Looking for Liveboard advice

[Bento.Box]

Hello,

so I got licensed two years ago, have done over 130 dives in cold and warm waters and I found out that for holidays, Liveaboards are something I really enjoy.

I've done two so far, to the Northern Red Sea and to Komodo, booked as a group charter by one of our local dive shops. However, both times there have been issues with the organisation provided by that shop, as the people organizing/guiding the tour are not travel professionals. The crews of the vessels and the diving guides on the other hand were fine.
In addition, for the North Sea tour I had issues with inexperienced and careless fellow divers who would be pushy at the anchor line during ascend, at the stairs on the boat, blind other people with their lights or just bump or cut off other divers.

So for the next trips, I'm looking to book either directly or through an experienced tour operator. But there seem to be quite a few. Can you help me out and point me in the right direction? Also, which destinations are "must see" around the globe?

I like
- cold and warm water diving
- sports diving (up to 40m / no decompression)
- a spacious and clean diving deck (high priority!)
- cabin with ensuite bathroom/shower and A/C (if hot area)
- professional guides with good briefing
- fellow minded divers who know their way around and are primarily interested in diving

I don't care much for
- other group activities
- party and drinking
- sun deck
- crowded diving sites

 

[rongoodman]

I've done nine trips on the Agressor boats with overall very positive experiences. I just got back from my third visit to Cocos Island, the best dive trip of my life. There are certainly other good boats out there, but I like being able to go to the Aggressor site and put down a deposit on a trip half way around the world, confident that I'll have a good time.

 

[KathyV]

I've done nine trips on the Agressor boats with overall very positive experiences. I just got back from my third visit to Cocos Island, the best dive trip of my life. There are certainly other good boats out there, but I like being able to go to the Aggressor site and put down a deposit on a trip half way around the world, confident that I'll have a good time.

We've done a number of LOB trips over the years, including several Aggressor trips and they are our favorite LOBs. They may not be cheap but they do periodically offer specials and "dive the world" promotions and we have consistently had good experiences with them. I'm sure that there are some folks that have had negative experiences with Aggressor but so far we are okay with the trips we've had.

We once did a Red Sea trip with Aggressor and it was great, no complaints. There are a lot of LOBs working the Red Sea and I frequently read that some of these other boats are cheap and fantastic - and they may well be - but we are happy with the brand that we know and trust.

Posts like the ones by @dianna912 at the link below about their recent Red Sea trip on the Odyssey help to confirm my opinion - at least to my own satisfaction. They had a great time and saw many wonderful things, but qualifying statements like "if you are particular about cleanliness", "Linens were stained and our sheets and cover had a fair amount of hair on them", "tumblers in the bathroom … were dirty and still had hair in them", and "half of the boat suffered cramping and diarrhea at some point" give me cause for concern, but maybe I am just "particular"!

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8708886/

BTW, so far we've only done one trip on Explorer Ventures, but it was great and I think that they are comparable to Aggressor, so I would also be happy to take another one of their cruises and to investigate other LOBs that are similar to Aggressor.

Our very first LOB was a Blackbeard's cruise in the Bahamas many years ago and it was definitely a bargain price "no frills" camping-at-sea vacation, but at least everything was clean, the food was good, and no one got sick from eating the food or drinking the water!

 

[Dan]

Hello,

so I got licensed two years ago, have done over 130 dives in cold and warm waters and I found out that for holidays, Liveaboards are something I really enjoy.

I've done two so far, to the Northern Red Sea and to Komodo, booked as a group charter by one of our local dive shops. However, both times there have been issues with the organisation provided by that shop, as the people organizing/guiding the tour are not travel professionals. The crews of the vessels and the diving guides on the other hand were fine.
In addition, for the North Sea tour I had issues with inexperienced and careless fellow divers who would be pushy at the anchor line during ascend, at the stairs on the boat, blind other people with their lights or just bump or cut off other divers.

So for the next trips, I'm looking to book either directly or through an experienced tour operator. But there seem to be quite a few. Can you help me out and point me in the right direction? Also, which destinations are "must see" around the globe?

I like
- cold and warm water diving
- sports diving (up to 40m / no decompression)
- a spacious and clean diving deck (high priority!)
- cabin with ensuite bathroom/shower and A/C (if hot area)
- professional guides with good briefing
- fellow minded divers who know their way around and are primarily interested in diving

I don't care much for
- other group activities
- party and drinking
- sun deck
- crowded diving sites

That's my kind of diving vacation too. We are still have spots for this trip if you are interested:
Gathering a group for Cocos with Argo on 10-20 September 2020

You may want to reach Tim Yeo of Bluewater Dive Travel | Scuba diving travel agency - Book Liveaboards and Resorts for other diving trips. He set up my upcoming Ring of Fire trip next month and the one to Cocos.

 

[Dan]

If you haven’t been to Raja Ampat, we still have some spots for this trip too:

Raja Ampat 14-25 Jan 2020 with Amira $837 off

 

[Bento.Box]

Thanks guys for your answers!
I'll have a look at the Aggressor offerings.

Also:

That's my kind of diving vacation too. We are still have spots for this trip if you are interested:
Gathering a group for Cocos with Argo on 10-20 September 2020

You may want to reach Tim Yeo of Bluewater Dive Travel | Scuba diving travel agency - Book Liveaboards and Resorts for other diving trips. He set up my upcoming Ring of Fire trip next month and the one to Cocos.

This looks great! Do you know how much the sub costs?

Haven't been to Raja Ampat. It's on my list. As well as Truk Lagoon and Galapagos (have been there a few years ago for a land based adventure).

