Really? Another "Help Me Pick My Next Liveaboard Thread"?

[Statick]

You are all the worst type of enablers out there! Even though I think I will still look to book something for Oct/Nov/Dec, I have gone ahead and booked onto the T&C Aggressor II for July 13-20, 2019.

My wife & I will then probably spend some time together on the shore after the diving (four or five days), so please offer any topside recommendations you may have.

I'm leaning a little towards Palau for the originally planned trip in autumn, but there are some fair arguments for Kona and Galapagos as well. With the Aggressor sale on right now, I may book this shortly as well.

 

[Hoag]

You are all the worst type of enablers out there! Even though I think I will still look to book something for Oct/Nov/Dec, I have gone ahead and booked onto the T&C Aggressor II for July 13-20, 2019.

My wife & I will then probably spend some time together on the shore after the diving (four or five days), so please offer any topside recommendations you may have.

I'm leaning a little towards Palau for the originally planned trip in autumn, but there are some fair arguments for Kona and Galapagos as well. With the Aggressor sale on right now, I may book this shortly as well.

OK, First of all, enjoy your week on the Turks & Caicos Aggressor. Expect to see a lot of sharks - mostly Caribbean Reef sharks & Nurse sharks.

As for your stay in Provo, the beaches are all public IIRC so you can save a LOT of money by simply staying a block off the beach. When I went, we stayed at what is now the Ports of Call. It shares a parking lot with Dive Provo (in case you want to get in "just a couple" extra dives, but keep in mind, that you will likely go to dive sites that you dove while on the Aggressor, just with a long ride to get to them.) There is also a grocery store a few minutes walk away that has a deli where you can get some hot meals like pasta & pizza at in addition to regular deli stuff. It is also, just a couple minutes walk to the beach, so it offers that as well.

Another option would be to take the "puddle jumper" flight over to Grand Turk and chill for a couple days at Bohio. It is a resort geared very much toward divers that is run by a couple of Canadians (if you want to score points with them, show up with some "Timmies".) If you do decide to dive while there, it has far fewer sharks, but more turtles than I have ever seen anywhere else.

Have a great trip and have fun!

 

[Carlos Diver]

You are all the worst type of enablers out there! Even though I think I will still look to book something for Oct/Nov/Dec, I have gone ahead and booked onto the T&C Aggressor II for July 13-20, 2019.

My wife & I will then probably spend some time together on the shore after the diving (four or five days), so please offer any topside recommendations you may have.

I'm leaning a little towards Palau for the originally planned trip in autumn, but there are some fair arguments for Kona and Galapagos as well. With the Aggressor sale on right now, I may book this shortly as well.

Kona was nice. Island has a good vibe. The crew of the Kona aggressor was incredible. The diving is mostly hard corals and smaller fish, but you always have the chance for a large encounter.

My trip review.
Kona Aggressor Trip Review

 

[Redfoot]

Congratulations, you will love the boat, crew, diving and island afterwards. Capt. Amanda Smith runs a great operation.

Are you Nitrox certified? Highly recommended for this trip, as the profiles are generally deeper.

For Provo-
We did a full day snorkel and beach BBQ excursion through Caicos Dream Tours, it was a BLAST. Lots of fun, good snorkeling and great food. They will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel.
If you like dogs, visit the Potcake Place dog Rescue center in the Salt Mills Plaza. You can show up when they open and take one of the rescue dogs out for a walk on the beach! We had so much fun the first time we did it, we went back again a few days later. Potcake Place


Salt Mills also has duty free jewelry shopping, gift/food stores, restaurants etc, good for a morning or afternoon stroll.

We are beach bums, so we spent pretty much all day everyday walking the beach, snorkeling, reading, swimming, and eating. We stayed at the Alexandra all inclusive right on Grace Bay and booked through Costco. We loved it and felt it was a great value, but if you read the Tripadvisor reviews some people do not like it. We are easy to please and enjoy all types of food, but if you like more high-end atmosphere and service, it may fall short. They were remodeling the restaurant, pool area, rooms and grounds when we were there in October, everything looked like it was going to very nice.

