Valentina

MV Valentina is a 125 ft (38m) Mexican steel-hulled liveaboard boat operating tours to both Socorro and the Sea of Cortez, when each destination is in season. Valentica prides itself on its unbeatably friendly crew, and on being a spacious, comfortable, fast and modern liveaboard vessel.

A maximum of 20 guests will be on board, spread among the 10 air-conditioned cabins, all with ensuite bathrooms as well as TVs and DVD players.

You can relax in the air-conditioned lounge on the upper deck, which has comfortable soft bench seating and sofas. There are plenty of other spaces, both shaded and sun-drenched, including an outdoor chill-out area and the spacious sundeck, where you can lie back and dream of your next dive.

Guests can dine in the air-conditioned dining area on the upper deck, where you can enjoy the creations of the 2 on board chefs and the attention of a waiter. If you prefer you can eat 'al fresco' in the shaded open area on the upper deck. There is also a bar serving complimentary beverages, including draft beer and soft drinks. The cuisine and the clientele can be described as international with a strong Asian influence. A special Mexican barbeque is planned for the final day of each cruise.

Divers will appreciate the onboard nitrox and the large well-ordered dive deck with camera table. Dives are conducted from the dive dinghy, making entry and egress nice and easy.

Valentina takes guest safety seriously and has life boats, lifesaver rings, life jackets, fire extinguishers and emergency lights on board. There are also have smoke detectors in each cabin and the engine room.

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Dive experience: Note: an advanced diver certification is required to join Valentina's cruises.
Sea of Cortez - It is recommended that you have more than 30 logged dives and have logged at least 1 dive within the past 12 months before boarding the trip. Dives are often at an advanced level such as El Bajo and Las Animas.
Socorro - It is recommended that you have more than 50 logged dives and have logged at least 1 dive within 6 months before boarding the trip. Many of the dives are at an advanced level.
Currents often can be strong and divers often are required to swim against them.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner (not on 1st day of Sea of Cortez trips), snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, draft beer, glass of wine with dinner, scheduled transfers to the boat from local airport, dives (as detailed in the trips above), 3-4 experienced English-speaking divemasters, standard tanks, weights and weightbelts, Mexican taxes and port fees.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Park fee (Socorro) US$ 192 per diving day, scuba equipment (full set US$ 30 per day), dive computer (US$ 15 per day), fuel surcharge (US$ 20 per night), re-compression chamber (US$ 15 per trip). Note: park fees are waived for retirees and pensioners over the age of 60 years old. A 75% discount on park fees is available for active students and teachers. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash only).

Optional extras: Additional drinks from the bar, nitrox fills for enriched air divers (US$ 30 per day), 15 liter tank (US$ 30 per day), torch (US$ 12 per day). 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: Socorro: MV Valentina liveaboard departs in the evening from San Jose del Cabo for trips to the Socorro islands. Guests fly into nearby Los Cabos International Airport (SJD). There are 3 complimentary shared transfers timings from the airport to the boat on embarkation day: 12:00 hrs, 14:00 hrs and 18:00 hrs. Boarding is at 15-18:00 hrs with departure at 21:00 hrs. The marina is 25 minutes from the airport and 5 minutes from downtown San Jose del Cabo. The last dive of the trip will be at around 07:00 hrs on the second last day of the trip. The boat will then spend the rest of the day cruising back to the marina (it takes approx. 24 hours), and you disembark at 8-10:00 hrs of the last day. There are 2 complimentary shared transfers timings from the boat to the airport: 10:00 hrs and 12:00 hrs.
Sea of Cortez: For diving tours to the Sea of Cortez, MV Valentina departs in the evening from La Paz, Mexico. Most guests fly into La Paz Airport and a shuttle service can be arranged (meet at Arrivals Hall exit). Embarkation is between 19-21:00 hrs and the boat departs the marina at 21:00 hrs, with the first dive at 07:00 hrs the following morning. The last dive of the trip will be at around 10:00 hrs on the last day of the trip. Guests disembark from the cruise in the afternoon of the final day around 16:00 hrs, and you will be transferred to your hotel. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.
For more details, including airlines, see our Mexico tourist information section.

Non-diver rate: Unknown.

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 30% of the published price for their own cabin.

Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 9 divers and 1 extra person can join the cruise free of charge (total 10 guests or more).

Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 18 divers and 2 additional persons can join the cruise free of charge (max. 20 guests).

Socorro Islands (10 Days / 9 Nights - 20 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, 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: Roca Partida, San Benedicto: The Boiler, The Canyon; Socorro: Cabo Pearce

Days 1-2
Start getting excited; your dream cruise to Socorro is about to begin! Boarding the Valentina is at 3-6 pm at Puerto Los Cabos in San Jose del Cabo, for departure at 9 pm. You can either join one of the scheduled airport pick-ups, or meet at the marina. A boat safety briefing and dive orientation will be conducted on the way out to Socorro which will be reached in the evening of the next day. Dinner will be served on the evening of departure, and lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner will be served while at sea on day 2. Relax, meet your fellow guests, and enjoy the wet bar!

