Notes: Child policy: Children from 2 years of age are accepted on Princess Skylar liveaboard tours. Children from ages 2-12 years of age are entitled to discount of 50% for sharing a cabin (third bed) with parents.
Dive experience: Princess Skylar has 4 instructor/guides onboard so certified divers of any experience level are welcome to join these tours. However, for trips to the Deep South all divers must be advanced open water certified.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, hot drinks, drinking water, return transfers from Male Airport to the boat, dives (as detailed in the trips above), 4 European PADI diving instructors and a snorkelling guide, 2 guided snorkelling tours per day, tanks (15 litre), weights and weight belt, introductory dive for non-divers, island excursions, Green Tax, sales tax.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment rental (per week - regs/BCD/wetsuit: USD 193, dive computer: USD 39, mask and fins: USD 28, - all +17% sales tax and 10% service charge), diving insurance (available onboard), service charge (i.e. tips USD 99 per week), Fuvahmulah port fee (where applicable: USD 25 per night), fuel surcharge (USD 133 per week). Unless otherwise stated, all listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash only - EUR or USD).
Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, 28% nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (USD 99 per week), extra dives (USD 39, max. 3 per week), torch (USD 14 per dive), island entry fees. All prices will be subject to 17% sales tax and 10% service charge. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.
How to get there: Princess Skylar operates its liveaboard tours from the marina at Male International Airport, with departures running Saturday to Saturday. A member of the boat staff, wearing a Macana shirt, will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the yacht by dhoni. Boarding runs from 11 am to 1 pm, and anyone arriving later will need to arrange a private transfer. For more details, including airlines, see our How to Get to the Maldives section.
If you land early and would rather not wait for the transfer, you can leave your luggage at the airport and spend some time in Male City or Hulhumale, returning to the airport for around 11 am. Guests staying at a hotel in the Maldives the night before the cruise should ask the hotel to drop them at the airport by 10:30 am, near Burger King, where a member of the liveaboard staff will be waiting. Please let us know which hotel you are staying at so we can contact them and confirm your transfer is on time.
The final dive of the trip takes place early morning on the penultimate day. Allow at least 18 hours before flying after diving. Disembarkation is at 7 am.
Non-diver rate: None, since there are plenty of activities for non-divers.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin and pay the regular fare, or pay a supplement of 80% for their own cabin.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Rates for a third person sharing a cabin are available for adults and children.
Pay for 8 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise free of charge.
Whole boat charter rate (per night): Pay for 22 guests and 4 additional persons can join the cruise free of charge (total 26 guests).
The Maldives rewards divers who choose their vessel carefully, and the 36 metre long Princess Skylar liveaboard was built with that in mind. This new flagship for Macana Liveaboards, completed in 2025/26 in the Maldives to high local standards of quality and comfort, is aimed at scuba divers who want their time between dives to feel as considered as their time in the water. Princess Skylar operates the classic central atolls route through Rasdhoo, North Ari, South Ari, North Felidhoo and South Male, departing and returning to Male's Hulule Airport on 7-night cruises available all year.
The diving on this route is varied by design. Oceanic channels, known locally as kandus, bring the current and with it grey reef sharks, eagle rays and schooling fish. Coral banks, or thilas, offer a different pace, with reef fish, corals and the kind of detail that rewards a slow pass. Whale sharks and manta rays feature across the tours, with sites such as Whale Shark Point, Moofushi Manta Point, Fish Head and Rasdhoo Madivaru among the names divers will recognise. Night dives at Alimatha and Maaya Tilla add another dimension, and the classic Princess Skylar cruise also includes a Male visit and time around deserted islands, sandbanks and fishermen's islands.
Accommodation on the Princess Skylar is split across 12 spacious and refined cabins on 3 decks, each with a private bathroom, shower cubicle, hot and cold water and independent air conditioning. The social spaces are generous for a vessel of this size: 2 bars, one in the indoor lounge and one on the outdoor upper deck, 2 sun decks, and a completely open-air dining area on the main deck where meals are taken with the Maldivian scenery in view.
Beyond the diving, the tours makes room for the Maldives above the waterline. Excursions run to deserted islands, fishermen's islands and resort islands, with beach visits, hermit crab and sea bird observation, and mangrove walks. Some trips include an evening out to a local holiday village disco. Evenings on board Princess Skylar tend to be relaxed, with a film or music on occasion and the deck a natural place to gather.