Snorkeling from the beach is, in my opinion, very fun and rewarding. If you go by the Beaches mega-resort (another option to stay at) they have a cordoned off area called Coral Gardens, more geared towards kids/families, but I always saw a good mix of fish, turtles, rays and hard corals.

Further down the beach (west) there is Smith Reef, which is more exposed but a very healthy and shallow reef system with lots of turtles, good mix of corals, rays, and the occasional shark. Well worth the walk, and it is very quiet and secluded.

You are making me want to go back now!

 

[Statick]

Kona was nice. Island has a good vibe. The crew of the Kona aggressor was incredible. The diving is mostly hard corals and smaller fish, but you always have the chance for a large encounter.

My trip review.
Kona Aggressor Trip Review

Well I suspect the chances of seeing some Manta Rays are pretty high! Thanks for sharing your review.

OK, First of all, enjoy your week on the Turks & Caicos Aggressor. Expect to see a lot of sharks - mostly Caribbean Reef sharks & Nurse sharks.

As for your stay in Provo, the beaches are all public IIRC so you can save a LOT of money by simply staying a block off the beach. When I went, we stayed at what is now the Ports of Call. It shares a parking lot with Dive Provo (in case you want to get in "just a couple" extra dives, but keep in mind, that you will likely go to dive sites that you dove while on the Aggressor, just with a long ride to get to them.) There is also a grocery store a few minutes walk away that has a deli where you can get some hot meals like pasta & pizza at in addition to regular deli stuff. It is also, just a couple minutes walk to the beach, so it offers that as well.

Another option would be to take the "puddle jumper" flight over to Grand Turk and chill for a couple days at Bohio. It is a resort geared very much toward divers that is run by a couple of Canadians (if you want to score points with them, show up with some "Timmies".) If you do decide to dive while there, it has far fewer sharks, but more turtles than I have ever seen anywhere else.

Have a great trip and have fun!

Congratulations, you will love the boat, crew, diving and island afterwards. Capt. Amanda Smith runs a great operation.

Are you Nitrox certified? Highly recommended for this trip, as the profiles are generally deeper.

For Provo-
We did a full day snorkel and beach BBQ excursion through Caicos Dream Tours, it was a BLAST. Lots of fun, good snorkeling and great food. They will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel.
If you like dogs, visit the Potcake Place dog Rescue center in the Salt Mills Plaza. You can show up when they open and take one of the rescue dogs out for a walk on the beach! We had so much fun the first time we did it, we went back again a few days later. Potcake Place


Salt Mills also has duty free jewelry shopping, gift/food stores, restaurants etc, good for a morning or afternoon stroll.

We are beach bums, so we spent pretty much all day everyday walking the beach, snorkeling, reading, swimming, and eating. We stayed at the Alexandra all inclusive right on Grace Bay and booked through Costco. We loved it and felt it was a great value, but if you read the Tripadvisor reviews some people do not like it. We are easy to please and enjoy all types of food, but if you like more high-end atmosphere and service, it may fall short. They were remodeling the restaurant, pool area, rooms and grounds when we were there in October, everything looked like it was going to very nice.

Snorkeling from the beach is, in my opinion, very fun and rewarding. If you go by the Beaches mega-resort (another option to stay at) they have a cordoned off area called Coral Gardens, more geared towards kids/families, but I always saw a good mix of fish, turtles, rays and hard corals.

Further down the beach (west) there is Smith Reef, which is more exposed but a very healthy and shallow reef system with lots of turtles, good mix of corals, rays, and the occasional shark. Well worth the walk, and it is very quiet and secluded.

You are making me want to go back now!

Thanks for the tips, fellows. As it turns out, we won't be spending any time together ashore; I'll be landing ~5 hours before the boat leaves the dock, and I'll fly out ~5 hours after we check out of the boat. But TCI sounds like a great place to kick back for a week.

 

[dflaher]

You are all the worst type of enablers out there! Even though I think I will still look to book something for Oct/Nov/Dec, I have gone ahead and booked onto the T&C Aggressor II for July 13-20, 2019.

