Liveaboards??

[fdog]

We like the liveaboard lifestyle better because there are simply ZERO hassles. We never have to think about where to eat, don't have to wear shoes for the entire trip, gearing up is a matter of putting it on and falling off the boat...no need to break it down, set it up, lug it to and fro.....don't have to rent a car, still have a private room/bathroom that is cleaned daily, oodles of personal service from the crew....etc., etc., etc.<snip>

Exactly!

It is amazing how much it changes your outlook not to have to set up/break down your gear every dive. It makes diving a relaxing thing that you just do. Zero effort. Or don't do, if you want to read a book.

Plus, it's terrible, the way you're greated with a platter of warm brownies as you climb from the water....or the hot-from-the-dryer towel that follows it as you climb out of your wetsuit. Those CIA chefs on the Aggressors sure can cook, too. You can't believe how good the food is. And the vino...and the hot tub...plus your room is just a few steps away.

I thought the Aggressor slogan was total cheeze whiz... "Give us a week, and we'll change the way you think about diving forever"...until I was on one of their boats. Absolutely true.

To the OP: I'll take the 16-passenger size boat, as previously mentioned, they're big enough to get away from others on, and more seaworthy. The more luxury, the better. I'll pay $2000 US for a week, and $3200 US for two, wishing the trips were 10 days long (the sweet spot between been there too long and had to leave too soon).

All the best, James

 

[DiveMaven]

The food on the Nekton boats isn't as fancy as the Aggressor boats, but we didn't have a bad meal all week and didn't notice anyone else skipping any meals!

James is totally right about the hot shower and warm towel after each dive being hard to beat....as well as everything else he said!

 

[Damselfish]

James is totally right about the hot shower and warm towel after each dive being hard to beat...

well, sometimes there's the hot chocolate & Baileys they stick in your hand when you come up from a night dive after they wrap you in that warm town and give a neck massage...

 

[RJP]

well, sometimes there's the hot chocolate & Baileys they stick in your hand when you come up from a night dive after they wrap you in that warm town and give a neck massage...

God, I hate when that happens!

 

[lemurs2]

We did our 1st liveaboard in the Caymans in Aug 06 on the Nekton and I did post a trip report. It is going to be really hard to go back to shore/ boat dives. We really loved the convience of it all. For us it was totally luxuary to not have to deal with a cold water surf of a shore to dive in murky water of San Diego with a lot of weights because of thicker appareal. Yes, I am a warm water baby. Our next trip is on the Baani explorer in the Maldives for Jan 2007. I read a trip report in Undercurrent and it won me over. Yes it is a far place to go but is cheaper to fly to and do a liveaboard then to go to Tahiti or Figi and do a liveaboard.
But when we eventually make it to Madagascar we will do a liveaboard and a land tour to see all the cool flora and fauna

 

[smokey braden]

lemurs2,
i did a liveaboard in the maldives.
it was some of the best diving i've ever done.
the commute however was a little different than to the carribean.
regards,

 

[lemurs2]

Hey Smokey,
We can't wait! Yes, it will be a long haul. We are going on Singapore Airlines which seemed to make the best time. I really want to see some Napolean Wrass and big mantas. Which boat were on? Did you do any night diving?

 

[FredT]

A good livaboard competes well with price/dive of a boat/land based trip. Nekton & Agressor falls into that category. A GREAT liveaboard is significantly better in the $/dive market. The boat I prefer to use gets us close to 7 idves/day on a "normal" charter although I've done considerably more on a trip, closer to 10/day on a purpose driven trip.

BTW even 10/ day is not boring if the ship moves regulary, which is the whole point of a livaboard. 2 weeks of +10/day whupped us all including the crew!

Pampering is not as good as the luxury trips, but the diving's better as the locations are a lot more flexible as are the gate openings. On previous trips we have been the first to drop on several sites when somthing popped on the sounder. The crew just pulled up and we dropped on them in between "planned" dives. If nothing is there the dive is short, but often really neat stuff not normally seen shows up on those sites!

 

[smokey braden]

lemurs 2,
this is the liveaboard i stayed on.
http://www.sultansoftheseas.it/en/infoSMadivaru.php
we saw many napolean wrass.
once we saw about 8 all together in a group.
we also saw large mantas, large turtles and large sharks.
night diving was offered twice during my stay.
i too flew on singapore and they are the best!!!
we dove on this atoll.
http://www.sultansoftheseas.it/en/infoPSuvadiva.php
it's far to the south sitting on the equator.
never saw any resorts or commercial development.
we dove the reef around many uninhabited islands.
all the guest were from europe.
i didn't see another american for two weeks.
i was a good ambassador.
regards,
never saw another american

 

[smokey braden]

lemurs 2,
this is the vessel i stayed on.
http://www.sultansoftheseas.it/en/infoSMadivaru.php
we saw many large napolean wrass.
one time we saw about 8 in a group.
we saw lots of mantas, turtles and sharks.
we dove on this atoll.
http://www.sultansoftheseas.it/en/infoPSuvadiva.php
never saw any resorts or commercial deveopment.
all of the diving was done on the reefs around uninhabited islands.
all of the guest were from europe.
i never saw another american during my trip.
i was a good ambassador.
singapore airlines are the best!!!!
please post a trip report upon your safe return.
regards,