Anyone got info on the French Polynesia Master liveaboard, launching 2016?

[cephalopod2]

Boat is being taken over by WWDS of Siren Fleet, but where was it operating previously?
Nearly all of its 2016 schedule is listed as "Full" - know any dive ops or groups who have chartered trips?
I guess it's too early to know whether they will be hiring Tahiti-experienced crew.

 

[mikeycanuk]

I looked into this as well but like you mentioned it's booked far far in advance! More so than any LOB/Resort I've seen to date. Oh well.

 

[cephalopod2]

I read a little more last night. The boat is "The Astral Star" - seems to have been a private yacht before it was bought.
I usually don't book liveaboards in their first 6 months of operation. So few companies do soft openings I would rather wait until the crew learn the dive sites, the vessel and tenders, the itinerary and gel. The fact that it's an existing fleet matters zero to me when a company is expanding into a completely new dive region.

If the bookings are correctly listed, I think it's because there hasn't been a liveaboard offering more than 2 dives a day in French Polynesia for many years.

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Here's some info from a recent email I got from WWDS. I'll shoot them a note and ask about the "Full" bookings. It looks like some are marked as Wait List. My guess is they made every trip full until they know an exact launch date, but just guessing.

This Codecasa built Long Range Cruiser, designed by Camper Nicholson, is currently in the dry dock for a refit and modernisation by the experienced Worldwide Dive and Sail team, led by Frank Van der Linde. This latest vessel in the Master Liveaboards fleet will be launched in 2016 and will offer a choice of 7-night or 10-night trips cruising between Fakarava, a Unesco Biosphere Reserve, and Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago.

 

[cephalopod2]

One May and two Dec 2016 trips are marked "Available" - they didn't just grey out all the weeks.

 

[Worldwide Dive and Sail]

Hi Everyone!

Here Worldwide Dive and Sail giving you some more information about the French Polynesia Master

Most of our trips are marked as fully booked because our agents have already chartered them. If you are interested in joining us in our new diving adventure, please contact your favorite agent to see if they have some spaces left or directly email us for the available spaces on board.

Regarding the crew, all the members will be experienced local divers. So the dive sites will be well known by our dive masters.

By the way, we have very exiting news about the boat that will be released very soon! So, keep an eye on the Master Liveaboards website!

Thank you all for your interest in our new and exciting diving destination!

 

[sffrenchman]

Hi Everyone!

Here Worldwide Dive and Sail giving you some more information about the French Polynesia Master

Most of our trips are marked as fully booked because our agents have already chartered them. If you are interested in joining us in our new diving adventure, please contact your favorite agent to see if they have some spaces left or directly email us for the available spaces on board.

Regarding the crew, all the members will be experienced local divers. So the dive sites will be well known by our dive masters.

By the way, we have very exiting news about the boat that will be released very soon! So, keep an eye on the Master Liveaboards website!

Thank you all for your interest in our new and exciting diving destination!

Any news on this liveaboard? The website does not have really new information. Seems that they are doing the first trip in December of this year. Is it still on schedule? Is the boat out of fry dock?

 

[Worldwide Dive and Sail]

Hi sffrenchman!

Thanks for your interest in the French Polynesia Master! The boat is still under construction and is all on schedule for her first trip on the 21st December!
I have attached some updated interior images.

If you want to come on board on our maiden trip, we still have few spaces left!

 

[nwflyboy]

Whats the story with this operation - is it vaporware? Something just seems...odd...about this. Brand new (?) operation, refurbished boat...a couple of drive-by posts from the operators over the course of the past year (the year in which the boat was variously in drydock to be refurbed and was also their first year of operations...). That first year is now well over half done, any updates? Their calendar has always indicated that they are almost completely booked up through the end of 2018 (as far out as they show). Hmmm. Really?
Maybe I'm cynical and skeptical (well, yes, I am all of that and more) but...does this operation strike anyone else as...um...unusual? Is this a real thing?

 

[Worldwide Dive and Sail]

Hi nwflyboy!

Master Liveaboards is a sister company of Siren Fleet, both owned by Worldwide Dive and Sail.
French Polynesia is the brand new destination of Master Liveaboards, which is already in Galapagos and Truk Lagoon.
The French Polynesia Master was at first going to be a refurbished yacht, however, due to the demand we decided to switch in a bigger boat, that’s why we decided to build a brand new one.
Most of our trips have already been chartered by big groups and agents. However, we still have spaces left on different dates, such as : 25 January – 4 February 2017 and 4 - 11February 2017

I hope these explanations have helped answer your questions!