We use cookies to personalise content for you and to analyse our traffic. Find out more how we use cookies. Accept Cookies

"Over 19 years making dreams come true for divers... just like you"

Contact us now at ask@dive-the-world.com
Liveaboard Search
Start dateEnd date
Website home>Liveaboards>Maldives>MV Sting Ray

Length
31m
102 ft
Max 18
PADI
Wi-Fi
LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE
At a glance...
  • Cruises Maldives central atolls: North Male, South Male, Ari
  • All cabins have private en-suite bathrooms
  • Affordable option popular with budget-minded divers
  • Includes Male sightseeing and island visit

Customer reviews
Excellent!531

Click on an image to enlarge


The M/V Sting Ray is one of the longest-established and most well known of the less expensive Maldives liveaboards. With a length of 31m and a beam of 9m this is quite a spacious liveaboard boat and can accommodate up to 18 guests on diving cruises around the best that the Maldives has to offer, particularly around North Male, South Male and Ari Atoll.

You can chill out in the saloon that comes complete with entertainment facilities and bar, as well as books, games and magazines. Sunbathers and shade-seekers will both enjoy the partially covered sundeck. And with 10 staff on board each cruise you can expect plenty of personal attention.

Cabins are all double or twin share and enjoy air conditioning and private en-suite bathrooms with hot water showers. All of the cabins are on the lower deck. All liveaboard diving is done from the dhoni where your dive equipment remains so the compressors can fill your tanks from a distance leaving the MV Sting Ray a spacious and noise-free zone.

 English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

Scheduled departures, prices, destinations, durations...
Loading...

 English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

More Trip Details...

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation with air-conditioning, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, hot drinks, Male sightseeing tour and island visit, return transfers to the boat from Male Airport, dives (as detailed in the trips above), experienced English-speaking divemaster(s) (6 divers per guide), tanks, weights and weight belts.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Scuba equipment (approx. US$ 290 per week, includes regulator, BCD, fins, mask, wetsuit and dive computer), dive insurance, all items and services purchased on board are subjected to a service charge of 10% and GST, fuel surcharge (in case the crude oil price reaches US$ 105 per barrel, US$ 6 per person per night), Green Tax (US$ 6 per person per night) to be paid in advance, Down South Cruise fuel surcharge (US$ 8 per person per night) to be paid in advance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash or credit card).

Optional extras: Soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, torches, additional 2nd night dive, all items purchased on board are subjected to a service charge of 10%. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival.

How to get there: The Sting Ray liveaboard departs from Male. The first and last nights of the cruise are spent in the harbour. Guests coming from local hotels must be at Male airport by 10 am on trip departure day. For more information see our How to Get to the Maldives section. The last dive of the trip will be at around 15:00 hrs on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving.

Non-diver rate: Approximately US$ 70 off the published price for 7 nights trip.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of approx. 40% of the published price.

Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 9 guests and 1 extra person can join free of charge (total 10 guests). See whole boat charter price below, equivalent to pay for 18 guests and 2 additional persons can join the cruise free of charge (total 20 guests).

Whole boat charter rate (per night): 2017/18: Mid Season (Oct 2017- Jan 2018) - US$ 3,154, Christmas / New Year (includes trips with 24-25 Dec 2017 & New Year dates 01-03 2018) - US$ 3,459, Peak Season (Feb - April 2018) - US$ 3,459, Low Season (July - Sep 2017, May 2018) - US$ 2,868. For alternative trip prices, please check with us.


 English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

Cabins, Berths, Showers, Bathrooms...
MV Sting Ray has 9 cabins with private en-suite bathrooms, 4 double bed and 5 twin bed (1 lower double bed and 1 upper single bed); all on the lower deck.

All the cabins have:
  • Air-conditioning
  • Private bathrooms with hot water showers and hand basins
  • Portholes
  • Bedding & towels provided
  • Cabinet, shelves & mirror
  • Reading lights
  • Space for luggage
  • 24-hour, 220v electricity supply
  • 3-pin & 2-pin plug types - adaptors are available
  • Life jackets
  • No. of bathrooms / showers - 9 / 9 - hot water

     English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

    Crew, Facilities, Dive Courses...
    The crew comprises:
    • Cruise Leader
    • Divemaster
    • Instructor
    • Captain
  • 2 Cooks
  • Engineer
  • 3 Deck Hands
  • Motorised dhoni dive tender - 50m² Diving deck with fresh water shower - Camera table & rinse tanks - 35m² saloon with well-stocked bar, TV, DVD and music centre - Dedicated air-conditioned dining area - Internet - Library with diving magazines, novels and fish ID books - Chess, games and cards - 20m² open-air shaded area - 15m² sundeck with sun mattresses & chairs

     English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

    Menu, Cuisine Type...
    You can enjoy 3 meals a day on the MV Sting Ray dive cruises, consisting of a balance of international and local cusine with influences from the Maldives, Sri Lanka and India. After each dive you can expect tasty snacks such as fresh coconuts and biscuits.
    • The cook caters for international and local cuisine.
    • Main meals include breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between.
    • Snacks are available all day and consist of biscuits, toast and fruit.
    • Tea, coffee and drinking water are complimentary.
    • Beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks and juice are available for purchase onboard.
    • Menus are not fixed and meals are served buffet style in the dining area.
    • Special diets, including Halaal diets, are catered for with prior notice.
    • Catering begins at guest check-in.

