Live aboards?

[Athena2c]

Just did my first week long liveaboard in the Bahamas in January and it was great! I wouldn't do them exclusively, but we will definately add more to our travel plans.

[cutter77]

We generally get the "best of both worlds", arriving one or two days early for a liveaboard trip and taking in the local color/culture. Plus, we don't have to worry about missing the boat's departure because of late connections.

We're not party types so we would rather be doing afternoon and night dives than drinking or partying. And we enjoy the 3-5 dives per day option on liveaboards (plus it's great not to have to lug gear or try to find a good/different place to eat every day.)

[chinacat46]

I'm a huge fan of liveaboards but there not for everyone. If you want to dive and don't want much else from your vacation then liveaboards are the way to go. Or you could arrive early as suggested above and do some land based stuff beforehand. To me the advantages outweight the drawbacks.

Pros:
1. Pristine dive sites.
Liveaboards can travel to sites beyond the reach of day boats.

2. More dives.
Usually 4 or 5 a day although depending on the resort and how
energetic you want to be you could do this land based. It's just much
easier to do more dives on a liveaboard.

3. Gear
Normally on a liveaboard you set your gear up once and the crew wash
it down each night(via hose). No lugging gear around or having to
change tanks, etc...

4. Space to strecth out on surface intervals.
Between dives there are usually snacks or you can catch a snooze
tween dives either on the sun deck or your room or just relax in the
lounge. Most day boats are cramped and you definitely don't have a
room to go to if you want to get away from it all.

Cons:
1. Confined space.
While you might have a room it's definitely not as big as a resort room
and if you don't get along with some of the other passengers it can
really seem small.

2. Seasickness.
If you are prone to seasickness and the weather turns bad there is no
escape.

3. Food
Most liveaboards have very good food but I've been on a few where it
was just bad. Nothing you can do there aren't any other restaurants.

These are just a few of the pros & cons but if diving is your main objective you will get a lot more bang for your buck going on a liveaboard.

[Travelnsj]

Originally Posted by chinacat46

Cons:
1. Confined space.
While you might have a room it's definitely not as big as a resort room
and if you don't get along with some of the other passengers it can
really seem small.

2. Seasickness.
If you are prone to seasickness and the weather turns bad there is no
escape.

Those are the two reasons why I do not care for them....especially #2....give me solid ground

[scubasamurai]

heck doing my first liveaboard to belize heard nothing but good reviews, but about the cabins, your diving and your sleeping. i did ask for the v=blonde supermodel for a room mate, but was denied!!! i looked at blackbeards and when i saw the "room" i would be sleeping in was a curtin pull away fromt he galley, i said no way!! i need a door and private head at least!!!! agressor has that so we will see how it goes. look for my post late may under trips

[Aussie]

Originally Posted by chinacat46

I'm a huge fan of liveaboards but there not for everyone. If you want to dive and don't want much else from your vacation then liveaboards are the way to go. Or you could arrive early as suggested above and do some land based stuff beforehand. To me the advantages outweight the drawbacks.

Pros:
1. Pristine dive sites.
Liveaboards can travel to sites beyond the reach of day boats.

2. More dives.
Usually 4 or 5 a day although depending on the resort and how
energetic you want to be you could do this land based. It's just much
easier to do more dives on a liveaboard.

3. Gear
Normally on a liveaboard you set your gear up once and the crew wash
it down each night(via hose). No lugging gear around or having to
change tanks, etc...

4. Space to strecth out on surface intervals.
Between dives there are usually snacks or you can catch a snooze
tween dives either on the sun deck or your room or just relax in the
lounge. Most day boats are cramped and you definitely don't have a
room to go to if you want to get away from it all.

Cons:
1. Confined space.
While you might have a room it's definitely not as big as a resort room
and if you don't get along with some of the other passengers it can
really seem small.

2. Seasickness.
If you are prone to seasickness and the weather turns bad there is no
escape.

3. Food
Most liveaboards have very good food but I've been on a few where it
was just bad. Nothing you can do there aren't any other restaurants.

These are just a few of the pros & cons but if diving is your main objective you will get a lot more bang for your buck going on a liveaboard.

I agree here with Chinacat,

It must be noted that some locations can only be dived from a Liveaboard as the dive sites are too far away for any day boat (example Coral Sea off the GBR). This means you have pristine dive sites with less damage and less crowds. I even had dives on locations were no one else has dived before.

My favourite liveaboard is the Spirit of Freedom (Scuba Gear and Scuba Diving Equipment - Discount dive gear (Cheap online!)) which goes from Cairns, Australia through the GBR and then out the Coral Sea. I normally go evey year and I will be heading off in 3 weeks of 7 day trip. I like the idea of diving eating sleeping and doing 5 dives a day with no time limit is also another feature I enjoy. You basically wake up and go diving, eat, rest, dive, lunch, rest, dive, eat, dive, dinner, dive, sleep.

You also met alot of interesting people from all over the world and you get people from all walks of life and all levels of dive experience.

I never had problems with the food on the liveaboards that I have been on. The food was excellent and always plenty of it. I think it comes down to you get what you pay for. Heard that some budget boats have had issues with their food and hygiene where the customers and staff all became ill.

Aussie

[Zyxistal]

Originally Posted by navyhmc

Gulf Diving LLC - Welcome!

All the info is there. I am going out on the Spree over Labor Day Weekend-flower Gardens and Stetson Banks. Will post a dive report when done.

Maybe I'm just missing it but I can't find any prices for those. About what do they run?

[Illini_Fan]

It depends on the amount of days. For example (this is for the spree)

Scuba Gear and Scuba Diving Equipment - Discount dive gear (Cheap online!)

$750 for the three day, $950 for the four day

edit: Not sure why the link displays that name -- it does take you to the Srpee's Aug, 2008 schedule. But in case it doesn't work right, cut & past this: <http://www.spreeexpeditions.com/spree_08_aug.asp>

[navyhmc]

Originally Posted by Zyxistal

Maybe I'm just missing it but I can't find any prices for those. About what do they run?

The schedule for the MV Spree shows 2 day Flower Graden tours for the rest of March, April is $575 Nitrox included if you're certified.

May, June and July they are in The Keys on Dry Tortugas tours

Scuba Gear and Scuba Diving Equipment - Discount dive gear (Cheap online!) is the March schedule and you can click on the tabs for the other months.

The MV Fling's schedule is not as user friendly. For the Fling, you have to look on the calendar Scuba Gear and Scuba Diving Equipment - Discount dive gear (Cheap online!) find the sates you are interested, click one of the shops that have books slots for those dates and see what slots are available and what they charge for booking.

For the Fling: http://www.tomsscuba.com/dives/2008schedule.html has slots for a number of trips, $395 to $570 number of days and dates dependant.

Scuba Gear and Scuba Diving Equipment - Discount dive gear (Cheap online!) same prices.

[DollFin]

I really want to do a liveaboard. I was thinking of cashing in my Advantage miles next year, taking 2 weeks and going to Australia (or somewhere equally cool), do part on a liveaboard and part just general sightseeing.