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Marsa Alam
Egypt facts
Area: 1,001,450 sq. km
Population: 67 million
Language: Arabic, English
Time: GMT +1 / +2
Electricity: 220v. Round pin adaptors
If you don't love diving we'll give your money back!
Experience the World's Greatest Open Air Museum. Find out more >
Marsa Alam is the gateway to the exciting Southern Red Sea and its myriad pristine reefs. Once the sole preserve of liveaboard boats, this area is now accessible directly from the shore. Diving is a combination of shore dives along the 100km of coastal reef, reached on foot, or by jeep and truck, or boat day trips to the legendary Elphinstone Reef and Sha’ab Samadai, otherwise known as ‘Dolphin House’. This is virgin diving away from the crowds at its very best.
Learning to Dive
The coastline of the region around Marsa Alam offers a number of sheltered bays and some incredibly scenic fringing reefs. It is possible to learn to dive in Marsa Alam and the house reef and shore diving on offer is often particularly suited to novice divers. However, to take full advantage of the stunning dives available here it is recommended to be an advanced or intermediate diver with some experience.
Qualified Divers
Diving in Marsa Alam is world-class and combines the best aspects of shore and boat diving. The coastal reefs are stunning with impressive hard and soft corals, elaborate topography and an amazing abundance and variety of colourful fish. House reef diving is on offer at most hotels and offers the perfect starting point to your diving holiday.
Shore divers make something of a pilgrimage to Marsa Abu Dabbab, wishing to catch a glimpse of the resident Dugong that feeds on the sea grass found in the middle of the bay. Even without seeing ‘Dennis’, there is enough here to satisfy most divers wanting a relaxing shore dive with plenty to see. The reefs are beautiful and packed with marine life, whilst this site is also well known for its regular sightings of guitar sharks, turtles and eels.
To take advantage of the best this area has to offer, day trips are organised to outer sites. The dramatic walls and drop-offs of Elphinstone Reef are a spectacular dive. The sheer walls of this great finger-like reef plunge steeply into the blue, richly decorated with soft corals, sponges, gorgonians and fans. Sharks often swim by the spot to feed on the abundant reef fish population. The northern plateau is home to schooling hammerheads with frequent sightings of oceanic white tip sharks.
A trip to Sha’ab Samadai or ‘Dolphin House’ is another absolute must. A large, horseshoe-shaped reef creates a shallow, turquoise lagoon that is frequented by a pod of around 60 spinner dolphins. The diving here typically takes place between 10-15 metres on the southwest tip of the main reef. There is a fantastic network of caves and tunnels and a carpet of seagrass that hides moray eels, leopard groupers, goatfish, lionfish, masked butterflyfish and more.
Regaldive work with a number of well established dive centres in Marsa Alam:
Emperor Divers operate the diving centre at Port Ghalib at the Marina Lodge Hotel. Emperor's daily diving boats leave directly from the marina, in front of the Marina Lodge Hotel.
Orca Dive Club operate the dive centre at the Concorde Moreen Beach Resort. House reef diving is available, as well as minibus trips and boat trips to a variety of sites including Elphinstone and Dolphin House.
The Oasis Diving Centre is based at the Oasis Dive Resort and co-managed by Werner Lau and Sinai Divers.
Extra Divers Fayrouz is located at Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza Beach Resort. House reef diving is available, as well as minibus trips and boat trips, starting from the harbour.
The Blue Ocean Dive Centre is located in Abu Dabbab Bay, and offers diving for guests staying at the Abu Dabbab Diving Lodge. House reef diving is available, as well as boat trips to a number of dive sites, including Elphinstone.
Emperor Divers
Emperor Divers are a British owned dive centre that have been operating in the Red Sea for over 25 years. They are renowned for excellent service and great diving at all their centres. In Port Ghalib, they are based at the Marina Lodge Resort, but they will arrange free transfers from a variety of hotels in the area.
Day boat diving is offered to a variety of dive sites. Day boats are moored in front of the Marina Lodge, with special trips available to Elphinstone and Dolphin House. There are also regular shore diving trips to Abu Dabab, Marsa Egla and the Hamada wreck. Please enquire for details of dive packages available at Emperor Divers.
Emperor Divers also offers equipment rinse, storage facilities, classrooms and a training pool.
Orca Dive Club
Orca Dive Clubs are well established in the Red Sea and now operate the dive centre at the Concorde Moreen Beach Resort. The Dive Club takes full advantage of its location in the heart of Abu Dabour Bay on one of the finest stretches of Red Sea house reef.
Depending on level of experience, divers can opt for unguided dives, as well as individual dives or unlimited house reef diving from the jetty. Guided dives are offered at a small additional charge. The house reef offers a sheltered lagoon and a large variety of dives, north and south, amidst stunning corals and marine life, including a resident dugong.
In addition to house reef diving, Orca Dive Club Moreen Beach also offers boat diving special trips to sites including Elphinstone and Dolphin House. The boats leave from the marina in Marsa Alam, a 30 minute transfer away. There are also regular minibus trips to shore diving sites including the Hamada wreck at Abu Ghusun.
Orca Dive Club Moreen Beach is a well-equipped dive centre with classrooms, locker rooms, storage facilities and dive boutique. A range of courses is available and FREE Nitrox fills are offered for qualified divers. Please enquire for details.
Oasis Diving Centre
Situated in the wonderfully unique Oasis Hotel, 20km north of Marsa Alam, the Oasis dive centre is a joint project between Werner Lau and Sinai divers, both synonymous with excellent service & professionalism. Oasis offers all levels of instruction, as well as specialty courses and FREE NITROX (32%) fills for qualified divers. Please enquire for details.
The stunning house reef is ideal for beginners, as dives can be made straight from the jetty. Introductory dives are conducted in a 4-5m deep ‘aquarium’ just off the beach in a nearby bay.
This area has everything experienced divers could wish for, and there are regular jeep and boat trips to legendary sites such as Elphinstone, Dolphin House & Abu Dabab.
Open a PDF of all Oasis Diving Centre dive sites here
Extra Divers Fayrouz
Situated at the Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza Beach Resort on the beach beside the beach bar, Extra Divers Fayrouz is professionally managed. House reef diving is available, as well as minibus trips and boat trips which range from 15 to 90 minutes and are suitable for divers of all experience levels.
Extra Divers Fayrouz offer day trips by boat, as well as full day, or half day trips by minibus. Covering dive spots from Ras Ghalib to Marsa Alam they feature an outstanding variety of underwater adventures.
A range of courses is available and FREE Nitrox fills are offered for qualified divers. 10l, 12l and 15l aluminium tanks are available. Please enquire for details.
From January 2020 the following National Park Fees are applicable to all diving trips with Extra Divers. Fees are paid locally.
- All boat trips: €7 per person, per day
- All house reef dives (shore, boat and minibus entries): €4 per person, per day
Blue Ocean Diving Centre
One of Egypt’s most highly respected and professional diving operators, Blue Ocean operate the dive centre in Abu Dabbab Bay. The dive centre provides direct access to the exceptional house reef, with coral reefs on either side of the bay and a seagrass beds known for superb turtle sightings. Occasionally,Dugongs are also seen in the bay.
Day boat diving is also offered to a number of local dive sites, with special trips arranged to Elphinstone, just 25 minutes way by speedboat. Overnight trips can also be arranged Sataya Dolphin Reef and the Wadi Lahami reefs. .
The well appointed dive centre, located directly on Abu Dabbab Beach, has a spacious area for gearing up, equipment rinse, lockers, equipment rental, classrooms and a small shop.
Nitrox is available for an additional charge.
For those looking to learn to dive, a full range of PADI courses are available from the dive centre. Please enquire for details.
DIVE PRICES
Book your dive pack or course with Regaldive prior to departure, and benefit from lower prices than those in resort. You can also take advantage of our great value dive pack offers. Please discuss your requirements with the Regaldive team, who will prepare a quotation suited to your needs.
Getting Around
Some of the hotels that Regaldive feature are remote and are self-contained units with restaurants, bars and sports facilities available, depending on the hotel. Other hotels are part of the Port Ghalib marina development offering shops, restaurants and nightlife.
Find out more about Regaldive's Top Three Marsa Alam Excursions
Climate
The hottest time of the year is July and August with air temperature of over 30 ºC. The coolest time is January with the temperature at around 20 ºC. Rainfall is negligable and it is invariably sunny but breezes can be cool.
Time
Egypt is 1 or 2 hours ahead of GMT depending on the season as Egypt does not operate Daylight Saving Time.
