Liveaboard from Cairns in July

[glocklt4]

My wife and I are trying to decide which boat to go on for a late June 3-4 day trip. Taka is quite a bit cheaper and we were pretty sold on them, however after reading a report of a fight between the skipper and a chef ruining a trip and a skipper running the boat aground on the reef (CDNN :: Taka's Liveaboard Dive Trip from Hell) , plus some other threads on here with negative things... we are having second thoughts. The additional price for SOF and Mike Ball are significant though.

Edit: We just found out that Mike Ball is completely booked when we are going to be there. Also the cheapest we can do SOF is with the $1995/pp double for their Osprey 4 day. This compares to $1433/pp double ensuite on Taka for a 3 day (technically listed as a 4 day). That's a LOT more for 1 more day of diving and a flight on the outbound trip. Is $560/pp worth it at all for the added benefits of SOF, the flight and the extra day of diving out to Osprey??

And if anyone could expedite their reply that would be helpful as we need to book Taka by 3/31 to get their early bird special if we're going that route.

 

[AndrewK2]

I'll be on TAKA April 22 this year for the 5 day trip, so definitely excited. I'm still a student, so couldn't really justify the extra 1000.00+ for an extra 2 days on either trip. I'll let everyone know how it is - a lot of the reviews I've read are from a few years back, so definitely hoping things have changed

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Hi Glockit4 have PM'd you but for this thread want to let people know that Taka is stil a great trip and AndrewK2 you wil have a great trip.

Rememeberwhen people have bad experiences thay usually write about it more than when they have great ones! Unfortunate but true.

This is why this site is so good and am sure you wil lfind good revires (as well as some bad ones) for all teh trips. Mike Ball, Spirit and Taka have all run up on the Reef at some point. All have had accidents and all have had exceptionally good trips.

Taka is a budget trip and for those looking for great bargains and can affords to chance it, they often offer last minute standby rates the week prior. we post these on our Facebook page as it saves updating the site.

Mike Ball also has some great deals avaialble Cairns Live Aboard Dive Trips With Mike Ball To The Cod Hole And Coral Sea which can be a saving of $500 + on selected trips.

Not sure where you were looking for the SOF prices but it is cheaper here Cairns Live Aboard Dive Trips With Taka To The Cod Hole And Coral Sea

If you dont want the pampering (warm towels after the dive and complimentary glass of wine at dinner etc) then Taka is the go. The flight one leg of the trip and the "extra service" is whay MB and SOF are more expensive., but they all visit the same sites pretty much. Akll go to Osprey, Cod Hole etc.

Drop me a PM if you need specific answers to questions about the 2.


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Cairns Discount Dive And Snorkel Trips. Live Aboard And Day Trips To The Great Barrier Reef

 

[glocklt4]

Thanks for the reply, Aqua. Yes, we never take horrible reviews completely seriously. We decided to go with the longer trip out to Osprey and since the difference in price between Taka and SOF on their Osprey trips was only a couple hundred each. Since SOF has the flight and some other perks we decided that justified the additional.

I didn't see any reduced rates for the end of June when we're there, but I do see your link mentioned Mike Ball is doing a refit right now. I read that SOF was doing one soon too. Do you have any ideas what either are doing during their refit?

I wish we could wait until last minute to book and save a lot of $... already filling up though!

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

Both Mike Ball and SOF doing refits in May which is taditionally the quietest month, so they just dont run. Taka gets all the business!

June is start of Minke Whale season so the boats get packed out quite quickly. Starts getting busier from July onwards so not many speacials around. But you never know... If stays quite they may release some last minute offers. Hard to predict.

 

[chs8084]

Any thoughts as to whether the three day SOF or the 4 day is better? We are planning for 2012 July and can't make a decision.

 

[bracko]

they're completely different trips, so you can't really ask "which one is better"

3 day goes to cod hole and ribbon reef's, 4 day goes to Osprey...

 

[chs8084]

Thanks. We can't afford the whole week and are agonizing over which trip to take, finding it a really hard decision because they are so different.

 

[MA]

Ah but 4 day you still get some time on ribbon reefs and often cod hole too the best of both worlds. I have been out to coral see about 8 times and definitely recommend it! Great viz, 30-40+. Wall dives, 1000 metres. Deep blue below. Sharks.

But northern barrier reef is a great option also.

Ooh I just noticed your timing. July is minke whale season, so northern barrier reef might be better, more chances to see them.

Have fun!

 

[Aquapro Dive Services]

They arent really that different. All the boats visit virtually the same sites, and as mentioned above the longer trip just adds an extra day on to go to Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea. Here you get amazing viz (30m +) and get to see a lot of sharks which come around for the shark feed. This is the first dive at Osprey where you sit in a natural amplitheatre under water at about 12m or so and watch as the crew lower a line of tuna fish frames down to feed the sharks. Great to see and some good photo opportunities here. It is worth the extra day if you can fit it in.

At the end of the day you have to ask your self if you would ever come back here again. Probably not, so make the most of it.

If you need detailed itineraries of the SOF trips see here

Cairns Live Aboard Dive Trips With Spirit Of Freedom To The Cod Hole And Coral Sea
Cairns Live Aboard Dive Trips With Spirit Of Freedom To The Cod Hole And Coral Sea


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Cairns Discount Dive And Snorkel Trips. Live Aboard And Day Trips To The Great Barrier Reef