MY Independence II

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Photographs: Bluewater Safaris. Cabin photographs show the furnishings; visible electrical sockets predate the 2026 charging-policy change.

Cabins and layout

The 41 × 8.5-metre boat normally accommodates 20 guests. Bluewater allows 21 only by arrangement for a full charter. Six cabins have twin beds and four have doubles, all with air-conditioning and private shower/WC facilities.

The original review described spacious cabins and notably generous bathrooms. Current photographs still show useful storage and room to move around the beds, though room shape varies. Solo travellers can discuss same-gender sharing; a private cabin carries a published 65% supplement to the basic safari price.

Life on board

The interior has a spacious dining room, a cosy salon and plenty of places to spend the surface interval. The restaurant-style arrangement brings everyone together for freshly prepared buffet meals. Upstairs, cushioned seating and tables make the partially shaded lounge a natural gathering place after the last dive, with a bar close by.

The bow offers sunshine and an open view, while the top deck has both lounging and shaded seating. These different spaces are useful over a long safari: you can join the conversation without having to spend every break with the whole group.

Food, charging and connectivity

Three buffet meals, snacks and fruit form the daily routine. Dietary needs should reach the operator at least ten days before departure, particularly when specialist ingredients are involved. Free Wi-Fi depends on coastal mobile reception and cannot be relied on during offshore passages.

Cabin sockets were removed in August 2026. Batteries and devices are charged in the designated dive-deck area. Anyone using a CPAP machine should arrange the power supply with Bluewater before travel. The espresso machine uses original-format Nespresso-compatible capsules; following a March 2026 change, guests bring their own capsules. Instant coffee remains included.

Diving facilities and experience

The dive deck has equipment benches, cylinder stations and storage baskets. Two inflatable tenders support the diving; this is not a boat using a separate Maldivian-style dhoni. Nitrox, a standard 12-litre aluminium cylinder, weights and an ENOS locating unit are included in the advertised safari package. Larger cylinders and equipment hire cost extra.

Bluewater recommends around 50 logged dives for marine-park routes. Divers with fewer than 30 dives, or more than a year since their last dive, should discuss suitability before booking. That distinction matters: a recommendation for an offshore itinerary is not a universal minimum for every Independence II departure.

Certification, a logbook, computer, SMB and the required signalling equipment belong on the trip checklist. Marine-park diving calls for confidence with current, tender entries and open-water ascents; the briefing and your qualification determine each dive’s limits. The operator’s medical questionnaire must be completed, with medical clearance where its answers require it. Confirm the departure’s insurance documentation directly, since the operator’s published wording is not consistent.

Non-diving companions

Bluewater welcomes non-divers, but snorkeling is restricted at some offshore sites. The dolphin special combines diving and snorkeling; a separate non-diver fare has not been established.

The full itinerary choice

These are the distinct programmes in the boat’s published late-2026 and 2027 calendar, including charter and special-event entries. Durations below are nights aboard: a seven-night safari is normally advertised as eight calendar days with six diving days. Ports and visits remain subject to weather, permissions and the captain’s decisions. All these listings concern the Egyptian Red Sea; they do not establish travel access elsewhere around the sea.

The calendar also lists a Hurghada-area charter for 17–24 June 2027 and a Port Ghalib charter for 8–15 July whose route is still undecided. These are not given invented site lists. Additional BDE sailings include Port Ghalib round trips and a Hurghada-to-Port Ghalib departure on 1–8 July 2027; embarkation is not identical on every BDE week.

Compare the itinerary areas

Each of the fourteen layers below shows a partial, unordered set of geographical references for one documented programme. The detailed descriptions above explain the regional travel order. These pins are not the complete daily sailing track: exact berths, the Safaga stops and Elba reefs are not mapped. St John’s uses Habili Ali, Fury Shoals uses Claudia and Wadi Gimal uses Dahar Wady el Gemal as regional reference points, not guaranteed individual dives. The charter-only Safaga–North–Tiran listing and the dolphin special have no verified fixed site circuit and remain described in text.

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

Dive-site geography

The separate reference map places the Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone and Rocky Island alongside the southern reef groups, the Tiran reefs, Ras Mohammed and the northern wreck sites. A reef’s position does not identify a safe entry point, authorize wreck penetration or prescribe a dive profile.

Coordinates: CDWS dive-site directory. Programme-specific descriptions and dated links appear above.

Prices and the extras that change the total

These operator examples were checked on 23 October 2026, per person sharing a standard cabin. They are planning references, not live availability. Permit fees vary by departure, so a single weekly supplement does not cover every itinerary.

For the December BDE example, adding Marsa Alam airport–Port Ghalib transfers at €20 each way gives €1,474. Bluewater’s visa/meet-and-assist service adds €35 if used, making €1,509 before flights, insurance, hire, tips or a cabin upgrade. The service price is not presented as the Egyptian government visa fee; confirm its applicability in your final offer.

Accommodation, full board, water, soft drinks, tea, instant coffee, diving, standard cylinder and weights, Nitrox and ENOS are included. Above-water cabins carry a listed €100 per-person supplement on these departures. Tips are described as voluntary: the operator suggests about €75 for a week or €150 for the long 13/14-diving-day programme.

Rental equipment needs ordering at least ten days ahead. Euros, US dollars and Egyptian pounds are accepted aboard. Longer-trip rental prices differ from weekly rates; the February 2026 onboard price list gives the itemised alternatives.

Getting to the right port

Independence II uses Hurghada and Port Ghalib in different combinations. Marsa Alam airport (RMF) is the convenient airport for Port Ghalib, roughly 10–15 minutes away; Hurghada airport (HRG) involves a much longer road transfer for that port. A one-way itinerary can make different arrival and departure airports worth comparing.

Check-in is normally from 14:00. On departure day, cabins are vacated by 10:00, with time aboard normally possible until noon. A hotel day room can bridge awkward flight times at extra cost. Port Ghalib departures may switch to Marsa Alam at short notice, so the final transfer arrangement should follow the operator’s port confirmation. These boat logistics do not replace nationality-specific entry rules or current official travel advice.

Independence II on film

TAUCHEN magazine’s film introduces an Independence II safari. Use it for a sense of the boat and diving atmosphere; the dated prices and 2026 charging arrangements above take precedence over older footage.

▶ Watch Independence II

Independence II safari — TAUCHEN.

What guests loved — and what could be better

When another departure might suit you better

A traveller seeking a new-build finish, uninterrupted internet or daily snorkeling will want to compare carefully. Independence II’s appeal is its modest guest count, outdoor space and varied diving calendar. A sheltered reef itinerary and a long offshore safari offer very different holidays on the same boat.

Independence II: practical questions

Have you sailed on Independence II? Share your experience, including your date, cabin and itinerary.

Information checked 23 October 2026. This researched update retains useful descriptions from the original review; it is not a new onboard inspection.