Shopping around for your next liveaboard adventure? Then some good advice is to make sure you look beyond the headline price.
While you think you might be getting a good price, the cost you see when comparing trips isn’t always the final amount you’ll pay. There might still be some sizeable costs to come.
Depending on the operator and destination, mandatory extras such as marine park fees, port charges, fuel surcharges and Nitrox can all be added separately.
Individually, they might not seem significant. Together, they can make a big difference to the real cost of your diving holiday.
How much can liveaboard extras add?
Typical additional charges can include:
- Marine park and conservation fees: US$100-350
- Port and harbour fees: Vary by destination and itinerary
- Fuel surcharges: US$100-300 or US$15-35 per night
- Nitrox: US$100-200 per week
Taken together, that’s potentially US$300-850 or more per person on top of the advertised trip price.
These are legitimate costs. Marine park fees contribute towards protecting the underwater environments we’ve travelled to see, while fuel and port charges are unavoidable parts of operating a liveaboard.
The question isn’t whether those costs exist. It’s whether they’re included in the price you see when you book.
What you see if what you pay with Emperor Divers
Emperor Divers takes a different approach.
Its No Hidden Extras promise means the price advertised for an Emperor liveaboard already includes the compulsory operational charges that can otherwise appear later.
That means you don’t pay more for marine park fees, port and harbour fees, fuel surcharges, there’s free Nitrox for certified divers, and you even get complimentary wine with dinner!
There isn’t another compulsory bill waiting at the end of the booking process.
It makes comparing trips easier too. Rather than comparing one operator’s all-inclusive price with another’s headline fare, divers can see what an Emperor trip will actually cost from the outset.
More diving, fewer surprises
Emperor Divers has been taking guests diving for more than 30 years and is one of the most respected companies in the industry.
Their No Hidden Extras promise extends across their liveaboards in the Red Sea, Maldives, Indonesia and Solomon Islands, as well as Red Sea day-diving centres in Egypt.
The philosophy is straightforward: be clear about what the trip costs before you book.
A diving holiday should be memorable for the surprise sightings underwater – not for the surprise extras on your bill.
Exceptional diving. Honest pricing. No Hidden Extras.
