Just Returned from Another Coz Trip, Looking for New Dive Destinations

[tmassey]

I bet she can be talked into it

That sounds like a *singularly* terrible idea.

If you don't like the boat aspects of a cruise, you will *hate* a liveaboard. Liveaboards have minimal amenities compared to the *tiniest* cruise ship. Most rooms and bathrooms make even a tiny cruise ship's rooms seem big and fancy. No room service. One mealtime per meal, one dining room, one non-dining room (which tends to be filled with bits and pieces of scuba gear, cameras, things charging, people talking about the last dive or planning the next one), usually a couple of places outdoors to hang out, but not a lot to actually *do* in those places -- no pool, no hot tub, no waterside bar, no strolling buffet, etc. No (singing and dancing and drinking) lounges, no non-diving entertainment options. If you walked slowly, it wouldn't take you five minutes to walk around each and every level available to you as a passenger.

If you're focused on 4+ dives a day, you wouldn't have time to use anything else, anyway, so who cares? But if you're done after 2, that's a lot of time to fill on a boat not designed to give you alternatives. If being out on a boat is not itself enough entertainment, the liveaboard dive boat isn't going to change that much.

And the link that was provided is clearly the most awesome liveaboard I've ever seen. And it's a *fraction* of the entertainment that you'd get from Monarch of the Seas -- which is itself so "boring" in today's cruise world that it went from the world's largest cruise ship in 1991 to being retired from Royal Caribbean in 2013. (For example, the ScubaSpa has *a* restaurant... Monarch had 6. Symphony of the Seas has 20.)

Don't try talking your wife into that, if a non-diving *cruise* ship left her wanting.

But sadly, from everything that I've heard, the diving available from shore in Egypt -- even Sharm, which is the best, is under a *great* deal of pressure. Even the places that can be gotten to by a dayboat are pretty worn. That's the advantage of a liveaboard -- you get to areas that are less heavily used.

 

[robint]

Just my point.... liveaboards give you the best diving, but they are for people who want to do nothing but dive, eat, dive, eat, dive, sleep repeat. There is zero to do onboard a liveaboard boat...they are just floating bedrooms that take you to the reef. If you want more than that.. skip them. Too much $$$.

 

[drrich2]

My wife and I didn't really enjoy the cruise we took and we had a decent size balcony cabin, so she feels there is no way she would be comfortable on a smaller liveaboard.

As a cruise lover part of this is just me being nosy, but I figure knowing what you guys didn't like about a cruise might inform what other experiences you may not like.

Most of our cruises were on Royal Caribbean ships, huge, huger and enormous. Unless you deliberately went to an exterior area with an outside view, it'd be easier to not know you're on a boat (trust me; trying to explain it to our little girl was a hassle!). I don't consider a ship the size of a skyscraper with the amenities of at least one large land resort and the feel of a small city to be confining.

So, what put you guys off cruising?

 

[mcohen1021]

So, what put you guys off cruising?

I have never been on a cruise and probably never will. There’s been too many bad incidents from people jumping to their deaths, fires, sewage free flowing, engine/electical failures and TBH its only a matter of time before there’s a domestic terrorism incident. Too many people, I never go on vacation to be entertained, I go to unwind. My guess is buffet food unless its dinner. Buffet food is gross unless I am 1st in line lol. I guess I have never and will never go on one because it’s not my style.

 

[Guitarcrazy]

We were on a 7 day cruise that stopped in Jamaica, Cayman Islands, and Cozumel. This was before we started diving and we had never been to any of the ports previously. I am a pilot by trade and we travel all around the world, but prior to diving we never went to the Caribbean much.

The boat was nice, food was pretty good, and shows were much better quality than I expected. What didn’t we like? The room was small and cramped, even with a balcony room. There was always a huge mass of people at mealtimes, standing in lines, and general aggravation as people pushed and shoved to get their food. Sit down dinners were good, but other meals were not very enjoyable.

The biggest issue was being tied to the schedule of 5000 other people. Everyone asked which port we liked best. The honest answer was I had no idea. Every port felt exactly the same. Same excursions, same shops, and no real chance to actually experience the country during an 8 hour port call. When we went back to Cozumel to dive I was so amazed at how much different and better it was to actually spend some time there on our own schedule. We just don’t like the rigid nature of the cruise schedule. We have talked about maybe doing a smaller cruise, like a Viking cruise where you get more time in the countries and have excellent guides, but I am still reluctant to be tied to everyone else’s schedule.

 

[Big Tank 58]

I’m looking into little corn island for our next adventure....check it out.

Where do you fly into?

 

[DandyDon]

Where do you fly into?

It doesn't look easy or cheap.

(1)

(2) The simple and fastest way to get to Little Corn Island is to fly La Costena, Nicaragua's regional airline direct to Big Corn Island. Travel tip: Calling (011 505 2298 5360) La Costena to secure your Managua to Big Corn Island plane reservations may be the easiest way to get your tickets. Little Corn Island | How to Get to Little Corn Island Beach and Bungalow | Little Corn Island Beach & Ocean Front Boutique Hotel Resort Eco Lodge Cabins Bungalows & Restaurant

 

[flyboy08]

Where do you fly into?

Big Corn from the mainland, then a boat to little Corn...then wheel barrel your luggage to your resort

 

[chillyinCanada]

And I wasn’t even referring to any of the wreck dives. Personally, I find wrecks boring. What I am referring to are the big animals at the brothers islands in the blue water… and the soft corals were amazing… But like I said, once back to where dayboats were around, the diving quality plummeted.



I keep debating Bonaire and I keep killing the idea of it. The sound of purely shore diving just seems to make it more effort than I want to put into it.

Did you dive Ras Mohamed?

(I don't like wrecks either but you and I seem to be in the minority)

 

[chillyinCanada]

Sounds like you didn't do your research and visited with false expectations. Or is this hearsay?

Sabang Beach isn't rocky and everyone goes barefoot but definitely a "working" beach for boats not meant for sunbathing. A few miles away ScandiDivers or LaLaguna resorts have big sandy beaches. No "valet" diving but the DMs will carry the gear to boat. You typically wade to the boat and climb a ladder. Asia Divers at El Galleon if you want a pier. I found the town no uglier than downtown San Miguel or PDC. And definitely "exotic". The poorest viz we had in 10 days was 60'. It's not and never has been advertized as 100'+ Caribbean viz but the marine life was about 5x more abundant in both quantity and diversity as Cozumel. And definitely "exotic".

Below are three videos I made of my visit there. The opening clip of #1 is walking the ugly streets.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Your videos will not play for me. A clip shows then black screen with music. All 3 are like that.