Flights, marine park fees ($80–$400), Nitrox ($100–$250), rental gear, alcoholic drinks, crew tips (8–12%), and insurance.
The published per-person price on every liveaboard website is the cabin rate
It covers accommodation, meals, soft drinks, and the diving (tanks, weights, guide). What it does not cover often surprises first-time bookers. Build a 25–35% buffer over the published price to estimate your true total cost.
Flights
Always extra. Liveaboard prices never include international air. You arrange your own flights to and from the embarkation port. Allow extra time and consider a one-night land stay before embarkation to absorb flight delays.
Marine park fees, port fees, fuel surcharges. The single largest mandatory extra. Maldives green tax is $36/week. Egypt port and conservation fees are $80–$150/week. Indonesia's Komodo park fee is $200+/week. Galápagos park fees are $200+ plus a $20 transit card. These are usually paid in cash on board on day one or invoiced separately by the operator.
Nitrox
$100–$250/week on most boats. A few luxury operators include it. If you're certified, take it — it's worth every dollar.
Rental gear
BCD, regulator and computer rental run $25–$50/day or $150–$250/week. If you dive more than once a year, owning your own mask, computer and exposure suit pays for itself within a year.
Alcoholic drinks
Soft drinks are usually included; beer, wine and spirits are charged at $3–$8 per drink and settled in cash on the last evening. A few operators (mostly Maldives and Egypt) operate dry boats or BYOB.
Crew tips
The single biggest 'hidden' cost. Industry standard is 8–12% of the trip price, paid in cash to the cruise director on the last evening for distribution to the full crew. On a $3,000 trip that's $250–$350 per guest.
Travel and dive insurance
$50–$200/year for combined cover (DAN, DiveAssure). Strongly recommended; on some boats now mandatory.
Transfers, visas, hotel nights. Most operators include transfers from a specific meeting point on a specific date and time. Anything outside that window — extra hotel nights, late-arrival transfers, visa fees, taxis — is on you.
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