Cruising
Carpe Diem Maldives voted amongst world’s top 10 dive liveaboards
Carpe Diem Maldives’ fleet has been recognised as one of the best dive liveaboards in the world by readers of DIVE Magazine UK for the second year running.
At this year’s DEMA dive travel fair in the US, Dive Magazine announced the Top 10 Dive Liveaboards in the World 2018. All three liveaboard vessels in the Carpe Diem Cruises fleet were shortlisted in the final 25, with the first boat, Carpe Diem being placed highest in sixth place.
The awards are endorsed by readers and general public voting, and as the only Maldives liveaboard operator to receive the accolade for two consecutive years, Carpe Diem Cruises has become known as the ‘must-go-to’ dive safari operator for any novice or serious diver planning on visiting the Maldives.
Award-Winning Luxury Diving
Since 2008, Carpe Diem Maldives has been growing to create dive and surf experiences with the mission of experiencing the excitement and anticipation of the Maldivian waters. From the first boat, Carpe Diem, the fleet has grown to become a collection of three luxury liveaboard dive and surf cruises, serviced by three teams of passionately dedicated crew. Carpe Diem Cruises are the only liveaboard operator in the Maldives to offer diving adventures with all-Maldivian Dive Masters.
“When we began our dive safaris with the Carpe Diem vessel in 2008, this sector of tourism was still quite young and undeveloped in this destination. I am delighted that our boats have been acknowledged with this global award for two consecutive years, giving recognition also to the local boat building industry. Carpe Diem, Carpe Vita and Carpe Novo were all designed and built at our shipyard on Innamaadhoo in Raa atoll, with the specific intention of catering to the growing diving and surfing tourism sectors,” says Amir Mansoor, Managing Director of Carpe Diem Maldives.
Diving with Top Class Service
The company name is Latin for “Seize the day” and for Carpe Diem Cruises it is with the intention of experiencing the thrill and natural beauty of diving underwater in one of the world’s best scuba diving destinations. Year round, the Maldives has an abundance of dive sites with one inspiring dive encounter after another.
For travellers who are on a mission to live life to the full, seek the exceptional, thrive in the new, and in equal measure, enjoy the comforts of a little luxury while you discover everything this Indian Ocean destination has to offer, then Carpe Diem Cruises offers this in abundance.
With the native knowledge of Carpe Diem Cruises’ local dive masters and guides, guests immerse themselves in beautiful shoals of butterflyfish and oriental sweetlips, drift into the deep blue with white tips, hammerheads, manta rays and whale sharks, ride the currents along coral-filled overhangs with eagle rays, napoleon wrasse and blue marlin, or spot an octopus amidst the rocks.
Agnes van Linden, Assistant Managing Director of Carpe Diem Maldives, has overseen and developed Carpe Diem Cruises over the last 10 years: “From the very beginning, we believed great scuba diving, wave surfing and tailor made trips needn’t cost a fortune and should always be respectful of our natural environment. The friendly service and expertise of our crew is a key reason why our guests return time and again for another adventure-filled cruise. With the rise of surfing tourism to the Maldives, in 2019 we have added four dedicated surf safari weeks catering to this growing interest from independent travellers. In those weeks, the guide will also be an experienced Maldivian surfer who knows the breaks and shares his local knowledge.”
Each of the three vessels has 10-12 cabins, cater for a 20-22 guests, who can also enjoy the time onboard snorkelling, paddle boarding or simply relaxing on the top deck when not diving. Each cruise is a PADI certified dive centre and offers diving courses from novice to advanced and specialty skills. Offering year-round cruises, the itineraries cover central atolls, routes to the south and crossing the equator, as well as to the north where lesser known dives sites offer unique encounters with the underwater world.
Established in 2008, Carpe Diem Maldives showcases a fleet of luxury liveaboard cruises and is currently expanding its operations in the Maldives with a new 115-room pool villa resort in the northern Raa atoll.
Carpe Diem is renowned for delivering a sense of discovery, adventure and always with expertise that enriches our guests knowledge and time with us. The Carpe Diem name has built significant brand recognition within the top echelons of the travel industry for diving & leisure, and the current portfolio includes 3 high end liveaboard cruises, each catering 20 guests at a time. With the expansion into resorts, Carpe Diem is one of the most unique and only hospitality brand in the Maldives to offer year-round liveaboard cruises and resort stays.
To experience the paradise of the Maldives with adventure, excitement and fun onboard Carpe Diem Cruises, visit www.carpediemmaldives.com.
Cruising
Last call to cruise Maldives aboard Four Seasons Explorer
Last call! The stunning Four Seasons Explorer will be cruising through the sun-drenched turquoise atolls until May 1, 2023 – leaving intrepid explorers just a few months to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime Maldivian odyssey between the two Four Seasons resorts of Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru before the boat relocates to thrilling new waters.
This is an incredible final opportunity to escape on an all-inclusive 3-, 4-, or 7-night Winter of Wonders cruise on board the luxurious three-deck, 11-cabin catamaran, experiencing multiple bucket-list encounters each day.
