For snorkelers, the chance to share the water with the largest creatures on Earth is a profound privilege. From late January through March, The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II liveaboard repositions from its usual turquoise waters to offer a singular expedition: a 7-night liveaboard cruise to the Silver Bank marine sanctuary. Operating Saturday to Saturday out of Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, this 119-foot (36m)vessel serves as a base for experiencing one of nature’s greatest migrations. This is not a typical dive safari, but a specialist trip focused on respectful, in-water encounters with North Atlantic humpback whales on their breeding grounds.
The vessel itself is built for comfort and stability during the overnight crossing to the Silver Bank. Onboard the liveaboard, life is centered around the rhythm of the sea and the whales. The air-conditioned saloon provides a spacious setting to review the day’s images on the flat-screen TV, use the digital editing computer, or simply relax. Outside, the shaded sun deck invites you to scan the horizon, with a hot tub offering a warm refuge after time in the water. Complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks can be freely enjoyed. The dive deck is equally well-appointed, featuring individual gear lockers and a dedicated camera table, ensuring your equipment is organized and ready for quick tender launches.
Accommodation on The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II liveaboard is designed for a good night’s rest between days on the water. Guests can choose from a master stateroom with a queen bed, deluxe staterooms with a double and single berth, or twin-share cabins, all with private bathrooms and individual climate control. With a maximum of 18 guests looked after by a crew of 6, the atmosphere is personable and the service attentive. The crew’s experience in these protected waters is central to these Silver Bank trips, guiding interactions that prioritize the whales’ well-being while providing an unforgettable experience.
For snorkelers seeking something truly different, a liveaboard cruise with the Aggressor fleet to the Silver Bank represents a shift from exploring reefs to connecting with marine mammals on their own terms. With its blend of steady comfort, experienced crew, and access to a world-class natural phenomenon, The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II liveaboard offers a great way to witness the annual return of the humpbacks. It is an adventure that lingers in the memory long after you are back on dry land.
There are 9 staterooms on the lower deck. There is 1 Master stateroom with a queen bed. The 6 Deluxe double/twin staterooms have a lower double bed and an upper single bed. The 2 Twin staterooms with single bunk beds. All have air-conditioning, TV and DVD and en-suite bathrooms except Twin staterooms which share a bathroom.
All the staterooms have:
- Individually controlled air conditioning
- Portholes
- Private bathroom with toilet and hot water shower (except Twin staterooms
- Hand basin, towels, toiletries and hair dryer
- TV/DVD player
- Cabinet and mirror
- Mains outlet 110 volts (US standard) - 24 hours per day
No. of bathrooms/showers - 9 / 9 - hot water
Silver Bank (8 Days / 7 Nights - 0 Dives)
Trip highlights: whales, non diving activities
Diving environment: very popular
Dive sites and activities: Snorkeling and swimming with humpback whales at Silver Bank in the Dominican Republic
Day 1
Board the Turks & Caicos Aggressor II in the late afternoon at Ocean World Marina, Puerto Plata, a 30-minute drive from the airport. After settling into your cabin, the crew provides a welcome and safety briefing. Dinner is served as the liveaboard prepares to depart for Silver Bank, with the evening spent motoring toward the marine sanctuary.
Core Days
The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II liveaboard anchors near the backbone reef of Silver Bank, a protected area where the North Atlantic humpback population gathers each winter to mate and calve. From here, tender operations begin each morning after breakfast. The runs last between 90 minutes and 3 hours, depending on whale activity, and are the sole means of accessing the animals.
2 types of encounters shape the days on the water. From the tender, you observe surface activity: males competing for access to females, their bodies clearing the water in full breaches, pectoral slaps echoing across the swell, and the forceful exhalations of spy-hopping whales audible at close range. When conditions allow, you enter the water with mask, fins, and snorkel. These are passive encounters: you float at the surface while whales decide whether to approach. Mothers with calves are sometimes curious, pausing to inspect the group before moving on. Escort males or solitary individuals may circle slowly, their eyes visible as they pass. At other times, you may hear a male singing before you see him, the low frequencies travelling through your chest as much as your ears. The whales dictate the terms; they may stay for minutes or vanish in a single dive.
Scuba is not permitted in the Silver Bank sanctuary, and all encounters follow strict guidelines designed to minimise disturbance. Between tender runs, the yacht becomes a quiet base. Guests review photographs, rest in the shade, or watch the outline of the wrecked Greek freighter Polyxeni on the reef, a fixed point in a seascape otherwise defined by moving animals. Late afternoons bring a cocktail gathering on the sun deck, and evenings include presentations or videos from the day’s sightings.
