Dive trip with Dolphin Island - 7 nights

Boat

M/Y Dolphin Island is a small-group Saudi Red Sea liveaboard built in 2024 and marketed for no more than 12 diving guests. At 27 metres long and 7.5 metres wide, with a published draft of 2.5 metres, it is considerably more intimate than many 20- to 24-passenger safari vessels. The format is designed around a sociable boutique atmosphere, two dive guides and direct access to remote Saudi reef systems rather than high-volume onboard entertainment.

The Saudi-flagged vessel is powered by two engines rated at 750 hp each. The operator lists two tonnes of fuel capacity and one tonne of fresh water, plus GPS plotter, radar, radio and telephone for navigation and communication. Cruising speed, generator capacity, watermaker output and electrical distribution are not published, so none should be added as a guaranteed specification.

Guest areas include a salon, main deck, dive deck and sun deck. Current operator photographs show open and shaded outdoor seating, a covered dining area and a forward deck lounge. Freshly prepared Arabic cooking is central to the onboard experience, with full board, snacks, soft drinks, tea, coffee and water included under the current package. The menus, service style, dietary capability and exact meal times are not defined in detail; allergies, religious requirements and medically necessary diets should be submitted before confirmation.

Wi-Fi is advertised without charge, but explicitly depends on mobile reception. Remote reefs can therefore have slow or no connectivity. No dedicated office facilities, satellite internet, laundry service, television system, jacuzzi or spa are confirmed for Dolphin Island. References to a whirlpool on older route pages were written for another vessel or a generic programme and should not be transferred to this boat.

The working dive platform is supported by two Zodiacs, an onboard air compressor and standard 12-litre cylinders. Current gallery photographs show a loaded inflatable tender in open water. Tender size, outboard power, number of compressors, fill rate and exact cylinder inventory are not published. These points should be requested for a technical charter or a group bringing unusual equipment.

The operator describes Dolphin Island as SOLAS-compliant and lists two life rafts and 19 fire extinguishers. Its safety information adds smoke detection, a full firefighting and alarm system, an emergency alarm, life jackets in every cabin and on the main deck, emergency oxygen and a first-aid kit. The dive deck is the stated muster station, while Cabin 1 is identified as an emergency exit. Guests should still attend the onboard drill and locate their own life jacket, exit and assembly route.

No lift or wheelchair-adapted accommodation is advertised, and movement between the lower, main and sun decks involves stairs. Travellers with reduced mobility, refrigerated medication, CPAP equipment or another medical requirement should obtain a written suitability and power-continuity assessment. Dolphin Island is primarily a certified-diver safari; non-diver acceptance, snorkelling supervision and a non-diver price are not published and must be agreed before booking.

Cabin

The detailed deck inventory and current booking form resolve to exactly six cabins for 12 guests:

• 2 Main Deck Master Suites — maximum 2 guests each: each is sold as a double-bed cabin on the main deck. These rooms carry the highest published upgrade, currently EUR 250 per person above the base twin-share fare. A Master cabin may be booked only by two people travelling together because the bed does not convert to two singles.
• 3 Lower Deck Twin Cabins — maximum 2 guests each: each contains two separate single beds. A berth in one of these rooms is the base cabin product used for the published per-person safari price and is the appropriate category for two friends or matched share guests.
• 1 Lower Deck Master Suite / Double Cabin — maximum 2 guests: this lower-level room contains one double bed and currently carries a EUR 200 per-person upgrade. Like the main-deck Masters, it must be occupied by two people travelling together and should not be treated as a shareable twin.

The arithmetic is unambiguous: two main-deck doubles, three lower-deck twins and one lower-deck double produce six rooms and 12 berths. The operator's website also contains two contradictory summaries—one says “3 suites, 4 twin rooms,” while another prints “7 cabins” immediately after listing only six. Those lines cannot be reconciled with the detailed deck list, maximum capacity or booking options and should not be copied into sales content.

