Dive Review of MV Celebes Explorer in
Malaysia/Sipadan

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MV Celebes Explorer, Jul, 2011, by Paul , AP, US ( Sr. Reviewer 9 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 6134.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	I would recommend the MV Celebes Explorer (MVCE) for the diving and access to Sipadan, not for the accommodations or the food. Compared to other dive businesses in the area, the MVCE offered the greatest access to Sipadan. We dove all 7 days' multiple dives at Sipadan. The MVCE itself was basic and functional. Everything on the boat worked, but not always well. The MVCE needs some TLC, but since they are building the MVCE2, the owners don't appear to be reinvesting in this boat. With only 13 divers (out of a possible max of 16) on board, there was plenty of room. Customer service was top notch! Divemaster Tom (of the duo Tom & Jerry) was great and ensured we got to see all of the things we wanted to see under water, even offering photo tips and advising of each sites special attractions. The diving was phenomenal and probably the best my wife and I have ever done. We saw large schools of fish consistently and saw turtles and sharks on every dive. The fish were plentiful and not easily spooked, which was good for the u/w photographers in the group. There was a good diver to divemaster ratio. Any problems on the boat or with dive gear were fixed as soon as they were brought to the attention of the crew. There was ample room on the sundeck, front and common areas of the boat so that didn't feel crowded. There was a little store with t-shirts, books, soda and beer for sale. The accommodations were clean, but a little dated. Nitrox had to be special ordered well in advance of the trip and was mixed on the boat. You paid for the number of tanks that you ordered, regardless of whether you used them all or not. Diver safety was paramount during the entire trip and divemasters Tom and Jerry stressed this at every briefing. During one dive, we came up into a sudden rain squall and the dive boat captain Reynaldo and Tom got everyone on board and to safety on Sipadan island until we could safely return to the MVCE. MVCE did their best to accommodate special requests for food and diet, but the food was mainly Malaysian style and was heavy/greasy/oily fare with lots of noodles and rice. More variety would have been a plus. The meals each day were pretty much the same. If you are picky, I suggest bringing some of your own food along to make the trip more enjoyable. If you are going to Sipadan, the MVCE is the best way to maximize your diving time. The MVCE offered 4-5 dives a day on all days except arrival (2) and last diving day (3). I would highly recommend the MVCE to serious divers who are going to Sipadan to dive Sipadan. Hopefully the minor issues of a dated boat will be fixed with the launch of the MVCE2 in October 2011.
Websites	MV Celebes Explorer
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Florida, Jamaica, Cozumel, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, California, Guam, Palau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines, Maldives, Hawaii
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy	Seas	calm, currents
Water Temp	79-82°F / 26-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-60 Ft/ 6-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	45 minute max dive time within limits of recreational diving.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	No special area on liveaboard for cameras. No separate rinse tank. No special area on dive boats. Had dry, dedicated charging area.

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Dive Review of MV Celebes Explorer in Malaysia/Sipadan

MV Celebes Explorer, Jul, 2011,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of MV Celebes Explorer in
Malaysia/Sipadan