Nautilus Under Sea, Mexico

Name: Socorro - Giant Mantas, Sharks and Dolphins (Cabo San Lucas - Cabo San Lucas)
Start: 2026-11-16
End: 2026-11-24
Location: Mexico

9.0 Superb

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

from $ 293 / day Check dates

“This was our second trip on this boat and we have been 100% satisfied both times.”
Carolyn K, United States

Highlights

Ex-research vessel with unique history
Face-to-face encounters with Giant Pacific Mantas
Dolphins, whale sharks, hammerheads, and humpback whales

The latest addition to the Nautilus fleet in Mexico, the 27m Nautilus Under Sea offers divers spectacular dive tours to the Socorro Islands in Mexico. An ex-research vessel with her claims to fame, including being the support boat for the James Bond Movie "License to Kill" and a Deep Rover mission with Dr. Silvia Earle, as well as many research and photography missions, the former Under Sea Hunter, has now re-located to Mexico. She caters to 19 guests in 9 en-suite, air-conditioned cabins. The Undersea Hunter also offers plenty of room for relaxation, with a comfortable lounge and dining area and a large sun deck with loungers.

The dive deck offers ample space for kitting up and gear storage, as well as camera set-up and personal camera storage areas. The Nautilus Under Sea offers an amazing destination - the Socorro Islands. Diving the Socorro Islands, divers will come face to face with Giant Pacific Mantas, known as the friendliest mantas in the world! Also, there are sightings of up to 10 different kinds of sharks, dolphins, whale sharks, hammerheads, and humpback whales. Nautilus Under Sea offers 6-day trips with a pick-up in San Diego and leaving from Ensenada from July to November.

Don’t miss out on these amazing trips. Book online today to start your adventure.

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

29 Jul

11 Days / 10 Nights

$ 3,695

Select Cabin only 4 spaces left

08 Aug

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,345

FULL

15 Aug

11 Days / 10 Nights

$ 3,695

Select Cabin only 4 spaces left

25 Aug

6 Days / 5 Nights

$ 1,845

FULL

13 Sep

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 2,145

Select Cabin available

19 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

Select Cabin available

26 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,545

Select Cabin only 1 space left

03 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,745

FULL

10 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

FULL

17 Oct

7 Days / 6 Nights

Female Shared Cabin.

$ 3,195

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

23 Oct

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,195

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

16 Nov

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

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 / 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.

Pay by bank transfer or online with

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
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
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: 1968

Year renovated: 2016

Length: 105ft

Beam: 24ft

Top speed: 9.5 knots

Cruising speed: 9 knots

Engines: Twin Caterpillar 240 hp ( Total 480 HP )

Max guests: 19

Number of cabins: 9

Number of bathrooms: 9

Tenders: One 22 ft. heavy duty fiberglass dive boats One 17 ft. rigid bottom inflatable

Water capacity: 6000 gallons

Fuel capacity: 8000 gallons

Freshwater maker: 1800 gallons/day

Boat navigation and safety

Radar
Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Satellite & mobile phones
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares

Nautilus Under Sea Reviews

9.0 Superb

Vessel

8.3
Crew

9.2
Food

9.5
Diving

9.3
Value

8.7

9.6 Exceptional
Thierry P
France

An unforgettable trip to be rescheduled in the coming years
Fabulous trip, whale sharks, dolphins, manta rays in one and the same dive.Manta rays on every dive.A top crew ranging from captain, first mate, cook, room manager, dive guides.... All at the top in their respective fields
Recommended for
qualities of the dive sites. quality of the boat's crew. quality of the food served.
02 Jul, 2026

Translated from French

9.2 Superb
Ernesto R
United States

Dive of a lifetime.
Some of the best diving I've ever done. Great staff with loads of knowledge. Calm seas. All types of sharks. Ah the whale shark tried to kiss me. If you see dolphins, instead of pointing a camera at them, play with them. Spin and flip. They'll join you.
Recommended for
Captain beto. Bati dive guide. Helpful staff.
12 Jun, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Maxim B
Netherlands

