Baani Explorer - Maldives

[robint]

Wow, Rob. Your very first post ever on Scubaboard and you happen to find a thread about a liveaboard that you just happen to have been on 5 times in the past 3 years. Amazing coincidence! Geez, and you had a great time with no problem... hmmmm. Don't believe a word you say, sorry. :no


robin
2 months until the Nekton again!

 

[Leslie Finnegan]

Rob - glad to hear you had good times on the Baani. However, pity the tone of your posting was so dismissive of our experiences. We were there, we experienced it and we were asked of our opinions. We have given them. A few things that you should know (please read my earlier posting) - the fumes did NOT disperse as you claim after the vessel moved away. They persisted for the trip and every time the back up generator was used and the fumes were clearly visible and strong. We slept 3 nights outside - not a good reflection on the condition of the boats air con unit and air intake facility. So I totally disagree with your comments about it being temporary. Charlie and Moosa (as well as Hussain) all agreed there was a problem, to the extend that Hussain offered us one of the crew's cabins. They are the staff and they realised there was a problem. Look at all the feedback forms and you will see that a lot of them referred to the fumes onboard. This was not a once off.

Again pity about your comments about 'bad stomachs' - people throwing up and having diarrohea as 'bad stomachs'. Hmmm, glad I don't have you as a doctor. The crew were very concerned about the condition of one of the divers and did as much as they could to assist. So it is very inconsiderate and inaccurate of you to comment on someone else's conditions especially when you weren't there.

We have no issues with the fact there were 3 dives per day, but we signed up to that and we knew what we were getting. On some occasions it would have been nicer to do more, but that's life. We accepted that. There were only 2 guides on the boat for the duration of the trip and not 3 you may have had before. Another one of the differences to your experiences. These guys were shatterd and we felt for them. They are good guys. As for the Nitrox not being available - I have email evidence from the company to state that there was going to be Nitrox on board. There wasn't and hasn't been for months, so therefore we were given incorrect information prior to departing. So it wasn't a very auspicious start to the trip to be immediately informed that there wasn't any.

Your comment "You just like to complain a lot, that you have made obvious. I consider Explorer one of my favorite destinations and I will go back for sure, sorry you don’t share that feeling but they probably have thousands of guests per year and there is always the few who will complain no matter what" is very derogatory and insulting. Those kind of comments should be kept to yourself. By all means go back to the Explorer. That's your choice. We are not in the business of complaining - we were asked of our experiences and we gave them. You may have had different experiences so lucky you. So don't dare say that there were a "few things that you seem to have gotten wrong or simply had unrealistic expectations". We will not be going back with Maldives Liveaboards. Happy diving to you and your return trips to the Baani Explorer.

 

[RobDelio]

Robin,
I didn't say I never had any problems, you apparantly didn't read what I said. This i also not my first post here but the first in a very long time. My email changed, I can't get my old user/pass resent so I got a new account.

Rob

Hi, anyone been on the Baani Explorer recently? We are going early March 2008. I see there are a couple of posts on here but none really recent. Would be grateful for general info on the boat, storage space in cabins etc. Any info with regards what to take, SMB/Reel etc. Is it still warm when the sun goes down? Sweatshirt required? Shortie or 3mm suit? How much in tips is the norm - presumably at the end of the trip? Absolutely any advice you can give would be welcomed - this is our first time on a liveaboard. Cheers!

Wow, Rob. Your very first post ever on Scubaboard and you happen to find a thread about a liveaboard that you just happen to have been on 5 times in the past 3 years. Amazing coincidence! Geez, and you had a great time with no problem... hmmmm. Don't believe a word you say, sorry. :no


robin
2 months until the Nekton again!

 

[RobDelio]

Leslie,

You are right, you should be happy I am not your doctor. That's something I really know nothing about. It's a shame you had such a bad week, you stated your experience and I stated mine. I think that's just fair right? That's pretty much it. I just never heard anything like this about Explorer before but I will make sure to ask the crew about this when we go back there in May.

