Stella Maris Explorer, Philippines

Name: Regular trip - Tubbataha (Puerto Princessa - Puerto Princessa)
Start: 2027-06-10
End: 2027-06-16
Location: Philippines

8.9 Fabulous

Nitrox available
Free Internet
Free Nitrox
Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins

from $ 397 / day Check dates

En-Suite bathrooms - Stella Maris Explorer

“Good dive guides and very good company (both crew and fellow divers). ”
Alistair F, United Kingdom

Highlights

Fully air-conditioned with carpeted interiors
En-suite cabins with hot & cold water showers
Memory foam mattresses and pillows
Large sundeck with bar and jacuzzi
Free Nitrox for certified divers
Up to 4 dives per day at Tubbataha Reefs

Designed with comfort in mind, the Stella Maris Explorer offers year-round liveaboard diving in the Philippines. Ten spacious 'retro-chic' cabins accommodate up to 21 guests. Each cabin features memory foam mattresses, pillows, AC, storage space, and private en-suite bathrooms. The cabins are spread over 3 decks with a choice of deluxe or premium economy, with twin, double, or queen beds available. Social areas include a spacious salon with a large TV and a dining area where expertly prepared meals and snacks incorporating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and a variety of proteins are served. The top deck offers chairs and loungers either in the sun or covered area, the perfect place to soak up the sun, relax in between dives or enjoy a stunning sunset with a cocktail.

The Stella Maris Explorer yacht offers itineraries to dive the best of Tubbataha in the Sulu Sea and Apo Reef & Coron. Up to 4 dives per day are scheduled to dive in nutrient-rich waters, bringing sharks, mantas, dolphins, and a host of macro critters. Diving is made easy with the 2 custom-designed 26ft/8mtr hard bottom dive tenders, and groups are kept small with a diver-to-guide ratio of 5:1. Nitrox is also available for those certified.

Join the Stella Maris Explorer yacht for a fantastic dive liveaboard in the Philippines. Book online today to reserve your space.

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Date

Itinerary

Price

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17 Mar

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,180

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25 Mar

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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01 Apr

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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08 Apr

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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15 Apr

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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22 Apr

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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20 May

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

FULL

27 May

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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03 Jun

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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10 Jun

7 Days / 6 Nights

$ 3,180

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17 Jun

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,180

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15 Mar

8 Days / 7 Nights

$ 3,180

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

Required Extras: Park, Port and Fuel Fees ($270-370 / trip).

Optional Extras: Gratuities, Alcoholic Beverages, Soft drinks, Nitrox Course ($450), Private Dive Guide ($830), Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses ($360-570), Snorkel Gear, Snorkeling Guide, Laundry / Pressing Services.

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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Boat features

Free Internet
Jacuzzi / Hot Tub
En-Suite bathrooms
Family Cabins
Aircon Cabins
Non-Diver (Snorkeler) Friendly
Warm Water Showers
Air Conditioned saloon
Sun Deck
Nearly 1:1 Crew-to-Guest Ratio
Non-Smoking Rooms
Custom built for diving
Charging stations
Indoor Saloon
Library
Outdoor Dining
Audio & video entertainment
Observation Deck
Available for Charter
Snorkeling Equipment
Outside Showers
Leisure Deck
Daily housekeeping

Food & Drinks

Al Fresco Dining
Vegan Options
Vegetarian Options
Beer available
Wine Available
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
Free Nitrox
DIN Adaptors
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: 1980

Year renovated: 2018

Length: 33 meters

Deck area: 12 sqm

Beam: 6.5 meters

Top speed: 15 knots

Cruising speed: 10 knots

Engines: Single

Max guests: 20

Number of cabins: 10

Number of bathrooms: 10

Tenders: 2

Water capacity: 30 tons

Fuel capacity: 30 tons

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
Bilge pump alarm
Search light
Engine room CCTV
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares

