For nature-loving snorkellers, the opportunity of a Dominican Republic liveaboard cruise to Silver Bank on the Turks & Caicos Explorer II represents something genuinely special. From late January through April, this 124 foot / 38 m aluminum mono-hull vessel serves as a comfortable base camp for what is widely considered one of the world’s most profound marine encounters: snorkeling with humpback whales in their North Atlantic breeding grounds. The experience is less about chasing wildlife and more about positioning yourself quietly in their realm, trusting in the whales’ legendary curiosity to bridge the gap between our world and theirs.
The liveaboard itself inspires confidence for the 80-nautical-mile crossing from the Dominican Republic to the Silver Bank. Built with a heavy keel and fitted with Naiad stabilizers, the Turks & Caicos Explorer II liveaboard handles the open water with reassuring steadiness. After the crossing, your week unfolds from a stable home designed for genuine comfort. Accommodation is spread across 10 ensuite staterooms on 3 decks, from the practical twin-bunk rooms on the lower deck to the main deck cabins and 2 flybridge-level VIP suites with queen beds. Throughout, individually-controlled air conditioning ensures a good night’s rest between days on the water.
Life aboard finds a natural rhythm between the dive deck and the social spaces. The dedicated dive deck is well-organized for photographers, with fresh rinse tanks for cameras, individual gear lockers, and warm freshwater showers for after your encounters. When you’re not in the water, the air-conditioned main saloon offers a cool retreat for meals and watching footage on the TV/DVD, while the upper decks invite you outside. Meals make good use of fresh local Dominican Republic ingredients, and as the day’s liveaboard excursions wind down, the flybridge becomes the place to be, perhaps for a barbecue dinner or simply to enjoy a complimentary cocktail from the wet bar as the light softens over the sea.
The team behind your experience brings decades of cumulative expertise to the journey. The Aquatic Adventures crew, with over 25 years of humpback whale tour experience, operates the vessel’s specially designed tenders, the 'Escort' and 'Challenger'. These rigid-hull inflatables are fitted with quiet, environmentally conscious engines to minimize underwater disturbance, maximizing the potential for respectful and successful in-water encounters. Their knowledge isn’t just about safety; it’s about reading whale behavior, knowing when to enter the water quietly, and allowing the whales to dictate the terms of the interaction.
Beyond the humpback season, The Turks & Caicos Explorer II liveaboard is also a capable dive yacht for exploring the Turks & Caicos Islands themselves. It holds a Green Fins certification, underscoring a genuine commitment to marine conservation and low-impact practices. Whether you are joining for the whales or for the wall diving, the experience is anchored by a professional crew dedicated to personalized service and a relaxed camaraderie. It’s a chance to explore this remote marine sanctuary in the Dominican Republic with a liveaboard team that treats the ocean with the respect it deserves.
The Turks & Caicos Explorer offers guests 10 staterooms each with a private bathroom and individually controlled air-conditioning. The VIP and Main deck staterooms feature picture windows and the Lower deck staterooms have portholes for natural lighting. The 2 VIP staterooms have queen beds and are on the upper deck. There are 5 Main deck staterooms. 2 feature twin beds and 3 have convertible twin / queen beds. Twin upper and lower beds are in the 3 Lower deck staterooms.
All the liveaboard staterooms have:
- Individually controlled air conditioning
- Windows (except for Lower deck staterooms which have portholes)
- Private bathroom with toilet and hot water shower
- Hand basin, towels, toiletries
- Cabinet and mirror
- Reading lights
- Storage for luggage
- VIP and the 2 forward Main deck staterooms have TV/DVD
- Mains outlet 110 volts (US standard) - 24 hours per day. Adaptors are not provided.
No. of bathrooms / showers - 10 / 10 - hot water
Silver Bank
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 Explorer II liveaboard in the late afternoon at Ocean World Marina, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, a 30-minute drive from the airport. After settling into your cabin, the crew provides a welcome and overview of the days ahead. Dinner is served as the vessel prepares to depart for Silver Bank, with the evening spent motoring toward the marine sanctuary.