Guests can dive and snorkel isolated reefs, encounter rare marine animals up close, dine under the stars in the middle of nowhere and indulge in spa treatments on remote, uninhabited islands. Retiring to 10 spacious cabins or the unrivalled Explorer Suite to reenergise and rejuvenate, each cruise fluidly adapts to the needs of onboard guests and the best of the surrounding waters on any given day.
Secure one of the last remaining places on Four Seasons Explorer – Four Seasons only “floating resort” – before she bids farewell to the Maldives for the last time.
To be one of the last guests to experience a Maldivian atoll cruise aboard Four Seasons Explorer, contact the Central Reservations Department team at tel: (960) 66 00 888 or email reservations.mal@fourseasons.com.
Action
Dive into luxury at sea with Four Seasons Explorer seasonal cruise routes
After many months cooped up at home, and many missed travel experiences, Four Seasons Explorer – the brand’s only floating resort – offers marine adventurers a ticket to fresh sea air, blissful seclusion, bucket-list experiences, and a different view every morning with two extraordinary seasonal cruise itineraries: Winter of Wonders, and Summer of Mantas.
Available to a maximum of 22 guests at a time, the gleaming 39-metre (128 foot), three-deck vessel takes divers, snorkellers and avid adventurers on all-inclusive three-, four- or seven-night odysseys into some of the Indian Ocean’s most abundant waters, complete with gourmet dining, spa therapies, water sports, island visits and Four Seasons inimitable service standards.
From now until May 29, 2022 (and again from October 31 to December 18, 2022), experience a different extraordinary every day with Winter of Wonders cruises: endless bucket-list encounters across five atolls, from coral-ceilinged caves to camera-happy sharks, swim-through tunnels to a fish-filled wreck. Winter of Wonders cruises sail between Four Seasons two sister Maldivian Resorts on a 3-, 4- and 7-night itinerary, departing from Kuda Huraa on Mondays and Landaa Giraavaru on Thursdays.
From June 27 to October 31, 2022, itineraries change to Summer of Mantas, in line with the huge seasonal aggregations of manta rays and whale sharks that come to the region to feed. Get up close and personal with the world’s largest known population of manta rays alongside The Manta Trust team dedicated to studying them during an epic gentle giants odyssey through the Baa Atoll UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and into Rasdhoo, North and South Ari Atolls. Summer of Mantas cruises depart from and arrive back to Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru on a 3-,4- and 7-night itinerary.
Each of the 10 air-conditioned staterooms offer blue-hued views through large windows, along with spacious ensuite bathrooms, refrigerated private bars, and flat-screen LCD TVs. For the ultimate luxury, the expansive Explorer Suite boasts an abundance of interior space, a wall of windows, and its own sunbathing deck.
A floating 5-Star PADI Dive Centre, Four Seasons Explorer features the latest Scubapro dive gear, Cressi snorkelling gear and Olympus cameras, while a team of multi-lingual instructors share the full spectrum of PADI courses at a bespoke pace with highly individualised attention.
Sandbank spa treatments, gourmet dining, and water sports take the Four Seasons experience to sea within sleek, chic interiors that include a new sun deck, a lounge, a library, a restaurant and two bars.
The boat is also available for private dive, surf or leisure charters for groups of up to 22.
With the health and safety of its guests and staff a top priority, Four Seasons Explorer provides the ultimate care, confidence, trust and comfort through its Lead With Care programme – heightened health and safety protocols led by global experts that include enhanced cleanliness, physical distancing measures in shared spaces, and empowering staff training grounded in emotional intelligence. In addition, Four Seasons App and Chat provide the reassurance of contactless real-time interactions in 100+ different languages.
For the oceanic adventure of a lifetime, contact Central Reservations at tel: (960) 66 00 888, email: reservations.mal@fourseasons.com or book online.
Cruising
Superyacht Nord in Maldives
Currently exploring the countless islands of the Maldives in the Indian Ocean is the 142-metre superyacht Nord, owned by Russian billionaire Alexei Mordashov.
Since late December, Nord has been spotted in Baa Atoll, home to several world-leading luxury resorts, as well as the southern island-atoll of Fuvahmulah, which is world-renowned for diving with tiger sharks.
Delivered in 2021 as one of the largest superyachts in the fleet at 10,154 GT, she was built at the German shipyard Lürssen in Bremen with Moran Yacht & Ship overseeing her build. Formerly known as Project Opus, she was designed inside and out by the Italian studio Nuvolari Lenard.
Made from steel and aluminium to PYC standards, the warship style vessel encompasses six decks and can accommodate up-to 36 guests across 20 cabins.
On bridge deck level, a large helicopter landing deck aft with fold-down side platforms provide shelter for Nord’s helicopter that can be stowed away in a retractable hangar that slides neatly into the superstructure when not in use.
A large sports and diving centre on the lower deck, oversized swimming pool on the main deck and a fleet of custom tenders are just some of the other features on board this impressive vessel.
Photos: Ammadu/Ajaaibu
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