Cat Ppalu is a fun and affordable way to scuba dive The Bahamas. This 65 ft (20m) sailing catamaran runs 6 night liveaboard trips to the Exuma Cays. With a maximum of 12 guests you can be assured of an intimate experience with plenty of personal attention.
Departing every Saturday from Nassau, these cruises promise up to 19 dives and much more. You can snorkel at amazing spots like Norma’s plane wreck, kayak the mangroves, paddle-board over Closeman Reef, swim with the local pigs, hike trails at Warderick Wells Park headquarters and encounter indigenous iguanas on one of several land visits.
There are 4 double bed cabins and 2 twin cabins, all with air-conditioning and sharing 2 showers and 2 heads. Each cabin has a mirror and sink. As a catamaran, all the cabins are above the waterline, and so have large seaview windows with lots of natural light, , except for one that has a porthole. The main deck also has a comfortable salon/dining area with soft bench seating on the starboard side and ever-changing Caribbean island views. There is also music and a flat screen TV for your entertainment.
With a wide beam of 31 ft (9.4m) the Cat Ppalu liveaboard has lots of deck space. This is great for lying out in the sun to work on your tan on the deck or the forward “trampoline area”, or beneath the awning in the welcoming shade. Tanks and dive gear are stored at the stern where there are 2 dive platforms from which to stride into the blue or step into a tender.
There are 6 cabins with shared bathroom facilities. 5 on the main deck and 1 in a pontoon: 4 double bed cabins and 2 twin bed cabins.
All the staterooms have:
Individually controlled air conditioning
Seaview windows, except for 1 with portholes
Hand basin, towels, toiletries and hair dryer
Cabinet and mirror
Mains outlet 110 volts (US standard) - 24 hours per day
Dive sites and activities: Nassau: Lost Blue Hole, Periwinkle Reef, Exuma Cays: Up Jumped The Devil, Dog Rocks, Lobster No Lobster, Barracuda Shoals, Amberjack Reef, Austin Smith Wreck, Blacktip Wall, Hammerhead Gulch, Jeep Reef, Pillar Wall, Parrotfish Reef, The Washing Machine, Danger Reef; Ray’s Reef, Whale Tail; Eleuthera: Jake's Hole, Monolith, Hole In The Wall
Day 1
Meet at Nassau Harbour Club Marina by noon for boarding the Cat Ppalu liveaboard. Your tour leader will welcome you, assign cabins, and go over boat features and the week’s plans. Enjoy a welcome lunch before departure. Depending on arrival times, a check dive may be offered at Periwinkle Reef (shallow coral gardens) or the Lost Blue Hole (a stunning underwater sinkhole). Otherwise, the diving begins Day 2 after a restful night.
Core Days
This Bahamas liveaboard cruise offers epic diving in the Exumas and beyond. Each day, you’ll embark on 3-4 unforgettable dives in the Exuma Sound, where the ocean floor drops dramatically over 4,000 feet into the abyss. You’ll explore pristine reefs safeguarded by the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, offering some of the most vibrant and untouched underwater landscapes in the Bahamas.
For shark enthusiasts, sites like Hammerhead Gulch (seasonal sightings), Barracuda Shoals, and The Washing Machine deliver adrenaline-pumping action, with strong currents attracting large pelagic predators. If you love sheer walls and exhilarating drifts, don’t miss Blacktip Wall, Pillar Wall, or Whale Tail, where steep drop-offs are alive with plenty of schooling fish.
Wreck divers will be thrilled to explore the Austin Smith wreck, an intact tugboat resting on the seabed, and Jeep Reef, a quirky artificial reef. For unique underwater formations, dive into Up Jumped The Devil, a dramatic coral canyon, or Jake’s Hole, an amazing sinkhole off Eleuthera (weather permitting).
Every trip includes a guaranteed shark feed, where you’ll come face-to-face with Caribbean reef sharks and nurse sharks. For macro lovers, reefs like Parrotfish Reef, Amberjack Reef, and Ray’s Reef burst with life - expect turtles, rays, and dazzling tropical fish at every turn.
If conditions allow, the boat may detour to Eleuthera for dives at Monolith, a towering coral pillar, or Hole in the Wall, a thrilling drift dive through a narrow cut in the reef.
Day 7
After a light continental breakfast, disembark in Nassau. Pre-arranged transfers to the airport/hotel will be coordinated.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Meals are served buffet-style 3 times a day in the comfortable saloon of Cat Ppalu, featuring typical American fare.
Meal schedule & offerings:
* Breakfast (8 am): Eggs, bacon, sausage, oatmeal, grits, cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit, assorted breads, juices, and daily specials.
* Lunch (12 noon): Salads, soups, deli meats, hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken, and freshly caught fish (when in season).
* Dinner (6 pm): Salad, soup, vegetables, and a choice of 2 main courses. Options may include baked chicken, pork loin, fish, lasagna, spaghetti, steak, followed by dessert.
* Snacks: Available throughout the day - cookies, fruit, nuts, chips, and more.
Beverages:
The bar offers complimentary drinks, including:
* Non-alcoholic: Sodas, juices, lemonade.
* Alcoholic: Beer, wine, vodka, rum cocktails, and more.
Final night in Nassau:
On the last night, the boat docks in Nassau, where you can explore the island with fellow travelers. Dinner (Thursday) will be served onboard before departure.
Special dietary needs:
* Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals can be accommodated. Please notify us in advance.
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
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MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: The regular dives offered on the Cat Ppalu liveaboard are not escorted. The instructor on board will give you a detailed briefing. A guide will be in the water for the check dive, first night dive, all drift dives and the shark feed! If required crew members can act as guides if available.
Dive experience: All Open Water-certified divers may join these Bahamas liveaboard trips.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, alcoholic drinks, dives (as detailed in the safaris above), experienced English-speaking divemaster(s) (max 12 divers to 1 DM), tanks, weights and weightbelts, shore excursions, all taxes.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (USD160 per week), dive computer (USD50 per week), dive insurance, port and park fees (USD185 ) to be paid in advance, fuel surcharge (USD50 per week, payable in advance). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card).
Optional extras: Transfers to the boat from the airport/hotel/port (USD18 per person per transfer), torch. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: Nassau Harbour Club Marina on East Bay Street is the main departure port for Cat Ppalu. This is 30-40 minutes from Nassau International Airport. You should aim to arrive Nassau either on Friday or on Saturday morning. Boarding at the marina is at 12 noon on Saturday for an early afternoon departure to the site of the first dives. Return to port is on Thursday and you will dine on board in port. Check out is on Friday morning at 9 am. The crew can help you with transfers you to the airport or nearby hotels, if booked in advance. The last dive of the trip will be at around 2 pm on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
For more details, including airlines, see our Bahamas travel information section.
Non-diver rate: There is no discount for non-divers.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a cabin and pay the regular rate, or pay a supplement of 30% of the normal published price for a double bed cabin.
Dive clubs and group discounts: See whole boat charter section below.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): USD17 950 per week. Equivalent to: Pay for 10 guests and 2 additional person can join the cruise in a Standard cabin free of charge (total 12 guests).
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
