Liveaboard Recommendations

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AZdiver1279

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Scuba Instructor
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Location
Phoenix, Arizona
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I'm a Fish!
Hello all -

I've been reading through this forum and would like to ask those who have experienced livaboards to comment on my questions.

I would like to know what livaboards you have used and why you chose them. Would you recommend them? What did you like about them? What did you not like?

I am only interested in warm whether destinations. I have read through some of the threads about the Necton and am curious to know more about your trips aboard both vessels. I actually was really leaning towards Nekton next May but have some concerns since reading the posts. I like the idea of the design and stability, that scores big points with my wife but she won't like the showers not producing more than a trickle of water as some have reported or what sounds to be questionable conditions of the vessels. I still lean a little towards Nekton because of the stability, my wife sometimes has issues with seasickness.

Also, we were in Cozumel and had the chance to dive with a couple that were big fans of the Aggressor fleet. What are your reports about Aggressor?

The Coco's look like a dive vacation of a lifetime but zodiacs on rough surface conditions won't work for us.

Lastly, we did a Princess cruise a few years ago in French Polynesia and really want to return and stay on a liveaboard or possibly just stay in Bora Bora (undecided) but I haven't seen any liveaboards for FP. I did see the Paul Guigan (probably spelled wrong). Anyone with experience on the PG?

Thanks for any and all comments. We have not done a liveaboard before so all comments are appreciated.
 
...and why you chose them...

If a liveaboard (LOB) can place me where I can not access by land based, count me in.

There have been a few ships stationed in the Caribbean that were merely repetitive in terms of providing access. If divers were aware of land based opportunities, they may have chosen the resorts instead.

If I'm going to pay 60% more to dive, it has to be at sites that the resorts aren't frequenting.

...but zodiacs on rough surface conditions won't work for us...

Study LOB offerings with great care, and inquire. Most all of them use smaller boats to dive off of, if not to recover with. "Zodiac" is a manufacturer that makes inflatables as well as RIBs. Some LOB's use wooden vessels, variously known as Cayucas, Pangas, etc. Some of these smaller vessels operate functionally as the self-contained, separate dive operation- keeping a small compressor running and away from the mother ship.

There is tremendous variation world-wide. Just as all LOB's are different, they may be quite different within the ships of any given fleet.
 
If a liveaboard (LOB) can place me where I can not access by land based, count me in.

There have been a few ships stationed in the Caribbean that were merely repetitive in terms of providing access. If divers were aware of land based opportunities, they may have chosen the resorts instead.

If I'm going to pay 60% more to dive, it has to be at sites that the resorts aren't frequenting.



Study LOB offerings with great care, and inquire. Most all of them use smaller boats to dive off of, if not to recover with. "Zodiac" is a manufacturer that makes inflatables as well as RIBs. Some LOB's use wooden vessels, variously known as Cayucas, Pangas, etc. Some of these smaller vessels operate functionally as the self-contained, separate dive operation- keeping a small compressor running and away from the mother ship.

There is tremendous variation world-wide. Just as all LOB's are different, they may be quite different within the ships of any given fleet.
Thanks!

I'll be doing my own homework too. It's just nice also to here from those who have first hand experience with a service you're considering.

Thanks for the reply.
 
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! :)
 
I have been on the Paul Gaughin and would go back in a minute. The PG has an activity platform off the back of the boat where you board inflatables to go to the dive sites. We were there back in 2005, but I have kept up with reports on this board and it appears that things are still good. Our trip on the PG was the catalyst for me even considering a LOB.

If you have never done a LOB, you may want to choose something closer to home - say Socorro on the Nautilus Explorer. That way you aren't half way around the world and hating every minute (although I am sure you will be hooked after your first experience). My husband was the LOB proponent and I thought I would be bored out of my mind so I took up uw photography and I loved the LOB and uw photography. Our first LOB was Turks and Caicos.

I have also been to Cocos, although I wouldn't classify Cocos as "warm weather". There is no comparison between the weather you would experience in French Polensyia (sp) and what you would experience at Cocos. For the record, I am a female and I make the 36 hour passage just fine - it's my husband who has the issues. I think I may just be very lucky as everyone feels a little green on bumpy crossings. Cocos is also my favorite place to dive and I would go back there in a minute as well. You don't have to dive from inflatables if you use the Undersea Hunter Group as they have hard bottom skiffs that take you to the various sites.

Hope this helps.
 
I have been on the Paul Gaughin and would go back in a minute. The PG has an activity platform off the back of the boat where you board inflatables to go to the dive sites. We were there back in 2005, but I have kept up with reports on this board and it appears that things are still good. Our trip on the PG was the catalyst for me even considering a LOB.

If you have never done a LOB, you may want to choose something closer to home - say Socorro on the Nautilus Explorer. That way you aren't half way around the world and hating every minute (although I am sure you will be hooked after your first experience). My husband was the LOB proponent and I thought I would be bored out of my mind so I took up uw photography and I loved the LOB and uw photography. Our first LOB was Turks and Caicos.

