Turks & Caicos- Aggressor or Explorer?

[BTravlin]

you know, a couple of years ago someone over on the scubadiving.com website did these two liveaboards back-to-back and wrote a trip report.
robint

Good suggestion. I went and looked for that report but had no luck. I think that site was totally revamped awhile back and it appears as if they lost a lot of their archives.

 

[BTravlin]

I was on the Caribbean Explorer I last spring in the southern Bahamas. I will say that I was extremely impressed with the quality of the service there. There was a couple on our boat that had tried to go with Explorer Ventures the year before & the boat was not able o go out that trip due to mechanical issues. The company put the passengers up in a 5 star all inclusive resort for 7 days & saw to it that they were at the top of the resort's list to go on all the diving trip available. They were also given a 1/2 off voucher for their next trip with the company. Even though they didn't get to dive as much; to me, in light of the situation, that's the way to treat your customers right. I have nothing but good things to say about Explorer Ventures.

Almost makes me wish for the same kind of mishap on my trip!

 

[BTravlin]

A few years ago, my wife and I spent a week diving with Fifi (Caicos Adventures). We were picked up each morning at our condo and then did two dives aday and the 3 tank day (thurs?).
Every day we could see the Aggressor and the Explorer because they were at West Caicos or French Caye...Sand spit. I have been on liveaboards ie the Cayman Agg., Australias "Diversity" and in PNG the StarDancer and love liveaboard diving. One reason to go on a liveaboard is the ability to dive often with easy access all the time. Another reason is to go to remote areas that day boats don't go to. I felt that we were at the same sites as the liveaboards all week, I'm not sure I would choose a liveaboard in this area other than having two more dives aday than we had from a land-based op., which is a really good reason, and then again I've experienced the same feeling while staying at Little Cayman. Now, if you went to South Caicos, Grand Turk and West Caicos and NorthWest point off Provo on the liveaboard trip there would be no question that a liveaboard would be the way to go!

From what I've read I think they do vary their itineraries depending upon the weather and seas. This will be our second liveaboard trip, first was the Cuan Law in the BVI, and we too like the idea of going to remote sites that most land based ops can't get to but our main priority is just maximum number of good dives with the least amount of hassle. Thanks and great pics!

 

[BTravlin]

I did the T&C Aggressor in June 06 and doing the T&C Explorer in November. I'll let you know how things go.

We'll be anxiously awaiting your report especially concerning the difference in pricing. I know the Aggressor includes round trip airport transfers but that might only cover $80 total of the $400 per person difference. Can their food be that much better? They also both seem to have roughly the same surcharges.

Have a great trip!

 

[BurBunny]

Good suggestion. I went and looked for that report but had no luck. I think that site was totally revamped awhile back and it appears as if they lost a lot of their archives.

I remember that report from around September, 2005. It was also posted at Digital Diver and can be found here: Aggressor vs. Explorer Turks & Caicos by Barbwire.

 

[robint]

ah yes, that's the report I was thinking of!! But now rereading it, I think there was a difference other than getting to and from the boat. Also, it was before I had done a liveaboard (Nekton June 06) and I now have a different persective! :blinking:
Too bad the Nekton doesn't do T&C since it sounds like our experience with them was 100% better than either boat.

robin

 

[amascuba]

We'll be anxiously awaiting your report especially concerning the difference in pricing. I know the Aggressor includes round trip airport transfers but that might only cover $80 total of the $400 per person difference. Can their food be that much better? They also both seem to have roughly the same surcharges.

Have a great trip!

I'm paying roughly the same price for the Explorer that I paid for the Aggressor.

Basically

$1500 for the boat (prices do vary depending on the room you choose though. I'm a single bachelor on a budget however ... so I choose the cheap room )
$750 for round trip air
$150 unlimited nitrox
then the 'hotel tax', fuel surcharge, and crew tip.

It's all within a $100 difference.

The boats are laid out differently, so that might make somewhat of a difference, but how much time do you really spend in your room? The only time I was in my room during the entire trip last year was to sleep. Other than that I was on the deck or in the water the entire time. The crew could make a difference. The crew that we had on the aggressor were excellent, very friendly, and were very knowledgeable of the dive sites. The ship captain was also very good with reading the water conditions, tides, and currents. We got to dive on a site called the "West Sand Spit" that is past the French Cay. The captain said that they usually only get to dive the site about 5 times a year because the tides and currents have to be favorable. Basically the site is a tiny spit that is only visible during low tide and usually has strong currents and the visibility is usually shot. It was a very pristine dive site. They also took it a step farther by giving us a CD of pictures from the week. That was an added perk.

I can't speak to the explorer crew yet. I'll tell you in a month!

 

[BTravlin]

I remember that report from around September, 2005. It was also posted at Digital Diver and can be found here: Aggressor vs. Explorer Turks & Caicos by Barbwire.

Thanks for digging that up. You have quite the memory!

 

[BurBunny]

The crew that we had on the aggressor were excellent, very friendly, and were very knowledgeable of the dive sites. The ship captain was also very good with reading the water conditions, tides, and currents. We got to dive on a site called the "West Sand Spit" that is past the French Cay. The captain said that they usually only get to dive the site about 5 times a year because the tides and currents have to be favorable. Basically the site is a tiny spit that is only visible during low tide and usually has strong currents and the visibility is usually shot. It was a very pristine dive site.

I have to agree with you on the crew. Piers is an exceptional captain (and character) and he sets the tone for the entire crew. But I wonder how many times he uses that line about West Sand Spit? Unless we were also lucky, we got to dive that too in August, 2005. But it is pristine, with some heavy currents.

Thanks for digging that up. You have quite the memory!

My pleasure! I knew when about it was and could do a quick search for it. Hope it helps!

ah yes, that's the report I was thinking of!! But now rereading it, I think there was a difference other than getting to and from the boat. Also, it was before I had done a liveaboard (Nekton June 06) and I now have a different persective! :blinking:
Too bad the Nekton doesn't do T&C since it sounds like our experience with them was 100% better than either boat.

robin

Robin - your first is always your best But then again, with diving, your last is always your favorite, too.

 

[tvictory]

From the sound of things, it looks as if both boats go to many of the same dive sites. Were people on one liveaboard running into groups from the other liveaboard or the land based ops underwater?

They co-ordinate with each other so as to not have everybody on the same site at the same time. We were on Explorer one time when the Aggressor slipped its anchor with its divers in the water, and the Explorer sent its dinghy and crew to help retrieve Aggressor divers.