LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE
At a glance...
- Visits Maldives central atolls: Male, Ari, Felidhoo
- All cabins with private bathrooms, TV & DVD
- Sun deck with whirlpool tub and massage room
- Amazing ocean view lounge on the upper deck
- Large boat
Click on an image to enlarge
Welcome to the Sunseeker - a modern boat that was built in 2009 and renovated during the summer of 2022. It is operated by the well respected management of Top Class Cruising and meets the highest standards in safety and service, offering a cozy and pleasant atmosphere with its spacious cabins, lounge areas and open social spaces.
This 41m x 11m wooden hulled motor yacht can comfortably accommodate up to 24 divers in its cabins, ranging from Standard en-suite cabins to an Executive Suite with private Jacuzzi, each having a TV and DVD player, with the suites even enjoying private bathtubs. The MV Sunseeker liveaboard is beautifully furnished inside with wooden floors and paneling, as well as high quality furnishings.
Many guests join these cruises simply to snorkel. But you could opt take it easy in the air-conditioned saloon, dining area, or on the large sun deck that features a whirlpool hot tub. The saloon is home to the entertainment system with internet access, including plasma TV, DVD and Bluetooth music system, plus a charging station. There is an upper deck panoramic lounge bar, and also a range of books and games to keep you entertained between dives. The social areas are huge, but happy hours are often spent on desert islands.
Diving is conducted from a 5m motorised dinghy and a separate 18m dive dhoni (210 HP), where equipment and tanks are stored and filled with air or nitrox from the 3 compressors, reducing the noise on board the mothership. Extra large 13.5 litre tanks are used as standard.
Scheduled departures, prices, destinations, durations...
Loading...
More Trip Details...
Dive experience: Recommendation: Southern Atolls liveaboard tours: Advanced Open Water and 20 logged dives. All other routes require open water certification.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner (inlc. beach BBQ dinner), snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, return transfers to the boat from local airport, Green Tax, dives (including 1 night dive), 4 experienced English-speaking divemasters (local and international), tanks, weights and weight belts, trips to the local islands, snorkelling, fishing, 16% GST on cruise price.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (US$ 170 per week), dive computer (US$ 50 per week), service charge (i.e. tips, US$ 130 per week), Hanifaru Bay park fee (when applicable: US$ 30). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash: USD or Euro, or credit card).
Optional extras: Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (US$ 70 per cruise), torch (US$ 10 per day), dive insurance (can be purchased on board: US$ 30 and valid for 1 week). 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: M/V Sunseeker liveaboard trips depart from Male for Maldives Central Atolls trips, Kadhdhoo on Laamu Atoll for the Southern Atolls, and from Kaadedhdhoo or Kooddoo on Huvadhoo Atoll for the Deep South Atolls. Return transfers to the boat from the local airport are provided. The first and last nights of each cruise are spent in the harbour. Check-in begins at 11 am and continues all day. Check-out is at 7:30 am on the final day. For more details, including airlines, see our How to Get to the Maldives section. The last dive of the trip will be at around 9 am on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
Non-diver rate: None.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 60% for their own cabin.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Third person in Junior Suite: adult/teenager 20% discount, child (under 12 years old) 50% discount.
Pay for 9 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise free of charge (in lowest priced cabin). During low season - pay 7 + 1 FOC.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Full charter rates are available on request (max. 24 guests). Please check with us.
Itineraries...
Maldives Central Atolls (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
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: North Male, South Male, Ari, Felidhoo (or Rasdhoo) atolls
Day 1
Arrive at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Male and meet the Sunseeker tour leader. A short dhoni trip from the airport and you are finally on board the liveaboard that will be your home for the next few days. A welcome drink and a detailed boat introduction will be given to you and the other guests that take part in this amazing diving adventure. Once you have been assigned to your cabin and enjoyed a buffet style lunch, if all guests have arrived in good time, the bell will ring to announce that your first dive is about to begin, a check dive at a nearby site. Back to the boat, a well-deserved hot shower, and more time to relax while waiting for dinner to be served. The boat departs the harbour only on the following morning.
Days 2-7
The cruise will have many highlights as the days go by. Some strong currents around the border of the atolls, called 'kandus' in the Dhivehi language, will bring large predators like whitetip and grey reef sharks, but also schools of tuna and oceanic manta rays. A 'thila' is instead an underwater island that can vary in size: it can be so small that you can dive all around it in just one dive, or so big that several dives can be planned. They are usually home to a beautiful array of soft and hard coral formations that attract a wide variety of marine life. Pufferfish, triggerfish, moray eels, and giant Napoleon wrasse, to name just a few of the colourful fauna that the Maldives Central Atolls are famous for. Looking for a better use of your wide angle lens? Manta rays frequent the atolls in large numbers, and whale sharks are a common sight in the waters of Ari Atoll.
