Try this liveaboard out of Nassau. You will not be disappointed, and the crew and diving is first class.
Scuba Diving Lost Island Voyages
Bigmac
Scuba Diving Lost Island Voyages
Bigmac
Need help finding website or liveaboards available for 100% private charter.
- Thread starter evilclown
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OP
evilclown
Contributor
First off thanks for all the help.
Most of the yachts i found thru the suggested websites state:
"Yacht offers Rendezvous diving only"
Can someone help me with what that usually means?
Thanks
Most of the yachts i found thru the suggested websites state:
"Yacht offers Rendezvous diving only"
Can someone help me with what that usually means?
Thanks
Damselfish
Contributor
Rendezvous diving is when you arrange to have a dive op's boat come pick you up from your boat. As opposed to the yacht having tanks on board and diving directly from it.
OP
evilclown
Contributor
thanks!
is this normal practice amongst dive op's in the carribean???
Seems like it kinda defeats the purpose of a private charter. Stop whenever and wherever you want and dive with a small group. If you have to tag along with a dive op then i guess it's just business as usual.
thanks.
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It seems to be in the BVI's. Probably due to the large concentration of charter sailing yachts in the area.
Often you moor at the divesite and they meet you there.
Here's a better explanation than I can provide:
Rendezvous Diving | Dive BVI
Often you moor at the divesite and they meet you there.
Here's a better explanation than I can provide:
Rendezvous Diving | Dive BVI
Damselfish
Contributor
It's normal for dive ops to do this where there people on boats that want to use their service. They're just getting business by filling a need. Charter services are not dive ops.
The purpose of a private yacht charter isn't necessarily diving - probably the majority of people who charter yachts aren't interested in diving, or if they are may be perfectly happy with meeting up with a dive op for a few. If you want the whenever and wherever on your own thing, you need to either find an actual liveaboard that is available and the right size for your group, or one of the yachts set up for that (meaning they have the equipment and knowledge to do a decent job of it.)
TheUWPhotographer.com
Guest
Having done it both ways, I would not recommend the rendezvous diving if this is intended to be a family dive trip. All dive live-aboards would be happy to give you the whole boat if its available. There is a huge advantage to dive live-aboards vs charter yachts + dive op in that you can dive any time, any place you want. You'll have a dive crew, compressors, NITROX, rental and/or backup gear on board, at your beckon call without having to make arrangements or appointments for pickup. Its just waaay more convenient and much less hassle. Not to say a charter yacht couldn't have all this, but I personally like things more cushy than having to rendezvous.
A lot of people have recommended the BVIs, which I would too. Easy to get to, easy diving, outstanding cruising and sailing, and gorgeous topside scenery. Also great for families. The diving is not as good as many areas in the Pacific or Indonesia, but its a heck of a lot easier to get to, even from LA. I'm in OC and fly through San Juan, PR to Tortola. It's usually a red-eye and I'm there, usually tattered, the next day.
If comfort is important, Cuan Law is a great boat for what your asking. Not cheap, but worth every penny. They have 10 staterooms (hope you've got a big family) that can accommodate two people in each. By the way, I'm up for adoption if you need another daughter/personal photo-pro/tour guide. The food on Cuan Law is the best food I've had on any boat or at any resort world-wide. Number one, numero uno. The best.
Another family destinations you might like is Fiji. Only 10.5 hours non-stop from LAX on Air Pacific and you're in paradise. Boats like Nai'a are very popular so they are booked far in advance, but there are boats like Sere Ni Wai (now marketed by the Dancer Fleet) that is a small and very nice boat.
The Red Sea I have not been to yet, but its dropping further and further down my list as many friends come back with complaints of the northern areas being way too crowded, too polluted and no fish. I am considering the deep south. Boats there are amazing by most live-aboard standards and are not too expensive.
You might consider the diving skill level of your family before you make a decision. Not every destination offers easy diving and not all the easy destinations offer great diving. Perhaps your group is advanced enough to tackle some of the more challenging destinations, and then you can add Palau, Truk, Papua New Guinea, Raja Ampat, Komodo, Galapagos, or Socorro to the list. All these destinations can have ripping currents certain times of the year and might not be good if your family doesn't have a lot of experience.
Hope this helps.
Bonnie
A lot of people have recommended the BVIs, which I would too. Easy to get to, easy diving, outstanding cruising and sailing, and gorgeous topside scenery. Also great for families. The diving is not as good as many areas in the Pacific or Indonesia, but its a heck of a lot easier to get to, even from LA. I'm in OC and fly through San Juan, PR to Tortola. It's usually a red-eye and I'm there, usually tattered, the next day.
