GALAPAGOS - new boats from $3495 make it now more affordable

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Dive Advice & Amazing Adventures Travel have been experts in Galapagos, operating there for more than 30 years. Along with the top liveaboards that we already work with, we will now be representing three new dive boats.

With the introduction of the AQUA, CALIPSO and BLUE SPIRIT in coming months, along with the vessels we already represent, HUMBOLDT, MAJESTIC, MASTER, SKY and AGGRESSOR, we now offer the most comprehensive selection of Galapagos liveboards in the industry, from as low as $3495. We guarantee you the best rates you will find anywhere.

We are delighted to share our knowledge with you and help you choose the right boat and dates for your trip.

See our availability on our Live-Feed Live search for dive liveaboard spaces

And for some trips that do not appear on the live feed search for liveaboards not on live feed

At your service. Dom

Contact us at our European office at dom@DiveAdvice.com or our US offices at Kirsten@amazingadventurestravel.com

Dominick Macan
Dive Advice Travel
dom@diveadvice.com
www.diveadvice.com
Tel: +33 492 94 02 99 (France)
SKYPE: adventuredom
http://www.diveadvice.com/liveaboard-availability … for up-to-date liveaboard availability worldwide

"In Partnership with Amazing Adventures Travel of Mill Valley, California"

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Can anyone comment on the number of divers in wolf etc at the same time now that there are new boats coming online? Has anyone experienced a divesite in the Galapagos that had ‘too many divers’ on one site for a dive? Just glancing across several itineraries for feb, there appear to be several days with 5+ boats due at wolf. Is this an issue, or are there lots of divesites at wolf?

I’m interested in this as the ‘remoteness’ of Galapagos is an attractive feature. I was at Brothers in the Red Sea last year when there were in excess on 100 divers on the numidia wreck for one dive, it wasn’t a great experience and when I commented on it, a fellow diver laughed and said ‘you should have been here before the terrorist attacks, there would be 200 divers on this-easy’

 

[scubadada]

Can anyone comment on the number of divers in wolf etc at the same time now that there are new boats coming online? Has anyone experienced a divesite in the Galapagos that had ‘too many divers’ on one site for a dive? Just glancing across several itineraries for feb, there appear to be several days with 5+ boats due at wolf. Is this an issue, or are there lots of divesites at wolf?

I’m interested in this as the ‘remoteness’ of Galapagos is an attractive feature. I was at Brothers in the Red Sea last year when there were in excess on 100 divers on the numidia wreck for one dive, it wasn’t a great experience and when I commented on it, a fellow diver laughed and said ‘you should have been here before the terrorist attacks, there would be 200 divers on this-easy’

I was in Galapagos last April/May on the Aggressor, Galapagos Aggressor III April 26-May 3, 2018 There was never another boat at any of our sites except for the land excursion on Bartolome. We were broken up into two groups on our boat, we rarely got a glimpse of the other group. So, we were generally just 8-9 divers, it was fantastic.

Maybe I was just lucky. However, it's my impression that the various liveaboards are staggered in their schedule to avoid crowding. Of course there could be too many boats to avoid having more than 1 at a site.

Galapagos is one place I would consider returning to, I would like to hope it would be similar to my 1st trip

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Good question and answered well by scubadada but to be honest, although with the boat up to now, the GNP has done a fabulous job of minimising the number of boats at any one time, the introduction of 3 new boats may cause some cross-over and we will need to see how this will all play out. At this time, the schedule is based around no more than 2 boats at either Darwin or Wolf at same time. For your reference I prepared a small graph which I am not sure will come out well on scubaboard but this indicates the permits to be at Darwin + Wolf. Most boats offer upto 4 dives per day while at Darwin + Wolf, one boat spends 4 days there and other boast spend only 3 days between the two islands. The only possible night dive is at Wolf and maybe offered depending on conditions.

FYI - the boats stick to this itinerary and the park can track them by GPS so they know exactly where every boat is at any time. The only changes are when a boat may request a special permit for 10 or 14 night trip, and they then try to design it with minimal impact.

