Black Pearl Explorer FAQs

Non-divers are welcome onboard Black Pearl Explorer and get a 10% onboard credit (valid for extra service and drinks only – Cannot be used for Marine park fees, harbor fees or crew gratuity – Unused value of the credit won’t be refunded). They can enjoy the facilities onboard such as indoor lounge, the small library, or just spend time relaxing on the beautiful sundeck. They can also use our kayaks and stand-up paddle boards when the boat is close to islands and when the sea conditions allow it.   Non-divers can snorkel when the area around the dive site is suitable, but Palau has very strict rules about snorkelers and divers (A mandatory Palauan snorkeling guide -with additional charges- must be in the water at all times / Access possible only when the tenders are not used for scuba divers). Therefore, and to avoid any disappointment, we prefer not to confirm snorkeling will be offered onboard Black Pearl Explorer. We thank you in advance for your kind understanding.   Our crew also offers the optional land excursion in Peleliu Island: guests can skip the dives and instead, take the island tour ($69 per person – Duration: 3 hours – Includes transportation, tour guide and all entrance fees), allowing guests to leisurely stroll around and take in the sights. Please note: the Marine Park and Harbor Fees do not include the permit to get access to Peleliu. Since May 1st, 2024, an additional fee of $60 per person is collected onboard. The access to Peleliu is subject to weather, sea and schedule conditions.  Rock Island is conveniently located near the dive site, allowing divers to visit the island in the afternoon after completing the third dive. Guests can stroll around the beach and stay for a while without any additional charges.

Palau is a tropical destination, which enjoys a steady warm climate all year round. Air temperature can range from 24° to 32° Celsius. The dry season in Palau runs from November to April, and July to October are deemed as wetter months. However, typhoons with straight days of rain are rare due to Palau’s location near the Equator. 

• Koror Current/Forecast Weather  provided by Ventusky.com 

Solo diving is not permitted in Palau. 

Packages Include: 

• 7 nights/8 days aboard the vessel 
• 3 meals daily, plus light snacks available before the first dive of the day and afternoon snacks 
• 3 dives daily + 1 night dive – for a total of up to 17 dives 
• Use of tanks, weights, and belts 
• Air fills and Nitrox for Nitrox certified divers 
• Hot beverages and biscuits 
• Same-day hotel transfers within Koror or Malakal
• Use of kayaks and stand-up paddle boards 
• 10% GST

Packages Do Not Include:  

• Hotel accommodations 
• Flights to/from Koror 
• Airport transfers
• Rental, instruction, and retail charges 
• Crew gratuities 
• Dive accident insurance (required) 
• Trip insurance (recommended) 
• Optional land tours
• Special drinks such as cocktails, beers and other alcohol (wine and spirits), sodas, and juices in cans. If you wish to bring your own alcohol, please note that it may incur a corkage fee: $20 per bottle of wine and $2 per can of beer, per Palau’s universal guidelines
• Current onboard charges 

Palau is officially the Republic of Palau. It is also historically known as Belau, Palaos, or Pelew, an island country in the western Pacific. Learn more about the country by visiting the tourism website below.

• Palau Visitors Authority 
• Palau Government’s Official Website 
• Palau International Coral Reef  Center & Marine Sanctuary 

As a resort town, Palau has a large variety of very good hotel/resort values. Here are some suggested resorts: 

• Palau Pacific Resort
• The Cove Resort
• Aliiibamu Resort Carolines 
• Sea Passion 

Same-day transfers from/to your hotel within Koror & Malakal Islands are included in your cruise price. If you are staying overnight in Koror, please make sure that your application form has included your hotel information. If you need additional transfers from/to the airport, a fee will be collected onboard the vessel, with your final bill (please check our Onboard Charges page). Please let us know your needs in advance and the crew can make the necessary arrangements. The usual meeting points are organized as follows:  

• Airport: Guests arriving at the required airport on the check-in day will be picked up by a representative holding a sign of M/Y Black Pearl Explorer. The meeting point is at the main exit, immediately after luggage collection. 
  
• Hotel or Resort: Guests who are coming from a hotel in the city can be picked up by a representative of M/Y Black Pearl Explorer. The meeting is in the main lobby or at the reception of the hotel, usually around 4pm. However, this may be subject to additional charges and should be confirmed at least a day in advance. 

Check-in usually starts at 4:00 pm on the day of boarding; Transfers can be provided until midnight, as the boat will leave the harbor on the next morning. Check-out starts at 8:00 am on the day you disembark. (The boat will be back to the harbor in the afternoon on the day before disembarkation). 

