8.4 Very good
Stephen Z
United States

I will return...

Meeting some great people with similar interests. Variety of sealife. Amazing meals. Beautiful scenery. All inclusive for minimal price.

Recommended for: Quality of meals. Interaction of guests. Simplicity.

9.6 Exceptional
Colin H
United States

Really enjoyable week

Great value, despite tough weather still got in a number of excellent dives. The crew is well organized, accommodating, and welcoming. The food and drink was much better than expected. I like that we have a dive master who helps plan the dives, but not necessarily lead them....we got to do our own diving. Shark dive was cool. I hope to be back.

Recommended for: The dive sites, the food, customer service

9.2 Superb
David J
United States

Great Dive Experince

We had a virus that went through the boat! Several of the crew became ill as well as some guest! The non sick crew stepped up and took care of everything. The trip didn't miss a beat! I highly recommend this trip.

Recommended for: Food, Crew, Guests

9.6 Exceptional
Fred C
United States

Great crew, good diving, excellent camaraderie

My daughter was with me for her certification and buddy diving. I got my Advanced Open Water (Hoppy is a great instructor). Dives were good (weather restricted our options, but the Captain did an excellent job of finding us the best dives). Washing Machine was a BLAST!! Boat has small cabins, but that was fine - "Camping for Divers"

Recommended for: Diving, Crew, Guests

10 Exceptional
Lynn O
United States

Best bang for your buck

Being able to do four dives a day was fun. The shark dive was very interesting, (my first). The dive at the Blue Hole with the sharks and rays laying in the sand left me wanting to do it again. Captain Breezy was great at keeping the trip interesting. The gold star goes to Jenn who kept us fed with great meals. Our dive master Justin, was very good with the dive briefings. And our first mate Iain and engineer Tamly kept everything working. If you don't mind camping on the water this cruise is for you.

Recommended for: The crew was outstanding, dive sites and the interesting side trips

9.2 Superb
Lucy C
United States

Minimalist boat, maximalist experience

First of all, the crew was absolutely wonderful. There were only 4 people besides the captain doing all the classes, cooking, cleaning, refilling tanks etc. and all of them were great. The cook especially was able to work wonders in a ~2x4 square foot kitchen--which leads to my next point and the only negative. The boat was tiny--the only common area besides the deck was the dining area, which was also one of the cabins, so there wasn't space for everyone to eat at the same time and when people were sleeping it made socializing difficult. There also was a limited amount of fresh water, so there were no showers for ~2 days of the trip. That said, we were underwater the majority of our waking hours anyway so those were more minor inconveniences than actual problems. And the time we spend underwater was fantastic--the shark feed was great, the sites were gorgeous, and we weren't at all rushed to get in and out within a certain time, which has been the case with some other liveaboards I've been on. Several of my shallower dives went to over an hour and the pace was really calm and nice. Overall great experience--definitely would go again.

Recommended for: The crew, the food, and the sites

10 Exceptional
Nicole S
United States

Who could ask for more?

This was my first liveaboard I was nervous being a single diver but the professionalism of the crew put me at ease. It included detailed dive briefings and them acting as a dive buddy when needed. The shark feed was the next highlight of the trip because it was my first time experiencing anything like that. The boat had some issues during a storm but the crew remained calm addressed the problem quickly while keeping us informed. I was so impressed I booked another trip in May before the last day of the adventure.

Recommended for: 1. Captain Red’s expierence 2. Crew’s helpfulness. 3. Karen’s cooking.

10 Exceptional
Bradley B
United States

Great Trip, absolutely the best diving for the price

The captain and crew were great, making sure we were all safe but most importantly having a great time and had everything we needed to do that.

Recommended for: Great crew, awesome diving, and a lot of sharks

9.6 Exceptional
Brian J
United States

This was my first liveaboard trip and I was already discussing plans for a second before we even ended the first.

Although not a super fancy boat, the crew treat you as if this were a high end trip, they really take care of everything for you from the minute you're dropped off at the harbor club till you leave on a taxi.

