Liveaboard in Komodo with a baby

[SeaHorse81]

There's also the issue of how the 20 or so other people on the boat would feel about sharing such close quarters with a baby for a week. It's just not an environment where people expect that, and would totally change the experience of the week for everyone. Statistically speaking, a few would be okay with it, most would be sort of middle-ish about it, and a few would hate it and have their expensive vacations ruined.

 

[Wingy]

I think you should ask yourself before you consider a liveaboard with a baby are you 100% comfortable with your ability to deal with your baby if the ship encounters rough weather and worst case scenario happens?

Ive been on boats that have sunk..I know from experience that its all about saving your own skin, thats just human instinct. As a mother you are of course going to want to save your baby...can you a) manage to find a life jacket for your baby b) if not tuck your baby inside yours c) swim sidestroke for what may be 20 minutes or what may be 5 hours...sidestroke because ive tried it with my sons when they were younger and sidestroke seemed to be the only stroke I could do and keep babies head out of the water and finally d) are you prepared to risk it. You cannot expect a crew member or nanny to step up if the SHTF.

As others have posted, I commend you on your will to dive, but.....I think land based is far more sensible.

 

[MH]

Thanks guys for your honest opinions and tips! I found them very useful. We are thinking of ditching the idea of going on a liveaboard at this time of our life as it seems not to be the best option with a baby, unfortunately. I found out that Moana and Aridive would be child-friendly budget (?) options but e.g. Mermaid would be too expensive and they won´t allow a child onboard anyway, just like many other operators. However, we would pay quite a lot for the trip and can´t go on every dive if we don´t have a babysitter... It´s fairly expensive, other divers may not want to spend their trip with a baby, not sure if it´s safe either with a baby, if I would be willing to let my baby be taken care of by a stranger, hospitals are far away if something happens, etc... plenty of reasons to opt for land based diving trips. This resort Komodo Resort - Diving Club looks perfect but is too expensive for us, almost the same price as the liveaboards. Does anyone know of any nice cheaper options for accommodation in or near Labuan Bajo? Is that a city one would not like to stay in or are there nice beaches too? How about reefs for snorkeling? We´d like to find a place to stay where there would be a reef very close to the hotel/whatsoever and the accommodation would be on the beach, preferably on a smaller island in the Komodo area but not sure if such resorts exist..? Another option for us is Bunaken and staying in a resort there. May be even better as the currents are not so strong and if we can´t dive together, it would not be so scary to go without a trusted partner under water.

---------- Post added April 4th, 2015 at 03:22 PM ----------

After all we have decided to stay on Bali and take it easy... Stay some days in Nusa Dua, Menjangan/Permuteran, Tulamben/Amed and Nusa Lembongan/Ceningan... Perhaps visit Gili Air or Gede. There should be enought to see and some good diving too! Good tips/recommendations regarding resorts/places to stay are warmly welcome!

 

[CJS]

Thanks guys for your honest opinions and tips! I found them very useful. We are thinking of ditching the idea of going on a liveaboard at this time of our life as it seems not to be the best option with a baby, unfortunately. I found out that Moana and Aridive would be child-friendly budget (?) options but e.g. Mermaid would be too expensive and they won´t allow a child onboard anyway, just like many other operators. However, we would pay quite a lot for the trip and can´t go on every dive if we don´t have a babysitter... It´s fairly expensive, other divers may not want to spend their trip with a baby, not sure if it´s safe either with a baby, if I would be willing to let my baby be taken care of by a stranger, hospitals are far away if something happens, etc... plenty of reasons to opt for land based diving trips. This resort Komodo Resort - Diving Club looks perfect but is too expensive for us, almost the same price as the liveaboards. Does anyone know of any nice cheaper options for accommodation in or near Labuan Bajo? Is that a city one would not like to stay in or are there nice beaches too? How about reefs for snorkeling? We´d like to find a place to stay where there would be a reef very close to the hotel/whatsoever and the accommodation would be on the beach, preferably on a smaller island in the Komodo area but not sure if such resorts exist..? Another option for us is Bunaken and staying in a resort there. May be even better as the currents are not so strong and if we can´t dive together, it would not be so scary to go without a trusted partner under water.

---------- Post added April 4th, 2015 at 03:22 PM ----------

After all we have decided to stay on Bali and take it easy... Stay some days in Nusa Dua, Menjangan/Permuteran, Tulamben/Amed and Nusa Lembongan/Ceningan... Perhaps visit Gili Air or Gede. There should be enought to see and some good diving too! Good tips/recommendations regarding resorts/places to stay are warmly welcome!

On Nusa Lembongan we like Vila Rumah Kami. Most of the dive ops will pick you up from the vila and the villa staff will arrange a local mum as babysitter.

In Pemuteran we dived with Sea Rovers and were happy. The resort it is attached to was nice but has changed hands since, so I can't comment on what it is like now.

 

[pinshootr]

leave your kids at home

 

[Bratface]

I like kids and have my own grandkids but I honestly would not want to have a baby on board. Liveaboard divers are dedicated to the ocean and then relaxing after dives. Babies are cute, but it's not the place for them.

As others have suggested, perhaps a resort or private home. You could check www.airbnb.com for accommodations. You would have to research if there would be a place to rent near where you wanted to dive. Then bring grandma along or an aunt or babysitter. It's a win-win situation for everyone.

 

[diver0008]

Travelling to the third world with an infant is very, very risky. Taking one on a liveaboard is incomprehensible to me.

Also, doing a Komodo liveaboard with only 30 dives in your history borders on dangerous.

All the above simply my humble opinions.

 

[Stoo]

Taking a baby on a liveaboard is a horrible idea.

Even if you took a nanny and so on, it isn't fair to inflict your baby on other guests who have paid serious coin to be on that liveaboard. It's simply too small of a space. Even if the youngster is a little angel, you have no way of predicting how he/she will do in the confined space and constant motion of a boat. (For the record, I love little kids.) Having said that, the first time we went to a little eco-lodge in Belize, which is basically a B&B, the then-owner had a 6 month old baby and she was the highlight of the trip. We were not on a boat however so we weren't exposed to her literally 24/7. In fact we really only saw her at meal times.

I seem to recall reading about family-friendly itineraries on some liveaboards, but I suspect that they are aimed at diving-age kids.

As others have suggested, find a nice resort with nanny services and make the most of your new "situation". And be glad that it only lasts for 18 or 20 year. Or so...

 

[Stoo]

By the way, why hasn't someone invented kennels for kids? Seems like a no-brainer to me... ;-)

 

[RJP]

By the way, why hasn't someone invented kennels for kids? Seems like a no-brainer to me... ;-)

That's what grandparents are for!