"tropical Cruise": A Bad Boat-trips In Maldives

[diamond74]

I've just back from a Maldives surfary with the boat "TROPICAL CRUISE". Don't go TROPICAL CRUISE!!! The boat is a little old, slow and dirty trick. Our cabins were full of big black beatles. They were everywhere. Bathroom were little bad smelling, third-world style boxes. The boat was the last to leave in the morning and the first to go away from the spots. Everymorning the battery was out of charge and we could not move to go surf. We had to stop for 3 whole days in south Malè where flat, cause we had to waiting for the new captain, and while our friends on the other boats were surfing perfect waves in th north, we had to wait 3 days in a little port where maldivians used to burn trash all the day.
A lot of time lost because the vessel sail no more than 3 knots (not 9 knots as thei site says). The boat at 5:00 pm must stop in a port and this is not specified on contract or internet site: I was the first to leave the spots, while my friends were still surfing.
Interiors are falling down, beds are dirty flat prison styling put on some old and wet woods and we could not sleep anymore in cabins cause the big beatles in the beds; they were as big as a mobile telephone. Always raining in the cabins with the beds all wet and so our clothes. Fans do not work, lockers were broken.
generators are so noisy you get soon crazy. The internet site talks about silent generators, But I can simply say it is a true false thing. Imagine to have a crazy noise all the day. Around the upper generator, (an old motor from the 60's), all the gasoline tanks: just a little firing and the boat will be a bomb.
The owner of this tricky boat has many internet sites: ATTENTION! These site are just different copies of the same site and all them has the same owner, just to make runs this bad boat surfari on line. Examples:
http://www.tropicalcruise.co.uk/maldives/contacts.htm
http://www.coralislandtravels.com/maldives/contacts.htm
http://www.tropicalbreaks.co.uk/maldives/contacts.htm

NEVER GO TO MALDIVES BY "TROPICAL CRUISE"!!!!

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[manzai]

same experience, same boat, same problems......
DONT GO WITH TROPICA CRUISE.....its a robbery......the boat its like THIRD WORLD BOAT, an ex fishing boat, with beatles...i mean big beatles....in the beds, in the bathrooms, EVERYWHERE......rain in the cabins, in the bed....yes in the bed...sleep in a wet bed with beatles was not what i ve imagine....causa i payed 120 $ for days......
generetor relly noisy, and with a bad smell....it was on all day......
ATTENTION PEOPLE!!!! THE INTERNET SITE TALKIN ABOUT A BOAT THAT IT DOESNT EXIST!!!!!....ITS NOT LIKE THE PICTURE THET YOU SEE IN SITE!!!!!

pura vida

[DaneAU]

Thanks for the info mate. A mate of mine is keen for the Maldives in a year or so, will make sure I refer back to this and check. Also welcome to SurfAus

[diamond74]

Hi Danoz.
Well, I'm coming back to Maldive, for sure, since the place is simply beautifull and waves can be epic.
A very good boat, where some friends fro Australia, was "Sunset Queen".
Forget about "Tropical Cruise", so bad. The guys on Sunset Queen boat, well, they payed the same I did for my shitty boat!

[DaneAU]

Lol sounds bad indeed. I have seen footage of the Maldives and it definitely looks like my kind of waves, shame about the boat however I guess to a point its part of the experience too

[ANZAC]

Im looking regularlly at Maldives and hope to do a charter soon. Glad to read this post, some very useful information.
Sadly at someone elses expence...

[DaneAU]

Well there will be times when you experience something that you didn't enjoy quite as much as you may expect, just let us know how you go when you take your charter

[DaneAU]

Anyone heard of this group ?

G-LAND BOBBY's SURF CAMP - SURFING ADVENTURE

Looks good to me, thinking about planning a trip mid-next year