Practical details are worth noting before booking. Nitrox 28 is available for certified divers, and those without certification can complete the PADI Enriched Air course on board. Wi-Fi is also available. Onboard payments are cash only, in EUR or USD, and credit cards are not accepted, so plan accordingly. A Maldivian SIM card bought at the airport is advisable for phone and data, as foreign SIM cards are expensive to use.
Macana Maldives has been running liveaboard cruises for 25 years, with a team that knows these atolls and the rhythms of the seasons. The Princess Skylar liveaboard brings that experience together with a newer vessel, a thoughtful layout and a route that covers the central atolls' best-known sites. For divers wanting a Maldives liveaboard with space, a manta and whale shark focused tour and a genuine sense of comfort between dives, the Princess Skylar is a strong option to consider.
There are 12 cabins in total on Princess Skylar. There are 4 cabins on the upper deck, 2 can be configured as either twin or double bed and 2 are triple (a double bed and a single bed). 4 double bed cabins - 2 on the lower deck and 2 on the main deck, and on lower deck 2 cabins that can be configured as either twin or double bed and 2 triple cabins (a double bed and a single bed). All the cabins have private bathrooms.
All the cabins have:
- Individual controlled air-conditioning
- Portholes (lower deck) or windows (main/upper deck)
- Private bathroom with toilet, shower and hand basin
- Soap, towels and beach towel
- Daily housekeeping
- Reading lights
- Bedside cabinet
- Wardrobe, shelves and mirror
- Bedding and luggage space
- 230-240 volts - 24 hours per day
- European/US-style 2-pin mains outlet
- Fire alarm, life jackets and fire extinguishers
No. of bathrooms / showers - 12 / 12 - hot water
Maldives Central Atolls (8 Days / 7 Nights - 17 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Rasdhoo, North Ari, South Ari, North Felidhoo, South Male atolls
Day 1
This classic circuit with the Princess Skylar liveaboard works through Rasdhoo, North Ari, South Ari, North Felidhoo and South Male, departing and returning to Male. The route is built around the central atolls' twin draws: reef systems packed with life, and the bigger animals that move through the channels between them. Oceanic passes, coral thilas and the reef edges in between give the week its variety, with whale sharks, manta rays, grey reef sharks, eagle rays, stingrays, nurse sharks and dense schools of reef fish all part of the picture. Time ashore takes in deserted islands, sandbanks, fishermen's islands and a visit to Male.
The trip begins in Male, where guests are met and escorted to the Princess Skylar. Once cabins are settled, a welcome lunch is served, followed by a full boat and safety briefing from the captain and crew. The afternoon is left open to acclimatise, meet fellow divers and organise gear for the week ahead.
Core Days
The scuba diving opens in North Ari and Rasdhoo, where deep channels and strong currents concentrate nutrients and, with them, larger animals. Early morning entries at Rasdhoo Madivaru offer the chance of schooling scalloped hammerheads, while oceanic mantas are sometimes seen working the deeper drop-offs. These are high-energy dives, with reef hooks useful and blue-water scanning rewarded. Between the channel dives, thilas and reef slopes provide a slower counterpoint, with anthias, fusiliers and groupers holding tight to the coral.
South Ari shifts the focus. This protected marine sanctuary is the Maldives' best-known area for whale sharks, and the calm, wide reef edges give divers a realistic chance of sharing the water with these animals as they cruise near the surface. The atoll also delivers its share of reef life, with turtles, batfish and snappers common across the coral heads, and the pace here is noticeably gentler than the channel work further north.
Felidhoo brings dramatic structure. Walls and large caverns are draped in black coral bushes and soft corals, and the fast-moving channels attract whitetip and grey reef sharks on the hunt. The signature night dive at Alimatha is a standout, with dozens of nurse sharks and large stingrays gathering beneath the jetty lights for a close-up encounter that stays with you. South Male closes the diving circuit, with current-swept sites such as Cocoa Thila holding huge schools of snapper and fusiliers, a popular wreck now thriving as an artificial reef, and reef sharks and eagle rays patrolling the channel entrances.
Across the week with Princess Skylar, expect 2 to 3 dives per day, with 1 to 2 night dives scheduled.
Day 8
After a final breakfast on board, the crew assists with disembarkation and the transfer back to Male International Airport.
For divers wanting a central atolls dive cruise that balances big animal action with healthy reef diving and a genuine mix of sites, the Princess Skylar offers a well-structured week with whale sharks, hammerheads, mantas and the Alimatha night dive all on the schedule.
