Azalea Cruise

Destination: Maldives

Best of Maldives, Central Atolls, Manta Frenzy, Deep South (7-14 Nights) | From $408++/night

The Azalea (Azalea Cruise) is a luxurious 125-foot steel yacht, offering spacious accommodations, and 5-star services and amenities for up to 18 divers. 

Why You'll Like Azalea Cruise

• Luxury liveaboard
• Nitrox available
• Sundeck jacuzzi
• Great photography facilities

Dive Overview

The Maldives is renowned for its natural underwater beauty and is widely regarded as being one of the world's top diving destinations. Unforgettable diving experiences are available to you on a daily basis with the Azalea Cruise experience.

[See: Maldives Dive Travel Guide]

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Accommodations

Types of Cabins, Amenities and Photos

Azalea cruise Cabin Overview

The 9 cabins consist of 6 Superior, 2 Ocean View Jr and 1 Ocean View Master. All cabins offer modern fixture and fittings and luxurious amenities, with individually controlled AC, en-suite bathrooms and storage space. 

Ocean View Master Suite

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• The master suite is the most spacious room on board. Wake up to a world of infinite possibilities with spectacular views from the comfort of your bed fitted with the finest Egyptian linen.
• With the front half of the room covered in windows, this room is nothing short of sheer luxury and comfort. Step into the sleek and modern bathroom fitted with the finest fixtures including separate shower cubicle and bathtub to further unwind on your holiday.

OCEAN VIEW Junior SUITE

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• The next set of rooms are located behind the Master suite, and are nothing short of luxury. These rooms are designed with every detail accounted for to add the perfect touch to your holiday. Feel at home and rest on our king/queen size bed, fitted with the finest Egyptian linen, as you take in the breath taking views through the ocean facing windows. The bliss of your stay continues as you enter your private bathroom fitted with sleek modern fixtures and shower.

Superior twin Room

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• The lower deck rooms are fitted with modern fixtures and luxurious amenities, including private bathrooms. As per your requests these rooms are available as twin or single bedrooms, and are specially designed to help you get the best of your journey with Azalea.

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General Facilities

Azalea cruise Boat Features

• Wifi 
• Wine and liquor
• Child friendly
• Fishing facilities
• Laundry
• Hairdryer
• Games
• Photo lab/rental camera
• Free snorkeling gear
• TV 
• Cocktails
• Yoga
• Free tea & coffee
• Private island trip
• Live music
• Air conditioning
• Room service
• Excursions
• Bathrobe & slippers
• Dolphin cruise
• Whale excursions
• 6 pax jacuzzi
• Water golf
• Jet bath tub
• Sundeck
• Kayak
• First aid
• Beach games

Azalea cruise Dive Facilities

• Fully serviced equipment
• Nitrox (only for certified Nitrox divers)
• Spacious and comfortable diving boat
• PADI dive courses

Food & Drinks Aboard Azalea

They aim to delight your taste buds with the finest international cuisines prepared by their dedicated culinary staff on board. Enjoy the exquisite dishes from the west to the east, every meal of the day to add even more to your experience here at home away from home.

Enjoy a bottle of wine full of character with your meal with a wide range sourced from around the globe available in their collection.

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Azalea Liveaboard Deck Plan

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Schedule & Rates

Azalea Cruise Schedule & Rates

Azalea Cruise is available for private charter bookings only. Drop us an email at bookings@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us at 310-915-6677 for rates and availability.

