KLM Sea Safari 8

Built in 2003, Sea Safari 8 measures 34.35 metres long and 10 metres wide. The operator’s fleet page records a 2026 renovation. Its wooden phinisi styling gives it a different feel from a modern motor yacht, with the practical benefit of several places to spread out between dives.

Cabin choice: the deck and bed both matter

All twelve cabins have private bathrooms and air conditioning. The current gallery shows double rooms, lower-deck twins and bunk arrangements; the view and bed configuration are not interchangeable. A couple wanting a double on the middle deck should have that category written into the booking, rather than assuming any double cabin will be equivalent.

The reviewed March 2027 departure is listed for up to 23 guests. Other fleet material gives different overall capacities, so that departure-specific limit is more useful than treating every published maximum as interchangeable.

Food, cameras and a little deck time

The camera station gives photographers a place for housings and preparation away from the dinner plates. The indoor saloon offers a cooler retreat, while the outdoor seating makes it easy to keep watching the coast without spending the whole afternoon in direct sun. The hot tub is an appealing extra; it is a shared facility, not a private cabin feature.

Meals combine local and Western cooking, with vegetarian and vegan options advertised. The recent guest feedback is particularly enthusiastic about the food. Dietary needs still deserve advance discussion, especially on a remote itinerary where replacing an ingredient is not as simple as a quick trip ashore.

Diving: the selected trip sets the requirements

The 1–6 March 2027 Raja Ampat itinerary requires Open Water certification and at least 30 logged dives, with approximately twelve dives advertised. Longer sailings have different totals. The daily sequence remains flexible around conditions; a crossing day can leave less time underwater than a day spent around nearby reefs.

Nitrox is advertised at US$20 per day, but a September 2026 guest reported that it was unavailable throughout their voyage. For someone relying on that option, confirmed availability for the actual sailing is a meaningful part of the booking discussion. The same applies to rental equipment: a May 2026 review raised equipment issues, without establishing that every set had a problem.

Non-diving companions

Snorkellers are welcome, and the listed package includes a snorkelling guide and offered land excursions. Kayaks and a stand-up paddleboard are among the advertised facilities. A non-diver fare or discount has not been verified; activities depend on the chosen route and conditions.

Beyond a single Raja Ampat circuit

Raja Ampat features heavily in the calendar, but the 2027 programme also reaches North Sulawesi and Halmahera. The map separates those choices. Dates shown are examples from the operator’s schedule; chartered, held and maintenance periods do not mean cabins are available for individual bookings.

Checked 9 November 2026. Markers represent towns or island groups, not precise dive sites. Lines are schematic relationships, not navigable tracks. The operator also describes Cenderawasih Bay, but no matching dated sailing was verified in this reviewed calendar.

Show all routes Reset to Raja Ampat

The route table above remains available if the map cannot load.

Raja Ampat dive-site context

Blue Magic and Mioskon illustrate how close individual reef stops can be within a much larger Raja Ampat cruise. Cape Kri sits nearby. These are local site references for orientation, not promised Sea Safari 8 stops; the dive team chooses each day’s sites around conditions.

Cape Kri: 0.55627°S, 130.69074°E; Blue Magic: 0.50953°S, 130.74795°E; Mioskon: 0.49742°S, 130.72699°E. Approximate reference positions, not a guide for use underwater.

A glimpse of Sea Safari 8

Play the operator film

Film featured on the operator’s Sea Safari 8 page; it does not establish the present condition of every cabin or item of equipment.

A five-night budget with mandatory fees

The partner’s 1–6 March 2027 Raja Ampat departure shows a starting cabin fare of €2,198 per person. The additional charges are displayed in US dollars, so they remain separate below rather than being converted at an unstated exchange rate.

This dated example excludes flights, additional hotels, insurance, rental equipment, Nitrox, optional drinks and gratuities. The final quote determines the selected cabin price and applicable fees. Included local airport and hotel transfers have geographic limits; the sample itinerary covers hotels within approximately 45 minutes of the harbour, with farther pickups chargeable.

On this short itinerary, the operator aims to depart before noon. Arriving in Sorong the previous day gives a delayed domestic connection some breathing room. The last dive is on the penultimate day, and the published itinerary recommends a 24-hour interval before flying.

What the recent guest feedback adds

LiveAboard.com displays 9.2/10 from thirteen verified reviews, checked 9 November 2026. These include recent accounts as well as older voyages. Divezone’s own reader votes are a separate score.

Have you sailed on Sea Safari 8? Your route, month and cabin choice would give the next traveller useful context. Share your experience below.

Research checked 9 November 2026 using Sea Safari Cruises and LiveAboard.com, with geographic references from PADI local operator listings and gazetteers. This is an editorial review, not a new onboard inspection. Photos are selected from the current partner gallery, with varying capture dates; film from the operator’s page. Existing comments and reader votes remain below.