Scotland · Accommodation and diving choices
Compare the whole week, not just the boat
MV Valhalla and MV Huskyan’s regular Scapa package offer two different starting points. This comparison makes the overnight arrangement explicit, then looks at cabins, diving, costs and the practical questions that can decide your trip.
Meet the two options
Sleep aboardMV Valhalla
Six twin-bunk cabins, a heated interior and a diver lift make this a practical floating base. The operator markets Scapa Flow, Orkney and Shetland weeks; the actual region depends on the departure.
Valhalla programmes and enquiries
Photo: MV Valhalla operator.
Scapa boat + shore lodgeMV Huskyan & Number 15
The regular Scapa Flow package pairs five days of diving with six nights at Divers Lodge in Stromness. Dive gear stays aboard while you return to a kitchen, drying facilities and the town each evening.
Photo: Marjo Tynkkynen / Huskyan.
Valhalla and Huskyan at a glance
| Your decision | MV Valhalla | MV Huskyan + Number 15 |
|---|---|---|
| Trip format | Liveaboard; sleep aboard | Regular Scapa package: boat diving + shore lodge |
| Accommodation | 6 twin-bunk cabins, 12 berths; confirm occupancy | Number 15: 6 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms; group package up to 10 divers |
| Length / layout | 23.95 m long, 7.2 m beam | Verified hull dimensions not established in the sources used |
| Build year | Not verified; conversion history is not a build date | Not verified in this comparison |
| Bathroom arrangement | Five lower cabins have shower/washbasin; main-deck cabin has adjacent facilities. Do not assume every cabin has a private WC. | Lodge bathrooms shared according to room allocation; confirm the booking layout |
| Diving areas | Scapa Flow, Orkney and Shetland by programme | Scapa Flow for the regular package |
| Duration | Week-long charters; exact joining/leaving dates vary | 5 diving days and 6 shore nights |
| Price reference | Request a dated quotation | 1–7 Aug 2027 organiser example: £1,500 card / £1,425 BACS per person |
| Gas / extras | Confirm air, Nitrox, helium, equipment and catering in quote | Standard package includes air fills and weights; Nitrox extra, trimix by arrangement |
| Practical comfort | Heated interior, indoor changing, diver lift | Diver lift, heated wet room; lodge kitchen and washing/drying facilities |
| Who it may suit | Divers who want to stay with the boat | Divers who value a town base and evenings ashore |
The Huskyan figure is a specific organiser’s 2027 package, not a matching quote for Valhalla. It cannot establish which option costs less. Huskyan also offers expeditions with onboard accommodation; request the precise format when considering a trip outside its standard Scapa programme.
Which arrangement feels right?
For a group that wants evenings together aboard
Valhalla keeps the week centred on the vessel, with twin-bunk cabins and indoor communal areas. Cabin allocation and catering inclusions make a useful difference to comfort and total cost. Bunk access and the bathroom arrangement matter more than the cabin label if you value privacy or find ladders awkward.
For divers who enjoy a town base
Huskyan’s lodge arrangement leaves you in Stromness after the diving day, with a kitchen and space for a land-based routine. That makes it easier to mix diving with independent time ashore, but meals and group cooking still need planning. Room allocation determines bathroom privacy; not every room has its own facilities.
For photographers and technical divers
Equipment configuration, charging and storage deserve an individual discussion: boat size alone does not establish spare workspace. Huskyan describes camera-rinsing facilities; both operators require advance discussion of specialist gases and diving plans. A deep wreck itinerary needs appropriate training, recent experience and a team plan.
Compare the complete cost
A useful total starts with the same number of nights and diving days, then includes flights or ferries, transfers, meals, gas upgrades, kit rental, insurance and extra hotel nights. Weather cancellation terms, deposits and sole-occupancy charges can materially change that comparison. A partly inclusive berth price and a different number of dives cannot establish a reliable saving.
The 1–7 August 2027 Dive Rutland example includes six lodge nights, five diving days and specified equipment/refreshments; travel, food and gas upgrades need separate budgeting. A current Valhalla quote is needed before comparing totals.
Valhalla’s published schedule lists Shetland weeks in August 2027. The availability page carries an older update date, so the listed programme is evidence of a marketed trip, not confirmation that a berth remains available.
Where the trips start
Stromness is the base for the Scapa Flow options described here; Lerwick is the joining port for Valhalla’s Shetland programme. These are port-area locations, not dive entry points. They do not form a single cruise route: the booked programme and conditions determine where the vessel goes.
- Scapa Flow / Stromness: Orkney wreck-diving base; allow for island transport and weather disruption.
- Shetland / Lerwick: a separate, more northerly programme; book travel for the specific joining port.
Scapa Flow includes the German fleet wrecks; individual dive choices depend on certification, recent experience, depth and the skipper’s plan. No fixed sequence of wreck visits is promised.
Detailed dive-site locations
These published reference positions help compare dive locations with your travel base. They are not verified entry points, moorings or an underwater navigation guide. Site access and the day’s dive plan must be agreed with a local operator.
A Scapa Flow cruiser on a slope, with the bow around 25 m and the stern around 38 m. The map locates the wreck, not a shot line or underwater route. Site description and position.
A Scapa Flow cruiser lying on its starboard side, with parts of the wreck around 22 m and seabed around 36 m. Depth and cold-water preparation should match the planned dive. Site description and position.
Positions checked against the linked descriptions on 5 November 2026; map imagery and local conditions can change.
Companions who do not dive
A Stromness shore stay offers independent walks, museums and island sightseeing while the dive boat is out. Neither a companion fare nor guaranteed boat access has been verified for these options. Room occupancy, daytime access, shore excursions and cancellation terms need to suit the companion’s plans.
Valhalla describes freshly prepared onboard meals. Its posted 2024/25 terms treat catering beyond breakfast as extra and provide for fuel supplements. Because those terms carry an older year, the current quotation needs to confirm the applicable inclusions and cancellation conditions.
Questions before booking
Which option includes sleeping aboard?
Valhalla is the liveaboard option described here. The regular Huskyan Scapa package includes Number 15 Divers Lodge ashore; other Huskyan expeditions can use a different arrangement.
Which is cheaper?
There is no like-for-like price comparison without a dated Valhalla quote. The quoted Huskyan organiser example is for August 2027 and has specific inclusions.
Are all Valhalla cabins fully en suite?
The operator describes showers and washbasins in five lower cabins and adjacent facilities for the main-deck cabin. Confirm WC arrangements and your exact cabin before booking.
Can I book as an individual?
Huskyan advertises individual and small-group opportunities on selected weeks. Berth availability and sharing arrangements depend on the dates and operator.
How experienced should I be?
Valhalla’s guidance calls for comfort around 35 metres at Scapa Flow and 35–40 metres in Shetland. For either boat, recent drysuit and depth experience must suit the actual planned dives.
Do both trips cover Shetland?
Valhalla markets Shetland programmes. The Huskyan package compared here is for Scapa Flow; do not transfer one boat’s route or joining port to the other.
The organiser’s dated August 2027 trip requires a 40 m deep-diving qualification. Its quoted fare may be affected by a fuel or electricity supplement, and cancellation can leave the full fare payable unless a replacement is accepted. These are terms of that particular organised trip, not a universal Scottish diving rule.
Sources and review date
Reviewed 9 November 2026 against Valhalla specifications, Valhalla trip FAQ, Huskyan package and Divers Lodge details. Photos selected November 2026 from the operators’ websites; capture dates were not supplied. Departure spaces and final quotations require operator confirmation.