Core Days
The Dominican Republic liveaboards that operate in Silver Bank occupy one of the few places on earth where in-water encounters with humpback whales are permitted. The Turks & Caicos Explorer II anchors near the backbone reef, a position that places you within the protected sanctuary where the North Atlantic humpback population gathers from January through April to mate and give birth. From here, tender operations begin each morning.
2 sessions run daily. The first tender departs after an early breakfast, returning to the yacht around 12:30 pm for lunch. The second heads out at 2:00 pm and comes back late in the afternoon, around 5:30 pm. Between these runs, you are on the water for extended periods, scanning for blows, breaches, or the tell-tale fluke of a diving whale. When a group is located, the approach is unhurried. From the tender, you observe surface activity - males competing, calves practicing breaches, the slow roll of a resting female. If the whales are receptive, you slip into the water with mask, fins, and snorkel for a passive encounter. You float at the surface while the animals decide whether to approach. Mothers with calves may pause to investigate; solitary males sometimes circle slowly. At other times, you hear a male singing before you see him, the sound travelling through the water and into your chest. The whales control the interaction, and they may stay for minutes or depart on a single breath.
Whale activity is not predictable. There are hours when the bank seems empty, and the search requires patience. But when a whale is found, the waiting is forgotten. Between tender runs, the yacht offers space to rest, review photographs, or simply watch the sea from the deck. Evenings often include short presentations or videos that help make sense of the behaviours witnessed during the day. Afterwards, the sundeck becomes a place to sit under a sky free of city lights.
Final Day
The vessel returns to Puerto Plata 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 day on board The Turks & Caicos Explorer II liveaboard in the Dominican Republic finds a rhythm that balances incredible snorkeling with genuine downtime. Mornings begin early but without rush. From 7 am, the aroma of fresh coffee fills the main saloon as breakfast is served perhaps eggs any style, pancakes, or French toast, alongside fresh fruit and pastries. For those who steal an extra few minutes in their cabin, a cold breakfast is laid out until the first briefing. By 8:30 am, you are on the tenders, heading out on the first 'whale run'.
Lunch is served at 12:30 pm, and it is a proper meal. Expect variety: homemade soups with sandwiches, hearty pasta salads, burgers fresh off the flybridge grill, or perhaps a slice of quiche. The chef works with local ingredients where possible, and there is always a selection to suit different appetites. The afternoon allows for a second whale run. After the day's activities, the crew appears with something from the galley: still-warm cookies, brownies, or another freshly baked snack.
Dinner is served around 6:30 pm, and it is an event the chef’s chance to be more inventive. A typical meal might feature a locally inspired dish alongside an American favorite, always finished with a dessert that invites a second helping. Afterward, the crew often screens video or a slide show from the day’s sightings.
During the evening, many guests lounge on the upper deck under a canopy of stars far brighter than any city sky allows. The bar is open for beer and wine, a small ritual shared with new friends. And throughout, the crew of The Turks & Caicos Explorer II liveaboard moves quietly in the background - attentive, experienced, letting the day’s experience settle in its own time.
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 450 per person per trip), port and fuel surcharge (USD 450 per person per trip). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (USD cash only).
Optional extras: Wetsuit rental (USD 40 per person per trip), snorkelling equipment. 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: 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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The boat docks at the Ocean World Marina, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. The liveaboard boards is at 5 pm on Saturday for 10 pm departure to Silver Bank. Return to dock is at 4-6 pm on Friday. Dinner is taken in a restaurant onshore. Check out is by 8:30 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 Dominican Republic liveaboard trips, where all snorkeling activity is conducted from the motorized 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 the January to April period at Silver Bank 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): Single travelers may choose to share a stateroom or pay a supplement of 100% of the published price.
Dive clubs and group discounts: None.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): None.
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