Raja Ampat Liveaboard 2019 help

[outofofficebrb]

I recommend that you get a hotel room for the night BEFORE so that a room is ready for you when you arrive. Unless you like sitting around the lobby for several hours. Swissbel Hotel is OK for a night or two.

- Bill

Good idea. Just be sure to let them know about your very late arrival or your room might be given away early to someone else if they are expecting a no show.

 

[Centrals]

I would not bring any new diver to LoB.
To sit out a dive or two because the conditions aren't suitable for them is utterly demoralizing.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I would not bring any new diver to LoB.
To sit out a dive or two because the conditions aren't suitable for them is utterly demoralizing.

As a new diver, I once sat out a dive. Granted, I was newly certified and it wasn't a liveaboard, but I didn't find it demoralizing at all. I was being realistic with my abilities and at the advice of the crew. I appreciated their honesty and recommendation. I would have hated the dive if I struggled or it was way above my head. To each their own, I suppose. Perhaps it's why I still love diving as much as I do. Had I gone on the dive, maybe I would feel differently about diving now and it may have ruined my experience.

I've been on liveaboards where people sat out dives because they weren't comfortable with it being a night dive or with the depth/conditions. I don't think any of them seemed demoralized. I think if someone goes on a boat and are aware it is a possibility and are still OK with it, it's fine...but back to my original post...Raja is not so beginner friendly in my opinion anyway.

 

[Carlos Diver]

Getting the hotel night before sounds like a solid idea. Its worth the $50 not to have to sit around bored and get some decent sleep. Ill be at the Swiss Bell for the night before the trip and most likely FM7 in Jakarta.

My buddy will not be coming on the trip. He is stuck at work in Nevada all December. He will have to wait for a calmer, land-based trip for his first rodeo.

 

[Carlos Diver]

Looks like I might be out of luck. Both the Mermaid I and the Aggressor went from plenty of shown availability to completely full in the span of a day. Disappointing doesnt begin to describe it. I have some emails out to the companies directly, but looks like a lot of planning and flight searching for nothing.

 

[billt4sf]

Try Blue Manta and liveaboard . com

 

[Dan]

Sorry to hear that. Good ones are usually filled up about 12 months ahead. IMy last trip with Blue Manta I planned 20 months ahead.

 

[Dan]

You may still have a chance on your Plan B, Feb 2020 or if your time is flexible enough, we have last minute cancellation for grab on Raja Ampat 14-25 Jan 2020 with Amira $837 off

 

[Dan]

The way we get a good liveaboard trip is to book the spots as early as we can and figure out the flight later (3-12 months before the trip date), not the other way around.

 

[Wingy]

Boat recommendations - Tambora or Pindito.