Advice Requested

I will be in Cairo on May 13th/2011 at the end of a Globus tour of Egypt. I am looking to spend a week on a liveaboard in the Red Sea. I have decided that the 'Brothers' trip is the one I would most likely prefer and now need some advice on a Charter company. Any suggestions and opinions are welcome. Good or bad experiences. At this point I have no dive buddies and this is my first (and likely last) trip to Egypt. The trip will be a once in a lifetime oppportunity for me so I need to have a good experience. I need a company that is willing to provide a step by step itinerary from Cairo until I'm back on the plane to Canada. I also need the $$ to be reasonable so I don't need posh accomodations, just a good diving experience.

Ed, I can't speak highly enough of our experience with Red Sea Explorers. Faisal set up our whole trip for us -- surface tours, Nile boat trip, and liveaboard. Although I had a few complaints about the Cairo tour op (and I don't think he's using that one any more) I had no complaints about anything else, and I sing the praise of the experience on the boat.

The Tala is comfortable (not posh, but very adequate) and the food was good (not haute cuisine, but tasty and plentiful). But the diving . . . THAT was outrageous. The boat has anything you could want to make diving fun -- doubles, scooters, helium if you're so inclined, or single Al80's to monkey dive with, or standard backmount. The dive staff are beautiful divers and really, really fun people to be around and in the water with. The dives are up to you -- want a guide? You get one. Want to go on your own? You can do that, too. And the prices were very reasonable for what we got.

I just can't say enough good things about our trip on the Tala. If you go, be SURE to sleep on the top deck at least one or two nights -- the stars are unbelievable!

We have a Brothers liveaboard trip starting on May 13, 2011 and sailing out of Hurghada (rather than Marsa Alam; shorter and less expensive flight from Cairo). PM me if interested.

I have booked a trip with Tornado Fleet on the Whirlwind. I won't get to The Brothers but I guess it gives me reason to go back. The tour is Wrecks and Reefs, 21 dives on a seven night trip. Thanks for the replys.

Tornado is a good outfit - some of my friends used to work there. I see their boats quite regularly and they are impressive; at least from the bits I can see!! Enjoy your time in the red sea!

Cheers

C.

I will fly into Sharm on May 13th and the Whirlwind doesn't depart until the 15th. I have no idea where the Tornado Fleet docks. I would appreciate any information on a hotel in the general area as well as a Dive Op. I would like to do a dive on the 14th 'just because I can'. The hotel needs to be clean and safe (3 star is OK) and hopefully offer a shuttle service from the airport.

check oonas: Red Sea Diving Holiday Hotel Oonas Dive Club Sharm El Sheikh
they have a hotel (nice and clean) above the dive center... they also can provide shuttle from the airport.

could be worth taking aq look at the tony backhurst website, he sells places on the tornado fleet and has some really good offers from time to time published on his website (google tony backhurst tornado)

I know many of his tours include flights from the UK so might not be applicable to you but worth a shot, I had an absolutely cracking week with them doing the northern wrecks and reefs and my buddy had a great time at a later date on the brothers

blue o two departures on the right day for you. I work for blue o two so I'm not entirely unbiased but I have lived and worked in the Red Sea since 1999 and I have collected a lot of information on my website WELCOME TO AZIAB where you find all sort of useful advice. You can also have a look in the online magazine The EQUALIZER where you can read articles about Diving – Red Sea – Egypt THE EQUALIZER and if you have questions feel free to email me.

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I can second Oonas, I have stayed there and dived with them a couple of times