Stella Maris Explorer Reviews

8.9 Fabulous

Vessel

8.2
Crew

9.3
Food

9.6
Diving

8.8
Value

8.5

9.2 Superb
Fabian F
Argentina

Excellent option to visit Tubbataha
The boat is very good, the cabin very spacious and with good comfort for storage. The meals were very good and the attention of the crew was excellent.The dives are superlative, in very transparent and warm waters. Large number of pelagic fish, including many reef sharks (gray, whitetip, silvertip, and blacktip)
Recommended for
Diving in spectacular places. The boat in general and the cabin in particular. The friendly crew and good food.
08 Aug, 2026

Translated from Spanish

8.8 Fabulous
Wolf H
Germany

Very good trip even though the reef didnt show the big stuff, such as whale sharks, hammerheads, manta rays
Everything went well on Stella Maris, no short comings. Dives were explained in very much detail. Food is very good and support for the divers is excellent.
Recommended for
Well maintain daily routine, timely pick-up and return to Hotel/airport. Food was very good and well served. Crew was very helpful and tried to get the diver guests to the best spots.
12 Apr, 2026

8.8 Fabulous
Zixiong G
China

Excellent liveaboard
Excellent food, great crew members and guides, and best corals in Philippines. How do you know I encountered a whale shark on the second dive 😼
Recommended for
Excellent food. Free nitrox. Good luck.
13 May, 2026

8.0 Very good
Luis M
Spain

Tubataha with Stella Maris
Some of the diving was memorables
Recommended for
Food and very friendly team
11 May, 2024

9.2 Superb
Denis R
Philippines

Great organization of the cabin crew
The boat is very small for 21 divers, it would be great for 16, but the organization and the competence of the staff make everything run perfectly, which at the beginning I would never have believed possible. Nice cabins, great food, common areas reduced to a minimum, staff from 10 and praise. I expected more from the level of diving for how renowned this location was. Very good organization of liveboards
Recommended for
Friendliness of the staff, food and cabin
03 May, 2024

Translated from Italian

8.0 Very good
Sunil P
United Kingdom

Great diving slightly marred by the lead guide rushing ahead into the blue and leaving half the divers trailing behind out of sight.
Having to speak to the lead guide about giving us a chance to enjoy the beutiful coral and marine life instead of heading off into the blue on every dive!
Recommended for
Spacious cabin, healthy coral, abundant marine life
01 Jul, 2024

8.4 Very good
Franz V
Germany

Tubbataha with whale shark
A really nice tour to Tubbataha Reef. Good boat with friendly crew and especially nice diving. There were always highlights and encounters with whale sharks.
Recommended for
Whale shark. Coral. Sharks.
10 Apr, 2025

Translated from German

9.6 Exceptional
Felipe C
Brazil

Amazing dives and food
The dives in Tubbataha are amazing, cristal clear water, lots of fishes, sharks, whale shark and many corals. The cabins on the boat are very good, the food is amazing and the crew too.
Recommended for
Healthy coral reef, cristal clear water and amazing food
15 Jun, 2024

9.2 Superb
Dan S
Sweden

Great transition trip
Excellent diving on Apo Reef and Tubbataha (especially when the current was running). Visiting the ranger station at Tubbataha is a must. Food was delicious and dive guides and staff extremely helpful and went the extra mile. Would recommend going for one of the more spacious rooms as they have higher ceiling. Dive deck is a bit small and it can get a bit messy on the tender boats. The tenders have good ladders and were easy to get into. Can get rocky on the way out so bring seasickness pills. All in all a good experience with lots of fun.
Recommended for
1. Service minded and helpful staff and dive guides. 2. Great diving! 3. Excellent food!
28 Mar, 2024

8.8 Fabulous
Thiago S
Brazil

Great dives
Dive operation is very organized. Food is amazing. Reefs and walls are beautiful and well preserved. Calm sea and easy dives.
Recommended for
Organization. Boat comfort. Great food.
16 May, 2026