Crew gratuities are not included in your package price. The crew works extremely hard, 7 days a week and many weeks at a stretch to provide the best possible service for guests. The standard for crew gratuity (if, of course, you are happy with the service which you have received) is 10% of the regular package price per passenger. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! All the gratuities collected will be equally shared among the crew. Gratuities must be paid in cash. 

The onboard charges bill should be paid at the end of the trip using cash, or credit card via PayPal. Personal or traveler’s checks are not accepted on board, and we are unable to provide cash for credit card charges more than invoice amounts. The bill may be paid at the end of the trip using cash, credit cards (Visa & Mastercard), or PayPal. Personal or traveler’s checks are not accepted on board, and we are unable to provide cash for credit card charges more than invoice amounts.

The local currency is the US dollar (USD). Euros (EUR) are also accepted onboard.  

There may be limited or no access to mobile networks once the yacht sails into a remote area or open sea. However, M/Y Black Pearl Explorer offers SIM card services for you to purchase and use during the cruise (signal is good when the boat is near Koror). The vessel also has a satellite phone, in case of emergency. Free satellite WiFi is available onboard for guests.   Vital messages may be passed to guests by calling the operations office at 1.800.322.3577, ext 2 (US & Canada) or +1.307.235.0683 (Outside US & Canada). If delayed, call our operations office (see above) or our local operator: +680 488 4343 (Kate – Local office) or +680 7792299 (Ella – Land Manager – Whatsapp).

Meals are mostly served buffet style, in the main dining lounge. Our chef prepares delicious food, with Western and Asian influences. Aboard the M/Y Black Pearl Explorer, meals usually consist of lots of fresh vegetables, mixed salads, rice, pasta, chicken, beef, lamb, fish, fruits, ice creams and pastries. Main breakfast is served after the first dive the usual fare of eggs, bacon, sausages, pancakes, cereals, French toast, bread, pastries, and fresh fruits. One snack is served in the afternoon, after the 3rd dive.  A BBQ dinner on the beach is usually offered within the week (weather permitting).  If you have any dietary restrictions or requests, please indicate so on your application form. Please be advised that while the chef is careful not to use allergens in the food prepared for sensitive individuals, the boat has only one galley, one set of prep equipment and dishes and one chef, so we cannot completely eliminate the possibility of cross-contamination. If required, please let the crew know the location of any emergency-use medication when you board the boat. Specific brands of drinks, dressings, and foods are often unavailable in Palau, and it can also be very difficult for us to find low-fat, gluten-free, or soy products and other items common elsewhere. While we will do our best to accommodate your requests, please consider bringing some of your own foods if the lack thereof may constitute a health risk. 

Packing for a liveaboard trip is much easier than packing for a land-based vacation. The climate doesn’t require much more than shorts, T-shirts, and swimsuits, though at sea the winds can be fresh, and a light jacket may be necessary. Soft luggage is recommended as it takes up very little space when empty. If you plan to extend your stay in Palau, then consider bringing walking shoes or sneakers.  

Please remember that the sun can be very strong. For this reason, please make sure you have sufficient strength ocean-friendly sunscreen. In case of rough weather, or if you have a tendency towards seasickness, come prepared with motion sickness medications or Transderm patches from your doctor. All linens (including sheets, comforters, bath towels, hand towels, and wash cloths) are provided on board.  Make sure you remember your Application/Liability Release, medical forms and certification card(s). If possible, pack your regulator, dive computer, mask, swimsuit, change of clothes, medications, and toiletries in your carry-on bag. Having these few items with you will make an unexpected luggage delay far more bearable. 

Please note: This law RPPL 11-27, to amend Chapter 17, Title 1 of the Palau National Code to prohibit the importation, distribution, selling, possession, and use of electronic cigarettes within the Republic of Palau. 

Nitrox is available and included in the package price for certified nitrox divers.

The vessel provides tanks (fitting DIN and Yoke regulators), hard weights and weight belts for your use. In addition, there is a limited number of 15L tanks available for rent on board ($8 per day). SMB, reef hooks and Nautilus Lifeline devices are provided for free. If you prefer to rent the rest of your equipment from us, we have most of the equipment that you will need. Please indicate on your application form what equipment (and size) you will require. Otherwise, the following items are the diver’s responsibility: 

• Application/liability release forms 
• Medical form and physician clearance, if required. 
• Certification cards 
• Proof of DAN (or similar) dive accident insurance 
• Diving logbook (strongly encouraged) 
• Mask * 
• Snorkel * 
• Fins * 
• Booties (if you wear them) 
• Dive computer (required) * 
• Buoyancy Control Device * 
• Regulator w/alternate air source * 
• Submersible pressure and depth gauges (required) * 
• Dive light * 
• Tank Marker Lights (suggested for night dives) 
• Shorty/ Full Wetsuit – 3 mm * 
• Repair kit w/ spare parts 
• Safety sausage/SMB (required – can be provided for free onboard) 
• Reef hook (required – can be provided for free onboard)
• A Nautilus Lifeline device is provided for free onboard Black Pearl Explorer. 

