Hurghada was the first commercial dive base in the Red Sea and is now a thriving resort that caters almost exclusively to divers. It offers a fantastic choice of dive sites, many of which are sheltered and within a thirty minute to one hour boat ride from resort. Outstanding reefs and drop-offs are available, whilst Hurghada’s location also gives access to the legendary wreck graveyard of Sha’ab Abu Nuhas.
Learning to Dive
Hurghada is the ideal place to dip your fins into the water for the first time. There are a large number of safe and sheltered sites that offer superb visibility to appreciate the fabulous marine life. Plentiful reefs sit in shallow water that is perfect for beginners. A full range of courses is offered at the dive centre and qualifying dives are undertaken at sites situated just a short boat ride away.
Qualified Divers
Hurghada’s many dive sites offer an abundance of reef marine life and an incredible diversity of corals, including impressive towers and pinnacles to explore. Sha’ab El Erg is a particular favourite, a huge horseshoe-shaped reef that is dotted with ergs and is renowned for its resident dolphin pod.
The spectacular marine park surrounding the Giftun Islands is a highlight, with nearly ten sites and a variety of dive plans to suit all experience levels. There is enough here to keep most intermediate and experienced divers completely absorbed, including an incredible wall tumbling to more than 50m, drift dives and spectacular gorgonian fans, plus the opportunity to see larger reef species and the occasional passing pelagic.
For wreck enthusiasts there is no better experience than a day boat trip to the incredible Sha’ab Abu Nuhas which is usually available at least once a week. Situated about halfway between Hurghada and Ras Mohammed, this reef patch lies next to a major shipping lane and it is home to four complete wrecks. It is magical to swim into a cloud of glassfish on the Chrisoula K and the Giannis D and see lionfish stalking prey in dark corners of the hold.
Regaldive work with two well established dive centres in Hurghada:
Aquarius Diving Club has been operating from the Marriott Beach Resort (formerly the Marriott Hotel) in Hurghada since 1998. The 5* PADI IDC dive centre offers a full range of dive courses, day boat diving and snorkelling.
Divers' Lodge is located at the Hilton Resort. Established in 1993, Divers' Lodge are a SDI-TDI 5 star Development Centre, offering a range of diving and courses.
Aquarius Diving Club
Aquarius Diving Club is a well-established name in Red Sea diving and has been operating from the Marriott Beach Resort (formerly the Marriott Hotel), Hurghada, since 1998.
The dive centre is located directly on the beach, conveniently next to the jetty from where the dive boats depart. The 5* PADI IDC offers a full range of dive courses, day boat diving and snorkelling. There is a dive shop on site, as well as an air-conditioned classroom and training pool. Equipment is available for hire and there is plenty of safe storage should you prefer to bring your own.
Guests diving with Aquarius Diving Club will enjoy the dive centre’s enviable location at the Marriott Beach Resort and their excellent facilities for post-dive snacks and relaxation. Confined water sessions are held either in the training pool or from the lovely private beach which even has a small island.
Aquarius Diving Club is situated within easy reach of the centre of Hurghada and most hotels. Free transfers are provided from all hotels in the resort.
Typically, a 5 day/10 dive package with Aquarius Divers starts from £150 per person excluding equipment rental.
Divers Lodge
Divers' Lodge is a SDI-TDI 5 star Development Centre and the longest established TDI facility in the Middle East. Established since 1993, Divers' Lodge offers a complete programme of recreational and technical diving, including courses, daily diving, special trips and snorkelling. The centre provides perfect training facilities with a heated pool on site (winter months only) and a bay for confined training.
Based at the the Hilton Resort, the centre allows for easy access to a wide variety of dive sites, some as close as 10 minutes from the centre. The local team at Divers Lodge have an amazing knowledge of both below the water and above and are always flexible, friendly and very welcoming, allowing all divers to feel at home.
Typically, a 5 day/10 dive package with Divers Lodge starts from £200 per person excluding equipment rental.
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.
Hurghada was once a traditional fishing village but now is a thriving, busy resort well-known to divers. Downtown Hurghada has some colourful bazaars and great shopping opportunities for leather, gold, carpets and cloth. It is also possible to combine diving with a trip to visit the tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Temples in Luxor.
Tours available include boat trips, sunset cruises, and jeep safaris into the desert where you can join the Bedouin for a traditional meal. A popular trip is a 1-day tour to Luxor to see the magnificent Valley of the Kings and Temples of Karnak and Luxor.
Getting Around
The downtown area is a short trip in a microbus taxi but many shops are within walking distance from the main hotels.
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 negligible 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. There is a currency exchange desk available at the hotel. 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) from a number of UK airports. Please refer to the tables below for typical direct flight schedules, or speak to our friendly travel consultants for the latest information.
