Blue Voyager Maldives Review
Blue Voyager Maldives Review – July 2017
This is the first time I’ve visited Blue Voyager since the owner Blueotwo relocated it from the Red Sea to the Maldives.
There it was considered to be one of the finest liveaboards available. Since its arrival in the Maldives Blueotwo have administered a complete refurbishment. Not only has it been given a more Maldivian feel but there is even more room for the 26 passengers to enjoy.
Externally Blue Voyager looks a beauty and wouldn’t look out of place in Monaco marina. Her sleek lines and blacked out windows would make it fit for a rapper.
Where the kitting up area used to be, this has been converted in to another seated seating area. On what used to be the dive platform as been transferred into another seating area where you can get away from it all and chill out watching the sunset.
The main saloon is where the meals are served over 2 large tables. This gives the divers plenty of opportunity to chew the fat and get to know their fellow passengers.
Downstairs are 8 twin cabins. Possibly not the largest you’ll find on a Maldives liveaboard but certainly enough room, decent air con, an ensuite bathroom, charging points and a TV.
The Sky Lounge is located above the saloon. During the day it is a great place to cool down and get out of the sunshine. There is plenty of comfy chairs, sofas and bean bags. Since its refurb they have installed a bar and in the evening has its very own smiley bar tender. For the Maldives drinks seem reasonably priced – a 330ml can of Tiger Beer is $3.50. Don’t try and bring duty free as its banned. Water, tea,coffee and fruit juice are included. Fizzy drinks such as cola can be charged to your room.
Outside at the bow of the boat is a small decked sun terrace. This is perfect for those who enjoy a bit of privacy or “me” time.
On the top deck you will find a mainly sheltered open deck. There is a jacuzzi which can be filled in between dives. There are also a couple of areas to catch some rays.
The crew are either Maldivian or Sri Lankan and have been working on boats from an early age. They are keen to help, are very friendly, love to smile and are always on hand when you need them. If you ever had a holiday aboard Sea Queen then this is where most of the crew worked before – which is a good thing.
The food is exceptional and for me it is the best I’ve had on a liveaboard. Meals included Sri Lankan specialties such grilled chicken, local curry and a locals breakfast.
We had 2 guides; Anka and Thi Thi. Anka proved to be an excellent guide, her briefings were to the point but fun and she made the less experienced divers feel safe. You can see she loves what she does and her love of rays and sharks is infectious, she has produced an interesting presentation on the various shark and ray species. Thi Thi as been diving these waters for years and knows the dive sites like the back of his hand. He is a great guide to follow as he knows how the currents change and where large and small marine life like to hang out.
The Dhoni is a smaller tender boat that you dive from, it is spacious and well laid out. The crew are friendly and happy to help you in and out of your kit. There is no water on board which would help divers remain hydrated before and after the dive.
As with all holidays there are a few little niggles. Blue Voyager only runs 3 dives per day, on most Maldives liveaboards you quite often have 2 morning dives, afternoon dive and 3-4 evenings a night dive.
We arrived on the boat at 12pm and around 4pm we set up our kit and did a weight check. The boat stayed moored in the harbour by the airport over night and we didn’t do our check dive until the following morning. The harbour is not the most picturesque place in the Maldives to spend the evening and we felt that we could have easily gone to a nearby dive site for a check dive on the day of arrival.
If you are looking for a good quality liveaboard in the Maldives then I would be happy to recommend Blue Voyager.