nai'a reviews??

[scuba e]

Been searching for results on the boat Nai'a.We are looking at the 7 day trip in Fiji around June/July.
Any thoughts? Hows the boat, crew, dive op, time of year, etc.?
Any help or advise would be great!
Thanks,
Erik

 

[OnTheSpot]

Hi Erik,

I have had nothing but glowing reviews from Nai'a trips - I would not hesitate to recommend this boat.

Nai'a has both double and twin stateroom en-suite cabins. All are very large, timber-lined, bright, airy, and clean. The vessel is a 36 metre long deluxe motor yacht which goes under sail where possible, cruising around the islands of Fiji over clear blue water; an unforgettable experience in itself.

The crew will do just about anything to make sure your trip is the best it can be. An excellent all round trip.

There is year round diving throughout this region. 20-40 metre visibility and temperatures between 27°C and 29°C can be expected during October to March. Visibility of 30-40 metres and cooler water of between 22°C and 26°C are likely during the April to September period.

The seven day trips in June 2011 feature photography workshops with Paul Humann - there are only a few spots left. There are longer trips available - have a look at a ten day Tonga Whale Watching trip in July with space available. The speed at which this boat gets booked out really says something about its special trips.

The problem maybe that Nai'a will set the bar so high so all liveaboard trips after her could be disappointing.....

 

[parrotheaddiver]

I have been on the Nai'a and I cannot find anything bad to say about the boat or the crew one of the best liveaboards I have ever been on....they have recently remodeled the cabins.....the diving is spectacular.....I went in June as well.. it is their "winter" but the air was warm and the water was around 79-80 degrees have a great time

 

[DevonDiver]

I nearly worked for Rob and Cat on the Naia. I've never spoken with two nicer, or more passionate, divers. They have some very famous 'name' divers use that boat...and I believe that some of the IMAX films were shot from it.

I doubt very much you'll be disappointed. Please just tell us about your experiences when you return!

 

[Hawkwood]

Cool! Nice to hear, we are booked for mid-late March.

 

[Doubler]

From Undercurrent:
Fiji's weather presents a real mixed bag. The choice is often between good visibility and cool water or warm water and calmer seas with less visibility. June through October is the dry season when the water is the clearest, but it's also at its coldest and the winds kick up. Water temperatures can sink into the low 70s during this time of the year, making it necessary to drag out the full wetsuits. November brings a transition period. The water warms up, the winds die down, and the plankton blooms, lowering the visibility. By January and February, the water has warmed back up into the low 80s. The rains pick up and the hurricane season is on (December through March). Counting Tonga and Samoa, the area gets about five cyclones a year. It's a risky time to try to catch good diving weather. Because the winds kick up so much in February and March, some resorts pick these months to close down for repairs. During April and May, the wind, and therefore the seas, become calmer and the water remains warm, but the plankton bloom cuts down on the underwater visibility. Of course, this offers the best odds of seeing large plankton eaters. The best time to go depends on your preferences: warm, calmer, cloudy seas, or clear but cold water.

 

[ekapoo]

I have also been on the Naia and highly recommend it. We went in November 2009 and loved the trip. The Naia was our 5th liveaboard, but by far our favorite... excellent crew, excellent diving. This was our second trip to fiji (first trip was land-based), and we thought the diving off the Naia was superior. I ruptured a disk in my back 1.5 weeks before the trip and almost cancelled. Really glad I didn't. The crew was very accomodating and helpful. The skiff captain would put my equipment in the water for me to slip into so I didn't have to do any back rolls. I was even able to do some of the stronger drift dives by donning my gear in the water ahead of time and just hanging onto the side of the skiff while the skiff captain gently pulled me to the drop off location where the others rolled in. The massage therapist also provided a local treatment from leaves collected during our village visit. I can't say enough great things about the crew and diving on the NAIA and would do the trip again in a heartbeat.

 

[scuba e]

Wow! great reports. Thanks to all.

 

[DSR-3]

I went in June/July 2010 - Nice boat, great diving, excellent & fun crew, good food, etc.
The only negative marks they get from me are;
Engine room exhaust; With the wrong/no wind, walking past the door on the way to/from the dive deck was a "hold your breath" event. 'Feel sorry for the engineers.
2. The compressor had "issues" for a couple days, and we missed ~2 or 3 dives for it. Also the Nitrox was typ ~28% as I recall. However, the entire crew worked extremely hard to make it right, did all they could (and were prepared for "plan B"), and handled it well with guests. The compressor tech was waiting when we returned to port.
Getting there from the US is relatively easy, and I'd go back in a minute- if I didn't have a trip to the Phil's planned for this year. Have fun!
Here are some pic's I took on the trip.
Picasa Web Albums - Eric L - Fiji - Nai'a,...

 

[Shasta_man]

A liveaboard that actually uses its sails?!

The engine rooms on these boats in the middle of the hot humid areas are amazing. I'd be dead of dehydration in ten minutes.