Recommended for: The crew, the food and the amount of diving available in a one week trip

9.6 Exceptional
Russell B
United States

Customer Service Focused

Every day was an adventure with the crew taking care of all your needs. From getting in and out of the water they are there to assist you and make the transitions easy. The dive briefs were detailed and coordinated in a professional manner, giving everyone an idea what to expect and what to look for. The meals and snacks were excellent, with excellent presentation and taste. Safety was always the number one priority for those in and out of the water. Congratulations to both the Captain and crew of the Morning Star, you have given me a memory of a lifetime as well as watched over me assuring I could return to my family back in Tennessee.

Recommended for: The crew and Captain are focused on providing the best service possible. The meals are filling and e wry day is something different and tasty. The dive sites are beautiful and exciting.

9.2 Superb
Cheryl T
United States

Definitely one of the most memorable trips I’ve ever taken!

Loved loved the shark feed dive!!! Thought I would really be freaked out but it was absolutely amazing!!!

Recommended for: 1. Diving 2. Diving 3. Food

9.2 Superb
David K
United States

Awesome diving and fantastic experience in the Bahamas!

There are so many fantastic dive sites that we visited. There was a range of difficulty but perfect for a novice or an advanced diver!

Recommended for: The crew, new friends and of course the diving!

9.6 Exceptional
scott B
United States

4th trip, still a great value for the money.

making new friends, becoming a better diver and those sunsets-wow!

Recommended for: great weather, great crew and sharks!!!

9.6 Exceptional
Erika H
United States

SWEET!!!!!!

Sharks, navigating on our own, great crew, great food. I met some awesome people the crew was awesome the food was great for how small of a space we were in. It was camping on the sea. So much fun!!!

Recommended for: The dives, the food, the people

9.2 Superb
Feng Z
United States

It is my first time live-aboard diving trip, and I enjoyed it very much!

There were so many different types of dives to experience; shallow, deep, walls, drift, holes, wreck, and of course the shark feeding dive. And the best part is to have warm nice DELICIOUS meals after diving.

Recommended for: food, people, diving

9.2 Superb
Dakota R
United States

Incredible Experience!

Even with rough weather our Captain was able to get us 14 dives. The night out in the Bahamas on the last day. And the crew making drinking and amazing food for everyone everyday.

Recommended for: There was a ton of diving. The crew were helpful, caring, and had a blast with you.

8.8 Fabulous
Patricia R
United States

I loved it

Price and ease of completing AOW certification

Recommended for: Food, crew, and multiple dives

10 Exceptional
Veronica G
United States

Sea explorer Captain Jim

Lobster Not Lobster saw 2 squid. Blue hole was awesome food was great all the crew was great

Recommended for: Service was phenomenal only 4 guests for 1st trial run after Covid

10 Exceptional
Richard W
United States

The most AWESOME experience i have ever had with clothes on.

I came to Nassau with 5 dives in my logbook.......I left with 32 and an Advanced Open Water Certificate

Recommended for: the diving, the food,the crew

9.6 Exceptional
Linn M
United States

Unbelievable adventure

Dives, interacting with crew and fellow travelers

Recommended for: Friendly crew, awesome dives, wonderful meals

10 Exceptional
Barbara (Zealand) D
United States

AMAZING CREW

Amazing Crew

Recommended for: Crew, Food, Diving

8.8 Fabulous
Timothy C
United States

Awesome, a lot of fun, like camping on the ocean.

Weather was pretty rough because of wind and cold front, highlights were the diverse amount of sites you see, the amount of dives you get to do , and just being a part of a crew and old sailboat that feels like home after you're done.

Recommended for: The friends you make, the sea creatures you see, and the food!

9.6 Exceptional
james L
United States

An amazing dive trip where I only knew one person but left knowing 23.

So many to count!

Recommended for: Dive quality, Excellent food, and friendly, engaging staff.

9.6 Exceptional
BRANDY F
United States

My new favorite way to scuba!

Many of the dives are truly like being in an aquarium. Sharks galore. Bonding with boatmates. The scenery is amazing. A good variety of dive sites. Sleeping under the stars!! Hugs from the crew upon departure.

Recommended for: The food was GREAT! The staff was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating. The reefs are healthy and beautiful. SHARKS (yes that is 4)

6.0 Review score
Maureen F
United States

Good introduction to live aboard experience, but challenges abound.

