Andy077
Contributor
On these trips, do divers tend to dive on their own or do most people follow the divemaster? When I'm in an area I don't know, I prefer to follow the DM, but I'm wondering how it works if 30 people follow together.
Question about Mike Ball Spoilsport liveaboard trips
- Thread starter Andy077
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Doubler
Contributor
From their website:
Most of our guests prefer to plan and dive independently with their buddy. Single divers are teamed up with other singles and with our staff. It is not our policy for all dives to be divemaster led. We cater to guests who prefer more supervision with a combination of complimentary orientation dives to enhance skills, a scheduled morning and afternoon guided dive and the opportunity to dive with our staff on an ad hoc basis. This service does not provide constant guided dives or a personal dive guide.
Personal Dive Guides
Daily Dive Guide (4-5 dives per day) - $250/day (+ berth cost for guide)
Personal Per-Dive Guide (approx 2 dives per day). Available on most expeditions subject to staff availability - $50 per dive.
Note: Please request at the time of booking.
Most of our guests prefer to plan and dive independently with their buddy. Single divers are teamed up with other singles and with our staff. It is not our policy for all dives to be divemaster led. We cater to guests who prefer more supervision with a combination of complimentary orientation dives to enhance skills, a scheduled morning and afternoon guided dive and the opportunity to dive with our staff on an ad hoc basis. This service does not provide constant guided dives or a personal dive guide.
Personal Dive Guides
Daily Dive Guide (4-5 dives per day) - $250/day (+ berth cost for guide)
Personal Per-Dive Guide (approx 2 dives per day). Available on most expeditions subject to staff availability - $50 per dive.
Note: Please request at the time of booking.
ocdiver1
Contributor
I went on a Mike Ball trip about three years ago, and they run their diving differently than you'll see on almost any LOB anywhere else in the world. They would ask on every dive who wanted to do a "group" dive, and whoever wanted to would follow one of the dms. I can tell you if you choose this option, don't count on much. It's really just a "guided swim," and you can't count on trained spotters pointing out cool stuff along the way for you to photograph, for example. The guides were just to follow along and really any experienced diver or photographer who went on one wound up pretty frustrated, and you tended to be herded together and chided if you even strayed a slight ways from the group. It's not the same experience that you would get on most liveaboards..and really the one person who I found on board who was very knowledgeable about marine life and made an effort/had the ability to point out things to divers was the videographer. Although I also love diving on my own, it's important to me to be able to dive with people who know the sites, know where to find stuff, etc., and I was (and remain) pretty critical of how they run things in this respect. However, with this major criticism aside, the boat/trip is otherwise really well run..accommodation/food/atmopshere were all fantastic.
The Mike Ball trips are run very differently to your average liveaboard.
On the trips i have done they have had an open deck policy where:
-they pull the boat up in the morning and open the deck (6am ish) from then till lunchtime you can do as many dives as you want.
- move the boat at lunch time and open deck till late afternoon
- third move for late afternoon/evening.
They do have DMs onboard but it is best suited to you being self guided and competent, though of course they will put someone in the water with you if you feel at all uneasy.
They obviously chose sites that support multiple different dives on the one site and give you clear instructions (and put map up on board) for each site.
If you want someone to show you every critter and hold your hand on every dive this is probably not the boat for you. But if you want a fantastic adventure where you can do the following then this is a fantastic trip
- really explore for yourself (p.s solo diving allowed if you are qualified)
- do as many dives as you can handle
- have complete flexibility in your diving
- dive the way you (and your buddy) want to
- dive places some other boats do not go
I highly recommend this boat
On the trips i have done they have had an open deck policy where:
-they pull the boat up in the morning and open the deck (6am ish) from then till lunchtime you can do as many dives as you want.
- move the boat at lunch time and open deck till late afternoon
- third move for late afternoon/evening.
They do have DMs onboard but it is best suited to you being self guided and competent, though of course they will put someone in the water with you if you feel at all uneasy.
They obviously chose sites that support multiple different dives on the one site and give you clear instructions (and put map up on board) for each site.
If you want someone to show you every critter and hold your hand on every dive this is probably not the boat for you. But if you want a fantastic adventure where you can do the following then this is a fantastic trip
- really explore for yourself (p.s solo diving allowed if you are qualified)
- do as many dives as you can handle
- have complete flexibility in your diving
- dive the way you (and your buddy) want to
- dive places some other boats do not go
I highly recommend this boat
Both Mike Ball and Spirit do have staff in the water on every dive. Spirit do not offere group dives, but do offer free guided dives, which as also really just tag along.
The briefings on both boats are very thorough and you wont miss out on much. best way to see alot of good stuff is follow the photographer!
Remember these trips are generally for more expereinced divers who prefer their own freedom as mentinoed above. Newer divers are often encouraged to take the Advanced course on board (I dont know if you have it or not) as then you get to go with an instructor on 5 of the dives. But overvall you will be beddied up and get a good brief. Tag along or stay close to the in water stadf and you wont go wrong on either boat.
The briefings on both boats are very thorough and you wont miss out on much. best way to see alot of good stuff is follow the photographer!
