Trip Report Disappointing Experience on the Turks and Caicos Explorer II

[Cornellxc]

I'm really confused by the idea that hurricanes ruined any reefs in TCI (other than maybe very shallow elkhorn that we don't dive anyway). Where has this assertion come from? There is no doubt that the reef changes over time. I have dove immediately before and after major hurricanes (Irma/Maria, Isaias, Ike). I haven't noticed a difference at all after the vis cleared. Everything you're describing sounds like you were diving sites that had swell and that the vis was garbage. Taking you guys out where you dove may under the conditions may be the fault of the live aboard you were on but your experience isn't representative of the average diving in TCI.

 

[buster243]

I'm really confused by the idea that hurricanes ruined any reefs in TCI (other than maybe very shallow elkhorn that we don't dive anyway). Where has this assertion come from? There is no doubt that the reef changes over time. I have dove immediately before and after major hurricanes (Irma/Maria, Isaias, Ike). I haven't noticed a difference at all after the vis cleared. Everything you're describing sounds like you were diving sites that had swell and that the vis was garbage. Taking you guys out where you dove may under the conditions may be the fault of the live aboard you were on but your experience isn't representative of the average diving in TCI.

This "assertion" was told to us by the DM on the ship.

 

[nancyABQ]

Trip Dates May 24 to Jun 1

We were eagerly anticipating our trip on the Turks and Caicos Explorer II, but unfortunately, it fell short of our expectations. Many of the dive sites were disappointing. Visibility was poor for the Caribbean, often no more than 50 feet, and sometimes we couldn't even see the ship unless it was directly above us. While visibility is out of their control, the selection of dive sites was also lacking. Our first dive near Turks showed promise with decent marine life and slightly better visibility. However, upon moving to West Caicos, visibility deteriorated, and there was a noticeable lack of larger marine life. Although we did encounter some larger creatures, the sites did not compare favorably to other liveaboards, even within the Explorer Ventures fleet. Rumors suggested a hurricane had impacted the sites, but if true, the operators should have moved to other locations, given the abundance of options available. It seemed they stayed close to save fuel, as the sites were only a few hundred yards apart.

The boat itself is older and showing signs of wear and tear. Many things were damaged or in need of repair. Given its age, repairs are probably a constant necessity, making it difficult to keep everything in top shape. Our room was small but typical for liveaboards. However, our bed linens were not changed throughout the week, and our towels were only replaced mid-week.

The food on board was plentiful and generally good, though some dishes felt too fancy for a dive boat, such as couscous and unusual soups like spinach and carrot. While some guests seemed to enjoy the meals, we would have preferred more comfort foods like vegetable soup, baked chicken, or turkey and dressing. Thankfully, the menu did shift towards more comforting options towards the end of the week.

The dive area was adequate but not ideal. The camera area was semi-exposed to rain, and the charging station was inconveniently located under the dive table. We opted to use the other charging stations inside instead.

A significant concern was the additional costs at the end of the trip. Even though we knew before hand there were extra charges, each of us incurred around $800 in extra charges for fuel, taxes, park fees, and tips. The purser manually recorded our credit card information, which felt outdated and very insecure. Despite having Skylink-type internet onboard, they don’t use it for online payment processing. Ideally, they should bill everything except tips the week before the trip. Internet access for passengers was not available, even though it could be offered for a fee with limited use for emails.

The crew was adequate but not exceptional. No one stood out as making the trip memorable. We have over 500 dives each and can distinguish excellent dive masters from mediocre ones. Some crew members barely interacted with guests.

We won’t be returning to Turks and Caicos for diving unless the dive sites improve. There are much better places to invest your money.View attachment 844986

Hello.
I went aboard the 31 August-10 September 2024 Turks and Caicos Aggressor II out of Provienciales. It was a horrible trip. The diving environment was not under their control (the expected fauna and flora were all but absent), but the food was beyond acceptable. The cook they had hired had never held a job as a cook before, and his inexperience showed at every single meal. I was glad they had alternatives to the hot meals they served, but that meant living for ten days on yogurt, toast, and coffee. I think Aggressor Adventures is using their name to get people to pay the exorbitant fares they charge for inadequate service. Horrible, horrible company that should go out of business ASAP.

