Caribbean Explorer II, St Maarten
- from $ 236 / day
- 8.9 Fabulous
- 58 Verified Reviews 58 Verified Reviews
- Nitrox available













































Highlights
The Caribbean Explorer II liveaboard offers year-round diving at Saba and St. Kitts in the Northern Caribbean. With a blend of comfort and luxury, she caters to 18 guests in 9 staterooms, each with either twin or double beds, private en-suite bathrooms, individually controlled AC, and storage space. Five cabins are located on the lower deck, and 4 cabins are located on the main deck. On the upper deck is a partially enclosed dining room where guests can enjoy gourmet cuisine and amazing views. There is also an air-conditioned salon with an entertainment system. The large sun deck has comfortable loungers for relaxing in between dives.
Dive itineraries aboard the Caribbean Explorer II explore some of the best dive sites in the northern Caribbean. Known for its offshore pinnacles, deep underwater seamounts, finger reefs, recent wrecks, and a variety of coral labyrinths, Saba and St. Kitts have a lot to offer divers underwater. The large dive platform located at the back of the main deck is equipped with individual gear lockers, a large camera table with low-pressure air hoses, recharging stations, tank racks, a bathroom, and separate freshwater rinse baths for dive equipment and cameras.
The Caribbean Explorer II liveaboard is a fantastic choice for diving Saba & St. Kitts. Call us or book online today to reserve your space.
This boat is part of the Explorer Ventures fleet.
The captain, crew and staff of the Caribbean Explorer II are operating at the highest safety standards to comply with the most up-to-date COVID-19 protocols to ensure the safety and comfort of all guests on board.
Choose your departure date
Included: VAT, Alcoholic Beverages, Drinking Water, Soft drinks, Tea & Coffee, Full-Board Meal Plan (All meals), Snacks, Diving Package, Cabin Towels, Deck Towels.
Required Extras: Fuel Surcharge (215 USD per trip), National Park Fees (115 USD per trip), Port Fees, Visas and Fees.
Optional Extras: Gratuities, Airport Transfer (10-30 USD), Nitrox (10 USD per tank), Nitrox Course (135 USD), Rental Gear, Scuba Diving Courses (75-210 USD), Land Excursions, Snorkel Gear.
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
Food & Drinks
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
The crew speaks English.
Gear Rental
There is diving gear available on this boat. Please provide your rental needs on the booking form. See below for further details on inclusions and pricing. Show prices.
Drawings & Vessel Layouts

Boat Specifications
- Year built 1978
- Year renovated 1999
- Length 115 feet
- Beam 25 feet
- Top speed 12 knots
- Engines 2 x GM 12 V 71 450HP each
- Max guests 18
- Number of cabins 9
- Number of bathrooms 9
- Tenders 16-foot rigid hull inflatable (25 hp. engine)
- Water capacity 1'500 gallons
- Fuel capacity 2'500 gallons
- Freshwater maker 1'200 gallons per day
Boat Navigation and Safety
Caribbean Explorer II Reviews
- 8.9 Fabulous
- 58 Verified Reviews
- Vessel 7.8
- Crew 9.5
- Food 9.5
- Diving 9.1
- Value 8.8
I had great time on the Caribbean Explorer II
Diving. My favorite was the early morning dive on Friday! The staff was a lot of fun and made the trip a great experience. At the same time they were very professional and you could tell they took great pride in their work. They all seemed to work very well together. The Captain was always around and helping out which was a pleasant surprise. I truly enjoyed this trip with this group of staff. Captain - Bob First mate - Brett Dive Masters - Dave, JT, Rob Cook/Chef - Cathy
- Recommended for
- Staff, food, diving
First live aboard but won't be my last
As my first live aboard I wasn't sure what to expect but after just a few minutes on board I knew that this was going to be a great experience. I cannot say enough about the crew, just simply unbelievable service. The food was outstanding and plentiful. And the diving was top notch, 27 dives offered with lots of variation. Wrecks, walls, and reefs from 45 to 130 feet all with lots of life. I am already planning my next adventure with the Explorer family.
- Recommended for
- The crew, the food, the diving
St. Kitts and Saba diving
The coral and colors in the St. Kitts diving was awesome. The Saba diving could be better at different sea conditions.
- Recommended for
- Food was terrific. Dives were great while near St. Kitts, but not so good near Saba.
