Explorer Ventures Liveaboard Diving Fleet Reviews 622

My husband and I went on a photography tour to the Galapagos with Don Mammoser photography, April 2024. At the last minute our scheduled boat was unable to take us. The Tiburon Explorer graciously took our group on their boat. The boat is wonderful. The rooms were clean spacious with nice bathrooms. The common areas were welcoming and large. There was good internet. The captain and crew were helpful and kind. I celebrated a birthday there and the chef made me a special cake. It will always be one of my best memories. The meals and snacks were delicious. Since we were photographers and not divers, the Captain took us snorkeling, he went in the water with us to places where sharks were, which was a fun surprising adventure. The crew made us feel welcomed, comfortable and safe. The crew gently helped while we were loading in and out of the boats to photograph birds on the islands. Everything about the trip was perfect. It even made me want to return to dive for sharks one day.

Good service and willing to work with us to adapt our diving needs.

My dive adventure was from St Kitts to St Martin’s. The diving was challenging due to constant currents. The crew did a fantastic job in finding the best sites for the conditions. Accommodations and food a definite highlight. Crew was super friendly and positive.

boat is nice. rooms are comfortable. dive deck has plenty of room. dedicated camera table and rinse tanks.
But the best part is the crew. They are extremely friendly and helpful. Terrance the engineer kept everything running smoothly. Julian, the chef, was truly remarkable especially with all the varied dietary needs. I gained 4 pounds with all his remarkable dishes. "Jono" the night crew did so much to help prep for the following day and kept all the night-time pirates away. LOL. Robyn, Amber and Binion who crewed the dive deck were fantastic. Getting everyone in and out of the water, guiding spectacular dives and most importantly keeping everyone safe. Cap't Bob was great (I've been on other itineraries with him). The way the crew worked together was incredible. This was truly the best Caribbean live aboard trip I've been on. the entire crew made me feel like family. Thanks to the entire crew for a most memorable experience.

great crew, too many dives in the same place, air conditioning in the cabin not adjustable, too cold.

Overall it was a great experience.

The crew was friendly, the dive guides were helpful and skilled, the food was very good.

I was on at least 20 different liveaboards all around the world during the last 20 years. After a liveaboard sunk recently in Egypt where several divers died, I was very astonished about the lack of safety measures. There was no proper security briefing with safety exercise, only a short talk of the captain, the live wests are not stored in the cabins, they are stored in the salon upstairs under the seat. In every other liveaboard I personally know, the live wests are stored in the cabins. Normally the dives at carribean explorer end at the ship. After the last dive we missed the ship, and there was current against us. In the briefing we were told that we could be picked up with the Zodiac. We had to realize, that the zodiac is not well enough equipped to pick up several divers and the crew was obviously not trained for this event. It took very long to pick us up, and the motor of the zodiac is quite weak. I could Imagine some problems in a real emergency situation.
My cabin is described as a queen bed with a second bed above. In fact, this are bunk beds. The head room above the beds is very limited. There is just one single little drawer for storage. I had this cabin for me alone. I couldn‘t imagine how to share this cabin with someone Else. The air condition could‘t be regulated. After the dives I felt freezing cold.

The dives were nice, very good visibility, impressive sponges. The land excursions were well organized and I liked them.

Caribbean Explorer II - A Live Aboard Dive boat.

A week trip, St. Maarten to St. Kitts.
Diving Saba and St. Kitts.

Captain Bob was outstanding. He interacted with the divers and led a few dives himself. His world-travel stories are first rate. Well done Captain.

The entire crew did a great job. Robyn, a Dive Master - was spot on leading many of the dives. Making sure we all got home safe.

Good Food, Comradery, and Fun diving - always a good combination.

Ich habe über den Jahreswechsel 2024/2025 eine unvergessliche und tolle Tour auf der Humboldt Explorer auf den Galapagos Inseln gemacht.
JEDER Tauchgang war ein absoluter Genuss.
So viele tolle Tiere die wir Unterwasser treffen durften! Die Guides Oskar und Simon haben uns bei unseren Tauchengängen absolut professionell und gut die Unterwasserwelt gezeigt.
Auch die übrige Crew hat sich bestens um uns Gäste gekümmert. Ich habe mich rundum super wohl gefühlt auf dem Schiff! Das Essen war abwechslungsreich und immer sehr lecker!