Typical Annual Schedule
Airport |
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Wednesday |
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Friday |
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Sunday |
Belfast |
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HRG* |
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Birmingham |
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HRG* |
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Bristol |
HRG* |
HRG |
HRG** |
HRG* |
HRG* |
HRG |
HRG** |
East Midlands |
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HRG |
HRG |
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HRG |
HRG |
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Edinburgh |
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HRG* |
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Gatwick |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
Glasgow |
HRG** |
HRG* |
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HRG** |
HRG* |
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Liverpool |
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HRG |
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HRG |
Luton |
HRG* |
HRG* |
HRG |
HRG* |
HRG* |
HRG* |
HRG |
Manchester |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
HRG |
Newcastle |
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HRG* |
HRG** |
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HRG* |
HRG** |
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HRG = Hurghada Airport, updated Aug 2024
Key: * = Winter only (November to April), ** = Summer only (May to October), *** = Irregular schedule, ask for more information
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.
MY Blue
Excellent first class could
"Excellent first class could not fault.
Diving highlights included Oceanic White Tips, Turtles, and Moray Eels. The guides went out of their way to help show us the marine life we wanted to see. Absolutely superb."
Dennis
Blue Adventurer
Blue Adventurer was a great
"Blue Adventurer was a great boat - very clean, with very attentive crew and great food. Diving highlights were manta rays."
Andrew S
M/Y Emperor Superior
Excellent
"The Emperor Superior was excellent and the staff were brilliant. The range of wrecks and reefs we dived was excellent."
James N
M/Y Blue Melody
Excellent holiday
"The holiday was excellent, all I had to do was pack! It was great knowing everything was organised for me.
There were lots of amazing things to see diving, I saw Spanish dancers and swam with a dolphin for 40 minutes - awesome.
Really good having USB ports in cabins. "
Alison J
M/Y Emperor Echo
A fantastic experience
"The whole experience was fantastic, and the itinerary suited our dive group. Staying three days on Daedalus was a bonus, which helped to make the trip amazing. We have seen huge numbers of scalloped hammerheads on a previous trip and hoped to see oceanic white-tips - we saw them every dive and had amazing interactions with them. The videos and photos are once in a lifetime.
Emperor Echo is excellent and well furnished, with a spacious kitting area. The food on board was the best on any liveboard in Egypt, and I have been on plenty. The crew were great, helpful and attentive, and we had a good banter, which helped to added to the enjoyment of the trip. Dive guides were great fun, always there, ready for a good laugh and always up to mischief.
Huge thank you to Cathy Bates of Regal for sorting the trip for our group. We had an amazing trip. Trip of a lifetime. The videos and photos we obtained as a group are fantastic."
Peter M
M/Y Blue Melody
Blue Melody was ideal
"Blue Melody was ideal for the trip undertaken. The crew and dive guides were great. The whole trip ran smoothly and gave great diving opportunities, with amazing wrecks and fish."
Graham I
M/Y Blue Melody
We enjoyed the surprise
"We enjoyed the surprise mantas, learning about sharks and diving. Overall one of the best diving trips I have been on, a great way to come back post pandemic, I can't wait for the next one."
Juliette G
M/Y Emperor Elite
Great boat, very good
"Great boat, very good briefings, good kit, professional guiding and a pastry chef. "
Russell J
MY Blue Pearl
Brilliant diving and boat was
"Brilliant diving and boat was really nice all the staff on the boat were really attentive."
Bridget G
Marriott Beach Resort
I found that I enjoyed the
"I found that I enjoyed the entire trip and that the dive crew on the boat were extremely professional, the lunch that they provided was excellent and overall, I definitely enjoyed the locations that they chose for us to dive we did a different location on each dive which made it more exciting as there was plenty to see. Recommend this to all my dive buddies back home which I have done so already. A lot of them interested in going diving in Egypt and always on the lookout for good locations and company."
James M
M/Y Blue Planet 1
Diving was good, boat was
"Diving was good, boat was very nice, food was excellent."
Keith G
MY Sea Serpent Grand
The crew, guides and their
"The crew, guides and their service throughout the trip were great. It was a perfect week's diving."
Ivor
M/Y Blue Horizon aka Red Sea Master
We were the only boat on most
"We were the only boat on most of the dive sites which was lovely!"
Richard A
Blue Adventurer
Diving was excellent, as
"Diving was excellent, as always in the Red Sea. Transfers were very well organised, the crew were polite and professional, and the food was outstanding!"
Giovanna C
Blue Adventurer
Nice boat, great company.
"Nice boat, great company. Diving was good as usual."
Geoff M
Blue Adventurer
Staff and guides on board
"Staff and guides on board were great, organisation, pick up at airport & back again were all exactly as detailed. And the diving was amazing!"
Gill A
M/Y Emperor Echo
The organisation was
"The organisation was brilliant - all transfers were exactly as detailed. The boat was clean and well-equipped with an extremely capable dive team."
