McGinty
Registered
NAI’A Live Aboard, Fiji. March 29 - April 5
Just off a a seven-day cruise on the NAI’A, Fiji. The NAI’A is an older ship but it is kept in good repair. The crew was quick to resolve and repair small issues such as limited hot water in our cabin sink.
The food was INCREDIBLE! The best I’ve experienced on a live aboard.
Four dives were offered each day, 6:30, 9:30: 12:30, and 14:30. Three additional night dives were planned, but one was cancelled due to rough seas.
The NAI’A has two rigid inflatable dive skiffs. All dives began with a roll off entry. Although I’d been warned, we had no negative entries. Currents were not as swift as I had heard they could be.
With the exception of the Cruise Directors, a couple from Germany and Spain, the entire crew was Fijian. Tips were shared equally among all the crew
The Dive Masters were very good, pointing out some microfauna that we could only identify after examining photos on the ship. As with most dive boats, a dedicated photo room was on the dive deck. Furthermore, no charging of phones, computers, or other electronics were allowed in the cabins, but a large bank of both 110 v and 220 v outlets were available in the dining room.
A special shout out to Cristian, one of the Cruise Directors. I dove double sidemount tanks. ( I consume a lot of air, and was frustrated with 40 minute dives on a single tank AL 80!) I had to bring my own tank bands and set them up. I have sidemount experience, but not extensive And did not want to be “that guy” holding everyone else up on the skiff or in the water. He was extremely helpful in assisting me with the setup on the ship, and after a day or two, I was very comfortable both in the water and on the tenders.
This was my first trip to Fiji and I’d been told it was the soft coral capital of the Pacific. Nevertheless, I was equally impressed with the number and health of the hard corals.
With direct flights to Fiji from LAX and SFO, this is a great alternative for west coast divers that are saddened by conditions in the Caribbean.
Just off a a seven-day cruise on the NAI’A, Fiji. The NAI’A is an older ship but it is kept in good repair. The crew was quick to resolve and repair small issues such as limited hot water in our cabin sink.
The food was INCREDIBLE! The best I’ve experienced on a live aboard.
Four dives were offered each day, 6:30, 9:30: 12:30, and 14:30. Three additional night dives were planned, but one was cancelled due to rough seas.
The NAI’A has two rigid inflatable dive skiffs. All dives began with a roll off entry. Although I’d been warned, we had no negative entries. Currents were not as swift as I had heard they could be.
With the exception of the Cruise Directors, a couple from Germany and Spain, the entire crew was Fijian. Tips were shared equally among all the crew
The Dive Masters were very good, pointing out some microfauna that we could only identify after examining photos on the ship. As with most dive boats, a dedicated photo room was on the dive deck. Furthermore, no charging of phones, computers, or other electronics were allowed in the cabins, but a large bank of both 110 v and 220 v outlets were available in the dining room.
A special shout out to Cristian, one of the Cruise Directors. I dove double sidemount tanks. ( I consume a lot of air, and was frustrated with 40 minute dives on a single tank AL 80!) I had to bring my own tank bands and set them up. I have sidemount experience, but not extensive And did not want to be “that guy” holding everyone else up on the skiff or in the water. He was extremely helpful in assisting me with the setup on the ship, and after a day or two, I was very comfortable both in the water and on the tenders.
This was my first trip to Fiji and I’d been told it was the soft coral capital of the Pacific. Nevertheless, I was equally impressed with the number and health of the hard corals.
With direct flights to Fiji from LAX and SFO, this is a great alternative for west coast divers that are saddened by conditions in the Caribbean.
