Galapagos liveaboard CALYPSO versus AGGRESSOR III

In November/December 2019 we did a week of diving on both boats. Here is a little comparison you might like to use if you need to choose between these liveaboards.

Boat

The Calypso is fully rebuild and had its maiden voyage august 2019. The Aggressor III has been around for many years and is scheduled for thorough maintenance in dock early 2020. That’s good because things look a bit weary and fellow passengers talked about termites in their room on the Aggressor III.

The Calypso salon is big with panoramic windows and the seating area for dining is much better. 3 tables with chair around it and plenty of space to move around. The Aggressor has 3 fixed tables with couches that don’t move. If you slide in first, 2 or 3 persons have to get up when you want to go for seconds at the buffet. This gets annoying fast.

The Calypso holds a beautiful jacuzzi on the sun deck but this could only be used at Darwin Island. It was empty the rest of the trip. The jacuzzi on the Aggressor was in front of the boat and could be used any time.

Both boats can have 16 passengers, but only 4 sun lounge chairs on the sun deck. The Calypso had a comfortable couch seating area in the back of the sun deck and a small covered seating area at the back of the upper deck whereas the Aggressor had a big covered seating area at the back of the upper deck.

Guess the Calypso has a bigger engine and thus is faster. We would stay anchored while eating and when getting ready for diving the boat would be in a quiet area. The Aggressor was always in a hurry to get to the next site. The Aggressor also always stayed as close to the divers as possible on a dive site to make zodiac rides shorter. But that resulted in rocking around while getting geared up.

Room

Rooms on the Calypso are newer, bigger and simply more beautiful. Laminate flooring instead of carpet. USB ports all over. Big windows for panoramic view and you do not need to close the blinds as nobody can walk passed your  window. Both rooms had lots of storage space. Both rooms had TV but we never used it. In the bathroom on the Calypso was hardly (warm) water from the shower head. The Aggressor shower had much more power. Both boats supply eco-friendly shampoo and body wash. Hair dryer available on both boats. Lots of little toiletries when you arrive on the Aggressor. The Calypso has a railing along the wall underneath the windows. Here you can hang stuff/clothing. I found this ‘indoor washing line’ very convenient and haven’t seen it on any other liveaboard boat.

Dive deck

The Calypso dive deck is bigger, has 4 big shower heads with warm water. No shampoo provided. The Aggressor has 2 showers and provides shampoo.

On the Calypso you have a dive deck towel with room number that is heated and handed to you after every dive. On the Aggressor you just get a headed towel from the big pile in the cabinet. Both boats have plenty space for camera’s.

Food

Big difference in breakfast.

On the Calypso no edible yogurt & cereals (brightly coloured). Fantastic big plate of fruits every day with all fruit thinkable (papaya, melon, watermelon, pineapple, apple, pear, plum, grapes, strawberries, kiwi, orange, …)

Pick your own ingredients and eggs cooked on the spot by the chef. This sometimes resulted in a line at the buffet.

Every day a selection of pre made items like pancakes, French toast or local breakfast specialties.

On the Aggressor first half of the week strawberry yogurt and the latter half of the week peach flavour. 7 different types of cereals/muesli. Bananas provided but daily only 4 fruits (papaya, honey melon, watermelon, pineapple).

Breakfast is ordered from the menu: eggs, toast, pancakes, waffels, …

Snacks in the salon almost same same on both boats. Chips, crackers, cookies, sweets and chocolate. The Aggressor had a huge fruit basket with apples, pears, orange, plums, … but then you had to clean the fruit yourself.

Lunch buffet style, Dinner buffet style. Pretty much same same on both boats.

Dive deck snack, now there’s a difference. I personally liked the items supplied on the Calypso better. More space for the food on the Calypso dive deck, more selection.

Drinks

Beer and wine on the Aggressor III are included in the price. On the Calypso you pay for each beer (5 USD) and a glass of wine (6-7USD).

