Choosing
a
Diving
Liveaboard
|
A
diving
live
aboard
holiday
probably
represents
the
ultimate
choice
for
the
dedicated
diver,
but
there
are
some
important
issues
to
understand
and
questions
to
ask
before
booking,
in
order
to
ensure
that
you
choose
the
right
boat
for
you
and
your
group.
|
Why
Choose
a
Liveaboard
Diving
Holiday?
Access,
Access
Access!
A
live
aboard
boat
can
travel
an
itinerary
that
allows
it
to
visit
different
diving
sites
in
a
day
and
over
the
course
of
the
week
giving
the
diver
a
great
variety
of
diving
experiences.
The
boat
can
generally
moor
up
close
to
the
site
also
allowing
the
divers
easy
access
from
its
platform
without
the
need
to
carry
kit
back
and
forth
for
each
dive.
In
addition,
a
boat
will
generally
offer
anything
from
3
to
5
dives
a
day,
a
number
which
would
be
hard
to
match
from
shore
based
diving.
|
Is
it
for
Me?
Firstly,
a
dive
boat,
no
matter
how
luxurious,
will
not
match
the
level
of
luxury
offered
by
a
top
hotel,
so
ask
yourself
if
this
is
important
to
you.
In
addition,
you
will
be
confined
to
the
boat
and
your
companions
on
the
boat
for
the
duration
of
the
holiday,
probably
not
touching
dry
land
between
embarkation
and
disembarkation.
Some
people
love
the
"away
from
it
all"
experience
but
others
might
find
it
too
confining
and
claustrophobic.
Are
you
sufficiently
easy-going
to
be
able
to
cope
with
proximity
to
the
rest
of
the
group
for
an
unbroken
period
of
time?
|
Storage
space:
on
dive
boats
tends
to
be
limited.
You
will
not
need
or
be
able
to
bring
large
suitcases
of
clothes.
If
the
idea
of
living
in
the
same
few
pairs
of
shorts
and
t-shirts
for
a
week
does
not
appeal,
this
is
not
for
you.
Liveaboard
holidays
are
all
about
reasonably
intensive
diving,
ask
yourself
if
that's
what
you
want,
or
whether
you
will
miss
the
ability
to
take
part
in
other
sports,
visit
the
local
shops
and
bars
etc.
Finally,
the
diving
on
most
live
aboard
holidays
is
fairly
advanced.
The
sites
visited
tend
to
be
more
exposed
to
both
weather
and
current
and
also
tend
to
be
in
deeper
water
where
excellent
buoyancy
control
is
required.
If
you
are
just
qualified,
you
might
do
better
to
take
a
land
based
diving
holiday
where
the
sites
can
be
more
suited
to
gaining
experience
and
perfecting
skills.
In
choosing
a
live
aboard
holiday,
it
is
a
good
idea
to
seek
the
recommendation
of
other
divers
that
you
trust
and
who
have
similar
standards
and
interests
to
yourself.
A
personal
recommendation
is
better
than
any
brochure
sales
patter.
On
the
other
hand,
things
change:
boats
age,
crews
change
or
you
may
be
unable
to
find
someone
who
can
recommend
a
boat
in
the
location
you
want,
so
here
are
some
considerations
and
questions
to
help
you
focus
your
search.
|
Facilities
All
Boats
Should
Offer:
The
following
list
represents
facilities
that
any
decent
dive
boat
should
offer
-
don't
even
consider
a
boat
that
doesn't
offer
all
of
these.
- 3
-
5
dives
a
day
- 3
full
meals
a
day
- Unlimited
free
hot
drinks,
and
soft
drinks
including
fresh
water
for
drinking
- Full
diving
service
- Compressed
air
- Supply
of
cylinders
and
weights
- Inflatable/RIB
boat
cover
- Bed
linen
supplied
and
changed
regularly
- Cabins
cleaned
daily
- Personal
kit
station
on
the
diving
deck
for
the
holiday
- Fresh
water
available
for
kit
rinsing
- Charging
facilities
for
torches,
etc
- A
dedicated
camera
table
and
rinse
water
- A
qualified/experienced
dive-master
team.
There
should
be
2
-
3
dive-masters
on
the
boat
depending
on
the
size
of
the
group.
- Life
raft/jackets
sufficient
for
the
entire
party
and
crew
- A
full
specification
of
safety
and
navigation
equipment
for
the
boat
i.e.
radar,
GPS,
VHF
radio
- Oxygen
kit
|
Choosing
a
Boat
These
are
the
areas
where
there
are
variations
from
boat
to
boat
and
where
some
focussed
questions
can
make
all
the
difference
to
your
holiday.
|
The
Boat:
How
old
is
the
boat
and
is
it
a
purpose
built
dive
boat?
