Accommodation

The Carpe Novo features 12 guest cabins, with each offering air-conditioning, private bathrooms and universal electrical plug outlets.

Upper Deck Junior Suites
There are four Upper Deck Junior Suites which have either a king or two super single beds, as well as a desk, two hanging closets, a flat screen TV and large ocean-facing windows.

Main Deck Single Staterooms
There are two Single Staterooms located on the main deck which each have a queen bed, hanging closet and desk, as well as large ocean-facing windows.

Lower Deck Staterooms
Six Staterooms are found on the lower deck with one queen and one twin bed, together with a desk, hanging closet, dresser and port-holes.

Dining

Breakfasts onboard Carpe Novo include a range of cereals and fruit, as well as cooked items like French toast, pancakes, eggs and bacon. A cold breakfast is served around 6 am before the day’s first dive, followed by a hot breakfast afterward.

Lunches are served after the second-morning dive around midday, with a selection of chicken, beef or fish dishes, accompanied by plenty of vegetables, rice, pasta and soup. Buffet-style dinners are either served before or after night dives and an afternoon snack is prepared to ensure you don’t go hungry between dives. A beach barbecue on a deserted stretch of sand is also held on one evening, with live music provided by the crew.

Drip coffee, tea and fresh water are complimentary throughout their Maldives liveaboard itineraries, while beer, wine, hard liquor, soda, specialty coffees and freshly made juices are available at an additional charge.

The staff of the Carpe Novo does their best to accommodate any dietary needs that are pre-requested, however, the availability of some items in the Maldives, such as gluten-free, soy and pork products, is limited.

Amenities

The top deck features both shaded and exposed areas for guests to relax in between dives, while the upper deck is home to the alfresco dining area, bar and a small lounge. The main deck is where the large leisure area is found, equipped with a TV, DVD player and stereo system, as well as an outdoor seating area, galley, communal restrooms and the dedicated camera room which features a charging station and tables. From the main deck there are two staircases leading to the swim platform where guests can take a dip while the yacht is at anchor.

Internet service is provided via a wireless router for an additional charge while cellular phone coverage is available when the vessel is within close proximity to some islands. Carpe Novo also has a selection of DVDs and music for guest’s use.

Diving

Carpe Novo offers up to three dives daily during its Maldives liveaboard itineraries, all of which are conducted from its spacious 60-foot custom made dhoni (dive tender). The dhoni is equipped with both air and nitrox compressors and offers plenty of space for all divers to don their gear and enter the water comfortably. Nitrox is offered complimentary for Nitrox certified divers.

Dives are led by their highly experienced crew and are offered at scheduled times to allow adequate surface intervals and sufficient time for the vessel to travel between sites. Most of the dives are drift dives and the Maldivian regulations limit the maximum depth to 100 feet (30 meters).

Individual gear bins are provided for each diver, along with separate camera and wetsuit rinse tanks, and there is a bathroom with toilet, hot water shower and two cold water showers for rinsing off on the dive platform.

Water temperature ranges from around 80-85˚F (27-29˚C) throughout the year (so a 3mm wetsuit is ideal), with visibility generally from 50-100 feet (15-30 meters) and at its peak in December and January. Air temperatures are balmy year-round, ranging from around 78-90˚F (26-30˚C), with two mild monsoon seasons. The northeast monsoon from November to April brings generally clear weather and stronger currents, while the southwest monsoon from May to October sees more wind and short-lived rains but not as much current.

Carpe Novo organizes its itineraries to take advantage of the prevailing weather conditions with some channel diving included. Whale sharks and mantas can be seen throughout the year (although mantas are more abundant during the southwest monsoon) and the macro life is impressive.

All divers must hold at least an Open Water certification to join Carpe Novo’s Maldives liveaboard trips, although Advanced Open Water or 100+ dives is recommended. Dive insurance is also mandatory and dive computers must be worn. Rental equipment is available on board by prior request, including torches for night dives, while tanks with DIN or YOKE compatibilities, as well as weight belts are provided.

For information on The Carpe Novo’s sister vessel, The Carpe Vita, click here.