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Dive Review of Amira in
Indonesia/Raja Ampat

Amira: "AMIRA in Raja Ampat: the best", Nov, 2016,

by ann mcgrath, VA, US (Sr. Contributor Sr. Contributor 26 reports with 19 Helpful votes). Report 9319 has 2 Helpful votes.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 4 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling 5 stars
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments AMIRA is seriously the best liveaboard I've been on, and I've been on a lot!

The boat is very spacious, not only lots of room in the cabin and salon, but on the boat overall. I had the single cabin, smaller than the huge double cabins, but had tons of room, two portholes, lots of hooks for hanging clothes, more storage than I could use, a safe, a fire extinguisher and emergency light. The video on safety features makes sure everything is covered. The bathrooms are lined in a mosaic of stone and tile. There was always plenty of hot water!

The briefing area is also roomy. They organize the three tender boats so each group gets ready separately, so there's no crowding on the dive deck or the boats. They issue an ENOS satellite device to every diver, in case you get lost. But the dive guides take good care of every diver, so even though there is a lot of current on some dive sites, the guides will get you safely back. They will try to find whatever you are looking for.

The cooking crew is also excellent. Probably the best food I've had on a liveaboard also. There are fresh cooked treats after the afternoon five, fresh ginger tea after the first dive, and a delicious juice or smoothie after other dives. Hot chocolate after night dives.

Usually, 4 dives offered daily. The gear is put back at your station after every dive, and cameras rinsed. Nitrox is available, and they will analyze each tank for you. You can carry your gear yourself, or they will put it on the boat and take it off the boar. At the end of the trip, they rinse out all the gear, dry it in the sun, and take it wherever you plan to pack it.

A brilliant idea, they stagger each boat of divers so everyone is not gearing up at the same time. The crew are friendly and always helpful. There are about 20 crew on the ship!

Dining outside is lovely, and covered with a permanent cover. If it's raining or just too hot, you can eat in the salon, which has several tables, couches and tables.

Getting in and out of the boats is easy, there's a platform as wide as the AMIRA from which you just step into or out of the smaller boats.

Like most other boats, they ring a bell for dive briefings, meals and excursions. There was a sunset party with sangria the last night, and the crew sang for hours after dinner (a huge sushi spread).

Now that I have been totally spoiled, all I can say is: book a cruise on the AMIRA! The divers and snorkelers on my trip all had a great time.

Note: I list a few mantas, but it was more than 1 or 2. One day, we had great encounters with mantas on all day dives. Wobbegong sharks were often spotted, as were Pygmy sea horses. Huge schools of fish, and amazing hard and soft corals. Probably one of the last truly healthy reef systems!

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving Caribbean, Thailand, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Galapagos
Closest Airport Sorong Getting There Jakarta or makassar

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, cloudy Seas calm, currents
Water Temp 84-86°F / 29-30°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 20-50 Ft/ 6-15 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Restricted only by nitrox limits
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins 1 or 2 Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 5 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 3 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Good sized camera room, but if there are more than 8 cameras, it may get crowded. Crew always put my camera on my boat before I got there, and put it in the rinse tank after. There are 2 rinse tanks each for cameras, wet suits and masks.
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Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By Gabrielle Villarino in Prachuap Khiri Khan, TH at Nov 21, 2016 00:26 EST  
Thanks Ann !! WE TRY our best to be the BEST !! Gabrielle - MSV AMIRA
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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