Best Egyptian Liveaboard Diving Reviews 2023

Egyptian Liveaboard Diving

Egypt is a travel destination that is first in the heart of many divers / travelers. It has a mix of ancient relics and modern cities. A culture that dates back to antiquity and one that looks towards the future.

Scuba divers also look to this great region for the outstanding diving that is found here. Divers have the choice of diving locations as well. The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea begone divers from Europe and elsewhere to come explore their waters. These two locations offer vastly different experiences each a world class dive destination.

Egypt’s Red Sea Scuba Diving

The Red Sea is one of the most popular and most affordable destinations for scuba diving in the world. The waters are clear and warm and the marine life plentiful.

There are many outstanding resorts along the Red Sea coast giving divers access to great reefs and ship wrecks. The diversity of the Red Sea makes it better suited for liveaboard diving. Divers on a liveaboard can reach sites beyond the range of shore based divers. Plus the range of the liveaboards give a wider range of types of dive sites.

You will find a wide range of liveaboards to select from. The Red Sea host one of the largest liveaboard fleets in the world, listing all of them would take a full book.

I usually use this website to book in advance my liveaboards in Egypt as they usually have the lowest rates I find. I like it because they have an easy booking system.

Red Sea Egypt Budget Liveaboards

The term budget is relative. When we use the term budget, we are looking at the best values under a certain price point per day. In some locations that price point may be several hundred dollars per day. Many times, we will list in the budget group vessels that would also fit in the luxury groups.

In the Red Sea listing we will set our price point at $90. This is half or even a third of what other locations will be sat at. Budget does not mean run down, Our budget rating is value based so a poorly maintained vessel would not meet the value level. Here is a listing of some that got our eye:

• M/Y Dreams: The M/Y Dreams departs from Hurghada to take divers to the Ras Mohamed National Park and the Straits of Tiran and Abu Nuhas. She is 28 meters long and will carry 16 divers in her 8 staterooms. This motor yacht has all the comfort of a typical yacht of this size plus an outstanding dive deck. You can find her offering sailing of $80 a night.

• M/Y Blue Melody: I hope the owners of the M/Y Blue Melody forgives me for listing her in the “budget” group. She has been awarded “Best Liveaboard of the Year” three times by Sport Diver and once by Divers. Members of the Blue O Two fleet has won the “Best Liveaboard of the Year” from Divers magazine for the last five years and from Sports Diver the last 4 years. M/Y Blue Melody is 38 meters long and carries 26 guest in 13 guestrooms.

• M/Y Red Sea Adventurer: The M/Y Red Sea Adventurer may be the least expensive liveaboard in the world owned by a major fleet. The Blue O Two fleet 32 meter traditional style yacht with 12 comfortable staterooms brings 22 divers to some of the best diving in the world. At only around $75 a day, not only is this the best price it is the best value.

• M/Y Emperor Superior: The M/Y Emperor Superior is one of three Emperor fleet yachts that sail in the Red Sea. She is a 37m long custom built liveaboard comfortably accommodating 25 people in 9 twin-berth, 2 bunk style and 1 double cabin and a compact single bed cabin. Among her sailing are some that specializes in the wrecks of the area. Another sailing route called the Famous five visits Rosalie Moller, Abu Nuhas, Thistlegorm, Ras Mohamed, Brother Islands and Salem Express. This trip is for experienced divers only due to currents.

=> The list could include another dozen, you can look here for some additional Budget liveaboard choices.

 

 

Luxury Red Sea Liveaboards

Defining a class for luxury liveaboards in the Red Sea is very difficult. Just about every liveaboard in the Red Sea is based on sailing from a luxury yacht. The level of service in all of them is outstanding. These are some of the very best of the best.

• MV Red Sea Aggressor: the Aggressor Fleet is the largest liveaboard fleet in the world. It has franchise operators in every major dive destination that has liveaboards. The MV Red Sea Aggressor is the most expensive liveaboard in the Red Sea. However, at around $200 a day she would be considered in the budget class at most destinations. The Aggressor fleet is well known for providing a level of service above the rest. If you have felt the luxury of an aggressor vessel was out of your budget, reconsider and take the MV Red Sea Aggressor. MV Red Sea Aggressor is a 36.5m world class liveaboard yacht that has 10 lavish staterooms equipped with private bathroom and shower, storage, television and individual climate control.

• M/Y Sea Serpent: The M/Y Sea Serpent is the first of a new series of liveaboards for the Sea Serpent fleet. She was built based on a Benetti Classic 35 yachts design. Benetti is an Italian yacht builder known as one of the best in the world. The M/Y Sea Serpent schedules year round diving cruises in the Red Sea, Egypt. The 34m M/Y Sea Serpent has 10 cabins, each with individually controlled air-conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, mini-bar, bathrobes and towels, accommodating up to 20 guests on board. She sails the Red Sea year round.

=> These are just a sample of the Luxury Red Sea Liveaboards that are available.

 

 

Egypt Mediterranean Scuba Diving

The Mediterranean Sea offers many outstanding dive destinations and the Egyptian Mediterranean coast also has much to offer. The most famous location may be the ancient harbor of Alexandria. While the water’s here are not as clear as the Red Sea or even other parts of the Mediterranean Sea, what you do see is well worth the reduced visibility.

Alexandria was the great city founded by Alexandra the Great and at the high of its power Egypt’s Macedonian rulers lived the Ptolemaic palace built on an island within the harbor. Cleopatra was one of the rulers said to have resided in the Palace. It is believed to be where she seduced the Roman Emperor Julius Cesar. Natural disasters has cause much of the city of Alexandria and the island palace to sink below the surface. The murky waters of the harbor has hid these wonders for centuries. Parts of the city and the palace have been found and are visited by divers and scientist alike.

Scuba Divers will also find many ship wrecks, some dating back to the era around Cleopatra, others from the Napoleonic Wars and even WWI.

When to Dive the Red Sea in Egypt

Scuba Diving is good year round. There can be temperature variations over the course of the year, especially in the northern areas.

However, in the areas that the Red Sea liveaboards visit the air temperatures range from 21-40°C/70-104°F, while sea temperatures ranges from 21-30°C/70-86°F. Visibility varies by site but 50 feet is generally as poor as it gets with over 200 feet common.

Last Minute Red Sea / Egypt Liveaboard Trips

The Red Sea is a liveaboard destination that often has a few last minuet space available. Egypt has had times where unrest has impacted its tourism industry. Some people will cancel at the slightest glimpse of a possible problem. Also the large number of liveaboards leads to the possibility of empty staterooms as a sail date comes close. Take a look at our last minute liveaboard sailing list to see if there is anything you like.

 

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