Dive trip with Alsuraya - 7 nights

Boat

Built in 2024, M/Y Alsuraya is a contemporary steel-hulled liveaboard based in Hurghada and designed for long-range exploration of the Egyptian Red Sea. The vessel measures 37 metres in length, 8 metres across the beam and 2 metres in draft. With accommodation limited to 24 guests, her four-deck layout leaves ample room for preparing to dive, relaxing in the shade or enjoying open-sea views during longer crossings.

Twin 1,000 hp Mercedes engines provide a published top speed of 16 knots. Two 140 kW Cummins generators support onboard services, while tank capacities of 15,710 litres for fuel and 6,000 litres for fresh water help the yacht operate between the northern wreck fields and remote offshore marine parks. The vessel is registered in Hurghada under the Egyptian flag and is classed for unrestricted navigation by the operator.

The bright main salon uses large windows, pale finishes and several sofa groups to create a comfortable social centre. It offers space for dive briefings, conversation and reviewing underwater images without crowding the dining areas. A separate restaurant occupies the lower deck, where three freshly prepared meals are normally served each day. Snacks are presented between dives, and the kitchen can consider dietary requirements when these are supplied before departure.

Outdoor areas extend across the upper and sun decks. Shaded lounges with fixed seating provide shelter between dives, while open sections are suited to sunbathing and watching the Red Sea horizon. The broad side decks connect the accommodation and leisure zones with the stern working area. A dedicated dive platform keeps wet activity away from the dry salon and cabins.

Alsuraya also supports kitesurfing charters on selected dates. For divers, however, her strongest advantage is flexibility: the same platform can serve Hurghada wreck itineraries, Straits of Tiran reefs, the Brothers–Daedalus–Elphinstone circuit and deep-south expeditions from Port Ghalib.

Cabin

Alsuraya accommodates 24 guests in 12 air-conditioned cabins distributed above the lower-deck service areas. The published deck plan lists eight twin cabins, one bunk-bed cabin and three double-bed suites. Four twin cabins are on the main deck; the upper deck contains four more twin cabins, the bunk cabin and the Panorama Suite; two additional suites are positioned on the sun deck.

The main accommodation choices are:

• 8 Twin Cabins: two separate beds, divided between the main and upper decks
• 1 Bunk-Bed Cabin: upper-deck accommodation with two berths
• 1 Panorama Suite: upper-deck double-bed cabin
• 2 Sun Deck Suites: double-bed cabins in an elevated location

The boat specification records 14 bathrooms in total. Cabin information highlights individually adjustable air conditioning and onboard Wi-Fi, although internet access remains dependent on mobile coverage. Portholes should stay closed while the yacht is travelling, and wet suits or dive equipment must remain outside the salon and cabins.

Guests should place toilet paper and sanitary products in the bins provided rather than in the marine toilets. Smoking is prohibited in every interior space and on the dive platform; designated exterior lounge areas provide ashtrays. Final cabin assignment, exact window configuration and single-occupancy availability should be confirmed at booking. Sole use of a cabin is currently advertised with a 75% supplement over the standard per-person fare.

Diving

Alsuraya’s diving operation centres on a spacious stern platform supported by an 8.5-metre RIB with two 85 hp Yamaha engines. The RIB carries a medical box, life jackets and snorkelling equipment and is used for entries or pickups where direct access from the mother ship is unsuitable.

Gas production is handled by two Bauer K150 air compressors rated at 450 litres per minute each and an NRC Nitrox compressor rated at 1,000 litres per minute. Complimentary Nitrox is included for certified enriched-air divers. Standard dive support also includes a 12-litre cylinder, weight belt and weights. Fifteen-litre cylinders, sidemount pairs, twinsets, stage cylinders and other special configurations are separate requests and must be reserved in advance.

The operator assigns two or three dive guides according to group size. A typical seven-night safari includes up to three or four dives on full diving days, but open-sea crossings, marine-park rules and the final no-fly interval can reduce the number. Night dives appear on protected northern and Fury Shoals sections of the published programs; they are not promised at every site.

Each diver is expected to carry a dive computer, surface marker buoy, mask, snorkel, fins, regulator with alternate air source, BCD, suitable exposure protection and a torch for night diving. Missing equipment can be rented for an additional charge, but it is not routinely stored aboard and should be requested at least two weeks ahead. Bringing spares and batteries is advisable on remote routes.

Egyptian rules impose a maximum depth of 40 metres, and the operator requires at least 50 logged dives for marine-park itineraries. Current, surge and surface conditions at Daedalus, Brothers, Elphinstone and Rocky Island can be demanding, so certification alone does not replace recent experience and confident buoyancy, drift and blue-water skills.

Other Information

The following summary reflects Alsuraya’s official terms and FAQ at the time of research. The booking confirmation for a specific departure remains authoritative because charter terms, route fees and transfer arrangements can change.

Published as included:

• Full-board accommodation aboard Alsuraya
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner each full day
• Catering from dinner on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day
• Snacks between dives
• Water, coffee, tea, cola, Sprite and fruit juices
• Private return transfers between the itinerary-associated airport or hotel and marina, within a 60 km radius
• Two or three dive guides according to the number of guests
• Standard 12-litre cylinder, weight belt and weights
• Complimentary Nitrox for appropriately certified divers
• Limited Wi-Fi when network coverage is available
• First and/or final hotel night when specifically required by the travel schedule

Published as excluded or charged separately:

• Egyptian entry visa and any visa-assistance service
• International or domestic flights
• Diving and travel insurance
• Rental dive equipment
• Fifteen-litre cylinders, sidemount, twinsets, stage cylinders and other special tank requests
• Private dive guide
• Marine-park fees, port fees and permits, currently stated as approximately €150–€250 per person depending on the itinerary
• Transfers beyond the complimentary 60 km radius or involving a different city or airport from the scheduled route
• Crew and guide gratuity; the operator recommends €100 per guest per trip
• Single-cabin use, currently subject to a 75% supplement
• Alcohol and any premium or canned drinks not expressly listed as complimentary; the current FAQ permits guests to bring their own beer, but this should be reconfirmed
• Personal purchases, courses and services listed on the onboard price sheet

Published example charges, subject to change: full standard rental kit €250; 15-litre cylinder €35; computer, torch, wetsuit, BCD or regulator €40 each; single sidemount cylinder €45; sidemount pair €80; private guide €450; visa assistance €40. Specialty courses and Advanced Open Water training are also available at additional cost with advance coordination.

Practical information:

• Embarkation: from 16:00; the first night is usually spent in the marina
• Disembarkation: after breakfast, normally by 10:00; the boat generally returns to port the previous afternoon
• Likely ports: Hurghada or Port Ghalib according to the route
• Documents: passport or eligible national ID, dive certification, logbook and a medical fitness certificate no more than one year old
• Insurance: separate dive-accident coverage is required at check-in and is not included
• Onboard payment: cash in euros, US dollars or Egyptian pounds; credit cards incur a published 3% bank fee
• Environmental rules: no fishing, collecting, animal feeding, reef contact, gloves, dive knives or drones
• Safety equipment: fire alarms and extinguishing systems, emergency hatches and plans, first-aid kit, oxygen, signals and flares, plus two annually serviced 25-person life rafts
• Operational flexibility: ports and itineraries can change for weather, governmental, military or scheduling reasons; if fewer than eight guests are booked, the operator may assign another vessel under its published terms