Wonderful getaway
Staff & underwater exploration
- Recommended for
- Staff. Food. Diving
It was a truly delightful trip in all respects!
Every day was very enjoyable with diverse dive sites, great food, and a superb attention to detail of every aspect of the voyage from each and every one of the crew member. All dives that I took on this trip were highlights because they were all beautiful, but different, and very safe and well-planned, plus the tour of the magnificent island of Saba, the feast on the locally caught mahi-mahi on Tuesday evening, and talks to Ernie, the captain who is an extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and amiable person.
- Recommended for
- Exceptional customer service on behalf of all the crew, a great choice of the dive sites, and profound knowledge and skills of the dive instructors
It's all about great diving and hospitality!
It's all about the diving. No-frills accommodations, the boat is a bit outdated, but comfortable enough and excellent food. Great service from all the staff. Especially good dive instructors, good equipment and attention to safety. The dive sites are some of the best anywhere, just amazing marine life and no adverse conditions.
- Recommended for
- Easy diving conditions & good visibility, Saba Marine Park is pristine, excellent food.
Awesome Week!
Good diving and super nice crew. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, and the food was awesome-never left a meal hungry. Curtis, Tay & Polly were great dive guides and always gave thorough briefings. St. Kitts was primarily wrecks with some reefs/coral, while Saba was all reefs and pinnacles. The highlights were in Saba, but there were also a few low vis dives here. The reefs and wrecks were healthy. Sea turles, octopus, eels, reef fish, sharks in Saba... Different depths, deeper in Saba, but never over 95 feet. Most of my dives were 45-60 minutes (some are shorter because you can't go around a pinnacle quicker than 40 mins so 2x is unrealistic...). Spent most of our time 40-75 feet down. Couldn't have asked for a better week!
- Recommended for
- Lots of diving, great crew/guests, tasty food
Great trip
All of the diving was superb, aside from that, the staff was always attentive, friendly, and ready to answer any questions we had. The side trips (land tours) were a nice break too so it wasn't just all pure diving (people that would want that of course could skip the land tour, but for us it was a nice change of pace). Diving at Saba was wonderful, St. Kitts slightly more trashed but still good. Can't say enough good things about the staff! They were amazing.
- Recommended for
- crew, location, and extras
A Good First Live Aboard Experience
This was my first live aboard dive trip so I don't have a strong basis for comparison. BUT, I have stayed at all inclusive resorts where I dove regularly. For a vacation oriented around diving, this was certainly a better value for money. I went on all the dives and relaxing on the boat between dives made it easier to look at the books on what I was seeing. Sooo, I learned more and saw more than on any other dive trip (I have 100+ dives over 25 years - very sporadic). My 20 & 30 something children were with me and this was a good trip for beginner divers as well as experienced divers. Tent Wall and Diamond Rock were spectacular dives. Skip the Saba tour but do the St Kitts tour. Cabin was small and we had a minor plumbing issue. Half the crew was very friendly and half was just okay. Two dives off St Kitts: very poor visibility and group got split up - not good.
- Recommended for
- Saba Dives: Tent Wall and Diamond Rock; Good Food; Warm Towel Hugs after Night Dives
Many available dives
doing all 27 available dives, good visibility at Saba diving.
- Recommended for
- 27 available dives, freedom for advanced divers, good pressure fill of scuba tanks.
The Caribbean Explorer II St Maarten-Saba-St Kitts dive trip should be on everyone's bucket list!
Diving Diamond Rock off the Saba coast was exhilerating! Socializing with the other guests and getting to know the crew was a memorable experience as well.
- Recommended for
- The dive staff was enthusiastic and very knowledgeable about the marine life at each dive site. The entire crew was attentive to my specific needs and ensured my safety. The food was plentiful, tasty and of a wide variety.
A dive trip in northeastern Caribbean.
Incredibly well organized,talented and helpful crew. The have mastered not only the diving sites but also the history of the Caribbean. Food was great in a clean dining area; with buffet served in every meals and snacks between dives. I would highly recommend the Caribbean Explorer II to anyone who want to dive. MY thanks and Happy New Year go to captain Ian crew Brett,Polly,Christen,Sara and chef Julian and also John.
- Recommended for
- Knowledgeable dive guides,friendly crew and clean boat/cabin/dining .
Fantastic experience fully recomended
Hospitality,
- Recommended for
- Crew, value for money,
Seas were a little rough but the captain found good dive spots dispite the conditions.