On a sidenote, you did complain about only 3 dives being offered and now you sound a whole lot different by saying that more would have been nice sometimes but you got what you paid for. So I wonder how many of the other things that you complained about need to be looked at in that light...

Rob

Rob - glad to hear you had good times on the Baani. However, pity the tone of your posting was so dismissive of our experiences. We were there, we experienced it and we were asked of our opinions. We have given them. A few things that you should know (please read my earlier posting) - the fumes did NOT disperse as you claim after the vessel moved away. They persisted for the trip and every time the back up generator was used and the fumes were clearly visible and strong. We slept 3 nights outside - not a good reflection on the condition of the boats air con unit and air intake facility. So I totally disagree with your comments about it being temporary. Charlie and Moosa (as well as Hussain) all agreed there was a problem, to the extend that Hussain offered us one of the crew's cabins. They are the staff and they realised there was a problem. Look at all the feedback forms and you will see that a lot of them referred to the fumes onboard. This was not a once off.

Again pity about your comments about 'bad stomachs' - people throwing up and having diarrohea as 'bad stomachs'. Hmmm, glad I don't have you as a doctor. The crew were very concerned about the condition of one of the divers and did as much as they could to assist. So it is very inconsiderate and inaccurate of you to comment on someone else's conditions especially when you weren't there.

We have no issues with the fact there were 3 dives per day, but we signed up to that and we knew what we were getting. On some occasions it would have been nicer to do more, but that's life. We accepted that. There were only 2 guides on the boat for the duration of the trip and not 3 you may have had before. Another one of the differences to your experiences. These guys were shatterd and we felt for them. They are good guys. As for the Nitrox not being available - I have email evidence from the company to state that there was going to be Nitrox on board. There wasn't and hasn't been for months, so therefore we were given incorrect information prior to departing. So it wasn't a very auspicious start to the trip to be immediately informed that there wasn't any.

Your comment "You just like to complain a lot, that you have made obvious. I consider Explorer one of my favorite destinations and I will go back for sure, sorry you don’t share that feeling but they probably have thousands of guests per year and there is always the few who will complain no matter what" is very derogatory and insulting. Those kind of comments should be kept to yourself. By all means go back to the Explorer. That's your choice. We are not in the business of complaining - we were asked of our experiences and we gave them. You may have had different experiences so lucky you. So don't dare say that there were a "few things that you seem to have gotten wrong or simply had unrealistic expectations". We will not be going back with Maldives Liveaboards. Happy diving to you and your return trips to the Baani Explorer.

 

[Shasta_man]

For your next opinion post Rob, here's what it's supposed to say:

"We had a good time on X. Food was good for us. Diving was good for us. Etc. We would go again. "

Saying ANYTHING about others stated experience is where your opinion ends, and attacking begins. We are capable of reading both and deciding where the reality lies and, most importantly, whether it matches our values for travel.

 

[BrianMered]

Rob,

Opinions are like ars*&%&*s , everyone has one...it really depends where you set your baseline!

As long as there are divers who are willing to settle for second best, Baani Explorer and boats like her will continue to give second rate service.

Fumes and Diesel, I agree, pull your car into a forecourt and fill it with petrol and you will catch some of the fumes. These quickly disperse. Our complaint was that the smell never left the boat, even after steaming for several hours. I work offshore and boats are part of my everyday life. At night on a two point mooring the vessel noses into the prevailing wind. Exhaust fumes from the power generators billowed and eddied around the stern and was especially visible when the arc lights came on at dusk. Unfortunately this is where lunch and dinner are served. Maintaining and servicing the diesel generators would minimize emissions, much like clapped out bus and lorry engines that belch black smoke under load.

