Dolphin Liveaboard, Philippines

Name: Tubbataha (Puerto Princesa - Puerto Princesa)
Start: 2027-04-18
End: 2027-04-24
Location: Philippines

8.5 Fabulous

Nitrox available
En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins
Warm Water Showers

from $ 330 / day Check dates

“We find so many good things to see, nice dive sites and easy dive”
Ho Wa Rosaline C, Macau

Highlights

BBQ on board
Full Bar with drinks included

The Dolphin is a 90 ft (27 m) steel-hulled liveaboard dive boat designed for comfort and adventure. With 10 fully air-conditioned cabins, including 6 twin-sharing cabins and 2 VIP suites featuring private bathrooms and mini-bars, the Dolphin offers home-style comfort above the waves.

Divers will appreciate the well-equipped dive center, two diving skiffs, and on-deck rinse showers for post-dive convenience. Between dives, unwind on the expansive Upper Deck, which features sun loungers, a shaded area, BBQ facilities, and a dance floor. Savor gourmet, all-inclusive meals and indulge at the full bar while enjoying the serene beauty of the ocean.

Set sail for Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the world’s premier diving destinations. From March to June, the Dolphin offers the chance to explore coral gardens, deep walls, and marine biodiversity, including whales, dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, and over 700 fish species. With crystal-clear waters and vibrant coral reefs, every dive promises awe and adventure in this marine sanctuary.

Book your diving adventure aboard the Dolphin today!

Choose your departure date

Date

Itinerary

Price

Select

13 Oct

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 2,314

FULL

12 Nov

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 2,661

Select Cabin available

08 Dec

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 2,661

Select Cabin available

28 Feb

9 Days / 8 Nights

$ 4,434

Select Cabin available

10 Mar

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,471

Select Cabin available

18 Mar

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,471

Select Cabin available

26 Mar

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,471

Select Cabin available

03 Apr

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,471

Select Cabin available

11 Apr

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,471

FULL

18 Apr

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,471

FULL

25 Apr

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,876

FULL

03 May

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,876

FULL

Included: VAT, Airport Transfer, Hotel Transfer, Drinking Water, Tea & Coffee, Welcome Cocktails, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Special Dinner, Diving Package, Beach Towels, Cabin Towels, Complimentary Toiletries, Deck Towels.

Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (200-500 USD / trip), National Park Fees (100 USD / trip).

Optional Extras: Dive Insurance (40 USD / trip), Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Nitrox (120 USD / trip), Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses (600 USD / activity), Kayaks (30 USD / activity), Snorkel Gear (20 USD / day), Laundry / Pressing Services (20 USD / trip), WiFi internet (20 USD).

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

En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins
Warm Water Showers
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Rooms with Balcony
Seaview Cabins
Paid Internet
Non-Smoking Rooms
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Laundry Service
Library
Outdoor Dining
Audio & video entertainment
TV in cabins
Observation Deck
BBQ Area
Available for Charter
Outside Showers
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping
Bar

Food & Drinks

Fine Cuisine
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Free Soft Drinks
Beer available
Wine Available
Beach BBQ
Welcome Cocktails
Snacks All Day
Buffet style
Western Food
Local Food

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
Tech diving
Rebreather Support
Rinse Hoses
Dive deck
Tenders for diving
Sidemount Diving

Languages Spoken

The crew speaks English.

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: 1996

Year renovated: 2017

Length: 31 meters

Deck area: 5 x 10 meters

Beam: 6.5 meters

Top speed: 9 knots

Cruising speed: 8 knots

Engines: 2x 500 HP Yanmar Turbo Diesel

Max guests: 18

Number of cabins: 9

Number of bathrooms: 10

Tenders: 2

Water capacity: 30 tons

Fuel capacity: 14 tons

Freshwater maker: 400 liters per hour

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
Fishfinder
Satellite & mobile phones
Bilge pump alarm
Search light
Engine room CCTV
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares

Dolphin Reviews

8.5 Fabulous

Vessel

8.3
Crew

7.8
Food

9.5
Diving

8.5
Value

8.1

8.4 Very good
Toby M
United States

Good diving and food, there is not much more you need
I enjoyed my trip on the Dolphin. Tubbataha is a great diving area in the Philippines (though behind the best Indonesia has to offer), and the Dolphin offers a great diving operation for it.
Recommended for
Good diving operation. Only 2 people per room. Good food.
02 Jun, 2026

