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mdemmons

mdemmons

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Reviews (2)

Rocio Del Mar Liveaboard

4
3
4
5

First, I have to say that the staff of the RDM are fantastic. I mean, super. What I liked most about them was that, from the captain on down, they all worked together. It wasn't unusual to see deckhands take the wheel or the captain carry out the trash. They really consider themselves equal and they are always smiling! Loved it. Normally, this comes from the top down. So I commend the captain for creating a positive environment where everyone is happy. It was great.

1. The food: We are vegetarians, and there were others who were gluten free and lactose intolerant. It was seamless. Our chef, who couldn't have been more than 29, by the way, didn't miss a beat. I never once had to send anything back because it wasn't vegetarian. Neither did anyone else with food issues. He and his staff delivered amazing food, 100% of the time.

2. Our dive guid, Ivan, was first class and fun (and funny!). He let us explore on our own and was right there if we needed help or guidance. He showed me a number of things and I got great pictures!!

3. The beds were super comfortable! I heard a number of people make this comment too!

If I were to make a few suggestions:

a. All the dives were great. I just felt that we tended to spend a lot of time in the same spots on a couple of days. Still, I loved it anyway. I just think we could have moved around a bit more.

b. The rooms are small, but comfortable. We had the double bed. In the photo on their site, it looks like the bed is a perfect square/rectangle. That's because the photo is distorted. If you are both tall, you should opt for the room with the two single beds. One side of the double bed is significantly shorter, as you are in the bow of the boat and it curves in. We were fortunate in that one of us is four inches shorter. He still had to bend his legs when he slept. Also, the toilet seats are made of cheap plastic. If you are sitting on the toilet and move the wrong way, you could really nip your, well, you know.... :-)

c. I think the guides are little too sticky on dive times. It's 60 minutes - even if you have 1500psi air left. And even if the ship isn't going anywhere. On other liveaboards, you can dive till you have 5-600psi left. I thought there wasn't much need to be so strict about this. Still, it didn't affect how fun it all was.

d. Finally, I really DO think the ship could use a modern update to its decor. The paint and decorative elements are very 70s-80s (even though they said it was all updated in 2015). It's not a big deal, really. I just thought that a modern touch would make it more appealing. And the flimsy plastic lawn chairs on the top deck are just not something I would expect on a liveaboard that costs over $3000 (when you factor in tips and fees).

Even with my suggestions, which I hope are seen as minor and constructive, I think this is a fantastic operation. Everyone works very hard to make sure you have a good time. I will be back - even if my suggestions aren't implemented - because the people and diving were great!

Thank you!

Visited on 08/2016 - Submitted on 08/06/2016
Read all Rocio Del Mar Liveaboard Dive Liveaboard reviews

Raja Ampat Aggressor

4
4
5
2

The staff aboard the Aggressor is terrific and super friendly. It goes without saying that the diving here is amazing. Our dive guides, Jemy and Herry, knew all the best places to go and where all the good stuff was. They are especially adept at finding nudibranchs, which are a new view of the underwater world for me and a new obsession. Michal, our cruise director, is an excellent underwater photographer and I highly recommend taking the photography course from him if he is here while you're here. He is an excellent teacher and will show you how to get the best shots of the best stuff. Michal is first class.

A couple of issues occurred in a few rooms (air conditioning went out in one, a shower leak in the another, my toilet leaked). Aside from that, the hotel experience was good. Each of these issues was handled professionally and quickly, but would have been a serious issue if the boat had a full compliment of guests.

I am a vegetarian and my only negative experience here has been the food. And since it was an ongoing issue for 10 days, it was a big one. When I booked the trip, I made it clear that I was a vegetarian and was told it would not be an issue. But it was. If you are NOT a vegetarian, you will likely consider your meals to be excellent. Beef stroganoff, fish with white wine sauce, sirloin steak, chicken parmesan, calamari, and many more restaurant quality menu items - all prepared and presented with great care and attention to detail.

If you are a vegetarian, you'll get nothing like this. The kitchen staff clearly has little or no experience with vegetarian foods and doesn't even seem to try. I brought it up with the staff on the second day, and they said they would serve me better food. But from that point, my "main courses" ended up being ALL fried foods. I even once received fried tempeh covered in sauce that had bits of meat in it from the entree others were eating. While others were dining on fish, I got deep-fried tofu. While they ate steak, I ate deep-fried corn cakes. While they ate a nice Italian dish, I got deep-fried vegetables or tempeh. It's not like the tofu or tempeh was prepared in an entree. It was simply a plate of plain tofu or tempeh. That was it. And even though Michal constantly told the kitchen staff to prepare me proper meals, they were obviously uninterested in doing so, always serving me the same fried foods. Eventually, I just stopped eating it and ate more side items instead. It was only on the last full day of the trip that the chef finally prepared me a vegetarian lunch, which was great!

I'm assuming the food issues were just growing pains and I am fully aware that sometimes it just takes a good push to get things done. Having said that, I highly recommend the Raja Ampat Aggressor if you have no dietary restrictions. It really is fun and first rate. After 10 days at sea though, I was glad to get on land and eat a proper meal.

The TOTAL experience for me was amazing. It was still a trip of a lifetime. And, even with those issues I would go on this exact boat and do it all over again. That's how good it was, and it's why my star rating is high.

Visited on 02/2016 - Submitted on 02/08/2016
Read all Raja Ampat Aggressor Dive Liveaboard reviews

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