Inclusions

• All Accommodation on the Cruise
• Full board Meal Plan – Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Selective Wines during meal times
• Unlimited Dive as per schedule
• Services of a qualified, experience English speaking PADI Dive Instructor
• Unlimited beverages
• Visits to local islands
• Visits to Desert Islands
• Barbeque on Desert Island
• Snorkeling & Fishing Trips
• Unlimited water sports (Jet ski, Wake board, Water ski)
• Selected alcoholic beverages and wine
• Nitrox Dive
• Meeting & Greeting services at the Airport
• Transfers from Airport to Azalea Cruise and return from Start and End of the Trip.
• Unlimited bottle of water per cabin will be provided daily
• On Arrival Fruit Basket
• Local fishing gear
• Snorkeling gear
• Honeymoon and Birthday specials (Romantic room setup, cake and champagne)
• Wi-Fi

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For more information on rates and availability email us at info@bluewaterdivetravel.com or call us at +1-310-915-6677 and we will gladly help you plan your dream dive vacation!

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Dive Information & Itineraries

Dive Routes

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• Best of Maldives (Orange)
• North Male - South Male - Felidhe Atoll - Ari Atoll
• 8 Days 7 Nights
• Central Atolls (Blue Route)
• North Male - South Male - Felidhe Atoll - Ari Atoll- Meemu Atoll- Thaa Atoll - Laamu Atoll - Dhaalu Atoll - Faafu Atoll
• 11 Days 10 Nights
• Manta Frenzy (Pink Route)
• North Male - Baa Atoll
• 7 Days 8 Nights
• Deep South (Black Route)
• North Male - South Male - Felidhe Meemu Atoll - Thaa Atoll- Laamu Atoll Gaafu Atoll
• 15 Days 14 Nights

Diving North Male' Atoll

The sea bed east of Male atoll shelves steeply to 2000 metres and to the west less steeply to over 300 metres. The presence of deep, clear waters all around the atoll means excellent visibility, especially with ingoing currents. Pelagics such as barracuda, trevally and tuna, and big schools of fusilier, snapper and sharks all congregate at the entrance to the channels, attracted by the movement of water and the food sources carried with them . Depths inside the atoll are generally 40 to 50 metres and the bottom is mostly sand. There are many shallow water reefs inside the atoll and those just below the surface are clearly defined by sharp contrasts in water colour. Most of the diving in North Male’ atoll is in the channels, or Kandus through the outer barrier reef of the atoll. There are around 20 channels on the eastern side and 16 on the west. Drift diving is the most common method of diving. The channels on the western side are generally wider, some with big thilas across the openings. The greatest concentration of diving is in the southern end of the atoll where many of the resorts are located. This was the first area to be dived when resorts began springing up in 1972. Some of the finest sites are to be found here and although many of them have been heavily dived, in general, the sites remain in good condition.

Most divers tend steer away from the populated island of Male because of the heavy boat traffic. The reefs in the north of North Male atoll are less frequently dived than those to the south and with an absence of any island between Helengeli and Meerufenfushi – a distance of 20km – a sense of isolation and freedom make the dives in this north region even more memorable.

Source: Godfrey, T. (2006). Dive Maldives A guide to the Maldives Archipelago (Vol. III). Victoria, Australia: Atoll Editions.

Diving South Male' Atoll

North and South Male’ Atolls are separated by the Vaadhoo Kanduwith a depth of 500 metres through which current streams can be very strong, attaining a rate of four knots or more. There are many popular dive sites with many spectacular dropoffs and caves along both sides of this channel. South Male’ Atoll has six channels on the eastern side, most of which provide excellent long drift dives, and 12 channels on the western side. There is one main channel – velassaru Kandu – in the north and another – Hathikolhu kandu – in the south. The eastern side of the atoll is characterised by two long reefs, the 14.5 km long Maadhoo Falhu and the 10.5 km long Fushidhiggaru Falhu, which is the most easterly point of the atoll. Depths inside the atoll are mostly between 35 and 45 metres.

Source: Godfrey, T. (2006). Dive Maldives A guide to the Maldives Archipelago (Vol. III). Victoria, Australia: Atoll Editions.

