Saudi Explorer

Saudi Explorer: the boat and its current status

Saudi Explorer is a 20-guest liveaboard associated with the Saudi Arabian side of the Red Sea. Its appeal lies in a small guest complement and cabins above the waterline, with space to watch the coast between dives. Scuba Travel identifies its Egyptian registration name as Typhoon and its management as Mar Rosso. That registration does not mean that a Saudi cruise departs from Egypt.

The operator’s Saudi Explorer specification gives a length of 33 metres and a beam of 7.9 metres. Partner specifications differ, so those operator figures are the useful reference here. LiveAboard.com currently has no online availability for Saudi Explorer. That alone is not evidence that the vessel has retired.

There is a further booking distinction: Dive and Travel still lists Saudi Explorer sailings as planned, while the operator’s linked Seven Reefs and Five Sisters programme and Farasan South programme now show Lavender for their displayed 2027 dates. A programme name is therefore insufficient to identify the boat you would join.

A look aboard Saudi Explorer

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The cabins

Saudi Explorer has 10 guest cabins for up to 20 people. The main deck contains five twin cabins and one double suite; the upper deck has four cabins with beds that convert between double and twin arrangements. The suite is on the main deck, not the upper deck. Each cabin has a private bathroom and individually controlled air conditioning.

Scuba Travel describes sea views from every guest cabin and places the suite at the front of the main deck. For two friends, the convertible upper-deck rooms offer another option alongside the main-deck twins. For a couple considering the suite, its forward position is worth discussing if movement at sea affects your comfort. A steel hull does not remove the possibility of a rough crossing.

Saudi Explorer’s onboard facilities

On the Saudi Explorer, you will find plenty of room to relax during your stay. The restaurant and saloon occupy the lower deck, while a shaded outdoor sitting area and a sunny upper deck offer different places to spend the surface intervals. The dining room is also where buffet-style meals are served daily, featuring a mix of international and local dishes.

The operator lists a camera equipment bench and charging points on the main-deck diving area, together with individual equipment stations, two tenders and Nitrox. These are practical features for a week of repeated diving; rental equipment and gas arrangements still belong in the departure-specific quotation.

References to a bar or welcome drinks should not be read as an offer of alcohol. Saudi alcohol restrictions apply: do not bring alcohol into the country, and do not assume onboard consumption is permitted. Scuba Travel also cautions that mobile reception cannot be guaranteed after leaving port.

Routes, durations and the diving experience

The operator’s Saudi Explorer catalogue names Farasan Banks, Farasan South, Farasan Qumais Islands, Yanbu’s Seven Reefs and Rabigh’s Five Sisters. These are different cruising areas, not stops guaranteed on every trip. Southern exploration programmes and the Yanbu–Rabigh coast should be compared on their actual sailing plan, rather than treated as interchangeable weeks.

The Dive and Travel calendar checked on 14 October illustrates the differences: a planned seven-night Seven Reefs and Five Sisters trip runs from Yanbu to Jeddah on 21–28 November 2026; a ten-night Farasan Bank and Qadd Humais trip runs from Jeddah to Al Lith on 28 November–8 December; and a four-night Farasan Bank trip returns to Al Lith on 8–12 December. It also lists seven-night Al Lith round trips. These listings are not confirmation that the cruises will operate, nor do they establish every night’s accommodation aboard rather than in a hotel.

The partner boat description additionally mentions Egyptian programmes around Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone, and northern routes involving Ras Mohammed and Tiran. No dated Egyptian departure is confirmed here. Egyptian sites, entry arrangements and transfers must not be attached to a Saudi sailing simply because both are in the Red Sea.

Scuba Travel describes these trips as suitable for experienced divers comfortable with wall and blue-water diving, and notes that buddy pairs may be expected to dive independently. Its typical package includes 16–18 dives, with occasional night diving when conditions allow. Pelagic encounters are possible, but neither a shark sighting nor a fixed number of dives is guaranteed. The relevant questions are the route’s required certification, recent experience and guiding arrangement—not a generic promise of unlimited diving.

A glimpse of the Saudi Red Sea

Nosytour presents this regional diving film alongside its Saudi Explorer information. It shows underwater scenery and possible wildlife encounters; it is not a tour of this vessel or a record of current conditions.

▶ Watch the film on Nosytour

VideoArabia by Omnia Travel Consultant, via Nosytour.

Prices and what a quotation needs to include

The former US$1,520 starting price is no longer a reliable current offer. As an illustration only, Dive and Travel’s planned 21 November 2026 departure shows CHF1,643 for a standard cabin place and CHF1,762 for the suite, plus €300 in local expenses and €90 in service charges including crew tips. Assistance, transfers and the final hotel night appear separately without a displayed amount. This is not an all-inclusive total or a confirmed available fare.

A useful quotation identifies the boat, cabin occupancy, nights aboard, any hotel night, transfers and every compulsory supplement in its own currency. Nitrox, equipment hire, visa arrangements, insurance and flights also need an explicit inclusion or exclusion. That makes a short cruise comparable with a longer package and avoids mistaking a low headline fare for the final cost.

What guests have reported

LiveAboard.com displayed 8.5/10 from 22 verified reviews when checked on 14 October 2026. These describe earlier trips, not the present operating situation. Alain P., dated 28 February 2025, praised cabin space, discreet staff and organised diving. Hooman Z., dated 6 December 2023, liked the crew and food but wished there had been more dives on the first and last days. Izaskun L., dated 14 September 2022, praised the crew while raising concerns about organisation and one guide’s familiarity with the area. These individual experiences make the proposed dive schedule and guide arrangements useful questions before booking.

Source: Scuba Advisor’s Saudi Explorer guest reports.

Who should compare other options?

A newly qualified diver or a companion whose holiday depends on daily supervised snorkelling should choose a programme with those services clearly documented. Travellers seeking a straightforward week should also compare the full transfer and hotel arrangements with Egyptian alternatives, using each country’s own current advice. Saudi Explorer’s quieter route geography is not, by itself, a reason to accept an unsuitable dive profile or unresolved travel restrictions.

Saudi Explorer questions

Planning a wider trip? The Red Sea liveaboard guide provides the wider planning context. Compare countries and departure ports separately.

Information checked 14 October 2026. Affiliate disclosure: Divezone may receive a commission from bookings made through the LiveAboard.com link.