Destinations
MV Nortada dive boat review
Step aboard Nortada
Photos selected September 2026. Capture dates are not supplied; archive images are identified in their captions.
Ecuador / Galapagos / 2026 boat guide
Four cabins for a more personal Galápagos trip.
Check departures with the agent →
Compare the cabin, itinerary and full trip cost before booking.
For a more intimate and personal experience of the Galapagos Islands, Nortada offers a small-vessel alternative to the larger yachts. Originally built in France by Guy Couach, the vessel has been adapted for diving. The important booking detail is occupancy: the current operator describes four triple cabins for up to 12 guests, while some partner copy still refers to eight passengers.
Editorial update checked September 28, 2026. This is a source-based guide, not a new firsthand inspection onboard. Original guest reviews remain below.
Find your cabin
| Cabin choice | Layout | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Four triple cabins | Two lower single berths plus one upper berth in each. | Private bathroom and air-conditioning. |
| Twin use or private charter | Ask how many berths will actually be sold. | A four-cabin boat is not automatically an eight-person departure. |
| Solo booking | Confirm shared-room occupancy and any supplement. | Check whether an upper berth could be assigned. |
Check bed configuration, deck location, stairs and sharing arrangements on your confirmation. A category name alone does not guarantee a particular room.
Unwind between dives
Making your way upstairs to the main deck, there is an air-conditioned salon where you can relax with a book or a cold drink. Adjacent is the dining area. There is also an outdoor seating area for taking in the views, and a sun deck above. Local dishes, snacks and drinks are part of the onboard experience; confirm exactly which drinks your fare includes.
Diving and itinerary
The dive deck provides kit preparation space and an outside shower, and the operator lists two tenders and a Nitrox compressor. Nortada also advertises support for specialised activities. Technical diving, gas supplies or rebreather support must be agreed in advance for the specific charter; do not assume they are available on every recreational departure. Ask for the exact Darwin/Wolf schedule and guided-diving arrangements.
Is this trip right for you?
Have the operator approve your certification, logged dives and recent experience, especially for a specialist charter. Confirm the required insurance and surface-signalling equipment. The historical review’s technical-diving claims should not be treated as a current promise of support.
Discuss cold-water comfort, currents, tender entries, rental sizes and any non-diver activities before booking. For seasonal planning, use our Galapagos diving guide. No yacht can guarantee a particular animal encounter.
Watch: Nortada: a diver’s Galapagos journey
Preview: illustrative boat photograph from this page’s gallery, not a frame from the film.
Independent guest film by Sabrina Inderbitzi, from her Nortada-tagged Galapagos series. Archive travel footage, not a 2026 boat tour or proof of current availability. Selected September 28, 2026.
Plan your trip: 2026 prices and extras
Cost comparison: use the shared 7-night budget and extras breakdown to compare Nitrox, taxes and compulsory fees on the same basis. Figures are planning references, not a live quote.
A reliable 2026 departure-specific fare was not confirmed. The old EUR 3,743 quote has been removed. Request a quote stating trip length, cabin, occupancy and currency.
Separate cruise fare, park/transit charges, transfers, fuel or chamber contributions, Nitrox, rental kit, insurance and gratuities. Ask whether a smaller-group charter costs more and whether all four cabins will be sold on a twin or triple basis. Current operator and partner capacity descriptions differ; have your invoice state the maximum passenger count.
All reference fares are subject to reconfirmation. Check the currency, per-person basis, cabin, taxes, deposit and cancellation conditions on the actual quote.
Flights, transfers and time aboard
Plan the journey with our Galapagos travel guide and check seasonal conditions in the Galapagos diving guide. Confirm the arrival and departure airports for your exact itinerary before buying flights, especially on longer cruises.
Obtain written confirmation of the embarkation point, airport, pickup time and transfer cost before arranging your domestic flight. Flight connections via mainland Ecuador need room for delays. The booking partner did not display online availability when checked, so contact the operator or agent before buying flights.
Which Galapagos boat fits your priorities?
Compare cabins, diver requirements and matched trip costs in our Galapagos liveaboard comparison. For the wider choice of itineraries, see our Galapagos liveaboard planning guide.
| Your priority | Boat to compare | Useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Western route and spacious social areas | Tiburon Explorer | 16 guests; compare 7- and 10-night routes. |
| Nitrox in the published package | Galapagos Sky | Deluxe twins or upper-deck Master cabins. |
| Choice of cabin category | Galapagos Master | Classic cabins have no windows; Premium cabins have views. |
| Lower published Explorer reference fare | Humboldt Explorer | Eight cabins; compare total extras with Tiburon. |
These are practical differences, not a quality ranking. Start with your dates and dive experience, then compare cabins and total cost. Browse our Galapagos liveaboard guide.
