USING THE TABLES
- All the liveaboards highlighted on the following pages have been sampled, by Gavin Anderson, John Bantin, Tim Eccott, John Liddiard, Brendan O'Brien or Mark Webster.
- Those simply listed in the tables are not necessarily recommendations - we haven't tried them all. They do, however, represent a broad sample of vessels around the world, and their owners or agents took the trouble to respond to Diver's request for information.
- Many more vessels are available thanks to the Internet, though by booking through your local agent you will have someone to complain to if things don't go to plan.
- The vessels are divided into four broad price categories, per day per passenger: A) up to $99; B) $100-199; C) $200-299; D) more than $300 (local permits, departure tax and gratuities are not included).
- Note that if "Pax" (number of passengers) is not twice the number of cabins, some cabins might accommodate three or more.
- Pick-up boats might be available but not routinely used. "Courses" includes advanced and speciality courses. "E6" refers to photo processing and "CCR" to closed-circuit rebreathers.
- "Canned drinks" includes all pre-packaged drinks. Passengers are normally charged extra for onboard phone calls.
- Finally, the listed contact is not necessarily the sole representative.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
- Does the vessel visit the sites you want to dive?
- Where does it depart from?
- Will the diving suit your skill level?
- What sort of ride will the hull give you?
- Will you have to share a cabin with strangers?
- How's the plumbing?
- Is there plenty of fresh water?
- What sort of food can you expect?
- How many dives can you make during the trip?
- What auxiliary boats are used for the diving?
- Can you contact recent passengers for references?
- Is the air-conditioning reliable?
- What facilities are provided for photographers?
- What diving equipment do you need to bring?
- What extra costs should you expect to pay?
- When aboard, how do you contact home?
Check the forums for comments from previous passengers.
Appeared in DIVER - September 2000
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