* Available for rent on board. Rental/Course Pricing (PDF) 

Only children above 7 years old (as of the first day of scheduled cruise) are allowed onboard the yacht. Parents are fully responsible for their children at all times during the cruise as Pearl Fleet Pte Ltd strictly does not provide childcare facilities onboard its yachts. All children under 11 years old (as of the first day of scheduled cruise) will not be charged, provided they are sharing the same bed with their parents, and are non-divers. All junior divers will be given 10% discount off the full price of the cruise. 

All dives aboard the M/Y Black Pearl Explorer are offered at scheduled times, up to 3 or 4 times daily (weather & itinerary permitting). Schedules must allow for adequate surface intervals and enable the vessel to travel to different locations. All dives are made from 2 shaded aluminum tenders (12 passengers each) and with at least 4 dive guides.  

Palau is well known as one of the world’s best and most complete diving destinations. Read our Palau diving page here. Situated only 500 miles from both the Philippines and Indonesia, and influenced by 3 major ocean currents, this set of limestone and volcanic islands are rich with a huge marine biodiversity, including many reef sharks, manta rays, tunas, barracudas, bump head parrot fishes, red snappers, napoleon wrasses, turtles, and abundant soft and hard corals. In 2009, Palau created the world’s first Shark Sanctuary and protects 600,000 square kilometers of ocean. In Palau, you can enjoy wall diving, drop offs, drift dives (reef hook is highly recommended), cave diving and big pelagic encounters. Palau lagoon also has several WWII wrecks (ships and planes) as it was the theater of much Pacific fighting between Japanese and American forces. Dive sites in Palau will amaze all divers! Water temperature is usually warm at a range of 81-86°F (27-30°C) and a 3mm wetsuit will suffice all year. Unusually for a destination with nutrient-rich water and current, the visibility often seems endless and can reach 50m. Due to strong currents, this itinerary is best with a certification level of Advanced Open Water (or similar) with a minimum of 50 logged dives. Diving in Peleliu is weather permitted. 

At 46 meters (153 feet) in length, the M/Y Black Pearl Explorer is the epitome of luxury, intended for pampering at a level of service found nowhere else in Palau. She is stable, spacious, and offers smooth cruising. Accommodating up to 24 divers, this opulent vessel has 12 staterooms split into two master staterooms (13, 14), four main-deck Deluxe sea view staterooms (9,10,11, 12), and six lower-deck standard cabins (1,2,3,4,5 and 6). All cabins have air conditioning, LED TV, high-quality linens, pillows and towels, 220 V universal electricity sockets (except for UK plugs), reading lights, safe box and en-suite bathrooms (with shower, rinsing sink, eco-friendly soap & shampoo and hairdryer). All cabins have an ocean view, some with large windows, some with portholes. All lower deck cabins are equipped with 2 twin beds, while Deluxe Ocean view staterooms can be configured with 2 twin beds or 1 queen bed. Master Seaview staterooms have a queen bed only.  There is plenty of space on board, both on the dive deck and on the extensive main deck, which has an outdoor salon, a whirlpool, and an indoor dining area completed with a bar. Free satellite WiFi is available onboard. 

On surface intervals, divers can unwind on the covered sun deck (with sun beds and comfortable benches), relax in the dedicated upper-deck salon or or on the upper-deck outside lounge and bar. M/Y Black Pearl Explorer is equipped with a small camera station that has plugs for use by underwater photographers or videographers.

The M/Y Black Pearl Explorer is specifically designed for divers looking for luxury and is a well-built vessel for cruising between dive sites. The waterline-level dive deck and the indoor gear station offer enough space for 24 divers, and at least 4 professional guides who will be in the water on each dive. All dives are made from 2 shaded aluminum tenders, each with a capacity of 12. Everything is customized for effortless diving.

The M/Y Black Pearl Explorer is equipped with essential safety equipment including life jackets and life rafts, plus smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in all cabins, salons, and the engine room.