9.2 Superb
Stephen V
United States

Diving was incredible.
I felt comfortable during the trip. Staff were incredibly helpful and friendly. Food was delicious.
Recommended for
Food. Diving. Staff.
22 Apr, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Tomasz S
Poland

After an outstanding experience at Tubbataha, I’m excited and looking forward to my next trip with the Dolphin team to Apo Reef.
The overall experience was excellent from start to finish. The dive guides were highly experienced and demonstrated strong knowledge of the dive sites, which contributed to well-organized and efficient dive planning. All scheduled dives were executed without any cancellations, reflecting a high level of professionalism and reliability. The boat crew operated with seamless coordination, ensuring everything ran smoothly, while the onboard chef consistently delivered high-quality meals that enhanced the overall trip.
Recommended for
experienced divers. 15l tanks, nitrox. great and varied food.
05 Apr, 2026

8.8 Fabulous
Sandrine L
France

An experience that brings stars to the eyes when the weather is on your 😁 side
A great adventure, with beautiful human and underwater encounters. Convivial moments. An unspoiled reef, beautiful corals and sharks at every turn. Wonderful
Recommended for
The team and its energy. The beauty of diving. The comfort of the bed in the cabin.
06 Apr, 2025

Translated from French

9.2 Superb
Scott C
United States

Exceptional Diving and Liveaboard Experience
Naturally all of the great diving, numerous whale sharks, several mantas, lots of sharks, schools of barracuda and jacks. The crew was very good and the fellow divers were fun to know. The end of the trip barbeque on the rear deck was a hoot, live singing and just plain fun, lots of diver participation. Jan did a great job of organization.
Recommended for
The diving was well organized, the food and beverages were very good, and the crew, excellent
03 Jun, 2019

10 Exceptional
melody D
Australia

Safe but also relaxed and friendly. Amazing!
The Dolphin is a big boat that is well organised for diving. Has a lot of space to chill in the shade or in the sun. Great food and a very welcoming crew. The owners care about it, their crew and the passengers. So it reflects in the ambiance of the trip. It is safe but relaxed at the same time. I had a great time on board and recommend this boat highly!
Recommended for
Service quality. Friendliness of staff. Professionalism of the dives.
08 Dec, 2025

9.2 Superb
Christoph W
Germany

Great value for money, awesome crew
I've spent one awesome week of diving at Tubbataha onboard the Dolphin. Outstanding, very helpful and extremely friendly crew members. Fantastic organization and problem solving by cruise director Jan. The food was good and plenty, the boat in good condition and well suited for diving operations, the diving fantastic.
Recommended for
organization, crew friendliness, diving quality
06 May, 2019

10 Exceptional
Christine P
United States

Remarkable diving, even better crew
We dove Apo Reef and Coron. The diving was spectacular, much better than I expected. The visibility was the best I've seen in a long time and Apo Reef, and the marine life was stunning! The guides were very experienced and professional. The food was spectacular! So many different types of meals. Then we had a birthday on the boat on the last day, and they went above and beyond with a splendid cake and singing celebrations! The best liveaboard trip I've ever taken.
Recommended for
Food, Diving, Experienced Guides
28 Mar, 2019

8.0 Very good
Wing C
Hong Kong

Clear water and nice reef
Diving in beautiful coral reefs, clear water and excellent Marine life. Jack fishes and barracuda fishes are huge and around our diving teams. I could see marble rays and eagle Ray during the trip.
Recommended for
Divings. Program. BBQ dinner.
02 Jun, 2026

8.0 Very good
Evelyn W
Singapore

Best LOB that I ever had -was with MV Dolphin
An unforgettable liveaboard experience with MV Dolphin for TUBBAHATA. Everything was wonderful—from the service to the overall trip experience. The only area for improvement would be the beds, which could use an upgrade for added comfort. The bed was lop sided overtime and did not get much sleep properly , since we knew a restful sleep would be important for the next day’s dive. Overall, still a fantastic and memorable journey. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MV Dolphin .
Recommended for
Crew Service & Friendliness. Dive Guides , Dive boat & Dive crew. Food & Drinks.
10 Apr, 2026

44 reviews

8.5 Fabulous
44 Verified Reviews

Sort reviews by:

8.4 Very good
Ho Wa Rosaline C
Macau

Nice Dive Site
We find so many good things to see, nice dive sites and easy dive
Recommended for
The manager and dive guide Johnathan are very helpful and friendly sharing experience for self improvement
13 Feb, 2020