If comfort is important, Cuan Law is a great boat for what your asking. Not cheap, but worth every penny. They have 10 staterooms (hope you've got a big family) that can accommodate two people in each. By the way, I'm up for adoption if you need another daughter/personal photo-pro/tour guide. The food on Cuan Law is the best food I've had on any boat or at any resort world-wide. Number one, numero uno. The best.
Another family destinations you might like is Fiji. Only 10.5 hours non-stop from LAX on Air Pacific and you're in paradise. Boats like Nai'a are very popular so they are booked far in advance, but there are boats like Sere Ni Wai (now marketed by the Dancer Fleet) that is a small and very nice boat.
The Red Sea I have not been to yet, but its dropping further and further down my list as many friends come back with complaints of the northern areas being way too crowded, too polluted and no fish. I am considering the deep south. Boats there are amazing by most live-aboard standards and are not too expensive.
You might consider the diving skill level of your family before you make a decision. Not every destination offers easy diving and not all the easy destinations offer great diving. Perhaps your group is advanced enough to tackle some of the more challenging destinations, and then you can add Palau, Truk, Papua New Guinea, Raja Ampat, Komodo, Galapagos, or Socorro to the list. All these destinations can have ripping currents certain times of the year and might not be good if your family doesn't have a lot of experience.
Hope this helps.
Bonnie
How many people are we talking about? We have looked into going back to the BVI, and Virgin Islands Sailing has sent us brochures on several boats that include compressors and diving in their packages. But they accomodate no more than 8 people.
Doubler
Contributor
There are crewed catamarans in BVI that have compressors and DM as crew. They usually offer 2 to 4 dives a week. You could charter the entire Utila Aggressor, a brand new boat, with complete crew, DM, Instructors, Photographer, gear, Nitrox and 5 dives a day. If money is no object I know how I would go.
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Depending on the size of your family, I don't think I'd charter any of the existing dive specific liveaboards. I've been on a couple of them and they make compromises in quality/size of rooms to accommodate more paying pax at $2-3K per trip.
We were on the T/C Explorer. The purser told me that one of the Microsoft guys chartered the whole boat once. It has two "premium" cabins upstairs and 9 small ones 1-2 decks below. He stayed upstairs and the rest of the boat was mostly empty.
The lounge/dining are etc. - while adequate - is certainly not as upscale as you would get for similar - or likely less - money by chartering a privately owned yacht since the LOB company has to charge enough to cover the revenue lost by 20+ guests the week you have their boat. Also unless you're planning for a long time in the future, I wonder how they deal with existing reservations by other guests. Several people on our boat book the same trip every year.
Also most seem to be somewhat limited to what moorings they use - partly due to size/weight of the vessel. The locals don't like it when a big boat like an Explorer rips a mooring off the reef. (happened on two different trips - once)
I wonder if a smaller (60-70'?) privately chartered yacht has more flexibility in where they can go. Shallower draft notwithstanding - I've been to some marinas where a 60-70' has trouble maneuvering - much less the 100+ Explorer/Aggressors.
Cuan Law might be the exception - from what I understand it has a big central area with all the cabins off of it. But again it's not really luxurious as they're trying to hit a price point.
We were on the T/C Explorer. The purser told me that one of the Microsoft guys chartered the whole boat once. It has two "premium" cabins upstairs and 9 small ones 1-2 decks below. He stayed upstairs and the rest of the boat was mostly empty.
The lounge/dining are etc. - while adequate - is certainly not as upscale as you would get for similar - or likely less - money by chartering a privately owned yacht since the LOB company has to charge enough to cover the revenue lost by 20+ guests the week you have their boat. Also unless you're planning for a long time in the future, I wonder how they deal with existing reservations by other guests. Several people on our boat book the same trip every year.
Also most seem to be somewhat limited to what moorings they use - partly due to size/weight of the vessel. The locals don't like it when a big boat like an Explorer rips a mooring off the reef. (happened on two different trips - once)
I wonder if a smaller (60-70'?) privately chartered yacht has more flexibility in where they can go. Shallower draft notwithstanding - I've been to some marinas where a 60-70' has trouble maneuvering - much less the 100+ Explorer/Aggressors.
Cuan Law might be the exception - from what I understand it has a big central area with all the cabins off of it. But again it's not really luxurious as they're trying to hit a price point.
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