Princess Dhonkamana, Maldives

Name: Classic Maldives (Male - Male)
Start: 2027-01-03
End: 2027-01-10
Location: Maldives

9.5 Exceptional

Nitrox available
Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly

from $ 229 / day Check dates

En-Suite bathrooms - Princess Dhonkamana

“It was again a great experience with a perfect crew and fantastic divers - Thank you!”
Ulf H, Germany

Highlights

Flexible itineraries to showcase the best diving depending on season
Ample social areas and 3 sun decks
Large cabins with canopy beds

Join the MY Princess Dhonkamana yacht for a luxury dive or snorkel trip in the Maldives. Offering week-long itineraries, she caters to 20 guests in 9 comfortable cabins. Guests have the choice of double, twin or triple cabins, each with canopy beds, private bathroom facilities and individually controlled AC units. Spread around the yacht is ample room for rest, relaxation and socialising. There is a large indoor salon and bar where snacks are served in the evening to accompany the aperitif, and the large covered al fresco dining area is where a variety of delicious cuisine and chef-prepared dishes are served. There are also 3 sun decks and terraces with loungers and sofas spread around the boat for further relaxation.

Maldives dive itineraries with the M/Y Princess Dhonkamana explore the Central, Southern and Northern Atolls. The itineraries are flexible and are designed day by day depending on the season and what guests want to see, to be able to offer the best possible diving. Expect to see large pelagic life, lots of sharks, turtles and stunning reefs. The MY Princess Dhonkamana is accompanied by a separate diving dhoni, giving more space on board and making the dive experience much smoother.

To reserve your space aboard the MY Princess Dhonkamana yacht, call us or book online today.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

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11 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 1,858

Select Cabin only 4 spaces left

18 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 1,858

Select Cabin only 3 spaces left

25 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,089

Select Cabin only 3 spaces left

01 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

Last space for women only.

$ 2,089

Select Cabin only 1 space left

08 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,089

Select Cabin only 5 spaces left

15 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,089

FULL

22 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,089

FULL

29 Nov

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,089

Select Cabin available

06 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,089

Select Cabin only 4 spaces left

13 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 1,858

FULL

20 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,303

Select Cabin only 5 spaces left

27 Dec

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,961

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

Included: VAT, Environment Tax, Airport Transfer, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Beach BBQ, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Fishing, Land Excursions, Naturalist Guide, Snorkeling Guide, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (€120 / week), Mandatory Service Charge (€90-128 / trip).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, National Park Fees (€3-11 / trip), Rental Gear.

Book now, pay later: You can easily place your booking online. We will then hold the spaces for you and you can confirm with a payment later.

* Extra fees are shown per person.

Pay by bank transfer or online with

Best Price Guaranteed

Boat features

Naturalist Guide
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Seaview Cabins
Naturalist Itineraries
Paid Internet
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Library
Outdoor Dining
Audio & video entertainment
Observation Deck
Fishing
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Separate Rinse for u/w Camera
Outside Showers
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Bar
Naturalist Guide

Food & Drinks

Fine Cuisine
Al Fresco Dining
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Beer available
Wine Available
Full-board Option
Beach BBQ
Welcome Cocktails
Snacks All Day
Western Food
Set Menu Dinner

If you have any specific dietary requirements whilst on-board your cruise, you can add this to your special requests on step 2 of the booking form. We advise limiting these requests to religious beliefs or food allergies.

Diving

Nitrox available
Shaded Diving Area
DIN Adaptors
Rinse Hoses
Dive deck
Tenders for diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English, French, Spanish, and Italian.

Gear Rental

Equipment is available for rent on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. If the rental gear is not included in the price, you will need to pay for it on board the boat. Show prices

Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Cabin Types

Boat Specifications

Year built: 2008

Length: 31 meters

Beam: 10 meters

Cruising speed: 10 knots

Max guests: 18

Number of cabins: 10

Number of bathrooms: 9

Tenders: 1 Dhoni and 1 dive tender

Water capacity: 400 liters per hour

Princess Dhonkamana Reviews

9.5 Exceptional

Vessel

9.2
Crew

9.5
Food

9.8
Diving

9.5
Value

9.4

10 Exceptional
Ronald W
Netherlands

Perfect and unforgettable experience in the Maldives on the Princess Dhonkamana
Well where will I start; It was my first liveaboard and my first time in the Maldives together with my 2 sons. The experience on and with the people of the Princess Dhonkamana was amazing! The stay on board is very comfortable and well equipped. We had a triple room with the three of us and we slept comfortably. The staff under guidance of the very friendly Martina was super. As you can read in the many reviews the food is amazing and very fresh. The divesites we have visited with our very nice and experienced divequide Ali where very good and sometimes because of weather conditions where easely and flexible adjusted. We have seen a lot of big and small animals; different (many) sharks, manta's, tuna, rays, turtles, coral, etc. We are spoiled now...The night dives where one of a kind. The route of the Central or Best of Maldives is beautiful. If you have any hesitations to book the Princess Dhonkamana don't! You will not regret it. Also thanks to the LiveAboard staff that responded always fast and very good. We will come back!
Recommended for
Perfect dive sites in the Maldives. Great boat with perfect food. Super friendly and experienced staff.
22 Sep, 2026