The captain, JF, was 5 star. The crew were very upbeat and very helpful. The food was great. The captain’s experience and knowledge were greatly appreciated. The accommodations were very comfortable.

The guides made it easy to find them at the airport, our bags were all taken care of for us. The crew on boat was wonderful. The food was five star. It was a great experience.

My wife and I had an amazing experience aboard the Humboldt Explorer while the in Galapagos. The diving encounters and Wolf and Darwin islands were phenomenal. What made the trip great though were the accommodations onboard and the great service by the crew. We were pleasantly surprised by the good internet service while onboard. We especially enjoyed the warm showers at the end of each dive to warm up, along with the hot towels and beverages. Highly recommend this trip

24/7 superb service

Had a great trip to SABA and ST Kitts on Carib Exp II. This is my 3 rd time to do this trip & this was probably the best of the 3. Crew did great job on all the dives and made for some good photo shoots. Food was excellent. Got to see couple of things have not seen before.
Would recommend this one to beginners and experienced divers.

I recently had the pleasure of diving aboard Explorer II in Turks and Caicos, and it was an unforgettable experience. The crew truly made the trip exceptional, starting with Captain Bob, whose professionalism and dedication ensured that every aspect of our journey ran smoothly.

The dive guides, John and Cat, were phenomenal. Their knowledge of the dive sites and the local marine life elevated every dive. They provided thorough briefings, ensured safety at all times, and added a personal touch by sharing their passion for the underwater world.

And I can't forget to mention the chef—the food was out of this world! Every meal was a delight, with fresh, flavorful dishes that catered to all preferences. After a long day of diving, the meals were the perfect way to refuel and relax.

The diving itself was breathtaking, with vibrant coral reefs, abundant marine life, and crystal-clear waters. Explorer II is well-equipped and offers a comfortable experience both above and below the surface.

If you're looking for a top-notch liveaboard experience in Turks and Caicos, Explorer II is the way to go!

Your saving grace was Natalya a fantastic dive leader who managed to make every dive we had with her a delight. So if I were to score her she is a 10 star. As for the rest of the trip and while everyone of the staff with the exception of the Barman made a huge effort to make sure the guests had a great time, they were working in less than ideal conditions. Understaffed so every member had to do multiple duties even the captain would be on the dive deck helping g guests in and out of their kit. The tiny lady responsible for cleaning the rooms was lugging heavy tanks around which was clearly a challenge for her.
Now for the boat it is too small to accommodate the 16 divers with a cramped dive deck and living/ dining area where people were practically on top of each other.
The rooms are tiny and when sharing with a stranger having beds so close together is a comfort zone stretch. No sufficient space to store our stuff. Our bags were stored somewhere on the boat and my brand new dive bag came back ripped which I was offered $150 as compensation for. Still a new bag that was damaged by storage when it had survived intact multiple airlines baggage handling enroute to and from the Galapagos.
The handling of the diving equipment was very rough so much so that my secondary regulator was broken at the end of the last dive. Luckily just the purge button face plate.
There is more I could add but won’t as it may have been one-offs so I will give benefit of the doubt.
The 3 star review is for the great diving we enjoyed, Natalia the dive guide and the hard work put in deserve a 5 star . Master liveaboards, the Humboldt explorer, the barman deserve a 2. The food which was hit and miss both in quality and quantity deserves a 3. When it was good it was great but when it wasn’t it was lousy.
Hope this helps future potential guests

Great experience. Very friendly and professional crew. Very attentive dive masters.
Very well organized diving activities and very interesting land activities. Boat with adequate maintenance and quite comfortable.

Very Comfortable diving boat - Friendly and helpful crew - Excellent food - 5 dives a day for the intrepids divers.
Some of the dives sites were average - the boat remained at anchor at the same place for 2 or 3 dives.
Lack of varieties of dive sites due to sea conditions.

We had a great week my boyfriend and I aboard the Carribean Explorer Two. Four to five dives per day, great food, great staff on board!