[high budget] Raja Ampat Liveaboard suggestions?

[also_anon_dc]

I'll be on Scubaspa Zen in December 2024. I don't know if it's booked for your time frame but it looks really luxurious. It also has a dhoni like its sister boats in the Maldives and I found dhoni diving to be much better than using RIBs/tenders.

Lux Marine Safari by Scubaspa ZEN Indonesia

www.scubaspa-indonesia.com

 

[outofofficebrb]

I forgot to mention Velocean. You can also look into Gaia Love.

 

[cetacean]

The Arenui is likely the nicest (most luxurious) boat out there. Having done 8 liveaboards in Indonesia, it certainly was the nicest we've experienced. Large room, really good service (rinse all your gear for you, even camera gear if you so choose). Food was good to great...

 

[scorpiofish]

I've been on Raja liveaboards at least 8 or 9 times. You have the list, almost in order. Dive Damai, Arenui, Dewi. Some newer higher-end boats came on the scene after we stopped traveling that far and we stuck with Damai for the sure thing. Coralia should be a good choice. Never experienced the Manta boats, but have a good rep. Coralia began with cruise directors Jerry and Debbie, who used to be on the Arenui. These are super cruise directors who know how to run a dive boat. Another possibility is Gaia Love. It began sailing with a couple as cruise directors formerly with Damai whose names I can't remember (Giel, or Giles was his).

Another tactic is to look and see who has the charters with Damai and Arenui for dates you may want. Then contact them directly. We have done that with good luck, tagging along with some other dive shop trip.

 

[Kendall Raine]

There are 2 of these rooms.

2 on each deck. Four total.

 

[SaltyWombat]

Does anyone have any thoughts on scubaspa zen?

I liked it. It may be the only Raja4 liveaboard which uses a dhoni, which was wonderful.

 

[jackieec]

+1 to Arenui if no budget - I've heard its an incredibly luxe and wonderful experience from many who both dove it and worked in Indo. The only potential "negatives" I've heard whispers about, is the clientele tends to lean quite a bit older. So they basically completely avoid any dive site that would involve moving against the current as some high-action dive sites do.

I really liked ScubaSpa in Maldives. The ship was gorgeous, rooms were very nice, food was excellent! And great dive briefings before every dive. I can't say much about Zen but I do know they require something like a 30-50 min logged dives depending on the route?

 

[Motoman4540]

I did 10 days on the Dewi Nusantara, and it is the lap of luxury. 190ft boat, 16 divers, it is an amazing and gorgeous boat. And if you can get the Master Suite, it is probably the nicest room of any Raja Ampat boat or any boat at all. Truly a spectacular experience and fantastic everything. Highly recommended, and I would go back in a heartbeat! Matter of fact, I may! We will spend 2 weeks in Lembeh Straits (my absolute fav dive spot in the world) and then make our way to Raja Ampat for another week in 2025.

 

[cetacean]

+1 to Arenui if no budget - I've heard its an incredibly luxe and wonderful experience from many who both dove it and worked in Indo. The only potential "negatives" I've heard whispers about, is the clientele tends to lean quite a bit older. So they basically completely avoid any dive site that would involve moving against the current as some high-action dive sites do.

I really liked ScubaSpa in Maldives. The ship was gorgeous, rooms were very nice, food was excellent! And great dive briefings before every dive. I can't say much about Zen but I do know they require something like a 30-50 min logged dives depending on the route?

@jackieec

I did the Arenui with my son last summer, North & South Komodo itinerary. It is a luxurious boat (actually, I would rate it higher than either of the Damai boats - and the crew is some of the best I've dived with in Indo). We happened to join a trip that was mostly booked by a dive shop in Texas - a fairly young crowd... certaintly not "old" by any means. Having said this, given the $, I wouldn't be surprised if it was mostly an older crowd, given that they may be more likely to afford the boat.

We did all the fairly famous high current dives (including Shotgun twice)... so not sure they avoid these by design.

 

[Kendall Raine]

Just finished a nine day cruise on Coralia. Report to follow but could not have been happier. Boat, crew, food all first rate. Think it is every bit as good as Dewi Nusantara and that's saying a lot.