Longimanus dive boat review
Photographs: Nautilus Tauchreisen — Longimanus gallery.
Longimanus: a familiar name in Egyptian Red Sea safaris
MY Longimanus brings together a 20-guest layout, two upper-deck suites and a long history of Egyptian wreck and reef trips. The original idea belonged to Mahmoud Abd El Hady, associated with the Barakuda diving centres: a boat designed around days of diving, with a sociable salon and room to unwind on deck.
Current departures and operational status remain unconfirmed as of 23 October 2026. No dated sailing was verified for this update. That does not establish retirement, but a catalogue profile alone is not enough to plan a trip. The facilities and routes below describe the documented vessel; a new booking needs confirmation of the actual boat, departure and current condition.
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The vessel and its two cabin styles
The wooden yacht measures 36 metres long and 8 metres wide. Built in Suez and completed in Safaga in October 2003, Longimanus has eight twin cabins on the lower deck and two upper-deck suites with queen-size beds. All ten rooms have private bathrooms, individually controlled air-conditioning, minibars, towels and bathrobes.
The photographed twin room has two separate beds with storage between them. The upper-deck double has a larger window and a door opening outside. That is a useful distinction for friends sharing versus a couple wanting one bed, although the actual room allocation and any single-occupancy supplement need to be attached to a confirmed offer.
| Cabin type | Number / deck | Practical difference |
|---|---|---|
| Twin cabin | 8 / lower deck | Two separate beds; a straightforward arrangement for friends sharing. |
| Suite | 2 / upper deck | Queen-size double bed; limited inventory and a possible supplement. |
Renovation descriptions exist from different periods, but no detailed current refit record has been verified. The photographs show the layout and spaces; they do not certify their condition today.
Life between dives
The main deck is home to a comfortable salon with a large television and surround-sound system. The dining room sits beside the lounge, keeping meals and conversation in the same communal area. Turquoise sofas, low tables and broad windows give the photographed room a friendly, informal feel, with enough distinction between the seating and dining areas for different groups to settle in.
Outside, the spacious sundecks are partly shaded, with seating and mats. The pictured beanbag corner offers another place to sit with a drink and look out across the sea. Imagine remembering the day’s dives as the sun goes down from the top deck, with the next reef still to come.
Meals and drinks
The documented service consists of three buffet meals daily, with international cooking, snacks and non-alcoholic drinks between dives. Vegetarian arrangements have been advertised. Specific dietary needs should be agreed with the kitchen before a confirmed departure, since an old menu description cannot guarantee what a future trip will provide.
A distinctive feature in the boat brochure is the glass view into the kitchen, where guests could watch meals being prepared. The dining tables accommodate the group, while the outside lounge offers a change of scene afterwards. Alcoholic drinks are normally additional to the meal package.
The dive deck and daily routine
The dive deck has freshwater showers and equipment storage, plus a camera area with electrical sockets for charging your photographic gear. Dives may start from the platform or an inflatable tender, depending on the site. Two tenders are listed, along with 12-litre cylinders and larger tanks by arrangement.
Published trip information describes two to four dives on diving days, with some longer passages made overnight. This is a description of the safari format, not a guaranteed count: route, weather and access affect the schedule. Rental equipment and Nitrox need to be included explicitly in a new quote.
Experience and suitability
The historical trip conditions aimed at experienced divers, with marine-park cruises requesting 50 logged dives. A confirmed departure needs its own qualification and recent-experience requirements; the number in an older brochure is not a blanket rule for every boat or every Egyptian dive site. Offshore walls and current-swept reefs also involve a different kind of comfort in the water from a sheltered reef dive.
Travelling with a non-diver?
Non-divers and snorkelers are listed as welcome, but acceptance, the current fare and suitable activities need confirmation for the actual departure.
