MY Resolute

The M/Y Resolute is a long running value-for-money liveaboard with a highly-experienced crew. It navigates the Philippines to take advantage of the seasons and provide a wide range of scuba diving adventures, including trips to the world famous Tubbataha atolls, Cebu/Visayas, Apo Reef, and Batangas/Puerto Galera.

Resolute has quite a colorful history, previously been used as a Soviet spy trawler during the Cold War years. The yacht was built in Vladivostok in 1974, and converted in to a diving liveaboard in 1988. It is 35 meters long and, with its heavy steel hull, it is a trusty and stable vessel in waves. Its weight and keel make for a very stable vessel and a smooth expedition. It has a Cummins engine with a cruising speed of 7.5 knots, 3 generators, and a sailing range of 3,000 miles.

There are 8 guest cabins on the lower deck for 16 guests. All cabins have private bathrooms and are fitted with personal climate control. 2 experienced chefs prepare mostly Filipino cuisine with some Korean and international flair. They can also prepare vegetarian delights upon request. 5-course buffet meals are served al fresco in the dining area in the bow of the main deck. The main deck also houses the indoor saloon, where there is a TV area with a selection of movies and reading materials. The upper deck is the sun deck and main social area. Here you will find shaded sunbeds, as well as bean bags for relaxation.

The Resolute has 2 x 75 HP motorised tenders which it uses for its scuba operations; all dives are guided, There is plenty of storage space for guest equipment in the spacious kit up area, and there are 2 showers and WCs. The yacht offers nitrox, as well as being tech-friendly.

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Dive experience: A minimum of 40 logged dives and open water certification are required.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, fruit juices, hot drinks, local airport transfers to and from the boat (no transfers for Anilao), dives (as detailed in the trips above), 3-4 experienced English-speaking divemasters, tanks (DIN and yoke), weights and weightbelts, all taxes.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (incl. dive computer: US$ 54 per day), port and park fees (per person per trip to be paid in advance: Tubbataha US$ 100, Apo Reef US$ 110, Cebu US$ 70), dive insurance. Current fuel surcharge to be paid in advance: Tubbataha US$ 100 per trip, Apo Reef US$ 100 per trip, Cebu US$ 150 per trip. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash only - PHP/USD).

Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers US$ 150 per trip, 15 litre tank rental US$ 35 per day. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash only - PHP/USD). Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.

How to get there: The Resolute liveaboard uses various ports throughout the diving calendar:
Tubbataha - departs from Puerto Princesa on Palawan Island. You can buy return flights to/from Puerto Princesa Airport (code PPS) from both Cebu and Manila. If you are transiting in Manila, keep in mind that you will need to transfer from the international terminal to the domestic terminal by taxi. You should allow at least 2 hours for this transfer. Return boat - local airport/hotel transfers are provided. Boarding time is 2 pm for 4 pm departure; boat returns to port at 4-6 am for disembarkation at 7-9 am. The last dive of the tour will be at 11 am on the second last day of the trip.
Apo Reef / Coron - guests meet in Anilao (no transfers are provided), southern Luzon for departure. Land transfers from Manila take 2-3 hours. Boarding time is 1 pm for 3 pm departure; boat returns to port late night for disembarkation at 9 am. The last dive of the tour will be at 1 pm on the second last day of the trip.
Viasayas - departs from Crimson Resort, Mactan Island in Cebu City. You can buy return flights to/from Mactan Cebu International Airport (CEB). There are direct flights from Manila and some other Filipino cities, as well as from Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, Dubai, Taiwan and China. Return boat - local airport transfers are provided. Boarding time is 2 pm for 5 pm departure; boat returns to port at 5 am for disembarkation at 10 am. The last dive of the tour will be at 2 pm on the second last day of the trip.
Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving. For more details, including airlines, see our Philippines travel information section.

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 add 100% to the published price for their own cabin.

Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 7 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise free of charge (total 8+ guests).

Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 14 guests and 2 additional persons can join free of charge.

Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (7 Days / 6 Nights - 18 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, great macro life/ marine diversity, 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 Atoll: Malayan Wreck, Shark Airport, Terraces, Amos Rock, Jessie Beazley Reef; South Atoll: Ko Ok, Delsan Wreck, Lighthouse, Triggerfish City, Black Rock, Staghorn Point

Day 1
You will be met at Puerto Princesa Airport or collected from a local hotel and transferred to the departure point of your Resolute liveaboard safari. Guests normally board in the afternoon and settle into their cabins before the late afternoon departure from port for the 11-hour cruise to the atolls.

