Nautilus Explorer
Your diving and snorkeling trip of a lifetime begins the minute you set foot aboard the Nautilus Explorer, the boat experienced divers and discerning travelers alike love and return to time and time again. While there are hundreds of vessels in a worldwide fleet of liveaboard dive boats, the Nautilus Explorer distinguishes itself by its custom design, first class comfort and safety features, and compliance with the most exacting of cruise ship standards. The ship’s owners wanted a low maintenance, long-lasting vessel; the ship’s builders gave it to them.
The Nautilus Explorer is a Millennium-type boat built in Vancouver, British Columbia. After two years of careful design planning, construction started in 1999 and, nearly 110 design revisions later, the ship launched in 2000 after 8 months of literal blood, sweat, and tears. Its custom design and structure fulfills not only diving and diver safety requirements but also guests’ expectations for accommodations aboard such a boat. Initial designs planned for an 85’ aluminum vessel; the end result was 116’ of all steel, sound-proofed construction. To minimize pitching and rolling while at sea, we built a bulbous bow for greater efficiency, installed bilge keels, and mounted a European-designed stability tank on the top deck intended to reduce roll by up to 75% and provide a remarkably easy ride.
The ship meets the International Maritime Organization (IMO) safety and security standards for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) that addresses safety and emergency procedures and other relevant protocols for short, international voyages. SOLAS is the ultimate accreditation and confirmation of safety and seaworthiness a ship can receive, with fewer than 1% of the world’s liveaboard boats having SOLAS certification pursuant to IMO regulations. In addition, the Nautilus Explorer also boasts compliance with the International Safety Management Code (ISM) for the safe operation of ships and pollution prevention, having received ISM certification from Lloyds Register for quality management practices. In essence, guests can be assured that the people who run the ship and the support services provided while onboard are all first-rate. An ISM rating means that the Nautilus Explorer undergoes routine internal and independent external safety and maintenance audits. With pride, this ship asserts that it is the only SOLAS ISM-certified liveaboard dive boat in the world under audit by Lloyds Register. Why are all these certifications important? Because a good night’s sleep and ultimately, our lives (and yours), are worth the effort.
Liveaboard boats should offer unparalleled accommodations. Our guests have told us the Nautilus Explorer does just that, comparing its small boat look to a big ship feel. Our liveaboard dive boat offers the same first class amenities as large cruise ships, providing the highest level of comfort while ingeniously utilizing every square inch of available space. The ship’s crew takes exceptional pride in keeping this happy ship clean and running an extremely smooth operation.
Savvy travelers, vacationers, and divers choose their dive tours carefully, opting for trips that afford them nothing less than an exceptional deep sea scuba diving adventure. The Nautilus Explorer’s crew considers the vessel’s dive deck to be the “business end” of the ship. For divers, it represents their entire reason for being on board: white shark cage diving. The dive deck can be fitted with diver stations to accommodate 24 guests on warm water scuba dive trips. A water level platform aft the dive deck provides for easy entry into dive skiffs, kayaks, and the Laser sailboat. In addition, a 5-ton hydraulic crane and reinforced steel deck allows the crew to stage the cage dives.
At the end of the day, and with guests’ comfort a priority, there are plenty of options available whether you seek rest, solitude, and quiet, or prefer to socialize with other guests and crew members. You are, after all, on vacation. You can spend time reading, writing in your scuba dive log or journal, or sorting through the day’s photos in the ship’s main salon or on one of the upper sundecks. The main salon serves as the hub of the ship’s entertainment and relaxation activities. Guests can unwind and refresh by getting comfortable on one of the cushioned couches, perusing selections from our library, attending an evening video showing, viewing their digital photos on our 42” plasma television, and enjoying a libation or two from among our many varieties of micro-brewed beer, extensive wine selection, and more. A soak in our hot tub, whether by sunlight or moonlight, is another way many of our guests renew body and spirit.
Dining aboard the Nautilus Explorer is both a gustatory and visual adventure, one of the cornerstones of our diving trips. Diners sit at beautifully crafted tables made out of cherry, and are surrounded by large picture windows that make the outside scenery an integral part of each dining experience. With up to four meals a day (and snacks to stave off hunger in-between), no one goes hungry. Our imaginative and always-fresh meals combine traditional North American fare with European and Mexican cuisine to ensure every palette is satisfied. Guests always have a selection of entrees from which to choose. Our soups are homemade. We bake our own bread and pastries and prepare all desserts onboard. And guests decide if they want to serve themselves from our inviting buffet or relax with our attentive, friendly table service. With our own chef aboard and two hostesses to serve, we are able to take excellent care of our guests. And with sufficient advance notice, we are happy to accommodate most special dietary requests.
Sleep accommodations aboard the Nautilus Explorer livaboard boat vary to suit each guest’s individual budget, room-type, and privacy preferences. We can host up to 24 guests in three different types of staterooms ranging from a luxurious premium suite on the hot tub deck to a cost effective triple occupancy stateroom on the lower deck.