49 reviews

8.9 Fabulous
49 Verified Reviews

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8.4 Very good
Taj H
United States

Friendly and Fun
It's always great to be on a liveaboard with like minded people - DIVERS! We saw so much sea life in Tubbataha and I finally got my first siting of a whale shark. Food was plenty and tasty and friendly crew and fellow divers!
Recommended for
Crew, Beauty of Marine Park, and Diving
09 May, 2024

10 Exceptional
Centia M
India

Great trip
Everything was great. We were a bit unlucky in the diving (didn't see some of the things I wanted to see) but the boat, crew, food and guides were all fantastic.
Recommended for
Food. Crew. Dive guides.
30 Jun, 2025

10 Exceptional
Francisco José C
Spain

Unforgettable experience
Lots of Sharks in every dive, especially White tip and greys. Healthy and beautiful reefs . Unfortunately some of them are damaged or directly destroyed by the human beings hand or climate change, but in general, it's a healthy Reef I'd like to see Tigers and Hammerheads But I understand I wasn't diving in an aquarium. So no one can guarantee who we are going to dive with them. The Crew helped me a lot and the Kitchen Staff are trying that everyone has food and the food is good, tasty and in quantity. Diving Staff is GREAT In general, Great Time with Great People
Recommended for
Great Staff, Great food, good dives
09 Jun, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
David S
United States

Highly recommend
We had a great time on the trip. Very nice people and the staff was really great.
Recommended for
The staff was fantastic. The food was excellent. The diving most mostly excellent with a few dives with poor vis.
22 Apr, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Nicolus V
United States

Comfy boat, delicious foods, good gear, nice guides!
This liveaboard was wonderful! The boat was very comfortable with a variety of community spaces to hang out in, private bathrooms with showers in each cabin, and plenty of storage space for all of our belongings. The meals were always very yummy and offered a variety of options for different preferences/needs. We each rented BCDs and regs and one of us rented a wetsuit, all of which were in good repair and functioned well. Our guides were friendly and fun, and had us feeling safe at every turn. Notes: - Though the description says "nitrox available" it should actually read "nitrox required", as we discovered once on board during the orientation. We were not nitrox certified but the training was offered to us onboard for $420/person. - While the diver-to-guide ratio is 5- or 6-to-1, it actually plays out as 10 or 11 divers in each group with one leading guide and one safety guide at the back of the group. - When they take you to the ranger station, wear clothes you don't mind being in the water in. You'll be waist-deep for group photos. - Gear rental is separate, paid in cash before leaving the boat (BCD $12, reg $12, wetsuit $8). - Beers and sodas are separate, paid in cash before leaving the boat (beers $3 each, sodas $2 each). - Tips are suggested on the last day, with the crew splitting whatever you leave in the envelope and guides being given theirs by hand individually, all paid in cash before leaving the boat. Really our only complaint about our time with this company was that there was a group of 4 other guests onboard that were constantly grabbing onto coral, breaking coral, getting too close to wildlife and scaring it off, etc and we did not feel that this issue was handled sufficiently by the guides. Though the guides gave them ongoing verbal reprimanding, when the behavior continued incessantly there were not any further consequences, such as being pulled from dives early or having to miss future dives. During the orientation, someone from the park came onbaord to tell us that if we saw anyone violating the park rules we should report it, but when we talked to the guides about reporting the ongoing, unchanging behavior we were told not to because the boat/company would be shut down. We definitely felt this issue could/should have been handled in a more appropriate way. But other than that, we had a great time on this boat and would most definitely recommend it!!
Recommended for
The (smallest, cheapest) cabin had plenty of storage space and a private bathroom with shower.. The foods were varied, delicious, and plentiful.. The dive gear was high quality and well-maintained..
31 May, 2026

