Updated 8 November 2026 · By Abdulla Maseeh
Maldives Liveaboard Operators
The Maldives has well over a hundred safari vessels on the government register, but only a few operators run modern dive liveaboards to a published schedule. These are the twelve we book, what boats they run, and the detail that matters most when you compare them: what the price actually includes.
| Operator | Boats we book | How the price works | Our availability data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Class Cruising | Princess Maani, Princess Haseena, Sachika (to May 2027) | Rate plus fees: service fee, Green Tax and park fees paid on board; nitrox free | Daily from the operator’s availability sheets |
| Luxury Yacht Maldives | Duke of York, Conte Max | Rack rate with 17 percent GST; US$140 weekly service charge and Green Tax added; nitrox free | Daily from the operator’s schedule pages |
| Evolution Liveaboards | Evolution Eclipse (ex Emperor Virgo, from November 2027) | All taxes and port fees in the rate; nitrox free; tips and drinks extra; Wednesday departures | Published schedule |
| Aggressor Adventures | Maldives Aggressor II | One published rate 2026 to 2030; port fee (Green Tax, park fees, GST) and fuel surcharge paid on board; nitrox extra; local beer and wine included | Reservation system, checked by hand |
| Maldives Explorer | MV Explorer (whole-boat charter only) | Quoted per charter for the group, dates and route; 17 percent GST and Green Tax listed on the quote | Published schedule; dates confirmed by email |
| Blue Force Fleet | Maldives Blue Force One, Maldives Blue Force 3 | Cruise rate with transfers and travel, diving and cancellation insurance; Maldives taxes, Green Tax, a service fee and a fuel supplement (US$579 a week) paid on board; nitrox extra | Operator booking system, checked by hand |
| Pearl Fleet | White Pearl | Cabin rate plus a 10 percent service charge, Green Tax and a fuel surcharge; nitrox and Starlink free | Operator booking system, checked by hand |
| Dune Liveaboards | Dune Black Manta, Dune Theia | All-inclusive: Green Tax, service charge, transfers and Wi-Fi in the rate; fuel surcharge linked to Brent | Published price list |
| Emperor Maldives | Emperor Serenity, Emperor Explorer II, Emperor Leo, Emperor Voyager, Emperor Virgo | “No Hidden Extras”: taxes, port and park fees, fuel and nitrox in the rate; Wi-Fi extra | Published schedule, checked by hand |
| Solitude | Solitude Gaia Maldives (from August 2027) | Rate includes GST and service; Green Tax, nitrox and fuel extra | Published schedule |
| Amba Dive Maldives | Amba | Euro rate with 17 percent tax included; Green Tax (€12 a night) and tips added; nitrox included | Published booking calendar, checked by hand |
| NOAH Safari Boat | NOAH | All taxes included; snorkel, island and fishing cruises, no scuba | Daily from the operator’s public feed |
All-inclusive operators
Emperor and Dune put taxes, port and park fees and fuel into the rate. The cruise price is higher on paper, but the bill at the end of the week is small: drinks, Wi-Fi on Emperor boats, rental kit and tips.
Rate-plus-fees operators
Top Class Cruising quotes the cruise rate and collects a service fee (US$150 for 7 nights), the US$12-a-night Green Tax and Baa park fees on board. Nitrox is free. Our prices page and its calculator add those for you.
Questions about operators
Which Maldives liveaboard operator is best?
It depends on how you like to pay and dive. Emperor and Dune price all-inclusively, so the number you book is close to the number you pay. Top Class Cruising boats are often cheaper on the headline rate but add a service fee, Green Tax and park fees on board. NOAH is the budget snorkel option. Compare the boats rather than the brand: cabin layout, group size and route matter more.
Do operators publish their prices?
Eleven of the twelve operators on this page publish retail prices per person, which is what we show; Maldives Explorer quotes each whole-boat charter instead. Agents such as HolidayVibe are given lower trade rates and often pass part of the difference on, so a quote from us is frequently below the published price.
Why do some operators have their own page?
Operator pages explain what is common to a whole fleet: what the price includes, how payment works, which routes run when and how the boats differ. Each boat then has its own page with cabins, deck plans and dates.
Keep planning
- All Maldives liveaboardsFinder, routes and how booking works
- Boat directoryEvery boat we book in one table
- Liveaboard pricesReal costs and a calculator
Written by Abdulla Maseeh, HolidayVibe Maldives, Malé. Operator details from each operator’s published price lists, websites and schedules, checked 8 November 2026.