Some of the diving was really good when we were able to reach the sites. The deeper dives were fantastic (the walls, drift dives, wrecks), however, the weather was not ideal for the week. We seemed to stay in mostly shallow wrecks which got old after a few times. Would have liked to try to move to another area instead of visiting the same ones or doing multiple dives on the same wrecks. No dive guide was provided. Many times the DM did not even go into the water. It was very confusing to navigate on some of the wrecks and many times we had to surface to find the boat. The food was so so...some meals were great and fresh (steak meal, salad, fruit platters were always great), some were not so much--canned food and not as flavorful. They were very accommodating of special requests. The area for the tanks was so tight and close together, it was very hard to get into our equipment (BCDs), and the seating on the main deck was very hard. Could use cushions on the seating in the horseshoe area. The trip ended on a sour note because of the amount of positive covid tests. This was not handled well by the company. There was confusion and long delay between the results and dealing with the situation. No communication. The last night was simply abysmal. When a few of the passengers were starting to get sick in the middle of the cruise, no action was taken to isolate them or remove them from the ship, thus getting others sick and placing us all at risk. The sleeping quarters were tight and not very comfortable. The mattresses and pillows were thin and my hips were sore after a week.

Recommended for: Some of the dive sites, some of the meals and commaderie of fellow passengers

5.6 Review score
Ryan S
United States

A Hostel on a boat

Nothing. It was a terrible live aboard. 3 deep dives. Most of the dives you didn’t even need a safety stop. Non of the dives were guided.

Recommended for: Getting back to land

9.6 Exceptional
Adam S
United States

All smiles with great food, welcoming attitudes, and an awesome mix of dive sites plus excursions.

- wreck dives - deep wall dives - sharks!! Including 2 hammerhead - Beach excursions - great mix of ship mates - very welcoming attitudes from the crew

Recommended for: The crew, the food, and the diving variety.

9.6 Exceptional
Ken S
United States

Great, casual experience

This was my second Blackbeard cruise. While difficulties with equalization of pressure in my left ear frustrated my plan to advance my scuba skills, there are much worse ways to spend a week.

Recommended for: Location, crew, camaraderie

10 Exceptional
Toni J
United States

Wonderful diving and relaxing with great food

Sunken planes

Recommended for: THe views, dives, and crew

9.2 Superb
Heather E
United States

First trip to The Bahamas and I will definitely be back!

The crew made the liveaboard experience so wonderful. Waking up each morning with the ability to dive into beautiful water shortly after breakfast. There were plenty of places on board to visit with new friends or spend a little time alone.

Recommended for: Amazing crew, fabulous dive sites, new friendships

5.6 Review score
Jeffrey C
United States

Dive on a budget get a budget dive experience

Wall dives

Recommended for: Crew was cool and helpful

9.6 Exceptional
Stephan C
United States

It was an amazing time! Great diving!

The washing machine dive was super fun! The crew was great!

Recommended for: The diving, the crew, and the food

9.6 Exceptional
John D
United States

Incredible Experience

We hit the full 19 dives throughout the week. The shark feed was amazing. The crew was constantly going above and beyond to make us comfortable and keep the good times rolling. The dives are unguided, but that made it an even better for learning for someone with little experience, as I only had 5 dives prior to the trip. An absolutely amazing experience for a single traveler like myself, and I will absolutely be returning.

Recommended for: The crew maintains a high level of professionalism while still having fun, the food is amazing, and the dive sites that were picked just kept getting better

10 Exceptional
Sophie C
United States

Best bang for your buck!

Getting to do some exciting dives (walls, pass throughs, night, shark feed, blue hole); no wifi means getting to know other travelers and crew, ends up with great morale and memories! Got to spend time no diving as well with opportunities for snorkeling, spearing/fishing, and visiting some islands.

Recommended for: Accommodating crew, delicious meals, great dive spots

9.6 Exceptional
Quannie T
United States

Trip of a lifetime

19 dives for the price is such an amazing deal. We also got to see snorkel, see the Bahamas iguanas, go to so many incredible dive sites like the blue hole or smugglers plane. The shark feed was phenomenal. This was truly an incredible experience that I’ll never forget.

