Turks & Caicos Aggressor II

The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II is a 119ft (36m) mono-hulled Caribbean liveaboard that runs 7 night cruises, Saturday to Saturday out of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. These trips are unforgettable week-long experiences snorkeling and swimming with humpback whales every day at Silver Bank.

You can socialize in the spacious air conditioned salon and dining area which features flat screen TV, DVD and music player and a complete photo center, email service and a digital video and still photo editing computer. Or if you prefer the outdoors, you can relax on the sun deck where there are sun loungers, a comfortable shaded seating area and a hot tub.

You may dine in this shaded area too so you can enjoy meals while drinking in the beautiful Caribbean views. Breakfast consists of hot entrees, fresh fruits and juices and cereal. A buffet style lunch is followed by a served evening meal. For dinner you will be served salads, vegetables, seafood, beef or chicken with a fresh homemade dessert, all accompanied by complimentary alcoholic and soft drinks. The crew hosts a sunset cocktail party at 18:00 on the last night, followed by dinner in a recommended restaurant ashore. So if you are looking for a humpback whale liveaboard safari where comfort and personal attention are bettered only by incredible snorkeling with whales then a tour to Silver Bank in the Dominican Republic with the Aggressor fleet could be right for you.

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Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, alcoholic drinks, experienced English-speaking guides, all taxes.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Restaurant meal on final evening, whale sanctuary fee (US$ 625 per trip), with US$ 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 (US$ 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.
Arrival/Boarding/Departure: The boat docks at the Ocean World Marina, Puerto Plata, boarding at 16:00 Saturday for 21:30 hrs departure to Silver Bank. Return to dock is at 17:00 on Friday where the crew host a cocktail party before dinner is taken in a restaurant onshore. You can check out from 7:00 to 8:00 hrs 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 snorkeling 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.

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).

Silver Bank (8 Days / 7 Nights - 0 Dives)

Trip highlights: whales, non diving activities

Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, cage diving, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving

Dive sites and activities: Snorkeling and swimming with humpback whales in the Dominican Republic

Day 1
The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II offers snorkeling whale safaris that depart from Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic. This fantastic liveaboard awaits your arrival at the Ocean World Marina dock, located 30 minutes from Puerto Plata International Airport. It can be boarded between 16:00-21:30 hrs. You will receive a warm welcome and info from the crew. Dinner is served while the yacht gets ready to depart for the Silver Bank.
During the trip you will enjoy 2 distinct types of encounters. One type will occur on the surface: males competing for the attention of the females by breaching, slamming into one another, lob tailing, spy hopping, and fin and tail slapping. You will safely observe the action from a reasonable distance in the tenders.
The other type of encounter will involve entering the water wearing mask, fins and snorkel to observe less aggressive and often curious groups and individuals, like mothers and calves. Sometimes the whales are curious and cooperative and sometimes they disappear in a flash. Scuba diving in not allowed

Days 2-7
Arrival at Silver Bank is between 08:30-10:30 hrs, depending on the weather. Enjoy a late breakfast while the crew prepares mooring and assembly of the tenders. The first 2 tenders start their trips at 14:00 hrs, with the last run being at 17:00 hrs. The Silver Bank area is one of the few places in the world where humans can have warm water encounters with humpbacks. The Silver Banks' warm clear water is an ideal location for viewing and photographing the whales. The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II liveaboard is one of the few yachts permitted access to Silver Bank during the humpbacks' mating and breeding season. Here, the swimming with humpback whales is officially sanctioned, permitted and regulated. You will need to follow regulations that are meant to protect the whales from harassment and provide the best possible chance of a lasting and meaningful encounter. During your initial briefing the crew will review the guidelines and rules.
The Turks & Caicos Aggressor II moors in an area near the backbone reef of Silver Bank where an old Greek freighter called the Polyxeni lies aground being rapidly reclaimed by the sea. The reef provides some protection and a comfortable anchorage for the yacht. The tenders are launched several times daily and are solely used to bring you closer to the whales. Tender runs last 1 and a half to 3 hours, depending on the proximity of whale activity and time of the day.
The menu aboard is varied and plentiful, with a variety of international feasts, barbecues and local cuisine. You will wake up to fresh fruit, hot entrees, cereals and juices. Lunches are buffet-style, featuring hot soups, homemade bread, salads and sandwiches and/or entrees. Dinners are chef prepared and served each evening and include salads, vegetables, seafood, beef or chicken, with a freshly made dessert. There will also be plenty of snacks throughout the day.
Daily cocktail parties on the sun deck are held every afternoon following the whale runs. Nightly presentations with videos will follow after dinner.
The yacht then returns to the Ocean World Marina in Puerto Plata late Friday afternoon: dinner is not served onboard; however, the crew will recommend a restaurant in the marina.

Day 8
After a continental breakfast, you will depart for the airport at approximately 08:00 hrs. If you are extending your stay, arrangements can be made for transportation to your local hotel. Please note that transfers to/from the boat will be an extra charge.

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[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].

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: No. of bathrooms/showers - 10 / 11 - hot water

Customer reviews:

"Awesome week of Humpback Whale Watching and Snorkeling. Equipment, Staff and Facilities were Great!!!" - Rodney van der Laan, South Africa, 9 April 2014 ...