Nautilus Explorer, Mexico

Name: Sea of Cortez Diving La Paz - Loreto Great Circle (Cabo San Lucas - Cabo San Lucas)
Start: 2026-10-18
End: 2026-10-25
Location: Mexico

8.8 Fabulous

Nitrox available
Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers

from $ 230 / day Check dates

“The scuba diving was some of the best experiences of our diving lives.”
Giancarlo D, United States

Highlights

Dive with giant mantas and humpback whales in Socorro
Constructed with heavy steel and stabilizers for smooth ocean crossings
Certified by Transport Canada as the first and only SOLAS ISM passenger ship with the same safety certificate as the largest cruise ships in the world

Sister ship to the Nautilus Belle Amie, the 35m Nautilus Explorer Liveaboard was custom built for divers to explore the amazing sites of Guadalupe and the Socorro Islands, Mexico. Built by divers, for divers for stability, comfort, and safety, the Nautilus Explorer liveaboard comprises 13 cabins, ranging from a cost-effective mixed-gender triple occupancy stateroom to a luxurious premium suite. On the lower deck are 8 twin/double cabins and 1 triple cabin. The hot tub deck has 3 superior suites and the premium suite, which features a separate lounge and floor-to-ceiling picture window. All cabins are equipped with individually controlled AC and private en-suite bathrooms.

The Nautilus Explorer has many well-designed social areas. There are two upper-floor sun decks and a hot tub deck where guests can relax with a glass of wine or frosty beer under the evening stars. The main salon has large panoramic windows in front of the dive deck. It has couches, a dedicated PC and Mac computer for video editing, and a 42-inch plasma TV. Onboard dining consists of freshly made dishes, including homemade bread, pastries, and soups combining North American, European, and Mexican flavors.

The Nautilus Explorer schedules itineraries to the incredible sites of the Socorro Islands, famous for manta rays, humpback whales, and vast schools of fish. The back of the boat is home to the dive deck, with a 5-ton hydraulic crane, water-level platform, and reinforced steel deck for film and scientific crews. Nitrox is also available for certified divers, and the Nautilus Explorer is rebreather-friendly.

Book your Nautilus Explorer liveaboard today.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

15 Jul

11 Days / 10 Nights

$740 OFF! Rates include discount. Valid for a limited time only.

$ 2,955 Deal %

Select Cabin available

25 Jul

11 Days / 10 Nights

Children Special: 20% OFF for ages 12–15. Valid for a limited time only. T&Cs apply.

$ 3,695 Deal %

Select Cabin available

04 Aug

6 Days / 5 Nights

Family Fun in the Sun Adventure.

$ 1,895

FULL

25 Aug

6 Days / 5 Nights

Male Shared Cabin.

$ 1,795

Select Cabin only 1 space left

30 Aug

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,545

FULL

06 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,845

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

13 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 1,845

FULL

20 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,795

Select Cabin only 3 spaces left

27 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

Select Cabin only 1 space left

04 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

FULL

11 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

FULL

18 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

FULL

Included: Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Special Dinner, Diving Package, Kayaks, Stand Up Paddleboard, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: 5% VAT, Dive Insurance, National Park Fees (100-192 USD per day), Port Fees (35 USD).

Optional Extras: Travel Insurance, Gratuities, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Alcoholic Beverages, Nitrox, Nitrox Course, Private Dive Guide, Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses, WiFi internet.

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.

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Best Price Guaranteed

Boat features

Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
En-Suite bathrooms
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Camera Station
Stand Up Paddleboard
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Kayaks On-Board
Seaview Cabins
Paid Internet
Non-Smoking Rooms
Camera room
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Laundry Service
Audio & video entertainment
Observation Deck
BBQ Area
Available for Charter
Local & International Crew
Snorkeling Equipment
Outside Showers
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Bar

Food & Drinks

Fine Cuisine
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Free Soft Drinks
Beer available
Wine Available
Fine Wines Selection
Welcome Cocktails
Snacks All Day
Buffet style
Western Food
Local 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
Rebreather Support
Rinse Hoses
Dive deck
Tenders for diving
Sidemount Diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English and Spanish.

