Recommend a Liveaboard One Step "Nicer" than Blackbeards?

[Kryssa]

Please don't think I'm knocking Blackbeards, but does anyone know of a liveaboard that has private rooms but not very fancy? My husband isn't super excited at the aspect of yet another bunkbed trip

I guess what we're really looking for is the most inexpensive ship private rooms but we do want a fun and safe trip

Open to anywhere with warm diving, but we'll probably wind up somewhere in the Caribbean to keep the airfare down.

Thanks

 

[BREWMASTER]

check out Lost Island Voyages, the boat is the Avalon.
the boat is the same size as Blackbeards, but they only take up to 12

 

[diversteve]

There's still some good discounts for this summer/fall.

Explorer has several NE Caribbean trips at $1395pp. this summer. Explorer Ventures: Adventures in Live-Aboard Diving - Specials
All the main deck cabins are singles/queen. Explorer Ventures: Adventures in Live-Aboard Diving The three lower cabins are bunks.

It's a lot nicer than BlackBeards also. Ensuite, some room to move around in, good food, a real lounge/dining room etc.

Or Turks/Caicos on Explorer II - some weeks are $1895 with the discount. We did it last year, good boat, good crew, great diving. If you call Mary, you can pick your room. Get 3,4,6,7, - 5 backs up to the kitchen and Stan starts cooking early. The lower level cabins (8,9,10) are bunks.

Sun Dancer in Belize is $1895pp all the time. Probably a nicer boat than the Explorer. All the cabins are main deck twins/queens afaik. Three of their trips this summer are bring your buddy for 1/2 off. From here (Phx) the attraction of Belize was the short flight. Also the crew provides airport transportation.

 

[scubafanatic]

JULIET and SPREE are 2 boats I can recommend from personal experience that are a step (or two) above Blackbeards, without being pretentious/spendy. (although SPREE will be bunk beds, no privacy for couples. JULIET has cabins for couples. I'm doing Belize/Sun Dancer this July 16-23 (have also done Turks/Caicos and Bahamas on the Explorer boats.......did SPREE......MANY.....times in the Texas Flower Gardens...did JULIET in the Bahamas. Also did Nautilus Explorer/Socorro Islands, which was an awesome trip!

 

[Doubler]

Sun Dancer in Belize is a good bargain. Very large staterooms for a live aboard. Diving is great also. You'll never do a Blackbeard's again.

 

[Tandoorii]

I was just on the Avalon, 65 ft. ketch liveaboard out of Nassau, called Avalon; lostislandvoyages.com, June 1-10, as a single diver. Capacity is 12, we had 5. Did lots of sailing from reef to reef. Unseasonably high winds and lower temps kept us from our original destination Conception Island. Also kept us from diving the walls east of Eluthera. Water was mostly 100 ft + visibility with temps of 79-81.
Have not done BB but from talking to others, this is a step up with some privacy in doubles and bunks (can reconfigure depending on gender make up). Each cabin has a sink and a draw curtain for privacy. There are two flushing heads and 2 private shower stalls with a door. Also hot & cold shower on back of boat. All guest living is on one level below with galley and dining area. XM radio on board.
All food is buffet style with breakfast selections of one of: eggs, bacon, McMuffin-style sausage & egg, pancakes, french toast, egg burrito. Cereals and OJ all the time and of course, coffee and large selection of teas. Hearty, down-home sort of cooking for lunch and dinner:chicken parmaiana, meat lasagna, cracked conch, mahi-mahi and chicken salad, green salads, raw vegetables, pizza, pork roast, salmon, kelbasa jumbalaya, lionfish, various potatoes and veggies. Fresh machine made bread every day Cake, cookies for desserts. Regular and diet sodas, beer and misc. hard stuff.
Crew: Captain Ray, 1st mate and dive instructor Jeff, cook and deck hand Tess and another deck hand. All capable sailors.
Diving was varried, mostly in the shallower range to 60 ft. A couple deeper dives. Saw: sharks, octopus, lobster, crabs, lionfish (ate several; can only be taken by freediving, no scuba hunting...very bad Bahama policy), nudibranchs, hugh 3ft basket star :shocked2:, caverns & grottos, blue holes, Atlantic spades, rough box crab, school of southern sennets, southern and yellow sting rays, turtles, swim throughs and more. Several shore stops to explore town and wilderness. BUT also saw the swimming pigs in Exhumas...what a hoot Tame and eager for any leftovers.
Overall a fun trip but be prepared to find your sealegs.
Here's some pix.

PS: Will post a few mosr pix in next post...

 

[Tandoorii]

Here's a few more pix from aboard Avalon, diving in the Bahamas June 1-10:

 

[TSandM]

Although not in the Caribbean, I'd highly recommend the MV Tala in the Red Sea. I don't know what their current prices are, but in 2009, it was under $1500 a person for a week of diving (air). The boat has staterooms which are spacious, even if not particularly elegant. The food was generous and good. But it was the diving that was fantastic, and the amazing crew that does everything possible to help you have as much fun as you can for that week. The boat has a lot of neat things, including a wide screen TV that shows 3D models of the dive sites!

 

[CFuller1]

Tandoorii, thanks for the review and photos from the Avalon. We're booked for Sept. 17 thru 23rd, this will be our first live aboard, so we're really excited! I looked into Blackbeard's but just couldn't do the same size boat with double the divers. I called today to check how many had booked for our week, and so far we're the only ones (my husband and I). Ray told me when I booked that the ship will sail with only two, so it looks like we may end up with a private sailing!!

 

[Tandoorii]

I'm in St. Martin during your sail else I might consider.
My only recommendation to you is to pack much less than you think you'll need. Think minimalist. There's actually plenty of room to stow your empty bags, etc. in your cabin but, handy surface areas for toiletries, cloths, etc is tight, especially with two sharing a cabin. However, here's a couple things I'm glad I took: waterproof-lightweight windbreaker; long sleeve t-shirt. Wish I had brought solid hiking sandals or watershoes that could get wet. You'll do a couple island hikes that my "old" sandals disentregated on. The hikes are not difficult but the terraine can be very hard weathered limestone. And not just for this trip, I always bring ear plugs and a sleeping mask, just in case. These were both put to good use. The boat generator is on every night, so there was a little irritating hum for me. And though there are no portholes, there is a clear hatch cover that allows early morning daylight into the hallway. No doors on cabins, just a hung curtain. Privacy enough for a liveaboard but I sleep better with no light creeping in. Yes, I'm fussy about those things.
You'll have a blast. Happy sailing and long dives...