Help with first liveaboard Continued :-)

[fishfriend]

Hi,
Thanks so much for all your inputs regarding my questions abt a trip to Thailand ..
I am thinking of maybe looking at a 4 day liveaboard rather than pawara/genesi (since pawara goes to Hin Daen/Muang and Genesis maybe a bit basic?)

Now my choices include Queen Scuba and Mermaid-2 (not the most convenient in terms of schedule) and Black Manta (fits my schedule to a tee). They seemed to be priced similarly ... Any opinions on these choices ...


Further specific questions:
1. Is the upper deck better or lower deck .. Is any cabin better in terms of minimizing sea sickness ... For example this is the layout of Balck Manta .. If you were on it, which double bed cabin (excluding the master cabin) would you choose?
DECK LAYOUT

2. Does anyone have experience with or feedback on vegetarian food in any of these boats ...

3. Will they help you gear up .. Call me a wuss .. If I am going to be doing 4 dives a day I am not looking forward to setting up my gear and suiting up everytime ...

4. what is up with thailand-scuba.com .. why wouldn't they mention the boats name ...
even if I ask them though emails ...

5. Any experience booking with whitemanta.com. Haven't got a reply to my email... Siam dive n sail have been very helpful but their price I think is 50$ more than whitemanta.com

6. I am extremely tempted to wait and snatch a last minute deal. I think Balck manta had a 20% last year for the same time? Any fors and againsts
Any other feedback would be great too ...

7. Phuket land based activity suggestions .. 2 that look appealing to me are Koh Phi Phi day trip and James Bond island ... Am sure am not doing the Fantasea show .. Any scenic palces or wildlife oriented day outings?
Thanks for all your help .. Any other boat recommendation between 15 and 21 Dec 2008 would be great too ...

 

[fishfriend]

Am also finding a boat offered by Moskito diving called M/V Excalibur .. Any feedback on this one .. I am extremely confused ...
Live-aboard Diving on Phi Phi Island: Moskito IDC Dive Center

 

[TJ_Diver]

I have been on the Black Manta several times and can heartily recommend that boat. But to be fair, I haven't been on the other two boats in your query.
I have slept in both upper and lower decks and didn't really notice much difference. The upper deck is a bit more convenient since it is on the same level as the dive platform. Also the upper deck is slightly quieter than the lower deck since it is farther away from the engine room. But the boat is fairly large and seasickness isn't usually a problem.
At every meal there is usually a couple of vegetarian dishes. I'm sure that you if request they would also prepare additional food for you. The food is very good on the boat so I don't think that will be an issue either.
One of the nice things on the boat is that after each dive all you have to do is remove the 1st stage from the cylinder. Between each dive the tanks are filled with your equipment still on, and the first stage replaced. So there is no need to change tanks for the entire trip. You just set up your gear on the first day. Additionally the deck hands are very helpful and will help you put on your fins, etc.
I have never had a problem with booking through whitemanta.com. It has been a quite straight forward process each time that I did it.

 

[stevenl]

4. what is up with thailand-scuba.com .. why wouldn't they mention the boats name ...
even if I ask them though emails ...

Nothing, if somebody asks I will give them names and any other kind of information they would prefer. I just gave you all the names you asked for in an email, and have not received any other emails from you as far as I can tell and recall.

The boats you mention are all good and advisable boats. If you like the schedule of Black Manta better, I would recommend to go with Black Manta. I would prefer a cabin on the main deck there, simply because you will have more light and real windows, plus it will be even quieter. Vegetarian food is no problem at all on any of the boats, they just need to know in advance so the cook can prepare some special dishes.

You will only have to set up your equipment once, after that the gear will stay on the tank and the tank will be filled in between the dives, really easy and comfortable.

Last minutes: yes, it will be 20% price difference, provided there are still cabins available. On the Black Manta last season there were a few trips with last minute offers, but really just a few trips plus there was no choice in cabins on those offers.

Hope this helps.