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: 2000

Year renovated: 2015

Length: 132 feet

Beam: 27 feet

Cruising speed: 11-12 mph

Max guests: 25

Number of cabins: 13

Tenders: 38' skiff

Water capacity: Unlimited with high capacity watermakers

Freshwater maker: 3600 gallons per day

Boat navigation and safety

Radar
Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
First Aid Kits
Satellite & mobile phones
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares

Nautilus Explorer Reviews

8.8 Fabulous

Vessel

8.1
Crew

8.9
Food

9.6
Diving

9.3
Value

8.2

8.8 Fabulous
Kevin S
United States

Socorro - beautiful, unspoiled, remote and totally worth it!
Socorro is a beautiful destination, remote and unspoiled Large animals were plentiful (sharks of several species, giant manta rays, whale shark, dolphins) - exceeded my expectations This trip requires good physical conditioning - diving is not off the platform but rather requires motoring on a small rubber skiff boat to the dive sites, sometimes in choppy waves
Recommended for
Dive guides were focused on safety and comfort of all guests. Cabin was spacious and comfortable (I stayed in the owner's suite). Crew was friendly and courteous.
16 Jun, 2026

10 Exceptional
Joanna Z
United States

The fun I needed
I just love diving. Plenty of cool people on the boat. They were divers, of course they were cool! Staff did all they could to make it easy for us. Loved it and ready to go back under now.
Recommended for
4 dives/day. The great staff. Excellent food..
06 Oct, 2025

10 Exceptional
Victoria S
United States

The trip of a lifetime!
What an absolutely amazing dive trip! Great dive sites, love the dive masters, the crew, captain, and of course, the chef!
Recommended for
Dives, food, and crew
19 Jun, 2023

9.2 Superb
David P
Canada

Great week at Socorro - March 2025!
Great experience. Cruising out and back to the islands were pretty easy. Coming back there was a pretty good swell, but the boat handled it with ease. Destination was gorgeous and we saw everything we hoped to - and more!
Recommended for
Great dive guides - knowledgeable, personable and safety conscious!. The support staff were terrific as well - always friendly and helpful!. Boat was nice and stable both while cruising and when anchored over night..
19 Mar, 2025

8.8 Fabulous
Stephanie F
United States

Other worldly experience.
It was amazing to see the giant manta just swimming right in front of you. They were so elegant and majestic. It was also fun to play in a pod of dolphins, and we saw schools of hammerheads. As my first liveaboard experience this trips was absolutely amazing. The dive masters were very experienced and did a great job keeping everyone safe. The crew was exceptional, and always had great food and conversation for us.
Recommended for
Dive masters, staff friendliness, making new friends from all over the world
01 Apr, 2020

9.2 Superb
Nolwenn C
France

Superb dives
Dives in San Benedicto which for me was the best site for sharks
Recommended for
Mantas on almost all dives, hammerhead sharks coming quite close and Galapagos sharks
28 Jan, 2022

Translated from French

9.2 Superb
Ievgen P
Ukraine

One of the best LiveAboards I have ever had!
Experience with mantas is absolutely amazing!
Recommended for
Dive guides are involved with the see life!
21 Apr, 2021

9.6 Exceptional
Patrick M
Ireland

Great diving, dive masters and team onboard.
The diving was excellent, the reviews about manta interactions and their curiosity was 100% true for my trip. Onboard the team, particularly Laura and Saki were great, very friendly and always happy to help. Our captain - Ramon, made sure we were always safe at sea. It’s worth saying that Socorro is a remote dive site and if you’re going later in the season expect bigger currents so if you’re affected by seas sickness then bring some meds!
Recommended for
1. Giant Mantas 2. Dolphins 3. Sharks
17 Jun, 2023

9.2 Superb
Ralf E
Switzerland

Unforgettable experience!
Great organization, great crew, very good food, top guides and fantastic dive sites with unforgettable moments with sharks. The manta rays are so numerous and extremely curious.
Recommended for
dive sites and the critters. Crew. Dining on board.
18 Apr, 2025

Translated from German

9.6 Exceptional
Kale W
United States

Amazing
Amazing trip, great crew. Hope to do it again someday.
Recommended for
Crew, sharks, food
08 Nov, 2017

100 reviews

8.8 Fabulous
100 Verified Reviews

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9.2 Superb
Joanna B
United States