10 Exceptional
Océane F
France

UNBELIEVABLE!
This cruise aboard the Princess Dhonkamana was one of our most beautiful experiences thanks to the whole crew. They are kind, helpful, and do everything to make you feel good. Thanks to Martina, who was our guide. Fortunately she spoke French and always took the time to brief us. We felt confident and well supported thanks to her. In addition, he is a smiling, very friendly and passionate person. The food was just amazing, varied, the only downside is... that you will gain 3kg! Congratulations to the cooks, whether it was savory or sweet it was extremely good!The small stops on the deserted beaches were very popular as well as on the local islands to buy souvenirs. The dives were superb and above all varied. We were able to live several experiences that will remain engraved in our memory.In summary... We were afraid to embark on our first cruise, and finally we are already ready to leave! Thank you all, you have contributed to this wonderful memory.Special mention to Marion working at Liveabord who made this stay possible and who was very kind in following up on our file.
Recommended for
Various dives. Perfect crew. Excellent food.
02 Aug, 2026

Translated from French

10 Exceptional
Patricia V
Switzerland

Magical
It was magical with lots of sharks, manta rays etc coming to the Maldives for many years and it's just a brilliant ambience - heartfelt thanks to Martina & the crew ❤️
Recommended for
Dive guide. Food. Ambiance.
20 Sep, 2026

Translated from German

10 Exceptional
sonia M
Germany

Unforgettable
Loved every single day. The will of the guides to make us have an amazing experience, adapting to our diving experience and to the daily conditions so that we can maximize the ocean experience. BRAVO!
Recommended for
Companionship, discovering, immensity of the ocean
02 May, 2021

10 Exceptional
Bryce N
Australia

Amazing food
Great value for money. Great food. Diving was fantastic following a sublet itinerary as every other live aboard. A couple of things to mention. They use steel tanks which are heavy if you're used to Aluminium. They use 28% nitrox, which is fine but I would rather more. We often got close to our NDC limits.
Recommended for
The food, the diving, did I mention the food
14 Sep, 2022

10 Exceptional
Gillian P
United States

Absolutely Fantastic!
Manta rays and sharks, sharks, sharks and a whale shark too. So many fish and sea life. Many different types of dives and dive conditions. Great Dive Masters and boat crew, fantastic food, daily stops to deserted islands. I had such a good time, can't wait to book again.
Recommended for
The diving, the crew and shipmates, the food.
24 Feb, 2020

8.8 Fabulous
Ryan V
United States

Great diving in central Maldives
5th trip with the company. They do a great job planning a fun diving itinerary in the Maldives
Recommended for
Best dive guides in Maldives. Fun atmosphere. Good Italian food.
08 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
Louise H
United Kingdom

Awesome adventure!
Excellent. Should note however this is a predominantly Italian boat so be prepared if not an Italian speaker (although all guides speak English too). Food is all Italian - would be nice to have some local Maldivian food on occasion too. Other than this, trip was perfect, diving awesome. Great crew on board, Super welcoming and friendly, very well organised. I'd go back in a heartbeat!
Recommended for
Guides, food, friendliness
15 Feb, 2016

10 Exceptional
Dominik T
Germany

Great dive safari
Awesome! Everthing was perfect from beginning till the end. The crew is so friendly, helpful and experienced. We felt home from the very first moment. Dive spots are amazing. Even when the weather is bad the guides know unique dive spots. We can devinately recommend the princess Dhonkamana.
Recommended for
Crew. Dives - Manta rays and many shakrs. Food.
16 Oct, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Lutz R
Germany

Simply good
Very well maintained boat, large cabins, with the best crew in the Maldives, perfect process, all problems are solved immediately, 1a cruise director and of course the food.
Recommended for
The crew. The food. Organisation.
23 Sep, 2024

Translated from German

88 reviews

9.5 Exceptional
88 Verified Reviews

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10 Exceptional
Claudio S
Italy