Days 2-6
The Tubbataha Reefs National Park is an UNESCO World Heritage site and lies in the Sulu Sea in the middle of the Coral Triangle. There are 370 types of coral, 600 species of fish, 12 species of cetacean. Due to their isolation, the atolls are a great area for shark action with species such as guitar, blacktips, white tips, grey reef sharks, silkies, hammerheads and whale sharks. The walls are adorned with beautiful soft corals, barrel sponges and lots of cleaning stations. The shallows are made up of hard coral gardens. Although the macro life is fantastic here, it take a back stage to the big marine life action, such as dogtooth tuna, giant trevally, barracuda, turtles and manta rays.
Before your 1st dive of the day you start with a light breakfast, with a main cooked breakfast to follow before the 2nd dive. A buffet style lunch gives you a chance to chat about your morning's underwater experiences. You can relax for a while after lunch, but before long it will be time for the 3rd dive, and then 4th dive before dinner. There will be an afternoon snack each day as well as fruit juices every day. The 5-course lunch and dinner buffets include fish, meat and seafood, as well as various vegetable options. There is a broad mix of Filipino food with some meals inspired by Korean and international cuisine. Enjoy local dishes like pork or chicken adobo, coconut milk shrimps, kinilaw and lumpia, with a glass of wine or beer. Meals are enjoyed in the open-air dining area on the main deck.
On Day 6 you will make 2 dives before returning to port early morning on the final day.

Day 7
You will say your farewells and disembark the yacht after breakfast. The crew will transfer you to the airport or nearby hotel.

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Apo Reef & Coron (7 Days / 6 Nights - 18 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, 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: Coron Island and wrecks; Apo Reef: Shark Airport, Ego Wall, Apo 29, Aladdin, Shark Ridge, Mabuti, SE Corner, Shipwreck; Calauit, Puerto Galera

Day 1
You will meet at the pier in Anilao for your Resolute liveaboard safari. Guests normally board in the afternoon and settle into their cabins before the late afternoon departure from port to Apo Reef.

Days 2-6
Apo Reef is situated on the western side of Mindoro and encompasses 34 square kilometres; it is the world's second-largest contiguous coral reef system. The reef, its 3 islands, and its surrounding waters are protected by the Apo Reef Natural Park. It is one of the most popular dive destinations in the Philippines and has an extensive wealth of marine life, with plentiful batfish, surgeonfish, snappers, fusiliers and trevallies. There is great macro life including tunicates, nudibranchs and sea slugs, but also large schools of large pelagic fish, dolphins, sharks (hammerhead, blacktip/whitetip/grey reef, and thresher sharks), barracuda and manta rays.
Coron Island is well known for several Japanese wrecks that sank there during World War II. It is the best wreck diving location in SE Asia and most of the sunken wrecks in are 100-200m in length. Most wrecks can be dived by beginner divers. The Okikawa Maru was a 160m long ship which was sunk by a direct hit on the bow area. The Olympia Maru was another massive vessel of 120m, but the submarine East Tangat Gunboat is probably the most ideal for exploration as it is in shallow waters. Its 2 main boilers are covered in hard corals, while the deck is now home to many scorpionfish. You will also explore the Akitsusima, a sea plane tender, and Irako, a refrigeration ship for the Japanese Imperial Navy. There is also a very interesting site called Barracuda Lake, which is a former volcano with amazing rock formations. There is also some good reef diving on the nearby Islands of Calambuyan Island and Seven Islands.
Before your 1st dive of the day you start with a light breakfast, with a main cooked breakfast to follow before the 2nd dive. A buffet style lunch gives you a chance to chat about your morning's underwater experiences. You can relax for a while after lunch, but before long it will be time for the 3rd dive, and then 4th dive before dinner. There will be an afternoon snack each day as well as fruit juices every day. The 5-course lunch and dinner buffets include fish, meat and seafood, as well as various vegetable options. There is a broad mix of Filipino food with some meals inspired by Korean and international cuisine. Enjoy local dishes like pork or chicken adobo, coconut milk shrimps, kinilaw and lumpia, with a glass of wine or beer. Meals are enjoyed in the open-air dining area on the main deck.
On Day 6 you will make 3 dives before returning to port early morning on the final day.

Day 7
You will say your farewells and disembark the yacht in Anilao after breakfast.

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Malapascua, Cebu & Dumaguete (7 Days / 6 Nights - 19 Dives)

Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity

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: Dauin: Masaplod, Mainit, and Pura Vida House Reef; Apo Island: Chapel Point, Rock Point West, and Coconut; Moalboal: Pescador, Savedra, and Sardine Pt; Malapascua: Monad Shoal, Gato Island, and Lighthouse

Day 1
You will be met at Mactan Airport, Cebu City, and transferred to the departure point of your Resolute liveaboard safari. Guests normally board in the afternoon and settle into their cabins before the late afternoon departure from port for Dauin.