Fabulous Crew & Diving
I can’t say enough positive things about our crew for the Nautilus Explorer trip departing 27Jun2025 to Socorro. We ended up stuck in a hurricane and the captains kept us safe, appraised of the weather, and even found us a place to dive during the hurricane. Ramundo and Loli were the BEST. They never let us go without a drink in our hand and constantly had a smile on their face. The dive guides were attentive, informative, kept us safe, and led us on some fabulous dives. Chef made amazing meals. The engineer worked overtime to keep everything in order. We had three amazing days of diving and two days with not so good visibility - obviously, not the fault of the crew at all. Even on the two days will lesser viz, the crew found us amazing creatures. Mantas, sharks, dolphins, yellow fin tuna, and fish galore. I will definitely come back with Nautilus to Socorro soon!
Recommended for
Amazing crew. Fabulous pelagic diving. Fabulous dive guided.
07 Jul, 2025

10 Exceptional
Kevin D
Mexico

Best dive trip ever
Incredible wildlife, great food, great cabin
Recommended for
Dive masters, Location, Comfort
17 Dec, 2021

10 Exceptional
Adam T
United States

Unbelievable in EVERY way
Unbelievable, world-class diving and once-in-a-lifetime pelagic marine life encounters. Great crew and great boat.
Recommended for
the diving and the crew
09 Dec, 2023

8.4 Very good
Brooke M
United States

A diving experience I will never forget.
All the fantastic sea creatures we were super lucky to see. Most the dive guides where fantastic. Even though we didn't need any help, I always felt that anything we would have needed was easy to ask for and everyone was more than happy to help.
Recommended for
Diving, Most Crew members, Diving group separation
27 Feb, 2020

9.6 Exceptional
Rita R
United States

Best Trip Ever, and I've been to Australia's Live aboard, it doesn't hold a candle to the Nautilus Explorer. I'm already booking for next year!
Seeing so many beautiful Great White Sharks in one location. I was very pleased with all the staff and services onboard. Captain Lowel, Dulce, Dani, Pato, Steve, and so many more were so welcoming and helpful. Bravo to all the staff on the Nautilus Explorer, and I can't wait to come back again next year. Thank you for a great vacation! Rita Ringle
Recommended for
Non judgemental. Very helpful. Fun Staff
30 Oct, 2018

10 Exceptional
Daniela S
Germany

Great Trip!
Everything was just great. The crew was amazing. They helped us whenever possible. Food was very delicious. The dives were great. I felt safe all the time. It was an incredible trip and I completely recommend it. Btw, I was traveling by myself and made new friends easily. If you are considering booking a trip on this boat, just book it!
Recommended for
Sharks, crew, food
26 Sep, 2021

8.8 Fabulous
Mario G
Germany

Very special dive experience
Good guidance at diving, some great underwater impressions.
Recommended for
Crew, especially Daniela and Felipe. Food variation. Good communication.
05 Jun, 2025

9.2 Superb
Bruce P
Canada

Excellent week on Nautilus Explorer - Socorro
Excellent trip on Nautilus Explorer in February 2026. We saw plenty of sharks (white tips, Galapagos , hammerheads), dolphins and whale sharks. Great food and dive guide were good. Conditions of the sea was a bit rough on the sailing days but not Nautillus fault. Cabin E had bad smell (like sewage) but once we kept the vent above the sink closed we didn’t have problem with that bad smell anymore. Not a new boat but it was clean.
Recommended for
Dive sites. Well organized. Food.
24 Feb, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Andrew S
Canada

A great adventure to a remote place for interactions you can’t get anywhere else.
Giant mantas joining divers on safety stops and orbiting until surface time.
Recommended for
The crew, the service, and the freedom to push the limits on all dives.
09 Feb, 2022

10 Exceptional
Jasneet B
Canada

Great crew and food
Mantas, the crew was awesome. Food was fabulous.
Recommended for
Crew, food and the diving group
23 Feb, 2024

10 Exceptional
Giorgia M
Italy

Special
Diving with manta raysDiving with sharksThe whales that jumped around and their songs
Recommended for
Diving, kindness and helpfulness of all the staff, attention and punctuality in solving all my requests
21 Apr, 2021

Translated from Italian

10 Exceptional
Mauricio de la F
Mexico

Beautiful!
The human team, the facilities of the boat, and the natural environment make this diving trip one of the most beautiful in life
Recommended for
Amiability. Environment. Facilities.
22 Nov, 2024

