A few questions about liveaboards

[Tamas]

All very good suggestions....but if you are looking for a live-aboard experience, then do not forget Blackbeard Cruises out of the Bahamas. Very cheap compared to the rest, with great diving (all levels) and a very fun atmosphere.

Granted, you give up some of the creature comforts based on the outfit, but it is very manageable if you are not expecting a super posh cruise line.

I have done the trip twice already and would love to go the third time as well.

 

[SelkieDVM]

I did the Cayman Aggressor when I was a new diver and had a fantastic time. The divemasters will look out for you if you want. The trip did tremendous things for my diving confidence. And there's no reason why you have to do all fives dives a day. No one on the trip did every dive, I usually did three or four a day. Have fun whatever you decide, but for me, liveaboards rule.

Cheers,
Lilla

 

[WaterWolf]

I agree with Tamas. Don't overlook BlackBeard's Cruises in the Bahamas. They are the most reasonably priced liveaboard I've ever seen and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd love to go back and do it again.

WW

 

[Ron G.]

I don't think Blackbeard is necessarily the most reasonably priced.

First, they are one night less than most of the others. They are six nights, vs. seven for the rest.

Also, they advertise that they offer 3-4 dives per day, whereas most of the others are 4-5.

I just came back from a Nekton trip. They had three dives on the first day (due to the morning orientation) and two dives (to allow everyone a 24 hour surface interval prior to our flights the next day). The other days were five dives per day. So you could have done 25 dives during the week...under very comfortable conditions.

I don't know what the norm is for a Blackbeard trip....I think I've read more like 15-18. When you compare the cost per dive (not to mention the difference in surface accommodations and amenities), I think they're pretty close...especially if you take advantage of one of Nekton's promotional discounts.

I've never tried Blackbeard, but I don't think they cost per dive is that much less than Nekton (or Exlorer Ventures, which I've also never tried).

Ron

 

[peterbj7]

A couple of conflicting suggestions. First, you can do your AOW on the Belize Aggressor. I know because a friend of mine was recently a resident instructor on board.

That said, I think I'd veer towards a land-based trip this time, until you're more experienced. You may not get best value from a liveaboard just yet.

Don't just look near home. Depending what it would cost you to get to London, there are some amazing bargain package trips to be had in Egypt from there. Like US$500 for flights & transfers, and B&B in a 4* hotel. Diving extra, but it's good value there. And of course a completely different holiday experience in a place not dominated by and orientated towards Americans.

Explorers | Diving Holiday Specialists and Red Sea Diving with Emperor - dive resorts, liveaboards and PADI courses are two websites you could look at.

 

[Doubler]

Peter, are you saying that diving in the Red Sea would be better for a novice diver than a Liveaboard in Belize? I believe operations in the Red Sea, in the past year, has left/lost eight divers including local DM's.
Why would you need land experience before taking a liveaboard trip? The Ocean is the Ocean. In most of the places I travel Land- based and Liveaboards dive the same sites except on a liveaboards I get to miss the hour out hour back boat ride. And I won't even get into the "different holiday experience in a place not dominated by and orientated towards Americans." because there is good and bad in that experience.

 

[peterbj7]

I'm saying that a week on a liveaboard is a very intensive and unrelenting time, and unless you are happy diving at all times that you're not eating or sleeping then you may find the experience rather tiresome. I love liveaboards and depending on the location might well choose one, but I can still have a lot of fun doing day dives, especially if there are other possibilities for spending my time.

I haven't heard of any divers getting lost in the Red Sea, though I suppose it could have happened. I don't suppose you've heard of it here either, though it does happen occasionally. Australia and the Sipadan area are the places to go for extended floating holidays.

In Egypt I had in mind Marsa Alam in the south, from where there are superb day boat opportunities (don't know if there's any shore diving there) and Dahab in the north, which offers wonderful shore diving not involving a boat at all.

Besides, and I say this as a dive operator in Belize for six years, the Red Sea offers diving simply unparalled anywhere in the Caribbean area. The clarity of the water is something you have to see (though of course you can't.....). It's quite common for divers used to northern European waters to suffer from vertigo in the Red Sea, where you can often look down and see brightly coloured coral 300ft below you.

If I were choosing a liveaboard, one of my first preferences would be the southern Egyptian Red Sea. High up the list would be the Maldives and various places in the Pacific like Truk and Galapagos (I know, totally different). The Caribbean would be well down my list.

 

[tvictory]

No one has mentioned the Turks & Caicos Explorer II. At most of the dive sites the boat is moored directly over the top of the wall making it easy for novices to control their depth and still stay with a group if desired. If not, it's easy to avoid getting lost. I think Air Canada has a direct flight from Montreal to Provo (I know they do from Toronto). On my last trip on the TCEII, the captain, JF, was a French Canadian.

 

[TravisD]

We did a week on the Aquacat last year and it was our first saltwater diving. I can't speak highly enough about it. They were pretty responsive to the passengers as far as type of sites. One of the good thing about a liveaboard is that there's enough dives during the week that if you don't feel comfortable making some of them, it's not a huge loss. Out of 25 dives I think I did 15 of them.

If you're willing to gamble, call them to look for last minute deals. We did our trip as part of an auction we won and the requirement was that it was a "last minute" booking -- basically 3 weeks before the boat left. They'd rather get some revenue for the boat than sail with empty berths. At the same time, it's entirely possible that the boat may be full. Call or e-mail the boats and ask if they are willing to cut a deal if you're flexible with dates.

 

[peterbj7]

You call that last minute? Last minute to me is when I only decide the day before to go anywhere, and actually book the evening before departure.