Duke of York

Although described as a “luxury liveaboard” and in many ways resembling one, Duke of York does in fact sit firmly within the mid-price range for Maldives liveaboards. 

This is a stylish, contemporary yacht with a spa, large ocean-view cabins, 3 huge sundecks, and free nitrox for certified divers. 

Most trips are around the Central Maldives but routes to the South and North regions are also sometimes available. 

For extra activities, there are kayaks, an underwater scooter, fishing, snorkeling and a beach bbq. 

Great for:  Spa, Kayaks, Free Nitrox, Underwater Scooter

Trip Lengths: 2 – 10 Nights

Max Guests: 21

Price: $$ (Mid-Price)

Duke of York Liveaboard at sea

Duke of York is one of the very few Maldives liveaboards where it’s possible to get massage treatment from the “onboard spa” – although this actually happens from the comfort of your own cabin. Every cabin features plenty of space, aircon and an ensuite bathroom, with main and upper deck cabins also offering large ocean-view windows. 

On all trips, there are welcome cocktails and a beach bbq under an incredible starlit sky. There are also kayaks, fishing and snorkeling gear plus an underwater scooter!

Most trips are around the famous Central Maldives; here guests can enjoy incredible dives such as manta cleaning stations, night dives with a hundred nurse sharks, channel dives with hundreds of grey reef sharks and many more of the Maldives finest dive sites where you can see mantas, sharks, turtles and fish over a varied and dramatic underwater landscape.

Sometimes, routes to the rarely visited north are available: where guests can see the very best of the Maldives hard and soft coral reefs plus many manta cleaning stations. Trips to the also-rarely-visited south are sometimes available; this is the best place in the Maldives for shark action, with many rarer species such as threshers, tigers and hammerheads seen here. 

The restaurant is located on the main deck and there guests can enjoy a buffet of mouth watering Italian and Maldivian cuisine prepared lovingly by the talented onboard chef. This is also connected onto the indoor saloon, bar and lounge area with Plasma TV entertainment system. 

For outside common areas, there is a huge sundeck with partial shading as well as several partially shaded outdoor lounge areas with many sun loungers, sun mats and deck chairs. Staff are all very well trained, experienced and friendly; guest reviews frequently cite them as going above and beyond to create an incredible trip whilst scuba diving the Maldives. 

Written by:

Alex

Alex

Scuba fanatic, travel ecstatic and loveable rogue. A rootless divemaster and perpetual adrenaline-junky, Alex holds the esteemed rank of Grand Admiral of the Diving Squad; a title he most nobly awarded to himself. A scuba-junky since 2014, he's dived much of the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Maldives, Red Sea, Ireland, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama. It's hard to say where he'll pop up next for he never settles; forever a leaf on the wind... or perhaps a lone bubble blasted along on the current.