Recommended for: The crew, the dive sites, the great vibes

9.6 Exceptional
Y W
United States

I'll never forget this trip and will definitely go back!!!

Unforgettable and absolutely wonderful! Our boat crew was amazing - kind, caring and super fun people! Fantastic diving, and LOTS of it! Diving gear (rentals) - in great, if not excellent condition. Each dive was at a new location, with a couple of island/beach excursions. I LOVED how our dives/locations were planned out - with some surprising awesome experiences here and there (but won't spoil it here : ). Every room had air conditioner (so be ready for some non-stop chilly "breeze"). I would say these trips are perfect for passionate divers because it's all about . . . diving :D (!!!) with fun social times in between. I loved it all so much, that I am already looking into booking another one this summer!

Recommended for: Our boat crew, dives, our whole dive team

10 Exceptional
Andrew L
United States

Probably the best week of my life

On the 3rd day, a 12 foot hammerhead shark appeared during a baited dive and we swam with the shark for over an hour! It got really close to us and was super friendly. I will never forget that experience!

Recommended for: Super affordable. Amazing crew! Awesome dive sites

9.2 Superb
Alannah D
Canada

Absoutely incredible. Something I'll remember forever!

Meeting new amazing people! The washing machine drift dive! The shark feed dive! Everything was amazing, this was a very cool experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Recommended for: The dives, the food, and the helpfulness of the crew.

8.8 Fabulous
Guy C
Canada

An unforgettable experience, tiring, interesting, but great.

The wonderful reef formations, animal life and camaraderie. Great bunch of people. I would have enjoyed a little better mattress, and more confortable seating on top. It was however unforgettable.

Recommended for: Dive sites, animal life, sailing.

9.6 Exceptional
Mercedes M
Spain

I disconnected, enjoyed and returned charged with a lot of energy

Disconnection, nature, beauty, confidence, fun, serenity

Recommended for: Wonderful shallow dives, good crew, good group atmosphere

9.6 Exceptional
Ocean F
China

Great trip for the price!

Shark feeding, Iguana island visit, multiple wall dives and night dives

Recommended for: Food, friendly crew, wonderful dive sites

10 Exceptional
Jerome P
Canada

perfect and amazing

Washing machines, sharks, many many dives, living on a boat, the people on it.

Recommended for: the water, the crew, the hole package

8.4 Very good
Peter O
Australia

Enjoyed the simplicity of boat diving and the friendliness of the passengers and crew

Return to diving after several years away. Meeting up with friends. The feeding of the sharks, and the drift dive through the washing machine

Recommended for: Diving, meals and being in the Bahamas

9.2 Superb
Andrea G
Switzerland

Amazing divetrip

Amazing crew, nice divespots with a lot of wonderful fishes. The food was delicious and the people i met really cool. The boat is tiny and cosy and you get to know the other people quick. Go for it, you won‘t regret it.

Recommended for: People, diving, food

8.0 Very good
shana V
Canada

Get out of your comfort zone and loving it

Crew amazing Awesome diving with a shitty weather

Recommended for: Food-diving-awesome crew

9.2 Superb
Laurin M
Germany

Great diving, helpful crew, sociable fellow divers - highly recommended if you are ok with basic accomodation

Sharks, turtles and the Blue Hole

Recommended for: Sharks, turtles and the Blue Hole

8.0 Very good
Céline T
Canada

The best dive cruise ever!

Fun dives in the sun. Exciting experiences shark feeding. Great deep dives. Awesome people on the boat sharing the same passion.

Recommended for: Safe, dedicated, committed hard-working crew.

9.2 Superb
David S
Czech Republic

Worth to spend a week from your life.

The last day - Blue hole with millions of sharks

Recommended for: Food, diving, weather

9.2 Superb
Marie Josee L
Canada

I had the time of my life!!!

Blue hole. Cathédrale dive site and meeting people that are passionate about diving. Including the crew.

Recommended for: Diving sites. Peoples. Sharks!!!!

10 Exceptional
Louis M
Canada

What a fantastic experience!

The diving was great. There were so many different types of dives to experience; shallow, deep, walls, drift, holes, wreck, and of course the shark feeding dive. There were plenty of fish and other wildlife to see. I had a chance to try spearfishing for the first time. It was great to meet people from many different places and backgrounds.

