Help me decide

[tubbyka]

Finally convinced my wife to break free of the resorts and do our first liveaboard this summer. We are teachers and have to travel in June or early July. Here's where we've narrowed it down to:

Belize on the Sun Dancer (it's much cheaper than the Aggressor)

Turks and Caicos on the Caribbean Explorer II (much cheaper than the Aggressor)

Sea of Cortez on the Solmar V (they have a Baja trip that sounds like it may be easier and better for our first liveaboard)

We have dove Cozumel, Curacao, and the Bahamas and have about 100 dives each. It's really important that we pick the right boat/destination as this could make or break us ever doing a liveaboard again. (Wife isn't as dive crazy as me)

Price is important as none of these are cheap, but we we are also considering airfare as well.

Any help or advice is appreciated!

 

[diversteve]

The Turks/Caicos boat is the Turks/Caicos Explorer II. The Caribbean Explorer II does the Northern Caribbean - Saba/St Kitts in the summer. If price is a big consideration Explorer is offering $500 off 3 weeks during June/July so that trip is $1395pp. You fly into St. Maarten and out of St. Kitts - or vice-versa - they turn the boat weekly - so those flights may be more expensive - IDK.

We did the T/C Explorer last May. It's a big boat, lots of room on the divedeck, the sundeck and they have a flying bridge upstairs also. It's a nice area, padded benches, covered - I slept up there a couple of nights. The main deck rooms have queen/twin beds and a window. They're pretty spacious for a LOB - even a small desk in the corner. Baths are ensuite but small - typical. I never checked but I believe the downstairs rooms are bunks and a porthole. Might want to pay the extra $200 to be upstairs. Although the dining room/lounge is just down the hall so it's a little louder.

The diving off French Cay is some of the best I've done in years. Sharks, Turtles, Barracuda, big Lionfish, Stingrays on every single dive. Coral is just endless down the wall. West Caicos wasn't bad either - multiple turtles, a few sharks. I was less impressed with NW Point - it was avg. The boat really swings on the mooring - more than any other I've seen - if it gets by you they'll tell you not to try to catch it but let it come back to you - good advice. They have a tender to pick you up also if needed.

We flew into Provo around noon - gave us time to look around Grace Bay a little and have lunch. A crew member will meet you at the airport, get you on their van, the driver will take you to Grace Bay and your luggage to the boat. It's safe to let him, the TC II docks in a very isolated area next to the Police boat dock. If you arrive later you go right to the boat.

On your return you spend the afternoon/evening on Provo, some good restaurants, $$hopping, a couple small casinos. It's a $10 ride from Grace Bay to the ship. Most of us had a Sat. afternoon flight out but you'll need to leave the boat at 9AM - we all camped out in the airport restaurant - they have WiFi. It's a pretty small airport - just 3-4 gates.

Since you're considering the Sea of Cortez look at the Rocio Del Mar also. It's a new boat that was built as a liveaboard a couple years ago. One advantage is they board in Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) You can fly to Phoenix and take a shuttle down directly to the boat - $190pp r/t. [user]Dora the Explorer[/user] here on SB owns the Rocio.

 

[Scott Tryon]

Turks, Aggressor, well worth the money, you get what you pay for.

 

[robint]

I would do either the Belize or T&C trips. Diving will be on colorful reefs, lots of fishlife, maybe some sharks, good first liveaboard.
Of those two, Belize would win out for me just because there are topside activities for arrival day and last day, visiting the Mayan ruins are worth a trip there alone IMHO.

Once you do a liveaboard, you are going to be spoiled...

robin

 

[Shasta_man]

I'd do Baja but maybe I'm only thinking of the Scorroco's. Robin has a point about before and after activities. Nice to get that in too.

 

[tubbyka]

Any thoughts on the Kona Aggressor? They have some good deals too, but I've never done Hawaii diving. Thanks to everyone for the help!

 

[Dora the Explorer]

The Northern Sea of Cortez an incredible destination. It's easy to get to. You would fly into Phoenix and Head out to Rocky point shuttle will pick you up and take you directly to the boat.
From Phoenix it is a 3 1/2 hour ride. The cost for the shuttle is $100.00 per person round trip. The trip is from Saturday to Saturday. The diving is fantastic, and there is something magical about the Sea of Cortez. Call me at 602-558-9580. I would be glad to answer any question you may have.

 

[robint]

Any thoughts on the Kona Aggressor? They have some good deals too, but I've never done Hawaii diving. Thanks to everyone for the help!

Kona Aggressor would be an excellent first liveaboard. The diving is different from Caribbean in that the reefs are not as colorful (no multi-colored sponges or sea fans) but they have very colorful fish, turtles, sharks, eels everywhere (I think on one dive we counted 5 diffferent species of eel). The boat is also not a mono-hull style, so it will rock less than the other two.

I would highly recommend a couple of days land-based before the trip or after, rent a car and tour the whole island. Kona has the Volcano National Park (amazing to walk out on lava!) on the south end, plus the east side of island is a jungle with waterfalls and such which are not to be missed.

We have seriously considered the Kona Aggressor ourselves. We did Kona landbased a few years ago and wanted to do more than 2 dives per day but the dive ops there aren't on a schedule that makes it easy. The liveaboard there would work perfectly for us, then we would spend a few days landbased because we loved the volcanoes and jungle/waterfalls.

robin

 

[Mossman]

Kona Aggressor would be an excellent first liveaboard. The diving is different from Caribbean in that the reefs are not as colorful (no multi-colored sponges or sea fans) but they have very colorful fish, turtles, sharks, eels everywhere (I think on one dive we counted 5 diffferent species of eel). The boat is also not a mono-hull style, so it will rock less than the other two.

Are we talking about the same Kona Aggressor? I haven't done her either, but I've heard it's a really rocky trip and that's the main reason why I haven't tried it yet. Hawaiian waters get very choppy with the afternoon tradewinds and the boat is a mere 80' long

 

[myscubastory.com]

I agree and think that Turks, Aggressor is really worth it from what collegues have told me on previous experiences ! Good luck and I hope you both have a great trip