good first liveaboard ??

[Darnold9999]

you'll likely sail from Miami, so the airfare and travel times will be much more reasonable than flying to Egypt or Asia. .

Actually from Vancouver Miami is only slightly cheaper than the Philippines and depending on connections it ranges from a couple of hours shorter to a couple of hours longer to get there. There is no direct flight from Vancouver to Miami. There is to Manila, and several other Asia destinations - and the diving is MUCH MUCH better - there is simply no comparison. Roughly 1,000 species of fish in the Caribbean and almost three times that number in the Phillipines = go a bit further south and that number jumps to more than 5 times. And yes I have dived in both places. The only reason IMHO to dive the Caribbean from Vancouver is that you want to dive it before you go to South East Asia - otherwise you will never go back. Personally I will dive in the Caribbean if I am there for some other reason, but I would now never do a trip there just to dive. The cost savings are minimal and the diving is so much better elsewhere. From other places in North America it makes some sense, but from the West Coast, particularly Vancouver which has such good connections to Asia the time involved getting to the Caribbean ad the slight difference in cost does not attract me there any more. The Red Sea is also a good option as tourism is in deep trouble there so boats are cheap, but the flights to Egypt from Vancouver are very long.

 

[KentB]

you guys have seriously opened my eyes!

I will also look into flights from seattle as well as its typically much cheaper than from Vancouver and its only 2.5 ish hours

these guys are gonna be upset they left me in charge!!!

 

[drrich2]

If the Philippines are on your list, you might start researching with the large compilation of info. in the forum section for the ScubaBoard Invasion 2016 Philippines. In their Best Invasion Yet thread (how's that for a recommendation), I asked some practical questions since I've never been that far afield. The answers were useful. Also consider the March 2018 First trip to Philippines thread. I went looking for the because I recall reading in a recent thread about some people staying elsewhere besides an Atlantis resort with cost a factor, and you guys are trying to contain costs.

Richard.

P.S.: Actually, the currently ongoing Philippines recommendations, please, is where I saw people talking about a lower cost option to the Atlantis resort.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I will second @Darnold9999 on the Philippines. It isn’t that off the wall. It’s cheaper for me to fly to SE Asia than it is to the Caribbean and once you land, diving, lodging, and food costs are significantly lower.

I participated in the threads @drrich2 linked you to and Asia Divers/El Galleon is excellent. I will write a trip report soon but basically, I am a liveaboard snob and this resort in Puerto Galera is like the land equivalent of a liveaboard at excellent value, amazing food, and one of the best dive ops I’ve had the privilege of diving with and is concierge diving at its best. Everything is close together and clean with a pier that makes everyone green with envy in Puerto Galera. We got 6 nights in a sea view room (air con!), 4 dives a day with nitrox all week, full board meals with private round trip transfers for $1200. It’s a good option because if your group gets seasick you are not stuck on a boat for a week. Their diving is set up so that you return between dives and sites are only a few minutes away except Verde Island. People can sit out or do all dives as they please.

If you are firm on being on a liveaboard and know for sure seasickness and issues won’t crop up while stuck on a boat for 7 straight days, I recommend Thailand or the Red Sea that is within the budget you stated. You can get 6-7 nights for under $1300-1400 easily that is not camping at sea. Private ensuite bathrooms and air con.

I hope this helps.

PS you won’t want to Dive Caribbean once you’ve been out to Philippines or Indonesia. I haven’t looked back!

 

[KathyV]

You folks on the West Coast are lucky in that it is a little easier for you to get to places like the Philippines. Conversely, it may be easier for me in the Midwest to get to the Caribbean, although people living on the East Coast and Gulf Coast often have the shortest/cheapest trips to the Caribbean - depending on how close you are to a major airport - we are near ORD so that's okay.