Recommended for: Great diving, fantastic crew, meeting other divers

9.6 Exceptional
Stuart D
Canada

Amazing diving!

Sharks! Tons of sharks. Also turtles, sting rays, lobsters, crabs, eels, etc. Every dive site was great. Shark feeding was unreal.

Recommended for: Great crew, friendly people, amazing diving.

9.6 Exceptional
Luka Z
Slovenia

One of the best experiences as a diver

I have nothing but great memories on the trip I just took. The crew on Sea Explorer was beyond helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly. Captain Jim took us out in the really rough weather, and still could find the way to go the promised dives. The crew worked all night one night, as they had shifts watching the anchor in the rain and wind. Every single one of the crew knew their job and executed it perfectly, so the divers didn't even know if something was amiss. Corrai, the first mate helped captain maintain everything in control, had an answer to every question and was superfriendly. Brian, the engineer, had the boat in mint condition and repaired everything with swiftness and a smile. Thato, the dive master, was extremely informative and knew all the dive sites beautifully, gave plenty of instructions, etc. And Renee, THE CHEF (!) was preparing meals worthy of a five star restaurant in a closet kitchen of the boat. The divers were all very friendly, we instantly connected and will stay connected in the future! This was one of the best experiences in my life, beautiful dives and loads of life.

Recommended for: Friendly and knowledgeable crew, beautiful dives, new friendships

9.6 Exceptional
Alex J
United Kingdom

Incredible experience, fantastic crew

Shark feed

Recommended for: Amazing crew, fantastic food, great dives

6.8 Review score
YUXI X
Canada

Great food great crew

Shark feed; Captain Jim took us to the local bars! Super fun.

Recommended for: Shark feed; crew; friendly buddies

9.6 Exceptional
Emily P
Canada

Amazing Adventure

New Years Eve dive

Recommended for: Beautiful diving, amazing food & friendly staff

7.6 Good
Samantha M
Finland

We had a great experience.

The first night dive.

Recommended for: Justin, food and the guests.

9.6 Exceptional
aurelie V
France

Wonderful experience

The captain always made his best to have us on the best possible spots. Jen the cooker is amazing , the crew is passionate funny and friendly but very professional at the same time . And cheap for everything we had. Also no WiFi makes that the people talk to each other, share their diving experiences etc . Amazing week

Recommended for: Dives crew food

7.6 Good
Shadow L
China

Totally is good and memorable.

First time did sharks feeding, and I like the diving site of Dog Rocks.

Recommended for: Food, people and crew.

9.2 Superb
peter R
Canada

Best budget dive boats out there

Although I was hoping to see tiger sharks and hammerheads, we still saw loads of reef sharks!

Recommended for: Crew, the views and food

9.6 Exceptional
Olgica V
Serbia

The best crew ever!

Washing machine dive!

Recommended for: Crew, food and diving

9.2 Superb
Reinel M
Colombia

Great!

Great knowledgeable staff, good dive sites

Recommended for: Staff, Food, sites

9.6 Exceptional
Jessica B
Canada

If you're in the ''Camping lifestyle'' of a liveaboard, it's a great option!