WOLF DARWIN


SKY Tue/Thu PM Wed/Thu AM


AGGRESSOR Sat/Mon PM Sun/Mon AM from Jun to Dec


HUMBOLDT Wed/Thu AM/Sat Thu PM/Fri


MAJESTIC Mon/Wed Tue


MASTER Fri Wed/Thu


CALIPSO Sat/Mon PM Sun/Mon AM


AQUA Thu/Sat Fri


BLUE SPIRIT Fri/Sun Sat


NORTADA Sun/Tue Mon


The Humboldt Explorer spends 4 days at Darwin + Wolf, the other boats spend only 3 days there but they spend time at Fernandina and Isabela with the possible encounters with marine iguanas and Mola Mola. The National Park has opened up a new islands Marchina which is included on some of the new itineraries and has only been visited by scientists with rave reviews.

Let me know if I can help with anything else.

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Unfortunately my graphic did not turn out as I wished it to but lets try again with W- indicating Wolf and D-indicating Darwin


WOLF DARWIN


SKY W-Tue/Thu PM D-Wed/Thu AM


AGGRESSOR W-Sat/Mon PM D-Sun/Mon AM from Jun to Dec


HUMBOLDT W-Wed/Thu AM/Sat D-Thu PM/Fri


MAJESTIC W-Mon/Wed D-Tue


MASTER W-Fri D-Wed/Thu


CALIPSO W-Sat/Mon PM D-Sun/Mon AM


AQUA W-Thu/Sat D-Fri


BLUE SPIRIT W-Fri/Sun D-Sat


NORTADA W-Sun/Tue D-Mon

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Useful. Many thanks! Follow up question. I am trying to build a database of liveaboards that are dual sidemount friendly. Do you know of any of the above are? I presume aggressor is not.

 

[michael-fisch]

A "new boat from $3495" is a good price for a boat, especially shipped all the way out to the Galapagos.
What does a weeks rental cost though, since I have no interest in "my" boat rotting at its moorings in the Galapagos from one year to the next?

Michael

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Hi Giraffe, I know that both Humboldt and Majestic will deal with sidemounts but I have only so far had requests for single sidemount. The issues in GPS are that you are limited to 60 minutes dive time for every dive so having more air would not allow you to stay down longer. I also understand that dual sidemounts can take up a lot more space in the tenders than traditional tank on your bank, so we would need to clarify in each situation. Is your database online and I can maybe look into that. Cheers dom

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

New
A "new boat from $3495" is a good price for a boat, especially shipped all the way out to the Galapagos.
What does a weeks rental cost though, since I have no interest in "my" boat rotting at its moorings in the Galapagos from one year to the next?

Hi Michael, sorry I am not clear on your question. To be honest, the boat is not new - it is almost impossible to bring a new boat into GPS because of permit issues. She was built 1998 and had extensive refit in 2019. She now has new operators (who also run 5 other boats in GPS) and is currently in a yard in GYE undergoing extensive refit including new engines, compressors, work to interior and exterior, new safety equipment including Nautilus Lifelines for every diver. She will be like a new boat and classed as Tourist Superior. She will start scheduled trips end of April. If you are asking about rental gear - complete set of Scuba gear (BCD, Regulator, 7mm Wetsuit, Fins, Mask, Snorkel, Boots, Hood, Gloves) is $250 + 15% local tax if paid on board. Nitrox $150.

If you are asking about charter of half or whole boat then I am happy to send you all rates by e-mail - please contact me offline at dom@diveadvice.com

FYI - the $3495 is an intro rate thru June and after that it is $3995 lower deck and $4195 upper deck for all ensuite AC cabins. Rates for 2020 will rise by $100 per week to $4095 lower and $4295 upper.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Hi Giraffe, I know that both Humboldt and Majestic will deal with sidemounts but I have only so far had requests for single sidemount. The issues in GPS are that you are limited to 60 minutes dive time for every dive so having more air would not allow you to stay down longer. I also understand that dual sidemounts can take up a lot more space in the tenders than traditional tank on your bank, so we would need to clarify in each situation. Is your database online and I can maybe look into that. Cheers dom

Thanks Dan, appreciate the response. wearing dual sidemounts isn't all about 'staying down longer'. I think it's this presumption that has created a stigma against sidemount diving on liveaboards in some areas of the world 'aggressor fleet etc' there is validity to the issue of having to carry more tanks, but if they are setup and stowed properly, sidemount rigs actually take up less space in the tenders than traditional rigs, are less likely to get damaged and damage other people's equipment. They are also much easier/lighter to transport as opposed to traditional BCDs which is a growing issue as airlines continue to nickle and dime passengers.