It is our goal to show you the best, most beautiful dive sites in the Maldives. To do that, we need to take seasonal conditions, available time and weather forecasts into account. Please trust our experienced crew to choose the best possible route and to ensure maximum safety at all times. To offer fixed routes would be to ignore the insider knowledge and expertise of our crews. At the beginning of every safari a rough route will be announced, followed by daily, more detailed briefings about the next day’s route. Before every dive you will be thoroughly briefed and shown a map of the dive spot.
Diving:
Guided Dives: Yes
PADI Instructor: Yes
PADI Courses: Yes
Dives per Day: 2-3
Dive Dhoni: Yes
Equipment Rental: Yes
Important Information for diving guests:
* Please remember to bring your logbook and diving certificate.
* A medical diving fitness check is recommended, but not compulsory.
* The first dive is always a so-called check-dive, which is compulsory for all divers.
* Dives are guided by an experienced PADI instructor and a dive master.
* Experienced divers can dive independently after the check dive.
* PADI courses can be held (please pre-book)
* Diving equipment is kept on the accompanying dive vessel (Dhoni)
* Oxygen, a DAN emergency case and a mobile phone are available on the Dhoni in case of emergency.
* Compressors are stored on the Dhoni, meaning that there is no noise pollution for guests on the liveaboard while bottles are re-filled between dives.
* All divers must adhere to the Maldivian diving regulations: no decompression dives, always stay
with your dive buddy, never dive deeper than 30m if you are a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver
(orequivalent) and never dive deeper than 18m if you are a PADI Open Water Diver (or equivalent).
* The last dive will be offered 24hrs before the end of the cruise.
* The use of a diving computer is compulsory.
* English is the official language on board.
* A 21-day DAN diving insurance policy can be obtained on board for USD $10 per person.
* During a 7-night cruise there are 17 dives, during a 14-night cruise there are 35 dives
Route:
It is our aim to show you the most beautiful dive spots in the Maldives. In order to do this, it is necessary to adapt our routes according to the season, available time and current weather reports. That is why our ships do not follow fixed routes, but rather tailor each safari route to make the best possible dive trip. Please trust our experienced crews to choose the right route; every ship’s crew has years of experience in diving in the Maldives and they know how to make the most out of each cruise. At the start of each safari, a rough route will be confirmed, followed by daily briefings on what specific dive sites will be visited. Before each dive, you will be thoroughly briefed and shown a map of the dive site.
Required dive certification:
The minimum requirement is a PADI Open Water Diver certificate or equivalent, which will allow you to dive to a maximum of 18m. This is the depth when a lot of the best dive sites begin to be really interesting, which is why we encourage our guests to obtain a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certificate or equivalent before or during the cruise. This will allow you to dive to a maximum of 30m and fully explore the Maldives’ best dive spots.
Divers who have not dived for a while can do a PADI Scuba Review course to refresh their skills.
The initial check dive does not only serve as an opportunity to check your gear, but also for the dive guides to assess everybody’s abilities. Should the dive guide or a guest feel that extra support is needed, special guided dives can be arranged at an extra cost (usually around USD 10 per dive).
Equipment Rental Prices (subject to change without further notice, payable on board):
* BCD & regulator: $24/day
* ABC kit (mask, fins and snorkel): $12/day
* Diving computer: $8/day
* Underwater torch: $8/dive
* 15L tank: $15/day
* Complete gear set (ABC kit, Computer, BCD & Regulator, Wetsuit): $260/week
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served by our experienced, friendly staff and are all included in the package price as well as afternoon snacks. Time and again, the variety of dishes created by the chef in the limited space of a ship’s kitchen is simply astonishing. The food, which is often praised by our guests, is always freshly prepared, plentiful and consists of a mixture of Asian and international cuisine. Sometimes the cook bakes a cake in the afternoon or, if someone catches a Yellow-Fin Tuna, there is line-fresh sashimi with wasabi and soy sauce. Of course, the onboard bar is stocked with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at moderate prices.
Meals: As well as normal breakfast items like toast, Jam, fresh fruit, juice, tea and coffee, guests on the Black Pearl also enjoy freshly prepared egg dishes and traditional Maldivian Masuni, the choice is yours. Lunch is a light meal, usually featuring chicken, fish, rice, pasta, salads and fruits. At dinner, a choice of curry, fried chicken and fish dishes are served along with vegetables and salads. The food on offer comprises a nice balance of Asian and International specialtie
Food:
Full Board
Additional information:
Guests can help themselves to free tea, coffee and water at all times. Once a week, there is a ‘Maldivian Night’ with traditional local specialties. If the mood is right, everybody joins into the so-called ‘Boduberu’ – traditional Maldivian drum music accompanied by songs and dancing.
Example Bar Prices (subject to change):
Beer: USD $4 (draught), USD $3 (can), Bottle of wine: USD $23
Soft drinks: USD $2.50, Various cocktails: USD $8, Nespresso coffee: USD $3
