, lift the anchor and go somewhere better.
and Pull up next to a sailboat full of 1/2 naked European chicks IF i want to.

luxury #2 - charter boat...
The boat that USC marine science program charters, SO MANY HOT COLLEGE BABES!