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MV Emperor Virgo

From USD 250 per day

Length

32m
106 ft

Max 18

Nitrox

PADI

Wi-Fi

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LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE

At a glance...

Maldives central atolls, some north and south tours
No hidden extras
Cabins with ensuite bathrooms, TV and DVD
Fully licensed bar

Customer reviews

Very good!

Click on an image to enlarge

Upper deck cabin in twin bed configuration

Standard double bed cabin with airconditioning and mini fridge

Gearing up on your awesome Maldives diving safari

Enjoy the Indian ocean sun from the sundeck

Kayaking and swimming near the mothership

Emperor Virgo and dhoni at anchor in the Maldives

Page contents:
Departure & Prices
Trip Details
Cabins
Crew & Facilities
Food
Specs
Safety
Reviews

MV Emperor Virgo is one of a few stellar liveaboards from the Emperor fleet operating diving safaris around the best sites of the Maldives central atolls. Most trips are 7 nights out of Male City, taking in North Male, South Male and Ari Atoll, and are all-inclusive of fuel surcharges, local taxes/GST, marine park fees, green/environment fees, airport transfers etc.

Up to 18 divers are comfortably accommodated on this 32m motor yacht where a crew of 12 will cater to your every need. You can relax in the middle deck's air conditioned saloon with TV, DVD and music system and library of books. There is also Wi-Fi available for those with their own devices (signal varies from place to place). Otherwise the sundeck is a popular spot for taking it easy between dives.

Cabins are double or twin and are located across the lower, middle and upper decks. All cabins have air conditioning and ensuite bathrooms as well as minibars, TVs and DVDs. indeed the Emperor Virgo has many of the facilities of a boat from a much higher price range and represents exceptional value for money.

Diving is done from the accompanying dhoni and with free nitrox and CO analysers. Photographers will appreciate the camera rinse tank and camera table on the dhoni, and everyone welcomes the post-dive fresh fruit that adds a touch of class to Emperor Virgo's cruise service.

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Scheduled departures, prices, destinations, durations...

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More Trip Details...

Dive experience: Recommended: Maldives Central and Northern Atolls: participants should be Advanced Open Water Diver qualified. Maldives Central & Southern Atolls: divers should be Advanced Open Water Diver and have 30 logged dives. Maldives Southern Atolls: Advanced Open Water Diver and 100 logged dives. Divers with less experience will be able to join trips but may have to sit out some dives if their scuba skills are insufficient for the planned dives.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner (1 BBQ on deserted island weather permitting), snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, glass of wine with dinner, transfers to the boat from the airport, dives (as detailed in the trips above), nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers, experienced English speaking divemasters (6 divers per guide), tanks, weights and weight belts, Green Tax, Male city tour (on request), 12% GST on cruise price.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (full set including SMB and dive computer US$ 336 per week, must be pre-booked), reef hooks, dive insurance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card).

Optional extras: Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, 15 litre tank (US$ 101 per week), torch (US$ 101 per week). Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival.

How to get there: The regular port used by the MV Emperor Virgo liveaboard is Male, however some southern trips depart from Kadhdoo and Kooddoo. Your can arrive at any time on the first day as the first night is spent in the harbour. For more arrival information see our How to get to the Maldives section.
There are 3 complimentary transfer timings from the airport to the boat on embarkation day; 11:00, 13:00 and 16:00 hrs. Guests taking the 11:00 hrs transfer from the airport to the boat have to accept that the boat will not be fully cleaned or ready for boarding until 13:00 hrs. Any other transfers required on embarkation day, other than the 3 stated above, can be arranged at a charge of approx. US$ 15 each way. Groups with a minimum of 8 guests arriving on the same flight will not be charged if an alternative transfer is required on embarking day (after 11:00 hrs).
The last dive of the trip will be at around 13:00 hrs on the second last day of the trip, before returning to port for the final night. You will disembark at 8 am on the final day. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.

Non-diver rate: Non-divers receive a free snorkeling kit and a voucher worth US$ 50 to spend on board.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a cabin, or pay a supplement of 50% of the published price for their own cabin. If there is no other same sex guest for you to share with, you will receive a cabin to yourself with no single supplement.

Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 6 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise in a Standard cabin free of charge (total 7 guests).

Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 16 guests and 2 additional persons can join in a Standard cabin free of charge.

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Cabins, Berths, Showers, Bathrooms...

The MV Emperor Virgo has a total of 9 cabins: 2 Main deck twin/double bed cabins, 5 Standard twin/double cabins on the lower deck and 2 Upper deck twin/double cabins. All twin bed cabins can be converted to doubles, and all feature an ensuite bathroom, TV, DVD and minbar.

All the cabins have:

Air-conditioning
Windows (upper and middle deck only) or portholes (lower deck)
En-suite bathroom facilities with hot water shower, towels, toiletries and hand basin
TV and DVD player
Minibar
Wardrobe and mirror

Reading lights
Safe box
Bedding
24-hour, 220v electricity supply with 3-pin UK style sockets (adaptors available)
Fire detectors
Life jackets
Space for luggage

No. of bathrooms / showers - 10 / 11 - hot water

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Crew, Facilities, Dive Courses...

Virgo's crew of 12 comprises:

Cruise Leader/Divemaster
Instructor/Divemaster
Captain
2 Cooks
Engineer

Maid
Stewardess
Deck hand
3 Dhoni crew

Complimentary nitrox - Dhoni (see below) - Motorised dinghy - Saloon with TV, DVD, computer, wi-fi internet & music system - Book library, movies, games & magazines - Fish ID & diving books - Restaurant with bar - Sun deck with sun chairs, mattresses - Upper deck open-air shaded area with bar - Water dispenser

All the onboard the Emperor Virgo liveaboard is done from an accompanying 17m long dhoni. This boat carries all the guests' scuba equipment, the compressors and scuba tanks. There is a toilet and fresh water shower on board, rinse tanks and a camera table. The dhoni also carries the emergency breathing oxygen.

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Menu, Cuisine Type...

Emperor Virgo takes great pride in the quality of cuisine served to its guests. The dining experience usually begins with a light lunch on the day of arrival. Each day the 2 cooks prepare a light pre-breakfast, cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meals are buffet style and you can expect a range of international dishes mixed with local Maldivian specialties. Each cruise features a candle-lit barbecue on a local island.

Maldivian and International cuisine, with weekly island BBQ.
Main meals are served buffet-style in the air-conditioned restaurant and comprise pre-breakfast, breakfast, lunch & dinner, with snacks in between.
Snacks, bread/toast, fresh fruit, drinking water, and tea & coffee are available free of charge.
Soft drinks, beer, wine and spirits are all available for purchase onboard.
First meal served is lunch or dinner on the first day of the safari, depending on your time of arrival.
All special diets can be catered for with prior notice.

Sample dishes: Maldivian vegetable curry with rice and roti; Grilled fish with pasta and fresh salad ...

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Technical Specifications...

Built in 2011, refurbished annually
Size - 31m x 9.5m
Top speed - 12 knots
Cruising speed - 10 knots
500 HP engine
3 x 33 KW generators
2 x Coltri dive tank compressors

Nitrox system
12 & 15 litre aluminium tanks with international fittings and DIN adaptors
Electricity 220V - 24-hours per day
Water capacity - unknown
Freshwater maker - 12,000 litres / day
Fuel capacity - unknown

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Navigation, Safety Features...

1 dhoni dive tender
Motorised dinghy
VHF radio
Radar
GPS
Mobile phones
Engine room CCTV

Bilge pump alarm
Search light & horn
Life jackets throughout
Fire detectors & extinguishers throughout
Emergency oxygen - 14,000 litres
Medic first aid box

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Customer reviews:

"From the moment I sat foot on the boat the crew was friendly and forthcoming. It all made me feel very welcome. Dive briefings were done professionally and we were divided into smaller groups. We were limited to 4 divers per guide. The guides noted all dives on the whiteboard throughout the week and they actually plotted our route on a map as well. Cool service. My cabin was spacious and cleaned daily. The food served was tasty and despite the fact that we have limited ressources the chefs managed to make the menus varied throughout the week." - Thomas Weber, Denmark, 28 January 2019 ...

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MV Emperor Virgo

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