Food was amazing. Great shipmates.
- Recommended for
- Great food, friendly atmosphere, capable crew
Great crew and dives
Night dives, eagle Rays, seahorses, and amazing reefs
- Recommended for
- Crew, boat comfort, diving tours
Windy Trip
Friendly crew and divers, private cabin, great shower, warm towels and hot spiced cocoa drinks after night dives. Unfortunately diving sites were below average due to winds and rough seas. Hardly any "large" creatures.
- Recommended for
- Cabin comfort, Shower and toilet, staff
Great value
I saw more lobsters on this trip than I have seen on all my previous dives, amazing. I enjoyed very much diving in the reserve at Saba
- Recommended for
- The diving was great, much better than I ever expected. The variety of sea life was great. The dive schedule was definitely intense
Superb diving and fantastic divemasters!
I completed my advanced open water training on the CEX2 with fantastic trainers. The crew was amazing and made up for the ornery captain. The boat is older and showing its age, but the focal point was the diving and each dive was filled with excellent corals, sea life, or both. I would recommend this trip to any diver looking for an excellent underwater experience.
- Recommended for
- Diving, Divemasters, Food
Nice boat and good food
Overall a nice dive trip, visited many places, crew were nice and food was good.
- Recommended for
- food, staff, dive sites
Most professional dive boat crew
Seeing flying gurnards.
- Recommended for
- The dive team is perfect combination of experience and strength, support team made me feel very safe, most excellent chef who loves and knows good food.
Great food, old boat, ok diving
Staff and food were great
- Recommended for
- Food Weather and crew
I would definitely recommend this trip.
Tent Reef & Diamond Rock. "Luck of the draw". My wife and I had the boat to ourselves on the St Maarten to St Kitts run.
- Recommended for
- Dive sites, crew and food.
This trip was a foodies dream boat.
The meals as mentioned were excellent and the highlight was wondering what he would make next.
- Recommended for
- 1) The food was exceptional! 2) The boat was very clean and each room was cleaned each morning very promptly. 3) the captain was very friendly along with some of the crew.
It had it's Hits and Misses
The Dive Guides were engaging, talked to us between dives to answer questions, informative about the area. Captain went to dive sites based on conditions, feedback from guests vs sticking to a plan. This was especially appreciated since the weather wasn't that great and areas might not have been good or safe diving. All the food was amazing. Chef came out and introduced the mean, socialized with us in the evening which was really nice. Been on boats where the staff just does not engage with the passengers which is just odd and sterile.
- Recommended for
- Dive Guides, Food/Chef, Captain
Super Dive Trip; concierge diving
Getting Advanced Open Water and Nitrox Certified; the night dives. Great crew. We loved Kirsten as our Dive Master and Instructor. Very laid back trip. only 8 divers and a crew of 8. So it was a very personalized dive experience. The Hot Chocolate and Baileys handed to us as we took off our tanks from the night dive was the best. This was a very good value for money dive trip. Cabins were small but we were in the cabins only about 30 minutes longer than we were sleeping. We really enjoyed our trip. This was our first liveaboard and we will do more.
- Recommended for
- Captain and Crew; diving, food
Just do it!
The dive guides are top notch with well thought out process for the dive experience and diver safety. Captain pre-dive briefings were great, entertaining. Dive site briefings were good and laid out the dive plan clearly. The chef was good and a nice guy. The dive sites are unbelievable ranging across the spectrum of traditional reefs to very unique structure features. Reefs are heathy, full of life. Explorer Venture’s reef preservation process on the trip process and sponsoring diver reef awareness is great - protect the reefs. The COVID-19 safety process is well thought out on every detail and I’m a picky person in that area. St Maarten 72 hour covid test requirement is a challenge to get even get requirements and understand what the process involves. A fantastic guy, the Venture Explorer’s operation manager was on the boat and solicited entry experiences to pass along to future divers. St Kitts is closed so trips are based in/out of St Maarten. St Maarten dive sites for before/after liveaboard are good but not near the quality of Saba sites. Check out St Maarten Scuba for day trips near Explorer II docking site at Bobby’s marina. In total, a flawless trip that I can’t think of anything to list as a negative. Thanks to liveaboard.com and Explorer Ventures for the opportunity.
- Recommended for
- COVID-19 process, fantastic crew, amazing dive sites.
Great dive crew
We saw so many turtles and other great sea life
- Recommended for
- The Crew was so friendly and helpful. The food was delicious and plentiful. And one of my favorite things was the hot showers on the dive deck as we got out of the water.
