Arenui: "Fantastic Service, Accomodations, and Diving", Jun, 2016,by Robert DeFeo, NJ, US (![]() |
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Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best): |
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Accommodations | N/A | Food | ![]() |
Service and Attitude | ![]() |
Environmental Sensitivity | ![]() |
Dive Operation | ![]() |
Shore Diving | N/A |
Snorkeling | N/A | ||
Overall Rating |
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Value for $$ | ![]() |
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Beginners | ![]() |
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Advanced | ![]() |
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Comments | The Arenui sets the bar for liveaboard diving in the areas of service, accommodations, diving, food, and crew-client interaction. The most professional, recreational liveaboard operation I have ever experienced. Cruise directors, G and Lisa are consummate professionals and are very enthusiastic and friendly dive leaders and providers of total service. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every conversation with them and came away impressed by their knowledge and manner. This operation should be a teaching organization for all dive boat operators and cruise directors. Luxury treatment all the way which exceeds the hype in their marketing materials. It truly is a boutique luxury diving experience. Rooms are well appointed, designed, and maintained. The exotic feel of the all wooden construction is wonderful. Sixteen dives, 23 crew members and each crew member is jovial, courteous, helpful and knows your name from the first minute onboard. Food was delicious and plentiful with dinning under stars each night on the top deck. Breakfast made to order, menus for lunch posted and dinner menu selections worked individually person-to-person by the head steward during the day. You'll feel like a king/queen onboard the Arenui. Diving was pretty spectacular! Wonderful aquatic life encounters both macro and large. The manta rays were plentiful and close to divers. Macro was extraordinary and in line with Indonesia's reputation for diversity. Crew handles all dive equipment. You don't touch it after you arrive. They do all positioning, servicing, and set up. They pay close attention to equipment positioning and re-set your gear the way you like it. They also rinse and dry all dive gear including wetsuits while handing you a warm towel. Quite a luxury experience. Water temperatures were between 81-86 so a 3mm was plenty though I did not use a wetsuit and never became cold. Four dives per day including a night dive every night. Wonderful scheduling,and dive spot selections. They modify their schedule based on conditions and do not just plop you into the water without full consideration of the conditions. They varied our dives based on best available conditions within itinerary range of the boat. Very impressive! NITROX available and accurate. Fills exceeded 3000 psi regularly. Great camera facilities. This is a truly outstanding operation and the shore excursions conducted to Komodo Island and to a local village were very impressive and welcomed. Once in a lifetime experience that all divers should have on their bucket list. Total and complete service with beautiful dive sites:) | ||
Websites | Arenui | ||
Reporter and Travel |
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Dive Experience | Over 1000 dives | ||
Where else diving | Monterey, Channel Is, Sea of Cortez, Puget Sound, Caymans, Palau, Indonesia, Philippines, Truk, Fiji, Socorro Is, Texas lakes, Sonoma Coast, Big Island of Hawaii, Kauai, Roatan | ||
Closest Airport | Lauanbajo | Getting There | JFK-Dubai-Bali-Launanbajo |
Dive Conditions |
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Weather | sunny | Seas | calm, surge |
Water Temp | 81-86°F / 27-30°C | Wetsuit Thickness | 3 |
Water Visibility | 20-120 Ft/ 6-37 M | ||
Dive Policy |
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Dive own profile | yes | ||
Enforced diving restrictions | 130 ft, 70 mins, no solo diving, recommended 5 min safety stops | ||
Liveaboard? | yes | Nitrox Available? | yes |
What I Saw |
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Sharks | Lots | Mantas | Squadrons |
Dolphins | 1 or 2 | Whale Sharks | None |
Turtles | > 2 | Whales | None |
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best): |
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Corals | ![]() |
Tropical Fish | ![]() |
Small Critters | ![]() |
Large Fish | N/A |
Large Pelagics | ![]() |
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Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best): |
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Subject Matter | ![]() |
Boat Facilities | ![]() |
Overall rating for UWP's | ![]() |
Shore Facilities | N/A |
UW Photo Comments | Interior and exterior camera tables. Interior with charging stations. Nicely arranged. Cameras handled by crew in an exceptionally careful manner |
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