 

[outofofficebrb]

Hello,

so I got licensed two years ago, have done over 130 dives in cold and warm waters and I found out that for holidays, Liveaboards are something I really enjoy.

I've done two so far, to the Northern Red Sea and to Komodo, booked as a group charter by one of our local dive shops. However, both times there have been issues with the organisation provided by that shop, as the people organizing/guiding the tour are not travel professionals. The crews of the vessels and the diving guides on the other hand were fine.
In addition, for the North Sea tour I had issues with inexperienced and careless fellow divers who would be pushy at the anchor line during ascend, at the stairs on the boat, blind other people with their lights or just bump or cut off other divers.

So for the next trips, I'm looking to book either directly or through an experienced tour operator. But there seem to be quite a few. Can you help me out and point me in the right direction? Also, which destinations are "must see" around the globe?

I like
- cold and warm water diving
- sports diving (up to 40m / no decompression)
- a spacious and clean diving deck (high priority!)
- cabin with ensuite bathroom/shower and A/C (if hot area)
- professional guides with good briefing
- fellow minded divers who know their way around and are primarily interested in diving

I don't care much for
- other group activities
- party and drinking
- sun deck
- crowded diving sites

I am a liveaboard addict and can speak to my experience in noticing the more remote and difficult it is to get to a particular region and/or expensive a particular boat is, the less likely you are to run into the "inexperienced" divers you speak about and will see more of the "fellow minded divers" you describe. Areas that tend to be quite accessible and budget friendly tend to lend itself more to backpackers and budget travelers who are often also travelers that in general do not dive very often or are not as experienced. It is also not usually the "focus" on their trips and diving is an "activity". While I know there are exceptions and not a rule, this is what I have noticed. Usually, a more remote region and higher priced boat has people that are out there for a dive specific trip. They've invested a lot of money and time into it and likely aren't just starting out.

Tubbataha in the Philippines is great. I highly recommend Raja Ampat, also in Indonesia. If you liked Komodo, I think there might be a chance you will like it more.

I also recommend Tim at Bluewater. He is excellent.

I am not a party person, either, for what it's worth. I have not come across any boat that has had "parties" or ragers. Essentially, everyone is too tired after an early wake up, diving, sun, etc. Soon after dinner, everyone starts retiring to their cabins or start winding down. Those that stay up late just stay up to chit chat, look at photos, etc., and don't really disturb the others with their activities.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

i've enjoyed the aggressor trips i have been on as well, although i don't specifically target aggressor. you get the feeling that the crew are more in a 'career with the company' than a 'job/contract on the specific boat'.....although some are on contract for a season though..mainly some of the guides...

personally i only book direct. i like my diveclub, but i'm not paying over the odds so that others can dive free i know it doesn't always happen, but i have never seen a price through a group/agent that hasn't been beaten by direct booking.

if i had a tip, i would say hunt down the boats that have either a specific photography trip focus or some other form of specialist focus. you learn a heap, and its usually only a couple of hundred bucks more than the normal trip...

issue with nothern red sea and komodo is that you started too high, so you can skip the Caribbean i'd do cocos or socorro.

 

[Dan]

Thanks guys for your answers!
I'll have a look at the Aggressor offerings.

Also:



This looks great! Do you know how much the sub costs?

Haven't been to Raja Ampat. It's on my list. As well as Truk Lagoon and Galapagos (have been there a few years ago for a land based adventure).

Sub costs:
$1400 to 300’
$1800 to 1000’

I took the latter. It’s a lifetime experience, might as well splurging a bit

Checkout this YouTube about the sub trip:

 

[ompblus]

Hello,

so I got licensed two years ago, have done over 130 dives in cold and warm waters and I found out that for holidays, Liveaboards are something I really enjoy.

I've done two so far, to the Northern Red Sea and to Komodo, booked as a group charter by one of our local dive shops. However, both times there have been issues with the organisation provided by that shop, as the people organizing/guiding the tour are not travel professionals. The crews of the vessels and the diving guides on the other hand were fine.
In addition, for the North Sea tour I had issues with inexperienced and careless fellow divers who would be pushy at the anchor line during ascend, at the stairs on the boat, blind other people with their lights or just bump or cut off other divers.

So for the next trips, I'm looking to book either directly or through an experienced tour operator. But there seem to be quite a few. Can you help me out and point me in the right direction? Also, which destinations are "must see" around the globe?

I like
- cold and warm water diving
- sports diving (up to 40m / no decompression)
- a spacious and clean diving deck (high priority!)
- cabin with ensuite bathroom/shower and A/C (if hot area)
- professional guides with good briefing
- fellow minded divers who know their way around and are primarily interested in diving

I don't care much for
- other group activities
- party and drinking
- sun deck
- crowded diving sites

Hi,

I understand your frustration. I am an independent PADI Instructor and went through the same problems while travelling alone. Therefore I decided to organize my own trips, with my own group of divers. We all know each others, are all proficient and safe divers, and above all respectful of each others. Everybody is free to do whatever they want, whenever they want, and if you do not feel like joining a eventual proposed activity, you do not have to. Also we're not party animals, we like to relax at night eventually with a drink, watching the pictures of the day or a movie, but again no obligation to join. I do intensive researches before to book a trip, and so far I haven't got any complaints. Also,the advantage compared to a diveshop or a travel professionals is that I do not charge the overhead they do, and which accounts between $400/$800. If you would like to discuss further, please feel free to contact me: ompbl1 at G mail dot com. I believe you could be a great addition to my little group Hope to hear from you soon.