Beyond expectations
Perfect diving cruise, beyond expectations from every point of view, touching 5 atolls with 18 dives all different from each other and well organized thanks to the team of dive guides and the ship's crew ... . Really good and plentiful cuisine on board. To be redone!
Recommended for
Diving, dive guide team, food on the boat
05 Aug, 2022

Translated from Italian

10 Exceptional
Alexandre G
Switzerland

One of the best moments of my trip to Asia
All the staff made it possible to make this week unforgettable! We were very attentive 24 hours a day!The dives were amazing (thank you Aya). The food was delicious and the service top notch!A real dream life during this week!
Recommended for
The staff has board and Dive Master. Organization from start to finish. Safety and atmosphere.
26 May, 2025

10 Exceptional
Adam K
Poland

Even better the second time!
It was my second trip with Macana on Princess Dhokamana, and somehow I enjoyed it even more this time! As always, the boat and the crew were fantastic. This time we stayed in a cabin on the upper deck, which made the whole experience even more comfortable and enjoyable. I can totally understand why some people say they come to Macana mainly for the food — the authentic Italian cuisine is simply unbeatable. This trip, though, was all about diving for me. The entire dive team does an amazing job, but we were especially lucky to be in Aya’s group. He’s an incredible guide — calm, focused, always in a good mood, and with an unbelievable eye for marine life, especially sharks! We had such a great time, and I honestly wouldn’t hesitate to come back to Macana for a third trip.
Recommended for
Guide and dives. Crew and hospitality on boat. Value for money.
14 May, 2026

10 Exceptional
Hoyoung A
South Korea

Very good, esp. if your an italian!!
Pros and cons... Pros 1) Food was awesome, delicious italian cuisine in the middle of the ocean every single day!! 2) Large rooms!! 3) Friendly and helpful staff, accomodated all our needs!! 4) WHALE SHARKS (more than one) and DOLPHINS!!! Cons... If you're from italy, or are fluent in italian(which I'm not), then definitely recommended. If not, some consideration may be needed, as most of the guides are italian and are not completely fluent in english (except Ali, who is a native and speaks english well enough). Overall, we had a great time!!
Recommended for
Great food, friendly staff, WHALE SHARKS!!!!
17 Feb, 2016

9.6 Exceptional
Johnathon W
United States

Worth it!
Excellent diving safari. Crew and Guides were exceptional and were safe, friendly, and fun. Food was great.
Recommended for
Sea life. Boat crew. Price.
02 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
Sabine G
Germany

I will never go on another diving holiday again! For me, it was like a dream come true.
Just paradise-the Maldives in general-diving-to be on boat-my dream came true!
Recommended for
Relaxed atmosphere, food, diving
16 Jul, 2020

9.6 Exceptional
Michael B
Switzerland

Great experience - above and below the water
We had a great week (early October 2025) with Martina as Cruise Director. Dive guides were Agu and Ali. The 3 know the Maldives and the individual dive spots very well and always had the right timing. In addition to many reef fish, we were able to observe schools of rays, eagle rays, manta rays, various sharks and even a whale shark. The Princess Dhonkamana also has a lot to offer in terms of culinary delights. There was always fresh fish, Italian pasta, homemade bread, cakes & frog's fruit. Very positive and not a matter of course: allergies and intolerances are taken into account by the kitchen team when planning the menu. For our son there was always an extra portion of gluten-free pasta and gluten-free bread. Many thanks to the whole team - we would love to come back.
Recommended for
Dives. Eat. Crew & dive guides.
13 Oct, 2025

10 Exceptional
Michael B
Switzerland

A great experience!
A great week with a very familiar atmosphere on the boat. The diving program has been adapted to the respective conditions - very flexible. Rental equipment: I was lucky and got a brand new BCD. Recommended: Nitrox. All the diving equipment stays on the dhoni (support boat) - that's great. Professional crew. Culinary top - a big compliment to the kitchen!
Recommended for
Night diving with manta rays. Eagle rays and various sharks. Atmosphere on the boat.
27 Dec, 2024

9.2 Superb
Marek B
Poland

One of the best trips in my life
While you turn the phone off for entire week, you can focus on relaxing and Princess Dhonkamana and it's staff are everything to keep you out any worry. All perfectly organized, cooked, cleaned. Underwater na nurse sharks, white & black tips, rays, friendly mantas, napoleons, sleeping turtles, adorable anemones. Plus white sands and excellent weather (even during monsoon time).
Recommended for
Italian food. Organisation and staff friendliness. Excellent dive guide and diving group.
05 Dec, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Melinda F
Switzerland

