Q: What is included in the package?
A: Your accommodation and housekeeping; all meals, snacks, and beverages; 3-4 guided dives per day (conditions permitting); aluminum 80 tanks (DIN and yoke), air, weights, and weight belts; breakfast on the day of disembarkation.
Q: What additional expenses will I be responsible for?
A: Transportation to and from the boat, anything purchased on board such as t-shirts, Nitrox, equipment rental, and National Park fees. All gratuities are appreciated and paid at the trip's end.
Q: How much do people usually tip, and how does that work?
A: Tips range, on average, 10% - 15% of the full fare. The gratuity is typically based on the regular fare if you received a discounted fare.
Your tip goes into the crew tip pool and is divided among all the crew on this vessel that worked to make your experience pleasurable, including the panga drivers, steward, captain, mechanic, chef, divemasters, etc.
If any particular crew member provided you with extraordinary service earning an additional tip, please give it to them directly.
You can pay your gratuity when you pay your final bill on the last day of your trip. It will include all expenditures.
All gratuities are greatly appreciated and certainly help make up for this industry's long hours and low wages.
Q: Does the ship have NITROX (EAN) available?
A: 32% NITROX (EAN) is available for an additional $140 per person for the trip.
We highly recommend Nitrox for Socorro to maximize your bottom time. If you are not Nitrox Certified, we can do this for you. Please see below regarding onboard diving certifications.
Q: How can I pay for any extras?
A: Mexico Liveaboards accepts US dollars, euros, and pesos, as well as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover credit cards. Mexico Liveaboards does not charge a fee for the use of credit cards.
Q: Where is the boat located?
A: The boat is docked at Marina Puerto los Cabos in San Jose del Cabo.
In Puerto Penasco, the boat is docked at Marina Fonatur Puerto Penasco.
Q: What time do we board?
A: For almost all of our trips, guests board at 5 pm on the day of departure. This way, many people can arrive on the day of departure without paying for a hotel room. Guests get settled and then enjoy a wonderful dinner at 7 pm.
Q: When do we disembark?
A: For Socorro trips, we disembark at 8:30am. Our crew will call taxis that can take guests to the airport, a hotel, or wherever they want to go.
We typically disembark at 7:30 am for Sea of Cortez trips so the shuttle can get guests to the airport in time for their afternoon flights.
Q: Are any particular travel documents required?
A: Just your passport. For guests flying into Mexico, you will be given a tourist card on the plane to fill out and receive an FMM from Mexican Immigration at the airport. You must purchase an FFM at the border for guests driving into Mexico.
Everyone should consult their home country's immigration status with Mexico for the necessary travel documents to avoid problems.
Q. What level of dive certification is required, or is there a minimum number of dives required?
A. We require that our guests be open-water certified. This is because a diver can be advanced but not have dived for 10 years or be new but is very comfortable in the water.
Diving can be challenging, and it is important that divers be in good health, dive regularly, and have been diving recently before their trip. Our divemasters and instructors are guides only and are not responsible for teaching dive skills or looking after guests who do not have basic buoyancy skills. Each diver is responsible for knowing their diving capabilities and limitations.
If a diver feels they need additional attention, we suggest a private divemaster.
Q. What does a private divemaster cost?
A. $75 per day for the trip. For a 10-day Socorro trip, this is $750. For an 8-day Sea of Cortez trip, this is $600.
If you want a private divemaster, this must be coordinated at least 30 days before your trip. Please contact us at info@MexicoLiveaboards.com.
Q: What should I bring?
A: Don't pack the closet; keep your packed clothing to a minimum. Dry-fit clothing is better: light shirts and shorts, maybe a pair of long pants, a sweater, or a windbreaker for breezy evenings. Bring your toiletries. There is shampoo, bath wash, and soap on the boat.
Bring your full dive gear, including an SMB (safety sausage).
We have limited BCDs, regulators, computers, and bigger tanks (steel HP100/12L) for rent. See more details below. There are shops in San Jose del Cabo where you can rent some gear, but it must be arranged in advance, and sometimes the quality is inconsistent. There is no place to rent dive gear in Puerto Penasco.
We provide bath and deck towels and change this out mid-trip. We do not have hairdryers on board.
We highly recommend exposure protection. Remember you will be doing multiple dives a day for several days.
Finally, bring your C-card or proof of diving certification and dive/evacuation insurance. The dive master will check this upon boarding. You will not be permitted to dive if you do not have this.
Q: What dive gear can I rent from you, and the cost?
A. We have a limited amount of the following gear available to rent:
Buoyancy Compensators (BCDs) / $50 per trip (please tell us the size)
Regulators / $50 per trip
Shearwater Peregrine Computers / $75 per trip
HP100 steel tanks / $50 per trip
All items are on a first-come, first-served basis. Please get in touch with Guest Services at Documents@MexicoLiveaboards.com to reserve any rental gear.
We DO NOT have exposure suits, fins, masks, SMBs, etc.
There is no place to rent gear in Puerto Penasco. In San Jose del Cabo, we recommend the following:
Manta Scuba
www.mantacabo.com
mantascuba@gmail.com
Dive Ninja Expeditions
www.DiveNinjaExpeditions.com
info@DiveNinjaExpeditions.com
Q: What thickness of wetsuit do I need?
