Red Sea (South) Liveaboard Recommendations?

Hello Everyone,

With the dauntingly large list of possible liveaboard candidates for the Red Sea and from out of the Hurghada area, I would totally appreciate anyone's liveaboard operator recommendations - or who to shy away from - and why or why not for a week, to 10 day+ trip to the Brothers, Deep South, or Sudan?

At one time we had arranged two weeks with the Excel while it was an Aggressor franchise, but after 9/11, they had cancelled our trip. We've really wanted to return, having never been to the area and we would welcome any help or information you might provide.

Thank you very much in advance!

Divers Heaven Fleet has a very very good reputation. Every one I know how gone with them wouldn't use any other operation anymore. Especially the food is exelent and the ships are top of the line. It is a German/Swiss owned Company.. and so alot of the guest are also German speaking.

If you can stands a ship full of Krauts it will be a good choice for sure.

Simon

In My Experience the Excel is the best liveaboard currently operating in the southern red sea. Grant and Sonia are very good dive guides and now Excel is fully teched up with Grant leading dives to some new deep wrecks.

Grant and Sonia are moving to Hurricane this summer when it launches so that would also be a good bet.

Lady M was one of the best liveaboards because of Pia, the guide, and the captain, Ahmed, however I have heard that Pia has moved off now so it won't be as good anymore.

Conda Vanessa operating in Sudan also has a great reputation because of Rosie Frampton who is the owner and operator.

My advise is either go to Sudan or do a marine park trip in the south. The brothers are fantastic but can get crowded. The peak time, well for sharks anyway, is June for Eqyptian waters. Much later and the water gets warmer and the sharks go deeper.

I heard www.divingworldredsea.com have good cruises, i was about to buy one thru keylargo.to, but finaly went with a north cruise (much cheaper)

Alex

www.diving-world.com

These are the cooriginators of Southern Red Sea cruises.

Contact Mohamed Oweiss in London - surf@diving-world.com You can book flights around his packages that inlcude Gatwick/Hurghada flights.

We're going on the Royal Emperor in May/June with Bob whorton & Ali Baba for two weeks. Marine park islands & St. John, can't wait

take a peek at www.redseadivers.co.uk

they cover most of the liveaboards in the red sea from the north right down to sudan. it may not be of much use in terms of booking but does provide info on the boats.

tim

I've used David at Redseadivers (owner) for the past six or seven years, he worked the Red Sea as a Dive Master for quite a few years and can book the trip and flights for you.

Royal Emperor is good boat for down South.

Good Luck

Thank you everyone, the information and suggestions are most helpful. Anyone else who's recently been there and would share who they recommend, keep them coming. We're excited for this trip to finally happen, thank you all.

I've done several liveaboards in the Read Sea. Most of them have been with

http://www.emperordivers.com/

They even have a boat stationed in Port Sudan. If you can take the extra travel hassle, I recommend Sudan (currently sorting my pictures from this trip). Emperor Divers are not great, but have consistently been ok.

The last trip before Sudan was with

http://www.colona.com/

Too many thing where "wrong". I'll never go with them again!

The best trip I've done in Egyptian waters was with

http://www.royalemperor.com/

Others already mentioned Grant and Sonia. They were the guides on that trip. Not sure about Grant, but Sonia certainly helped make that trip special.

Did a trip on the Suzanna 1 through Tony Backhurst to the Brothers/Elphinstone/Daedalus April '02.

Excellent trip, lovely liveaboard, would go again.

check: http://www.scuba.co.uk

Seadeuce

Well, we won't be able to make it this year with too many other trips having taken priority, but have it in the works for next year.

Now, can our gov't (US) stop messing things up over there for those of us who simply want to travel, meet other wonderful cultures, and dive, dive, dive!

(keeping our fingers crossed)

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

Slippery-when-wet, please post or PM me on your trip experience, travel commutes to the Red Sea this year. I'd much appreciate your feedback and how it went!