Both have a variety of teas but if you’re a tea enthusiast and like rooibos, earl grey or any herbs or fruit variety, bring your own. The Aggressor provides thermos mugs so you can take your tea outside and it stays warm forever. Just make sure the mug hasn’t been used for coffee. Freshly brewed coffee on both boats.

Different juices at breakfast, lunch and dinner with more selection on the Aggressor.

Crew

Fantastic on both boats. Crew members on the Calypso 11, 9 on the Aggressor. On the Aggressor board with pictures and names of the crew members.

Dive guides

2 knowledgeable guides on both boats.

Briefings are done with tv in salon.

On both boats dive guides tend to spend a lot of time filming underwater for a movie they sell at the end of the trip.

Diving

On the Calypso 2 groups: Hammerheads and Whale Sharks. You stay in that group in that zodiac all week, all dives. The guides change zodiacs every other day. Fins stay in the zodiac.

On the Aggressor get into the zodiac when ready.

All dives are done with nitrox from the zodiac.

Both boats provide a Nautilus Lifeline, Dive Alert and a dive flag/SMB. Dive times 55 minutes 30 meters max on the Aggressor and 50 minutes 30 meters on the Calypso. But not strict.

Route

Another big difference.

Calypso starts from Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal which is a far nicer and more relaxed place than Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz.

The Aggressor III did a check dive in the Itabaca Channel and the viz could not have been more than 1 meter. Do not think it will ever get much better. The check dive at Isla Lobos with the Calypso was better.

The first night on the Aggressor we spend in the middle of the Channel next to a big vessel that made an awful loud humming noise. That was totally irritating. The loud noise spoilt a nice night of stargazing, a quiet night sleep and a beautiful sunrise.

The second day on the Calypso we made 4 dives at Marchena Island. I would say 3 average 1 very good. Bad viz, cold. (see trip report)

The second day on the Aggressor we did 2 dives: 1 dive at Santa Cruz Island, Punta Carrion. Good dive. (see trip report). 1 dive at Bartolomé Punta. Average. Than we did an afternoon hike to Bartolomé Summit and a panga ride at Pinacle Rock. That was fun.

The next 3 days overlap with 4 dives at Wolf Island, 4 dives at Darwin Island and 2 morning dives at Darwin Island and 2 afternoon dives at Wolf Island.

The fifth day the Calypso offered a panga ride at 8.00 to look at birds, iguana’s and sea lions. We also saw a Mola Mola from the zodiac. 1 dive at Cabo Douglas and 2 dives at Punta Vicente Roca. After the dive they showed us the cave and we looked at the animals and birds on the beach.

On the Aggressor 2 morning dives at Cabo Douglas and 2 afternoon dives at Punta Vicente Roca. No (time for) sightseeing.

Last diving day, both offer one dive at Cousins rock. Both boats than sail to the Itabaca Channel where you get on the bus to visit the same Tortoise Ranch in the Highlands of Santa Cruz. Both times dropped in town at the dock. Only difference that with the Calypso tour we had much more time to explore Puerto Ayora. Dinner in Puerto Ayora at own expense in both schedules. After dinner the Calypso sails to San Cristobal overnight, the Aggressor sails to Baltra.

On the Calypso there is a beautiful map of the trip above the coffee station.

Service

I found the Aggressor administration very fast and efficient while the Calypso administration did not respond to all my questions and evidently forgot to book our domestic flights so our travel agent had to take care of it.

Price

Best to compare current prices oneself. We were lucky to get discounts on both boats.

The Caplyso had an introduction discount because the boat was relatively new on the market.

The Aggressor III had a last minute discount maybe due to cancellations that might be related to the fire incident in the Red Sea on November 1^st 2019.

But also October 2019 was a troubled period with violent protests in the major cities of Quito and Guayaquil against the government over high gasoline prices. Airports were closed and travel advice was negative.