Setting sail out of Walindi Plantation Resort in April 2019, the MV Oceania is based in Papua New Guinea and the Bismarck Sea. The 27-meter catamaran accommodates up to 16 guests across five twin and three queen en-suite cabins. All cabins are located above-deck and include ocean views and air conditioning. The Oceania staff is hands-on, assisting with dive gear for every adventure. The ship has a dive console, camera table, dive tender, and dive deck. Nitrox is available for an extra cost.
Oceania’s itineraries vary throughout the year based on weather patterns, but popular destinations include Kimbe Bay, the Witu Islands, Father’s Reef, Rabaul, and Alotua. Kimbe Bay is known for its stunning reefs, sea mounts, coral walls, gardens, and invertebrates. The Witu Islands are northwest of Kimbe Bay and include sea mounts, black sand bays, pelagic life, and critters. Father’s Reef is a set of offshore volcanic reefs. The topography is striking, with dramatic reef scapes, arches, and swim-throughs. Pelagic life, such as sharks, rays, turtles, barracuda, and jacks, are common. For history buffs, Rabaul is a World War II hotspot with iconic jetty dives. Macro life, like frogfish, ghost pipefish, and bumblebee shrimp, are often spotted. The ship also offers limited trips to Alotau, a muck diving destination with steep drop-offs, wall dives, swim-throughs, overhangs, and drift dives.
Itineraries typically range from 9 to 10 nights, and peak diving occurs from mid-September to November and May to June. The water temperature is lower from September to November, attracting smaller, stranger critters. There is little rain during this season, and the weather is warm with light breezes. The ship offers nitrox for EAN-certified divers but does not support technical diving or rebreathers.
Narrative text courtesy of MV Oceania liveaboard. Photographs courtesy of MV Oceania and Peter Lange, Grant Thomas, and Don Silcock.