More than twenty years ago, in June of 1987, the 100-foot, 18-passenger
Caribbean Explorer inaugurated the fleet, beginning operation from St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles and offering week-long itineraries visiting the islands of Saba, Statia and St. Kitts in the Northeastern Caribbean. In 1999, Explorer Ventures acquired the 72-foot, 18-passenger power catamaran
Nimrod Explorer based in Cairns, Australia and expanded its liveaboard diving operations to include 4- to 8-day itineraries in the Far Northern Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea, including remote reef systems just south of Papua New Guinea.In 2003, Explorer Ventures again added to the fleet, purchasing the 18-passenger, 115 foot
Caribbean Explorer II to take over the company’s longest-running itinerary in the Northeastern Caribbean. The original
Caribbean Explorer was extensively refit and moved to Providenciales, in the Turks and Caicos Islands just southeast of the Bahamas, to again offer week-long itineraries accessing the area’s crystal-clear waters and dramatic underwater drop-offs.In early 2005, the 20-passenger, 130 foot
Turks & Caicos Explorer II became the newest addition to the Explorer Ventures Fleet, and took over the Turks & Caicos itinerary. The largest and most luxurious vessel in the fleet, it now operates year-round from Providenciales and offers an exceptional week of diving in the islands.
The original vessel was again moved, this time to the islands and cays of the Southern Bahamas. Now based year-round in Georgetown, Great Exuma, the original Caribbean Explorer I is still considered one of the best liveaboard dive vessels in the Caribbean, and provides guests with an affordable liveaboard diving experience they will not soon forget.
In February 2007, the newest addition to the Explorer Ventures Fleet will enter service - the 16-passenger luxury vessel Galapagos Eco Explorer I will offer 8-day liveaboard diving excursions from the central Galapagos archipelago to the northern islands of Darwin and Wolf. Designed for speed and cruising comfort, the 90-foot catamaran will represent the new standard for liveaboard diving in the Galapagos.
Even with the exponential growth of Explorer Ventures’ fleet over the past few years, the foundation of the company is still the same - providing guests with world-class liveaboard diving vacations at an exceptional value. Explorer Ventures is now the largest privately-owned liveaboard diving fleet in the world, but our hope is still that each guest we have aboard our vessels becomes more than just a guest but a life-time friend.
