The Duke of York was built and launched in the Maldives in 2010. Thanks to high design standards, combining the skills of local naval architects and engineers and quality standards, this yacht is the ideal solution for a fantastic sea adventure in the Maldives that is also a holiday dedicated to wellness and relaxation in a comfortable environment.

With 11 Cabins the Duke of York accommodates up to 21 guests comfortably in 1 double with twin beds with wide glass window overlooking the stern of the second deck, 1 double with convertible twin beds (on the second deck), 1 double with twin beds (on the second deck), 4 triples (one double bed and a single one), 3 doubles with twin beds and 1 single cabin.
All cabins feature independently adjustable air conditioning, bathrooms with shower.

The 36-meters long and 11-meters wide Duke of York boasts 4 levels with indoor parquet flooring and teak on the main deck, is accompanied by a comfortable dhoni used for diving, snorkeling, fishing, marine activities and to land on sand banks/desert islands. Along with the more traditional diving techniques we are able to offer cruises with the assistance and material to dive with rebreathers.
Onboard NITROX is free of charge.

Duke of York - Video

Duke of York - prices and what's included

Prices are per person and in USD based on 2 persons sharing a cabin.
Exact pricing is available on the schedule here as prices vary dependant on the time year, destination and the length of the trip and sometimes special offers are available.

The trip price includes:

Accommodation in twin / double shared cabin with en-suite bathroom
Meal Plan Full Board, 3 meals per day & afternoon snack
Unlimited drinking water, tea & american coffee & fresh fruit (bananas)
Airport transfer by Dhoni
Diving & night diving - NITROX INCLUDED
Diving Dhoni (Diving boat for divers & for all other activities)
1 Free Scuba Try in the lagoon (from 8 years old) for non-divers; equipment included
Snorkelling assisted
One or two sunset fishing during the week & Trolling fishing during navigation
Free use of the kayak
Assistance for surfing cruises
Excursions, island hopping & to Malè City (only for trips in Central Atolls)
GST Tax included at 12%
Specialized Staff assistance & 3 Instructors/ Dive Master onboard

The trip price does not include:

Beverages alcoholic and non-alcoholic
Ayurveda & Wellness treatments
Fees for desert & touristic islands when requested.
Dinner on the Beach when requested, weather permitting (from Usd 10 to Usd 18 p.p. to be paid on board)
Diving & snorkelling courses
Rent of diving and snorkelling equipment, to be requested at booking
Minimum tips required (USD 8 p.p./per day), SUGGESTED: Usd 230,00
GST Tax adjustment
Domestic flights to South & North with Island Aviation
All what is not specified in “Rates are inclusive of”

If you wish to have the cabin to yourself, the single cabin supplement is +80% on top of the individual rate.

Discount and Child Policy

Non diver receives a discount of US$80 per week.
Children (from 2 – 11 yo) sharing a cabin with 2 adults pay only US$400 – diving is not included.

Group Booking Policy:

For a group of 10, the boat offers 1 space free of charge (11th person FOC).
For a group of 14, the boat offers 2 spaces free of charge (15th and 16th person FOC) 14 paying + 2 FOC.
For a full charter (21 pax)the group will receive 3 free spaces (19th, 20th and 21st persons FOC) so 18 paying + 3 FOC.

Terms and conditions:

Individual bookings:
Booking deposit:
30% of booking is required within 7 days of booking - non refundable
70 % is due to 90 days prior to departure - non refundable.
Balance due 90 days before your trip departure date - non-refundable.
Individual booking made less than 90 days before the departured ate are payable in full at the time of booking.
Cancellation at any stage involves forfeit of monies already payed.

Group charter:

Booking deposit:
10% - within 7 days of booking - non-refundable
Second deposit:
20% 180 days prior to departure - non-refundable
Balance due
90 days before departure - non-refundable

Diving Equipment Rentals (USD) Per week
Full Set (regulator, octopus, BCD, wetsuit, mask, fins, dive computer) $ 200
Regulator with octopus $ 80
Computer $ 80
BCD $ 80
Wetsuit (shorty 3mm) $ 80
Mask $ 20
Fins, mask, Snorkel $ 70
Torch per dive $ 15

Duke of York - cabins

To see photos of the cabins please visit the schedule and click on the cabin name to see the photos of each cabin, availability and price.

