Help finding a liveaboard

Hi,

I'm fortunate enough to have to travel to Europe for work. Some time when I am over there, I'd like to take a quick flight down to Egypt to do a one week liveaboard and another week visiting Luxor and Cairo. The problem I'm having is finding a trip that matches what I'd like to do.

I gather I want a trip out of Hugurda or Marsa Alam. There don't seem to be *a lot* of these, mainly from one or two companies that I can see. Because of my business trip dates, my start dates would be fixed (I could delay a couple of days). So far the web sites I've found that have good info are:
Red Sea Liveaboard Safaris - Schedule and Available Spaces and Red Sea Liveaboard Safari Diving Holidays on Luxury boats | Red Sea Liveaboard Diving Vacations - Mini-Liveaboard Safaris - North Red Sea - South Red Sea - Deep South Red Sea - Brother's Islands. The last one seems to list all the charters from the first and a few more, but I'm wondering if there is a more comprehensive source or other companies I should look at too.

Level of accommodation is not important to me at all, I'm perfectly happy on Blackbeard's in the Bahamas. Nitrox availability is a plus. I gather I should be looking at things like "Simply the Best", "South" routes, and "Elphinstone."

I have a couple of other general questions. Getting to Hugurda from Europe is easy, not to Marsa Alam. Are there good shuttles to make that trip? Also, I'd plan on bringing all my gear with me, which means lugging dive gear around for a week before or after diving. Is that crazy?

Any help appreciated,

Eric

What dates are suitable for you? I might be able to give a hand.

Regarding transfers from Hurghada to Marsa Alam, normally your liveaboard operator will take care of this.

Having your own gear is not crazy

My departures could be something like 2-5 May or 9-12 May or again in 20-23 June or 27-30 June. The second dates are for doing a land tour first and liveaboard 2nd.

Thanks for you advice.

PM sent.

I'm looking a at a liveaboard trip in September on the M/Y Sea Friend. It seems to be a little used boat that is not from one of the major operators, at least from what I could tell. Does anyone have experience with this boat that they could share?

Thanks!

Depending on what you're after you can chose between luxury and basic. Depending of what marine life/wrecks you're interested in you chose itinerary. The best liveaboard operator in the Red Sea is without a doubt blueOtwo. If you want to know what you can see where and when in the Red Sea you find some info on that on RED SEA YEAR - TIME TABLE

Hope you find it helpful
…….a…….

samaka:

Depending on what you're after you can chose between luxury and basic. Depending of what marine life/wrecks you're interested in you chose itinerary. The best liveaboard operator in the Red Sea is without a doubt blueOtwo. If you want to know what you can see where and when in the Red Sea you find some info on that on RED SEA YEAR - TIME TABLE

Hope you find it helpful
…….a…….

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Hey Samaka, how's it going?

What makes you say that Blue0two is the best liveaboard op? I'm not questioning your judgement - quite the contrary, I hugely respect your opinion. I'm keen to use (next year now as I'm booked on emperor for May) the best liveaboard op there is in the region. What kind of differences does blue0two make, as my last trip on the Blue Seas was fantastic and loved the guides to pieces.

To the OP - it depends on what kind of diving you're looking for. I like topography and sharks, so my choice is typically down to Dahab (topography) or one of the liveaboards departing Marsa Alam or thereabouts (sharks, and especially Oceanic White Tips). I did The Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone last year and I really think I'd struggle to find a decent diver that wouldn't LOVE this itinerary. Elphinstone was a bit busy mind but we only did one dive there. Most dives were at the Brothers or Daedalus.

FWIW, we went with Discovery-divers. They're a really good operation with the only failing being crappy o-rings. Boat amazing, food likewise, best dives I've EVER had, wonderful guides who I'd call my friends. Only downside was the tank o-rings. Bring plenty of your own, we had multiple blow outs, topside thankfully.

J

I'm not sure which Emperor boat you are on, but the Elite has a bunch of issues. Diesel fumes in the cabins. Numerous cabins suffered from lack of AC on multiple nights. The crew are all very pleasant and helpful. But as a platinum boat (their term, not mine), I would say it's much closer to bronze or tin.

purcellj:

I'm not sure which Emperor boat you are on, but the Elite has a bunch of issues. Diesel fumes in the cabins. Numerous cabins suffered from lack of AC on multiple nights. The crew are all very pleasant and helpful. But as a platinum boat (their term, not mine), I would say it's much closer to bronze or tin.

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Have you communicated that to them? If yes, we'd be interested in knowing what their reply was.

Red Sea Shadow:

Have you communicated that to them? If yes, we'd be interested in knowing what their reply was.

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At the end of the cruise, the DMs gathered everyone together for a "debrief" of the problems on the boat. [First time that's every happened to me.] The intent was to communicate that to their HQ. They also requested that we write-up our experience on each of our individual surveys, because "HQ listens to those more than the debriefs".

But we haven't heard anything from HQ and I don't expect too.