Currency
Egyptian pounds or LE. Approximately £1 = 20LE
We recommend that you take some money in cash to Egypt. Please note that Scottish notes and Australian Travellers Cheques are not accepted in Egypt.
Tipping
Although entirely voluntary, tipping is a recognised part of life in this region of the world. Some local staff will look to travellers for personal recognition of the services offered. We would advise that you allow approx. £10 for gratuities for local staff for the duration of your stay.
Rough Price Guide
- Local beer: 65LE
- Snack meal (pizza/sandwich) 130LE
- Bottle of mineral water: 25LE
- Soft drink: 35LE
Flight Information
Flights are available to Hurghada (HRG) and Marsa Alam (RMF) from a number of UK airports. Please refer to the tables below for typical flight schedules, or speak to our friendly travel consultants for the latest information.
Typical Summer Schedule (May to October)
| Airport | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Birmingham | HRG | HRG | HRG | HRG | HRG | ||
| Bristol | HRG | HRG | |||||
| Cardiff | HRG | ||||||
| Doncaster | HRG | ||||||
| Gatwick | HRG | HRG | HRG | HRG & RMF | HRG | HRG | HRG |
| Manchester | HRG | HRG | HRG & RMF* | HRG | HRG | HRG | HRG |
| Newcastle | HRG | ||||||
| Stansted | HRG |
HRG = Hurghada Airport, RMF = Marsa Alam Airport
* Manchester summer service to Marsa Alam begins May 2020
Typical Winter Schedule (November to April)
| Airport | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| Birmingham | HRG & RMF | HRG | HRG | HRG | |||
| Bristol | HRG | HRG | HRG | ||||
| Cardiff | HRG | ||||||
| Doncaster | HRG | ||||||
| East Midlands | HRG | HRG | |||||
| Gatwick | HRG | HRG | HRG | HRG & RMF | HRG | HRG | HRG |
| Glasgow | HRG (Oct only) |
||||||
| Manchester | HRG | HRG | HRG & RMF | HRG | HRG | HRG | HRG |
| Newcastle | HRG | ||||||
| Stansted | HRG | HRG |
HRG = Hurghada Airport, RMF = Marsa Alam Airport
NB: Please note that flight schedules may be subject to change by the airlines at any time. Full and up to date flight details will be provided with any holiday quotation.
Flight duration: Approx 5 - 5½ hours
Transfer times: These vary according to the hotel choice. Minimum transfer time is approx. 20 minutes, certain more remote destinations require longer transfers.
Departure tax: N/A
Passports
Passengers travelling to Egypt must have six months valid on their passport from the date of departure from Egypt.
Visas
A single entry tourist visa for Egypt is required for all nationalities. For British passport holders with British citizenship, Egyptian visas can be obtained conveniently and inexpensively on arrival at Hurghada airport, or in advance via the new e-visa portal - Visa2Egypt.
Other nationalities should check with consular office.
Vaccinations
There are no compulsory vaccinations for travel to Egypt, but we recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A and polio. Though malaria does exist in Egypt, it is generally not present in the coastal resorts.
Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure. For the most up to date advice please consult your travel clinic.
Further information regarding vaccinations for travel to this country can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and from your local healthcare provider.
FREE & Half Price Diving
Huge range of offers on Red Sea Dive Packs & Courses, including Buy One Get One FREE and Half Price Diving!
Find out more about Red Sea Dive Pack Offers
Oasis Dive Resort
Superb dives and excellent trips
"The dive centre at Oasis was very professional and well organised. The staff were amazing.
The dives were superb and the trips both on the boat or bus were excellent.
Diving in the Red Sea is just awesome. "
Heather B | 23 December 2019
MY Sea Serpent
Dives Guides & Crew on Sea Serpent were 1st class
"Dives Guides & Crew on Sea Serpent were 1st class - really excellent. The lead Dive Guide always ensured we dived a variety of reefs and usually ensured we were the only dive boat on the reef. Excellent dives sites, nice cabin, great food, and outstanding dives guides and crew. "
Carole T | 23 December 2019
M/Y Emperor Superior
First class
"The crew on the Emperor Superior were absolutely 1st class "
Andrew B | 23 December 2019
MV Royal Evolution
Best boat I have been on in nearly 20 years visiting the Red Sea
"Royal Evolution is the best boat I have been on in nearly 20 years visiting Red Sea. Very quiet and stable such that you often didn't realise she was motoring. Food was very good and chef making special efforts to work round my unusual food intolerance which was much appreciated. The boats whole operation was of a very professional and efficient high standard from the initial very thorough boat safety briefing onwards. All the Crew and guides were excellent, helpful, friendly and professional. Having 3 guides and smaller groups was welcomed. Diving was fantastic on pristine reefs largely all to ourselves. All manner of life from very small to 5 species of shark! I will definitely be back in the future. "
Iain P | 23 December 2019
M/Y Blue Melody
First class
"The boat Blue Melody was first class. The crew were exceptional in taking care of us, being friendly and helpful. It was a safety conscious, laidback, comfortable, enjoyable trip."
Nick & Sally C | 23 December 2019
Oasis Dive Resort
Oasis Dive Centre - Great Dives, relaxing holiday
"We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. The positives are that this is fantastic place to relax. The accommodation was clean and functional. Decent power to the shower which was nice. The people are all amazing, very friendly, professional and obviously wanting you to enjoy your stay. There are showers at the dive centre and plenty of room to wash, hang and store dive kit. There was a good choice and quality of food. The negatives are small. The room we had was nothing like the ones in the advertised pictures which I assume must be the superior rooms, however as previously mentioned it was very clean and functional. The only other down side was that there is quite a walk from the dive centre to the reef. I am in my 60th year and this was a bit of a struggle for me, but if you're young and fit it's not a problem, and your tanks are carried to and from the jetty for you. Having said that, we really enjoyed our stay here, the dives were lovely with water temperature a very cosy 26 degrees in November! "
Heather Brewer - Dorset | 20 November 2019
M/Y Emperor Superior
My first ever liveaboard diving experience for over 20 years!
"This was my first ever liveaboard diving experience for over 20 years!
Wow: what an improvement 4 dives a day everyday makes!
The boat was always clean and tidy with everything where it was supposed to be at all times – our surplus stuff/bags/shoes, etc, disappeared until we needed them prior to disembarking: no storage issues.
The Crew were always there and helpful. The briefings were always prompt and accurately told us what to expect and where to find things. They were always right – even about the dolphins!!!
The Air/Nitrox was always consistently done well, with predictably good fills and at the right mix – a bit weaker prior to the deeper dives – well done to the guy responsible.
We were lucky with the weather and were able to moor above most wrecks to be dived with few if any other boats within site. If this wasn’t arranged in advance then we were just lucky.
Great atmosphere within dive group I’m sure helped by the great Dive Guides.
The food was always good: 3 courses 3 times a day! Everything was good – even though I didn’t recognise all of it! We had free wine with evening meals, which was a bonus, and soft drinks were always available.
The last day was spent in a local hotel. We all had a whole room to ourselves to wash off sand from spending the last day on their private beech – another bonus.
Our transfers happened seamlessly with a rep at every point of contact.
Many thanks to all involved."
Paul M - Solihull | 02 May 2018
MV Royal Evolution
The holiday was everything we had hoped for!
"The holiday was everything we had hoped for! Royal Evolution is a stunningly good liveaboard, the best I have been on. Very spacious, very quiet, very smooth.
The cabins are the largest and most comfortable that I have seen. They are furnished to a high standard, and there is plenty of storage space. Towels and bathrobes are changed frequently and are individually identified so that a diver can be sure that he has his own. Not even a hint of a smell from drains/bilges.
The food was excellent. In addition to three very good, varied and plentiful meals each day there were also snacks before the first dive, and between the 2nd and 3rd dives. The cabins were immaculately serviced early each day.
We enjoyed a fabulous variety of dive sites, including of course the Umbria and Conshelf II. The pattern was two main (signature) dives first, followed by a relaxed dive which in turn was followed by a night dive. We saw sharks nearly every day. We also got a look around the British-built Sanganeb lighthouse, full of interesting old engineering.
The guides and crew were great. Khalid helped with minor kit problems. Khalid and Linus between them gave a very thorough set of safety briefings. They are very wise to split them up. This lets each briefing be short and therefore easier to take in. It also allows each briefing to be given at the most appropriate time. Travel-weary divers do not need it all at once! Individual dive briefings proved to be very accurate, enhance in many cases by Khalid having dropped into the water to do a current check. A couple of us wanted to look in the RE engine room - absolutely no problem, and a very enjoyable and informative visit."