Out of curiosity, I searched for flights from Chicago to Manila. The shortest flights I found were 23 hours. I found flights with only 1 stop and a 2.5 hour layover, but that is a brutal amount of time to spend in airports and on economy class flights IMO - and the business class fares were way out of our budget! I once traveled to Seoul, Korea - in business class and it was still a long, hard trip IMO - and that is only partway to the Philippines!

Maybe after we retire, if we are still diving and can afford it, we could plan a trip like that in stages; spending some time vacationing on the West Coast or Hawaii before heading to the Philippines.

In the meantime I can dream! @outofofficebrb tell us about the valet dive services offered at Asia Divers/El Galleon. And I know that there is a bad measles outbreak in parts of the Philippines, do you have to get immunized before travel?

It would have been easier to travel so far when we were younger - but back then it would have been very difficult to afford - but we probably should have done it anyway; so do it while you are young!

The longest dive trip we've taken was to the Red Sea. We traveled to Italy, then Cairo, and then Sharm - and that was a long, hard, and expensive trip - but the diving was wonderful and Egypt is fabulous - so it was worth it.

 

[outofofficebrb]

You folks on the West Coast are lucky in that it is a little easier for you to get to places like the Philippines. Conversely, it may be easier for me in the Midwest to get to the Caribbean, although people living on the East Coast and Gulf Coast often have the shortest/cheapest trips to the Caribbean - depending on how close you are to a major airport - we are near ORD so that's okay.

Out of curiosity, I searched for flights from Chicago to Manila. The shortest flights I found were 23 hours. I found flights with only 1 stop and a 2.5 hour layover, but that is a brutal amount of time to spend in airports and on economy class flights IMO - and the business class fares were way out of our budget! I once traveled to Seoul, Korea - in business class and it was still a long, hard trip IMO - and that is only partway to the Philippines!

Maybe after we retire, if we are still diving and can afford it, we could plan a trip like that in stages; spending some time vacationing on the West Coast or Hawaii before heading to the Philippines.

In the meantime I can dream! @outofofficebrb tell us about the valet dive services offered at Asia Divers/El Galleon. And I know that there is a bad measles outbreak in parts of the Philippines, do you have to get immunized before travel?

It would have been easier to travel so far when we were younger - but back then it would have been very difficult to afford - but we probably should have done it anyway; so do it while you are young!

The longest dive trip we've taken was to the Red Sea. We traveled to Italy, then Cairo, and then Sharm - and that was a long, hard, and expensive trip - but the diving was wonderful and Egypt is fabulous - so it was worth it.

It is definitely not easy traveling. I think I have grown accustomed to it and I have a high tolerance level for Sardine Class aka economy. The reward (excellent diving) makes it all worth it in the end for me. I am working on my trip report for Puerto Galera (still...) and will link you to it as soon as it's finished. I will be sure to include information on what the concierge diving is like.

I register with the State Dept whenever I travel overseas and 2 days before departure, I received an e-mail from them about the measles outbreak. I have my immunization for that already and when we were "on the ground" in the Philippines, we didn't hear a peep about it.

 

[Darnold9999]

Just as a sample Vancouver to Manila October 2018 $439 CAD (cheapest possible flight on Philippines Air - Business class is 2157CAD) 13.5 hour non stop flight. Same dates to Miami $375 and an 8.5 hour flight through Dallas with American Airlines - Business class $1450. You spend $65 more and a longer flight to get much better diving. Not having to deal with US Customs is just a bonus..

 

[Dogbowl]

I hate ppl in Vancouver. The jealousy cannot be stopped.

 

[KentB]

so an update.

we've booked the emperor echo for Jan 2018 and have 12 confirmed divers who have paid deposits!
cant wait!!

 

[Hoag]

so an update.

we've booked the emperor echo for Jan 2018 and have 12 confirmed divers who have paid deposits!
cant wait!!

Congrats! Have a great time and stay safe. Here is a good website to keep an eye on in case things happen to change over there. Here is another good site to go to before you travel to Egypt.