Most Lux And Best Boat

[jakubson]

need to arrange a group trip on there, take over the whole boat so we can control the dive schedule!

Now you're talking!

 

[mike_s]

I thought that was Greg Norman's (the golfer) boat(yacht?)

You are correct. That 'was' Greg Normans boat. Though he owned the
yatch, it was also available for charter. But it also holds 59.000 gallons
of diesel fuel, so bring your Mastercard.

See http://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/megayachts/0304aussierules/index.html

The reason I said 'was" is that it was sold.

See Boat 47 at http://powerandmotoryacht.com/megayachts/0805top100/index5.html

47. FLORIDIAN 228'0"
H. Wayne Huizinga, the owner of the Miami Dolphins football team and the Florida Panthers hockey team, purchased Greg Norman’s former yacht (then-named Aussie Rules) last year and shortly thereafter had a refit done. Work focused on adding a helipad and extra guest accommodations. Untouched was the great swim-up bar on the sundeck.
Y: 2003; B: Oceanfast, Australia; N: Builder/Sam Sorgiovanni; H: Aluminum; E: 2/1,492-hp Caterpillars

 

[Tom Winters]

Greg Norman didn't actually have to buy the yacht. The company built it on spec and made it available to him as a marketing cachet hpoing to attract more orders.
Even in bulk, filling those tanks with 59,000 gallons of fuel would kill me. The boat seems a little small for H. Wayne. I guess he can always use it for a tender for his main boat. Not bad though for a guy who started in the garbage business with one truck in Broward county.

 

[Tom Winters]

need to arrange a group trip on there, take over the whole boat so we can control the dive schedule!

This is actually getting more and more common on the regular liveaboards. Twice now I have run into people who were prepping for charters where they knew everyone on the boat. Seems like a cool way to do some heavy diving.

 

[tfung]

Was wondering if anyone had updates to this thread... Is the Four Seasons Explorer still the best in terms of luxury for a liveaboard? Any other operators in the world offering similar level of accomodations, etc?

 

[The_Daddy]

I might be wrong, but Four Seasons Explorer (they should have complete the work to make operative a second one, even better then this, always in Maldives) is not exactly a liveabord boat... it's more a cruising option in maldives that frequently guests combine with a stay in one of the two Four Seasons resorts there. Diving is just an optional as it is the spa..... Diving it is not the main finalities of the boat and their guests.
I woudn't be surprised to be on the boat at full occupancy and ending up to be the only diver.

 

[TSandM]

Not a "liveaboard", per se, but the Paul Gauguin is a pretty amazing boat to do a cruise and diving from. They have a compressor and RIBs, and their own dive staff, and if there aren't too many divers on board, you dive with them; if, as with our trip, there are 50 or so divers on board, they farm you out to the local dive ops (which were generally fine). The boat itself is incredibly luxurious and EVERYTHING is included in the price (except premium wines). Food is excellent, and service is fabulous. Unfortunately, I wasn't blown away by the diving in the South Pacific