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MY Emperor Serenity dive boat review
The Emperor Serenity, from the world-known Emperor fleet, is a luxury liveaboard cruising the Maldives waters. Indeed, as the newest addition to the fleet (2016), it promises to go beyond expectations. With an impressive length of 40 meters and a beam of 13, this dive boat is offering more than enough space and comfort. A great new way to explore the Indian Ocean’s jewels.
Boat Cabins & Layout
The Emperor Serenity comfortably welcomes 26 divers in a total of 13 cabins. The cabins are spread over 3 deck. First, eight cabins are located on the lower deck; 5 double with additional twin bed and 3 double only cabins. Now, on the main deck, there are 2 doubles with add. twin bed. Lastly, the upper deck is where you will find 3 doubles with add. twin bed. Therefore, most cabins would perfectly suit either a buddy team and a couple.
Every cabin has an en-suite bathroom as well as individually controlled air-conditioning. Plus, the rooms are spacious and boast plenty of storage, shelves, drawers, etc.
You can check the latest schedule & prices for this liveaboard here.
Emperor Serenity’s On-Board Facilities
The impressive size of the dive boat allows many social areas to enjoy. Indeed, the main deck boast a huge dining, lounge and bar area, all in one! You can relax on the couches, have a drink at the bar or enjoy your dinner away from the heat and sip on the complimentary wine that comes with dinner. Moreover, there is a second dining area located outside, at the stern.
Furthermore, you’ll find plenty of cushioned seating areas around the vessel, like this exemple on the picture below. Also, the upper deck features an open-air, covered, lounge area with everything you need to display your best pictures of the day. It’s also the perfect place to sit back and relax, soak in the Maldives fresh air!
What would a diving cruise be without a proper sundeck ? Of course, there’s a spacious sundeck on the Emperor Serenity. Comfortable cushioned loungers are all over the place for you to enjoy!
Vessel Layout
The Emperor Fleet proudly boasts that the Serenity “brings a class of her own to the Maldivians waters”. Indeed, it’s luxurious, more spacious, but also welcomes more divers, making it stand alone. It’s sisterships such as the Emperor Atoll or Virgo are smaller, perfect for charters or smaller groups of individuals. The Serenity is massive and lavish… more like a 5 stars floating hotel.
Diving with the Emperor Serenity
The Emperor Serenity is assisted by a sizable dhoni, dive tender (see the first picture of the boat). Indeed, this allows more space on the mother ship as well as an incredible ease of access to every dive site. Moreover, the scuba diving operation is enhanced as the vessel is offering free Nitrox! Finally, the photographers will be pleased with a camera station which includes charging plugs.
Scuba Diving in the Maldives is now reaching new ends with the Emperor Serenity and it’s professional crew!
Price starts at 2104$US for 8 days / 7 nights – Best of Maldives &Manta Madness
***More itineraries are offered and prices may vary accordingly***
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
Great Drift Dives, amazing place for underwater photography. Good chance of spotting Manta Rays and Whale Sharks!
- 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
Oh wow! This boat looks amazing! And the price is great for what it seems to offer!!! Is this a personal testimonial ? I understand the boat is quite recent but I would love any review from any one that has been on it, I’m planning my trip for about April or May… I’ll stay tuned, hoping people will share their stories! Thanks!
Best bubbles… and best dreams!
We have never been on a live aboard experience to give any reference and we went into this saying it was going to be a vacation of a lifetime so I will let you judge based on the review below to tell me if I was correct.
The website is very well explained and provides great info on your itinerary and pick-up/drop-off information so please take note of them because it will help you book your flights accordingly as there is little to do in the airport.
What NOT to expect: lots of down time. You are diving 3+ times a day so you are going to be busy.