Loveday
Marriott Beach Resort
Brilliant
"The dive operator and location were absolutely brilliant. We felt in safe hands from the outset."
Helena
M/Y Vita Xplorer
Many thanks to you for all
"Many thanks to you for all your help in getting us on the trip, we got there in the end and had a great time. We didn’t get to The Brothers due to bad weather but did the old favourite northern wrecks and a few new reefs. The boat, crew and guides were excellent and would recommend both the Vita Explorer and Regaldive."
Tony I
M/Y Emperor Echo
Felt like a proper dive safari
"Felt like a proper dive safari, away from the rest of the world. Great dive sites and crew really looked after us. Dive guides really professional and helpful. Great service from both Emperor and Regal, evidently a good relationship exists between the companies. "
Jonathan B
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
M/Y Emperor Superior
First class
"The crew on the Emperor Superior were absolutely 1st class "
Andrew B
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
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
Elysees Dream Beach Hotel
...as good as I have ever experienced.
"A very pleasant week last week. The Elysees Hotel was more than adequate given that I was away diving all day. Comfortable room and the food was excellent. No ill effects at all.
No security issues and I felt safe all of the time.
A very short walk to the dive centre. Aquarius are an excellent dive centre, as good as I have ever experienced. The 3 dive guides are as good as I have ever experienced. The diving is a little tame compared to Sharm or Malta, but at 78 years old I have to admit they were probably just right for me. Both boats were good and they took us to the best of the dive sites.
Your rep was spot on as were the pick up and drop offs."
John B
- Durham
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
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
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
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
M/Y Vita Xplorer
First Liveaboard | Exceeded My Expectations & Hopes!
"This was my first liveaboard, so I was a little unsure as to what to expect, however, it exceeded my expectations and hopes in every way
Transfers and ground arrangements were very straightforward and easy. I was met at the airport with warmth and courtesy, and on board by the Xplorer crew and guides.
Accommodation was very clean and reasonably comfortable. Food: what a fantastic chef and brilliant service from the crew. Every one of the three meals a day was great! The cabins were cleaned and serviced early every morning during our first dive, everything on board reflected efficiency.
Every dive was well-planned, with good informative briefings beforehand. The dives offered a good mix of wrecks and reefs. Very interesting! The dive guides Ahmed (Sambo) and Hamada were particularly attentive and efficient.
Every one of the crew and staff were courteous, professional and helpful. They went out of their way to ensure that everyone enjoyed their diving and holiday.
My favourite memory was diving the Thistlegorm: mindblowing!"
Nick Robinson
- UK
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
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
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
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
M/Y Vita Xplorer
A Super Holiday - Thank You
"I would like to draw attention to the perfect quality of the Vita Xplorer liveaboard: I know it's not yet too well know in UK, but it is a super boat, especially for the quality of staff, efficiency and friendliness. The diving instructor was super, perhaps the best I have found in a liveaboard, for his competency, kindness, attentiveness and wit/humour. The cabin was rather comfortable too, and the overall atmosphere was lovely. It has a very competent and efficient crew, without being in your face.
I had a super holiday thank-you. When I booked not much information about this boat was given, but I'd strongly recommend it. The quality of overall service and comfort was far superior to the two BlueOTwo boats I used in the Red Sea before.
So definitely a great holiday, nice to go back to the Red Sea!"
Laura La Grutta
- UK
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
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
Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel
The Hotel was Exceptional
"Steigenberger Land Based Stay & Emperor Elite Liveaboard
• 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.
• The transfers and ground arrangements were awesome. Couldn't improve this.
• The liveaboard accommodation was excellent. We were both very comfortable.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Marriott Beach Resort
Had a Brilliant Time and Aquarius Were Fantastic
"I have loads of favourite memories from my recent trip. The first time deep under water in the sea seeing coral for myself, rather than on a TV programme was awesome. Octopus, lion fish, stingray and Spanish dancers were also real highlights.
The dive sites were really good. Visibility was excellent at the southern sites, but a bit silty at the northern ones. Dive briefings were very good.
The Aquarius Dive Centre at Hurghada was brilliant. My instructors for the PAI Open Water Diver course – Walid (first 3 days) and Mustafa – were great. The dive leader, Mohamed, on the dive boat was also really good. The dive centre seemed very well run, the equipment was first class and if there were any problems with a bit of gear, it was replaced immediately without any hassle. I did 2 days full diving after qualifying, including a night day on the final day. The extra dives were easy to arrange and well supervised.
The accommodation was fine. It was great having the dive centre based within the hotel’s grounds. The food was OK. The Italian restaurant (Tuscany) was better than the main restaurant. The buffet option in the main restaurant was not that great for my tastes. I was not there for the food, so this was not a problem! The food on the dive boats was very good.
