Nautilus Under Sea, Mexico

Name: Socorro - Giant Mantas, Sharks and Dolphins (Cabo San Lucas - Cabo San Lucas)
Start: 2026-12-26
End: 2027-01-03
Location: Mexico

9.0 Superb

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

from $ 307 / 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

13 Sep

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 2,645

FULL

19 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

Select Cabin only 2 spaces left

26 Sep

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,545

FULL

03 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,745

FULL

10 Oct

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 2,645

FULL

17 Oct

7 Days / 6 Nights

$600 OFF! Rates include discount. Valid for a limited time only.

$ 2,595 Deal %

Select Cabin only 3 spaces left

23 Oct

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,195

FULL

16 Nov

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

FULL

24 Nov

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

FULL

02 Dec

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

FULL

10 Dec

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 3,445

FULL

18 Dec

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, National Park Fees ($100-192 / day), Port Fees ($35).

Optional Extras: 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
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

9.1
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

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

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

9.6 Exceptional
Philippe G
France

Fantastic Meetings with Great White Shark
- Hunting Great Whites- Blue Sea- again... Great White Sharks each Day
Recommended for
- Big Sharks / Nice Crewe and good Food / to be in Guadalupe
26 Aug, 2019

Translated from German

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

9.2 Superb
Maria T
United States

amazing crew that went above and beyond
Nautilus Under Sea is a very comfortable boat, with nice cabins, lots of storage space and very nice bathrooms in cabins. Diving deck organization was perfect, enough space for everyone, large table for cameras. The diving crew was very helpful, enthusiastic, and managed the diving part in an extremely safe and organized manner. Even when the diving conditions were difficult because of the weather, they expertly got everyone in and out of skiffs. All in all, amazing experience of diving with mantas, dolphins, Galapagos, silky sharks and other marine life, which is abundant in the Socorro.
Recommended for
sharks, mantas, and crew attitude
03 Jan, 2018

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

8.4 Very good
Florence D
France

Intense dives in a very friendly atmosphere.
Great week - the day of watching and swimming with the whale sharks was awesome! We saw several of them and to be so close to them was magical! The dives where the sea lions came to watch US! 😉
Recommended for
The attentive crew. Food. The general usability.
19 Aug, 2026

Translated from French

9.6 Exceptional
Laurie T
United States

Seahunter in August
Diving in the Sea of Cortez was beautiful at the end of August. It was very hot in the area and the boat’s AC worked well. The water was very warm and there were hundreds of fish to see. We were on the Seahunter and the boat is very spacious and comfortable. There is plenty of space and storage in the rooms. The dive deck is large with a big charging table. The crew was very helpful and we had wonderful dives.
Recommended for
The diving. The boat and room. The crew.
03 Sep, 2026

65 reviews

9.0 Superb
65 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

9.2 Superb
Anneke H
Germany

Great experience
Having so many mantas and went even lucky with hammerheads. The crew was always friendly and helpful
Recommended for
Mantas, hammerheads and great people
03 Dec, 2023

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

10 Exceptional
Carolyn K
United States

For a relaxing vacation choose Nautilus Undersea
Overall a very organized and well run trip. This was our second trip on this boat and we have been 100% satisfied both times.
Recommended for
Amazing crew. Good food. Cabins.
14 Jan, 2025

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

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

7.2 Good
Tomasz B
United States

Whale sharks, sea lions, and mobulas in Sea of Cortez - the highlight of my summer
The highlights of the trip were the "Safari" trips with speedboats. The diving part was not that spectacular, although interesting - we had about 20 dives total, which seems not much for a 9 day trip (the trip technically is 11-day event, per the description, but we arrived after 6pm and left the boat at 8:30am, so no activities on those days) The program promises a lot of other activities and sea creatures, but I am happy with I saw and encountered. The whale sharks were definitely a unique experience, although I have mixed feelings about that, as I think that in some way we disturbed their peaceful day jumping around them and swimming quite close to them - they were not going away, so I hope that they were not stressed very much. The crew was very good and helpful both on the diving side as the boat service side. I wish the information would be better. The cabins and boat equipment was basic, but I did not expect much more. I am very happy with this trip!
Recommended for
Whale sharks at Bahia de Los Angeles. Orcas. Sea Lions at the Isla San Pedro Martir.
02 Aug, 2026

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

10 Exceptional
Derek M
United States

Incredible week - go here to see the BIG stuff!
Had an awesome week! The best pelagic big stuff diving I've had anywhere in the world, mantas on every dive, hammerheads, close encounters with dolphins, tons of sharks and humpback whale watching from the surface. The crew was great, and were willing to take us on a launch between dives to go snorkeling with a school of false killer whales. The captain coordinated with other boats so that we were the only boat at Roca Partida (having multiple boats would have reduced our dives there).
Recommended for
Saw tons of pelagics and lots of fish life!. Awesome crew, they worked hard and put us in the best position for good diving.. Great people on the boat and time to share stories..
01 Feb, 2026

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

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

10 Exceptional
Scott T
United States

The ship and the crew made for a wonderfully delightful dive trip experience.
Of course, the CALIFORNIA SEA LIONS!!! Such beautiful animals. They are comfortable with divers and getting to experience them up close and personal is something i'll remember until my dying day.
Recommended for
I can't say enough about the care that the crew showed for all of us on board. Everyone was incredibly attentive to my needs. The food, dive guides, captain and steward were, not only incredibly competent, but carried out their duties with a care to detail and fun loving attitudes. Really, a fantastic trip.
18 Oct, 2023

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

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

8.8 Fabulous
Michael S
United States

Whale sharks AND diving
Good experience - swimming with the whale sharks the highlight of the trip - it was a bucket list item…
Recommended for
Crew. Dive guides. Food.
19 Aug, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Lionel F
France

A must to do in your life as a diver!
- Encounters with unusual animals- Comfortable accommodation- The rhythm action - relaxation
Recommended for
Well-being, sensations, conviviality
05 Aug, 2022

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

9.6 Exceptional
Younggil S
South Korea

Worth diving trip
In most divings, we can see something interesting. The crew members were nice and friendly. They help us enjoying the diving trips.
Recommended for
amazing diving experiences. good crew members. nice guides.
01 Jan, 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

10 Exceptional
Glen D
United States

Awesome crew, amazing diving, and well run operation.
Dolphins, hammerheads, tiger shark, mantas, and the wonderfully friendly crew. The food was good. The top deck can get a little fumey while motoring, so I'd encourage the boat to raise the smokestack or otherwise get creative with the exhaust fumes so that its more comfortable to hang out while motoring.
Recommended for
The crew was absolutely wonderful, the diving and competence of the crew were excellent, and the boat operated like clockwork.
17 Feb, 2024

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