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Dive Review of Phoenix Liveaboard in
Bahamas/New Providence, Exuma Cays

Phoenix Liveaboard: "Like Having Your Own Boat, plus a chef/captain and Dive Master", Nov, 2019,

by Daniel Fazekas, VA, US (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 11 reports with 2 Helpful votes). Report 11225 has 1 Helpful vote.

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 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 2 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments The Phoenix is a Lagoon 450 (45’) catamaran. It has four berths with double beds, each with its own head and shower. Three meals per day and snacks expertly prepared by Oleg, our chef and Captain. Dinner and lunch were chicken, steak, pork, pasta, cole slaw, potatoes, but done differently each time. Breakfast was usually eggs and potatoes, but done differently each time. You will not starve on this cruise. Alcohol is additional charge. The berths are quiet and comfortable with large hatches for venting. Air conditioning is available during the hot times, but our week was very comfortable, 78-83 degrees Fahrenheit.
My wife and I happened to be the only passengers on this cruise, due to cancellations, but they sailed anyway. We arrived on a Saturday morning, our gear was set up and we were off to the Blue Hole. Fantastic dive site! Large loggerhead turtles, southern stingrays, and sharks. We had two dives there, then sailed into the night for the Exuma Cays, Dog Rocks and the Washing Machine, a drift dive that covered 3 miles. After two days in the Exumas, we motor-sailed to the West End of New Providence Island for the rest of our week and logged some great dives, including walls, reefs, wrecks, and sharks. The shark dives were near the moorings at the Shark Arena that are used exclusively by Stuart Cove for their two tank shark dive experience. We used a different mooring, and deliberately delayed our entry to get to the Shark Arena after the feeding was over. That way, we could get close to the reef sharks, groupers and nurse sharks circling without the frenzy.
Our Dive Master, Tom, was very relaxed and competent, and provided detailed dive briefings. He was very familiar with the sites and always checked the current before our dives. Other than the shark dives, we never encountered other divers, which helped us see a lot of schooling fish and sharks. The reefs are healthy but not as colorful as we remembered from our diving here 12 years earlier. Lionfish were seen on nearly every dive.

There is lots of room on board to chill out between dives. There is a compressor on board and lots of space for tanks and gear.
Websites Phoenix Liveaboard   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Exuma Cays Bahamas, Belize, Bonaire, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Florida Keys, Roatan, Kona, St. Croix, British Virgin Islands
Closest Airport Nassau Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas choppy
Water Temp 82-84°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 100-150 Ft/ 30-46 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Maximum depth
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? no

What I Saw

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

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

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Fresh water tub. Area in the galley for charging batteries.
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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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