Before you book: frequently asked questions
Which cabin should I book?
Two lower single berths plus one upper berth in each. Private bathroom and air-conditioning.
Are current departures confirmed?
The operator presents Nortada as a dive vessel, but the partner displayed no online availability when checked. Contact the operator or agent for your dates.
Is the headline fare the whole holiday cost?
No. Compare the budget section with your invoice and include flights, hotels, insurance, mandatory charges and your chosen extras.
Can a beginner join the diving?
Have the operator approve your certification, logged dives and recent experience, especially for a specialist charter. Confirm the required insurance and surface-signalling equipment. The historical review’s technical-diving claims should not be treated as a current promise of support.
Will we definitely see hammerheads or whale sharks?
No. Wildlife, visibility and currents vary. Choose a suitable season and itinerary, and treat sightings as possibilities rather than promises.
From the original review
Watch the original archive video →. Filming date and current boat appearance have not been verified; this is background footage, not a 2026 inspection.
Make your next Galapagos trip easier to plan
Compare your chosen departure, confirm the cabin and get a complete written quote.
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Sources and editorial check
Checked September 28, 2026: Nortada operator yacht specifications, Nortada partner listing and availability. Photographs belong to their credited sources; their selection date is not their capture date. Original useful descriptions have been retained and corrected where current sources differ.
Have you dived aboard Nortada?
Help another diver choose with confidence. Share your travel date, cabin, diving conditions, crew experience and what you would have liked to know before booking. Honest highlights and limitations are both useful.
Where does this liveaboard dive boat go?
Check out the fabulous places where this dive boat travels to.
Note: some destinations may not be listed below, please enquire for more details.
Galapagos
Plan Galapagos diving in 2026: Darwin and Wolf liveaboards, island day trips, seasons, diver experience and essential travel preparation.
- If you have been diving on board this liveaboard dive boat in Galapagos, please share your review and let us know what you thought. Please post your comments in the review section below, by doing so you will help fellow divers to plan their next diving trip
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My wife and I were on the Nortada from 28 Feb through 2 Mar 2018. The diving was excellent . . . as it would have been from any boat that visited the same dive sites. The food was good, the dive masters were outstanding, the cabins were at the waterline and, therefore, dark and a bit musty. I don’t know how they compare with cabins on other similarly-priced boats.
The trip was NOT, however, as advertised: One of the major, advertised selling points for the boat is that it only has 4 cabins. Therefore, a maximum of eight divers: “All . . . departures are run with two dive masters diving from two tenders. This renders . . . an increased supervision ratio (of 4 divers per dive master). In reality there were 10 divers . . . the company rented out the captain’s cabin, of all things, forcing two of the crew to sleep in the lounge. Of the 10 divers, three were inexperienced and wound up having a tender to themselves where the dive master could hold their hand while diving. And I mean, hold their hands. He really did that with one of the divers through all twenty dives. This left 7 divers crowded into the other tender, which was not safe when the divers rolled into the water. On several occasions we got our feet tangled on entry. It also meant that the dive master had to supervise 7 divers scattered in wild current. This was NOT the same as the 4 divers per tender the company advertises.
The literature advertises that the boat is equipped to handle rebreathers. It is not.
The literature advertises “Nitrox/Trimix LP systems features compressor, membrane and helium intake”. The boat is not equipped for Nitrox or any other mixture other than straight air.
The literature states: “EMERGENCY OXYGEN is located on top deck”. In fact, there is some sort of cylinder on the top deck. It is not marked OXYGEN and, if it does contain oxygen, I would be reluctant to use it. It is almost eaten through with rust and gives the appearance of something salvaged from the bottom of the ocean. If it were a dive tank, I not only would refuse to use it, I would refuse to dive with the company that supplied it.
Hi Bill, thank you for posting. your review is very helpful, there are very few reviews for 2018 and none for 2019. Based on your review I doesn’t seem they are safe enough. I would have use them if they would have good reviews but unfortunately their reviews are not good on other websites either. Thank you for posting.