Congrats on your decision, Statick. I am considering a T&C LOB for roughly the same time in 2020. Couple of questions for you/others:
- Are you nervous about the trip being during hurricane season? For me, the warmer the water the better, plus I understand that the visibility is best that time of year. However I'm still a little nervous.
- Have you looked at the Explorer as well as the Aggressor and how would you compare them?

 

[Statick]

Congrats on your decision, Statick. I am considering a T&C LOB for roughly the same time in 2020. Couple of questions for you/others:
- Are you nervous about the trip being during hurricane season? For me, the warmer the water the better, plus I understand that the visibility is best that time of year. However I'm still a little nervous.
- Have you looked at the Explorer as well as the Aggressor and how would you compare them?

Well I will definitely report back in late July. I'm not as nervous about it being hurricane season... mid-July isn't as bad as going in August or September, but I do have trip interruption insurance purchased that would cover this type of thing, or so I'm told. I think it's because of the time frame that I was able to get a ~$1,000 discount through Aggressor. I looked into both vessels, and they both seem like great options. I had a pretty solid experience on the Red Sea Aggressor 2, and the folks around here are saying that the T&C Aggressor is one of the better ones as it is owned & operated by the parent company.

Again, I'll definitely report back, but best luck in booking something. And until then, happy diving.

 

[dflaher]

Well I will definitely report back in late July.

Hi Statick...Just checking to hear your thoughts about the T&C Aggressor. Good trip?

 

[Statick]

Hi Statick...Just checking to hear your thoughts about the T&C Aggressor. Good trip?

My apologies for not getting back on this sooner; we ended up taking a trip to Nassau shortly after returning and only just got back from there.

The consensus from all attendees, even those who have experienced many liveaboards, was that everything was great! The food was tasty and promptly served; accommodations for dietary restrictions were well made. All of the crew were knowledgeable, courteous and sociable. Those of us who needed help with things like adjusting our weight for optimal buoyancy received it, and there was no pressure on upselling courses or anything on board.

The diving itself was rather enjoyable... sharks at every dive site! If I compare it to the Red Sea (my only other liveaboard), the marine life was not as varied and maybe the reef was not as healthy, but still pretty great. The diving around T&C is markedly better than what was around Nassau. Next time I dive in the Bahamas, I need to make every effort to get to Tiger Beach.

I don't think weather and conditions were too much of an issue. The Captain mentioned that if it is too rough, they don't always make it over to French Cay (the diving there was great - better visibility and countless sharks on most dives), but they can otherwise usually hit most planned dive sites.

I certainly wouldn't hesitate to go back on that boat. Two of the eleven divers we had were actually repeat customers on the boat.

 

[ompblus]

Hi everyone,

As I'm looking for some fairly directed advice on this oft-discussed topic, I thought I'd start a new thread.

I'm looking to get on a liveaboard for a week or two in late October or through November; I may also be agreeable to something in July or August. Mostly, I want to be sure I'm going to a given location at the right time, such as avoiding the Caribbean during hurricane season, etc. My biggest restriction in narrowing down a great place is that it should be Zika-free as my wife & I are in the midst of trying for our first child. Ideally, I'd also like to go somewhere I've not yet been.

A little bit about me & my diving experience... I have just under 100 logged dives and, for whatever it's worth, have PADI's Rescue Diver certification. I certified in the freshwater lakes of the Canadian Rockies and have done some land-based (shore & day-boat) diving in Roatan, Hawaii, Australia (GBR), California and the Bahamas. I had my first liveaboard experience on the Red Sea Aggressor II last September - besides a few issues, it was solid experience, I would be open to going on an Aggressor again. I'm a 32 year-old based in Western Canada, but I'm open to flying to wherever I need to go for the right trip. I will most likely be travelling solo, but my non-diving wife may join for a few days before or after, depending on the location.

