Diver from Cali looking for live aboard recommendations?

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm planning on being in Florida around March 22nd to attend a friend's wedding. Afterwards I want to get some diving in with a friend. She's pretty new to diving (6 dives) and we were thinking about going on a liveaboard for a few days. Can anyone recommend any good ones? Good value ones would be most desireable.

We are going to be in Miami, but we're ok with driving down to the Keys. Or should we do something like go to the Bahamas?

 

[Jetfish]

Gulf Stream Eagle - out of Jupiter Fl I think

 

[Jupiter31]

Fl is not famous for liveaboards - unlike California, where 3 - 5 day trips are somewhat common, that really is not the case here (likely because we have so much great diving you don't need a liveaboard to reach - LOL - calm down, all the sensitive Californians - its a joke -but not really : )

I'd recommend you forget the liveaboard idea and focus on the Keys - its one of the best places for new divers (shallow sites, normally little current), and its about an hour from Miami.

If you want to stay there, any of the suggestions I'll give you have packages that include lodging and diving. All have web sites; look 'em up for more info:

HMS Minnow
Rainbow Reef
Conch Republic

This will get you started - lots of Key Largo info on the board; type Key Largo into the "Search" function and be prepared for a lot of reading and very good info.

 

[BgDadddy]

Blackbeard Cruises, out of the Bahamas. It's like $1,000 for a week. Kind of tight quarters, but well worth the money!

 

[Wookie]

Fl is not famous for liveaboards - unlike California, where 3 - 5 day trips are somewhat common, that really is not the case here (likely because we have so much great diving you don't need a liveaboard to reach - LOL - calm down, all the sensitive Californians - its a joke -but not really : )

I'd recommend you forget the liveaboard idea and focus on the Keys - its one of the best places for new divers (shallow sites, normally little current), and its about an hour from Miami.

If you want to stay there, any of the suggestions I'll give you have packages that include lodging and diving. All have web sites; look 'em up for more info:

HMS Minnow
Rainbow Reef
Conch Republic

This will get you started - lots of Key Largo info on the board; type Key Largo into the "Search" function and be prepared for a lot of reading and very good info.

Or you could go on one of the many Florida liveaboards offering 3-5 day trips, including Ultimate Getaway, M/V Ocean Explorer, M/V Playmate, R/V Kate. R/V Tiburon, S/V Conch Pearl, M/V Shearwater, M/V Dolphin Dream, S/V Juliet, or M/V Spree to name a few.

 

[Jupiter31]

LOL - thought about it after I posted - you are correct, and I stand corrected!

(What I should have posted was an overnight/short trip is more common in CA vs FL - or maybe not posted what I was not 100% sure about - I'm a fairly experienced diver, and 31 year resident of FL - I honestly did not know - obviously!! - so many short trip options were available)

Hey Bunny - one way or the other - we get you the info on this forum!

 

[sportxlh]

fuzzybabybunny: I've been on one of the boats listed by Wookie: the Ultimate Getaway.

Dry Tortugas Scuba Diving liveaboard, The Ultimate Getaway. Scuba Dive the Dry Tortugas out of Ft. Myers Florida.

Not a luxury boat, but I enjoyed diving the Dry Tortugas in June for 3 days. The sleeping is dormatory style: a big area with a couple of alcoves with bunks. Not much privacy (though each bunk has a curtain), but one does not take a trip like this and spend much time below deck anyway: most people are exhausted after a day of diving and fall asleep quickly. Aside from the reefs in the Dry Tortogas area, we also dove a decommissioned airforce radio relay tower and the Baja California wreck west of Naples on the way back to Ft. Meyers. I believe the price was in the high $800 range: I am thinking about doing another trip with the op next summer, so I'd recommend them.

 

[Chuckitall]

the Juliet is a lovely boat. I went to the Bahamas on her a couple of years ago.

 

[Wookie]

the Juliet is a lovely boat. I went to the Bahamas on her a couple of years ago.

You and Amazz have friends who own a smaller liveaboard, I can't remember the name for the life of me, but they get good (although sparse) reviews.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I've done trips on the Spree and the Juliet and highly recommend both.