When I first started diving, I was lucky and after my PADI Open Water we chartered a liveaboard boat in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt and I did my Advanced Open Water. My experience with liveaboards (LOB) now covers Egypt (repeatedly), Thailand, and Philippines.
A LOB is my preferred dive trip. Set up your gear one time and dive for 4, 7, 10, 14 days. A tank will be assigned to you and you set up your gear, then they refill the tank after each dive. TIP: Always check your own gear. Some LOBs want to do everything for you, but your life literally depends on your gear, so check it yourself! There should be a fresh water shower or two on the decks to rinse off between dives as well as containers to soak your cameras separate from soak stations for wetsuits.
Have you heard the joke about wetsuits…there are two kinds of people, those who pee in the wetsuit and those who lie about peeing in the wetsuit. 😉
Most liveaboards will offer 2-5 dives per day. TIP: Know YOUR limits! For me that’s generally 3 dives per day. Dive. Eat. Hydrate. Sleep. Repeat. Don’t push it. Good operations will not pressure you. Safety first. Safety second. Safety always.
A great thing about LOBs is you can go solo, you may end up with a cabin to yourself or you may be assigned a roommate of the same sex. I’ve made some great friends that started as roomies on LOBs. It works out if you and your roomie end us good dive buddies too. Since none of my close friends dive, I make new friends on each LOB. We always have something to talk about. What did you see? Where have you dove? Where would you go back? etc. Most “luxury” LOBs will have individual air conditioning, twin beds, and a private bathroom for each cabin. And luxury can be a generous term or it may be truly luxury, but compared to a regular cruise the cabins will be tiny, likely with portholes not windows. Some of the luxuries can be warm towels and fresh juice after each dive.
Some LOBs will include NITROX in the cost. Most will offer some courses including NITROX. I did my NITROX course on a LOB in Thailand. Depending on you (and your budget) you may want to consider asking if a private dive guide is available. A good LOB guide to diver ratio is 1 to 4-6. But within that you could have a range of interests and capabilities. A good cruise director will try to make the groups logically, but if you’ve got an underwater photographer with a big kit, be prepared for some waiting around underwater while they set up a photo.
Or you may want to dive with your friends/family but they consume air like an all you can eat buffet. Be flexible. When the photog is setting up look around and hunt for other stuff or just chill. Or wave at Santa.
LOBs are pretty casual. “Dressed for dinner” means not in a wet swimsuit. And you won’t need shoes. Dive booties don’t count. On my last LOB I only rinsed off on deck, never showered until it was time to leave. Salt water is great for my hair. (I’m sorry if it’s not for yours.)
Onboard Step by Step
- Set up your gear
- Check your gear – do this before every dive!
- Set up your cabin
- Set up your tech (phone, camera, GoPro, batteries, torch, etc) for easy access and charging
- Dive
- Eat/hydrate
- Sleep, review photos/vids, chat, compare notes, log your dive
- Dive
- Eat/hydrate
- Sleep, review photos/vids, chat, compare notes, log your dive
- Dive
- Eat/hydrate
- Sleep, review photos/vids, chat, compare notes, log your dive
- After your last dive, you may want a refreshing adult beverage
LOBs might not be as expensive as you imagine. Basic costs cover your room, all meals and snacks, and diving. If you consider that a hotel may be between $50-300/night, meals $30-100, and 2 tank day diving $100-250 your cost for a land based trip might be $180-650 per day. Drinks and gear rental might also be included.
My favorite part of LOBs is going where the crowds aren’t. Because they don’t have the time limitations of day trips they can go out further and avoid the crowds. Especially for early morning dives. Day trips generally won’t leave the dock before 0600 and can take an hour or more to reach a dive site. By the time they reach the site, a LOB will have already done it’s first dive of the day.
Up next: Unveiling the Hidden Gems: Amazing Nudibranchs of the Philippines