In
many
parts
of
the
world,
dive
boats
age
very
quickly
and
an
older
boat
may
be
prone
to
mechanical
problems
or
be
literally
falling
apart.
Boats
that
have
been
converted
from
some
other
purpose
may
or
may
not
be
particularly
suitable
as
a
liveaboard
dive
boat
that
has
certain
basic
requirements
i.e.
large
flat
kitting
up
area.
Ask
when
it
was
last
in
dry
dock
and
refitted.
If
the
answer
is
more
than
3
years
ago,
be
very
suspicious
i.e.
MV
Faah
Yai
every
year
dry
docked
and
refitted..
|
Accommodation:
Liveaboard
boats
mostly
vary
between
those
that
will
accommodate
a
party
of
8
and
20.
Depending
on
the
size
of
your
party,
you
should
ensure
that
each
pair
can
be
accommodated
in
a
private
cabin.
Dormitory
style
share
cabins
are
not
desirable.
Does
each
cabin
have
a
private
loo
or
head?
If
not,
you
will
be
sharing
with
others
on
the
boat
and
this
will
be
a
problem
if
people
are
ill
or
have
different
standards
to
your
own.
If
the
bathrooms
are
not
private,
then
how
many
are
there?
Do
not
consider
a
boat
where
there
is
not
a
bathroom
for
each
four
divers
as
a
bare
minimum
e.g.
2
heads
for
a
party
of
8,
5
for
a
party
of
20.
Will
you
be
sleeping
in
a
bed
or
a
bunk?
A
bunk
is
narrower
than
a
bed
and
will
be
fixed
to
the
wall.
In
a
two-person
cabin,
the
bunks
will
be
one
above
the
other.
There
is
considerable
difference
in
comfort
in
sleeping
in
a
cabin
with
beds
and
a
cabin
with
bunks.
|
Air
Conditioning:
This
is
a
thorny
issue.
Many
boats
advertise
air
conditioning
but
in
fact
only
supply
it
in
the
saloon,
not
in
the
cabins.
Others
may
have
it
in
the
cabins
but
turn
it
off
at
night
because
they
will
not
run
the
generator
overnight.
In
a
small
boat
in
a
hot
climate,
air
conditioning
in
the
cabin
can
make
or
mar
your
holiday.
Find
out
exactly
what
the
system
is
on
your
boat.
Bear
in
mind
that
if
the
cabins
are
on
or
below
the
water
line,
the
portholes
will
be
permanently
shut
and
therefore
air
conditioning
is
the
only
effective
way
to
cool
your
sleeping
environment.
|
Living
Space:
A
dive
boat
is
not
a
cruise
ship,
it
is
not
going
to
be
particularly
spacious.
However,
choosing
a
boat
that
offers
you
areas
to
relax
inbetween
dives
and
in
the
evening
is
important.
Is
there
a
sun
bathing
deck?
Is
there
a
sun
sheltered
area
on
that
sunbathing
deck
for
when
you
have
toasted
yourself
enough?
Can
the
entire
party
fit
adequately
into
the
saloon?
Can
the
entire
party
sit
at
a
table
to
eat?
|
Fresh
Water:
How
much
does
the
boat
carry,
and
is
it
sufficient
for
the
party
for
the
holiday?
Will
rationing
be
necessary
and
if
so,
how
much?
Bear
in
mind
that
most
boats
need
you
to
be
water
conscious
but
do
not
consider
a
boat
where
you
cannot
take
one
shower
per
day.
|
Diving
Space:
How
big
is
the
diving
deck?
Can
the
entire
party
kit
up
at
once,
or
do
they
need
to
do
it
in
waves?
If
so,
this
will
lengthen
the
time
any
dive
takes
and
may
limit
the
number
of
dives
offered.
You
may
still
(hopefully)
dive
in
waves,
but
the
interval
time
should
be
short.
|
Diving
Entry/Exit:
There
should
be
a
variety
of
options
to
cover
local
water
conditions.
In
rougher
seas,
it
is
important
to
have
an
exit
which
is
wide
enough
to
allow
a
safe
"giant
step"
into
the
water
and
a
decent
ladder
for
re-entry
which
will
allow
you
to
climb
aboard
still
wearing
your
fins.
In
calmer,
more
tropical
waters,
a
rear
entry
platform
at
water
level
will
allow
very
comfortable
water
entry.
This
platform
should
have
two
decent
ladders
on
it
to
allow
re-entry.
|
Crew:
This
is
the
single
most
important
issue
in
making
your
holiday
a
success.
It
would
be
better
to
choose
a
medium
class
boat
with
a
superb
crew
than
a
luxury
boat
with
a
medium
class
crew.
How
many
crew
are
there?
Roughly
speaking
there
should
be
at
least
1
crew
member
for
every
2
passengers.