Days 3-8 Welcome to the Socorro Islands, an unsurpassed paradise with some of the planet’s biggest marine creatures. You will dive 3-4 times a day at the best sites around Socorro, San Benedicto and Roca Partida. At the Boiler you will encounter giant oceanic manta rays and dolphins. More mantas and schools of hammerhead sharks at the Canyon. Roca Partida is famed for its various species of sharks, large schools of jacks and tuna, while you have the chance to see humpback whales in season at Cabo Pearce.
Guiding is one of the most important factors for you to enjoy scuba diving safely. Briefings include dive site maps drawn on a white board for each site to make it clearly understandable. The experienced guides will accompany you in water and keep showing you all kinds of sea life specific to the Socorro area.
Valentina serves a mix of Western, Mexican, and Asian cuisines. All meals are prepared onboard and served buffet style. There will be lots of vegetables, rice, pasta, soup, fish, beef, sashimi (raw fish), tacos, ceviche, etc. There will be a special Mexican BBQ dinner on the last full day of the trip.

Days 9 and 10
After one last morning dive on the penultimate day, the boat departs the islands and heads back to the mainland, arriving in the morning of the final day. A full dining service will be offered. After breakfast on the final day, guests can disembark at 8-10 am, or make use of the scheduled airport transfer.

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Sea of Cortez South (6 Days / 5 Nights - 16 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, 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: Swanee Reef, La Reina, El Bajo, Las Animas, San Francisquico, Sea Lion Point, Salvatiela Wreck. Esprit Santo island hiking.

Day 1
Start getting excited; your dream Sea of Cortez cruise is about to begin! Boarding the Valentina is at 7-9 pm at La Paz Malecon, for departure shortly thereafter. You can either join on of the scheduled local airport pick-ups, or meet at the marina. A boat safety briefing and dive orientation will be conducted on the way out to the first destination. Relax, meet your fellow guests, and enjoy the wet bar!

Days 2-5 Welcome to the Gulf of California, where you will dive in a World Heritage Site. You will dive 3-4 times a day at some of the best sites in the Sea of Cortez. The sea is known for encounters with large pelagics such as whale sharks, big schools of hammerheads, and to swim with sea lions. Blue whales, false killer whales, dolphins and large schools of pelagic fish are also present in season. Golden cownose rays and mobula rays are growing in numbers year by year. There will be a night dive with mobulas near Esprit Island that is absolutely amazing! Another spectacular scene is to see them leaping from the water, sometimes 3 or 4 mobula rays reaching a height of 10 ft/3m or more above the water.
Guiding is one of the most important factors for you to enjoy scuba diving safely. Briefings include dive site maps drawn on a white board for each site to make it clearly understandable. The experienced guides will accompany you in water and keep showing you all kinds of sea life specific to the gulf area.
Valentina serves a mix of Western, Mexican, and Asian cuisines. All meals are prepared onboard and served buffet style. There will be lots of vegetables, rice, pasta, soup, fish, beef, sashimi (raw fish), tacos, ceviche, etc. There will be a special Mexican BBQ dinner on the last full day of the trip.

Day 6
After 2 final morning dives and an early breakfast, the boat returns to La Paz; you will enjoy a lunch on the journey. Guests disembark at 4 pm at Marina Palmira, and can make use of the scheduled local airport and hotel transfer.

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Sea of Cortez South (7 Days / 6 Nights - 20 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, whales, seals/sea lions, 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: Swanee Reef, La Reina, El Bajo, Las Animas, San Francisquico, Sea Lion Point, Los Islotes, Salvatiela Wreck. Esprit Santo island hiking.

Day 1
Start getting excited; your dream Sea of Cortez cruise is about to begin! Boarding the Valentina is at 7-9 pm at La Paz Malecon, for departure shortly thereafter. You can either join on of the scheduled local airport pick-ups, or meet at the marina. A boat safety briefing and dive orientation will be conducted on the way out to the first destination. Relax, meet your fellow guests, and enjoy the wet bar!

Days 2-6 Welcome to the Gulf of California, where you will dive in a World Heritage Site. You will dive 3-4 times a day at some of the best sites in the Sea of Cortez. The sea is known for encounters with large pelagics such as whale sharks, big schools of hammerheads, and to swim with sea lions. Blue whales, false killer whales, dolphins and large schools of pelagic fish are also present in season. Golden cownose rays and mobula rays are growing in numbers year by year. There will be a night dive with mobulas near Esprit Island that is absolutely amazing! Another spectacular scene is to see them leaping from the water, sometimes 3 or 4 mobula rays reaching a height of 10 ft/3m or more above the water.
Guiding is one of the most important factors for you to enjoy scuba diving safely. Briefings include dive site maps drawn on a white board for each site to make it clearly understandable. The experienced guides will accompany you in water and keep showing you all kinds of sea life specific to the gulf area.
Valentina serves a mix of Western, Mexican, and Asian cuisines. All meals are prepared onboard and served buffet style. There will be lots of vegetables, rice, pasta, soup, fish, beef, sashimi (raw fish), tacos, ceviche, etc. There will be a special Mexican BBQ dinner on the last full day of the trip.

Day 7
After 2 final morning dives and an early breakfast, the boat returns to La Paz; you will enjoy a lunch on the journey. Guests disembark at 4 pm at Marina Palmira, and can make use of the scheduled local airport and hotel transfer.

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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].

Valentina has 10 main deck cabins, all with TV and DVD player, air-conditioning and ensuite bathrooms. 7 cabins have wide bunk beds, 2 cabins have a double and a single bed, and 1 cabin has a double bed.

All the cabins have: No. of bathrooms / showers - 11 / 12 - hot water