I have also been to Cocos, although I wouldn't classify Cocos as "warm weather". There is no comparison between the weather you would experience in French Polensyia (sp) and what you would experience at Cocos. For the record, I am a female and I make the 36 hour passage just fine - it's my husband who has the issues. I think I may just be very lucky as everyone feels a little green on bumpy crossings. Cocos is also my favorite place to dive and I would go back there in a minute as well. You don't have to dive from inflatables if you use the Undersea Hunter Group as they have hard bottom skiffs that take you to the various sites.

Hope this helps.
Thanks for the info, we never did PG but are thinging of it. Roatanman brings up a ligidimate considereation of cost efficencey. We just nee luxery, warm water and lots of diving.
 
The Nekton Pilot is in drydock for a full refurbishing for the next 6mos. so if you're considering Nekton, you might want to check availability on the Rorqual soon. It's 10 yrs. newer than the Pilot so probably in better shape. Not exactly what I'd call luxury though, it is a converted oil platform crewboat. But they do have large rooms all ensuite because of it. And big windows.

Next May I'd do one of the Cay Sal trips, it's pretty remote, pristine diving. We did it a couple years ago. Often you're the only divers that've been there that week so most of the wildife is blissfully unconcerned. At a couple of the blue holes we got within feet of caribbean reef sharks, turtles and Stingrays.

Explorer Ventures moved the CEXII into the Bahamas last year. From Phoenix it's possible to get there the same day - my buddy did it a couple summers ago. It leaves out of Georgetown on Exuma. I think he flew through Nassau.

Another option if your wife might be prone to seasickness is the Aquacat, it's a wide catamaran in the Bahamas that's more stable than some of the monohull LOB's. It leaves out of Nassau.

Another option is the Cuan Law, it's a wide sailing trimaran in the BVI's. It sails out of Tortola, you get there through San Juan or St. Thomas. From SJU there's multiple flights to Tortola - at least there used to be, AA cut back quite a bit recently so verify this. From St. Thomas you take the fast ferry - it takes about an hour. You might have to arrive the day prior on STT - I don't think we can get there from here the same day w/o doing a red-eye. Or overnight in Dallas/Houston. Returning I left about noon and was home by 9 or so. I've never been on the Cuan Law but I saw it once, its a big boat.

Heard about Rocio Del Mar? You can drive there.. Rocio Del Mar Liveaboard - eat, sleep & dive....

This one looked pretty nice also: Luxury Cruise Ship Vacation on Four Seasons Explorer in Maldives at Kuda Huraa
 
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I dove the Kona Aggressor II for my first liveaboard (8/1/09 - 8/8/09). I've really worked hard to pay off all my excess bills so I wanted to reward myself with my first liveaboard, but since there was just a few extra bills to pay off, I decided to choose the Kona Aggressor II because I live in Honolulu and it's a short and cheap flight away. I've dove in Hawaii for 10 years so I've seen alot that there is to see underwater here, but I really had a blast on the Kona Aggressor and it was a great crew as well. Granted, Belize, Cayman Islands, or Turks and Caicos would have been great as a first for a liveaboard destination, but I've got plenty of years ahead of me to try other places.

We hit a couple of sites that had day boats towards the end of the week as we made our way back into the area where there are day boats, but even so, we were pretty much on our own the whole week. I think liveaboards are awesome and if you can afford it it's the way to go. The way I figure it, you have to pay for your charter all up front 2-3 months out depending on the cruise company. Once it's time to go, more than 90% of your costs are covered (provided you've booked your airfare). Once on board, you stow your wallet and you don't have to pay a dime until you tip the crew at week's end. The convenience of it all is great, in my opinion, who needs bars, souvenier shops, hotels, and lugging of dive gear back and forth. Plus rental cars, meals, deciding where to go for meals, yada yada yada - it's just a pain in the rump. I've always known I'd like liveaboards, and if I can only take one dive trip a year, I can almost guarentee that each year it will be a liveaboard. Compared to what a trip to a decent functional resort, plus meals, rental car, dive package and any other extras would be....a liveaboard is about on par with what that would be, maybe just a bit more.

I used to think about doing the Nekton or maybe even Blackbeard's Cruises (cheaper charters but less quality of service), but now that I've had the Aggressor experience, I can't go back. Having the extra luxury AND convenience when diving 5 dives a day, the difference in what you pay in my opinion is actually quite small. I've lived and worked aboard dumpy boats years ago, and it's not fun - if you're on "vacation", why not take a "vacation"? It's my once a year where I can take 7-10 days and the only thing I have to do, is take care of having fun!

I'll be trying out the Peter Hughes Star Dancer in April of 2010 (4/23 - 5/3), I'll be posting an extensive trip report. Wanna come with?
 
Funny. We are booked on the Paul Gaugin in February. I wasn't even thinking of it as a "dive trip". More a luxury cruise. We would have done some diving, but unlikely have brought more than a mask, fins, +/- a regulator. Maybe we should. :) As for a first time livaboard I heartily recommend the Cuan Law in BVI. Fly into Tortola and meet the trimaran there. Fantastic warm water diving, great operators and guides. Great food! They really take care of you. You can dive as much as you want, up to 3 dives a day. The dives are wonderful and they usually dive the Rhone, which is an amazing wreck in shallow water (30-60-90ft depending on what part of it you dive). My husband gets seasick sometimes and he did fine on the Cuan Law. We plan to go back this year or next. Check it out.
 
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