Atlantis Adventurer

Atlantis Adventurer is a 32-metre aluminium-hulled yacht and the only Blue Water rated vessel in the Philippines, cleared for open-ocean crossings. Built in 1989 at Seacraft Shipyard in Louisiana and refitted in 2012 and 2015. Eight cabins for 16 guests with a nearly one-to-one crew ratio — one of the most intimate boats in the region by guest count. Until the early 2020s she sailed as Atlantis Azores, so the old name still turns up in descriptions and on some of the photographs.

The yacht belongs to Atlantis Dive Resorts & Liveaboards, who run two dive resorts in the Philippines — in Dumaguete (Dauin) and in Puerto Galera. Most departures start and finish right at the resort with no extra transfers, which makes it easy to add a week ashore to a week afloat.

There are eight cabins. Seven Deluxe Staterooms sit on the lower deck: a double berth with a single bunk above it, private bathroom with shower and hairdryer, individually controlled air conditioning, no windows. The cabin on the upper deck is the Owner’s Suite: the same bed layout but noticeably roomier, with a desk, a large picture window and generous storage.

Common areas include an air-conditioned saloon with a flatscreen TV, a library and board games — every evening there is a marine life presentation or a briefing on the next destination. There is a partly shaded sun deck with loungers, a full wet bar and several sitting areas, an open dining area aft and a second, enclosed one inside. A small boutique sells dive essentials and souvenirs. All drinks on board, including beer, wine and local rum, are included; you may bring your own bottles with no corkage fee.

The dive deck is spacious, with a personal locker for every diver, a three-tier camera table with a charging station and hot freshwater showers on the aft platform. Diving is run from two zodiacs, so the ride to the site is short. The schedule allows up to five dives a day including a night dive. Nitrox is available on every charter, and technical or rebreather diving can be arranged in advance.

Diver requirements are stricter than usual: minimum age 15, Advanced Open Water certification and at least 25 logged dives, log book and certification card in hand. Personal dive accident insurance is mandatory on all charters — without it you will not be allowed on board.

The schedule follows the seasons. From January to early March the yacht works Apo Reef and the Coron wrecks; from mid-March to early June she runs to Tubbataha; and from June to December she is based in Dauin and cruises the Visayas — Moalboal, Malapascua, Bohol, Oslob.