 

[smartecosse]

whats wrong with the Fantasea show? its great.

anyway apart from that there is loads to do from elephants, to water falls, to gibbon rehab project, the big budhha, cable skiing etc etc. you certainly wont be short on things to do.

personally i would think that a website that didnt have the names of the boats listed were trying to stop me checking out the boat on other sites in case they were more expensive - that is just simply my opinion though. However if they have a good price it shouldnt mean that you not book with them

some other online companies that you may want to look at

Sunrise Divers (post lots of good advice on here)
Phuket Scuba Club (ditto the advice)
Dive The World

 

[Bowmouth]

Imo waiting for a "last minute deal" in December isn't all that great an idea. You very likely will find you'll miss the boat...

 

[fishfriend]

This is the greatest online community ever .. None of my questions have ever gone unanswered ...
smartecosse .. I did realize later that Fantasea is not a bad option after all ..
stevenl ... Thanks for your input ... And not to be bickering ... But this is the reply I got from thailand-scuba when I asked the names of some of the boats I am interested in...

Hi,

What kind of boat are you looking for, what kind of comfort/price class? If I know that, I can give you an informed advice.

Cheers,
Steven

I can't even promise these would be the last batch but I do have a few more questions ...
I am an extreme novice when it comes to liveaboards but I am trying to understand what my money would buy me (We are not necessarily frugal but we certainly don't almost ever pay for extra luxuries) To give you an idea, we have stayed in Filitheyo in Maldives (where you are stuck in the resort you book for food and diving as well)which is mid-priced but in almost all other trips we book clean lowest priced accomodations we find .. We never skimp on the activities we really want to do ...

I am very prone to seasickness in the smaller diveboats in rough conditions or when the boat is slow or standing still. I would like an ensuite bathroom but my husband is trying to talk me out of it

Having said all this .. what would a boat like Black Manta buy me when compared to Dolphin queen from Similan DIve Safaris other than ensuite bathrooms... I know they are two very different classes but they both get good reviews in the classes they serve in terms of dive masters, food and service ...

My heart is set on Black Manta but I do feel a little guilty coughing up close to 3 grand for 4 days.
I know I will be better informed after this trip but right now I have no feel for what we are getting into .. So please bear with me :-(

 

[Zippsy]

I can't answer your latest questions but this may answer some. Before I say anything though, I should say of the boats you mentioned, I have only been on the Black Manta - lots of times. I work on it! The most preferred cabins by returning couples are actually 9 & 10 on the lower deck. They are closest to the engine but they have the most room (other than the master cabin) and no overhead bunk. They are called the honeymoon suites and usually sell out first. The noise difference is minor and the boats don't travel that much at night up there anyway. When it sails from Singapore, it sails all night to Tioman / Anambas and they are still the favorite cabins.

About e-mail replies from White Manta, during the Singapore season (April-October), the owner and his wife manage the operation. They are great people who sometimes are a little slow in replying but eventually you do get a reply. Considering the wife just gave birth to a beautiful little girl at the beginning of the month, they have had a little more trouble than normal answering quickly.

Booking through an agent usually is the same price and there are good people in Thailand that you can book with. Most answer e-mails very quickly and few of them just gave birth.

3 grand? My convert says $2,254 for two people for that trip. Of course once you add in the massages at $15 ($20?) per hour and beers you'd still be spoiling the crew with a $600 tip.

It is very hard to get seasick on that ship but I have seen a few green faces before. Usually it was during a storm but we once had a guy who was sick before we left the dock! It's actually easier to avoid storms in Thailand, compared to the South China Seas, because there are more islands to hide behind up there.

Extra vegs for meals can always be prepared. Tell them in advance for better selection. You'll be missing some good food though! I love their BBQs.

Finally, if you hate gearing up before each dive, feel free to keep your wetsuit on for the whole trip. Just please dry off before getting in bed as the mattresses would get soggy. As everyone says, on most LOBs including the Mantas, the BC and reg stay on the tank throughout the trip. There is a basket below your tank for weight belts, fins, mask, etc. All very convenient.

No matter who you go with, enjoy your trip. You will love diving there. It is a world of difference compared to diving around the US.

 

[Bowmouth]

Finally, if you hate gearing up before each dive, feel free to keep your wetsuit on for the whole trip. Just please dry off before getting in bed as the mattresses would get soggy. ....