Liveaboards are the ultimate in dive vacations. For a hardcore diver, these boats are floating playgrounds; a place where they can live their dream of a life on and in the water.
However there are some challenges associated with spending a week on a boat. It takes careful planning to make sure you choose the right liveaboard and to make sure you have everything you need.
Here are a couple of things you need to do to make sure your trip on the liveaboard will be great!
Do Your Research
Call around to the liveaboards that operate where your going to dive to see what amenities they offer. Here’s a short list of questions you can ask:
Are meals included in the price?
Are alcoholic drinks included in the price?
Is nitrox available on the boat and if so, how much is it?
Is there an entertainment area on the boat? What is in the entertainment area?
How many dives are offered each day?
Are the dives self directed or led by a divemaster?
Is there any opportunity for shore leave? Where does the boat dock? How long will it be there?
What activities are offered other than diving?
Are freshwater showers available?
How many people are in a room together? How many people does the boat hold? How many bathrooms does the boat have? Are they private or shared?
Is gratuity for the crew included in the price?
Okay so maybe the list isn’t that short, but you need to make sure the boat you choose has everything you want. You can’t just pack up and go to another boat like you would go to another hotel. You’re committed to your choice.
Bring Everything You Need
There’s no going to the corner store to buy a toothbrush or deodorant. You have to make sure you pack everything you need. Here’s what you need to bring:
Plenty of casual clothes for lounging around the boat. You may want to bring more than usual. Things tend to get wet easily on dive boats.
A save-a-dive kit with extra fin straps, mask straps, and o-rings.
Now is the perfect time to buy an underwater camera if you don’t already have one. They’re a must to remember your trip.
A land camera.
A list of dive spots you’d like to hit if the boat takes requests.
Gratuity for the crew (15% of the price of your dive package).
Seasickness pills.
Liveaboards are a diver’s paradise! Where else can you log over 30 dives in a week? They do, however, require more planning than most other vacations.
You’ll be on the boat you choose for a long time. Make sure it has all the amenities you want and offers the dive schedule you want before you book. The planning will be well worth the effort.
There’s no better way to explore the underwater world.
