liveaboard opinions.

[terfmop]

Next fall I am considering taking a trip down south. I think I'd like to go on a liveaboard, in order to get in as much diving as possible. I've seen a few advertisements for a few liveaboards such as Blackbeard's, Aggressor, Explorer, Nekton.

What are some of your opinions about your favorite liveaboard trips. How would you rate the specific dive experiences, and then how would you rate the accomodations? Putting the two together, how would you rate the value for your money spent? Did I leave out any other nice liveaboard operations?

I've never been diving in the ocean yet, so I really don't know where the best places to dive are located.....but then again, any place in the ocean would suit me fine.

[CODMAN]

Hi terf, first let me say I've never been on a liveaboard, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But I have been around diving forums for a while, and I'll give you the info I can if it helps.

First, I've heard that the Blackbeard operation is a cattle boat with not too hot accomodations. On the other hand, the aggressor and explorer fleet gets great reviews, but is more expensive. You're going to be on a boat for at least a week, so I'd go for a good one... That's pretty much all I'll say about liveaborads...

If you want to get a lot of diving in, have you ever thought about unlimited diving dive centers? Two come to mind that are great value for your diving dollar. They are in Roatan, Honduras; Fantassy island beach resort and Coco-view resort. Both offer unlimited diving packages, with fantassy island being cheaper and a bit lesser quality (in my oppinion) and Coco-view being better quality but more expensive. Both offer 3- boat dives a day and unlimited shore diving on reefs and a wreck. You can really pack in the dives if you want to at these sites! People easily do 5 dives a day while there.

I was at fantassy island in october 2006 and it's not a luxury resort by my standards... I'm picky... But the diving value was hard to beat (600$ for a week plus 100$ for unlimited Nitrox for that week). And yes, in case you're wondering, the diving was great (I'd go back)! The south side of Roatan is renown for it's macro life and tiny creatures!!!!

Hope this helps you out a bit!

[Damselfish]

You've mentioned all the major ones in the Carribean except Peter Hughes. There's also the Cuan Law, but that's on the higher end and probably wouldn't get you as much diving.

You could be happy with almost any those liveaboards, which one really depends on your budget, need for amenities, and where you'd like to dive, which we have no idea of. (I might not choose the Utila Aggressor which people don't seem to have that high an opinion of. Also, the PH Wind Dancer in Grenada sounds like bit different experience than most of them - possibly lots of currents and lower viz, though also different critters - so might not be a good first Caribbean choice for you. Belize is a great place to do a liveaboard.

Lots of people seem to love Blackbeard's. I wouldn't go on one myself, not interested in that type of accomodation, but it seems to work for lots of folks. I guess the price is right. Besides the "camping at sea" sailboats people usually think of when you say "Blackbeards", they also run the Cat Ppalu and Aquacat, which are not the same style.

[terfmop]

Originally Posted by CODMAN

Hi terf, first let me say I've never been on a liveaboard, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But I have been around diving forums for a while, and I'll give you the info I can if it helps.

First, I've heard that the Blackbeard operation is a cattle boat with not too hot accomodations. On the other hand, the aggressor and explorer fleet gets great reviews, but is more expensive. You're going to be on a boat for at least a week, so I'd go for a good one... That's pretty much all I'll say about liveaborads...

If you want to get a lot of diving in, have you ever thought about unlimited diving dive centers? Two come to mind that are great value for your diving dollar. They are in Roatan, Honduras; Fantassy island beach resort and Coco-view resort. Both offer unlimited diving packages, with fantassy island being cheaper and a bit lesser quality (in my oppinion) and Coco-view being better quality but more expensive. Both offer 3- boat dives a day and unlimited shore diving on reefs and a wreck. You can really pack in the dives if you want to at these sites! People easily do 5 dives a day while there.

I was at fantassy island in october 2006 and it's not a luxury resort by my standards... I'm picky... But the diving value was hard to beat (600$ for a week plus 100$ for unlimited Nitrox for that week). And yes, in case you're wondering, the diving was great (I'd go back)! The south side of Roatan is renown for it's macro life and tiny creatures!!!!

Hope this helps you out a bit!

Thanks, that is some good information to consider. My concern with going to a resort vs. a liveaboard is that I will be traveling by myself and I thought finding a buddy on a liveaboard would be easier than finding one at a resort. The boat dives for the resort would be great, but later in the day when I wanted to get in some shore dives I thought I might have soem difficulty finding a buddy.

[CODMAN]

Finding a buddy for the boat dives will certainly not be a problem (you could just stay with the DM if worst comes to worst). For the shore diving, it might be a bit trickier. You'll need to socialise and get to know people in order to propose a night dive or shore dive. But at places like Cocoview, that shouldn't be a problem. People go there to dive, dive and dive some more... You'd easily find a buddy there I bet...

[FOUNDATIONER]

Hey mon!
Just to qualify this, I have been to Coco View Resort on Roatan 3 times.
You wanna dive your brains out on some of the best reef in the caribe,
go there. period. As far as buddies, (if yer not on the boat) just walk
to your gear locker and say "anybody wanna dive?". Solo there is pretty
cool too, (they treat you like an adult) but its almost impossible, cause
somebody will always want to dive. 24 hours a day. Kit up, plop your face
in the water, follow the chain through the cut in the reef and there's the
Prince Albert, turn left or right to cruise two awesome walls. On the boats
you do 2 sites per day and 2 drop offs where you are dropped on one of
the walls and dive right back to the shore at the resort. Very cool. Its
dive camp. Dive, eat, Dive x2, eat, Divex2, eat, maybe an evening or night dive, sleep. repeat. 80 of my logged dives are on this reef. Loved every minute of it. By the way. The first time I went I also traveled alone. Had
a GREAT time. So the next 2 times I dragged my buddies along. Actually the 3rd time there was no dragging.

[Zenagirl]

I am a huge fan of liveaboard diving, and frankly I'd have no problem doing a liveaboard trip twice a year. As a matter of fact, after spending a week on the Nekton Pilot in Belize a couple of years ago, we booked a 2 week back-to-back trip on the Nekton Pilot in the Bahamas this past summer. We wondered if we'd get tired or bored of the trip, but not once did we feel that way. We had the BEST time and would do it again in a heartbeat.

I think the Nekton boats are a good balance of value vs. cost. The food has always been good to very good (not gourmet), the service on the boat from the crew is top notch, the cabins are large and ensuite (with a full size shower), there's basically unlimited hot water, there's a huge sundeck and salon/dining area to hang out in, the dive deck is easy to dive from, you have diving freedom within the times that the pool is open, etc., etc., etc.

As a single diver, you can either dive with another single on the boat (if there is one), or the crew is always willing and happy to dive with you. If you like the routine of "eat, dive, snack, dive, eat, dive, snack, dive, eat, dive, sleep, repeat" you will love the liveaboard lifestyle. There's just nothing like literally gearing up and falling off the boat 4-5x a day IMO.

Oh yeah, and with the Nekton boats (and most liveaboards), the best part of the dive sites are literally right at the mooring pin. When conditions aren't ideal, you literally never have to get far from the mooring pin to see the good stuff.

Heck, I have our next Nekton trip already planned in my head....just have to wait awhile to actually book it!