With 11 Cabins the Duke of York accommodates up to 21 guests comfortably in 1 double with twin beds with wide glass window overlooking the stern of the second deck, 1 double with convertible twin beds (on the second deck), 1 double with twin beds (on the second deck), 4 triples (one double bed and a single one), 3 doubles with twin beds and 1 single cabin. All cabins feature independently adjustable air conditioning, bathrooms with shower.

Duke of York - itineraries

Duke’s professional Diving Team has a long experience and the necessary instruments to take you to the best spots in the area.
Dive Masters, Ali and Rasheed, have been working with them for more than 20 years.
In the Maldives the various dive sites can be classified into 4 major types:
Diving along the external reef of the atoll (ocean reef)
Diving on the ‘thilas’ inside the atoll or in the channel
Diving in ‘passes’ (kandu)
Diving wrecks ‘around the Giri’
Be prepared to experience a lot of action with the savvy guides of Conte Max.
The boat-leader will explain to you all the varieties and choices offered on the liveaboard cruise; you will be free to choose the right one for you.
The itineraries will be custom made (weather allowing) according to guests expectations.

Central Atolls

This cruise will show you six different atolls (North & South Male, Felidhoo, Vattaru, Mulaku, South Ari), the departure and return is from / to Hulhule airport island.
Heading South straight away, sailing within the Eastern edge channels, among which Emboodhoo Kandu, Cocoa and Guraidhoo Kandu, Devana Kandu, Fotteyo, Rakeedho Corner, Vattaru and Mulaku Kandu.
From there you will cruise the inner portion of the atoll heading to the Southern edge of Ari Atoll, where you will hopefully enjoy the famous whale shark watching at Maamigili ocean reef.
You will then sail northwards through the atoll taking in beaches, desert islands and sandbanks.
After the must-see destinations and the most famous thilas, you head back to North Male.
On second to last day it will be possible to visit the Capital, Male for some land sightseeing.

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Duke of York - specs

Technical Details

Construction year:2010
Dry dock: Every year dry dock
Lenght: 36 mt.
Width: 11 mt
Draft: 3 mt
Weigth (tons): 160
Speed (knots): 12
Cruising speed: 9 knots
Construction material: wood
Decks: 3
Engine: DAEWOO 600HP

Compass: 1+1 diving dhoni
Generators: 2 ISUZU 50 kw cad

Fuel tank capacity: 8000 lt.
Fuel: Diesel
Compressor : on diving dhoni
Desalinator (volume per day): 3 tons

Nitrox membrane: Yes
Fresh water tank capacity: 7 tons

GPS with maps: 1+1 diving dhoni
Electicity (v): 220V + 110V
Adapters: Yes

Duke of York - diving

Maldives diving

The Maldives offer the best that diving and snorkelling has to offer, Manta rays are guaranteed on pretty much every trip and there are a myriad of sites where you can see these beautiful creatures of the sea.
All of our liveaboards will do the best to give you the best experience possible dependant on the current conditions on the date of your trip and our boats are liveaboards for people enthusiastic or serious about their diving but also welcome snorkellers and non-divers who will have their own separate itinerary.
One of the highlights of any Maldives safari is the possibility to see one of the gentle giants of the ocean. Whale sharks are unusually common in the Maldives and are seen nearly year round in some areas and all our liveaboards will do their utmost to give you this chance encounter of a lifetime.
Diving from a liveaboard in the Maldives is without doubt one of the cheapest and easier ways to experience the best that the Maldives has to offer and these are, in our opinion, the best liveaboards in the area in terms of value for money, comfort and quality of service.

Maldives dive sites

Ari Atoll - Some of the popular dive sites

Kudarah Thila

Type of dive: Reef dive
Description: One of the best dive sites for soft coral and fish life.
The marine life here is so abundant, that the divers have named it ‘fish soup’. The thila is in a circular shape and can be covered in a single dive at different depths, if the current is not very strong.