What
nationality
are
they
and
do
the
customer
facing
ones
speak
excellent
English?
You
must
be
able
to
communicate
clearly
with
them.
How
long
have
the
crew
been
together?
A
crew
that
changes
all
the
time
may
indicate
problems.
Who
is
the
captain
and
how
long
has
he
been
on
the
boat
and
skippering
in
the
area?
A
knowledgeable
skipper
is
vital.
How
many
dive
guides
are
there
and
what
are
their
qualifications?
How
long
have
they
been
on
the
boat
and
guiding
in
that
area?
What
times
will
the
crew
be
working?
You
will
want
to
ensure
that
the
kitchen/saloon
crew
are
up
and
about
before
your
expected
wake
up
time
in
order
to
ensure
that
drinks
etc
are
available
for
you.
|
Itinerary:
Make
sure
that
you
understand
the
number
of
dives
and
diving
locations
on
offer
for
the
week.
Obviously,
they
will
be
subject
to
weather
but
what
other
variables
are
there?
If
you
are
chartering
the
whole
boat,
you
ought
to
be
able
to
have
input
into
the
sites
and
route
-
is
that
possible?
Establish
who
is
in
charge
of
the
itinerary
i.e.
skipper
or
dive
master.
Sometimes
if
this
is
not
clear,
disputes
can
arise.
|
Night
Sailing:
Will
there
be
any
sailing
at
night?
This
can
be
a
positive
or
negative
factor
but
you
need
to
know
if
it
is
taking
place.
Making
way
at
night
is
inevitably
noisy
and
may
result
in
disturbed
sleep.
On
the
other
hand
it
often
allows
you
to
visit
more
distant
sites
and
be
on
site
at
first
light
for
that
dawn
dive.
|
What
Time
is
the
First
Dive
of
the
Day?:
This
is
a
very
interesting
question
for
a
couple
of
reasons.
Firstly
you
need
to
know
what
time
you
will
be
expected
to
get
up
if
you
wish
to
take
that
first
dive?
At
some
times
of
the
year,
in
some
locations,
the
first
dive
may
be
before
6
am
(5:15
wakeup)
in
order
to
allow
a
full
day's
diving
to
be
fitted
in
during
daylight
or
sailing
plans.
Is
this
a
problem
for
you?
Even
if
you
decide
to
stay
in
bed,
the
noise
from
your
companions
will
wake
you.
On
the
other
hand
if
the
boat
does
not
offer
a
dive
before
breakfast,
that
would
be
a
bad
sign,
perhaps
indicating
that
the
organisation
is
haphazard.
A
dive
before
breakfast
is
the
norm
in
order
to
ensure
that
the
best
use
is
made
of
the
diving
day
with
plenty
of
opportunity
to
decompress
between
dives.
|
Dives:
How
many
dives
a
day
will
be
on
offer
and
how
many
dives
in
the
entire
week?
Will
a
dive
master
accompany
each
diving
group?
Will
a
full
briefing
be
given
before
each
dive?
Will
you
dive
from
the
main
boat
or
sometimes
from
an
inflatable
or
RIB?
What
are
the
boat's
diving
rules
regarding
time
and
depth?
Are
buddy
pairs
allowed
to
dive
independently
or
must
they
always
remain
with
a
led
group?
Do
the
answers
to
these
questions
suit
your
diving
requirements
and
experience?
|
Will
there
be
night
diving
on
offer?:
In
many
areas
of
the
world,
night
diving
is
a
great
pleasure
and
should
be
easy
to
accomplish
from
a
liveaboard.
If
it
is
not
on
offer,
it
is
important
to
understand
why.
Possibly
the
locations
to
be
visited
are
not
suitable,
but
you
should
ensure
that
it
is
not
because
the
crew
cannot
be
bothered.
|
What
Extras
are
on
Offer?:
Apart
from
the
basic
excellent
diving,
what
extra
facilities
does
the
boat
offer
which
might
make
a
big
difference
to
you?
If
you
are
keen
on
photography,
is
E6
processing
available
on
the
boat?
Do
the
dive
masters
offer
courses
that
might
be
of
interest?
If
you
dive
Nitrox,
is
that
available?
If
you
dive
a
rebreather,
can
the
boat
supply
the
right
quality
of
oxygen?
How
does
it
carry
and
fill
Nitrox/Oxygen
cylinders?
Does
the
boat
supply
deck
towels?
Are
there
deck
showers
for
a
quick
personal
rinse
after
the
dive?
What
entertainment
is
on
offer:
video;
film
shows;
music.
Can
you
bring
your
own
alcohol
on
board?
Is
it
available
on
board
and
at
what
price?
What
are
the
boat
rules
on
alcohol?
