Crystal Blue Resort
- Description
- Boat layout
- Boat Specifications
- Raja Ampat Itinerary
- Komodo Itinerary
- Banda Sea Itinerary
Completely renovated in 2017, the Solitude Adventurer liveaboard offers year-round dive trips to some of the best dive areas in Indonesia. Catering to 18 guests, she was built by divers for divers to offer modern comforts and high levels of service. There is a choice of 3 cabins styles on board, including 1 Stateroom with King bed or 2 twins plus a day bed, 6 Deluxe cabins with twin beds and 1 Standard quad cabin, perfect for a family or a group of friends. Each cabin is en-suite with hot and cold water shower and features AC, safety deposit box, hairdryer, bath/face towels and shower gel and shampoo. Located on either the main or upper deck all cabins also have large picture windows offering stunning views.
Social areas include an indoor lounge, library, bar and dining room as well as a shaded outdoor lounge and dining area. Freshly prepared dishes of local and international cuisine are served buffet-style, and self-serve snacks are available around the clock. There is also a large sundeck located on the top level, a perfect place to enjoy the sea breeze and take in the surroundings.
Solitude Adventurer itineraries explore the best dive areas in Indonesia. Safaris range from 7 - 12-nights depending on the locations, and up to 3-4 dives can be completed per day. Areas visited include Raja Ampat, Misool, Ambon, the Banda Sea, Maumere and Komodo National Park. Photographers are well catered to as there is a dedicated camera station with separate rinse tank, air gun, and towels just for cameras, as well as a digital camera studio with PC for editing. Nitrox is also available at an extra charge for those certified.
Boat Specifications
Year built - 2000
Year renovated - 2017
Length - 36m
Beam - 12m
Top speed - 23 knots
Cruising speed - 10 knots
Engines - Two 1380 HP / 1015 kW MTU
Max guests - 18
Number of cabins - 8
Number of bathrooms - 8
Water capacity - 6000L
Fuel capacity - 25000L (6604 US Gal)
Freshwater maker - 15000L per Day
Boat Navigation and Safety
Radar
Depth Sounder
GPS
Radio VHF/DSC/SSB
E.P.I.R.B. Distress System
Emergency Rafts
Life Vests
Fire Alarm & Fire Extinguishers
Oxygen
First Aid Kits
Satellite & mobile phones
Crew trained in first aid
Emergency flares
Boat features
Laundry Service
Leisure Deck
Shaded diving deck
Camera Station
Daily housekeeping
Audio & video entertainment
Library
Air-Conditioned saloon
Aircon Cabins
Sun Deck
Indoor Saloon
Warm Water Showers
Separate rinse for u/w camera
Custom built for diving
Paid Internet
En-Suite bathrooms
Food & Drinks
Western Food
Local Food
Vegetarian Options
Buffet style
Beer available
Selection of wines
Snacks All Day
Diving
Nitrox available
Rinse hosts
Dive deck
Tenders for diving
The crew speaks English
Gear available for rental (please pay on board)
Raja Ampat Itinerary
8 Days / 7 Nights
Departure/Return: Sorong
Dives - Approximately 17 dives in total
Experience - Advanced Open Water - No minimum logged dives required.
Day 1: Check in from 2 pm. Dinner is included on the first night.
Days 2 - 7: 3-4 daily guided dives around Raja Ampat.
Raja Ampat is home to at least 75 percent of all coral species. Divers can expect a range of topography from soft corals and sea fans, to hard corals, seagrass beds, mangroves, shallow reefs, deep drop-offs, caves, black sand and white sand. Giant manta rays, sea turtles, sharks, cuttlefish, pipefish, various seahorse species and massive schools of reef fish are the norm, plus the delightful wobbegong sharks and epaulette sharks inhabit these waters too.
Day 8: Checkout by 10 am and return airport transfer.
Komodo North & South Itinerary
7 Days / 6 Nights
Departure / Return: Labuan Bajo
Dives - Approximately 15 dives in total
Experience - Advanced Open Water - No minimum logged dives required.
Day 1 – Embarkation (Labuan Bajo) begins from 0800Hrs
Embarkation at the harbor of Maumere starts from 0800Hrs to 1500Hrs. Only transfers from Labuan Bajo Domestic Airport are included in the cruise package.
Upon boarding Solitude Adventurer, a welcome from the rest of our crew awaits you. Orientation and registration (remember your C-Cards and/or Log Books!) will begin once you are welcomed. You are encouraged to complete your registration and general liability release forms prior to embarkation; this way you will save yourself some time with the orientation and can use this towards getting yourself settled in and rested! If you have not, there is nothing to worry about as you can complete them after the orientation to hand to your cruise directors. During the registration, Permit and National Park fees will be collected as well. Lunch and/or Dinner are included.
Days 2 - 6: 3-4 daily guided dives around the Komodo National Park.
Underwater Komodo is what diver´s dreams are made of with visibility up to 30 meters/ 98 ft. and marine life of all shapes and sizes. Plankton rich water that comes in from the deep surrounding waters makes the area thick with life. Huge shoals of fish and pelagics are on offer all around the islands. The protection from the National Park also means that the waters and reefs are incredibly healthy and well stocked with fish of all shapes and sizes.
