Blue Rides Launches Liveaboard Dive Booking Platform With Dive Insurance Included in Every Booking

GAINESVILLE, Fla., October 19, 2026, Blue Rides (bluerides.com), a liveaboard scuba diving booking platform built by divers, for divers, today announced its launch. The platform helps divers compare and book multi-day trips aboard dive liveaboards, with clear pricing and real people available to help.

Every Blue Rides booking includes DAN Short Term Dive Protection at no additional cost to the diver. This service is available for every diver on every itinerary with every booking.

The company's approach grew out of co-founder and CEO Erol Bucholtz's own experience of being stranded without support on a dive trip booked through another platform.

"I've been the diver stuck on the far side of a booking with no one to call," said Bucholtz. "When you've traveled halfway around the world for a liveaboard, help has to come from a real person who understands diving. That's why every Blue Rides booking comes with human support and dive insurance built in, not sold as add-ons."

Blue Rides also shows details that matter to divers, including whether a boat has a dedicated camera room, with photos where available, and seasonal and animal migration information for each route. The comprehensive website has a massive inventory of available guides so that divers feel confident with the itinerary they book and what they'll have the opportunity to see, from world-famous dive sites to stunning wildlife.

Co-founder Kimber Greenwood, an award-winning underwater portrait photographer and owner of Water Bear Photography (www.waterbearphotography.com) with more than 24 years of diving experience and a background in marine biology and nursing, leads the company's brand, marketing, and partnerships.

"Divers plan these trips around a narrow season, a specific migration, or the camera gear they're carrying across the world," said Greenwood. "We built Blue Rides to answer the questions we always had: what the trip really costs, whether the boat works for underwater photographers, and when to go to see the animals you're traveling for."

Key features include:

Transparent pricing so divers know what a trip costs before checkout DAN Short Term Dive Protection included with every booking at no extra cost Human support from the Blue Rides team Comprehensive library of dive guides, animal information, and more

As a new company, Blue Rides invites divers to read and leave verified reviews on Trustpilot and connect with the founders on social media.

Greenwood will present at DEMA Show on Nov. 6, 2026. Her presentation will be on the main floor stage at 1pm, and she is available for meetings before and after.

About Blue Rides

Blue Rides (bluerides.com) is a liveaboard scuba diving booking platform founded by divers Erol Bucholtz and Kimber Greenwood. Every booking includes DAN Short Term Dive Protection at no additional cost, along with transparent pricing and human support.