There are nine lower deck staterooms, each measuring 90 square feet. These staterooms contain either singlewide (36”) or doublewide (52”) mattresses, or a combination. They are air conditioned and come with private heads and an individual shower stall. The beds in six of these lower deck staterooms are side-by-side, while two of the staterooms have large double beds and an additional storage area. The triple occupancy suite contains a double bed with two single bunk beds opposite.
The hot tub deck offers three executive suites. These suites measure approximately 145 square feet and have large exterior windows. They are air conditioned and feature a private outside entrance. Each suite has two single size beds that can be combined to form one queen-sized bed. They also have a desk, a bureau or wardrobe, and a private bathroom with shower. One of these suites boasts a large flat screen television and DVD player. Also located on the hot tub deck is the ship’s premium suite which is twice as large as the other suites. It has separate bedroom and lounge areas, each with a large flat screen television and DVD player. The suite’s private bathroom contains a full-size bathtub and shower. The premium suite is being refitted with a floor-to-ceiling window for its occupants to enjoy the gorgeous scenery.
Other interesting Nautilus Explorer ship specifications to note are its cruise speed of 11-12 miles per hour, a 7,000 gallon fresh water capacity, a 3,600 gallon-per-day water maker, and quiet twin 70 kW gensets that operate 24 hours a day with precise voltage and frequency.
The Nautilus Explorer meets the vacation and diving standards of even the most discerning and experienced traveler, complying with rigorous safety standards and affording luxury accommodations. Book your trip of a lifetime aboard today.
Nautilus Swell
The Nautilus Swell, sister ship to the Nautilus Explorer, underwent a $3.5M restoration in 2005 that converted it into a beautiful, classic 90’ vessel that is perfectly set up for divers. This ship is destined to become a diving legend in her own right. Prior to this, her third restoration, the Nautilus Swell enjoyed a romantic and varied service history as a tug boat, a fishing charter boat, and a liveaboard dive vessel, and traveled to all parts of the Pacific North West. This latest refit brought the ship up to our high standards of modern liveaboard boat comfort and safety while maintaining the integrity of its classic warmth and beauty as a vintage wooden vessel. The Nautilus Swell is most at home in the waters of Alaska and British Columbia. We are certain she will make guests feel at home too, the moment they step aboard.
An intimate gathering of no more than 12 guests will observe calving glaciers, climb onto icebergs, see humpback whales bubble net feed, and dive with Steller sea lions. The Nautilus Swell lends itself to diving quite easily with the use of a 38’ dive skiff, the Inde, that serves as the ship’s dive deck. Divers set up their scuba diving gear on Inde, just one step down from the mother ship, where it will remain for the entire scuba dive trip. One flight of stairs up from Inde, divers will find a large multi-level camera table, covered drysuit rack, work station, and gear storage area. Also up that same flight of stairs is an inviting hot tub brimming with sparkling crystal water.
Guest accommodations include seven cabins, each with ensuite heads and showers as well as individual temperature control. Two superior suites are located on the main deck. Doors at either end of these two suites allow their occupants convenient access. One suite has two bunk beds and the other has a double bed. In addition to dressing areas and extra storage space, these suites also have portholes that contribute to their overall bright atmosphere.
The hot tub deck holds two double staterooms, each with private ensuites with large heads and showers. These rooms contain bunks, skylights, and doors with direct outside access. There are also two single occupancy staterooms located on the hot tub deck that can be converted into double occupancy cabins if requested in advance. At the forward end of the hot tub deck is the “Captain’s Cabin”, which contains a double bed. This cabin is accessible through the wheelhouse, where guests can glimpse panoramic views.
Aboard the Nautilus Swell, dining is one of the highlights of your dive vacation. Mahogany woodwork and large windows make for a beautiful dining experience. An attentive hostess serves guests and ensures snacks, fruit, and beverages are available all day long. With up to four meals each day (and snacks to stave off hunger in-between), no one goes hungry. The chef works in a fully equipped commercial kitchen, producing imaginative and always-fresh meals that combine traditional North American fare with European and Mexican cuisine to ensure every palette is satisfied. Guests always have a selection of entrees from which to choose. Homemade soups, fresh-baked bread and pastries, and desserts are ship specialties. Guests decide if they want to serve themselves from our inviting buffet or relax with our attentive, friendly table service. And with sufficient advance notice, the chef will gladly accommodate virtually all specialized dietary requests.
Guests gather and relax in the aft deck lounge where they discuss the day’s dives over happy hour libations. The aft deck is covered, dry, and protected from the elements. Water-level views let guests take in the stunning environs and wildlife that includes eagles, humpback whales, and salmon.
Specifications of the Nautilus Swell highlight its length as 90’, its width as 22’, and its gross tonnage at 130 tons. It boasts a Detroit Diesel 12V-124 800 horsepower engine. The ship cruises at 10-12 knots and has two AC generators operating 24 hours a day. Its water maker produces 3,600 gallons of fresh water daily.
The liveaboard dive boat Nautilus Swell offers touches and details like no other ship, affording you the trip of a lifetime.