Ocean Rover luxury liveaboard diving cruises in South East Asia - News and information updates

NEWS UPDATES


Ocean Rover on Global “TOP TEN” Liveaboard List

Unterwasser, a major European dive publication, listed Ocean Rover in their April 2006 issue’s “The 10 Best Dive Safaris in the World”. The magazine, which focuses on exotic dive travel and underwater photography, listed their ten favourite liveaboards in a colourful 18-page lay-out that included vessels such as the esteemed Bilikiki and Canada’s Nautilus Explorer. We are proud to be recognized as a world leader in the luxury liveaboard industry and inspired to raise our cruises to ever higher standards.

Unterwasser Dive Magazine's 10 best dive safaris in the world
Global TOP TEN list
Ocean Rover on global TOP TEN list
Ocean Rover listed


Ocean Rover Awarded Top Honours

Ocean Rover Cruises was named “Benchmark for a World Class Liveaboard operation” in a recent Liveaboard Survey conducted by Australasia ScubaDiver Magazine, the official publication of the PADI Diving Society in the Asia-Pacific region. The results were published in the April issue and coincided with the ADEX dive show in Bangkok.

Ocean Rover awarded top honours in Australasia ScubaDiver's guide to choosing a diving live-aboard
Ocean Rover awarded Top Honours
Besides the quality of the diving, the extensive survey looked at many aspects of liveaboard diving such as vessel safety and seaworthiness, the crew-guest ratio, the level of service, the food and beverages as well as the on board accommodation.

The Liveaboard Survey was conducted by an experienced team led by well-known underwater photographer Michael Aw, who has personally travelled on board most of the vessels listed in the survey. A few quotes from the publisher:

“… After nearly twenty years of live-aboard diving I found the operational standard and quality of the Ocean Rover in Phuket to be one that can be used as the model, a benchmark for rating the live-aboard boat operation. While the decor of the boat [is not opulent] the quality of the service, operational standards and diving is certainly world class.

[On a scale of] 1 to 10, I would score Ocean Rover as an overall 9, up there with the best of the best. After more then 15 years competing for patronage of discerning divers from the USA and Europe, the operational standard of the Ocean Rover can be used as a template for others to emulate if they are serious in offering a world class live-aboard service…”  Read actual comments from Ocean Rover guests


IMO Certification For Ocean Rover

ITS OFFICIAL: Ocean Rover is a safe passenger vessel. Of course we knew this all along but it is rewarding to see that Lloyd’s agrees with us.

Ocean Rover IMO Certification
Ocean Rover, the safest dive vessel in Thailand
When we built Ocean Rover in 2000 we wanted a Thai flagged boat that complied with International Maritime Organization safety standards. Since Thailand is somewhat behind in enforcing IMO regulations, we did our own research and tried to comply as best we could. Finally, in June 2004, Lloyd’s Register assigned Ocean Rover an IMO number and a Safety Management Certificate.

To achieve this rating we had to purchase a fortune worth of state-of-the-art (read post 9/11) electronic equipment to add to our already well-stocked wheelhouse. We also had to send our crewmembers to a new series of STWC training courses. The entire process was a very educational experience, not in the least for the Thai maritime authorities.

Sadly, Ocean Rover is one of the only liveaboards in Southeast Asia that is IMO certified. The shocking truth is that most (dive) boats plying Asia’s waters are woefully unsafe and would never be allowed to take commercial passengers to sea, had they been operating from western ports. This may well explain the significant difference in price between liveaboards; operating an IMO-certified vessel is far from cheap.

Next time you are shopping around for a liveaboard vacation; ask the boat operator if his vessel has an IMO number and a Safety Management Certificate. Otherwise that inexpensive dive cruise could well turn out to be your costliest trip ever. Learn more about Ocean Rover's IMO Certification.