9.6 Exceptional
Anton Z
Israel

Exceptional overall experience
Tubbataha itself is worthy for divers. MV Dolphin has amazing food and crew hospitality. Big thanks to Kevin and his staff.
Recommended for
Owner/Staff. Room. Food.
03 Jun, 2025

8.8 Fabulous
Verena M
Austria

Nice boat, nice crew, also nice apo reef
It was a nice pick up and very uncomplicaded. Vip room was soo big and comfy, sadly the bathroom needs a general maintanancw (toilet water, pole for holding in shower, ventilator doesen't work so it is always wet) The meals were very good.. There were also everytime toast or cookies to have Briefings were ok, maby telling about what we can see, and maby some visuals of the diving spots. Guides were friendly and showed many things. They also asked what we wanna see. Crew was very friendly in cantine room also divegear crew. I think it was very good organized, many crew people with different jobs.
Recommended for
Very friendly crew. So much space on boat and vip room. Alvin & Bong.
02 Dec, 2025

8.4 Very good
Robert D
United States

Great staff, always there to assist your needs
Already mentioned above, the highlight dive was on the last day. As soon as began our descent, a white tip, several great barracudas, and a school of Jack's. Of course we descended asap to deeper water and enjoyed the show.
Recommended for
Diving, staff, cabin
07 Nov, 2019

9.6 Exceptional
Ye C
China

Amazing diving trip
Very well-maintained boat. Very friendly crew. Different delicious food each time. Unlimited water/soft drink/fruit. Amazing diving sites. With Shark every time. Beautiful hard coral. Karaoke night before ending the trip. Birthday cake for the team Awesome trip
Recommended for
Nice Crew. Nice Diving sites. Nice food.
11 Jun, 2025

8.0 Very good
Joanne M
Malta

Worth Every Peny
We had an awesome time on The Dolphin Liveaboard. The diving was nothing short of exceptional, I must say we were very lucky, as apparently the group before us did not manage to see as much. But that is nature, nothing to do with the liveaboard. The staff where all very nice and accommodating, the dive guides all did their utmost to make their group enjoy their dives. The food was also very good, nothing to complain about really, will definitely book again on the Dolphin if I visit Tubbataha again
Recommended for
The Staff. The Comfy Bedroom. The Food.
10 Apr, 2025

6.0 Review score
Mariya V
Ukraine

Amazing whale sharks with very average boat
4 times a day to meet a whale shark it was amazing!!! Also schools of jackfishes, grey reef sharks - very close and beautiful...
Recommended for
Whale sharks, big fishes, phillipines crew
05 Jun, 2018

8.8 Fabulous
Elzbieta B
Poland

A beautiful and full of life coral reef—a great deal, definitely worth the trip.
A beautiful coral reef. Unbelievably vibrant and diverse. Lots of reef sharks of various sizes, schools of fish, turtles, tuna, moray eels, and the micro world. Colorful and breathtaking. I had mixed feelings about the accommodations, but they were actually really good, especially the cabin and the diving conditions. A bit of a missed opportunity to spend time on the upper deck. Great selection of drinks. Too bad there weren’t enough coconuts to last the whole trip, but it was a great idea. The food was good, but overall, I’m not a fan of food in the Philippines. The crew and owners were very dedicated. I’ve never had such well-organized access to photos and videos from dives before. I ended up with a group of very good divers and great people.
Recommended for
Coral reef. Commitment from the crew and owners. Surprisingly comfortable cabin.
08 Jun, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
TAIJI O
Japan

Great Diving
Total Management Good dive Wonderful Crews
Recommended for
Dive site , Crew , Drink
28 May, 2019

8.4 Very good
Kosuke F
Japan

Great adventure with wonderful mates
The last day when I saw a shark attacking a parrot fish to eat from inside of coral. I could encounter an important moment. I enjoyed converstation with other mates and crews very much. Thanks for all.
Recommended for
Sea animals,Local food speciality and Crews
10 May, 2018

8.8 Fabulous
Varya N
United Kingdom

Diving on Tubbataha - M/Y Dolphin
I had a great trip on M/Y Dolphin to remote Tubbataha reef. The crew and the new owner Kevin made us feel extremely welcome. I enjoyed the warm and welcoming atmosphere. Diving was great, I felt very privileged to be exploring this remote and special part of the world.
Recommended for
Amazing crew and dive guides. A very special destination. Friendly atmosphere.
06 Apr, 2025