Day 8
The vessel returns to Ocean World Marina on Friday afternoon. Dinner that evening is not served onboard; the crew can recommend restaurants in the marina. After a continental breakfast on Saturday morning, guests disembark and transfers are arranged to the airport or local hotels.
[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].
A week onboard The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II follows the rhythm of the whales, not the clock. You wake not to an alarm, but to the soft light filtering into your stateroom and the quiet hum of the liveaboard at anchor on Silver Bank. By 7:30 am, with the yacht moored near the backbone reef and the rusting hull of the Greek freighter Polyxeni as a landmark, the day begins with a late breakfast. Fresh fruit, cereals, and hot entrees like Johnny Cakes or eggs made to order fuel you for the morning’s anticipation.
The first tender heads out at 8:30 am. These 1.5 to 3-hour runs are the core of your day (2 per day). Onboard the 18-foot tender, you are a guest in the humpbacks' breeding ground, a privileged observer in one of the few places where sanctioned, in-water encounters are possible. Your time on the water follows strict guidelines, there to protect the whales and ensure your interaction remains respectful.
Back on the mother ship, the afternoon unfolds quietly. Lunch is served when the tenders return, typically around 12:30 pm. The meal might feature a warm soup, a selection of salads, and a main like Curry Almond Chicken Salad or Chicken & Steak Asada Fajitas with all the fixings. There is always fresh bread. After a second whale run of the day, the deck becomes quiet again: perhaps a soak in the sun deck hot tub, reviewing images on the photo computer, or simply watching the sea from the shade. Snacks appear again by mid-afternoon: maybe a plate of freshly made conch fritters with chili dip, or a mini chicken sandwich for those who want something light before the evening.
Late afternoons bring a ritual: the daily cocktail party on the shaded sun deck. It is a chance to compare notes over a drink as the chef prepares dinner. And dinner on the Turks & Caicos Aggressor II is an event in itself. Meals are chef-prepared and varied; one evening might feature a Belizean feast of Red Beans and Rice with Oven Baked Snapper, another a Caribbean Banana Foster smothered in vanilla ice cream. The sample menu hints at the range from Filet Mignon with mushroom sauce to casual Cheese Burgers in Paradise. There is always a soup, a fresh salad, and homemade bread.
Evenings are for community. After dinner, the liveaboard crew might host a presentation about Silver Bank, perhaps whale identification or a video from the day's encounters. The small onboard library offers books for exchange, and the lounge becomes a place to simply relax. Throughout the day, snacks appear unprompted: warm chocolate chip cookies after a morning run, conch fritters with chili dip in the afternoon, a mini sandwich before dinner.
"
Awesome week of Humpback Whale Watching and Snorkeling. Equipment, Staff and Facilities were Great!!!" -
Rodney van der Laan, South Africa, 9 April 2014 ...
MORE TRIP DETAILS
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, alcoholic drinks, experienced English-speaking guides, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Restaurant meal on final evening, whale sanctuary fee (USD 625 per trip), with USD 200 of this fee must be paid in cash only. Fees for future seasons will be announced shortly before the start of that specific season once they are confirmed by the Dominican Republic authorities. 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, snorkeling equipment rental (USD 100 per week). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card). Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: Many US airports have direct flights to Puerto Plata International Airport in the Dominican Republic. The major airlines include US, American, Continental, Delta, Spirit and Jet Blue. Map of the Caribbean Sea
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Arrival/Boarding/Departure: The liveaboard docks at the Ocean World Marina, Puerto Plata, boarding at 4 pm for a 9:30 pm Saturday departure to Silver Bank. Return to dock is at 5 pm on Friday where the crew host a cocktail party before dinner is taken in a restaurant onshore. You can check out from 7-8 am on Saturday morning. The crew will help you arrange your onward travel to the airport or nearby hotels.
Diving Environment: There is no scuba diving on these Silver Bank liveaboard trips where all snorkeling activity is from tenders. Normally there are 2 whale runs each day lasting 1.5 to 3 hours each. Other creatures that may put in an appearance here include dwarf sperm whales and Atlantic sailfish plus dolphins: bottlenose, spinner, Risso's and Fraser's. Water temperatures during this January to April period are 78-80°F / 25-27°C for which a 3 mm wetsuit and full foot fins are recommended.
Non-diver rate: All guests are non-divers on this snorkeling trip.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a stateroom or pay a supplement of 65% of the normal published price for sole use.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 8 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise in a Twin stateroom free of charge (total 9 guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 16 guests and 2 extra persons can join the cruise in a Twin bed stateroom free of charge (total 18 guests).
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