Beautifull divesites, awesome crew, boat and group!
Incredible trip. Enjoyed every second of it, both below and above surface.
Recommended for
Dive sites and animals. Vibe on board (crew and divers). Food.
29 Apr, 2026

9.2 Superb
Allain D
France

Some unforgettable dives
A beautiful voyage in the Sea of CortezSome unforgettable dives A good understanding between the divers
Recommended for
The Chef's Kitchen. Whale shark and seal encounters. The availability of the team.
19 Oct, 2025

Translated from French

10 Exceptional
Philip K
Germany

Very friendly giant mantas
great islands great sea creatures great ship great crew great adventure
Recommended for
Giant Mantas. Hammerhead sharks. Dolphins.
07 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
Bruno I
Switzerland

unforgettable experience
The underwater world has surpassed everything seen so far. The crew on the boat was super friendly, helpful and took care of the well-being of the guests. An all-round successful trip. Come back on this boat, the number of guests is ideal, so you don't get in each other's way under water.
Recommended for
Underwater world, food, service from the crew
22 Apr, 2023

Translated from German

10 Exceptional
Andrea R
Mexico

It was incredible!
The entire crew worked incredibly well together and created such a fun, welcoming, and professional atmosphere onboard. We had an amazing experience onboard from beginning to end!
Recommended for
Marine life. Landscapes. Crew and people.
23 May, 2026

10 Exceptional
Philip H
United Kingdom

Fantastic diving at amazing locations
Fantastic diving at amazing locations. The boat is comfortable and there were no problems on our trip.
Recommended for
Amazing diving. Friendly and professional crew and dive guides. Other guests.
15 Dec, 2025

10 Exceptional
TARA L
United States

Best diving adventure I ever had! Giant Mantas, 6 species of sharks amazing crew and service!
It was great to spend the last of 2022 and the start of 2023 in such a beautiful place, with great dive buddies and excellent staff and divemasters
Recommended for
Location, Service from Crew, Big Animals
10 Jan, 2023

9.2 Superb
Richard L
Canada

Amazing Liveaboard Experience with exceptional diving
I would recommend this trip to any diver interested in exceptional diving.
Recommended for
The wildlife encounters were amazing, from pelagic mantas on almost every dive, to 5 different types of shark, some huge, and a school of 1000+ 50 kg to 150 kg yellow fin tuna. Amazing!. The crew was amazing. The captain's leadership in delivering customer satisfaction. From driving zodiac skiffs, to clearing tables on occasion, nothing escaped his attention to detail. All efforts directed at delivering the best experience possible for the divers. The passengers gelled rapidly, with participants from Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Taiwan, Canada and the U S.
30 Jan, 2026

61 reviews

9.0 Superb
61 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

10 Exceptional
Andrea F
United States

Another great trip to Socorro!
This was my second Socorro trip with nautilus and they are incredible. The dive guides are knowledgeable and patient, made me feel safe the entire time.
Recommended for
Crew. Food. Amazing dives.
24 Dec, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Hélène P
France

Best diving trip with best crew
This trip to Socorro felt so special, we had an amazing crew taking care of us underwater and on the boat, we were diving so remotely that it felt really unique, the dives sites are magical. Really recommend Nautilus as it’s a really safe company and crew members are really awesome!
Recommended for
Amazing crew. Best diving experience. Excellent food.
21 Apr, 2026

8.0 Very good
MARK E
United Kingdom

A pretty unique experience
The dive guides are very good, especially Rodolfo. They spot the sharks, mantas and dolphins usually before the group see's them. The food was also good, with no complaints of any illnesses. The boat and crew has a good attitude to safety and give some quite lengthy but essential safety briefings. My 2nd trip to Socorro, but hopefully there will be many more to come!
Recommended for
Wild dolphins that are tame and are not scared of divers. Manta's which love to hang around for most of the dive and interact with divers. Uncrowded dive sites with hardly any other dive boats around.
14 Jan, 2020

