Favorite Liveaboard (Peter Hughes, Aggressor, etc)

[Jinjer]

What is your favorite live aboard? Why?

Who has the nicest accomodations? Best Food? Best Service? etc.


We are looking to do a live aboard for the first time. We thinking of doing Belize, but would love to hear what everyones preferences are.

I know there are different levels of live aboards, just like cruise ships. Which live aboards are considered to be the top?

Thank you for your input.

 

[fdog]

Our experience has been the Aggressors give the best service, of these, the Cayman Aggressor.

I should add that when you get beyond company policies and and services, and the general ways of treating the guests (which is why I prefer the Aggressor fleet), what is left is the captain & crew. These personel turn over occasionally, so the promo experience you had may be different a year later.

All the best, James

 

[DiveMaven]

In Belize, if you're looking for "upscale" you'll definitely want to look at the Aggressors first.

But since you asked, my favorite is Nekton. Why? Because I like that both boats are owned by one company, they are US flagged and under USCG rules, the SWATH design provides mucho stability on the water (I have sea sick issues), the boat is well laid out and comfortable, the cabins are very large and ensuite, the food is very good and plentiful, the crew is a lot of fun but still professional, the atmosphere is casual and relaxed, and the prices are less than their competition. But Nekton would not be considered "upscale"....more "mid-range".

 

[cowboyneal]

I think Peter Hughes is every bit as good as Aggressor (and I have done both at several different locales) and plus on PH liveaboards you get those sushy robes...lol...my usual comment: beware of people saying this one is "better" or that one is the "best" or the other one is the "worst" because to actually be able to formulate that opinion, you need to personally have gone on every single available (in this case) liveaboard to make a competent comparison, plus most people haven't been on enough to really know the difference and finally, it's all a matter of personal taste and opinion: what I may find good or desireable, you may not, and there are infinite numbers of permuatations and combinations of that theme. In the end, do your own research and keep in mind what is most important to you, then make your best choice and then go and have a good time no matter what happens!

CN

 

[leadweight]

Nekton is only a little bit less expensive than Aggressor & Hughes. Personally, I put them in the upscale category. I prefer Nekton to Aggressor. Never tried Hughes.

Now, Blackbeards, that is another story. There might be almost no privacy, but I had a lot of fun each time.

 

[djanni]

We've done the Nekton Belize and in August we're on the Nekton Bahamas trip. We wanted to do a different boat this time but departure dates, locations and etc. just didn't work out for us. We fly using FF miles. We especially wanted to try the AquaCat but couldn't get it scheduled.

On about 3 mornings in Belize we would wake up and the Aggressor and SunDancerII would be moored close by. Parked at the adjacent mooring ball so to speak. On a couple of these occations the seas were noticably rough. During breakfast everyone would look out at the other boats and marvel at the rolling and dipping they were doing. All that while my full coffee cup sat on the table without spilling a drop and i'd bet that wasn't happening next door.

So... the SWATH technology works. Don't sell the Nekton short just because she's weird looking.

 

[mjh]

We look for smaller vessels that give you more freedom to dive your own schedule. Fiji Aggessor and the Philkade Thailand/Burma only take 10 divers. The larger twin hull designs are great we had one of the big cabins on the Mike Ball, Paradise Sport, it was great and the only limit on diving was what your computer would let you do.

 

[Allison Finch]

I have nothing but great comments for Peter Hughes operation. I spend most of my time in PNG on different boats. I find the Stardancer has given me the most favorable memories of them all.

 

[bennedc]

I loved Blackbeards and would go again in a heartbeat. That's the only liveaboard I've done so far, so I have nothing to compare it to. The liveaboard experience itself is phenomenal! We dove 20 times that week...loved every minute of it.

 

[scubamickey]

I just came back from a week on the Juliet. A 3-masted Schooner rigged sailboat (104 feet) that only takes 12 passengers. The most wonderful experience of my life! I loved being gently rocked to sleep in my bed at night. The food was fantastic and plentiful. The crew went out of their way to provide excellent dive briefings and got those tanks filled in time for the next dive. 5 dives a day and they were all beutiful, pristine sites in the Bahamas. We were always the only ship around except one day in Nassau when the 2 land based operators came by, but they were gone within the hour.

You can't beat the price either. A week is $1290 per person and includes everything. Nitrox is $100 a week extra.

I can't wait to go again next year!

www.sailjuliet.com