It
goes
without
saying
that
a
professionally
run
boat
will
not
allow
you
to
dive
once
you
have
started
to
drink
alcohol.
|
Weather/Sea
Conditions:
What
is
the
weather
and
sea
condition
likely
to
be
during
the
trip?
How
does
this
boat
handle
in
those
conditions?
How
good
a
sailor
are
you?
Depending
on
the
strength
of
your
sea
legs,
this
issue
could
make
your
holiday
a
living
nightmare.
Remember
you
almost
certainly
will
not
leave
the
boat
for
the
entire
week.
|
Who
Else
is
On
the
Boat?:
In
an
ideal
world,
you
will
have
chartered
the
whole
boat
and
put
together
your
own
party
of
like-minded
friends.
However,
this
may
not
be
possible
and
you
may
have
purchased
a
single
place
or
a
cabin
on
a
boatful
of
strangers.
Are
they
also
individuals,
or
are
you
the
only
individual
making
up
the
numbers
with
a
group?
What
nationality
are
they?
If
they
are
not
English
speakers,
it
could
be
a
lonely
week.
If
they
are
a
group,
what
information
can
you
find
out
about
them
e.g.
affiliation,
level,
diving
requirements.
Are
you
a
good
match?
Bear
in
mind
that
to
some
extent
the
majority
will
rule
on
the
boat.
If
you
are
a
single
person
who
likes
reef
fish
spotting
on
a
boat
with
a
deep
wreck
diving
group,
who
do
you
think
will
control
the
dive
site
choice?
Drinking
before
diving
has
already
been
discussed
but
additionally,
it
may
or
may
not
be
your
idea
of
heaven
to
be
on
a
boat
with
a
group
of
heavy
drinking
Russians
intent
on
a
heavy
night
of
vodka
fuelled
revelry
once
the
night
dive
is
dealt
with.
|
Meals:
The
vast
majority
of
dive
boats
offer
excellent
food
in
more
than
adequate
quantities.
However,
if
you
have
particular
dietary
requirements
or
are
fussy
about
your
food,
you
should
check
to
see
if
your
requirements
can
be
accommodated.
Better
boats
can
offer
a
choice
and
will
vary
menus
to
suit
requirements
e.g.
vegetarian
choices,
omitting
particular
foods.
|
| Transfer
Arrangements:
What
is
the
distance
between
the
boat
and
the
airport?
Some
boats
are
moored
literally
hours
away
from
the
airport.
This
may
be
necessary,
but
you
need
to
be
aware
if
you
are
facing
a
four-hour
journey
after
the
flight.
What
will
happen
on
the
last
night/day
of
your
holiday?
The
boat
will
typically
return
to
its
mooring
for
the
last
night
of
your
holiday
and
remain
there
for
the
final
day
with
no
diving
on
offer.
Will
you
stay
on
the
boat
or
be
taken
to
a
local
hotel
for
this
time?
What
are
the
accommodations?
If
you
stay
on
the
boat,
when
will
you
have
to
leave
your
cabin?
Will
a
day
cabin
for
changing/showering
be
made
available?
When
is
the
last
meal
of
the
holiday? |
Tipping:
Most
boat
crew
supplement
their
income
by
tips
from
the
paying
customers.
Hopefully
the
crew
will
have
made
such
a
positive
difference
to
your
holiday
that
this
is
not
an
issue.
What
is
the
tipping
policy
on
the
boat?
This
can
vary
between
no
policy,
and
an
expected
£5
per
person
per
day.
You
need
to
at
least
be
prepared.
Bear
in
mind
that
the
crew
who
expect
to
receive
the
maximum
tip
may
well
provide
a
hugely
superior
service
to
the
crew
of
a
boat
where
there
is
no
tip
expected
-
or
they
may
not!
|
Price:
15
years
ago
a
week
on
a
live
aboard
in
the
Red
Sea
was
priced
at
approximately
£1000
per
diver.
There
are
now
many
more
boats
operating
in
the
Red
Sea
and
you
can
find
many
boats
considerably
cheaper
than
this.
However,
common
sense
should
tell
you
that
you
are
not
going
to
get
the
same
quality
of
experience
on
a
boat
that
costs
£500
per
week
in
comparison
to
the
top
boats
that
still
cost
£900+
per
week.
The
important
issue
is
whether
the
differences
in
experience
are
important
to
you.
These
differences
are
probably
accounted
for
in
the
topics
discussed
above.
The
average
standard
live
aboard
will
not
provide
many
if
any
of
the
extra
services
listed
under
each
topic.
It
will
not
be
air-conditioned,
you
will
be
sleeping
in
bunks,
there
will
probably
only
be
a
maximum
of
three
dives
a
day.
As
long
as
you
know
what
you
are
getting
for
your
money
and
have
made
a
decision
based
on
a
full
knowledge
and
understanding
of
the
facts,
you
should
not
be
disappointed.
|