8.4 Very good
Jacqueline S
United States

Amazing trip!
Overall, this was the best diving I have ever done. We had so many mantas, dolphins, sharks, whale sharks on every dive. The entire crew was friendly and helpful! I have a dietary restriction and the chef did a perfect job of accommodating me and the food was delicious. The boat itself is not the best, a little noisy and has treacherous stairs to the lower deck, I didn’t get hot water even one time in my room, and there was black soot/ash on the top deck that got all over my feet, clothes, everything. Despite this, overall amazing trip.
Recommended for
Marine life encounters. Guide and crew service. Overall amazing trip.
13 Jul, 2026

8.8 Fabulous
Vlad P
Germany

Superb cruise
Great atmosphere on the boat, the dive guides are superb. 4 dives a day, we saw everything: hammerheads nearby, a whale shark, tiger shark 2 times, and then other sharks and mantas by the dozen
Recommended for
Solo dives. The best suites - Roca Partida, Cañon, Bo I ler.... Manras, sharks and dolphins all the time, very close.
02 Mar, 2026

8.0 Very good
Gwendoline U
France

An absolutely magical journey
The magnificent dives, the jacuzzi to warm up, the good meals and the great atmosphere
Recommended for
Manta rays, sharks, and the atmosphere on the boat
06 Jan, 2024

10 Exceptional
Frank V
Netherlands

A trip to a super place in the world that we will not soon forget because of these people
impression of the trip was "WOW" the people make your trip we always say and these people certainly did, especially our host did his best to make everyone feel at home, the dive guides do their best to show everything underwater
Recommended for
Staff, food and diving were fantastic. Safety on board is very high and well arranged. Care for diving due to the weather was well arranged.
23 Apr, 2026

Translated from Dutch

10 Exceptional
Thomas R
Germany

Spectacular shark encounters
The almost 6m tall "Lucy" and another female of almost the same size, which were often very close to the cages. Sighting of a total of almost 30 different great white sharks. The information from the professional crew about the sharks and their distinguishing features was also great. This gives guests the opportunity to photograph a shark that has not yet been registered and to give it a name. The spectacular jumps of the sharks out of the water were also sensational.
Recommended for
A great experience to experience the great white sharks so closely, the warmth of the crew and the possibility of unlimited cage diving.
15 Nov, 2018

9.2 Superb
Jon H
United Kingdom

An outstanding experience, I'll definitely dive with Nautilus again.
Sea lions! Who knew they were so much fun under water :) Good viz and great diving all-round, covering an excellent range of sites (and more dives than advertised - 16 vs the 12). Sundowners and beers (from a very well-stocked bar) under the stars. All made extremely easy and enjoyable by the wonderful staff.
Recommended for
The staff were all fantastic, friendly, extremely professional but also engendered a relaxed, enjoyable experience. The vessel is in good repair, well set up for diving and relaxing. And the trip is all made very easy and efficient by the shoreside support.
31 Oct, 2022

9.6 Exceptional
Joel G
United States

best trip for the price
getting bumped by a great white and loosing balance in the cage.
Recommended for
Sharks, sharks and a sea lion chasing a small juvenile white.
12 Sep, 2018

9.2 Superb
Natalie M
United States

Great diving but few dives
I had a wonderful trip! The dive sites were full of life, and I was thrilled to spot my very first sea horses - three in total, including a pregnant one. The sea lions were such a highlight, endlessly playful and fun to watch. The warm water was another pleasant surprise - I didn’t even need a wetsuit! The only downside was the limited number of dives. Because the itinerary required a lot of travel north, we were only able to do 15 dives over the week. There was even a day where we couldn't get in the water at all. On other liveaboards I’ve joined, we were diving everyday and the range was closer to 23–27 dives. Since I don’t get to dive often at home, I would have loved the chance for a few more underwater hours.
Recommended for
Dive sites were full of life. Crew was professional and friendly. Sky at night was stunning.
21 Aug, 2025

