Guide to Liveaboard Diving
A liveaboard diving trip offers many advantages over a standard diving experience. They can provide access to remote dive sites, conveniently have accommodation on the boat, and provide a unique opportunity for multiple dives per day without the hassle of daily transfers.
The real attraction, though? It has to be the fact that there are many rare marine encounters that are only possible during a liveaboard.
If you’re looking to embark on your first liveaboard dive trip, take a read through this article where I go through how to prepare for it and what to expect once you’re onboard.
The Rodney Fox, a popular liveaboard vessel in Australia, offers unforgettable diving adventures, including great white shark cage diving near Neptune Island.
How To Prepare For a Liveaboard Trip
There are a few things you should do in advance of your liveaboard trip to make the experience go smoothly.
Firstly, make sure you’ve planned enough time before and after the liveaboard experience. You will most likely need to take a flight to reach your destination, so account for travelling time and jet lag. Most liveaboards have local hotel recommendations and offer transfers from the hotel/airport to the port and back after the trip.
Make sure that you carefully read through the trip guide that is provided by the liveaboard company. You will have to fill out liability and medical forms (as is standard with scuba diving experiences) as well as other forms to let them know if you need to rent scuba gear and if so, in what sizes.
You will be asked whether you have allergies or dietary requirements for the catering aspect of the trip. Additionally, you will be asked about whether you want to dive with Nitrox. Nitrox can typically be purchased whilst onboard the boat, but it’s better to let them know in advance.
The trip company will also be able to advise you about local laws and if you will encounter additional fuel surcharges or national park fees.
Finally, check what the dive requirements of your liveaboard trip are. It’s common for liveaboard experiences to require a minimum of 30 to 50 logged dives and for divers to have their Advanced Open Water certification.
What Should You Pack For a Liveaboard Trip
Whilst a lot of things will be provided for you, there are some essentials that you should pack to make your experience comfortable.
Clothing - Bring multiple layers that can suit both warm and cold weather. It’s hard to predict what the weather will be like on your trip in advance, and what you take onboard is all you’ll have for the duration of the trip. Expect the best weather, but always be prepared for the worst.
Dive gear - Perhaps the most important one on here. Write a list of all of your required dive gear so that you don’t forget anything whilst packing.
SIM Card - I recommend purchasing a local SIM card or eSIM to save yourself on expensive roaming data fees. Onboard wifi can be unreliable and is sometimes charged extra.
Seasickness medicine - Seasickness can catch out even the most experienced voyagers. It’s better to be prepared for choppy water than to lose a day or two to feeling ill.
Plug adapters - Make sure to research what adapters are needed for the region that you’re traveling to. Universal plug adapters can be bought if you’re planning to jump around multiple places.
Camera - The liveaboard experience is largely about seeing things that you couldn’t anywhere else. Make sure that you have camera equipment ready, and that it is packed safely for your trip.
Gifts for the crew/locals - We brought American sweets and chocolate bars with us on our trip to Raja Ampat and the crew loved it! Not to mention the kids on the local islands we visited - it’s an instant way to make friends.
Snack from home - My wife always prepares snacks from home for both us and for the other divers. During our last trip, a group of French divers brought cheese with them and we had a charcuterie night together.
What to Expect During The Trip
The liveaboard experience is basically eat, dive, sleep, repeat!
A typical day on a liveaboard will start in the morning. It’s common for a day to include four dives, so be prepared to be super tired. It’s likely that you’re not going to want to do much in between the dives, so I recommend bringing a book to read.
Make sure to properly relax or sleep in between dives to recover some energy to make the most out of your trip. It’s okay to skip dives if you’re feeling tired, but it’s also worth pushing yourself through the full experience.
Food is usually served four times per day and will be buffet-style meals.
At night, the boat will usually stop at a protected lagoon but there are occasions where the crew will need to cross channels during dawn. This can be choppy, so make sure that you’re prepared for seasickness.
Sometimes there will be land-orientated trips included which could involve visiting nearby islands or forests for example. Make sure that you know the plans in advance so that you can prepare your gear accordingly.
A vibrant coral reef teeming with colorful fish and marine life in Raja Ampat, Indonesia—one of the most biodiverse and sought-after destinations for liveaboard diving.
The Cost of Liveaboards
Liveaboards can be expensive, but there are different options that you can choose to design an experience at the right price point for you. For example, there are budget liveaboard experiences such as Similan Island Liveaboards, and luxury liveaboards like the Scubaspa Maldives. On board there will also be different rooms available, including upper deck and lower deck rooms, which will be offered at different price points. At the end of the day, you will get what you pay for.
There are also several small expenses that need to be factored into the cost of your trip. If you are traveling solo, be aware that there is sometimes a surcharge to book a single occupancy room. There may also be fuel surcharges and national park fees, depending on the company that you book with.
You should also consider the cost of dive insurance. Some insurance may be included in the liveaboard trip cost, but it’s mandatory to purchase your own insurance that covers all of your needs specifically.
A sleek reef shark glides effortlessly over the coral-covered seabed in Jardines de la Reina, Cuba—a top destination for liveaboard divers seeking pristine marine ecosystems.
During your trip, it’s also advisable to tip the onboard crew. The amount that is expected varies so ask for specific recommendations, but a 10-15% tip is acceptable. Different countries have different customs - for example in Australia it’s uncommon to tip as service staff are paid a good living wage. Other countries like Indonesia and Cuba have recommended tip percentages. The crew that work on liveaboard boats are very hardworking, so it’s a nice gesture to show your appreciation to them and to be respectful of the country’s customs.
Finally, some destinations actually limit the number of divers that they allow each year. A good example of this is Jardines de la Reina. Booking a liveaboard experience in these exclusive destinations will naturally cost more.
How To Choose The Right Liveaboard For You
When it comes to booking my next trip, I personally use liveaboards.com. Here you can easily check liveaboards by month and destination, and quickly find real customer reviews.
Find a liveaboard that fits not only your budget and preferences, but importantly your diving experience. If you’re going with other people, take time to discuss what type of diving you want to do (e.g. reef, wreck, or pelagic diving), how long you want the trip to last, and what size group you would feel comfortable being with.
Finally - be adventurous! Liveaboards are about experiencing something that you can’t do anywhere else. It should be an experience that gives you memories to last a lifetime, so don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone a little.
