Lucky Marine Liveaboard, Thailand

An exciting first experience

This was my first liveaboard, so I was not sure what to expect. I read a lot of reviews prior to booking, and requested additional photos and clarifications before paying the final installment. Several weeks before departure, the entire dates and arrangements changed; it was brought forward by four days. This was very unsettling, but I was compensated with complimentary transfers and equipment rental. The boat itself was not quite ready to depart when we boarded. The bunk cabins are very small, with very hard beds, and they had no individual lighting (only common lighting). But the A/C worked well for me. We were provided with two towels: one for the bath, and one for the ocean. The food was plentiful, varied, and delicious. There were meals or snacks at 6 am, 9 am, 12 noon, 3 pm and dinner at different times. It was impossible to be undernourished. My main praise was for my guide, Laura, who was very good. She kept track of everyone in our group (six plus her) and on the one occasion that someone was temporarily separated acted quickly to locate and reunite. She regularly paused to count heads and also to identify sea creatures. I would dive with her again. The dive spots were all (with one exception) ideal and as expected. On the dives were saw extraordinary abundance of sealife and many things for me were for the first time: mantis shrimp; tuna; huge lobsters; black-tipped reef shark. The water was very clear and visibility was great; The coral was mostly in superb condition; there was hardly any trash or plastic (unlike Nusa Lembongan a month earlier). The crew who prepared our equipment and transported us on the dingy were mostly effective and competent, although sometimes the equipment was reassembled incorrectly or altered. My main problems with the boat were several: (1) there was always cigarette smoke coming into the common areas because people smoked on the bow (not the sun deck) so it came in windows and doors. I could almost never find a smoke-free place. I complained but to no avail. (2) There was no safety and security briefing before we set sail (no one showed us emergency procedures or location of life raft). I raised this as we parted company. (3) The pre-dive briefings were insufficiently detailed with regard to depth and timing. Most of the key content was there, but generally they missed regularly key details. There was no discussion of backup or safety plans. (4) The area for putting on equipment was very congested. There simply isn't enough space for everyone. (5) The limited English of the crew at times caused confusion, but the divers were from 15 countries, so that can hardly be a pressing issue. (6) The other problem was the wifi. I had several meeting to attend online and I confirmed in advance that this would not be a problem. But as we departed we were suddenly informed that for 48 hours there would be no network. I hastily rearranged one mtg, and an accommodation was made for a second. But this was really unfortunate. All in all, I would definitely dive with Laura again. It was definitely good value for money. Having said that, there are many boats operating in the area. If I returned to Phuket, I probably would chose a different boat in the future. But it was largely a superb first experience.

Recommended for

Laura my guide. the location for dives. the good food.

02 Mar, 2026

A trip to remember

The Lucky. Marine liveaboard was a great 5 day trip in Thailand. The staff was very friendly and professional, providing for your every need when they became aware of it. The dive masters were all very knowledgeable of the areas we visited, and very focused on the safety of their divers. Despite the inevitable hick-ups that come along, my guide Margaux was always professional, making the right call in difficult situations. (sorry Margaux about not getting the time to thank you personally.) The dives were beautiful, filled with a lot of diverse sea life and varied topography. If you like Thai food, which I do, you will love the cuisine. I cannot say enough about the helpfulness of the organization. When I got to the airport from the boat I realized I had dropped my wallet somewhere. After a couple of emails and talks with the staff they were able to find it and drive it to the airport before my flight. In addition, they were able to bring a shirt in my size that they did not have on hand at the boat, so I got the shirt I wanted too! This willingness to go above and beyond to help their customers out of a tough situation is commendable, and rare in today’s world. Thank you to the crew and owners of Lucky Liveaboard for an outstanding time and above and beyond customer service.

Recommended for

Outstanding staff. Great guides. Good food.

04 Jan, 2026

Best scuba diving experience ever

It would be best liveaboard choice for Similan.They go every other diving points for each diving. Great chance to explore numerous sites in Similan and Surin islands. Before you go on a diving, the dive master check the condition of the ocean in beforehand. Thus, Lucky Marine Liveaboard would be the perfect tour to start your first liveboard trip. They also check the level of each divers proficiency to schedule the best dives.Dive masters are really great at spotting the underwater creatures. I had couple of liveaboard diving before, however, never seen as many as huge underwater creatures like this tour.Food is great. they provide meals and snacks in between every other diving. Each meals provided with western style and Thai cuisine which is real savory.The whole crew was expert at preparing for dive. You get to rent numerous diving equipment which would perfect to your body fit.The boat is almost brand new. Even if you are staying in a budget cabin, restroom is almost available for whole time. Highly recommended.

Recommended for

Great staff. Great facilities. Perfect sites.

30 Dec, 2023