Simon C - Hampshire | 16 April 2018
M/Y Emperor Echo
Counting the days to my next trip...
"Just wanted to let you know what a brilliant trip I had. Firstly I got the small cabin to myself & the boat was very luxurious. The food also excellent. Saw a couple of sharks, turtles, octopus etc & the crew & dive masters were great. Enjoyed wandering around Port Ghalib Friday night & having use of a hotel room after the trip from Marsa to Hurghada was very civilised & a huge bonus.
Many thanks for organising everything for me as it can be tough travelling alone.
Counting the days to my next trip at the end of November now."
Emily J - Hungerford | 16 April 2018
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
Face to face with the friendliest Napoleon I've ever met!
"Transfers were very good, very efficient.
The food on board was very good. We were very well looked after, even a special cake for our wedding anniversary!
The crew and guides were fantastic, always ready to help if needed.
The coral was amazing and it was great to be the only boat on almost all of the dive sites. We saw amazing reefs with wonderful coral gardens, the biggest Spanish Dancers and lot of fish life. Really good, nice relaxed diving and it was never 'diver soup' as we had most of the sites to ourselves :-)
Our favourite memory was being literally face to face with the friendliest Napoleon I've ever met and swimming alongside a huge green turtle and its 2 remoras.
We were very happy and would use Regaldive and would go on an Emperor boat again too."
Helen K and Michael C - Scotland | 28 February 2018
Marina Lodge at Port Ghalib
The dive centre staff were absolutely excellent
"The transfers were very good, the vehicles were clean, tidy and well driven. The staff were very knowledgeable and attentive.
The accommodation was good. Clean and tidy.... perfectly suited to our needs, and the food was good.
The service from the dive centre staff was excellent. The boat was very conveniently moored. The dive centre staff were absolutely excellent, helpful, knowledgeable, exceptionally well organised and staff from Captain to boat boy to dive guide were fabulous."
Sharon and William V - Northamptonshire | 28 February 2018
M/Y Blue Fin
Thresher Shark and Oceanic White Tips!
"The trip was everything I expected. Transfers and ground arrangements were fine & trouble free. The accommodation was fine. Food was very good and varied. Crew were very helpful and dive guides also. The dive sites were good and quiet which always helps. Highlights of the holiday was the thresher shark and oceanic white tips.
I was happy with the service Regaldive provided for this trip!"
Nathan L - Sheerness | 27 February 2018
M/Y Emperor Elite
Addicted to the Liveaboard Experience!
"Will and I have just returned from our week on the Emperor Elite and wanted to let you know what an excellent time we had!
First of all, we are now (as expected) addicted to the Liveaboard experience! I think that's partly down to the concept but we were also blown away by the service from both Regaldive and the Emperor Elite team.
From start to finish we received excellent service from Regaldive and felt very much in safe hands when we were out there. The process of booking was also fabulous, all thanks to you and your colleagues! You were helpful and knowledgeable and answered all of my random questions!
The service on board was fantastic, the guides were friendly, approachable and experienced and we felt in safe hands and the crew were unbelievably hard working! They were always there to help a tired diver and give them a warm drink!
We also seemed to have an upgrade to the Junior Suite which was a cheeky little surprise.
Will and I are so impressed that we are planning to go back again this year, during the warmer months, on another itinerary so we will definitely be looking to use Regaldive again.
Thank you again!
Jo and Will"
Jo Guest - Herts | 07 February 2018
M/Y Emperor Elite
Fantastic liveaboard holiday | Thanks to Regaldive!
"Thanks to Regaldive for booking our fantastic Liveaboard holiday in the Red Sea (South & St. John's (Marsa Ghalib Port/Marsa Ghalib Port).
Everything ran smoothly from beginning to end.
Following a good flight we were meet by the Regaldive Rep in Hurghada who made sure we were okey and put us on the transfer bus. We arrived to a warm welcome by Emperor Elite, followed by a fabulous week of diving, food and lovely company. All the Staff on board were fantastic.
We will defiantly be booking again."
Marcus & Sally - UK | 24 November 2017
M/Y Emperor Echo
Surfacing surrounded by dolphins | absolutely booking again!
"Everything was better than expected with no waiting around at all (transfers and ground arrangements) and final day in hotel was a nice extra.
On the liveaboard itself: Basic cabin, but it suited my needs perfectly and was comfortable, and the food was fantastic.
Friendly, professional, safe and welcoming staff and crew. Dive sites were great - only skipped one night dive all week.
My favourite memory from the holiday was being surrounded by dolphins at the surface after a dive!
Was I happy with Regaldive's services and will I be booking again? Absolutely!"
Sam Turner - UK | 24 November 2017
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
So Many Highlights - The Crew Excelled!
"It all worked like clockwork according to the high standards Emperor sets. Boat was clean, tidy, and the crew excelled, they were so full of enthusiasm.
Asmaa is a well-kept boat, with good sized cabins and space. Even though she's smaller than other Emperor boats, she didn't feel crowded.
Food was top class - the kids were amazed at what Ibrahim and Mohammed managed to conjure up in a small kitchen whilst we were in the water.
The crew couldn't do enough to ensure any requests were met. The crew were great at helping us gear up - they weren't intrusive, and were very astute at spotting opportunities to help people. A very slick team, and they all contributed at every dive.
Sadly we could not make it to St. Johns due to a military exercise shutting the area. This meant an unexpected change in the itinerary, which Safka did well to manage, and would focus on Fury Shoals.
Nice to be welcomed back as old friends, and recognised. Made some new friends with the staff and crew, which to me is half the fun of liveaboards.
It was difficult to pick one highlight. Dolphins playing on Shaab Maksour's northern plateau for 20 mins of a dive? Clouds of Anthias everywhere? Clownfish that actually want to pose for the camera? Four fried eggs for breakfast for an 18 year old? Egyptian red wine thrown in with dinner? We could debate that one for ages!"
Justin Ormand - UK | 02 November 2017
M/Y Blue Fin
Enjoyed My Encounters with Hammerheads and Oceanic White Tips
"My accommodation on the liveaboard room (king suite ) was excellent. The food on board was excellent, probably some of the best I've experienced on a liveaboard. The dive guides and crew were very friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Good dive sites.
My favourite memory from the holiday was my encounters with hammerheads and oceanic white tips.
I was very happy with your service, as I always am when using Regaldive."
Ian Riley-Brown - UK | 13 September 2017
Sunrise Marina Resort Port Ghalib
Scuba was as Always Great!
"All 'good' thank you. Scuba was as always great."
Marisa de Jager - UK | 31 July 2017
Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza Beach Resort
The Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza
"Booked The Three Corners Fayrouz Plaza for two weeks, with a weeks shore/minibus diving with Extra Divers on site and a weeks boat diving with Emperor. The hotel is excellent, mainly Germans, Belgians & Swiss, no other Brits. All inclusive, the food was excellent, good choice and lots of it. It must be the first time I've been to Egypt and not had a dodgy stomach at some time or other, so top marks for that. The reef was good, for diving and snorkeling and there are shallow, protected lagoon areas for beginners and learners to snorkel. Will definitely return to this hotel.
Extra Divers on site were well run, organised, decent hire gear and their Nitrox was INCLUDED, not like Emperor who charge a lot for theirs. Shore diving was different, with some interesting sites and entry points, noticeable lack of toilets, even sand dunes. But you need to bring boots, bare feet/ snorkeling fins not recommended! This hotel is adjacent to Shaab Mubarak, so you can walk down to the beach and snorkel out to see Dyson the Dugong.
Emperor were excellent as ever. The food on ISA (day boat) was the best I've ever had. They have access to some excellent coral gardens. I spent my birthday on ISA and the cook even made me a cake, what a great surprise and Tracy 'The Essex Mermaid' arranged for the appropriate wildlife to turn up too, dugong, octopus and the rest!
The only downside was that we had to bus in from Hurghada, nearly three hours, so if you can make the Wednesday flight into Marsa Alam, do it."
Michael Thurlow - Marsa Alam | 02 May 2017
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
A Really Good Week - One We Hope to Repeat Soon!
"We had a great time on Emperor Asmaa. We were looked after very well by the entire crew and the dive guides Jesse and Zizo. Some excellent dives on the reefs at St Johns and Fury Shoals,with good visibility and hard and soft corals in good condition. Some very interesting caves which was quite a new experience for our diving in the Red Sea, and extensive coral gardens.
