Being a new diver is exciting! You’ve just entered a new world of possibilities for travel, and a liveaboard should be at the top of your list.
There are liveaboards all over the world. Going on a liveaboard trip soon after your certification is so much fun, and there’s no better way to learn the basics and meet other divers.
I had the opportunity to visit two Bahamas liveaboards right after becoming SCUBA certified, and I could not have asked for a better introduction to the diving world. I got to dive some beautiful places and see unbelievable sea life, all while I was surrounded by amazing people and scenic islands.
I decided to make this list of a few reasons for other new divers to go out on liveaboard trips so you could have the same incredible experience I did!
#1 – Your Diving Skills Will Improve Rapidly
Diving is a blast! But you have to be comfortable in the water to experience it to the fullest.
Unfortunately, too many new divers never get to the level of skill and comfort needed to fully enjoy it. Lots of new divers get certified, go on a couple of dives, and then they lose interest or just stop going.
By going on a liveaboard dive trip, you will have the chance to do up to over 26 dives in a week. Even if you have a shaky start, you’ll be diving like a pro (and planning your next trip) by the end of the week!
Diving with different buddies in different dive sites all day for a week will help you become a well-rounded diver. There’s also no pressure to do every single dive. It’s perfectly fine to sit out some dives if you would rather relax on the boat or if you don’t feel comfortable with a certain dive site.
#2 – You Can Try Different Types of Diving
One of the best parts about going on a liveaboard trip is the ability to dive such a large variety of sites. It makes exploring remote spots around an island group like the Bahamas or Indonesia easy.
Forming opinions about what kind of diving you like to do will make it easier to plan future trips!
There are so many types of dive sites, and it’s difficult to try many on individual trips, especially for a new diver who hasn’t figured out which types to seek out. Liveaboards make it possible to try dives like wrecks, walls, drift dives, night dives, and shark feedings in the same week.
Knowing how you feel about shallow reefs versus deep dives on walls or watching for sea turtles versus searching for nudibranchs will make your dives much more fun.
#3 – Liveaboard Prices Are Very Affordable
Trips like an all-inclusive week on Blackbeard’s cost only just over $1,000. That covers meals – better than your granny cooks – and snacks, rum punch, beer, and wine, plus all your entertainment.
All you’d need to pay for beyond the listed price is rental equipment (if you don’t have your own) and a tip for the crew.
You’d spend much more for the same amount of time at a quality dive resort, and you’d miss out on so much of the unique experience that liveaboards offer! Having a beer with a group of fellow divers while cruising to a new mooring line on a starlit ocean night is an amazing experience that you just can’t get on other types of dive travel trips.
There are also more luxurious liveaboards that are undoubtably worth the higher price if you prefer to live on the extra comfortable side!
#4 – People with Experience Decide Which Sites to Dive
Being new at any hobby generally involves relying on other people to teach you how to best enjoy it. Thankfully, on a liveaboard, the captain and crew are all experienced and knowledgeable, and they’re the ones who figure out how to have the most fun.
Depending on weather, tides, currents, seasons, time of day, etc., certain dive sites will be better than others. The liveaboard’s captain will do his or her best to get the divers to the best option every single time, so you can rest assured that you’re diving the perfect spots.
They also make sure that each dive is safe, which can be a major concern for new divers. If it is too windy, they might decide to take you to a shallow reef instead of a deep dive to make sure you aren’t fighting a current the whole time.
They might even have to cancel the dive, because your safety is always the biggest concern, but you can always trust the captain and crew to make the best decisions!
#5 – The Crew Can Teach You a Lot About Diving and Travel
Liveaboard crews are some of the most interesting people you’ll ever meet. The kind of people who happily pack up their lives to live on a boat in a beautiful place and dive for a living are just as fun and adventurous as you’d imagine.
They’re also great at giving little pieces of advice that improve your dives immensely. It’s their job to be good at diving and watch new divers closely, so it’s likely that they noticed immediately if you’re wearing too much weight or need to work on slowing down. All you have to do is ask!
Plus, they’re usually travelers, so they have neat suggestions about other adventures that aren’t necessarily diving-related, too. I had certainly never considered a horseback trip across Mongolia until I heard the dive masters on my first dive boat planning theirs!
#6 – It’s a Great Way to Meet Other Divers
You can certainly count on meeting some adventurous people on every dive trip. Divers are so much fun, and they all have funny and exciting stories to tell about their diving experiences.
For a new diver, this can be really helpful and equally entertaining. Learning from other divers’ mistakes is much easier than making them yourself – and usually a lot funnier, too!
The crew is an amazing resource for advice but learning from fellow recreational divers is also great because they are most likely closer to your skill level, so they are probably more able to understand the struggles of an inexperienced diver.
#7 – You Can Continue Your Dive Education
Most dive boats offer certification courses during your stay. Some even offer the last two dives for your open water certification.
Advanced diver courses are quite common, especially for new divers who want to hone in some skills in the water. All it takes is some coursework and five dives, which are arranged and accompanied by dive masters. Specialty courses are also very common on liveaboard trips. You’ll just need to check with the individual boats to see what they can offer.
I got my Enriched Air Diver certification onboard the Aqua Cat and it only took a few hours and a little studying!
#8 – You’ll Leave With Plenty of Great Dive Stories
Liveaboard diving is a truly incredible experience. Every dive is unique and exciting, and there’s almost always something great to talk about once you get back to the surface.
You’ll see some of the most amazing things, meet great people, and do some awesome diving. Telling your friends back home the stories about what you saw will have them trying to come with you on your next dive trip.
A dive liveaboard trip is the adventure of a lifetime for new divers and experienced divers alike!