We were informed on boarding Baani Xp that Nitrox had been out for several months. Even in a place like the Maldives that is unacceptable. The boat returns to Male every week to drop outgoing and pick up incoming guests. After all Dubai is only three hours away and spares can be flown in. Everything else to titilate your fancy is available from Cohiba cigars to Dom Perignon champagne. As long as equipment is maintained and membranes are changed at the correct service intervals, there really isn’t much else to nitrox blending. I have had superb service in faraway locations such as Komodo and Palau.

Hot water was rarely available at any time of day or night.! I was more often than not the first awake in the morning and the water was cold. Mid afternoon and early evening the water was cold so it was not the post dive rush. Most divers rinsed themselves off on the dive platform at the rear of the boat and showered in the evening after the days diving. I was looking for warm water to rinse my camera and strobes after every dive.

I would have given my right arm for a good spicy curry instead of the chef’s attempt at ‘cordon bleu’’, his words not mine. Having lived most of my life in the Far East I am no stranger to chilli’s and garlic. But why does someone from Sri Lanka, home of the best curries in the world, attempt European food. The Fondue evening was unbelievably embarrassing. Sixteen hungry diners complete with skewers all trying to cook out of four tiny pots being heated by oversized candles. The oil was barely hot enough to scald a finger but did anyone complain …No ! because as previously mentioned Cookie is now our friend and it is easier to turn a blind eye and save him the ‘loss of face’.

Like to complain a lot..? Rob, that’s a cheap shot..! It may surprise you that this is the first time in many years of diving and many live-aboards that I have felt it necessary to "put pen to paper". I gave my honest opinion to Shelski because he was asking for advice and perhaps ‘forewarned is forearmed’.

Comment on cabin 9: not sure where this came from as you rightly point out is a staff berth? By the way, the airconditioning worked a treat in their cabins.

I hope he and his wife are pleasantly surprised by their first live-aboard experience and that the quality of diving more than makes up for any shortcomings in the accommodation.

More now then ever I look forward to his feedback.

regards...Brian

 

[BrianMered]

Shasta Man.....excellent reply and right on the button, wish I had thought of it.

I tried to resist a blow by blow response to Rob's reply but my fingers got the better of me. You are absolutely correct that the whole purpose of these forums is for people to tell it like it happened during the week and for readers to use that information as they will.

regards...Brian

 

[BrianMered]

Shelski,

As promised I uploaded a few photos from last weeks diving....just an appetiser.

View by clicking on the View Gallery on the left.

Enjoy....Brian

 

[Leslie Finnegan]

Rob

thanks for the clarification. You are correct - we have differing opinions. Simply we had a bad experience and you have had good ones. I just hope no one else has a bad experience on the Baani Explorer and if Maldives Liveaboards are reading these posts they may act and prevent someone else from having to post details like we did. Again I want to emphasise that the guys on board are a good bunch and we all hit it off. I wish them well but they are being over worked and their enthusiasm has wained. It is not their fault that we had bad experiences. The boat is in need of some TLC and some basic rectifications would make all the difference.

However, it was not me who said anything about only doing 3 dives a day and being disappointed with that. With all due respect I was quite content with 3 dives a day (even though I didn't get to dive 3 dives a day some of the days due to the chest infection that developed) and as I said it would have been nice to have been able to do one or two more on some of the days especially when at some of the latter thilas we dived. A comment was passed on this - not a complaint made.

Again, I wish you all the best with your future trips on the Explorer. If they (being the owners) get their act together you may have nothing to worry about and will have the same pleasant experiences as you have had before.

Leslie

 

[shelski]

As you say, to be forewarned etc etc!

On a lighter note - wow, impressive photos. Now I'm gonna hassle you even more! What camera do you have? Something fancy with a big strobe no doubt? Were a lot of those pics on macro setting? With daytime shots, do you have an underwater setting or do you use manual white balance? We've bought a Canon G7 and will be christening it in the Maldives. Any useful tips? If we can get pics half as decent as yours we'll be well chuffed. Cheers, Shelly