By Liveaboard Explorer · Published · Updated
Bahamas liveaboards: Blackbeard’s, Aqua Cat or a small-group charter?
Choose Blackbeard’s for shared-bunk value, Aqua Cat for private-bath cabins and more diving opportunities, or Cat Ppalu for a group charter. These Nassau-based programmes visit the Exuma Cays; Eleuthera depends on conditions.
Start with the boat style and the return day
A Bahamas liveaboard is not one standard product. Blackbeard’s is a six-night shared-bunk programme on either Morning Star or Sea Explorer. Aqua Cat is a separate seven-night catamaran with 11 main-deck cabins and private bathrooms. Cat Ppalu is a smaller sailing catamaran for groups of up to 12, with six double cabins and shared bathrooms. All three are sold by All Star Liveaboards. This comparison covers those named Nassau-based options, not every Bahamas operator. Their Exumas routes overlap, so paying more primarily changes accommodation, dive opportunities and activities rather than buying a guaranteed different marine encounter.
All Star: Bahamas routes and boat choicesCompare the Nassau-based options
Scroll sideways to compare every column.
| Compare | Blackbeard’s | Aqua Cat | Cat Ppalu |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeping arrangements | Air-conditioned dormitory bunks; shared bathrooms and shower | 11 main-deck cabins with private bathrooms; bedding varies by cabin | Six double cabins; shared bathrooms; up to 12 guests |
| Published trip length | Six nights, Saturday to Friday | Seven nights, Saturday to Saturday | Six nights, Saturday to Friday |
| Main reason to choose it | Lower fare and social shared accommodation | Cabin privacy, Nitrox availability and up to 26 dive opportunities | A private group wanting more say over diving and shore time |
| Main compromise | Little personal space; Nitrox is not available | Higher cabin-dependent fare; most diving is self-guided | Shared bathrooms; obtain a charter-specific quote and programme |
Exuma Cays first; Eleuthera is conditional
The published Blackbeard’s and Aqua Cat sample itineraries visit the Exuma Cays and/or Eleuthera. Neither is a fixed island-by-island ferry circuit. Weather and the captain’s site selection determine the week. Austin Smith wreck, patch reefs, walls, Lost Blue Hole and the Washing Machine drift are examples in the operator’s regional coverage, not promised stops. Caribbean reef sharks and nurse sharks feature in these programmes, including a normally offered shark-feed dive. Do not treat that as a tiger-shark guarantee. If your booking depends on a particular shark species or site, an Exumas sample itinerary does not establish that it is included.
All Star: Bahamas routes and boat choicesGetting from Nassau airport to the correct marina
Fly into Nassau’s Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS). Blackbeard’s boards at Nassau Harbour Club Marina on East Bay Street; its FAQ estimates roughly 30–40 minutes from the airport. Aqua Cat uses Hurricane Hole Marina on Paradise Island. They are not the same transfer destination. Blackbeard’s boards at noon on Saturday and disembarks by 09:00 Friday. Its FAQ asks passengers to be aboard by 13:00 and recommends landing no later than noon, stricter than the trip page’s before-13:00 wording. Arriving Friday avoids relying on that tight same-day connection. Aqua Cat boards Saturday at 17:30 and disembarks the following Saturday by 09:00. Attend the first-evening safety briefing rather than assuming its Sunday departure permits late boarding.
All Star: Aqua Cat diving, boarding and safety FAQsNew diver does not mean every dive is suitable
Both programmes accept certified divers and publish training options by prior arrangement. That is not a promise that every drift, depth or night dive suits a new diver. Blackbeard’s normally offers unescorted buddy diving after a briefing. Aqua Cat also describes its diving as generally self-guided, although an instructor is in the water and can be followed by arrangement before the dive. Both require a dive computer per diver and certification evidence for certified diving. Arrange training and any additional guiding before paying; do not assume the presence of an instructor means personal supervision is included. Blackbeard’s has no Nitrox, while Aqua Cat offers it at additional cost.
All Star: Blackbeard's diving and onboard FAQsCompare year-specific costs, not the headline alone
As checked on 24 October 2026, Blackbeard’s trip page separates the 2026 fare of US$1,195 from US$210 fees, and the 2027 fare of US$1,245 from US$235 fees. Aqua Cat separates cabin/occupancy rates from US$395 fees in 2026 or US$405 in 2027. These are published rate schedules, not a live cabin quote. Add flights, transfers, equipment rental, insurance and gratuity to either. Aqua Cat also excludes Nitrox and Friday dinner ashore. Compare the actual cabin category and year before deciding the price difference; a skylight bunk cabin is not the same product as ocean-view double occupancy.
All Star: Aqua Cat dated rates and sample itineraryWhen to go and how to protect the booking
All Star operates Bahamas diving across the year and recommends wetsuits between autumn and spring. Cooler-season repeated dives can need more thermal protection than the air temperature suggests; choose exposure protection for your own needs rather than a universal wetsuit thickness. Weather can alter the route in any season. The published trip terms offer future credit for missed days from a named-storm interruption, not a general cash refund for weather cancellation. Read the terms attached to your booking and distinguish dive-accident cover from trip-cancellation cover. Neither a return to port nor next-morning disembarkation is personal clearance to fly after diving.
All Star: Blackbeard's dated rates and sample itineraryChoose the programme, then the actual berth
The detailed guides separate Blackbeard’s two vessels from its cruise programme, and Aqua Cat’s cabin categories from its sample schedule. Use them to decide whether you want a shared bunk, a shared cabin or sole occupancy before requesting a dated departure.