Liveaboard Pros and Cons

[Papa_Bear]

There are both types and both are sometimes done on one trip! Fiji dive boats and resorts, the Aqua Cat is more diving, but lots of other things to do, Belize Ag III all about diving until you get back to shore and then up to you! I guess that is what I would say IT IS ABOUT YOU!

 

[Papa_Bear]

Who can't see the culture in this?

 

[Tapas bali]

Totally agree with Robint about the dive dive & dive!!!

2nd thing I love about liveaboards is they take you to the site that hardly can be reach from land basis accommodation. That is actually the main reason why people join liveabaords & willing to pay for more.

About everybody's least favorite subject about the liveaboards price, here in Indonesia (not sure about other country) there are some very good operator that provides great diving service but has "budget" rate. It's not really budget because it still more than USD 1500/week but at least they give you more chance to visit these remote & challenging dive sites as you may save USD 500 for one trip that might be equals with your return domestic air tickets rate from your arrival city to the boat's port.

Another alternative to get on Liveaboard for free or with special rate? Bring as many buddy as you can Trust me it works.

 

[johnspierce]

Best thing about Liveaboards:

• Diving a fantastic site sometimes with only 2-3 other people
• Not carrying my gear back and forth to the dive locker
• If I'm not diving, I'm eating or sleeping
• Just being on a boat. I love sleeping while the boat rocks.
• Interacting with the people who work on the boat. They have some amazing stories to tell!
• That occasional dive where *everything* is spot-on. It happens much more often on a Liveaboard
• Good work areas for all my photography stuff. Most day boats just aren't as accommodating.
• The dawn dive
• The sunset dive
• The night dive

Worst thing about Liveaboards:

• I can only afford to do two Liveaboard trips per year

John
(Galapagos in 90 days!!!)

 

[mlee3645]

So I'm relatively new to diving -- 20 dives in about 6 mos -- and my husband and I are thinking about planning a liveaboard trip somewhere. Since we've never done a trip like this, can I get some suggestions on where to go and what to look for in a trip package? We dive mostly in the Keys so I guess we're spoiled with great dive conditions...

 

[Papa_Bear]

Aqua Cat or Belize Aggressor III would be great for fresh divers! Both are very easy and the fish life in Belize is some of the best in the Caribbean! Very relaxed and will spoil you to any other diving! You can visit my site and see both! You didn't say what time of year, but Bahamas is top notch in May/June and Belize is best in Aug/Sept.!

 

[TSandM]

I've only done two, and they were very different kinds of trips. But they were both fabulous.

Best things: Being on a boat. I love boats. I love sleeping on boats. Sleeping on the top deck of the MV Tala, beneath a sky thick with more stars than I had ever seen in my life before, was an amazing experience.

Spending a period of time with other people who understand diving addiction.

No sand, no surf, no tides or currents to worry about (let the captain do that). Exits, on the other hand, can be interesting, depending on the techniques used.

No gear cleaning until the trip's over.

Bad things about liveaboards: EVERYTHING ends up damp. Boats are full of things that eat toes. The only exercise you get is whatever swimming you do when you dive. If you do the night dive, everybody who didn't eats all the dessert before you get back.

Whatever you break or lose, you're out of luck, unless the boat has one. (Unless you're on a boat like our liveaboard in June, with 23 standardized divers, many of whom had brought spares; we even came up with a spare DRY SUIT for somebody who ripped his neck seal!)

Overall, both of mine were fantastic experiences, and I'd be eager to do another one.