Diver Beware / Solomons Bilikiki

[Dazzi Wiggy Hash]

We took a trip with Bilikiki in Sept 2014. The boat was full and the atmosphere between the guests was good. However, below is an extract of a mail that I wrote to Biliki after the trip (I was not alone in sending such a communication). The reply from Bilikiki was non apologetic about they way that they run things - they work on a remote location, monopoly mentality. Please think hard before booking a trip with them and check what services are covered - especially dive guides.

I would like to provide you with some feedback following our Bilikiki trip last week.

On the whole we had a good holiday with our friends and new acquaintances. The guests got on well, which always makes things more pleasant and easier. However, as we were not asked to complete a feedback questionnaire at the end of the trip, I wanted to share with you some of my thoughts and opinions about the organisation.

In general, I thought that the trip was not the best value for money, compared to other similar live aboard cruises. I ignore, of course the flight cost, but when I compare cruise against cruise, the Bilikiki trip is much more expensive than most (not all) Pacific / Indian Ocean packages. I refer to the following:-

Dive guide per guest ratio - only 1 guide in the water for 20 guests was quite incredible for me. I am by no means the most experienced diver, but I have joined approximately 20 trips such as this around the world and I have never before witnessed such a poor ratio. For me, I would expect 1 guide for to 2-4 guests on an excellent cruise and 1 to 6 on a good to average cruise. A ratio of 1 to 20 is a first for me. As a consequence, quite often there were 20 guests diving in one location - on top of one another - and we surely did not see as many things as we might have done. This was the most fundamental issue for me.

Nitrox - considering the relatively high cruise price, I wouldn’t have been surprised to find the nitrox included in the price.

Soft drinks - I was surprised to discover that such costs were not included in the cruise package cost.

Morning / Night Dive schedule - I would have preferred to have the morning dive take place before breakfast, so that we could eat more comfortably. Similarly, the night dive after dinner meant a late dive that was less appealing. I believe that I was not alone in the disappointment about the schedule of these dives. It was raised whilst on board, but a change was not accepted.

 

[Wookie]

It may have been in your best interest to make an inquiry about the cost of soft drinks, guide ratios, nitrox costs, and dive schedule. In fact, when I google "Bilikiki rates", those answers and more (per night tax) show up on my Google feed without having to leave the search page, so it's on you if you didn't at least look at the website. Reading their welcome aboard page, it says:

The dive schedule is established by the managers, but this is flexible to accommodate the desires of all the passengers. An evening briefing usually outlines the plans for the next days diving, and passengers comments and input are welcomed. The ship does not follow a specific itinerary during the course of a cruise, and weather and diving conditions, and the preferences of the passengers, will all affect the dive sites chosen and the length of stay in any given locale.
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Sounds like all of the passengers didn't want to change up the schedule. One of the problems with joining a group that doesn't have the whole boat is you will do what the majority wants or default to the normal schedule.

I'm a little surprised that there wasn't a guide for each tinny, but Americans typically don't want to be herded. I don't know the makeup of your group, but usually there will be a guided group and a group of photographers who don't want anyone getting in their way. Maybe you got in the wrong group.

For someone who has been on 20 different liveaboards, I'm pretty surprised that you didn't at least check ahead and read the FAQ/Welcome Aboard sheet, which might have lead you to making another choice. This one is on you. I found your answers within 30 seconds of searching for them.

 

[Doby45]

You booked in 2014 and just took the trip or did you do the trip in 2014 and you are just now doing a trip report?

 

[Wijbrandus]

I'm confused on why you would expect a dive guide for every dive buddy pair. That appears to be your number one issue.

If you want your own private DM, that's something you can usually schedule in advance, but I've never seen it offered automatically as part of the price. Half the time I go out, there isn't even a DM in the water, let alone assigned to me. I'm good with a boat ride that puts me on the right dive site.