Managed to see a whale shark - at 5m it was above us, dolphins swimming about as we dived, turtles, rays and all the usual reef fish you would expect, as well as some of the bigger stuff around the reefs. I took some footage of one of the turtles who seemed to enjoy posing for the camera - I had to keep backing away to stop him touching the lens!.
Overall a really good week in the Red Sea and one we hope to repeat soon.
"
Mike Hayle - UK | 10 February 2017
M/Y Emperor Elite
The liveaboard accommodation was excellent
"Emperor Elite Liveaboard & Steigenberger Land Based Stay
I think we had a good time on the boat. I chose this area because I was interested in the wrecks although I seem to remember I was told there was a good mix of wreck and non wreck diving. I think outside of the wrecks the coral and marine life were a bit limited and Andrea who is claustrophobic wasn't able to do a number of the dives because there was no buddy who just wanted to do the outside. I missed out on a few penetrations because of this but I'm not complaining.
Some positives
• The diving was well spaced through out the day for me. We only did one night dive. Some complained that they'd have preferred 4 day time dives as a lot of people skipped the night dives as they were on pretty average dive sites.
• Andrea commented that Khalil our guide was better than the other guide Jesse.
• The food was very good. We were very pleasantly surprised by the food. Every meal was something different. The deserts on NYE were spectacular. For me, the breakfast was the best meal of the day. We actually gained weight because we couldn't resist the good food!
• The staff were awesome. The chef, dining crew and boat boys were all really good.
• The transfers and ground arrangements were awesome. Couldn't improve this.
• The liveaboard accommodation was excellent. We were both very comfortable.
• The hotel was exceptional. Than you so much for booking us in to this and making sure we were all inclusive. I played 2 rounds of golf a day and thoroughly enjoyed the hotel site, the food and the atmosphere/ambience.
Some areas for improvement
• The water was very cold. On out first test dive we came out of the water after only 35 minutes and we both had severe shakes. We both stuggled to get out of our gear and needed help. The hire suits were 5mm and for us this just wasn't enough. We asked for thicker wetsuits but were told that nothing else was on board. We tried diving again and came up after 30 minutes (possibly less) and was hyperthermic. We pleaded again for another day and was told there was nothing. We tried borrowing from other guests. In the end I was really upset as I couldn't imagine doing any more dives.
I complained several times to Khalil and Jesse and after 2 days Khalil finally lent me his spare 7mm semi dry wetsuit. It was a few sizes too big but did actually keep me warm enough to start diving again. Andrea was able to borrow a spare 3mm shorty off a lady and put that on under her 5mm hire suit. I know some people were fine with 3 mm wetsuits during this trip but they were much larger and carrying a lot more of there own insulation. I think there should have been better advice and some spare kit on board. It makes no sense not to have any and the other boats I've been on in Australia and Thailand both had spare suits of different sizes.
I think we would book with you again but I'd be inclined to do my home work a bit more on where we go. The area we went was good for wrecks, not so good for coral or marine life. I know I had high expectations considering everywhere I've been people have told me the 'red sea' is better. My experience was that I'm not sure I'd ever go back or that I'd recommend it. Perhaps there are better areas to the south but again, I'd have to do a lot of research. Next time somewhere definitely warmer!!"
Karl Turkovic - UK | 23 January 2017
Marina Lodge at Port Ghalib
Favourite Memory: Seeing the Eagle Ray and Green Turtles!
"For me, having last been to Marina Lodge 7 years ago, it felt like going back to the same place and was what I had expected, Hotel was good and Emperor were good, as usual. I was very impressed with the diligence everybody took to please and make the week very enjoyable and stress free.
When we first arrived the room that was allocated to us was too close to the bar and thus a little noisy for early morning divers that we are. Nevertheless, the staff obliged and kindly transferred us to a much quieter room. We didn’t make use of the indoor bar facilities as we are non-smokers and customers who smoked would meet there daily. The hotel free wi-fi was intermittent and rather unreliable and again in an area where there were smokers, but excellent on board of the dive boat.
The transfers and ground arrangements were excellent for both pick up and drop off. The accommodation was tidy, staff were very keen to keep the place clean, fresh towels daily, bedrooms tidied with an attention to attire and beds with cloth decorations. Outstanding Christmas buffet, catering for all tastes, staff always friendly and helpful, chef always smiling.
The first thing I noticed was the healthy reefs and corals and the richness of the fauna. Briefing and debriefing were confidently delivered. Instructions on how to step out of or back onto boats were clear. All crew and staff were very friendly and helpful during the week.
I was disappointed not to get to Elphinstone, we had been asking all week, but on the day where the weather was good and some guests had been asked about going and had also said yes, the trip was not taken and we returned to a previous site. I can also understand that on that day there were two Open Water students on board, so logistically for them they would have needed to go on another boat. As we did on the first day we went with a Colona boat with an Emperor guide.
A favourite memory from the holiday was seeing the Eagle Ray and the Green Turtles also seeing that the coral looked better than on my last visit here in 2009.
"
Nick Bailey - UK | 23 January 2017
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
Good Holiday - I Felt Safe at all Times (even with the Sharks!)
"Thanks for your part in organising my trip and making it go seamlessly. It's just a shame things are quiet for the industry in Egypt. If we don't use it we'll lose it, so I'll spread the word that I had a good holiday and felt safe at all times (even with the sharks!).
The trip was everything I expected, as I had been to this location twice before. The transfers and ground arrangements were very efficient andstraight forward. The only issue was on the return journey to the airport where insufficient extra time was factored in to accommodate a guest's request to be taken to another hotel before folks were dropped at the airport. Meant one of the guest being really stressed attempting to catch their flight (German guest) leaving them only 1 hour to get through check-in and security. Some of the rest of us declined to go to the day hotel as a result, as we did not want to be left with insufficient time for our flights.
The boat was very comfortable. It was tricky to get shade from the sun on deck when the boat was full. The Hotel last evening was very comfortable and food was good. The food was good and plenty to eat, so never felt hungry. The boat was kept very clean in both cabins and shared areas.
The dive sites and itinerary were fine. Highlights being the last dive at Elphinstone (my best shark dive ever, first time in the water with oceanics) and snorkelling with the dolphins at dolphin reef. The guide (Anke) did her best to accommodate personal preferences, mine being drop offs and just hanging with the fishes, so I got some of these along the way which was great.
All crew were very helpful and friendly throughout the week, worked hard to make our holiday as good as possible. Favourite memories from the holiday were the oceanics and the nice group of people on board including staff and good mix of guests. Very happy with Regaldive’s services, have been with you many times before."
FD (this guest has requested to remain anonymous) - UK | 20 January 2017
M/Y Blue Melody
The Experience with the Oceanic White Tips did not Disappoint!
"Yes the trip was great. Being my first liveaboard, I didn't know what to expect. There were plenty of agents waiting to guide us through visa processing, customs and getting us to the right transport, smoothly and without any delay, to transfer onto the Blue Melody. The Regaldive rep in Hurghada made a point of introducing himself, at the beginning and end of my trip to make sure all was OK and told me to contact him if there was a problem.
The cabin was adequate for my needs, although a little smaller in reality than the website photos appear, but there were fresh towels, if we needed them, and cabins were always promptly cleaned while we were enjoying our first dive. The food was very nice and there was always more than enough. Fellow guests had mentioned the food and boat were better than most they had been on.
The staff and crew were very friendly and professional, especially Ahmed our head dive master, who kept us informed to what was happening, boat movements times, any itinerary changes etc. Ahmed gave concise briefings and dive plans, discussing any alternatives.
On our itinerary, for safe surface time intervals, there were only 3 dives a day, unless there was a night dive, which was not permitted in the marine park.
It was a great first trip on a liveaboard, and the experience with the Oceanic White Tips did not disappoint!
"
Janice Barlow - UK | 20 January 2017
MV Royal Evolution
Fantastic fun!!
"Well, weren’t we lucky to get allocated a main deck cabin…. The 4, 2 twin, 2 double are lovely and very spacious. Definitely worth a bit extra.