A: We prefer to provide you with the projected diving conditions, and you determine what will keep you comfortable in the water. Everyone is different. What is enough to keep one person warm can be insufficient for another. In our experience, it is best to consider the water temperature, personal metabolic rate, length of the dives, and how many divers per day and trip.
Q: What are the water temperatures like:
A. Below is a list of average water temperatures:
SOCORRO ISLANDS
November to May
November 80ºF (26ºC)
December 80ºF (26ºC)
January 75ºF (24ºC)
February 73ºF-75ºF (23ºC-24ºC)
March 73ºF-75ºF (23ºC-24ºC)
April 75ºF (24ºC)
May 78ºF-80ºF (25ºC-26ºC)
SEA OF CORTEZ/MIDRIFF ISLANDS
July to Mid-September
The Sea of Cortez is a seasonal sea that changes temperature based on the seasons. Our trips begin in early July when the temperatures are approximately 73-78 degrees Fahrenheit (cooler in the northern portion of the diving and warmer in the south). It increases by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit every week, tops off at about 79-84 degrees mid-August, and remains there until about mid-September. After mid-September, the temperatures drop an average of 2 degrees Fahrenheit weekly.
SEA OF CORTEZ/EXPLORE BAJA
Mid-September - October
Our Explore Baja trips begin mid-September, where the northern portion will be in the high 70s and will continue to get warmer as you travel south.
The second trip of the season starts in the south and travels north. The water will begin in the mid-80s and cool slightly as you go north. You can expect the northernmost dive sites to be in the mid-to-high 70s.
For the third trip of the season, the waters are beginning to cool. Divers can expect the low to mid-70s in the northernmost dives, which will warm as we go south. The most southern dives will be in the mid-80s.
SEA OF CORTEZ/SOUTHERN SAFARI
September-October
Divers can expect warm temperatures in the mid-80s.
Q. Do you offer dive certifications on board?
A. We offer nitrox classes and certification through PADI on most of our trips.
The materials, instruction, and certification cost $230 per person. Nitrox is $120 for the trip.
If you can provide your own PADI materials, the price is $145 per person. Nitrox is $140 for the trip.
The price is subject to change without notice.
If you would like to take a nitrox certification class, please get in touch with Guest Services to confirm the availability of an instructor on your trip as well as make the appropriate arrangements.
Please contact us at least two weeks before your Socorro departure date and one month before your Sea of Cortez departure date to coordinate this for you.
For other dive certification options, please get in touch with info@MexicoLiveaboards.com.
Q: What are the meals like?
A: Bring your appetite as our food is one of the things that makes us so popular! All meals and snacks are included. Start your day early with a heavy continental breakfast with bagels, toast, yogurt, fresh fruit, cereals, fresh juices, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. After your first dive, you will enjoy an American-style breakfast consisting of items such as pancakes, waffles, eggs, breakfast meats, and potatoes. After your second dive, you will return to a hearty lunch with homemade soup followed by a plated meal such as fish, beef, or chicken, fresh vegetables, homemade pasta salads, burgers, fish tacos, and more. In the mid-afternoon, our chef will prepare a lovely snack with items such as mini sandwiches, sliced cheese and meats, nachos, guacamole, etc. You will end your day with a beautiful, three-course dinner starting with a plated salad, a main course with seafood, beef, chicken, or pork cooked with savory spices, vegetables, pasta, and potatoes. The dessert is homemade and an excellent way to end the day.
Weather permitting, we have a special evening on the top of our boat where our chef prepares carne asada, and the entire crew joins in to serve you.
Hot and cold beverages, including canned soft drinks, are available throughout the day.
We provide complimentary local beer and wine after your last dive of the day.
Q. Can you accommodate special dietary needs?
A. We can accommodate most dietary requests, which include vegetarians, vegans, and most food allergies. Please note this on your passenger forms and remind the crew upon boarding.
Q: Drinking and diving?
A: This is prohibited. When your alcohol consumption starts, your diving is done for the day – no exceptions.
Q: Can I bring my own liquor on board?
A: Yes, you are welcome to do so.
Q: Smoking?
A: Yes, you may on the uppermost sun deck only. Please ask the crew upon boarding. Please be considerate of your non-smoking shipmates.
Q: Are insurance and waivers required?
A: Yes. This is completed online:
Please complete this at least 30 days before boarding. Once you complete the document and electronically sign the liability release, you can download a copy for your records.
Q. I am a returning guest. Do I have to complete all of my information again?
A. No, we have a returning customer portal. Please email Guest Services at for access.
Q. Where can I purchase dive/evacuation insurance?
A. We recommend Divers Alert Network.
Q: Do you offer private charters and custom itineraries?
A: Absolutely. We can customize a trip itinerary around the unique desires of the charter group. We can also prepare for cuisine and dietary requests; special diving programs; scientific and oceanographic research; photographic safaris; whale shark, and great whale encounters. Or you can charter the boat for yourself and good friends or family to enjoy a memorable adventure together. Contact us to design a custom charter tailored to your specifications and make Rocio del Mar or Quino el Guardian your private vessel at info@MexicoLiveaboards.com.