Red Reef Explorer

The Red Reef Explorer is operated by Red Reef Cruises and is fully certified under PADI, SSI, CMAS standards. We carry satellite communication, a defibrillator, emergency oxygen on every tender, and a dedicated chase boat. All cruise directors are Divemaster or Instructor-level and hold current EFR and DAN oxygen provider certifications.

For the Egyptian Red Sea, the prime diving months are March to November. We schedule itineraries to match peak marine-life activity during that window. Travel outside peak season is still rewarding but expect more variable conditions.

Diving is rated intermediate. Expect some drift dives, depths to 30 m, and strong surface currents at a few sites. Divers should be comfortable with negative entries and maintaining buoyancy in moving water.

Included: all meals and soft drinks, shared cabin accommodation, up to 4 guided dives per day (3 on travel days), weights, tanks, airport transfers on charter days, and marine park fees where applicable. Not included: flights to the departure port, alcoholic beverages, crew gratuity (standard 10% of the trip cost), dive insurance, and any Nitrox surcharge where relevant.

Ten cabins across three decks — all with en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning, and ample storage for 7-day charters. All cabins have individually controlled air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms with hot-water showers, 110/220V outlets, and crisp hotel-grade linens changed mid-trip. Ocean-view cabins feature a picture window; lower-deck cabins feature a porthole.

A rotating menu of Egyptian, Mediterranean, and European dishes, with fresh-baked bread every morning. We accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, halal, and most food allergies with advance notice — please tell us at booking so we can provision correctly. Breakfast is buffet-style, lunch and dinner are served family-style, and there is always a hot drink and fresh fruit bowl between dives.

Tanks and weights are included. A full rental set (regulator, BCD, wetsuit, computer, fins, mask) is available at $20 per day, or any individual item on request.

Nitrox (up to 32%) is available for a flat $150 per trip surcharge. If you are not yet certified, the on-board instructor can run a 1-day Nitrox specialty course during the trip.

Our recommended minimum is Advanced Open Water with 25+ logged dives (Deep specialty recommended for Thistlegorm). Less-experienced divers can often join, but may sit out one or two of the more advanced sites at the cruise director's discretion — this is a safety call, not a service downgrade.

A very mixed European crowd, with strong British, German, and Italian representation; dive clubs are common. Our average group is 14–18 divers from 5–8 nationalities. Solo travelers are common and can opt for a shared cabin at no single supplement on most departures. The minimum age on board is 14.