8.4 Very good
Richard W
United States

White shark express
The crew went out of their way to make your experience a fantastic and memorable one. The opportunity to see multiple white sharks from up close was amazing. There was never a wait to get into a cage so you could essentially soak as long as you wanted to! Would recommend this trip and boat.
Recommended for
Experience white sharks up close in a controlled and safe manner for both the animals and guest, crew and service
27 Jul, 2021

9.2 Superb
Bruce P
Canada

Excellent
Diving trip done in August 2025. We really enjoyed our time on the Nautilus Undersea. Crew was amazing and worked very hard at making we were happy and comfortable. Safety of guest was taken very seriously. Well organized. Swimming with Whale Sharks was great. We did one night dive and it was the best night dive we have ever done so far. Boat is a bit old but we were comfortable. No complaints at all. We are already planning our next dive trip in Socorro with them.
Recommended for
The crew. Diving. Food.
18 Aug, 2025

10 Exceptional
Shelley S
United States

A must do trip for divers!
Even though the water was a bit chilly this liveaboard was a trip that I’d definitely want to do again and again. The crew worked together so well. It was like we were all a family by the end of the week. The food was delicious. The mantas and the sharks and the dolphins were incredible. At times I wondered if it was all real. The hot tub on top is a nice treat.
Recommended for
Animal life, seclusion, crew
25 Jun, 2024

8.4 Very good
jemmel M
France

A life experience
Giant and social manta rays!
Recommended for
Unprecedented, never seen, so different
23 Jun, 2023

10 Exceptional
gregory M
France

the best of my life
huge pregnent femelles around the cage
Recommended for
the place,the boat,the staff
02 Nov, 2016

8.8 Fabulous
MAGDALENA B
Netherlands

Great experience
Great white sharks, great crew and participants, well organised
Recommended for
abundant great white sharks, amazing crew, comfortable boat
07 Dec, 2017

9.2 Superb
Fabian F
Argentina

Great experience on board
The encounter and interaction with the giant mantas is a unique experience!! But it doesn't have to be the only time, it already makes you want to return as soon as the last dive ends!
Recommended for
The best part of the cruise was the dives, all magnificent, always with wonderful sightings of mantas, sharks and much more. The quality of the attention on board by the entire crew, always very careful and hard-working, and finally the group of divers with whom we shared the cruise, we had a great time
02 Apr, 2019

Translated from Spanish

9.6 Exceptional
Suzanne I
United States

Sea lions & whale sharks in the Sea of Cortez!
I just returned from an incredible week in the Sea of Cortez aboard the Nautilus Undersea. The diving was just incredible and definitive trip highlights were diving with the sea lions and snorkeling and swimming with the whale sharks. The boat crew were extremely friendly and worked nonstop and we had 3 amazing dive guides throughout the week. We learned quite a bit about the Sea of Cortez through various nightly presentations on board and also had fun swimming and kayaking during surface intervals. I can’t say enough about our chef as all the meals were fantastic and our hostess was so friendly and always smiling. What an incredible week!
Recommended for
Incredible diving with sea lions. Snorkeling and swimming with whale sharks. Very friendly crew.
21 Aug, 2025

8.4 Very good
Igor I
United States

Highly recommended trip to experience big pelagic animals
Manas, Sharks, Dolphins !!!!! Specially mantas on Boiler and Roca Partida
Recommended for
The crew was absolutely amazing and very friendly and accommodating. The nature itself : the best diving spot I ever visited. the way crew managed divers at different levels from very beginners to experienced marketing everybody comfortable and the diving experience enjoyable.
27 Jun, 2025