Day one
You will be greeted promptly by a person in a blue shirt and a sign with Emperor Serenity on it so there is no mistaking them. They will take any bags you allow them and put them on the Dhoni (pronounced don ee), which is the boat you do the diving from each day. It is by far the most well equipped and most spacious dive boat I have been on. The nitrox dives are included in the price all the time. There is plenty of room to set up your gear and still walk around plus they provide a small basket under each seat to store items you wish to keep on the boat. And you will! Because you are diving 3 times a day at a minimum and lugging stuff back and forth gets old quickly. Added bonus is once you set up your gear that first day….you never have to do it again because they refill the same tank you are using each time.
Th dhoni then takes you on a short boat ride to the larger yacht to which you will be surprised. It is just as well kept and organized. You will be asked to remove you shoes as they are not permitted on the boat at any time but that is okay because you won’t need them. I believe this is the first time I have gone barefoot for 7 days since I was a kid. You will be provide a lunch and will go over the house rules, then off you go to your first dive site for the morning.
EVERY MORNING BEGINS AT 0600 so if you enjoy sleeping in, get use to not doing that because you won’t want to miss the morning dives.
Day two
You wake up for a briefing then off you go on the dhoni to your first site. You don’t travel too far for any day because you are basically island/atoll hopping but the first day teaches you what to expect from the Maldives. REEF. MARINE LIFE. CORAL. MARINE LIFE. SHARKS. MARINE LIFE. I have never been to such an amazing place. You come back to breakfast being served and have about 2 hours to eat and get ready for the next briefing.
You have four dives this day so you will need a nap in between one of the dives but I can only say you will not be disappointed on the night dive! OMG. I am afraid to say anything for fear you won’t have the same experience but the nurse sharks are huge and act like puppies that want to be petted. I had to move out of the way of several while kneeling in the sand. Hundreds of sharks. HUNDREDS
Day three
Same thing: briefing at 6:15 on the boat by 6:30:645 in the water by 7ish. You get to go to a local island this day to experience the culture and people….and get some nitrogen out of your blood.
Day four: Same thing: briefing at 6:15 on the boat by 6:30:645 in the water by 7ish.
This day we were on high alert all day because we were on the hunt to see a whale shark. It took a few times but we did see Jonah and he was spectacular! I have posted a pic so you can see how massive he was (23ft!). Amazing day and the crew for trying relentlessly to ensure we got to experience it.
Day five
Same thing: briefing at 6:15 on the boat by 6:30:645 in the water by 7ish. This day we had yet another amazing experience with a manta ray cleaning station. A couple of things to note for less experienced because the Maldivian’s take conservation seriously: DO NOT sit on the coral…use a reef hook because if you destroy the coral, it will die and then the cleaning station ceases to exist. Second one is to keep you distance from the cleaning station because if you get too close, they won’t come and you will ruin it for everyone. A picture is worth a thousand words to show how amazing it was.
We also had a beautiful dinner on a deserted island that the crew prepared. They really go out of their way to make your trip enjoyable and to show you some local culture and cuisine.
Day six
Same thing: briefing at 6:15 on the boat by 6:30:645 in the water by 7ish. Traveled about 15 minutes to the most beautiful cleaning station in hopes of seeing additional mantas and sharks. We saw plenty sharks and a couple eagle rays and octopus but no mantas today. YET. I say that because this crew is dedicated to ensuring you get to experience the best of Maldives. This night we all opted for the additional night dive on a thila (for an additional cost). I can’t even begin to explain the marine life that was alive and the best part was that you could shine a light on a small fish and watch a larger fish gobble it down! Gone!
The staff: I don’t know what else to say other than simply amazing. Yaqui, Nuria, Muaz, Tuna go out of there way to provide the best diving experience possible to mankind and they deliver! You never have to move/reassemble your equipment once it is on the tank because they refill the same one after each dive. What an experience! NEVER having to breakdown your equipment???
The last day, the crew rinses your equipment and lets it dry out.
Hands down the best live aboard experience anyone on the boat has ever had. I am sad to go.