     English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

    Technical Specifications...
    • Built in year 2001
    • Size - 31m x 9m
    • Weight - 72 tonnes
    • Top speed - 12 knots
    • Cruising speed - 10 knots
    • 278 HP Yanmar engine
    • 2 x 30 KW Onan soundproof generators
    • 2 x L&W dive tank compressors
    • 12 litre aluminium scuba tanks with Int and DIN fittings
    • Electricity 220V - 24 hours per day
    • Water capacity - 4,000 litres
    • Fresh water maker - 9,000 litres/day
    • Fuel capacity - 5,000 litres

     English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

    Navigation, Safety Features...
    • 12 person capacity dinghy
    • 1 x 115 HP Yanmar Dhoni dive tender
    • VHF radio
    • Navman GPS
    • No radar
    • No depth sounder
    • Bilge pump alarm
    • Searchlight & horn
    • Mobile telephone, fax & e-mail
    • MFA box and trained staff
    • Fire extinguishers & life jackets throughout
    • 23,000 litres oxygen available

     English spoken by divemasters  Dhivehi spoken by divemasters

    Customer reviews:

    Customer rating - Excellent
    "Staff were very friendly, helpful and at our disposal should we need anything. The boat facilities were great as well - clean cabins, amazingly delicious food etc. " - , South Africa, 13 February 2018 ...

    Customer rating - Excellent
    "Everything was amazing, the boat, the crew, our new friends aboard, and all the dives. I just carry my own equip because it was very expensive onboard." - , Brazil, 31 March 2016 ...

    Customer rating - Very good
    "The boat was well maintained and kitted out, air-conditioning was not great but I believe this was fixed at the end of the week. Staff and guides were very attentive and created a relaxed yet professional dive environment." - , UK, 15 November 2015 ...

    Customer rating - Excellent
    "I had all my dive gears rented, my instructor Deko helped me with the right gears that fit me and also helped me in my Advanced Open Water Dives. All the staffs were kind and friendly." - , Malaysia, 29 August 2015 ...

    Customer rating - Excellent
    "Great value for money. Staff is awesome, do everything to serve and please you apart from having fun with us. I went alone and I made a lot of new friends and felt really good." - , Brazil, 15 May 2015 ...

    Customer rating - Excellent
    "All staff was friendly, helpful and always there if someone had any questions. They knew their reefs in and out. Always felt safe." - , Norway, 8 April 2014 ...

    Customer rating - Very good
    "The equipment was up to date, the boat was clean although it could use a little bit of revamping, particularly in the rooms. The staff was amazing and pleasant. The guides were very reliable, even when Corine had a little panic they were ready to act quickly and efficently! Amazing!!" - , Canada, 27 January 2013 ...

    Customer rating - Very good
    "I have had a good experience on my onboard liveaboard safari in the Maldives with MV Sting Ray. All the crew have been friendly and helpful on dives and during the day on board. The facilities and the boat in general are good and the same with the rental equipment." - , Spain, 30 November 2012 ...

    Customer rating - Very good
    "The staff on Sting Ray is absolutely fantastic, very helpful and responsible. The whole crew worked so well the trip is beyond my expectations. The cook is absolutely amazing - food served is of restaurant quality." - , Australia, 10 August 2012 ...

    Customer rating - Excellent
    "The entire crew/ staff was very professional, friendly, helpful, and accomodating from beginning to the end of the trip, the boat and accommodations were very nice, clean, and well kept." - , USA, 13 May 2011 ...

    Customer rating - Very good
    "The staff of the boat was very friendly and helpful. The boat had all the usual amenities. However, the boat is starting to show some wear-and-tear and the cabins are a bit small. The food was good but tended to focus on carbohydrates too much with rice, pasta and potatoes dominating. The dive sites were good although some damage to the corals was clearly visible. We were fortunate to see all the large fish including whale shark, manta and grey reef sharks. However, the sites were sometimes a bit crowded." - , Germany, 6 May 2011 ...

    Customer rating - Very good
    "It was not the most luxurious boat, I'm sure, in the Maldives but the crew was good, food was decent and of course diving was very good which made for a good trip ... and they saved me from a night spent at the airport (did an early pick up) which was truly great. Had a great time in Maldives - diving was unbeatable - so good that it made the Red Sea (Dahab) last week seem boring in comparison!" - , USA, 3 November 2010 ...


    Maldives

    Low Budget Options

    Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow

    Middle Budget Options

    Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow

    High Budget Options

    Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow

    Return to the top of the page