Remember these trips are generally for more expereinced divers who prefer their own freedom as mentinoed above. Newer divers are often encouraged to take the Advanced course on board (I dont know if you have it or not) as then you get to go with an instructor on 5 of the dives. But overvall you will be beddied up and get a good brief. Tag along or stay close to the in water stadf and you wont go wrong on either boat.
bracko
Contributor
I'll agree on the briefings. by far the best I've had.
compared to Truk "bow [point] Stern [point], boat upright, pool open"
compared to Truk "bow [point] Stern [point], boat upright, pool open"
ocdiver1
Contributor
"If you want someone to show you every critter and hold your hand on every dive this is probably not the boat for you."
I think there is far more of a range of divers who enjoy a guided dive from a individual who is familiar with a dive site and the skill to look for/spot unusual marine life to photograph that just someone who "wants their hand held," or point out every fish, etc. It's great that there is an open deck policy, and as a very experienced diver who has done over 20 liveaboards, I enjoy diving that way and its a great option...but wouldn't it be even better if Mike Ball ALSO had a viable option to actually dive with someone who had some skill in spotting, knowledge of marine life etc., like every other liveaboard does? On my trip, I can remember helping a dm understand the difference between a nudibranch and a flat worm was and explain what some of the things we'd seen on the dive were. And really the same opinion was raised and shared by other similarly experienced divers/photographers onboard. It's a serious weakness of the boat, and it's a mistake for anyone to assume that experienced divers "prefer it" to the point of not having any other viable option. Otherwise, as I said earlier, I enjoyed the trip.
I think there is far more of a range of divers who enjoy a guided dive from a individual who is familiar with a dive site and the skill to look for/spot unusual marine life to photograph that just someone who "wants their hand held," or point out every fish, etc. It's great that there is an open deck policy, and as a very experienced diver who has done over 20 liveaboards, I enjoy diving that way and its a great option...but wouldn't it be even better if Mike Ball ALSO had a viable option to actually dive with someone who had some skill in spotting, knowledge of marine life etc., like every other liveaboard does? On my trip, I can remember helping a dm understand the difference between a nudibranch and a flat worm was and explain what some of the things we'd seen on the dive were. And really the same opinion was raised and shared by other similarly experienced divers/photographers onboard. It's a serious weakness of the boat, and it's a mistake for anyone to assume that experienced divers "prefer it" to the point of not having any other viable option. Otherwise, as I said earlier, I enjoyed the trip.
sphyrnidus
Contributor
I don't think the way they operate is so much different from other liveaboards. I've been on lievaboards the last 5 years, twice a year, in Thailand, Egypt, India, Maldives etc. and the nicest (for the more experienced dive) is when the give you a briefing, tell you where to go and what is to be seen and let you dive your own dive. Actually most often that is the way it goes. Sometimes when there it is difficult to navigate to see everything, like in the south of Egypt, I stay with the DM, other than that, the wife and I go ahead and just dive our own dive.
covediver
Contributor
I did a Mike Ball trip in November 2011. I was traveling solo and ended up diving with my cabin mate, an Aussie on holiday, the entire time. I had a blast. Don't worry.
First, there are a lot of great friendly divers onboard, many of whom will be willing to dive with you. Most are very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and are happy to share their insights. Second, you will quickly become friends with a lot of people on board (I was adopted by a group of Aussies and New Zealanders), many of whom will be happy to dive with you. Third, on every single dive, a divemaster or crewmember would announce that he or she is going into the water at x time, and who would like to go with them. Seldom did I see them with more than one or two divers and it wasn't so much a guided tour; it was more a group walk in the park. Finally, if you do need a buddy, quitely ask the cruise director and he or she will arrange it.
Based on my experience, I think you will have the time of your life. I know I did.
First, there are a lot of great friendly divers onboard, many of whom will be willing to dive with you. Most are very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and are happy to share their insights. Second, you will quickly become friends with a lot of people on board (I was adopted by a group of Aussies and New Zealanders), many of whom will be happy to dive with you. Third, on every single dive, a divemaster or crewmember would announce that he or she is going into the water at x time, and who would like to go with them. Seldom did I see them with more than one or two divers and it wasn't so much a guided tour; it was more a group walk in the park. Finally, if you do need a buddy, quitely ask the cruise director and he or she will arrange it.
Based on my experience, I think you will have the time of your life. I know I did.
snozberry
Registered
Can I just ask you how much experience are you talking about? I'm new to diving with 10 logged dives, but I did multiple discovery dives prior to that. I've felt comfortable with my skills so far and diving the "wrecked" ex-HMAS Brisbane. Although I feel comfortable, I just don't have the experience to back myself up (ex with navigation). If I did a live aboard ship (SOF or mike ball), I plan on doing the advanced course as well. I know it's hard to ball-park a number for experience in numbers as every individual is different, but would it be a good idea to spend the money on this trip without the amount of experience I have? I am also traveling solo. I've been thinking it may be beneficial to go somewhere cheaper to dive for a few weeks to just gain more experience prior to this trip. I'm on a working holiday visa in Australia so I just need to budget funds. Unfortunately where I am living/working currently in QLD there is no diving near by. Sorry for the noob post haha.
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