Emperor Maldives flagship · Launched August 2026 · Updated 8 November 2026 · By Abdulla Maseeh
Emperor Explorer II Liveaboard, Maldives
Emperor Explorer II is Emperor Divers’ largest Maldives liveaboard: a 44-metre, four-deck fibreglass boat that started sailing in August 2026, with 13 en-suite cabins for 26 guests, six of them suites, four dive guides and a 24-metre diving dhoni. She offers three to four dives a day on the Best of Maldives route and runs shark trips in the south from January to March, from US$2,665 per person for 7 nights with Green Tax, fees, fuel and nitrox all included.
Explorer II, and what happened to Emperor Explorer
If you dived with Emperor in the Maldives before 2026, you may know the older Emperor Explorer. She ran her last trips at the end of May 2026, and Emperor Explorer II took over in August as the new flagship and the largest boat Emperor has ever run in the Maldives. Third-party booking sites still mix the two names, so check that any quote you get is for the 44-metre Explorer II.
What the new boat brings: more space (44 metres long and 10.3 metres wide, with an 800 HP engine and two 64 kW generators), large windows, six suites, an upper deck with its own outdoor bar, and the most diving in the fleet. The trade-off is price: Explorer II sits at the top of Emperor’s range with Serenity, so if you only want the dives, Emperor Voyager is about US$600 cheaper on a typical week.
Suites and cabins
Upper deck · 4 suites
Queen suites with a view
Big windows over the sea, a queen-size double and a single. The best rooms for light and the shortest walk to the sun deck.
Main deck · 2 suites
King suites by the lounge
Cabins 9 and 10, with a king-size double and a single, a few steps from meals, briefings and the dhoni ladder.
Lower deck · 7 cabins
Cabins with portholes
Six with a double and a single bed, one double only. Lower on the boat, so less motion on a crossing, and the lowest price.
| Deck | Cabins | Beds |
|---|---|---|
| Upper deck | 4 suites (11 to 14) | Queen-size double + single |
| Main deck | 2 suites (9, 10) | King-size double + single |
| Lower deck | 6 cabins (incl. 1 to 3, 6 to 8) | Double + single |
| Lower deck | 1 cabin (5) | Double only |
Solo traveller? Emperor guarantees a same-sex cabin share, or the cabin to yourself with no single supplement if nobody else books. To be sure of the double bed in a double-and-single cabin, Emperor adds about €35 a week. Every cabin has two towels per guest; hairdryers are available on request.
All 13 cabins are en-suite, with a walk-in shower, and have individually controlled air conditioning. The suites have large picture windows; lower-deck cabins have portholes, sit closer to the waterline and move less on a crossing, which suits anyone who worries about seasickness. If you are travelling as three, the double-and-single layout of every suite and of six lower-deck cabins means you can share one cabin rather than book two.
Routes on Explorer II
Most weeks are Best of Maldives from Malé: Rasdhoo, North and South Ari, Vaavu and the Malé atolls, with manta cleaning stations, South Ari whale sharks, Vaavu’s channels and a manta or nurse-shark night dive. From January to March she also runs Emperor’s southern shark routes.
| Route | When on Explorer II | Nights | From | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best of Maldives | Most weeks, November to May and August to October | 7 (one 11-night trip in April 2027) | US$2,665 | No minimum; drift-dive comfortable |
| Sharktastic | 21 March 2027 | 7 | US$3,779 | 30 logged dives recommended |
| Deep South, Gan to Kooddoo and back | 24 and 31 January 2027 | 7 | US$3,935 | 100 logged dives, Advanced Open Water |
| Southern Shark Adventure | 10 January (Malé to Gan) and 7 February 2027 (Gan to Malé) | 14 | US$6,747 | 100 logged dives, Advanced Open Water |
The southern trips start or finish at Gan (Addu) or Kooddoo, which means a domestic flight to or from Malé, booked separately. Read our Deep South route guide for the tiger sharks of Fuvahmulah and the Huvadhoo channels.
A diving day on Explorer II
- About 06:30 · First diveBriefing on the main boat, kit already set up on the 24-metre dhoni; early dives often catch the incoming current on a channel.
- Mid-morning · Second diveAnother site, often a thila (pinnacle) or a manta cleaning station.
- Afternoon · Third diveA reef or wreck, with the main boat repositioning over lunch.
- Evening · Fourth or night diveOn some days, a fourth dive or the week’s night dive with nurse sharks or mantas under lights.
Explorer II’s dhoni carries three crew, the compressors (nitrox up to 32 percent by membrane), oxygen, first aid and an AED. Tanks are 11.1-litre aluminium as standard, with 13.2-litre tanks on request. There are camera charging stations, an air gun, rinse tanks and a camera table, and PADI Discover Scuba, Advanced Open Water, Adventure Dives and Specialties can be taken on board.
