The shark encounter alone justifies this set's existence — LEGO® packed a full underwater narrative into one tiny boat, and it somehow works.
The parts alone are worth about 92% of the street price — the basis for this D+ price read.
FairParts are worth about 92% of the price — close to what the set is worth.
The Explorer Diving Boat is a City set that actually has a point of view. The boat itself is compact but purposeful, with a dive platform, equipment rack, and enough orange-and-white detail to look like real ocean research gear. Three minifigs, a diver, and a shark in one box gives you an instant scene — the kind where a kid drops it on the floor and immediately knows what story to tell. Where it stumbles is price: $39.99 for 182 pieces is a tough ask when similarly sized sets exist for less. But the charm-to-footprint ratio here is genuinely high — this thing displays well, plays well, and captures the adventure of open water in a way most City sets forget to do. The overall B+ feels right; the price grade is the one asterisk worth noting.