Sea Serpent Contessa (Contessa Mia)

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Photographs: Sea Serpent Contessa gallery on LiveAboard.com.

Eight lower-deck twins, plus four main-deck cabins

Contessa is a wooden vessel built in 2008, with refits listed in 2014 and 2020. The current specifications give a length of 36 metres and a beam of 7.5 metres. The operator’s present cabin layout replaces the older twenty-two-passenger arrangement described in early reviews.

All cabins have air-conditioning and a private bathroom, with daily housekeeping. Ask for the current deck plan when choosing a cabin: some reseller photo filenames use “upper deck”, while the operator places these four cabins on the main deck.

A solo booking needs an explicit sharing or sole-occupancy arrangement. Couples should confirm their bed type rather than assuming every cabin can be converted. Published cabin areas are not sufficiently clear for a useful square-metre comparison.

A sea-view dining room and two outdoor places to unwind

The main-deck salon provides an indoor retreat with seating and entertainment facilities. The dining room sits on the upper deck, where windows bring the sea into view during meals. Outside, the partly shaded lounge offers a comfortable place for a conversation or a book; the open top deck has daybeds for sunshine and the evening sky.

Meals combine Egyptian and European cooking, with seafood, fresh baking and snacks. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals can be arranged in advance. Discuss allergies directly before booking. Water, soft drinks, tea and instant coffee are included in the fleet’s package; alcohol, Nespresso and premium drinks can cost extra.

Wi-Fi is listed, but it is a convenience rather than a dependable offshore connection. A guest report also mentions weak internet, so plan to disconnect during remote sections of the trip.

Travelling with a non-diver?

Contessa is listed as welcoming non-divers and snorkellers. Its sea-view dining room and partly shaded lounge are useful places to relax while divers are in the water. The northern programme and an offshore Brothers trip offer different opportunities for swimming, so agree the companion fare and suitable activities on the exact departure.

Seven programmes in Contessa’s own schedule

The boat-specific calendar checked on 24 October 2026 showed thirty-nine departures through October 2027, covering the seven programmes below. All displayed trips last seven nights. Thirty-eight use Hurghada at both ends; the planned North & Safaga sailing runs from Port Ghalib to Hurghada. Calendar examples can be full or still planned, so check their current booking status before arranging flights.

Compare the route areas

Select one or several programmes. Only the northern sample uses a numbered sequence; other layers show geographic references without a sailing line. These are partial planning maps, not navigation charts. Blue Hole, Canyon and Gabr el Bint now appear in the Dahab layer. The Brothers programmes include verified Safaga references; the separate North & Safaga layer still identifies only the ports because its detailed stops remain unconfirmed. A port marker does not identify the final berth.

Daedalus marker: southern reef reference from Red Sea Diving, checked 4 November 2026. This is a geographic reference, not a dive-entry point.

How the Dahab extension fits into the week

The published sample crosses from the Hurghada area through Dunraven, Ras Mohammed and Jackson Reef to Gabr el Bint. Blue Hole and Canyon follow, before a return via Tiran, Ras Mohammed, Thistlegorm and Abu Nuhas. It is an indicative outline, not a guarantee of the same stops or profiles; diving stays within your training and the guide’s limits.

A week concentrated on the Brothers

The operator’s Brothers sample spends three days around Big and Little Brother, then includes Safaga-area diving before returning north. Salem Express, Panorama, Abu Kafan and Middle Reef are among the possible Safaga stops. The separate North & Safaga sailing is a different programme whose exact selection still needs confirmation.

Main diving areas

The second map locates the referenced reefs and wreck areas independently of the programme selection. A marker is not a promise that the boat will dive that site. Currents, weather, permissions and the group’s experience can change the week.

Programme checked against the Sea Serpent Fleet calendar and itinerary pages on 24 October 2026. Geographic references use CDWS and previously checked Divezone destination research.

Diving from Contessa

The spacious dive deck provides equipment storage and access to the platform. Two tenders support the diving operation. Photographers have a camera station, charging facilities and a separate rinse area. Nitrox is included for qualified divers, while rebreather support needs advance agreement on gases, equipment and the itinerary.

Northern routes appeal to divers interested in wrecks and reef variety; offshore BDE adds exposed walls, currents and longer crossings. Shark sightings are possible, never guaranteed. Discuss certification, logged dives and recent experience for the exact itinerary rather than relying on a single minimum for the entire fleet.

The fleet requires a dive computer, SMB and appropriate personal equipment. Bring certification records and complete the operator’s medical paperwork. Reserve rental equipment at least two weeks ahead. Expect a diving-led routine, often three or four dives where the route allows, with fewer dives on travel days and no night diving at the marine-park islands.

The operator lists safety drills, oxygen, an AED and an ENOS diver-location system. Attend the boat-specific briefing and locate your cabin’s escape route when you board. Wreck penetration and other overhead diving require appropriate training and conditions; they are not an automatic part of a wreck itinerary.

A look aboard Sea Serpent Contessa

▶ Play boat tour

Boat tour linked by Sea Serpent Fleet, published on Sameh Rizk’s channel. Use the current cabin descriptions above when choosing accommodation.

Watch the boat tour on YouTube

The fleet’s general diving rules specify non-decompression dives. A boat’s blending or rebreather facilities do not by themselves make a standard recreational departure a technical-diving trip; any specialised programme needs explicit agreement.

Compare the complete fare, not just the headline price

For the 14–21 November 2026 North & Brothers departure, checked on 24 October 2026, the checked reseller price started at €1,199 per person plus €200 mandatory park fees: €1,399 before personal extras. The operator’s calendar showed €1,399 per person. These are dated departure-level starting quotes, not a verified same-cabin comparison.

Do not add a mandatory charge twice if your package already includes it. Cabin supplements and sole occupancy need a departure-specific quotation; a discounted fare is not a permanent starting price.

Check Contessa’s complete departure price

Boarding in Hurghada and planning the final flight

The fleet’s general check-in is from 17:00, with checkout by 10:00 on the last day. The first night is normally in port; the final night may be aboard or in a hotel according to the schedule. Follow the actual departure confirmation.

Hurghada port is approximately fifteen minutes from Hurghada airport. Port Ghalib is about fifteen minutes from Marsa Alam airport, but around three hours from Hurghada airport. The one-way August 2027 programme therefore deserves particular attention when arranging transfers.

The operator asks for twenty-four hours between the final dive and flying. Confirm the final diving day before buying flights and submit the requested passenger and flight details through the booking process.

Guest feedback: a welcoming crew, with compact cabins

Paraphrased from dated guest reviews on LiveAboard.com; individual reports describe particular sailings.

Contessa: booking questions

Have you sailed on Contessa? Share your experience below, including your trip date and route, to help other divers choose.

Updated 24 October 2026 using operator specifications, the boat-specific schedule, booking details and dated guest feedback. This is an editorial review, not a first-hand inspection; departure documents take precedence for the final programme and price.

Presentation, map references and boat-tour identity checked 2 November 2026. Calendar and fare examples retain their 24 October observation date; check the actual sailing and cabin before booking.