Diving North Ari Atoll

Ari Atoll has depths of around 300 metres on the eastern side, while on the west depths drop quickly to over 2000 metres. Rasdhoo is connected to the northeast part of Ari by a submarine plateau with depths from 183 metres to 274 metres. Depths within Rasdhoo Atoll are to 35 metres while in Ari depths are mostly between 35 metres and 55 metres but reaching up to 80 metres in one part. Ari Atoll has no long stretch of barrier reef and all faces of the encircling reef have many passages into the atoll, except the south face which has one break. The inside of the atoll is much encumbered with coral reefs, many of them dry at low tide, but the atoll has many thilas, for which the atoll is famous. Most of the thilas have interesting coral reefs that appear naturally designed to protect the atoll from the fierce seas that prevail during the south-west monsoon. Heavy waves have pounded the west side breaking off chunks of coral rock and in some places, long channels more than a metre deep have been cut into the reefs. On the eastern side, the reefs are smaller with many more entrances, and as they do not get the heavy ocean swell of the western side, the corals tend to be more fragile. 

Source: Godfrey, T. (2006). Dive Maldives A guide to the Maldives Archipelago (Vol. III). Victoria, Australia: Atoll Editions.

Diving South Ari Atoll

South Ari Atoll has many excellent thilas, both within the atoll and in the channels. There are also four wreck dives. One of the feature areas is the Dhigurashu Kandu, where the thilas spring up from the outer rim of the atoll like 10 pins in a bowling alley. There are around 12 thilas in the 4.5 km wide channel of which only a handful are frequently dived. Some are quite deep and hard to find and the frequent swift currents and choppy seas can make diving conditions hazardous. Only experienced divers with knowledgeable boatmen should attempt the diving here at these times. The southern outside reef in the vicinity of Ariyadu Kandu, has become famous for the regular all-year-round appearance of whale sharks. Mantas and sharks are also prevalent at many locations, with Madivaru being the most documented site for mantas. 

Source: Godfrey, T. (2006). Dive Maldives A guide to the Maldives Archipelago (Vol. III). Victoria, Australia: Atoll Editions.

Diving Felidhe Atoll

Felidhe Atoll is more isolated and less developed than the other tourist atolls. It has excellent scuba diving and snorkeling, remote uninhabited islands, sandbanks and the islanders are friendly and hospitable. For these reasons, Felidhe Atoll is a popular destination for safari dhonis and memorable trips and excellent diving is guaranteed. There are not many thila dives in this atoll, with most of the diving being in the 26 channels on the eastern side. These channels are mostly long and deep and suitable for advanced divers. Many have narrow entrances and when travelling down the eastern side of the atoll they can easily be passed unnoticed. On the outside of most of the channels, the reef plunges sharply to very deep depths, usually from the outside rim at around 35 metres. During the rock diving season of the north-east monsoon, the current flows inside the channels on the eastern side more often than it flows out, resulting in exhilarating, clear water diving, ideal for viewing sharks and pelagic fish. The channels on the western side, are not as exciting as those on the east, however with the current mainly flowing out of the atoll during the north-east monsoon, these locations have the advantage of attracting manta rays to feed on the zooplankton-rich waters. At the south end of the atoll near the island of Hingaahura is the remains of the Pioneer, which was wrecked on this reef on May 13, 1958. The ship was on her way from Colombo to Male’ when she ran aground.

Source: Godfrey, T. (2006). Dive Maldives A guide to the Maldives Archipelago (Vol. III). Victoria, Australia: Atoll Editions.

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Other Information

Boat Specifications

• Year built: 2015
• Length: 38m
• Beam: 8 meters
• Top speed: 13 Knots
• Cruising speed: 10 Knots
• Engines: 2 X caterpiller
• Max guests: 16
• Number of cabins: 9
• Number of bathrooms: 9
• Tenders: Yamaha
• Water capacity: 10000ltr
• Fuel capacity: 45000ltr
• Freshwater maker: 72000ltr

Practical Information

• Time Zone: UTC+5
• Local Currency: MVR (Maldivian Rufiyaa)
• Language Spoken: English
• Payment Onboard: Cash or credit cards

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Underwater Gallery 

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