Destinations
MV Duke of York dive boat review
Step aboard Duke of York
MALDIVES LIVEABOARD GUIDE
Duke of York: Italian hospitality and a separate dive dhoni
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Italian hospitality and a separate dive dhoni. Start with your preferred cabin and itinerary, then compare the complete departure quote.
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Duke of York vessel and booking details
Duke of York combines Italian hospitality with a separate diving dhoni. LiveAboard.com’s specification table gives a 2010 build and 36 m length. Its capacity summary and deck-by-deck cabin description disagree, so the assigned cabin plan is more useful than an unqualified berth count.
Vessel source · checked 7 October 2026.
Which cabin should you book?
| Deck | Cabin choice | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Current booking choices | Cabins on lower, main and upper decks | Confirm room number, beds, occupancy and deck in your written quote. |
Cabins have air-conditioning and private bathrooms. Specify whether you need separate beds, a double, a view or sole occupancy; a category name alone does not settle those details.
Life aboard Duke of York
Duke of York’s air-conditioned lounge offers a cool retreat, with a television and bar nearby. Outdoor seating is distributed across three decks, with loungers, mats and deck chairs. Massage services are advertised aboard; ask about the therapist and charges for your sailing if this matters to your holiday.
Italian and Maldivian cooking
The main-deck restaurant serves Italian and Maldivian buffet meals. Food is an important part of this boat’s appeal, but send vegetarian requirements or allergies in advance and request a clear answer about what the kitchen can provide.
Travelling with a non-diver on Duke of York?
Confirm a non-diving place directly for Duke of York and the chosen departure. A current boat-specific acceptance policy and companion fare have not been established here. Ask whether the booking is a shared cruise berth or a whole-yacht charter, and obtain the price for your dates, duration, cabin and occupancy, including taxes and transfers. Skipping dives does not by itself establish a discount.
Request a practical programme for the companion: which guided snorkeling sessions or island excursions are actually planned, whether equipment and guidance are included, and which activities cost extra. Confirm age or supervision conditions where relevant. A diving or surfing charter may leave a non-participating guest aboard for substantial periods; do not assume that a tender, sundeck or an old excursion description guarantees daily outings.
Diving, routes and experience
The listing’s cabin total and deck breakdown disagree. Confirm the assigned cabin and route-specific diving requirements.
Check the itinerary attached to your departure. Malé–Malé routes avoid the domestic-flight logistics of many southern trips. Currents can change the site order and wildlife sightings are never guaranteed. See the Maldives diving guide for seasons and atolls.
Get the minimum logged dives, certification, required equipment and no-fly interval in writing from the operator. A statement that a boat welcomes beginners does not mean every route or dive is suitable for them.
Example circuit: Malé → South Malé → Vaavu → South Ari → North Ari → Rasdhoo → Malé. Operators vary the order and select sites according to the departure, weather and currents.
- Maaya Thila, North Ari: a reef pinnacle; conditions affect dive planning.
- Alimatha, Vaavu: the island marker locates the surrounding night-diving area, not an exact entry point.
- South Ari: the Maamigili marker locates the wider whale-shark area; encounters are not guaranteed.
- Rasdhoo: an atoll reference for the surrounding reefs, not a promised stop.
Most central itineraries use Malé-area boarding and return. Check the actual meeting point and airport transfer; southern one-way departures may require domestic flights.
Route context: Emperor Best of Maldives and Carpe Diem Central Atolls. Geographic references: Malé / North Malé, South Malé area, Vaavu / Alimatha, South Ari / Maamigili, Maaya Thila / North Ari, Rasdhoo.
Duke of York itinerary map
Select the documented route example below. Zoom to inspect the islands and reefs, and select a numbered stop for its name. The actual sailing programme must be confirmed with the operator.
Lines show indicative connections between regions, not navigation tracks. Arrows show the example direction; departures can run in reverse, and stops vary with weather, currents and the chosen cruise.
Routes at a glance
- Central Atolls: Malé / North Malé → South Malé area → Vaavu / Alimatha → South Ari / Maamigili → Maaya Thila / North Ari → Rasdhoo → Malé / North Malé. Indicative regional connections from the route described on this page. Confirm the actual departure, direction and stops; this is not a navigation track.
Confirm ports, transfers and any domestic flights before booking.
Geographic references and route sources
Regional markers use the references below. See the boat-specific itinerary sources accompanying this map; no extra route is implied by the destination guide.
