Yet another Raja Ampat liveaboard question

[anchochile]

I know this topic has been discussed to death, but I have a fairly specific question, so hopefully this merits a thread.

I am planning way ahead for a Raja Ampat liveaboard in late 2021 or early 2022. I will have extra vacation time that year, and since I don't know when else I'll have the opportunity to take such an extended dive trip without my wife and kid, or how long the reefs will survive, I figure I should see the best there is to see.

I've read all the threads I could find and done a whole lot of research. My criteria are:

• Only considering boats where I can get a cabin on the main deck or above (I get claustrophobic and am not comfortable sleeping below deck)
• Ideally 9+ nights
• Mainly focusing on mid-range boats - ideally $400-500/night, could go a little higher if worth it

Based on that research, I've narrowed it down to Tambora I (haven't announced their 2022 schedule yet), Amira, Blue Manta, White Manta, and Mermaid I.

Right now, Amira and Tambora are looking like the best bets - they both offer 11 or 12-night itineraries that are comfortably in my price range. However, I know that folks on this board absolutely love Blue Manta and Mermaid, so I'm considering those as well which would push my budget a bit but still be possible.

My questions:

• Blue Manta is definitely stretching my price range at $550/night for their 10-night trip. However, their White Manta boat is much, much cheaper - around $470/night. The boats sound very similar. I would love any insight as to why the price would be so much lower - it's tempting but raises a bit of a red flag for me.
• Mermaid I only offers 9-night Raja Ampat trips, shorter than the 10, 11, and 12-night options on the other boats I'm considering. Is Mermaid such a great operation that I might have a better experience diving fewer days with them, vs more days with these other boats? I figure I should go for more days if I have the time and budget, and eliminate this option for that reason, but curious what others think.
• Overall - I'm curious if it's worth stretching my budget for a higher end Blue Manta/Mermaid trip vs the more affordable Amira/Tambora options.

 

[Dan]

I prefer Blue Manta over Mermaid1 from space and noise. However Mermaid1 has better chefs for my taste.

In the past to get a better deal, I pool a group of 6 to get 1 free of charge (FOC) and split the FOC to 6 of us so everyone gets 1/6 off. For a $6000 trip, each of us pays $5000, $1000 off. Recently though Blue Manta had raised that ratio to a group of 7 (6 paid to get 1 FOC). So everyone would pay $5142.86 (6/7 x $6000).

Currently I’m setting up such a group for Sangalaki-Kakaban-Maratua liveaboard cruise with White Manta from 4 to 10 August, 2021, as posted here:
Sangalaki-Kakaban-Maratua 4-10 August, 2021 with 15% off

If you have set a date and plan to pursue such a group discount, either with Blue Manta or White Manta, for Raja Ampat trip, I’ll join you and help you recruit 5 more dive buddies.

 

[Dan]

I’ll be on Amira in 4 weeks. I’ll tell you my experience with the boat afterwards.

Raja Ampat 14-25 Jan 2020 with Amira $837 off

 

[anchochile]

If you have set a date and plan to pursue such a group discount, either with Blue Manta or White Manta, for Raja Ampat trip, I’ll join you and help you recruit 5 more dive buddies.

My dates are flexible and this is definitely an appealing option - thanks for suggesting! I’ll DM you.

Any idea why White Manta is priced so much lower than Blue Manta? Maybe because it’s a new boat and hasn’t built buzz/reputation yet? Or do they offer a more budget level of amenities and experience?

 

[Dan]

My dates are flexible and this is definitely an appealing option - thanks for suggesting! I’ll DM you.

Any idea why White Manta is priced so much lower than Blue Manta? Maybe because it’s a new boat and hasn’t built buzz/reputation yet? Or do they offer a more budget level of amenities and experience?

From this 3 years old video, below, White Manta is not a new boat. It used to operate in Thailand, if my source is correct. It is recently moved to Indonesia for better business opportunity, if I have to guess. Anyway, I'll find out in more detail by August 2021,when I'll be on it for the Sangalaki-Kakaban-Maratua trip, or sooner from my buddies, who were on Blue Manta with me 3 months ago, who plan to be on White Manta in February / March 2021.

White Manta seems to have similar design configuration as the Blue Manta, but with less luxury interior, based on the video, below.

 

[Dan]

Late 2021, like the last week of December, would be a better time for me and many of my dive buddies.

 

[Mike1967]

less luxury interior

That's flash compared to the one I'll be on in a couple of weeks lol

 

[Dan]

I’m confused about this White Manta. There could be 2 White Manta boats. The old one, as shown in my previous post & the new one, below. They don’t look the same. Why would they use the same name?

Old MV White Manta

New White Manta

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

One thing I would advise, with all of the boats you are considering, if it is a 2021 trip. Contact them first and see what they still have available. Mermaid top deck usually get snapped up years in advance, so you may already be out of luck for 2021/early 2022.

I generally start by working out what all the availability is on the boats on my longlist (ignore padi.com and liveaboard, contact the boats directly) then shortlisting down from there so I don’t choose a boat only to realize that there is no availability for what I want..padi usually show top deck availability only to then say that they don’t have it and suggest a 3 person hammock in the engine room after you have checked all the dates suit your family etc and gotten excited..

‘also, if you have the time and can sort out the discount deals mentioned above for group bookings, you may decide to do 2 x back to back itineraries as it’s such a schlep all the way over there.. I’m doing 16 nights on the mermaid in 2021, then 3 days off and then 17 nights on The ilike....or the other way around....can’t remember now..

 

[Dan]

One thing I would advise, with all of the boats you are considering, if it is a 2021 trip. Contact them first and see what they still have available. Mermaid top deck usually get snapped up years in advance, so you may already be out of luck for 2021/early 2022.

I generally start by working out what all the availability is on the boats on my longlist (ignore padi.com and liveaboard, contact the boats directly) then shortlisting down from there so I don’t choose a boat only to realize that there is no availability for what I want..padi usually show top deck availability only to then say that they don’t have it and suggest a 3 person hammock in the engine room after you have checked all the dates suit your family etc and gotten excited..

‘also, if you have the time and can sort out the discount deals mentioned above for group bookings, you may decide to do 2 x back to back itineraries as it’s such a schlep all the way over there.. I’m doing 16 nights on the mermaid in 2021, then 3 days off and then 17 nights on The ilike....or the other way around....can’t remember now..

You have to realize that you are one of a kind. I may be able to do that, as I’ll be retiring soon & will be having 6 Saturday’s and a Sunday in every weeks of the year, but my other younger dive buddies, who are still busy working, especially those Americans working with vacation-tight US companies, don’t have such a luxury of taking vacation more than 2 weeks at a time.