Days 2-6
On this cruise you will explore the best of the central Visayas region in a circular loop around Cebu Island, with a detour to Dumaguete. You will have the opportunity to encounter thresher sharks and mantas at Malapascua, huge schools of sardines at Moalboal, huge schools of trevally at Apo Island, and muck diving at Dauin. And at all locations, there will be an overwhelming amount macro life - ghostpipefish, seahorses, frogfish, ribbon eels, innumerable species of shrimp, nudibranch, cuttlefish and octopus. It’s an incredible tour in the heart of the wonderland that is the Coral Triangle.
Before your 1st dive of the day you start with a light breakfast, with a main cooked breakfast to follow before the 2nd dive. A buffet style lunch gives you a chance to chat about your morning's underwater experiences. You can relax for a while after lunch, but before long it will be time for the 3rd dive, and then 4th dive before dinner. There will be an afternoon snack each day as well as fruit juices every day. The 5-course lunch and dinner buffets include fish, meat and seafood, as well as various vegetable options. There is a broad mix of Filipino food with some meals inspired by Korean and international cuisine. Enjoy local dishes like pork or chicken adobo, coconut milk shrimps, kinilaw and lumpia, with a glass of wine or beer. Meals are enjoyed in the open-air dining area on the main deck.
On Day 6 you will make 3 dives before returning to port early morning on the final day.

Day 7
You will say your farewells and disembark the yacht after breakfast. The crew will transfer you to the airport.

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Tubbataha & Apo Reef (8 Days / 7 Nights - 22 Dives)

Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, 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: Tubbataha - North Atoll: Bird Island, Ranger Station, South Rock; South Atoll: Lighthouse, Triggerfish City, Black Rock, Staghorn Point; Cagayancillo, Apo Reef

Day 1
You will be met at Puerto Princesa Airport or collected from a local hotel and transferred to the departure point of your Resolute liveaboard safari. Guests normally board in the afternoon and settle into their cabins before the late afternoon departure from port for the 11-hour cruise to the atolls.

Days 2-7
The Tubbataha Reefs National Park is an UNESCO World Heritage site with 370 types of coral, 600 species of fish, 12 species of cetacean. Due to their isolation, the atolls are a great area for shark action with species such as guitar, blacktips, white tips, grey reef sharks, silkies, hammerheads and whale sharks. The walls are adorned with beautiful soft corals, barrel sponges and lots of cleaning stations. The shallows are made up of hard coral gardens. Although the macro life is fantastic here, it take a back stage to the big marine life action, such as dogtooth tuna, giant trevally, barracuda, turtles and manta rays.
Apo Reef is the world's second-largest contiguous coral reef system, is one of the most popular dive destinations in the Philippines, and has an extensive wealth of marine life, with plentiful batfish, surgeonfish, snappers, fusiliers and trevallies. There is great macro life including tunicates, nudibranchs and sea slugs, but also large schools of large pelagic fish, dolphins, sharks (blacktip/whitetip/grey reef, and thresher sharks), barracuda and manta rays.
Before your 1st dive of the day you start with a light breakfast, with a main cooked breakfast to follow before the 2nd dive. A buffet style lunch gives you a chance to chat about your morning's underwater experiences. You can relax for a while after lunch, but before long it will be time for the 3rd dive, and then 4th dive before dinner. There will be an afternoon snack each day as well as fruit juices every day. The 5-course lunch and dinner buffets include fish, meat and seafood, as well as various vegetable options. There is a broad mix of Filipino food with some meals inspired by Korean and international cuisine. Enjoy local dishes like pork or chicken adobo, coconut milk shrimps, kinilaw and lumpia, with a glass of wine or beer. Meals are enjoyed in the open-air dining area on the main deck.
On Day 7 you will make 2 dives before returning to port early morning on the final day.

Day 8
You will say your farewells and disembark the yacht at Crimson Resort, Mactan, after breakfast. The crew will transfer you to the airport or nearby hotel.

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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 8 guest cabins for 16 guests on the lower deck, all with private bathrooms. All cabins have bunk beds, 6 standard cabins (2 with a lower double bed and 4 with a lower single bed), and 2 smaller economy cabins with a lower single bed; the upper bed is always a single bed.

All the cabins have: No. of bathrooms / showers - 10 / 13 - hot water

Customer reviews:

"The boat was extremely worn, well below the standard for what I paid. For example, we had to wear shoes on the boat's exterior decks to avoid the soles of our feet from going black with dirt, and the interior smelt of sewerage. Our room wasn't the worst but you could still smell it everywhere inside. The rooms also smelt musty and I had to wash all my clothes and even my bags when I got off the boat. It was disgusting. In addition, they were advertised as being able to cater to vegetarians but it was clear I was just an inconvenience to the chef. Everyone else would have 3-5 meats to choose from, plus a soup, plus multiple different veggies and carbs, whereas I had a few ok meals and a few servings of tofu early on, with either some sauce or a salad but by the second half of the trip I sometimes only got plain veggies (no sauce or flavour). In addition, I'm sure some of the food wasn't even vegetarian (e.g. it was cooked in chicken stock), that is just another example of the boat not being able to cater to vegetarians. It wasn't worth what we paid." - Kelda Bindel, New Zealand, 10 September 2023 ...