8.0 Very good
Alistair F
United Kingdom

Nice trip to Tubbataha
This was a good trip to a nice dive location. Good dive guides and very good company (both crew and fellow divers). Nice boat.
Recommended for
Great Diving, great people, good food
11 May, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Kenneth D
United States

The Stella Maris Explorer provided an amazing scuba diving trip in Tubbataha Philippines !
Being with in 5 feet of a 25 foot Whale Shark was absolutely AMAZING ! The staggering amount of different fish, healthy coral reefs and marine life big and small was the trip of a life time. The whole crew from Captain to deck hands were professional, friendly and treated everyone like family and served up tasty food at every meal. I would definately reccomend and use the Stella Maris anytime I come back to the Philippines. To the crew I can't thank you enough for making my dreams come true !
Recommended for
# 1 scuba diving with a Whale Shark, #2 scuba diving with a Whale Shark, #3 Did I mention divng with a Whale Shark?
05 Aug, 2022

10 Exceptional
Michelle C
United States

Love this trip and would highly recommend
Dive crew and staff were phenomenal. Tikz, king, Jaz, leyon (Rodger) were great dive guides. I felt very safe with them The boat was clean and plenty of space to lounge around. The food was so good. It felt like a culinary experience. The sites were all so beautiful. So may green sea turtles and black tip/white tip sharks. Corals were vast and colorful.
Recommended for
Staff. Views. Food.
23 Apr, 2026

9.6 Exceptional
Amos M
United States

Amazing!
The scuba diving along with awesome company and great food
Recommended for
The diving, the crew, and the food
05 Aug, 2022

9.6 Exceptional
Lloyd V
Canada

Stella Maris Liveaboard - Tubbataha 2026
This was our first liveaboard experience, and we had an amazing time. The diving was incredible and Tubbataha Reef is beautiful; we lucked out and saw whale shark, hammerheads, marble rays, and plenty of other life including many sharks. But what really made this experience special was the crew - they went above and beyond in every way to ensure that everyone felt right at home. Friendly, professional, hardworking, and felt like part of the family. The food was also excellent and feeling hungry was never an option. Huge, huge thanks to King, Tikz, Ryan, Jas, Leyon, and all the rest of the crew for making this experience so wonderful. Icing on the cake - they also helped return some gear we forgot on the boat to our home country, even after we had left the Philippines!
Recommended for
Amazing staff. Safe and professional diving. Beautiful reef.
17 Apr, 2026

9.2 Superb
Serge S
France

Very experienced
We had a great stay on the Stella Maris.From the welcome on the boat in the presence of the owner to the end, the service was of a high quality. Everything was done to make our stay a success.Thank you to all the crew, the captain who brought us to port, all the sailors always taking care, thanks to the team in the kitchen for treating us to excellent dishes and to finish a big congratulations to the divemasters, especially Ryan and Rambo for their dynamism and the quality of their accompaniment.Thanks to all of you, Tubbataha has kept all its promises with magical seabeds, sharks at all the dives, turtles, rays, schools of barracudas, carangues, fish by the thousands and what about corals which are just extraordinary by their number and colorsThank you very much!👏🏼💪🏼😀
Recommended for
The seabed, the crew of the boat, the supervision of the divemasters
16 May, 2024

Translated from French

10 Exceptional
Tamanna D
India

What a great first experience!
It was our first liveaboard, and we're spoiled for life! Everything was perfect from the crew to the food to the dives! Special shoutout to our dive guides Rambo and Leyon, who were extremely perceptive and attentive to our needs and went out of their way to make the dives comfortable for us. All in all, it was a great first experience! 10/10 to the kitchen staff that kept us so well fed - sardine pizza FTW! The boat was really clean, and all other amenities were top-notch too! Highly recommended!
Recommended for
Dive Crew. Hospitality. Dives.
05 May, 2025