Great crew and diving
Got a picture of an octopus while it changes colors to almost white
- Recommended for
- Many turtles, octopus and the food
A wonderful week of diving, with professional crew and delicious food
Each of the seven crew members gave 100% to making this a terrific week. While COVID restrictions necessitated some changes in the dive locations, Saba provided plenty of options, including some gorgeous pinnacles and two enjoyable night dives. Julian provided such wonderful meals and snacks (including freshly-baked bread)--I still don't know how he produced such bountiful and delicious meals from a galley kitchen! Sarah, Kirsten, Demian and Tino were each enthusiastic and well-qualified dive guides. Captain Bob did everything possible to get us to the calmest and clearest dive sites, and Craig, as engineer, kept everything running smoothly. The crew worked together like a well-oiled machine, making it easy for the guests to relax and enjoy the week. We guests got to know each other quickly and had fun fellowship together throughout the week. My husband and I would gladly return for another Explorer Ventures cruise.
- Recommended for
- Crew, food, and diving
Great rollin with punches of pandemic. Wonderful attitude.
Gettin away.
- Recommended for
- Captain and crew, food, guests.
Windy trip to Saba
Good trip, friendly crew and guests
- Recommended for
- Crew, dive guides, cabin comfort
Great Trip!
Night dives
- Recommended for
- Crew, food, dives, new friends
Let’s just say the boat was old and it was like roughing it!
Getting to know the young dive guys and enjoying the food. Diving was rough water was murky. Would not recommend it to anybody.
- Recommended for
- The young and bubbly dive guides, and the food
Amazing first liveaboard experience!
I can't say enough how awesome the crew is! Everyone was friendly and willing to help despite having constant work to keep everything running smoothly. There is obvious camaraderie and respect! The highlight for me was getting in so many dives. I love the night dives complete with hot towels and hot drinks when we got out of the water! The food was delicious and beyond plentiful lol. Chef went above and beyond for dietary restrictions and variety. Thanks for such a fantastic week I can't wait to come again!
- Recommended for
- Staff was wonderful and knowledgeable! Constantly diving! Comfortable space to relax between dives!
Fantastic trip diving Saba
What a great trip. The crew was amazing - focused on safety and knew all of the best dive spots at Saba. Were able to quickly pivot in changing weather and keep dives interesting. Food was WAY better than I was expecting. Top notch experience all around. 10/10 would recommend.
- Recommended for
- Value, Crew, Dive Quality
Great, helpful, fun crew.
Seeing spotted eagle ray, the exceptional food and the energy of the crew.
- Recommended for
- The chef, the comfort, reefs.
Pleasant surprise
Due to wild fires in the West, my travel plans made a 180. I booked this trip, at the last minute, and was pleasantly surprised. The boat had to skirt some weather and became limited as to dive sites. The captain and crew made sure each dive was different and amazing. Current can change quickly around Saba. Crew managed all entries, exits expertly and worked with and around current for the best experience while under. So much to see and photograph. Wonderful place I definitely recommend this group
- Recommended for
- Crew, food, safety
The trip was absolutely amazing. The captain and crew were incredible!
Making amazing new friends and seeing incredible dive sites
- Recommended for
- The crew, the diving and the food
Good way to spend a week
photography
- Recommended for
- crew, new friends, weather
Incredible Experience with an Incredible Crew
Everything was perfect from start to finish!
- Recommended for
- the diving sites, the crew, and the food
Great crew, great sites, and all the dives you can handle.
As a photographer the DMs were great at helping find the local critters. Good dive plans and site selections (diamond rock and twilight were amazing but all the sites were fantastic). Night dives every night!
- Recommended for
- Crew, night dives, food and snacks
Good value trips
Very good trip, small boat and not particularly luxurious but everything worked and it was good value for money considering the great food/drink and service provided by the fantastic crew. Ratings for Diving and Dive Guides together doesnt' make sense as they are completely independant - guides were excellent (5/5) and the diving was good but not outstanding (3/5) hence the 4/5 overall.
- Recommended for
- value for money, great crew & food
I've been a diver since 2013 and this trip open my eyes to the little aquatic live forms that I never noticed! Thanks Tuna!
My 100th dive along with the most fantastic night dives. From the Captain through the Divemaster everyone deserves a big thanks for sharing all the knowledge and make it so much fun. I'll be back!