Long Journeys
Sunday 1/ Monday 2 January - 9.5 hour passage, at night. Did a final high octane pre-breakfast dive at Angarosh then moved the short distance to Merlo for a pre-lunch dive. The afternoon had the rigmarole of offloading the Sudanese crew, getting the Customs Officer out to inspect and back to port, all done by Zodiac, so we could not dive but most enjoyed snorkelling and walking on a tiny sandy “islet”. We moved a short distance to Masharef Reef, did a night dive then ropes were off straight after dinner. We sailed from 20.30 to 06.00 on Monday 2 January. We were heading north, into the wind and into a big sea, some of which was broadside on, to the starboard side… guess which side I was on!
Monday 2/Tuesday 3 January – 19-20 hours, day, night, day. 3 dives at Abu Fendera, so still in Sudan. Last dive over by 15.30, Ropes off by 16.30ish then a long, long, lumpy, bumpy journey north. More of the same weather conditions, too cold to be on deck unless dressed in full winter gear. This ended at around 11 the next morning –.
Tuesday 3 /Wednesday 4 January. – 21-22 hours, day, night, day. We were running a good 2 hours late by the time we got to St John, so just had time for one dive at Gota Soraya which was over by 12.45. The boat stayed put for kit washing etc and lunch, and set off around 14.30. Again it was too chilly for much deck time, though at least the sun was shining… the first time since 22 December!!
Wednesday 4 January - see journey time above! We ran later and later, finally getting onto the Customs and Immigration jetty at Port Ghalib just after 12.
So, prepare yourself, but if the sun is shining and the wind not blowing so hard from the north and it is not cold…it would be quite pleasant!!!
Other stuff
Umbria – Very silted and badly broken up. Not a patch on Thistlegorm, and much smaller. Viz not good so hard to get any decent photos, particularly if a mad Californian Psychotherapist is barging his way through with his giant camera. ( My fellow-guests were “Interesting”)
Conshelf- fascinating particularly as we had watched the original documentary before we got there. The viz is not great and the area round the buildings has not recovered but there is lots of interesting life and a large turtle!
Favourite sites
Shaab Rumi for the schools of bumpheads, barracudas, jacks and trevallies, a hammerhead and eagle ray
Gota el Banna – for the school of 20+ hammerheads
And then there was Angarosh with its “hook on” currents! Great Hammerhead (my first), school of scalloped hammerheads. Large Grey , white tips, Great Barracuda stuff everywhere! Oh and of course the dive that started at 23.45 on 31 December and ended at 00.30 on 1 January!
Fantastic fun!!"
Marjolein Thrower - UK | 20 January 2017
M/Y Blue Horizon aka Red Sea Master
Never Before Have I Seen Such Playful Dolphins!
"Best memories are from last two dives on dolphin reef. We had a small pod with us for almost two hours. Never before have I seen such playful dolphins! The food was amazing, the quality of meat was first class. Cakes were even better. Cabins on Horizon are much bigger than on other boats. Dive sites were the usual ones for this itinerary. Crew worked hard as usual. Very happy with the service of Regaldive."
Zofia Rusilowicz - UK | 20 January 2017
M/Y Blue Melody
First time diving in the Red Sea
"My first time diving in the Red Sea and my first time on a liveaboard. The staff were fantastic, very helpful and Ahmed gave great briefings, informative and to the point. You could choose whether to have a guide or not, so these briefings were good for those of us not using a guide. Some of the reefs were very healthy considering the amount of divers that visit them, some others did have some damage (apparently due to Crown of Thorns). Lots of shark activity (hammerheads, threshers, oceanic whites, grey reefs) which really were daily highlights. Our initial cabin (a double on the middle deck) was very small and the bed far too short for anyone over 6 foot. We mentioned this to Ahmed and as the boat was not full we were instantly accommodated in a lower deck twin cabin which was much better and more comfortable. The food was pretty good, but the last night feast was amazing. An overall great trip!"
Vicky Page - United Kingdom | 09 November 2016
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
Emporer Asmaa - Fantastic!
"My first liveaboard - A bit optimistic at first, after years of day boat diving, but definately hooked, diving was fantastic, food was fantastic, boat crew were fantastic, dive guides were fantastic, Thank you Emporer for such a wonderful diving experience onboard the Asmaa - Can definately recommend and already looking to book again onboard the Asmaa.
"
Shirley Lister - South and St Johns, Red Sea | 28 October 2016
M/Y Emperor Superior
The Trip was Everything We Expected
"Everything was really good. I found the dive guides excellent. They had all the admin and organisation under control. Best memory was the hammerhead sharks on Daedalus.
I would like to thank you for your management of our booking. I always felt supported and had no hesitations in contacting you at any stage because i knew whatever i wanted would be confirmed or sorted out.
Many thanks and i look forward to diving with you again.
"
Ian Maycock - UK | 18 October 2016
M/Y Emperor Elite
Excellent Two Week Holiday!
"I had an excellent two week holiday on Emperor Elite where I was welcomed back by crew and guides like one of the family (OK it’s my 4th 2 week trip on her, but even so !). I was even visited and welcomed back by one of the guides from Asmaa who I had also dived with previously and who had heard that I was back.
My only problem was that I had to stop diving for a couple of days in the first week due to ear problems, having developed a bit of a cold, but Sonia the guide did everything she could to help me get clear quickly and I was back in by the end of the week and did all the dives I wanted in week 2.
The private taxi transfer on arrival was definitely a plus to get down more promptly than waiting for the general transfer. Although I didn’t object at that time of night, it is probably worth noting that the majority of the journey was undertaken at well over the speed limit. Much of the extra time gained this way was however lost on arrival at Ghalib as the (Hurghada based) driver had no idea where to drop me – I had more idea of the whereabouts of the boat than he, but couldn’t initially convince him that it was a boat I was going to, rather than a hotel! I’m not sure what would have happened with someone who hadn’t been before. After repeated rejections of hotels by me, eventually after numerous phone calls we got to the mooring area to find that Elite was fuelling and I was “rescued” by the crew in the RIB.
Elite was as ever fantastic, guides crew, accommodation food, everything ! I really was made to feel special with everyone being so pleasant and helpful, with nothing being to much bother and I was very sad to have to leave at the end of the holiday. Though I am a repeat guest, I got the impression that the same attention was applied to all the guests.
Itineraries were excellent, though as already mentioned I personally missed out on Daedalus in the first week. Having been going South since 2000, I am still being surprised on “South & St Johns” with new sites that I haven’t previously done with an excellent mix of great sites being arranged. The pre-flight hotel in Hurghada was fine, though I didn’t see much of it, other than the room, because I just slept!
Favourite memory was probably the all round friendliness shown by everyone on Elite.
All arrangements were excellent and the luggage allowance worked out fine - slightly over the top – but better that than finding that I was over the paid-for allowance and being charged excess."
Iain Paul - UK | 26 September 2016
M/Y Emperor Elite
Best Diving Holiday Ever!
"Firstly I would like to start with a massive thank you to you all for the best diving holiday ever! I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of my trip on the Emperor Elite last week. From the diving through to the food finishing with the boat, it was all amazing!
I can't say a big enough thank you to the crew - Alaa, Mustafa, Hassan,Mohamed, Ibrahin, Alaa, Ahmed, Yasser, Saeed , dive guides - Ahmed & Momo and the Captain - Mahmond Hassan for making it a pleasure to dive each and everyday - they made the week run so smoothly - from the start they made it feel like home.
It was my first time in Egypt and my first time on a liveaboard and I won't be hesitating to come back next year for another week on the Elite! Everyone should try it!
After the diving experience I have had I would be very interested in completing my DM course in Egypt with you.
Once again thank you!"
Victoria Platt - UK | 14 July 2016
M/Y Emperor Superior
Fantastic Trip with Great Diving
"We had a fantastic trip on Superior's Simply the Best itinerary and are sad to be home after some great diving. The boat was excellent, the staff and crew were great and the food amazing.
Your rep was very helpful at the airport and also on transfer to the hotel, he gave me a happy form but I forgot to leave it with the hotel reception but I gave you all a massive ‘thumbs up’ for a splendid trip and I would like to say thanks to him again. We would definitely book with you again."
Stuart Verity - UK | 16 June 2016
M/Y Nimar
The Boat was Excellent and the Crew Were Even Better
"The Trip was everything that we expected and more. The boat was excellent and the crew were even better. A number of people in our group who have done liveaboards before mentioned this was the best one they had done.
The liveaboard accommodation was excellent. A few of the group had issues with a lack of Air Conditioning but the crew worked hard to try and fix it. The boat was in really good nick, in two weeks of visiting dive sites we only saw one other boat that rivalled ours - we were very happy with that! The food and other services were excellent. Meals were varied and freshly prepared and the feedback from everyone in the group was that it had surpassed their expectations. It was significantly better than we get in the cook house in the Army!