We were dispatched on the SeaExporer as we arrived. Not on the MorningStar. 20 people on a sail boat is a lot of people! Especially when you don't know them. The crew makes it easy and convenient to interact with everyone aboard. We also enjoyed the multi cultural aspect of it too. It was great fun to meet divers from around the globe. We were also concerned about the quantity of food and availability of it. No problem there! snacks are covered between meals. On the down side of things, there was one thing, that tick me off. As a previous diving charter operator in the St-Lawrence river. I found a procedure that, I find dangerous. When it is time to climb aboard the sailboat, they ask us to remove our fins on the tag line and then pull ourselves on the rope to the ladder. ( This is to reduce the risk of getting hit by the boat or the ladder when in a situation of waves) Here is the thing, if there is waves, most likely, there will be wind and surface current. What happens is; the diver is on the tag line, anywhere from 5 to 20 feet from the ladder, hanging on the rope. He has to hold the line with one hand and take the other hand to remove his fins. Not everyone has spring heels, so it can get quite difficult to handle the procedure. The diver is able to remove one fin, holds it with his other hand, which is holding the tagline. Works on the second fin. Drops the fin....A natural reflex is to try and catch the fin. OOPS! The diver let's go off the tagline. The question is: How does the diver swim back to the tagline in waves and surface current? Bonus question: On a night dive? I am telling you this because that situation happened! Luckily, for the crew, that diver was an experience diver and was able to put back both of his fins and swim back to catch the tag line. He was well behind the dinky boat. If this happened to a newbie, I don't think the end situation would've been the same. Not everyone has the reflex of adding air in their vest and not panicking. Or you could be dealing with an over weighted diver... Our procedure in that case was: If you are unable to reach the ladder safely, we had our divers remove all of there gear in the water. Adding air in the BC. Last thing to be remove was the fins. In that case, if the diver gets wiplash from the boat, he can safely swim at the surface. These diving conditions were commun to us, everyday was like that. This kind of weather only last for a certain period in the Bahamas, maybe the crew hasen't develop a strategy for boarding divers in these conditions, but I think you should develop a more secure method. Like I said something to think about....

Recommended for: Food, crew, liveaboard

8.4 Very good
David E
United Kingdom

It was my first liveaboard and the crew made it very enjoyable

The diving with sharks and the washing machine dive

Recommended for: The crew, the food and the overall experience

9.6 Exceptional
Lea R
Germany

Best Experience I ever had

This is an experience you don’t want to miss out :) Get to know new people and see beautiful dive sites !

Recommended for: Crew, food and dives are amazing!

9.6 Exceptional
Malgorzata S
Poland

We had a Blast!

Awesome Night dives , easygoing atmosphere on the boat, very pretty clean and healthy reefs , loads of life there , very clear perfectly blue waters! Loved it although the boat is far away from luxury

Recommended for: Divaster Linq, rest of the crew, excellent food and beautiful diving

9.2 Superb
Nir T
Canada

Awesome Experience!

the people and the scuba diving, of course

Recommended for: great crew, great atmosphere, beautiful places

9.2 Superb
Victoria T
Australia

Budget but outstanding

There were some incredible dive sites on the trip like the washing machine. And the shark dive is also amazing. The food is unbelievably good. I read this in a previous review but it really didn’t do it justice. Given the space the chef has to cook in he is truly a wizard. I’d do this liveaboard again just for the food. The crew were incredible. Always striving to make sure every aspect of the trip is amazing. If you’re not bothered by having little privacy and are comfortable in a “hostel on the water” then this is for you. It forces you to be social and you get to meet some amazing people.

Recommended for: Diving, food, crew

10 Exceptional
Dylan S
Canada

Amazing! One of the best liveaboards I’ve been on

The crew, the food, the shark dive, the sun washing machine, sharknado in the blue hole!

Recommended for: Crew, food, and shark feed!

8.4 Very good
Federico B
Chile

Lots of fun, great group, not the best diving in in the planet

Deeper and wall diving, shark feeding and iguana island

Recommended for: Group vibe, crew, food

9.6 Exceptional
Nathan B
Canada

Outstanding experience and staff!

An absolute blast - despite relatively close quarters we had a great trip. Our staff were incredible and I ate better than I do at home. 10/10 experience for the price. Have recommended it to friends.

Recommended for: The food, the shark dive, the staff.

8.0 Very good
Kayla B
Canada

Wonderful

Everything! Whale shark and sharks!! I thought the deck on the boat could have been hosed off once during the trip as it got quite dirty.

Recommended for: The diving, the food and the atmosphere

9.6 Exceptional
Kyle T
Canada

A truly amazing week at sea!

We had such great week at sea. The weather couldn't have been better! We had a really good group come out, everyone got along splendidly. Captain and crew were all rockstars! From the information shared, food cooked, timely maintenance, fishing, assisting with gear, everyone really went above and beyond! I couldn't recommend a trip on the Morning Star more highly, I'll be back for sure!

Recommended for: Dog rocks, hammerhead at blue hole, the food!

Blackbeards Morning Star, Bahamas

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Blackbeards Morning Star Reviews