Longimanus route choices and their differences
The documented programme covers northern wrecks, offshore marine parks and southern reefs. These are historical or undated programme references, not verified 2026 sailings. Seven-night and two-week safaris have been advertised, but the complete current schedule, ports and daily sequences are not available.
| Route family | Documented highlights | Character |
|---|---|---|
| North / Wrecks | Abu Nuhas, Rosalie Moller, Thistlegorm | A concentration of wreck interest in the northern Egyptian Red Sea. |
| Brothers / Marine Park | Big Brother and Small Brother | Offshore walls and wreck references, with exposed passages. |
| Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone | BDE, supported by dated guest accounts | A wider offshore circuit for reef walls and possible pelagic encounters. |
| Daedalus, Rocky and Zabargad | Three remote reef and island locations | Longer southern reaches and a mix of walls and reef scenery. |
| St John’s / Deep South | Gota Soraya, Gota Kebir, Habili Ali, Habili Jaffar | Reef formations, walls and coral gardens farther south. |
| Two-week safaris | Advertised historically without a complete verified circuit | Longer duration; no additional stops inferred here. |
A northern wreck trip and a remote-island safari are different holidays even on the same boat. The latter involves more open-sea travel; the former places ship structure and wreck history at the centre of the diving. Shark or dolphin sightings are possibilities, never an inclusion in the fare.
Longimanus itinerary references
These layers locate documented highlights, not current sailings or an established daily sequence. They are deliberately unordered. Exact ports and some St John’s sites remain unpinned, and the advertised two-week option has no sufficiently documented circuit to draw.
- North / Wrecks: Abu Nuhas, Rosalie Moller and Thistlegorm, without a fixed visit order.
- Brothers: Big Brother and Small Brother, representing the island circuit.
- BDE: the Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone, evidenced by historical guest trips.
- Daedalus, Rocky and Zabargad: the three named locations in the southern programme.
- St John’s: Habili Ali represents part of the reef group. Gota Soraya, Gota Kebir and Habili Jaffar are documented but not individually mapped here.
Dive-site geography
The wreck markers identify Thistlegorm and Rosalie Moller; Abu Nuhas represents a reef with several wrecks. The Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone and Rocky are offshore wall-diving references. Zabargad adds island reef scenery. Habili Ali is one St John’s reef, not the position of the entire southern diving area. Entries and dive profiles vary with conditions.
Geographic references: CDWS dive-site directory. Programme context: Longimanus route descriptions, checked 23 October 2026; current departures unconfirmed.
Prices, supplements and transfers
No dated cruise fare has been verified for Longimanus in 2026. A useful quotation should identify the sailing dates, cabin, number of nights, embarkation and arrival ports, and the total per person after compulsory charges. An enquiry is particularly important here because booking channels currently show no online availability or direct individual-booking option.
| Cost component | What belongs in the confirmed offer |
|---|---|
| Berth and cabin | Shared twin or upper-deck double; suite and private-occupancy supplements stated separately. |
| Meals and diving | Meal plan, drinks, guides, cylinders and weights, with the actual diving-day schedule. |
| Compulsory charges | Route-specific park, port and fuel charges; entry fees where applicable. |
| Optional items | Nitrox, rental equipment, alcoholic drinks, courses and any dedicated snorkeling service. |
| Travel connections | Both ports, airport transfers, any hotel night and the final dive/flight arrangement. |
Undated offers disagree on several inclusions, including Nitrox and transfers. They cannot establish a reliable trip total. The same applies to check-in times and onboard payment methods: the booking confirmation should resolve these before flights are arranged.
What guests loved — and what needs attention
Longimanus has a long review history, with praise for the crew and food alongside complaints about cabin comfort and maintenance. LiveAboard.com displayed 8.8/10 from eight verified reviews when checked; these are older trips, not an assessment of the boat’s present condition.
What guests loved
Thomas S’s October 2023 review highlighted varied dive sites, the guides and crew support, with an oceanic whitetip encounter at Small Brother as a memorable moment. The useful takeaway is the combination of diving variety and assistance, rather than an expectation of the same wildlife.
On Taucher.net, patrick_dives described a Brothers–Elphinstone–Daedalus trip in July 2024. Organisation, the crew, guide Akram and the food were the points he singled out. That later account is positive, but it does not by itself answer every earlier maintenance complaint.
What could be better
Alan B’s June 2019 review praised the crew, guides and food but reported ineffective cabin air-conditioning despite the crew’s efforts. He described sleeping on the cooler cabin floor. This is a specific historical comfort complaint, not evidence that every cabin had the same problem.
