What would you say is the best service you've ever had on a charter boat? What about the crew, boat, ect... made it the best to you? I'm not looking for boat names or locations. "Service" could be food, drinks, snacks, ease of gearing up, ease of diving, comfort, good gear, helpful crew,ect.......
Best service on a charter boat?
- Thread starter bell47
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There are two boats very dear to my heart.
One is the Peace, in the Channel Islands off Southern California. The crew there works tirelessly for the divers. Safety is the highest priority. They don't complain about handing up and down scooters and cameras for 20 people for three days straight, and they get the tanks refilled immediately, and still have energy to dress up in costumes and go along with the "theme nights" our group comes up with. And the cook is utterly astonishing.
The other is the MV Tala in the Red Sea. We've done two trips on her. The theme of the trips has been extracting every last, exquisite drop of fun that can possibly be had from a week or ten days of diving. Whether it's beautiful, sunlit reef dives, or monkeying around on scooters, or draping oneself with a ridiculous amount of equipment to go see what's "down there", they make it happen. I love the flexibility of being able to do a technical dive one day, and monkey dive with scooters the next, and the fact that guides are optional and not prescriptive, but truly "guides". The use of the big screen TV and the 3D animations for the dive briefings is awesome. You really UNDERSTAND a wreck you are going to dive from that boat. I guess it's really the flexibility and the personal service that is most impressive.
One is the Peace, in the Channel Islands off Southern California. The crew there works tirelessly for the divers. Safety is the highest priority. They don't complain about handing up and down scooters and cameras for 20 people for three days straight, and they get the tanks refilled immediately, and still have energy to dress up in costumes and go along with the "theme nights" our group comes up with. And the cook is utterly astonishing.
The other is the MV Tala in the Red Sea. We've done two trips on her. The theme of the trips has been extracting every last, exquisite drop of fun that can possibly be had from a week or ten days of diving. Whether it's beautiful, sunlit reef dives, or monkeying around on scooters, or draping oneself with a ridiculous amount of equipment to go see what's "down there", they make it happen. I love the flexibility of being able to do a technical dive one day, and monkey dive with scooters the next, and the fact that guides are optional and not prescriptive, but truly "guides". The use of the big screen TV and the 3D animations for the dive briefings is awesome. You really UNDERSTAND a wreck you are going to dive from that boat. I guess it's really the flexibility and the personal service that is most impressive.
I feel comforted when the dive boat has a spotter all the time divers are in the water. Extra points if when you talk to him/her they are still looking out to sea with binoculars. I love the way the Aggressor in Palau lets me set up my gear on the little diveboat (dang, what are those things called?) and my gear stays there the whole week, They even fill the tanks without having to remove bc, reg etc. That is just incredibly convenient. They just lower it into the water when dive time comes and we are seated getting geared up. Food is very important but not as much as safety and convenience - for me anyway. Room quality has to meet minimum standards but again, I don't spend a lot of waking time down there. I do, however, want enough room for my stuff.
Joe Cool
Contributor
I have been on one liveaboard so far and I noticed a few things that made it very enjoyable. Some of the stuff that I am about to metion might be common fare on any liveaboard vessel but they've set me on a level of standard that I will always expect on a liveaboard. (1) Warm towels after every dive. Once you get back on the boat, they have warm dry towels. (2) Gear protection. During the day, the gear is left on the small dive boats including regulators while the tanks are changed. They cover them up with wet towels and try to shield them from the sun. I take good care of my gear and I could not ask for anything more. (3) Quick gear rinse every day. I never had to do it. The crew always takes your wetsuit, BC, and regulators and rinse them at the end of the dive day. I chose to help out by rinsing my own gear but I did not have to do that. (4) Generous camera tub on deck. (5) Crew help in handing you your camera gear. Some take a back roll or giant stride with their camera equipment. Some don't like I do. You can graciously ask the crew to hand over your camera to you after entering the water. (6) Organized. The crew knows that the dive deck is a bit small and can get crowded if every diver is on it at the same time. So, they split the guests into 2 groups. Once the bell rings signalling then next dive, group 1 goes to the dive deck first to gear up. Group 2 follows after 15 minutes. (7) Good food. Something palatable that would replenish me every dive day. I am not expecting 5-star restaurant kind of meals. However, I expecting a balanced diet that woudl see me through all that diving.
So far, this is what comes to mind.
So far, this is what comes to mind.
Darnold9999
Contributor
Damai in Indonesia has been by far the best trip in terms of service so far.
A camera tank for each diver. You get your camera ready - hand it to the staff and it appears on the panga when required. After the dive it is in your camera rinse tank.
Dive guide that really knows the area - one guide for each pair of divers.
You want to go back in on a site the panga is there for you. Grab another tank - and head back out.
Boat director from my home town.
Breakfast cooked to order. Multiple choices, for all other meals. Excellent food.
Rooms that are spectacular - huge with lots of storage space. Double the size of any other boat I have been on (except the masters cabin on Paradise Dancer)
Massage - any time - included - just schedule it.
Assistance with travel within Indonesia at every stop. Someone was at every stop to walk us from one plane to the next and assist with baggage.
Personal service taken to the ultimate.
A camera tank for each diver. You get your camera ready - hand it to the staff and it appears on the panga when required. After the dive it is in your camera rinse tank.
Dive guide that really knows the area - one guide for each pair of divers.
You want to go back in on a site the panga is there for you. Grab another tank - and head back out.
Boat director from my home town.
Breakfast cooked to order. Multiple choices, for all other meals. Excellent food.
Rooms that are spectacular - huge with lots of storage space. Double the size of any other boat I have been on (except the masters cabin on Paradise Dancer)
Massage - any time - included - just schedule it.
Assistance with travel within Indonesia at every stop. Someone was at every stop to walk us from one plane to the next and assist with baggage.
Personal service taken to the ultimate.
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