The dive sites and itinerary were excellent. We saw some very interesting wrecks and sea life (dolphins, turtles, eels etc). It was really good that the dive guides worked with us to make sure we were doing what we wanted to do. Once the boat had seen our competence, they were happy for us to do some more challenging diving.
The liveaboard Staff and Crew were excellent. Literally couldn’t do more to help. You can tell that the crew members have worked together for some time and they make a truly excellent team.
One of the group broke a tooth and required some emergency dental work. The boat owner (Adbdul) took a personal interest, he drove the individual to a local dentist who did an excellent job repairing the tooth and for a very reasonable price. This was a very good example of going the extra mile.
A favourite memory from the holiday was diving on the Salem Express which the boat owner allowed us to do, despite not being on the Northern Wrecks itinerary.
We were happy with Regaldive’s services we would book with Regaldive again. "
Guest name confidential - London | 15 June 2016
M/Y Emperor Elite
The Diving was Excellent!
"A quick report back from our trip. All was smooth on the transfer and the diving was excellent.
The boat was good (as we’d expected). Comfortable, nice food and a great crew and guides. Things were probably helped by it not being a full boat, and having fabulous weather, but a particular thumbs up for Sonia who was lovely - enthusiastic, knowledgeable and really friendly. "
Sean Bechhofer - UK | 16 May 2016
M/Y Blue Fin
It Exceeded all Expectations!
"Blue Fin: Northern Wrecks & Reefs Itinerary
The trip exceeded all expectations, frankly. The attention to detail was superb. The food great and the diving a perfect mix of reef and wreck. The cabin was sheer luxury (lucky me!) and the staff brilliant. Regaldive reps were attentive and the whole booking experience seamless.
Highlights were the Thistlegorm (long on my bucket list) and the reef dive ending with the Yolanda wreck. Would thoroughly recommend Ragaldive and the whole package, I'll be in touch."
Chris Preece - UK | 16 May 2016
M/Y Emperor Superior
Wrecks and Reefs Trip Exceeded Expectations - Excellent Holiday
"Exceeded expectations. It was an excellent holiday. No problems.
Transfers were efficient from Regaldive. Typically had to wait for a few stragglers, who had not read the holiday notes or the information provided!
Room was lovely. Food was excellent a very comprehensive choice and excellent quality.
Diving. Superb. One of my best dives ever-nearing 500! On the Thistlegorm, 65, mins of bliss.
The best two dive guides I have so far encountered. Still passionate after all these years. The crew, were all excellent as well.
Highlights from the holiday. An incredibly relaxing and enjoyable 7 days. We definitely choose the right trip for us, with a suitable balance of both Wreck and reef dives. All were either very good, excellent, or even sublime. The vast majority of the other guests were sociable and good company.
I have been on six Red Sea liveaboards so far and this is without doubt The Best."
John F. - UK | 03 May 2016
M/Y Blue Melody
We had a Fantastic Time - The Diving was Amazing!
"Just a short note to let you know that we had a fantastic time during our back-to-back liveaboard on the Blue Melody.
The diving was amazing (even a too friendly gray oceanic shark, swimming with us), turtles, dolphins, hammerheads, an octopus “Show” lasting over 10 minutes, 2 dancing and hunting moray eels during a night dive, beautiful corals and more.
We cannot fault the guides and organisation aboard the Blue Melody, we were very comfortable and assistance was always at hand if needed.
The guides (especially Chris) were excellent: knowledgeable and really going the extra mile to ensure all divers on board could appreciate the diving to its maximum.
Only one (minor) comment: it would be nice to have some lights on the upper deck common place so that one can read a book outside when its dark. All in all, a great and relaxing experience with beautiful diving. Exactly what we needed!"
Giovanna Carraro - UK | 02 February 2016
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
Great Weeks Diving, Great Crew!
"Great week diving on the Northern Wrecks and Reefs itinerary. Despite some very iffy weather including a sandstorm, the crew never failed to get us in the water on some fantastic dives. Dive guides Kat and Khalil were superb, in fact some of the best I've dived with. The crew were fantastic; nothing was too much for them. The boat was spot on.
We've used Regal before and as always, the holiday was just "simple". Make the booking and then enjoy the holiday; no grief,problems or issues.
Many thanks Regal, we'll be back soon!"
Mitch C - UK | 28 January 2016
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
Emperor Asmaa Wrecks and Reefs 8-15 January 2016
"The crew were great - very helpful. Everybody was very impressed with the offerings from the galley - lots of variety and plenty of it. The diving was fantastic - Thistlegorm and Rosalie Moeller were the highlights for me, but plenty of pretty squidgy things too!!"
Alan Duke - Selsey | 18 January 2016
M/Y Emperor Elite
Great first liveaboard experience!
"We'd never been on a liveaboard before, and only had 10 logged dives each so we were a little nervous about the trip - no need! The trip was great, South and St John's was an ideal route for those with a bit less diving experience and it offered us all the dives we needed to complete our advanced open water qualification. We saw plenty of exciting stuff, including oceanic white tip sharks up close, tiger and silky sharks at a distance, giant green turtles, plus all the usual reef and wall diving flora and fauna. We also really enjoyed the landscapes of some of the dives.
The crew were brilliant, always right there when you needed anything. They were exceptionally well trained, picking up on our likes and dislikes, our food preferences etc. in order to be able to anticipate our needs. The guides, Ana and Sergio, were brilliant, and a pleasure to get to know. We felt super well cared for without being babysat so our diving really improved over the week as we gained independence.
The food was good, veggies are reasonably well catered for, though sometimes meals were carb heavy and vegetable light and protein was often limited to eggs first thing in the morning. To be honest I happiest when I ate the foul, falafel and hummus that we were only given a couple of times but which I think the staff ate most days - I would have happily eaten that with salad every day.
Regaldive were great and we'd be happy to book through them again.
We look forward to our next liveaboard diving holiday!"
Ellie - UK | 23 December 2015
M/Y Emperor Elite
Fantastic Week on Board the Elite - South and St Johns
"Just back from a fantastic week on board the Elite, the crew, staff, and guests where all very friendly and welcoming. There was a good mix of ages and nationalities and we all seemed to gel, well mostly LOL. The food on board was delicious and lots of it. Nothing was too much trouble for these guys on board. The diving was fabulous with a good variety of dive sites, the dive crew were faultless, the dive guides were very knowledgeable and very helpful. Sergio was an ace at finding nuddi branches and micro stuff and his enthusiasm was excellent. Many thanks to Explorer and Regaldive for a faultless holiday. If i was to fault anything then that would be it was over too quickly! Would highly recommend this boat and cant wait to do it again very soon......
Joe and Corrine"
joe langford - UK | 21 December 2015
Concorde Moreen Beach Resort
Hotel, Staff and Food Were Fantastic and Fabulous Diving Club
"We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday to Marsa Alam staying in the Concorde Moreen Beach Resort. And we would definitely book to stay there again. Hotel, staff, food all fantastic.
Orca Diving Club was also fabulous. A very professional dive centre, and all the staff where always on hand to help out if needed.
Diving on the house reef daily was also fantastic.
Can't recommend this hotel and diving more!
Kind Regards
Kate & Paul"
Kate & Paul Dommett - UK | 17 September 2015
M/Y Emperor Elite
Two Seriously Satisfied Divers!
"Everything was BEAUTIFUL!!! I wanna go back ASAP! I have to make a special mention to the crew on the Emperor Elite. The boat was clean, comfortable, and spacious. The crews are true professionals. They are on call 24/7 for eight weeks straight. They sleep where they can and are watching our every move to make sure we have whatever we want or need at ANY time. The dive guides have to be able to cope with any style of divers that come on board. It's such an organised routine from start to finish. Ahmed Ibrahim is exceptional at his job as a dive guide. I am very grateful for their compassion and attention to detail. "
Lisa and Andrew Rolfe - Hants | 22 May 2015
M/Y Emperor Elite
Six go South
"Just back from our weeks diving in the Red Sea so thought I'd drop you line and let you know how we got on!
We are a group of six divers with a variety of experience and all have visited Egypt on a number of occasions and been on other liveaboards.
We were met at Hurghada and our transfer albeit late at night was carried out in a smart vehicle very efficiently
We were on the St Johns and Deep South trip out of Port Ghalib. This time we were on MY Elite with it's Egyptian crew and guides Amr and Ahmed.
