what's best liveaboard for a non-diving spouse?

[Darnold9999]

Would not recommend the Nekton Pilot for a non diving spouse. Was just on the boat and the topic was discussed. The consenses was that it would be intensly boring for a non diver. Yes there is a hot tub - half full of cold water never used. Yes there are kyacks on the deck, but nowhere really to go. Half Moon Caye would have been somewhat interesting, but that is one day. I am sure the hot tub could have been fired up and the kyacks used, but nobody was interested.

This is a dive boat, a great dive boat, a non diving spouse would have to be very interested in reading, watching video's, watching divers, or lying in the sun on the deck of a boat with nothing but ocean to see for a week to enjoy this trip.

Great trip, but could not imagine taking my partner - and she loves to read, lay on the beach and watch movies. You need to find a boat that has shore expeditions pretty much every day to keep a partner happy. If they do that then you have lost most of the advantage of a liveaboard. They go to sites beyond the day boat range and stay there so you don't have to lose precious dive time to travel. If you are willing to do that then stay on shore and do the day boat trips, I suspect your spouse will be happier, and you will have more $ in your pocket.

The only way I see this working is if your partner really likes spending time on a boat. Then they get what they want and you get to dive.

 

[Footslogger]

The only way I see this working is if your partner really likes spending time on a boat. Then they get what they want and you get to dive.

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That's pretty much where I was coming from in my earlier post. My partner is a diver so my comment was based on observation. I've been on 5 Nekton cruises and on just about every one of them there has been at least one spouse/partner who did not dive. They seemed to be content and occupied.

'Slogger

 

[liliade]

There is a good alternative for a liveaboard

Classic sailing and diving charter yacht L'Iliade for example, they offer so much more then just sailing and diving. Just have a look at there website and you can download some nice videos and picture

 

[Sharkdiver289]

im in the same position...my wife picked the komodo dancer to go on a liveaboard, but I'm afraid she'll be bored out of her mind, i mean she wants to snorkel with nudibranchs, mantas and whale sharks, but she won't break the surface and I don't know how deep they are, it sucks, because diving is such a huge part of my life she won't dive because of fear and ear problems she wont dive

 

[sandrascuba]

I second the suggestion of Windjammer. Specifically Windjammer Barefoot Cruises. Yeah, losing the Fantome crew was horrible but the ships are safe. Been on 9 of their cruises since 1980 and other than dodging a few hurricanes due to summer travel, no problems at all. There is little room for dive gear but we've always taken ours and found a way ..... no clothes.... only dive gear. They have an ABCs trip that would work for divers traveling with non divers or Yankee Clipper (my favorite) between Grenada and Bequia. My last WJBC trip was 2001 but things have not changed much. I stopped doing them when I got serious about diving. They are not dive liveaboards but are really fun cruises that offer some diving along the way.

Sandra

 

[Doc]

There is a good alternative for a liveaboard. Classic sailing and diving charter yacht L'Iliade for example, they offer so much more then just sailing and diving. Just have a look at there website and you can download some nice videos and picture

Just gotta love an innocent spammer. The click to the website http://www.liliade.com/videos/duiken.3gp shows a quick-time video and it's worth the bother. The totality of the diving promo is some guy doing a hideous forward flop, face first- off the side... maybe a 6' fall into the windswespt choppy waters.

Looks just fabulous.

 

[MarkUK]

A liveaboard might not be the ideal for most non-divers, but the Aqua Cat is probably a good bet if you still want to try one. They offer five dives a day, but while dives three and four are going on (in the afternoon), they take the Sea Dog launch to go beach combing, snorkelling, feeding iguanas, taking a tour around the ranger's station in the Exuma Marine Park, etc, so every day there is something going on outside of sitting on the boat and chilling out. It also has kayaks, etc, if they want to be a bit more active.

I've been on it three times in the past six or seven years and there were non-divers on each time, and they had a great time. The food is excellent, there are beer taps on the sun deck, and the crew spoil you rotten.

Mark