I was very pleased that I chose Regaldive. Your level of service has been great. You were also patient explaining things to a complete beginner. My switch of location from Sharm to Hurghada was handled in plenty of time and was done very smoothly.
Currently, I do not know when I will be diving abroad again. Hopefully next year some time. However, Regaldive will be at the top of my list of dive holiday companies when I do look for my diving trip. I have been very impressed with your firm and its representatives.
Once again, thanks very much for a wonderful experience."
Roger
- UK
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Marriott Beach Resort
Fabulous 5 nights in Hurghada
"Hi Simon,
Just wanted to send you a quick thank you. Mandy and myself had a fabulous 5 nights in Hurghada and couldn’t have asked for anything else. From being met at the airport to the quality of the hotel, dive school, dive boat and of course the diving, everything was perfect……thank you for your hard work in making it happen.
Regards
Chas"
Charles Hobson
- UK
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
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
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
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
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
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
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!"
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
Continental Hotel Hurghada
Movenpick and Divers Lodge Hurghada
"Just got back from Hurghada, all arrangements worked like clockwork.
Hotel excellent, Divers Lodge outstanding, Khaled and Reda provided EXCELLENT diving culminating with a pod of Dolphins on the last dive!"
John K
- UK
Hilton Hurghada Plaza
The Best Week Ever!
"Greetings!
I HAVE HAD THE BEST, THE BEST, WEEK EVER, IN 15 YEARS WITH YOU AND EMPEROR.
I’ll shout it again, I HAVE HAD THE BEST, THE BEST, WEEK EVER, IN 15 YEARS WITH YOU AND EMPEROR.
It just doesn’t get any better. It all went like clockwork and the last day, two dives with a pod of twelve dolphins cavorting around us, and a free 'clean up a reef dive' which was just hilarious, mean I’m still grinning like an idiot, even while I sort out the claim for the damage a neighbour did to my car while I was in Egypt. Looks like there will be a Presto re-union cruise to organise in October.
Thank you, you wonderful people you! "
Fay Presto
- UK
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
Hurghada
Hurghada - We will return
"Dear All,
I just wanted to say a big thank you for a really good week's diving in Hurghada,arranged at very short notice.
A big thanks to our rep Mark, who we first met last year when we went to El Gouna with Regaldive. Really helpful, very attentive and a nice guy as well - cheers mate. We had great service from Regaldive right from my first enquiry about this short notice trip.
To Emperor Divers - well I have to say I thought you were a highly professional, caring outfit and at pains to avoid any damage to the environment. This was stressed by the guides on every dive. From the moment we walked into the centre we were welcomed with open arms and made to feel special. The staff were great and I must make comment about our two guides during the week, Paul and Mohammed, great fun to be with, knowledgeable and so, so helpful.
A nice variety of dives with wrecks and reefs and some excellent coral gardens with lots of fish life to see on long, enjoyable dives. The staff on the boats were great and the food was of high standard.
We will return, thank you all very much.
Richard and Christine Cullen"
Hurghada
Holiday Feedback- Thanks to all!
"Good afternoon Regal!
Just thought I'd drop you an email to let you know that my partner and I had a brilliant holiday in Hurghada. Lisa, the rep in Hurghada was just fantastic, so helpful,knowledgeable and always available to assist.
I would book again with Regaldive – what packages do you do in South Africa?
Thanks again to all, especially to Lisa!
Kelly Bisco
"
Hurghada
Holiday Feedback - Ashcloud
"Hello Regal,
I would just like to send our thanks for the fantastic way that we were looked after over the last few days during the ash cloud...
In particular Lisa from Regal and Fifi did really well in what must have been very difficult circumstances, helping to organise accommodation for us and keeping us informed about the situation.
I think we fared much better than many others out there. So please do pass on our best wishes and let "the management" know the great job that everyone did out in Hurghada - much appreciated.
And of course the diving was excellent :-)
Sean"
Hurghada
Divers' Lodge - Brilliant!
"Hi Helena,
I would just like to let you know we had a fantastic time diving with Divers’ Lodge last week in Hurghada.
The staff were very friendly, transfers on time and crew on the boat really helpful.
I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anybody else going out to Hurghada.
Thanks again, speak soon
Jo"
Hurghada
Medical Emergency - Hurghada
"Thank you for all your help.
Your representative in Hurghada was brilliant! I will definitely (if I can) dive with Regaldive again; hopefully without having a medical problem.
Please send my personal thanks to Lisa and FeFe at Blue O2. Lisa deserves a bonus!
Terry Hutchinson"
Hurghada
Fantastic Week, Thank You Regaldive and Divers' Lodge!
"Thank you Regaldive for a fantastic week.
We booked with you from the 16th of March and I can say this was one of the best weeks I can remember. The team at Divers’ Lodge could not have been more helpful.
Many thanks again
Andrew Hoare"