- Recommended for
- The convince of the dives, the amount of dives available and the dive crew orientated.
I loved it from beginning to end.
Seeing new fish and creatures. Viewing how the crew worked together to provid us with the best time. Filiming an Octopus grabbing my camera.. I loved it.
- Recommended for
- The Crew!, the dive sites, and the food
Great adventure on board of CE II, comfortable stay and plenty of diving
We managed 25 dives during our time on board. I felt very safe and our dive masters were very knowledgeable about marine life as well as dive sites.Plenty of good food and beverages of every kind available. Overall good value, considering amount of dives available,boat quality and service provided. Thanks to captain Ian,Brett,Kathy,Jenny,Terry and chef Jim for good times on board of CE II. Hope to make this trip again Radek
- Recommended for
- The boat is spacious, well equipped , good AC in cabins,and crew is awesome and very dedicated to their customer
Good value trips
Very good trip, small boat and not particularly luxurious but everything worked and it was good value for money considering the great food/drink and service provided by the fantastic crew. Ratings for Diving and Dive Guides together doesnt' make sense as they are completely independant - guides were excellent (5/5) and the diving was good but not outstanding (3/5) hence the 4/5 overall.
- Recommended for
- value for money, great crew & food
So friendly while at the same time professional
The variety of diving.
- Recommended for
- Diving everyday, friendliness of staff, being at sea.
A fantastic dive and travel experience with a crew that made it special
Diving around Saba and having that as a backdrop to your trip. Having a dive guide if you wanted, but they were relaxed about you going off as buddy pairs as you wanted. The last night dive of the trip we had a nurse shark follow us and go on a feeding frenzy which was great to experience.
- Recommended for
- The macro life, crew and the boat setup, land tours to see the islands
Diving same sites repeatedly. Diving was within a small area, only (half side of Island Saba)
- Lobsters that do not hide - Squid attracted by light on night dives - Relaxing easy diving
- Recommended for
- Socially good atmosphere on board, - Great fellow guests, - Professional diving crew
A great trip made unforgettable by a fantastic crew.
Having the opportunity to dive up to 5X/day. The crew made the week so much fun with their friendly, bubbly personalities. They make you feel at home and are committed to you having the best time possible. The chef is wonderful and makes amazing food. Everyone ate very, very well all week long.
- Recommended for
- Crew, food and high diving volume
Saba & St.Kitts
A few sharks at Saba & Seahorses
- Recommended for
- Great crew, nice guests, good organization
Almost customized cruise
Only two guests on board. We were able to adapt the schedule to our wishes. Because of weather conditions we missed a day in Saba, but st Kitts was unexpectedly good
- Recommended for
- A few divers - a lot of dives - 2 visits possible
Great Experience with nice people
We have dived multiple times on the same dive site (Saba) but it was still pretty interesting, with some sharks, seahorses and lot of small stuff. I have enjoyed a lot the night dives at Saba with the famous nurse shark there, which was hunting with the help of our strobes:) The crew was outstanding and really helpfull.
- Recommended for
- food, diving, crew
A very nice week with good dives.
Dives and excursions on the islands of St. Kitts and Saba, though St. Kitts appierce to me too expensive. The vessel needs a brush up, the airconditioner is not adjustible and it was very cold in the cabin.
- Recommended for
- The dives, the guides and the food.
Mixed experiences, good food and smelly cabin
Highlight one (in a negative sense!) was the urine stink in our cabin that did not go away during the whole trip. Highlight two (in a negative sense!) was, that there was one dive instructor and one divemaster (or none) for a mixed group of 12 divers, some of them completely inexperienced but with cameras and no notion about buoyancy or of a very high age (80) or completely crazy, wearing gloves all the time and touching things, forgetting his weight belt and using a corral block during the dive, is just NOT enough. Because a divemaster (the captain) did a bad job during the dives with the old lady, my buddy and I were asked to take care of her during the dives (buddy OWD and I advanced)... We had a good time anyway but the only one who thanked us afterward was the old lady who felt safe and cared for. Highlight three (in a negative sense!) was the featured "green fins" talk but there was no intervention when pointing out that divers used gloves in a natural marine park and touching all possible things and so on. True (positive) highlights were of course the flora and fauna and the visibility under water. Also the chief was great and the dive instructors and masters (except the captain) were as helpful as they could.
- Recommended for
- The chief was great and his food very delicious. The dive sites and the visibility were great (first time seahorses). The crew was funny and very attentive.