8.8 Fabulous
Claude B
United States

Superb dive service and guiding experience!
The high points are the quality of the dives and the exceptional guide experience. Each group has a lead guide and a sweep or safety guide, a really excellent arrangement for drift dives with a wide variety of experience among the divers. The reef is healthy with a great variety of sealife on view. The guides are skilled underater and enjoyable company on board the boat. The cabins are quite small with minimal storage space, and mine had neither window nor porthole. Bedding was very comfortable. The food was simple but abundant and generally tasty, with excellent variety and nutritional balance. Beer and simple wine selections were available for sale, but you can bring your own liquor if you prefer. A good machine ground beans and prepared coffee 24 hours a day which I appreciated when jet lag had me awake at 0400. The chase boats delivered us to the dive sites with rides of 3-10 minutes. The water temp was typically 80-81 F with mostly mild currents except for one "washing machine" experience. Passengers were widely varied in nationality and age which made for pleasant and interesting conversation on board. Based on my review of other operators on this route, the Stella Maris seems like a good value for the money.
Recommended for
Dive guides and dive quality. 24 hour coffee and snacks. Engaging companions.
26 Apr, 2026

8.0 Very good
Stephen B
United Kingdom

Good, but not great.
The diving was not as good as I was expecting/hoping: nothing particularly large although a number of small sharks. Crew were great and dive guides were excellent, as was the general organisation. Food also very good. Boat was good but dive deck got a bit crowded with 22 of us diving.
Recommended for
Crew. Food. Organisation.
03 May, 2026

9.2 Superb
KyooHwang H
South Korea

Very nice comfortable tour
Even though we didn't see the whale shark, the guides did their best.I would like to thank the crew for trying to make it a safe and comfortable dive.T The highlight is that we had a great time together dancing and singing on the last night.
Recommended for
1) food 2) kindness 3) safe guide
14 Jun, 2023

9.6 Exceptional
Zander R
Australia

Wonderful diving experience with an experienced diving crew
Excellent camaraderie onboard, all crew were super lovely, gear was very well looked after and the boat moved around freely to avoid chop and other dive boats. Felt very well accommodated, everything went very smoothly and we had some wonderful wall dives. If you don't like sleeping on satin, bring your own sheets.
Recommended for
Great instructors, great food and a really well appointed boat
05 Aug, 2022

9.6 Exceptional
Rudy W
Canada

Crew focus on safety and comfort
The challenges around strong currents and waves,the site itself was so special which was hard to prepare for, seeing large pelagics , the calibre of most divers that were mostly seasoned and included a number of dive masters, the comradery between guests and also crew outside of the diving. I will definitely consider going back at a different time of year
Recommended for
Attention to detail re gear as part of safety protocols, thorough dive briefings, accessibility to any crew member for any reason was instant.
28 Mar, 2024

8.4 Very good
Etienne B
France

Wonderful diving destination
Tubbataha is a very beautiful destination We dive into warm water with very good visibility that allows us to enjoy the beautiful corals and the richness of the marine life
Recommended for
nice dives friendly and helpful crew very good meals
01 Jul, 2024

9.6 Exceptional
Kim C
United States

This was such a great trip, I am planning on returning next year with my husband!
I am an older female diver (55 years) traveling alone. The crew and dive masters were amazingly professional. I have been diving for 30+ years all over the world and sometimes have encountered micro examples of sexism, but not one this boat and with this crew. The diving itself is amazing, especially for corals and fish life. l live on a tropical island and have seen the damage to reefs over time, so the health and diversity of these reefs was amazing.
Recommended for
1. the diving: the natural beauty was astounding. 2. the food was fantastic. 3. the organization of dive boats was fantastic.
05 Aug, 2022

9.2 Superb
jean charles L
France

Quality of the preservation of dive sites
Beautiful dives with few people on a good boat and a good crew, in a friendly atmosphere.
Recommended for
The comfort and the choice of dives. The organization and reception of the crew. The kitchen.
08 Apr, 2026