The topography of Komodo and the shallow waters in between the Lesser Sunda Islands make for some serious current. You can experience up to 8 knots while diving and also highly changeable meaning most dives are drift dives. These currents are what bring the big life to Komodo though, with mantas, hammerheads, dolphins, and mola-mola making the most of the plankton-rich waters.
Macro lovers won´t be disappointed either, with pygmy seahorses wrapped around bright colored gorgonian fans and a rainbow of different nudibranchs on offer. Photographers can hope to get some great shots in Komodo, whether it is dramatic videos of sharks and mantas or close-ups with the elusive ornate ghost pipefish.
One of the best things about a Komodo liveaboard cruise is the sheer number of sites available on your dive trip so you never feel too overcrowded despite the popularity of the area.
MANTA ALLEY and MANTA POINT in the Komodo National park offer the chance to dive with manta rays that can number in the double digits and really shouldn’t be missed.
RINCA ISLAND - a trip here gives you the chance to see Komodo dragons on the beach but isn’t the only reason to go there either. The visibility can be slightly less but the sheer number of corals, nudibranch, and critters makes this the perfect location for macro photographers.
BATU BALONG, or current city, sits at the top of the list of must-see places on a Komodo liveaboard. The corals on the reef are healthy, colorful and teeming with fish life and reef sharks.
BIMA - Most liveaboard itineraries also include several dives in Bima which is muck diving heaven with nudibranch and blue-ringed octopus on the cards.
SANGEANG - Something completely unique awaits visitors at this volcanic island, an active volcano which has erupted several times up until a few years ago. In the black sand here there are bubbles coming out of the volcanic sand at bubble reef, from underwater vents beneath.
Day 7 - No diving, disembarkation (Labuan Bajo) at 1100hrs
Banda Sea - 9 days/8 nights
** Route Itinerary subject to change due to inclement weather, sea conditions, and/or restrictions posed by local authorities.
Day 1 – (Embarkation Day) Our crew will be waiting to greet you at the Airport in Ambon. After you are comfortably settled onboard and have completed registration, we will have the safety/orientation briefing. After lunch, schedule allowing, we will have a check dive at one of the famous macro dive sites in Laha, Ambon. Black sand slopes full of strange and interesting marine critters await you! During the night we will sail to the Banda Sea.
Day 2 – We wake up in the Banda Sea! Today you begin to experience the beauty of the Banda Sea with its healthy corals and giant sponges. The reefs and walls are packed full of fish and there’s a chance to encounter the Hammerhead shark! We will have 3-4 dives today around the islands of Suanggi and Run. We sail overnight to Manuk island.
Day 3 – We wake up to the sight of a volcano in the middle of nowhere! Several species of sea birds circle overhead. We dive 3-4 dives around Manuk island today. Beautiful corals, and a multitude of fish species call this place home. You will have a chance to dive with many sea snakes today, as Manuk island is also called “Snake Island”. The occasional smell of sulfur and the sight of smoke rising from this active volcano gives you a sense that you are in the land of the lost. Keep your fingers crossed for Hammerhead sharks. Again, we sail overnight, this time to the island of Serua.
Day 4 – Today we focus on a distinct area around Serua island. We dive here to search for Hammerhead sharks. Shallow reef tops give way to sloping reefs and walls that plunge into the deep. Abundant coral, giant sponges, and schooling fish such as Trevally, Surgeonfish, and fusiliers fill the water around the island. Always keep your eye out in the blue water for schooling Hammerhead sharks. Sea snakes can also be seen on most dives. The currents here can be strong and exciting. We will have 3-4 dives this day. Overnight we sail to Hatta Reef.
Day 5 – We spend the day diving at Hatta Reef and Hatta island. There are many dive sites here again packed with schooling fish and beautiful coral. There are walls, sloping reef, schools of fish, turtles, and also macro. Once again, there’s another chance to spot Hammerhead sharks. We will have 3-4 dives today and then sail to Banda Neira to anchor overnight.
Day 6 & 7 – We spend the next 2 days exploring the reefs and islands surrounding Banda Neira. There are tunnels, coral gardens, mini walls, and pinnacles. After the third dive on one of the days, there is an optional land tour to a Dutch Fort and small museum to learn about the Dutch occupation of the Banda islands, also known as the “Spice Islands”. Abundant coral, macro critters, schools of reef fish, and pelagic species thrive here. Late afternoon on Day 7 we will sail overnight to Nusa Laut. We will have 3-4 dives each day.
Day 8 – Our last day of diving. We will have 2 dives in the morning. A sloping wall with a beautiful coral reef full of schooling fish, and a macro site with a multitude of nudibranch species, pygmy seahorses, and many more interesting critters. After our last dive please allow our crew to wash your equipment and hang it to dry as we cruise during the afternoon back to Ambon. Relax that evening and prepare for your next day’s departure.
Day 9 – (Disembarkation) Our crew will transport you to the airport for your departure. Thank you, and see you next time!