Vessels
Tropic Dancer
Tropic Dancer (Dancer Fleet)
The Tropic Dancer is a 106-foot, 18-passenger catamaran built and powered for comfort, safety and stability. With her diesel-powered engine she cruises at 18 knots and has 110-volt power on board. The Tropic Dancer has a wide 30-foot beam, which ensures stability and offers very spacious accommodation. Nine luxurious, air-conditioned Deluxe Staterooms with private head and shower are located on the main level. Each features a queen-sized bed with single bed above, carpeted flooring, a large window, individual climate control, and vanity unit.
Travelling toward the stern of the Tropic Dancer, divers enter the large dive deck. This is the area where divers suit up and prepare their gear. Each diver has his own personal dive station complete with seat and locker. A dive briefing area, camera table with low-pressure air hoses, camera rinse tank and head are all part of the roomy dive deck.
Dive information is displayed on a large board which shows depth and marine life information. A large three-tiered camera table has plenty of space for camera assembly or preparation and separate rinse tanks are kept for cameras and videos. The photography department provides rental cameras and accessories as well as the services of the photo pro if you require a model or expert advice. A range of PADI and NAUI speciality courses are offered on Tropic Dancer, including Nitrox training and facilities. A full range of diving equipment is available for rental by pre-arrangement.
All dives are made from the high-speed, jet-driven skiff. The 30-foot skiff accommodates all divers. Each diver has a tank rack and seat on the skiff. Tanks are filled in place on the skiff with either air or Nitrox, via tank whips from the compressor banks on the mother ship. Divers board the skiff at deck level and then the skiff is lowered into the water by a hydraulic lift. After the dive the skiff cruises into the lift and returns to deck level where divers safely disembark. There are two freshwater showers on the dive deck.
For after the dive there is a freshwater shower and clean towels awaiting, as well as the chef’s freshly prepared snacks to appease the after-dive hunger pangs! Delicious barbecues, American-style and local dishes are served; breads, biscuits and baked snacks come strait from the oven. Most meals are served buffet-style.
A few steps up from the dive deck is the salon, dining area and indoor/outdoor wet bar. The salon is an attractively furnished area designed for relaxation. The entertainment centre features a large screen TV, VCR with all video camera capabilities, CD player and a well-stocked library of books and magazines, videos, compact discs and slides. A full-service indoor/outdoor bar is open 24 hours a day. The bar, a popular gathering place, is constructed of solid teak and has retractable windows for a fresh open air feeling. Three large dining tables are also part of this huge room. Breakfast and dinner are eaten indoors with lunch usually served alfresco at the bar. Try a soothing post-dive soak in the hot tub, located on the open deck near the bar. The third level features a ‘moon deck’, a 30-foot wide partially covered deck. Here divers may relax in the sun on a chaise longue, nap in a hammock or cool off with a beverage from the wet bar.
The Tropic Dancer is a handicapped-accessible live-aboard, complete with HSA certified instructors and dive buddies, a specially-designed hydraulic wheelchair elevator and shower stalls with seats. Dive lockers, padded seats, camera tables, tank racks, low gunwales and retractable ladders all help assure everyone's carefree diving.
Tropic Dancer operates out of the harbour at NECO ‘M’ Dock/Commercial Dock, Koror for 7 nights cruises, departing every Sunday throughout the year.
$2935. Includes: airport transfers; 7 nights cruise on Tropic Dancer on a twin/share basis in a Double Stateroom with full board (except dinner on the last night), including non-alcoholic and local alcoholic beverages; 5 full days of diving (up to 4 or 5 dives per day, including night dives) plus one or two dives on the last day. Supplement to upgrade to a Deluxe Stateroom: about $200. Reductions for divers 65 or over, non-divers and extra weeks. A cabin tax of US$35 and Koror and Peleliu State Dive Permit fees of US$130 (subject to change) are not included in the package price and will be collected on board. (The dive permits are valid for 14 days, so you do not need to pay again if you have already obtained the permits while shore-based diving or intend to dive while shore-based after the cruise.) Dinner on the last night is not included, but guests will be provided with guidance about good local restaurants. Single Occupancy Supplement: 50% of the cruise cost (but you can avoid paying the supplement if you are willing to share a cabin).