3 amazing dives a day - 2 morning dives and an afternoon dive. Your day starts at 6:30 am with hot drinks and biscuits while listening to the dive briefing. The dhoni then takes you to the site where you will jump in with your group. A 2nd dive follows a bigger breakfast that includes fresh fruit, cereals, yoghurt, eggs, sausages, toast, beans, and cooked vegetables. Tea and coffee, drinking water, biscuits, bread/toast, cakes and fruit, are all available throughout the day. The chef is always trying to outdo himself and you can clearly see his culinary passion, especially the small bites (coconut pieces, mini sandwiches or local trifles) after the dives.
The food is a mixture of Italian and Maldivian cuisine and never fails to impress its guests. Lunch and dinner are succulent fresh salads, rice and pasta, Sri Lankan curries for a taste of local cuisine, fresh fish, meat and lots of vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, green beans and spinach. Desserts such as rice pudding or crème caramel are always appreciated at the end of a meal, especially when you are on a vacation. Then enjoy a refreshing drink from the upper deck bar and a dip in the Jacuzzi.
A game of beach volleyball and a delicious barbeque on a deserted beach is also on the schedule for the week.
Please note that there is only 1 dive on the last full day of the trip, before heading to Male for a tour of the city. Back onboard the boat in time for dinner.
Day 8
A last chance to enjoy a meal on Sunseeker, as after breakfast a dhoni transfer will take you back to the airport.
[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].
Cabins, Berths, Showers, Bathrooms...
There are a total of 12 cabins on the MV Sunseeker. 4 double/twin bed, 2 double bed, and 1 single bed cabins, plus a double twin bed Junior Suite, are located on the lower deck. On the upper deck, there are 3 double/twin bed Suites and an Executive double bed Suite.
All the cabins have private en-suite bathrooms, and the Executive Suite has its own private deck with sun beds and Jacuzzi.
All the liveaboard cabins have:
- Individual climate control
- Panoramic fixed windows (upper deck only) or portholes (lower deck)
- Private bathroom facilities with hot water shower
- Beach and bath towels, toiletries and hand basin
- Bathtub (suites only)
- TV and DVD player
- Daily housekeeping
- Wardrobe and shelves
- Dressing table and mirror
- Reading lights
- Bedding
- 24-hour, 220v electricity with 3-pin UK style sockets
- Fire detectors, fire extinguishers and life jackets
- Space for luggage
No. of bathrooms / showers - 14 / 12 - hot water
Customer reviews:
"
Overall good, however we were aware of communication issues and difficulties between the dive guides and on a couple of occasions made to feel part of the problems.
Dive The World were absolutely first class!! I was so impressed with the help and assistance to get my booking underway and excellent communication right up until we arrived in Male. Everything was clear, easy to understand and when I needed to check things - staff replied immediately." -
Sarah Taylor, United Kingdom, 3 March 2024 ...
"
Transfers were taken care of, boat was in good condition, food was good. Decor is a little tired. Was surprised that none of the diving staff does photography so I couldn't buy a CD or flash drive with pictures." -
Brian Lee, U.S.A., 31 December 2016 ...
"
Luxurious liveaboard (best I've ever been on), comfortable rooms, lounging & dining areas, great food, good equipment, very knowledgeable and hospitable crew" -
Deborah Chong, Australia, 03 October 2016 ...
"
The entire arrangement from arrival to departure was perfect and very professional. Everyone did their job and knew exactly what to do and how to cater for the guests. The boat crews both on the mother boat and the dhoni were accommodating and service minded. It was obvious that they had been working with diving and liveaboards for a long time. The food was great and varied, the accommodations were pleasant and functional, there was space to hang around if you wanted to find somewhere by yourself. The dive guides/masters were all very experienced and they managed to pick the best spots for us to get the ultimate out of our time spent." -
Jens Halling, Norway, 29 December 2015 ...
"
Both Melissa and I had a wonderful time with the staff. The boat was clean and the staff accommodated us when our flights were delayed." -
Dennis Huacon, USA, 10 November 2015 ...
"
Great liveaboard with all necessary facilities. Staff were friendly and made the trip awesome." -
Abdulla BuAli, Bahrain, 2 November 2015 ...