 

[WetLens]

I, too, have been on more than 20 liveaboard vacations around the world (think the number is 28). I found Bilikiki to be near or at the top of my list for trips that I'd do again in a heartbeat. Their briefings were nothing short of excellent and I really enjoyed the freedom to plan and execute our own dives based on those briefings. On the few dives where I felt the need to follow the guide, I did have to accept a larger than optimal guide to guest ratio. That was never really an issue as we were able to string out all along the reef. Speaking of the reef - that is reason in and of itself to dive there. Absolutely the best reef conditions I have seen anywhere.

My wife an I signed up on our own. There was a large group from PA and a few other couples/individuals. We had no problems adapting to their dive schedule and the crew went out of their way to accommodate our desire to make every night dive (not many others were into night diving, apparently). 43 dives; 50 hours underwater - it was a great trip and highly recommend it. But then, we were not looking to be coddled.

One other shout out to the Bilikiki crew - I really enjoyed and appreciated the boat's efforts to support local communities where they traveled. I've not seen this on any other boat I've been on. All of the produce we used came from the villages we visited (or the villages visited us). Watching the barter process and seeing the family involvement was something to behold.

 

[Wookie]

It all comes down to expectations. Your trip on the Bilikiki did not meet your expectations. The staff and crew of the Bilikiki did everything they reasonably could to meet let you know what to expect, and the information is available to anyone who really cared to go look for it. This is not on the staff and crew of the boat, the information is out there. They can provide it, they can't force it down your throat.

 

[maj2]

Interesting first post after just joining the board today (Profile at the time of this reply indicates 1 total post and "Joined: Today")...

I concur with all subsequent posts since the OP.

 

[mmmbelows]

"Divers Beware"

What exactly was the warning I missed it? And why are you waiting a year and half to issue this warning to all us divers? What if I had booked a trip a few months ago, you really should not be holding back this important information of certified divers not being able to have their hands held during the dive! Bummer dude, real bummer.

 

[Buliwyf]

If cost was the only real bummer, then they did fine.

I don't get it? There's plenty of great deals on boats that will leave you stranded in the ocean, alone.

 

[Shasta_man]

I like trip reports so I can see others concerns even if I don't agree with them or didn't have the same experience. I did a 7 day trip on Bilikiki a number of years ago. I really enjoyed the trip though it wasn't the best trip I ever did. I really liked the connection with the local people throughout the trip, as well as a few unique locations like Mary Island where the sounds of a volcano thump you in the chest.

My experience is paying extra for nitrox is relatively standard still. I don't drink sodas but don't remember sodas being extra when I went but it may have been the case and have seen it on other liveaboards. I remember drinking the bush limeade they made, though it eventually gave me major heartburn due to being horizontal so much.

My recollection is we dove in two groups of 6-8 each and left at different times. However, we were close to the sites so if you missed the group they were happy to drop you on the site afterwards. I know we had at least one guide per group and sometimes two. When diving somewhere I have never been, I prefer diving with guides because I am in an unfamiliar place, I think I get more out of it because they can point out critters and features, and I never find guides on liveaboards being particularly aggressive in herding people. Perhaps I have just went on the right boats to avoid that or give the guide initial respect so they trust me back. The other guests immediately scattering in 10 different directions against the dive plan was way more annoying because we wasted time ensuring they weren't coming.

I recall doing the first dive after a light breakfast before coming back for the real breakfast. Apparently it was different on your trip. The night dive is tough because they want to feed people together, rather than feeding the night divers after they come back. Some boats held all of dinner until after the night dive which wasn't good when you weren't diving but starving. I'd prefer they feed those not diving while the night divers eat afterwards. It will be interesting to hear the practical issues with that from Wookie.

As for price, not sure where you calculate this as a much more expensive boat than others. Even the current prices look in line. $3500 is average for 7 days, and $5K is average, maybe even cheaper than some, for 10 days. I find boat prices are relatively similar all over the world, so the diff is just in travel cost to get there.