Up there with some of the most precious, memorable, happy, pleasurable experiences. A big heartfelt huge Thank You to every single crew member who played their part in giving me the best liveaboard experience. You are simply the best all of you are worthy of my respect and high praise, best wishes to you all! Nameste! Boat; beautifully appointed cabins – appreciated the turndown service and chocolates. Thanks for the nice gift bags nice touch and the massage. Good onboard shopping loved the storage boxes. Diving; really appreciated the help I received from the guys on the tender to gear up and get in position to back roll. Crew; a special thank you to Wayyan for my massage therapy session. Such a happy friendly helpful crew who delivers 5 star service! Greatly appreciated no request too much. Food; two thumbs up! Yummy! Really appreciated hot chocolate after the night dives.
Archives: Testimonials
Jack
This was a trip of a lifetime! Great hearing fellow divers say it was the best liveaboard they had experienced – some had over 20 or more. It’s the staff that makes the trip – in this regard the Arenui has the best and we will be eternally grateful for the professionalism, friendliness and “can do” attitude of all 22 staff. Well done guys – you deserve a medal each!
Lawrence
The most organized liveaboard I have ever been on (I’ve been on over 20). Crew; excellent. Food; excellent!
Keith
This crew has the sense of ‘one team’ which is a big reason for their success. When we arrived on the boat we were relatively new divers (50dives) but we learned so much and feel much more confident now ! Thanks to the crew for encourage us to take the long safety stop learn how to use safety stop every dive. The boat; beautiful. The diving; amazing. The crew; we love the crew! On day one when our AC was not working, several crew stayed up until midnight changing the entire unit – wow. Food: You fed us well!
Michaela and Markus
When I first set foot on this boat I was still carrying my laptop bag – but when Nic offered to take it from me upon I politely said something like “Oh no worries I’ve got it”. She gave me a look and cocked her head and said “No you are on the Arenui now” – I’ll never forget that look on her face. It is unfortunate that I didn’t get to meet and spent as much time with the entire crew that worked so unbelievably hard behind the scenes, but those that I had the most contact with were phenomenal, Ronald was truly truly amazing! He read the minds of all 4 of us anticipated every move and need. Nic is the sweetest person and her knowledge of diving the world is amazing. Waking to her voice every morning was a perfect way to start the day. What can I say about Edu? He is truly a master of craft. He perfectly divided his time between educating us, chatting with the guests about anything under the sun, keeping us safe, choosing the best sites based on 100 factors that he calculates in his head – yet keeping both the crew and clients on a schedule. He and Nic both made themselves available all day and night long, which is difficult to be on call every day. They never seemed burdened and actually truly interested in conversing, teaching and learning from all the guests. The personalization of each client was amazing! The crew completely in tune with different guests needs and desires. The boat: amazing vessel! Diving: Of course everything was amazing but if anything it was the diving that superseded all of that! The crew; please disregard my comments on the diving section as the crew was easily the highlight of the trip. Food; amazing selection, quality and presentation. I’ve never been a foodie but I might be now!
Anon
Appreciated that despite the uncertainty of a new itinerary, Cruise Directors, Captain and DMs went out of their way to scout out currents, anchorage, safety and “entertainment value” of islands and dives sites. This was well reflected in dive briefings and daily briefings, as well as changes to planned itinerary. Despite travelling in such a remote area I always felt safe with the Arenui and its crew. The boat: Everything was beautiful and extremely well maintained as on previous trips on Arenui. Crew were unobtrusive but constantly going about cleaning after us, straightening pillows and cushions, laying out towels, etc. The diving: Really enjoyed exploring the “Forgotten Islands” itinerary with the Cruise Directors and DMs. Briefings were realistic about new sites and potential for current etc, but DMs were careful in looking out for divers and ensuring safety. Site on Nus Leur and Dawera were exceptional! DMs Wawan and Ronald had exceptional eyes and were patient with photographers. Tender drivers were attentive to detail and helped execute start/finish of dives. The crew: Absolutely exceptional! Thrilled to have Debbie, Jerry, Wawan and Putu from previous trips. Everyone went out of their way to be friendly, helpful and courteous from start to finish. Captain was extremely conscientious of ship in new locales but also conscious of effect of best motion for guest comfort. Stewards, DMs and therapists rapidly found our names, cabins, equipment and preferences. I mentioned to Debbie that I had reached a landmark (number of dives) and Putu created a carved fruit/vegetable centerpiece in honour of the landmark. It felt so special! Every time I dive on Arenui I feel like I’m coming back to my Indonesian family. The food: Always plentiful and excellent quality/taste. Appreciated the fresh fruit/vegetables throughout the trip.
Mike
The diving: Superb! Great staff The crew: All were outstanding – CAPTAIN and CHEF were among the best I have ever encountered. The food: Very creative menu, especially the vegetarian alternatives.
Peter
The boat: All in all the best facilities in any liveaboard I have been. The entire crew was friendly, helpful, funny, knowledgeable.
Rosemary
See you in May 2016. The boat: In awe with the Captains focus and decision making. Had some rough crossings but always felt safe. Thank you El Capitano. The crew: Jerry and Debbie are an excellent team. We will book excursion in the future with them for their friendly and competent leadership. Jerry my dive master had understanding and ability to read his divers. Thank you, thank you. The food: Always superior, choices to please all.
Kathy
Great dive trip and fabulous boat. The crew and service was spectacular. The boat: Best boat we’ve ever been on. The diving: Beautiful reefs. The crew: Outstanding service. The food: Fantastic.