The boat was spacious and very well equipped, the rooms were of a standard size and were clean and tidy. The diving was good with concise and accurate briefings beforehand. The guides treated us very well allowing us the freedom (within limits) to dive without constraints - which we found very refreshing.
The refreshments on the boat were plentiful and well prepared with the crew making extra efforts on a couple of evenings for us all to eat on the upper deck - a lot more work for them!At the end of the week we were transferred to a hotel in Ghalib where we were allocated three twin rooms which were very smart. A very late flight out of Hurghada was the only really downside of the trip and more user-friendly flight times would have been preferred.
On behalf of our group I'd like to thank you and your colleagues for arranging and providing us with a great week's holiday."
N Parry - UK | 11 May 2015
M/Y Emperor Asmaa
Emporer Asmaa trip 12 to 19 November 2014
"Good Crew, Good guides, Good diving and wonderful camaraderie between all guests.
Food was fine, but I would prefer more Egyptian style food.
Very enjoyable trip."
Stephen Barlow - From Hamata, Fury Shoals and St Johns trip | 28 November 2014
M/Y Emperor Elite
Emperor elite
"Just returned from a week aboard this liveaboard and what a fantastic time was had. All the staff work incredibly hard and the two dive guides (Julian & Khalil) are fantastic at their jobs. The food on board was of a very good standard with plenty of choice to suit most people.
My only niggle would be the sun deck on top, jacuzzi never worked whilst on board and the sun loungers are torn / faded and could do with a good clean. Apart from this, I wouldn't hesitate to return for another trip with them and the tour operator Regaldive . "
Mick fudge - Gtr Manchester | 06 October 2014
M/Y Emperor Elite
South and St. John's tour
"Wow just been to Egypt aboard the M/Y Emperor Elite! Had a fantastic week aboard this liveaboard, the crew couldn't do enough for you. The guides were excellent, the food was brill, and the diving was absolutely amazing. I went to the South and St. John's and met some wonderful people as well.
Ahmed, Lara, and Khalil were excellent at guiding us around and sorting problems out when they occurred. My hose blew when I was down 26m and Ahmed quickly turned my tank off and give me his spare reg. When back on the boat, he quickly changed my hose to a spare one so I could carry on diving for the rest of the week. There are no complaints apart from me having to return home haha - I wish I could have stayed.
Also booking through Regaldive was brill as they were excellent and give you all the information before hand. The whole booking process to the end of holiday was smooth and excellent. I will defiantly be booking again for another liveaboard, hopefully sooner rather than later, I will have to start saving up! "
Joanne Pettit - Greater Manchester | 09 September 2014
M/Y Emperor Elite
Emperor Elite - Fantastic Holiday
"It is a short while since our holiday now, but we want you to know that we had a fantastic diving holiday on Emperor Elite. A friendly, hard working crew, excellent dive guides, and a great bunch of other guests to share the experience with. Really nice people of different nationalities, who were all fun to be with.
We are especially pleased that we booked through Regaldive, and we would be pleased if you wish to pass that on to Emperor. Emperor have given us a great time on all our 5 trips with them, and we will go with them again in the future, but Regaldive gave that extra to the holiday. When the authorities changed the clocks by an hour at short notice, we noticed that others were not so well organised, while Regaldive kept us informed, adjusted our schedule and made sure of our comfort with a quality hotel day room. (I am sorry, but I do wish I could remember the name of your representative in Hurghada to thank her personally).
The one detriment was that the Thomson Airways flights were late to schedule in both directions. A poor show Thomson.
Our very best thanks to Regaldive."
The Armstrongs - UK | 03 June 2014
M/Y Blue Melody
MY Blue Melody- we had a wonderful time
"We had a wonderful time on board My Blue Melody last week.
The crew was lovely, the food absolutely excellent and the boat has a series of small procedures that really make any diver’s life easier.
To name a few:
• getting ready for the zodiac in separate groups (i.e. avoiding overcrowding)
• tags to identify tanks
• tick back list by the guides when coming back on board
• the towel pegs on deck with Room numbers (avoiding towels “musical chairs”)
• Tea/Coffee delivered with the early morning wake-up call
• Pre-Order for breakfast omelettes/eggs
Small things, by all means, but they do make the journey more enjoyable.
I have only words of praise for the crew: friendly, professional, efficient. Barry had an amazingly artistic cake for his birthday.
Briefings were comprehensive without being patronizing: Luke and Becky were simply excellent.
As soon as we boarded My Blue Melody, we all felt immediately welcome and at home.
Definitely a positive experience!
Thank you!"
13 May 2014
M/Y Blue Horizon aka Red Sea Master
Project Shark trip
"We have just got back from the Project Shark trip (16.11.2012 to 23.11.2012). Well, Regaldive put everything in to place for us and all went without a hitch. We were met at the airport and looked after well by the reps of both Regaldive and Blue O2. The boat, Blue Horizon, was first class and very comfortable. The diving was equally first class once we got out to the marine parks. The only down side to the trip was that the first and last days were spent on reefs local to Hurghada, and as such were not of the same standard as Elphinstone, The Brothers and Daedalus. I accept that a check dive is necessary, but once that is out of the way, lets get to the pristine reefs that we've paid for.
That little whine out of the way, the trip was brilliant. On board shark expert Elke, gave four lectures on various shark topics and these were very well put together and expertly delivered. The dive briefings were comprehensively done with plenty of information and the wants and fads of the divers were catered for by the two dive guides. The food on board was also of a high standard, plenty of it and no-one became ill with a gypy stomach.
The crew were some of the best I have experienced. All very friendly and helpful. The rooms were cleaned and tidied during the first dive of each day and there was no shortage of clean towels when they were required. The final day saw us off the boat and to the Marriott Hotel. This was a stop-gap arrangement to cater for the time between leaving the boat and going to the airport. Rooms were made available to us to shower and the facilities of the hotel were also available to us. All in all the trip was very good. I have been on a number of Red Sea trips and this ranks with the best. Recommended!"
Keith Jackson - UK | 02 May 2014
Oasis Dive Resort
Oasis Dive Resort - Thoroughly recommended!
"We had an excellent time, very good indeed.
The Oasis Dive centre was very good and supportive. Thoroughly recommend.
The hotel was fine, clearly centred on diving rather than anything else which was fine.
Thanks for your advice."
John S - UK | 26 November 2013
Marina Lodge at Port Ghalib
Marsa Alam
"Excellent conjunction of Emperor dive boats and hotel unaltered but Emperor now relocated to Moreen Beach; not a problem for those wanting boat diving.
Hotel very quiet - maximum seen at dinner - 7. Hotel: food average.
Regaldive airport service excellent, especially in face of major flight delay. Well done, Ramadan. "
Neil - Marina Lodge | 18 June 2013
Concorde Moreen Beach Resort
Concorde Moreen Beach
"Just a quick note to say everything was just perfect with our holiday, the Representative at the airport was excellent, the hotel was superb, the staff were very good, the food was very good (except first night) the diving was good and Emperor divers were 1st Class. Big thank you to all at Regaldive for putting the package together. I will definitely be booking the Concord Moreen beach hotel & dive package again, thank you.
"
Tony Land - UK | 02 May 2013
M/Y Blue Fin
First time on a live-aboard hints & tips
"Hi Helena,
All went very well thank you.
Wind chill cut in a little from time to time, but for January... fantastic. I even wrote a few notes for first timers with a view to forwarding to you / blue02: First time on a liveaboard hints & tips. We found ourselves booked onto a 1 week dive holiday the day before the flight was due to leave! We both had about 60 dives each, mostly from our own yacht based in the Greek Cyclades. Squeezing gear into tight weight limits for flights was a bit of an issue. To ease this, I’ve written this little note to help other first timers regarding what to expect, and what to bring. We went to the Red sea in January. Water was around 22deg, air about 25, with wind it got chilly at times. You may be diving 4 times a day… some chose to skip the odd night dive, though I personally loved them, especially for the photography! This means you will basically eat, dive, and sleep!!!
We brought about 6 books and didn’t open a single one! Make sure your wet suit is not too much of a nightmare to get on and off. It is a frequently repeated exercise. If you take a dry suit, bear in mind you may end up tearing a seal, so make sure before you leave dock that the boat is carrying a rental suit in your size or that’s it! I wish we’d had an extra vest. Don’t skimp on a hood. I took an old hood and cut it into a dive beanie. It was a brilliant success. Didn’t know I was wearing it, saved a lot of heat loss. We filled our wetsuits with hot water from the deck shower before jumping in too… stopped the chilly inrush!
