Best liveaboard for GBR and Coral Sea - Mike Ball/Spoilsport or Spirit of Freedom?

[nwflyboy]

We're planning a week on a liveaboard out of Cairns in October 2013 to dive the GBR and Coral Sea. We're looking for the best boat, best diving, best experience. Looking for recommendations. This is our first trip to Australia. We've been pretty spoiled on previous dive trips (Raja Ampat really ruined us...), we're coming half way across the world for this, and we probably won't be able to do this again soon (or maybe ever)....so we're looking to make it as great as posisble.

Mike Ball & Spoilsport seems like a pretty obvious choice. I also see some good things about Spirit of Freedom. Yeah, both are spendy, but we're OK with that if it buys us a quality experience. Wife is prone to seasickness, so boat stability is a factor. We want comfort, good food, a bit of papmering, and of course, the diving ought to be top notch for those prices (goes without saying?).

Any pros and cons to weigh for the two aforementioned boats - or are there other top-end boats we should consider? Recommendations, tips?

Thanks!

 

[ocdiver1]

I've done the Mike Ball boat and can recommend them. Food especially is excellent. One drawback of the dive experience I felt was the lack of guiding compared to what you'd be used to on most liveaboards. At sites most divers just go off on their own in buddy teams...while there is the option to go with a guide on each dive, its really just to have someone in the water with you and not necessarily to serve as spotters. While diving on one's own is a nice option, personally I like diving with a top notch spotter who is going to find cool things for me to photograph. You'll have a great trip on that itinerary, but it's not going to compare with Raja Ampat. If you have some additional time of the trip to add in some other spots like the Yongala near Townsville, Julian Rocks near Byron Bay and others you'll hit, IMHO, some of the even more amazing diving that other parts of Australia offer over the northern GBR.

 

[kzen]

We did Mike Ball at the start of October last year (2011) as well and can't fault anything. My wife is also prone to sea sickness but the twin hull on the Spoilsport meant she had no problems. Excellent service, great rooms, great food, great crew! Tanks were filled (EAN32 if you want, generally good idea) during surface intervals, water bottles filled and ready for you when you come up along with dry towels.

Haven't done R4 yet, and we haven't tried Spirit of Freedom so can't compare them.

 

[akimika]

I did Spirit of Freedom January 2012. The crew was excellent and the boat was great. Dives were done with your buddy, but there were always some of the crew also diving so you could be around them if you wanted. The food was excellent and they catered to my dietary restrictions. Nothing beats a week of eating and diving

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Both visit the same sites pretty much, so its going to be down to boat and service at the end of the day.

Spirit is a newer (and personally I feel better) boat than Spoilsport, but either trip will give you an amazing experience and you cant go wrong with either.

You have to make your own way to the dive shop and back after Mike Ball whilst SOF to have complimentary transfers to and from your accommodation. Small thing but makes a difference when carrying lots of dive gear.

SOF all cabins have private bathroom, whilst only the more expensive ones on MB have private.

I think you will see lots of posts about these 2 and with ether you cant go wrong. Just book ahead as both fill up very quickly.

 

[nwflyboy]

Thanks for all the feedback thus far.

ADS - what is it specifically about Spirit that makes you feel it's a better boat?

As for the boats/rooms, we would prefer a room with private bath, and also windows - do all the cabins on both boats have outside windows that can be opened for some fresh air? I'm a fan of powerful aircon in the tropics, but the wife - who is highly prone to seasickness - may well want fresh air.

I'm leaning towards Spoilsport because of the twin hulls - she really gets seasick easily, and anything that can reduce the conditions that lead to nausea are appreciated. I wonder how much of a difference that makes, though.

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Just personal choice I guess. Like staying in favourite hotels! Worked on both and just liked SOF more.

as for windowns SOF only Ocean View Deluxe has windows and on MB Premium and Srandard cabins have windows if I remember correctly.

Twin hulls corkscrew in rough weather and can be a bit wierd, but if she gets sea sick, may not make much of a difference. generally though catermarans slight advantage.

Take sea sick tabltes (like kwells) and start just before you get on the boat.

October is a very good time of year and Sept /Oct usually has the smoothest seas.

Good luck!

 

[vladimir]

One drawback of the dive experience I felt was the lack of guiding compared to what you'd be used to on most liveaboards.

That was the most outstanding feature, in my opinion, and the reason I went back.

I'm leaning towards Spoilsport because of the twin hulls - she really gets seasick easily, and anything that can reduce the conditions that lead to nausea are appreciated.

You've already done a liveaboard together, so you know what you're getting yourselves into, but I will never bring my wife aboard a liveaboard again, since she is also prone to seasickness. Not that there's any danger of her agreeing to go. The Spoilsport seemed very stable to me, but the seas were pretty calm, for the most part.

 

[whaylonsmithers]

+1 for ocdiver1 who recomended Alva Beach/Yongala and Byron Bay/Julian Rocks. Both great sites and worth trying to squeeze into your itinerary. Townsville (near Yongala) is not too far from Cairns. If you fly in through Brisbane you could drive to Byron Bay in about the same amount of time as it takes to go from the kerb to your seat on the plane at many American airports.

Perhaps check with the dive operators about the weather too. I think October is near the end of the best part of the year but wouldn't swear to it. I know the anti-nausea stuff where you take 1 pill per day and it makes you drowsy is outstanding. I used to take it at work - most people find it extremely effective, a few will feel a bit drowsy the next day. Worth a test well in advance though.

 

[drl]

+1 for the Spoilsport.