So far as I can tell, my options get to be fairly narrow, but please let me know any that I'm missing...
-Bahamas
-Caymans
-Palau
-Hawaii

Having done lots of diving in Hawaii (around all four major islands, including Cathedrals at Lanai and the backwall of Molokini, the Manta Ray night dive, all of the major wrecks around Oahu), I'm not too excited about the Kona Aggressor. If anyone knows of a liveaboard that goes to Ni'ihau, that would be pretty awesome, but I understand it's just day-boats.

A lot of divers, on this forum and otherwise, say that the diving around the Bahamas just isn't that amazing. I've done a few shark dives there, and I always enjoy being around sharks, but what I've heard is that those dives I've been on are probably as good as the diving gets down there... Can anyone confirm this or recommend otherwise?

Of the list above, this just leaves me with the Caymans and Palau. For either one, I'm thinking sometime between last week of October and first few weeks of November.

I'd love to go to Palau, but I'm wondering if anyone can speak to the experience necessary to enjoy all of the dives on something like the Palau Aggressor II. Doing some fairly superficial reading online, it seems to be rated as a spot for more experienced divers... Any thoughts on this?

The Caymans seems to be the "safe bet", but it just seems that most of the sites can be reached by day-boat, so part of me feels a liveaboard for this area is a bit of overkill... and I am fairly set on booking for a liveaboard. Can anyone share anything when it comes to diving the Caymans?

My apologies for the long post, thanks very much for your input!

Hi everyone,

As I'm looking for some fairly directed advice on this oft-discussed topic, I thought I'd start a new thread.

I'm looking to get on a liveaboard for a week or two in late October or through November; I may also be agreeable to something in July or August. Mostly, I want to be sure I'm going to a given location at the right time, such as avoiding the Caribbean during hurricane season, etc. My biggest restriction in narrowing down a great place is that it should be Zika-free as my wife & I are in the midst of trying for our first child. Ideally, I'd also like to go somewhere I've not yet been.

A little bit about me & my diving experience... I have just under 100 logged dives and, for whatever it's worth, have PADI's Rescue Diver certification. I certified in the freshwater lakes of the Canadian Rockies and have done some land-based (shore & day-boat) diving in Roatan, Hawaii, Australia (GBR), California and the Bahamas. I had my first liveaboard experience on the Red Sea Aggressor II last September - besides a few issues, it was solid experience, I would be open to going on an Aggressor again. I'm a 32 year-old based in Western Canada, but I'm open to flying to wherever I need to go for the right trip. I will most likely be travelling solo, but my non-diving wife may join for a few days before or after, depending on the location.

So far as I can tell, my options get to be fairly narrow, but please let me know any that I'm missing...
-Bahamas
-Caymans
-Palau
-Hawaii

Having done lots of diving in Hawaii (around all four major islands, including Cathedrals at Lanai and the backwall of Molokini, the Manta Ray night dive, all of the major wrecks around Oahu), I'm not too excited about the Kona Aggressor. If anyone knows of a liveaboard that goes to Ni'ihau, that would be pretty awesome, but I understand it's just day-boats.

A lot of divers, on this forum and otherwise, say that the diving around the Bahamas just isn't that amazing. I've done a few shark dives there, and I always enjoy being around sharks, but what I've heard is that those dives I've been on are probably as good as the diving gets down there... Can anyone confirm this or recommend otherwise?

Of the list above, this just leaves me with the Caymans and Palau. For either one, I'm thinking sometime between last week of October and first few weeks of November.

I'd love to go to Palau, but I'm wondering if anyone can speak to the experience necessary to enjoy all of the dives on something like the Palau Aggressor II. Doing some fairly superficial reading online, it seems to be rated as a spot for more experienced divers... Any thoughts on this?

The Caymans seems to be the "safe bet", but it just seems that most of the sites can be reached by day-boat, so part of me feels a liveaboard for this area is a bit of overkill... and I am fairly set on booking for a liveaboard. Can anyone share anything when it comes to diving the Caymans?

My apologies for the long post, thanks very much for your input!

Have a look at: INDONESIA LIVEABOARD: August 18 to 23, 2020
I know it's neither where you are looking to go, neither the time you're looking for, but who knows.... you might like it