It is easy to drink lots of tea/coffee as the crew offer it all the time, however these, plus nightcaps all add to dehydration, plus ultra dry bottled air will dry you out! If you get post dive headaches it is probably dehydration kicking in. Drink loads of water after every dive is sound advice. Regulars brought a bottle of their favourite tipple duty free on the trip which worked well. Make sure you bring a spare fin strap. If one breaks when kitting up on the rib, your dive is off. After this happened to me, I kept one tied into my BCD pocket as a just in case. Likewise, a spare mouthpiece is a good idea. Turns out one of mine had split, and being an older apeks was of an extra wide size. The boat will carry a few spares, if they fit is pot luck. For the week I lived in the same clothes. Many wore the supplied dressing gowns. In Jan I was happy to have a beanie hat. Once the boat leaves it will not dock until next week. You do not need much!
Beware ally tanks. I needed an extra backbreaking 6Kg to get down, and after 2 dives went for the 15L steel. Much better. Most dives were fairly long, so the extra capacity was well worth the extra charge (£30/week ea) As for nitrox, we used it for some of the slightly deeper wrecks. In all 4 times which saved us about £90 between us. Make sure you have an smb and reel each. Little finger reels are great as these + smb can go in a bcd pocket. You will probably be going through wrecks and over lots of fan corals… sometimes on quite a speedy drift. You don’t want bits of kit hanging low snagging or worse breaking off corals. Likewise spg & 2nd dv/alt reg. should be comfortably tucked close in.
In the Red sea currents appear suddenly, and can be quite strong, however they are not tides and seem strong on the surface or right on the bottom. I’ve heard horror stories about a down current between Shark and Yolanda that pulled a group down to 40m, then pulled them over the saddle into 5m… When we did it, it was perfect. On this particular dive may be worth getting the guide to go first! They’re used to it. I hope this helps. We had a fantastic time.
Happy days! "
Amanda & Bjorn Sjoling - UK | 11 April 2013
MV Royal Evolution
Royal Evolution - Rebreather Friendly!
"This liveaboard has to be one of the best I have stayed on.
The diving deck is very good and uncluttered (albeit we were just 16 people). The rooms are very spacious, clean, the food delicious. The staff really helped me with my rebreather diving. I think I've been spoilt now as other liveaboards will have to live up to this standard!
Thanks for a great holiday,
Sarah J."
Sarah Jones - UK | 11 April 2013
Oasis Dive Resort
Oasis - Marsa Alam - Nice recommendation.
"Dear Michaela,
Having a lovely time.
Dive centre is great, fantastic local dive guide called Samo who is brilliant. Very skilful, caring and supportive refresher dive which helped. Nothing too much bother for them, from helping to get weights right (am on 10kg, never had to carry so much - am myself only 55kg!).
Fab reefs, and the hotel is quaint and different, with great service and not too many people.
Nice recommendation, so thanks.
Caryn"
10 October 2012
Oasis Dive Resort
Thank you, especially for the loyalty discount.
"Hello Helena,
Thank you for the e-mail and letting me know about the loyalty discounts.
My daughter and I had a great holiday. We liked the Oasis Dive Resort very much and most certainly be going there again next year. The Resort was sensitive to the environment and culture of Egypt and the place had a very rustic and natural appeal.
Thanks for all your help. We'll be in touch when we have planned the next holiday.
Helen Durrant"
10 October 2012
Siva Port Ghalib Resort
Holiday Feedback - want to go back!
"Hi Michaela,
I wanted to report back from our trip to Marsa Alam.
Firstly, many thanks for your guidance in selecting the location and Emperor Divers. It was the ideal choice. Emperor were excellent. Joe's training couldn't have been better, it was well paced and thorough. He came out confident but safe, able to cope with the inevitable small glitches that happen (e.g. losing his bite tags from the mouthpiece - must have sharp teeth) without any anxiety at all. It was good to see how the dive leaders allowed flexibility for the dives but maintained oversight. The dive groups were also well sized. Impressive to see a diver being refused kit/dive because of an ear infection (he was arguing that he'd only go down 2m!) that could have compromised his own and other divers safety.
The three dive boats may not be the shiniest on the water but they are well managed, spotlessly clean and ideal for the dives. The newest location, Hamada Wreck, is a superb 18m depth split cargo ship about an hour's drive south. The shore dive is a bit hot this time of year but it worked well due to the team's organisation. The only thing I recommended was to provide a map with the wreck background for studying during the bus journey as it can be a bit disorientating in variable visibility.
Every dive was a little different - the reefs are excellent. Although occasionally there would be another dive boat, the only place that got crowded was Dolphin House, but that was to be expected. The best bit of that trip was a 40m long swim-through.
Hotel was great apart from a few little niggles with service. It was a bit of a hike to the RIB pickup but as folks could leave their kit at the dive centre, it wasn't unreasonable.
Thanks for getting the extra leg room. Invaluable. (If you pre-book this for clients you might want to include the instruction that passengers want to sit together. I had a bit of negotiation with Thomson on outbound and inbound legs as they split us between the different sides of the aircraft as "it wasn't included on the request".)
Finally... the only hiccup with Regal's services was the hotel pickup. You may have already heard this back from Lisa, but the instructions were unclear. The handout said the time for collection but didn't say (and Ramadan didn't say when we arrived)that it would be provided by the HOTEL bus. We waited over 30 minutes for Ramadan to show and eventually called Lisa. Can you include this in the handout in future? Folks always get a bit twitchy about travel. I'm still unclear why Ramadan didn't meet us at the hotel. Previous trips I've been on have included a reminder of departure arrangements in a visit or a letter 24 hours before departure date. This might be a useful addition.
Otherwise the only problem is that I want to go back!!!
Cheers
Richard S"
10 October 2012
Marina Lodge at Port Ghalib
Marsa Alam - will certainly do this again.
"Have just returned from week at Marina Lodge, Marsa Alam.
Very familiar with Red Sea resorts but had never gone on my own before. Chose Marina Lodge carefully for its unique characteristics: virtually all customers are divers,
Emperor Divers on-site - dive boats moored alongside pool, no crowds at dive sites.
Remained slightly nervous at going alone but crew on ISA very friendly, guide, Tarek, outstanding and good bunch of people on board.
Result - an excellent week's diving and good evenings with nice people.
Will certainly do this again.
Neil"
10 October 2012
Marina Lodge at Port Ghalib
Another WONDERFUL trip!
"Dear Igor,
This is just to thank you in particular, and the rest of the team, for arranging another WONDERFUL trip for my son and me. In spite of increasing arthritis I managed 12 dives aided by painkillers and very supportive boat crew and dive leaders. My son passed his PADI Advanced, trained by Nick, who was a strict and thorough instructor.
The hotel at Port Ghalib was the height of comfort, and the food was "yummy" with a wide choice of dishes.
I particularly appreciated not having to walk any long distances, having the dive centre and boat so near.
Many thanks again,
Regular Client"
10 October 2012
Marsa Alam
Thank you for being a great company, Regal!
"Dear Andreas,
My husband and I travelled once more with Regaldive (as we have many times before) to Marsa Alam for six days diving recently. Sadly, at the end of day one I contracted decompression sickness (no, I did nothing wrong, I promise – it just happened!), and then had to spend the next three days in El Gouna hospital, hundreds of miles away from the hotel, my husband, and any familiar face, with all the inevitable communication problems and health worries.
Although the hospital was super in every way, it was still a lonely, rather scary experience. During those three days (and afterwards too) my life was transformed by the kindness of Lisa, your rep from Hurghada, and the purpose of this letter is to tell you what a lovely person she is, and what a wonderful advertisement for your company.
Although we were not originally her responsibility, staying as we were in Marsa Alam,she made contact as soon as she knew I was in the hospital. She then came up from Hurghada to see me, bringing with her some of the most thoughtful and touching things she knew I might need, refused to take anything towards them, and brightened the day with her cheerfulness and calm efficiency. She later sorted out transport back to Marsa Alam for me and generally smoothed the path in every direction. She went far beyond the call of duty, and this was so impressive and so welcome.
Before we flew home, we did leave Lisa a card thanking her, but in case she did not get it, please repeat those thanks on our behalf next time you contact her.
Until next year (we will be booking soon!) our thanks to Regaldive generally for being a great company, and for having such good reps.
Yours sincerely
Liz Philo"
10 October 2012
Marsa Alam
Marsa Alam Accommodation
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