Translated from Spanish

10 Exceptional
Kathryn H
United States

The most amazing diving and the friendliest crew!
I had the most amazing dive trip with the Nautilus explorer! The diving in the Socorros Archipelago is world class and by far the best diving I’ve ever done! I am a dive instructor and have dove thousands of dives but this trip topped them all! We saw manta rays on almost ever dive and several times they swirled around me close enough to touch. We saw hammerhead Sharks on almost every dive and several divers including my husband got very close encounters with these amazing animals! I also got a super up close encounter with bottle nose dolphins including a juvenile peeking out toward me from under it’s mother’s belly! The dive boat was immaculate and the care of the staff was above anything I have ever experienced! All the dive masters were so friendly and helpful! One of our Dive masters was a marine biologist and gave nightly presentations on the Pelagic species we were diving with which increased both my knowledge and enjoyment of these encounters. Another Dive master was a underwater photography expert and offered post-dive review and tips and tricks on how to improve my underwater photography and I learned so much from him! The food was also really exceptional. Several of the customers on our trip had been on 5+ live aboards and all commented how good the food was! It was also so amazing to have a hot jacuzzi waiting for us after every dive!
Recommended for
Amazing pelagic encounters, attentive staff, and a rooftop jacuzzi and hot, private showers
21 Apr, 2021

8.4 Very good
KWANGMIN L
South Korea

Best place to see mantaray
Socorro is a best place where you can easily meet the friendly mantaray. You can see manta every diving, and Mantas are around the divers. That one is enough to come here. And also Crews are so nice and kind. Food is excellent.
Recommended for
Diving, Crews, Food
06 Nov, 2022

8.8 Fabulous
Rowan A
United States

Best Liveaboard Yet!
This was far and away my most highly-anticipated liveaboard yet, and it strongly delivered. So much life for such a remote location, where we were the only boat present most days at every site! The dive crew worked tirelessly to haul our gear after every dive, something I hadn't expected, and they were very knowledgeable about every site and provided amazing guidance underwater. Nobody works harder than these guys! Chef was very attentative to my dietary restrictions, and the hostesses were endlessly accomodating and went above and beyond. Very big plus for me as a solo diver that they were able to provide Wifi (extra charge - don't mind a bit), so that my loved ones back home knew I was okay! My only advice to others is be mindful this boat rocks - as in, in the waves. Had never been seasick before this trip, and was naive not to take meds before the big crossing thinking the boat was going to be more stable than it was. Come armed with dramamine, and you'll be set for a truly unforgettable trip!
Recommended for
Animal life, Dive Service
29 Mar, 2024

8.0 Very good
Louis M
France

the cabine is too short for two peaople no storage space
good experience but tyred too many dives en a day
Recommended for
the guides. the competence. the food.
22 May, 2026

10 Exceptional
Luciana D
United States

Amazing
The crew was amazing! they truly made us feel special! Great food and service ! the cabin was very comfortable and clean. Bathroom could be bigger but it's a boat so no surprises there. The marine life was outstanding ! Loved every minute and can't wait to go back !!!
Recommended for
the crew, the food, the ship
04 Apr, 2023

6.4 Review score
Emily C
United States

Socorro diving is amazing, even at the end of the season!
Socorro diving is incredible: oceanic mantas, dolphins, sharks galore! We really enjoyed exploring Socorro, and our captain and mate navigated us through a hurricane safely and we still got to enjoy our diving. Other highlights: our cabin host, Roy, was so lovely. We also loved our dive guides Nikee, Ima, and Jann. The liveaboard is very focused on safety, which is critical when diving so far offshore.
Recommended for
Socorro diving is incredible: oceanic mantas, dolphins, sharks galore!. The host, Roy, was so lovely. We also loved several of our dive guides. This liveaboard is very safety focused, which is great.
08 Jul, 2025

10 Exceptional
Michael B
United States

An outstanding trip
I was one foot from a manta looking at his eye while he looked into mine
Recommended for
The mantas, the sharks, and the food
29 Jan, 2020

9.2 Superb
Stefan H
United Kingdom

Excellent dive guides
I can’t say that this was the best diving ever, nor the most modern boat, BUT the dive team (Celi, Ima and Feli) were magnificent and really made the trip worthwhile. Swimming with whale sharks was extraordinary; as was playing with sea lions. Well organised and premium service.
Recommended for
Whalesharks. Dive Guides. Sundeck and lounge.
22 Oct, 2024