Great trip
Some beautiful and healthy coral too -and everywhere teaming with life. Great manta and shark action, wonderful.
Recommended for
Diving, Guides & Crew, people
01 Aug, 2017

10 Exceptional
Bruce K
United States

Great Trip
This was a fabulous trip with a great crew and great diving. Highly recommend.
Recommended for
Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Amazing Night Dive
13 Sep, 2018

10 Exceptional
Patarawan H
Germany

100+Sharks of Maldives in ONE DIVE! Guide is matter!!!!
This is my 3rd repeat Guest on Princess Dhonkamana and Maldives is not Maldives as I think I know them before! Because '' Ornelle '' our Queen of the Ocean who turn everything around and let me see Maldives a version that I have never seen before ( even I have did 7 x liveaboards in the past!) at Sharks Tank dive site was mind blowing scenario at 20+meters I can't believe how many Sharks keep cruising without end and at the sea bed countless of Giant Sting rays many of them flying on the sea bed , moment like this never happened to me before, Thank you Thank you. Manta point was always amazing and not even once to missed this! Bravo! Night dive with Mantas which the Manta flip her wings around our head was stay forever the BEST in my memory. Nitrox is totally no doubt recommend . Food & Drink : this first time I decided to buy drinks package and I will do it again next time. It is worth it as this is a VACATION!!!! Food always very good tasty and a lot! from start till dessert ! This trip for me .... Guide is matter! She does her very best with her amazing knowledge of the Ocean , I do really appreciated her and the TEAM who make this trip to be BEST dive of my life. Thank you Ornelle , Bea and a whole TEAM! You guys are the BEST.
Recommended for
Best Guide Best Crews. 100+Sharks! Mantas and night dive with Mantas. Food Food Food.
12 Dec, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Fabian L
Singapore

Good value for money in this live on board
Good loop around the Maldives, with many sea creatures spotted despite the weather not being ideal and the seas a little rough while crossing.
Recommended for
Good living environment. Good dive sites. Good food.
06 Aug, 2025

8.0 Very good
LAN W
China

Amazing diving experience for our holiday.
You will definitely enjoy your diving experience to see whale sharks, manta, nurse sharks, white tip sharks, tremendous fish groups, and other sea creatures.
Recommended for
So excited to see big things; friendly and professional staffs; nice Italian food.
15 Nov, 2022

10 Exceptional
Sabrina A
Italy

Mega!
The safari was mega. My husband was diving and I was snorkeling. Both guides were friendly, helpful and qualified. We met great people and had a lot of fun. The food was excellent and intolerances were taken into account. We will come back.
Recommended for
Diving and snorkeling. Collaboration on board. Eat.
04 Apr, 2025

10 Exceptional
Ferdie R
Netherlands

An Unforgettable Maldives Liveaboard Experience
Honestly, this was one of the best experiences of my life. It was our first liveaboard, and we weren't quite sure what to expect, but Princess Dhonkamana exceeded all expectations. The crew made sure we enjoyed every moment of the trip. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, the dive sites were spectacular (with plenty of sharks, manta rays, and other marine life) and the food was outstanding. I would highly recommend this liveaboard to anyone visiting the Maldives
Recommended for
The crew. The dives. The food.
24 Sep, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Manuela H
Switzerland

Lovely crew, great food,
This was our first liveaboard in the Maldives and we were blown away. The service, attention and diving were fabulous. We are spoilt now, it will be hard to have such a great experience again. The boat has 3 decks and we enjoyed eating outside a lot. Unfortunately the weather wasn't the best but we still had a great time with the crew and the other divers. We would definitely come back, any time! It's been great that we had divers from so many countries (France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Switzerland, Poland, Luxembourg).
Recommended for
Ornella and the whole crew. Fantastic Diving. Great food.
12 Dec, 2024

9.2 Superb
Antine L
France

best liveaboard experience ever !
excellent!
Recommended for
Manta ray night dive, the italian-maldivian food, and the ayurvedic massages onboard
10 Nov, 2015

9.6 Exceptional
Ryan V
United States

Perfect liveaboard trip.
The diving was fantastic with guides going above and beyond to choose beautiful and fun routes on the sites. The family style Italian meals were fun and the crew were very helpful for the fishermen on board as well.
Recommended for
Wonderful diving, great Italian food and fishing.
21 Dec, 2023

9.6 Exceptional
Jacqueline A
Austria

Great Cruise with amazing diving experiences and maritime environment which should definitely be way more cared for and protected! (Plastic trash on islands)
Diving, food, islands
Recommended for
Sharks, Mantas and lonely islands
04 Sep, 2021