Emperor Explorer II dates and prices
Departures on sale from Emperor’s published schedule. Sold-out weeks are hidden, and some weeks carry a 15 to 30 percent promotion, which is why the price moves from week to week. Explorer II is not on the schedule in June and July 2027.
| Departs | Route | Nights | From | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Nov 2026 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,723 | Cabins available |
| 22 Nov 2026 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,555 | Cabins available |
| 29 Nov 2026 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,555 | Cabins available |
| 6 Dec 2026 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$4,114 | Cabins available |
| 13 Dec 2026 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,723 | Cabins available |
| 20 Dec 2026 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,835 | Cabins available |
| 3 Jan 2027 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,779 | Cabins available |
| 10 Jan 2027 | Southern Shark Adventure, Malé – Gan | 14 | US$6,747 | Cabins available |
| 24 Jan 2027 | Deep South, Gan – Kooddoo | 7 | US$4,103 | Cabins available |
| 31 Jan 2027 | Deep South, Kooddoo – Gan | 7 | US$3,935 | Cabins available |
| 7 Feb 2027 | Southern Shark Adventure, Gan – Malé | 14 | US$6,747 | Cabins available |
| 21 Feb 2027 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,779 | Cabins available |
| 28 Feb 2027 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,947 | Cabins available |
| 7 Mar 2027 | Best of Maldives | 7 | US$3,947 | Cabins available |
In the price
- Green Tax, bed taxes, port and marine park fees, fuel surcharges
- Free nitrox up to 32 percent, 11.1-litre aluminium tanks and weights
- All meals, water, tea and coffee, and wine with dinner
- Guided dives from the diving dhoni
- Airport transfer to the boat on boarding day
Paid on board
- Wi-Fi data (sold on board) and drinks beyond dinner wine; beer about US$5
- Rental equipment (book before arrival), 13.2-litre tanks, PADI courses
- 16 percent sales tax on rentals and onboard purchases
- Crew tips, flights and dive insurance (required)
Life on board
The main deck holds the air-conditioned lounge with sofas, TV, books, films and board games, the restaurant and an internationally stocked bar; the upper deck has a covered lounge with its own outdoor bar; the sun deck has loungers and bean bags. Meals are buffets of local and international dishes three times a day, with vegetarian, vegan and allergy diets catered for when you tell Emperor in advance.
Emperor Explorer II: questions we get asked
Is Emperor Explorer II the same boat as Emperor Explorer?
No. Emperor Explorer II is a new 44-metre boat that started sailing in August 2026 and replaced the older Emperor Explorer, which ran its last trips at the end of May 2026. If you are searching for “Emperor Explorer” in the Maldives today, Explorer II is the boat you will be booking.
How much does Emperor Explorer II cost?
Emperor’s published 7-night Best of Maldives price runs from US$2,665 per person on promotional weeks to US$4,114 in early December, with most weeks between US$3,332 and US$3,779. Deep South trips cost US$3,935 to US$4,103 and the 14-night Southern Shark Adventure US$6,747. Green Tax, port and park fees, fuel and nitrox are included.
How many dives a day does Explorer II offer?
Three to four, which is more than the rest of Emperor’s Maldives fleet. There is no diving on the first or last day, one night dive is normally offered on central routes but not in the south, and every diver must carry a computer, SMB and reef hook.
What cabins are there?
13 en-suite cabins for 26 guests: four upper-deck suites with a queen-size double and a single bed, two main-deck suites with a king-size double and a single, six lower-deck cabins with a double and a single, and one lower-deck double. Six suites is more than any other Emperor boat in the Maldives.
Explorer II or Emperor Serenity?
Both take 26 guests in 13 cabins and price all-inclusively. Explorer II is longer (44 m against 40 m), has six suites against four and offers three to four dives a day; Serenity is usually a little cheaper and runs Hanifaru & North in summer. Explorer II has the wider choice of shark routes in January to March.
Is there Wi-Fi on board?
Wi-Fi works when the boat is in mobile range and data packages are sold on board; it is not included in the price. A local SIM bought at Malé airport is the cheaper way to stay connected.
What experience do I need?
Open Water as a minimum and Advanced Open Water recommended for Best of Maldives, because many dives go below 18 metres. Sharktastic needs about 30 logged dives, and Deep South and the Southern Shark Adventure need 100 logged dives with Advanced Open Water.
Why book Emperor Explorer II with HolidayVibe
- Trusted brandHolidayVibe is a trusted brand in the Maldives travel industry, licensed by the Ministry of Tourism (MOT.O1.RS.TA.25.RD9933) and based in Malé.
- We know the boatsWe work directly with the operators, hold their cabin-by-cabin availability and have walked the decks. No call centre in another time zone.
- Full-cost quotesEvery quote lists the cruise, service fee, Green Tax, park fees, nitrox, gear and transfers, so the price you see is the price you pay.
- Often better value than booking sitesOperators give local agents their best rates. We pass that on and still answer on WhatsApp within the hour.
- Fishing, surf and dive on one deskNeed a fishing charter before the dive week, or a resort night after? One team books all of it.
Keep planning
- Emperor Maldives fleetAll five Emperor boats compared
- Emperor SerenityThe other 26-guest Emperor boat
- Deep South routeFuvahmulah, Huvadhoo and Addu
- Boat directoryEvery boat we book in one table
- Every departureDates across the fleet
- Liveaboard pricesReal costs and a calculator
Written by Abdulla Maseeh, HolidayVibe Maldives, Malé. Boat facts from Emperor’s Explorer II page, launch announcement, Maldives FAQ and diving guidelines. Dates and prices from Emperor’s published schedule, checked 8 November 2026. Photos and deck plan: Emperor Divers.