7.2 Good
Anne M
France

Very good diving
Diving in Tubbataha is amazing: healthy reefs, huge schools of fish, sometimes whale sharks and mantas. Dolphin is a affordable liveaboard to dive this area. The cabins are comfortable. However the food could be better. The crew is friendly and the dive guide professional.
Recommended for
Great diving, comfortable cabins and friendly crew
23 Sep, 2019

9.6 Exceptional
Robert H
United States

Fantastic
We had a great time with the staff of the boat. The diving was great, we got lucky and experienced whale sharks on a few dives, the food was very good, the price was fair, the dive director was very professional, the dive guides were fantastic...it was just dive, eat, dive, eat, dive, eat, dive, sleep... I made a short home video that sums it all up: https://vimeo.com/339210754
Recommended for
Courtesy. Attentiveness. Safety.
31 May, 2019

7.6 Good
Ming yeung Kuris Y
Hong Kong

Wonderful dive site wonderful crew
I'm a media creator, this is my first time visit Tubbataha, I know there's restrictions around this area. The management has good response and arrangement before and after the trip, explain very clearly and giving me a lot of useful information so I can well prepare. All crew are so nice, friendly and helpful. I'm very appreciated our dive guide's experience and they will consider the actual ocean condition to modify our dive plan.
Recommended for
Wonderful UNESCO diving. Friendly and helpful crew. Helpful management.
06 Jun, 2026

10 Exceptional
Eunbe K
South Korea

Wonderful experience with MV Dolphin
Tubbataha reef is wonderful place that you might see so many white tip and grey reef sharks, manta ray, tiger shark and even whale shark in one place! Corals are well protected and oceanic creatures don't be afraid of human being. It is a great place that I really want to visit again. Also, MV Dolphin is a nice ship that can serve you very well. All crews are well experienced and kind. It has relatively large room compared to its price, and beers are included in your boat fee. MV Dolphin is absolutely a good choice and value for money among 15 liveboard ships in Tubbataha reef.
Recommended for
Experienced crew, large room, free beer
07 Jun, 2018

6.8 Review score
Jared S
Canada

Awesome
Diving and crew were incredible Dive planning could be better with more information on what to anticipate
Recommended for
Diving with Sharks. Personal on board. Wake up call with music.
21 Apr, 2026

7.2 Good
LUC V
Belgium

Not worth repeating !!
See mail sent on 22 April
Recommended for
Friendly crew. Very nice food. Very helpful crew in getting dressed and undressed before and after the dive.
22 Apr, 2026

Translated from Dutch

8.4 Very good
Geoff B
Australia

Excellent diving at Tubbatatha Reef!!
Only 3 dive guests on board - so was very relaxing!! Reef is fantastic - unbelievable marine life !! Weather poor fist two days but then picked up and was superb!! Crew very friendly and helpful!! Free booze - outstanding!! Currents are strong, so, you need to be a fit diver!! Overall - an excellent trip for the money - do it soon - you won't be disappointed!!
Recommended for
Whale sharks, Mantas, sharks, marine life etc
14 Jun, 2018

10 Exceptional
Dayane M
United States

The most wonderful dive experience we could ever had
The best decision I ever made. We were welcomed by the crew and the owner who joined the trip with us and from there it just got better. Our VIP room was spacious and super confortable. The food serviced was just like the one you would get from a restaurant, fresh and delicious. Our diver master, Bong, was knowledgeable and knew exactly where to take us. Ohr first dive, we saw a beautiful whale shark just in front of us. The whole trip was just amazing. The walls are colorful and full of live. A big thank you to Kevin who dove close to us all the time to make sure we were all safe. After each dive, I would just lay down in the 3rd deck until the next dive, and the crew would bring me drinks and even a pillow. They were all so attentive and kind. Thank you all for making our experience the best we could have it.
Recommended for
Staff. VIP room. Deck.
02 Jun, 2025

8.8 Fabulous
Stephen T
United States

Perfect Way to Experience Tubbataha!
Tubbataha Reef is a "must see" dive location. Healthy hard and soft coral, and diverse marine life, with some very large reef sharks and pelagics. And the Dolphin made the diving experience first rate. We have already booked again for next year!
Recommended for
The owners, Kevin and Kathy, travel with the cruise, and ensure all needs of the guests are addressed.. The whole crew knows the dive sites on Tubbataha Reef like the back of their hand, so they know where the action is. The food is excellent -- a lot of fresh fruit and coconuts..
20 Mar, 2026