Life on a Blue O Two Liveaboard
Blue O Two takes pride in attentively managing and regularly upgrading, their fleet. The effort has paid off, with Blue O Two vessels winning multiple accolades year after year, such as “Liveaboard of the Year” and “Best Liveaboard” in the sport diver awards and DIVER magazine awards. By managing and designing their vessels (rather than renting them), Blue O Two makes safety their top priority. Comfort comes next. Fresh bath towels are provided daily, and many of the boats give out beach towels and bathrobes as well. There are various room sizes, from king suites to twins. If you’re looking for extra luxury, consider a room with ocean views. Both rooms and communal spaces are fitted with entertainment systems; you can connect your own devices or choose from the boats’ DVD collections. If you’re taking a break from screen-time, the library offers ocean-related and literary books. There are plenty of relaxation areas to lie down and enjoy since every boat has sun decks and shade decks. The Maldives M/Y Blue Voyager has no fewer than seven!
Meals on the Blue O Two fleet are always fresh and sourced from local ingredients. The cuisine is also locally inspired, offering, for example, Sri Lankan dishes prepared by a famously good chef on the Maldives Sea Spirit. Dietary restrictions can be catered to with advance notice. Depending on the vessel, you’ll either eat in a comfortable dining room or al fresco on the deck. Other vessel amenities may include internet and a jacuzzi, depending on the boat.
Diving with the Blue O Two fleet
Diving from a Blue O Two liveaboard is all about fulfilling your personal interests and developing your dive skills. The Blue O Two vessel staff often includes a marine biologist to help you study the ocean’s creatures, and a photography specialist to help you get great shots. There are even dedicated itineraries for underwater photography. Courses can be arranged beforehand, including technical diving. Nitrox and drift diver courses are also popular. When choosing your itinerary, consider your skill level, what kind of diving you want, and what you’d like to see underwater. Nitrox is available on all vessels, and rebreathers can be accommodated on many. Technical diving and wreck diving have their own dedicated itineraries. The Blue O Two fleet website provides detailed information on each of its vessels, itineraries, and destinations; start here to learn which voyage fits your experience level and your interests. If you’re feeling a bit nervous, a private guide can be booked beforehand.
Blue O Two Liveaboards and Destinations
Red Sea, Egypt
Blue O Two Egypt’s three vessels, the M/Y Blue Melody Egypt, M/Y Blue Horizon Egypt, and M/Y Red Sea Adventurer, sail from Hurghada and Port Ghalib (in Marsa Alam). They aspire to offer the most luxurious liveaboard trips in the Red Sea. Blue O Two Egypt itineraries are usually seven days long, with an average of four dives a day. There are five full days of diving and additional dives on the half-days. The 18 itineraries go to all the best Egyptian dive sites. The Brothers Islands are featured in many, as well as Daedelus, Elphinstone, Rocky Island, Zabargad, the Straits of Tiran, the deep south, St. John’s, and Fury Shoal. Red Sea diving is a classic liveaboard experience; you’ll enjoy a large variety of seascapes from caves to coral, lots of sharks, plenty of macro-critters, and superb visibility. If you want to do purely technical diving on wrecks, consider Blue O Two’s tech voyages. If you want to see as many sharks as possible, choose one of the fleet’s offerings for maximized shark encounters. Join one of the Project Shark trips or Manta Trust Expeditions to learn more about these incredible creatures, while visiting world-class dive sites. Evening lectures on sharks, conservation, and photography provide added value to your trip.
Maldives
The Blue O Two Maldives liveaboard fleet offers two unique vessel options for your dive adventure. One is the intimate Sea Spirit (previously Blue Spirit), which accommodates only 12 divers. Sea Spirit has a specially designed, flat, wooden hull that lets it nose into secluded, shallow bays. The other is the particularly luxurious M/Y Blue Voyager, with its seven in- and outdoor lounge spots, ocean-view cabins, jacuzzi, and indoor alfresco dining area, complete with air conditioning. Dive dhonis accompany both these vessels and provide unlimited nitrox refills so you won’t miss any chance for action-packed bottom time. The 25 Blue O Two Maldives itineraries encompass every region of the archipelago, from the remote far south to the quiet north, as well as options for voyages focused on sharks, mantas, or pelagics.
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