Maldives Southern Atolls (8 Days / 7 Nights - 17 Dives)
Trip highlights: whale sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, healthy reefs, off the beaten track, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: South Male, Felidhoo, Meemu, Thaa, Laamu atolls
Day 1
This southbound route on the Princess Skylar liveaboard runs from Male through South Male, Felidhoo, Meemu, Thaa and Laamu before finishing at Kadhdhoo Airport. The southern atolls are among the least visited in the Maldives, and the diving reflects that: charted sites are fewer, exploration dives are part of the routine, and the marine life has an untouched quality. Whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, nurse sharks, hawksbill turtles, Napoleon wrasse, eagle rays, jacks and tuna all feature, with whale sharks and mantas on the cards at the right sites.
Board the Princess Skylar in Male, where the crew and tour leader welcome guests and show them to their cabins. Lunch and dinner are served during the day, and an introductory briefing once everyone is aboard covers the vessel, the crew and the week's plan.
Core Days
South Male opens the circuit with channel diving and reef edges where grey reef sharks and schooling fish work the current. Felidhoo follows with deeper channels and stronger flow, the kind of conditions that draw sharks, trevallies and tuna into hunting range. The atoll also hosts a memorable nurse shark dive, where these docile animals gather in numbers and allow close, unhurried observation.
Meemu brings a different draw. Whale sharks are regularly seen feeding in these waters, and the atoll's reef systems support a healthy spread of reef fish and corals between sightings. Thaa Atoll is drift diving territory, with channel walls frequented by curious Napoleon wrasse and tuna hunting among large schools of reef fish. Whitetip reef sharks and eagle rays are common on the drift lines, and the atoll is also a good bet for whale shark encounters.
Laamu closes the Princess Skylar diving route, and it remains largely unexplored. Its deep channels carry strong currents that attract whitetip reef sharks, hawksbill turtles, rays, jacks and tuna, with prolific reef fish across the coral. Because so few sites here are charted, a liveaboard trip often includes exploration dives, giving the week a genuine sense of discovery. Manta Point is Laamu's best-known dive site and offers reliable manta ray sightings year-round. Across the trip, expect most diving days to run to 3 dives, with the schedule shaped by currents, weather and the crossing between atolls.
Day 8
After a final cooked breakfast and farewells, with group photos taken, guests transfer to Kadhdhoo Airport for the flight back to Male.
Note: This safari sometimes runs in reverse. Please refer to your trip details for confirmation.
For scuba divers wanting to push beyond the central atolls into the southern Maldives, with nurse sharks, whale sharks, drift diving and genuinely unexplored reefs on the schedule, the Princess Skylar offers a route that trades familiarity for discovery.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
A day on the Princess Skylar liveaboard follows the steady rhythm of Maldivian liveaboard diving, with meals placed between dives. A quick breakfast of tea, coffee and biscuits is laid out at 6:30 am, and the first dive briefing and entry follow at 7 am. Breakfast proper is served at 8:30 to 9 am, the second dive goes at 11 to 11:30 am, and lunch lands at 1 to 1:30 pm. The third dive is at 3:30 pm, afternoon tea follows at 5:30 to 6 pm, and aperitif time opens at 8 pm, with dinner at 8:30 pm.
The dining area sits on the main deck and is completely open-air, so meals come with the Maldivian scenery and the ocean in view. The cuisine on the Princess Skylar celebrates Italian style blended with local spices and fresh fish. 2 chefs on board present a menu that changes every day, built around seafood, pasta, pizza and rice dishes, with genuinely Italian options such as risotto sitting alongside typical Asian dishes such as fried rice. Vegetables, tropical fruits and homemade desserts are always available, which keeps the table varied across a week.
Drinks are handled across 2 bars, one indoors in the large lounge and one outdoors on the upper deck, both offering a wide selection of wines, spirits and liqueurs. Aperitif time at 8 pm is a nod to the Italian influence, and a beach BBQ is included in the package, adding a change of scene and cooking style at least once during the trip.
Between dives, there is space to settle into your own routine. A relaxation area, TV and small library fill the quieter hours, and 2 sun decks with loungers catch the best of the light. The diving on Princess Skylar runs at 2 to 3 accompanied dives per day, with 1 to 2 night dives during the week, and the schedule adjusts around weather, cruising time and tank refilling rather than sticking rigidly to the clock.
The overall shape of the day is predictable in the best sense: eat, dive, rest, repeat, with enough structure to keep the diving running smoothly and enough slack to enjoy the surface intervals. For divers wanting a Maldives liveaboard with an Italian-accented kitchen, an open-air dining setting and a well-paced dive schedule, the Princess Skylar offers a comfortable and considered routine.
