My pleasure!
1) I consider the night dive with Manta Rays off Kona as one of my top dive experiences - but I have read a wide range of reviews about it. Some people are ecstatic and others are unimpressed. Apparently the mantas don't always show up and the dive site may be over-crowded with land-based divers. When we were on the Kona Aggressor we were the only divers on the site and there were a lot of manta rays. Perhaps the Aggressor has the bandwidth to arrange the dive at a better, less crowded time, but anyway it was a great experience. We also saw critters in Hawaii that we don't usually see, different types of trigger fish and octopus that come out in the day time. It was a memorable trip. Check the water temp, it may be colder than you like in winter.
Last January I had to spend time in Honolulu on business (no diving) and I wasn't really looking forward to it because I knew it would be crowded and it is a long flight from Chicago - but it was really nice. Hawaii is gorgeous and the weather was perfect - a nice break from the Midwest. I had never been to Pearl Harbor but I finally got there and it was a very special experience. I even had the chance to splash around in the waters of Waikiki Beach a couple of times - and that was great! Hawaii in the winter would be an excellent destination.
2) The Sea of Cortez was great and different. It was all drift diving from inflatable boats. When we were done with the dive we would surface and inflate our sausages and they would come pick us up. Not the beautiful coral reefs of the Caribbean, but lots of healthy fish life and the sea lions were great. We spent a day in small boats floating around waiting to snorkel with whale sharks - and there was an ultralight flying overhead to spot them - but they never showed up and I got sun poisoning. Oh well.
We had a lot of fun in Cabo but I want to mention that the State Department recently issued a travel warning for Baja, see below - so that is something to take into consideration.
"Baja California Sur (includes Los Cabos and La Paz): Criminal activity and violence, including homicide, remain an issue throughout the state. Exercise caution as Baja California Sur continues to experience a high rate of homicides. According to Government of Mexico statistics, the state of Baja California Sur experienced an increase in homicide rates compared to the same period in 2016. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted, criminal organization assassinations, turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Shooting incidents, in which innocent bystanders have been injured, have occurred during daylight hours."
3) The Caymans are one of our favorite Caribbean destinations and we will be heading there again soon to spend a week on GC and a week on LC. The Caymans are very clean and safe and you don't have to worry about drinking the water or eating the food and the people are nice. They also have good mosquito abatement and quality healthcare systems, and as we have gotten older that has become more important to us! But you pay more for such nice features and they are expensive.
As a LOB destination Cayman is rather different, because you can do many of the dives from land-based operations - since the reefs are nearby. But if you want to do a lot of diving in the Caymans, and if you'd like to see the best sites off of all 3 islands - then the Aggressor is a great option.
We had perfect weather the week we were on the Aggressor and we spent most of the time on Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson's Bight off Little Cayman, but we also got to dive the sunken Russian Frigate off of Brac, as well as some great dives off GC, too. I particularly remember the Sting Ray City dive on the last day of the cruise. My husband and I were not eager to do it because we had done it before and the site is often crowded with cruise ship passengers. But other passengers wanted to do it so we went along. The Aggressor got there very early in the morning and we had the site all to ourselves and it was a fantastic experience.
But again, they don't cross to LC and CB if the weather is bad. I think that they make the crossing around 70-75% of the time and you can research which months are most/least likely to be successful.
4) We've done 2 LOB trips in the T&Cs out of Provo and they were great. I have heard people say that the reefs aren't as nice as some other areas but I thought they were beautiful. They do tend to start a bit deeper (not bad) than some regions but they have healthy corals, lots of fish and turtles, and the big stuff to make it a great trip.
We also really enjoyed the time on Provo, and Grace Bay Beach is astonishingly beautiful and we drove all over the island. It is also a very expensive destination and they have had outbreaks or norovirus so we drank bottled water the entire time.
We were last there in 2013 and felt safe, but the US State Department also recently issued a travel warning - so again that is something to consider. If you get an airbnb make sure you are in a secure location.
"Crime
Petty crime occurs, including theft from rental vehicles. Muggings and armed assaults also occur, mostly in areas popular with tourists. You should be especially vigilant on Providenciales, which has a higher crime rate than the other islands. Armed invasions of private villas with inadequate security are a concern and have increased since December 2016; the victims were also assaulted. If you find yourself the victim of an armed robbery, you should comply with the perpetrator’s demands without resistance to avoid injury. Stay in busy, reputable and well-protected accommodation and keep the doors locked at all times. Always verify the identity of a visitor before opening the door. Use the hotel safe for storage of valuables and travel documents, as thefts from unoccupied hotel and resort rooms and villas can also occur.
Never leave valuables such as money, credit cards and personal electronics unattended, especially on beaches and in vehicles. Do not carry large amounts of cash, and use caution when using automated banking machines (ABMs), especially after dusk. Avoid secluded, isolated areas, such as roads, parks and beaches, after dark.
If you plan to explore remote areas of the islands, such as for bird watching, diving or snorkelling, inform friends, relatives or hotel management of your destination, whether you will be companied and the time of your expected return. Excursions should be undertaken in groups, preferably with experienced tour operators."
5) We've done several LOBs in the Bahamas and they were our first LOB experiences and we had great trips. The reefs aren't as nice as some of the more southern Caribbean destinations IMO, but lots of fish life and big animals, too. Plus on a LOB you can visit some of the more remote locations like the Exumas and the Cay Sal Banks. We were able to snorkel with wild dolphins in the Exumas and it was amazing!
The Bahamas aren't cheap either and they wouldn't be my first choice for a LOB trip - but it would still be a nice experience - I wouldn't turn down the opportunity. Except the water might be too cold for me. We did a Bahamas trip in March one year and I was freezing!
Another thing to think about, do either of you get seasick? I am prone to seasickness and I am often ill on the first night of the voyage. It never kills me but I kind of wish that I were dead - but it goes away and then I am fine for the rest of the trip.
It is always the deep-water crossings that get to me, like Florida to the Bahamas, St. Martin to Saba, Grand Cayman to Little Cayman. Boats that stay close to land without making a deep-water crossing usually don't bother me. I didn't get sick in St. Croix, or on the Kona Aggressor, or the T&C liveaboards. I don't remember about Belize.
Anyway, it is something to consider, good luck!
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