Maaysa Thila

Type of dive: Reef dive / Night dive
Description: The thila is about 80mters in diameter.

The whole thila can be done at different depths in a single dive. There are manycaves and overhangs around the thila. The large rocks on the north eastern side have large black coral trees growing on them. The site is famous for the sharks and a great barracuda which reside here. The site can be dived at any time of the day, each with different activity going on the reef. The best chance to get close to these creatures is at night time, when they are hunting. You will see sharks, barracudas, rays and eels trying to grab a morsel.

Bathala Maaga Kanthila

Type of dive: Drift dive
Description: The northern tip of Magaa reef extends into Bathalaa Kandu and is home to a number of grey reef sharks and white-tip reef sharks. They can be seen patrolling along the reef looking for food.

Maalhos Thila (Blue Curves)

Type of dive: Drift dive / Reef dive
Description: The thila is known for the abundance of soft coral growth on the thila, particularly the blue/violet colored variety that grows on the ceiling of the caves and overhangs, thus the name ‘blue caves’. In addition a large variety of fish life can be observed here.

Rasdhoo Madivaru

Type of dive: Drift dive / Channel dive
Description: The reef on the southern side of Rasdhoo drops vertically to the ocean depths. The site is home to a school of Scalloped Hammerhead sharks (sphyrna lewini). In the early hours of the morning they rise from the deep waters off the atoll into the shallower depths, accessible to divers.

South Male Atoll - some of the more popular dive sites

Guraidhoo Kandu South

Type of dive: Drift dive / channel dive
Description: Since the eastern side of the channel is Open Ocean, large predatory fish can regularly be spotted here. This site is famous for sightings of sharks, schools of eagle rays and the occasional Sail fish and Hammerheads. The best condition to do the dive is when the current is flowing into the Atoll. The dive begins on the outer reef following the current into the atoll. Most of the pelagic species can be observed on the eastern side, where the reef drops off into the deep ocean. At the end of the dive in the channel, along the reef you can find overhangs with plenty of soft coral growth and small fish.

Kandooma Thila

Type of dive: Drift dive / reef dive
Description: Located in a channel, the reef is subject to strong currents at times. The ocean currents carry lot of nutrients to the reef, supporting an abundance of sea life. The site is well renowned for the soft coral growth, turtles, diverse fish life and invertebrates found on the reef. At the reef slope you may find sharks and eagle rays.

Embudu Kandu (Express)

Type of dive: Drift dive / channel dive.
Description: Similar to Guraidhoo Kandu, but more sharks are likely to be spotted here. The currents can be very strong at times. The stronger the current however the better chance of seeing sharks. Under the guidance of an experienced dive guide, the dive can be managed done easily.

Duke of York - faqs

What time is the embarkation, boarding and departure?

The embarkation time is usually in the morning, but it also depends on the arrival of the international flights of the guests.
Ideally you should aim to arrive early morning or before 10 am on the first day of the trip.
It is also recommended to arrive one day early and stay on the airport atoll (HulhuMale – NOT Male), there are a mixture of hotels and guest houses to choose from so please check booking.com and search for Hulhumale. Your hotel / guest house will then deliver you back to the airport the following day (the day of departure) where you will be met by the boats representatives at airport arrivals and taken directly to the ship which is anchored offshore near the airport, you will journey over on the dhoni (the boats 15m dive boat) to join the main ship. Please check with your hotel to see if there is any charge for this transfer as some offer it for free and some charge for this service. This is the only meeting point for the boat pick up, it is not possible to pick guests up at their respective hotels if you arrive early due to the distances involved between atolls and the time involved.

The checkout time is at 8 am on the last day of the cruise. Guests will be in the airport by 8:30 am accordingly.
The day before there are only 2 dives ending around lunchtime so you may fly out in the late morning and still have the requisite no fly time required – Always refer to your dive computer for this but PADI recommends 18 hours.

Can I buy a local phone card?

Phone cards are available for sale at the airport. They are GPRS enabled so you can pick your email on your phone nearly anywhere on the trip at very reasonable rates. Please make sure you tell you guest rep that you want one before you leave the airport.

Duke of York - schedule