 

[scubadada]

Hello.
I went aboard the 31 August-10 September 2024 Turks and Caicos Aggressor II out of Provienciales. It was a horrible trip. The diving environment was not under their control (the expected fauna and flora were all but absent), but the food was beyond acceptable. The cook they had hired had never held a job as a cook before, and his inexperience showed at every single meal. I was glad they had alternatives to the hot meals they served, but that meant living for ten days on yogurt, toast, and coffee. I think Aggressor Adventures is using their name to get people to pay the exorbitant fares they charge for inadequate service. Horrible, horrible company that should go out of business ASAP.

Hi @nancyABQ

I dived T&C from a land-based operation way back in 2009 and found many of the sites to be quite good. The rides out were so long that I decided if ever returned, it would be on one of the two liveaboards. Would you mind listing some of the dive sites that you found so lacking?

The food service seemed particularly poor. I have been on just 5 Aggressor boats and have not had an experience as bad as yours.

 

[ontdiver]

I would be interested in hearing from another SB member regarding the week that @nancyABQ reported on.

 

[bmag78]

Considering this thread is about the Explorer boat and to avoid any unfair confusion , maybe this reply should be in the aggressor category instead.
Why is an aggressor review in an explorer thread?

 

[abdallas]

Trip Dates May 24 to Jun 1

We were eagerly anticipating our trip on the Turks and Caicos Explorer II, but unfortunately, it fell short of our expectations. Many of the dive sites were disappointing. Visibility was poor for the Caribbean, often no more than 50 feet, and sometimes we couldn't even see the ship unless it was directly above us. While visibility is out of their control, the selection of dive sites was also lacking. Our first dive near Turks showed promise with decent marine life and slightly better visibility. However, upon moving to West Caicos, visibility deteriorated, and there was a noticeable lack of larger marine life. Although we did encounter some larger creatures, the sites did not compare favorably to other liveaboards, even within the Explorer Ventures fleet. Rumors suggested a hurricane had impacted the sites, but if true, the operators should have moved to other locations, given the abundance of options available. It seemed they stayed close to save fuel, as the sites were only a few hundred yards apart.

The boat itself is older and showing signs of wear and tear. Many things were damaged or in need of repair. Given its age, repairs are probably a constant necessity, making it difficult to keep everything in top shape. Our room was small but typical for liveaboards. However, our bed linens were not changed throughout the week, and our towels were only replaced mid-week.

The food on board was plentiful and generally good, though some dishes felt too fancy for a dive boat, such as couscous and unusual soups like spinach and carrot. While some guests seemed to enjoy the meals, we would have preferred more comfort foods like vegetable soup, baked chicken, or turkey and dressing. Thankfully, the menu did shift towards more comforting options towards the end of the week.

The dive area was adequate but not ideal. The camera area was semi-exposed to rain, and the charging station was inconveniently located under the dive table. We opted to use the other charging stations inside instead.

A significant concern was the additional costs at the end of the trip. Even though we knew before hand there were extra charges, each of us incurred around $800 in extra charges for fuel, taxes, park fees, and tips. The purser manually recorded our credit card information, which felt outdated and very insecure. Despite having Skylink-type internet onboard, they don’t use it for online payment processing. Ideally, they should bill everything except tips the week before the trip. Internet access for passengers was not available, even though it could be offered for a fee with limited use for emails.

The crew was adequate but not exceptional. No one stood out as making the trip memorable. We have over 500 dives each and can distinguish excellent dive masters from mediocre ones. Some crew members barely interacted with guests.

We won’t be returning to Turks and Caicos for diving unless the dive sites improve. There are much better places to invest your money.View attachment 844986

We were aboard in July and it was our first liveaboard which made it difficult to evaluate. We felt the food was one of the highlights of the trip. The Chef was AMAZING and the food was delicious. I agree the boat had a few things that could have been better and the end of trip payment process was a little strange.