Malé / North Malé · South Malé area · Vaavu / Alimatha · South Ari / Maamigili · Maaya Thila / North Ari · Rasdhoo ·
Watch: Maldives Central Atolls — destination film
Guest film by AROS Pro, February 2026, filmed aboard Emperor Serenity. Destination illustration only: it does not show this boat or establish its facilities. Video source · Watch on YouTube. Illustrative boat photograph.
Budget, inclusions and extras
Current departure listings were checked on 6 October 2026. Obtain a cabin-level quote for your dates. Compare currency, nights, shared or private occupancy, taxes, fuel and service charges before choosing.
| Budget line | Before paying |
|---|---|
| Cruise | Match dates, nights, cabin, currency and occupancy. |
| Mandatory extras | Ask for taxes, fuel/service charges, park fees and compulsory transfers as a written total. |
| Diving extras | Check Nitrox, rentals, larger tanks, courses and private guiding. |
| Travel | Add international flights, any domestic flights, hotels, insurance and optional spending. |
Request a written shared-berth or sole-occupancy quote. Availability in a double cabin does not establish the price for one guest.
Do not compare headline prices as final totals. Until every compulsory charge is confirmed for the same departure, the all-in comparison remains incomplete. Use our budget guide and travel guide to build the rest of the trip.
Is this the right boat for you?
Italian hospitality and a separate dive dhoni. Start with that priority, then check cabin availability and route. For an alternative, compare Emperor Voyager, Emperor Serenity, Carpe Novo and Blue Force One. See the Maldives boat comparison. Our Maldives liveaboard guide explains the route choices; the luxury guide compares comfort priorities.
What guests say about Duke of York
Two LiveAboard.com accounts illustrate both Duke of York’s hospitality and a practical booking consideration.
Christoph L — 26 June 2026: Christoph praised fresh, varied meals, clean cabins and a friendly crew during a week aboard. He also found dive organisation smooth. His account suggests that time on the main yacht contributed as much to his enjoyment as the dives.
Thomas C — 15 January 2024: Thomas enjoyed the buffet, lounge and spacious bathrooms, but had not expected activities to run mainly in Italian with English translations. Confirm the briefing and social languages for your departure, particularly if you are travelling alone.
Duke of York: questions before booking
Will Duke of York briefings be in English?
Ask for the language of your departure. A January 2024 guest described mainly Italian activities with English translation; staffing and guest groups can change.
Where is the diving equipment kept?
The separate dhoni provides space for diving equipment and preparation, leaving the main yacht for accommodation and relaxing.
Is Nitrox included on Duke of York?
The current partner listing advertises free Nitrox for certified divers. Have that inclusion written into your departure quote.
Why should I request a numbered cabin plan?
Published cabin totals and deck breakdowns do not fully agree. Confirm the actual deck, beds and occupancy instead of relying on a category name.
Find your Duke of York departure
Compare the cabin and final quote for the dates you can travel.
Have you dived with Duke of York?
Share your travel date, cabin, diving experience and any practical advice for the next guest. Existing reader reviews remain below.
Gallery, vessel details and guest-review update: 7 October 2026. Fare observations retain their stated dates. This is a researched update, not a new onboard inspection. Useful original descriptions have been retained and outdated prices and specifications corrected. Sources: operator boat information, departure and cabin listings.
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.
destination of the monthMaldives
Drift dives, reef sharks, manta rays and whale sharks: choose the right atoll, season and diving style for your Maldives adventure.
- If you have been diving on board this liveaboard dive boat in Maldives, 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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Other Liveaboard Reviews in Maldives
There were a lot of Manta rays with our dive to Maldives. Thanks to the dive masters with MV Duke of York, we saw a lot of rays, eels, sharks and other schools of fish. We’ve unlocked the beauties of several atolls on the central region of Maldives. At one point we were also looking out to whale sharks.
We had some good old island hopping and checking out some sand bars and we had a barbecue night under the starry sky on one of them. It was a party to remember. There were 15 of us onboard and we were pretty much in one with nature the whole night. And to make the night even more special, we had those phosphorescent plankton on the shore. We were in luck.
The dives were awesome too. Although not as lavish as other live aboards like ScubaSpa, MV Duke of York gets the job done. There are no bunk beds , which I hate by the way, on the cabins.
The rooms, deck and dining hall were spacious enough to accommodate everyone. It was important to me as I get a little paranoid in cramped space.
One thing they could probably change in the future is the charge for internet. It would have been nice to check with family and friends during the week but anyway, that could be convenient for someone who really wants to do away from the outside world.