A returning Taucher.net guest reviewing a 12–19 October 2023 southern trip alleged worn fittings, problems with porthole closures and a broken equipment support on the dive deck. These are the guest’s allegations, not an independent inspection. No detailed follow-up establishing how those particular issues were resolved has been verified.
When another boat might suit you better
If you need a firm departure and a clear account of current accommodation, a boat with confirmed dates and recent condition information will be easier to assess. Longimanus’s past reputation and appealing layout do not remove the present uncertainty. Comparing the actual cabin, route and total cost will be more useful than relying on an old award or starting price.
A Deep South voyage aboard Longimanus
Ursus Läng’s film records a Longimanus diving safari in April 2014. It provides a historical view of the trip, not a current cabin tour or proof of present operation.
Video: Ursus Läng — Longimanus, Deep South, April 2014.
Longimanus: useful questions
Is Longimanus operating in 2026?
Current operation and dated departures have not been confirmed. An existing catalogue listing does not establish a sailing, and missing availability does not establish retirement.
How many guests and cabins does Longimanus have?
The documented layout is 20 guests in ten cabins: eight lower-deck twins and two upper-deck doubles.
What is the difference between a suite and a twin cabin?
The two suites have queen-size beds on the upper deck. The eight lower-deck rooms have separate twin beds. The exact room and supplement belong on the booking confirmation.
When was Longimanus built?
The wooden yacht was built in Suez and completed in Safaga in October 2003. A detailed current refit record has not been verified.
Are the routes shown here bookable now?
They describe historical and undated programmes. No current sailing dates, complete daily sequences or port assignments are implied by the map.
Is Nitrox included?
Published undated information conflicts on inclusion. The confirmed quote needs to state the Nitrox charge and cylinder arrangement.
What do older reviews say about the cabins?
An individual 2019 review reported air-conditioning problems, while a 2023 report raised maintenance concerns. These accounts are dated and attributed; neither establishes the present condition of all rooms.
Can non-divers join Longimanus?
Non-divers are advertised as welcome, but no current departure-specific companion fare or activity programme has been verified.
Have you sailed on Longimanus? Share your experience, including the trip date, route and cabin.
Information checked 23 October 2026. This researched update preserves useful descriptions from the original review; it is not a new onboard inspection.
Where does this liveaboard dive boat go?
Check out the fabulous places where this dive boat travels to.
Note: some destinations may not be listed below, please enquire for more details.
Hamata
Hamata gives land-based divers access to Fury Shoals: coral gardens, small wrecks and exposed outer reefs, with outings matched to experience and sea conditions.
Eilat
Eilat offers mainly shore-based Red Sea diving, with coral gardens, the Satil wreck and sites for different experience levels. Check recent-dive and insurance requirements before arrival.
Aqaba
Aqaba combines coral gardens and shore diving with the Cedar Pride, aircraft wrecks and underwater military displays. A land-based stay can also include Petra and Wadi Rum.
Marsa Alam
Marsa Alam combines shore-access bays such as Abu Dabbab with boat trips to offshore reefs including Elphinstone. Choose the base and dive profile to suit your experience; wildlife sightings vary.
Nuweiba
Nuweiba suits unhurried shore diving and underwater photography, with coral gardens and small marine life to explore with a local guide.
Dahab
Dahab combines shore-access reefs and training sites with advanced profiles at the Canyon and Blue Hole. Choose the dive to match your experience.
Hurghada
Hurghada combines day-boat reefs, beginner training and longer wreck excursions. Match the site, transfer and dive profile to your experience.
Sharm El Sheikh
Sharm combines local reef diving with Ras Mohammed, Tiran and separately planned wreck excursions. Match the route and dive profile to your experience.
Red Sea
Red Sea diving ranges from shore reefs and northern wrecks to exposed offshore walls. Choose the base and route around your experience and travel plans.
- If you have been diving on board this liveaboard dive boat in Red Sea, please share your review and let us know what you thought. Please post your comments in the review section below, by doing so you will help fellow divers to plan their next diving trip
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