Every cabin is advertised with private ensuite bathroom, air conditioning, cabin and dive towels, shampoo and shower gel. Current official photographs show a compact twin room with two separated beds, a double cabin and a private wet bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin. The photographs verify those example layouts but do not establish that every room is identical.

No cabin floor areas, bed dimensions, window or porthole types, storage measurements, safe, hairdryer, housekeeping frequency, individual climate controls, sound insulation, USB outlets or cabin-specific socket configuration are published. The word “Suite” identifies the double-bed upgrade category; it should not be interpreted as proof of a separate living room, larger measured floor area or hotel-style suite service.

A sole traveller can request exclusive use of a cabin at a currently published supplement of 80% of the safari price. That supplement is not the same as an automatic single cabin: there is no purpose-built one-person room, and approval depends on availability. The three twins are the only categories with two distinct beds. The three Master Doubles are restricted to two companions booking together.

The current base price is advertised per person sharing half of a lower-deck Twin. Cabin upgrade and sole-use amounts can change and apply in addition to the selected departure fare. Final confirmation should identify the cabin number, deck, bed type, occupants, upgrade, single-use condition and total price rather than relying on the general room name.

Diving

Dolphin Island operates two contrasting Saudi Red Sea programmes: the Farasan Banks south route, normally accessed through Al Lith, and the Five Corals and Seven Sisters north route, associated with Jeddah and Yanbu. Both regions combine coral gardens, walls, plateaus and open-water reef structures. The more exposed sites can involve current, blue-water entries and steep drop-offs, so this is not presented as an entry-level training cruise.

The operator requires a valid diving certification and a medical fitness-to-dive certificate issued within the previous year. Guests must document at least 50 logged dives, and the most recent dive should be no more than one year old. Advanced Open Water or CMAS** and above is recommended. A card alone does not guarantee access to every profile: the guides retain the right to adapt sites, depth and group assignment to current conditions and recent experience.

The published package advertises two dive guides, normally three to four dives on an active day and a reduced two to three around the shortened start or end of operations. The route narratives do not publish a guaranteed weekly total, and embarkation is also described as transfer, check-in and dinner. Treat every number as a maximum shaped by arrival time, navigation, daylight, night-diving permission, weather, current and guest fitness rather than a refund-bearing promise.

Standard diving includes a 12-litre air cylinder, air fills, weights and weight belt. Fifteen-litre cylinders can be requested in advance for a surcharge, but the current boat page does not publish quantity or price. The operator's most recent Dolphin Island inclusion block explicitly states air only and Nitrox currently unavailable. Older Farasan and northern route pages still say Nitrox is included; that legacy wording conflicts with the new vessel page and must not be used unless a dated invoice confirms that a Nitrox system has entered service.

Rental equipment is available only by advance order and is excluded from the base price. The public information does not provide a current itemised rental list or rates for Dolphin Island. The general packing guidance expects the usual personal set, including exposure suit, mask, snorkel, fins, dive computer and BCD; regulator, SMB, signalling devices, torch and personal spares should be clarified with the operator. A computer and suitable surface-signalling equipment are prudent for remote walls and blue-water pickups even where the website does not expressly label them mandatory.

Two Zodiacs support sites away from the mother ship and drift-dive retrieval. Divers should expect briefings on negative entry, current direction, group separation and pickup procedure. Tender access, ladders and the level of assistance for removing equipment are not specified. Anyone with a knee, back or mobility limitation should request recent photographs and an operational explanation rather than assume a platform entry.

Night dives are included where the programme, certification and conditions allow. They are not guaranteed every evening, and offshore exposure or navigation can make a night dive impractical. Training courses, private guides, technical diving, sidemount, rebreathers and decompression profiles are not included or specifically confirmed for Dolphin Island.

The public pages do not state whether dive-accident insurance is contractually mandatory, but the remoteness of the Farasan Banks and offshore northern reefs makes cover for scuba diving, medical treatment, evacuation and recompression strongly advisable, together with travel-cancellation protection. Guests should ask for the nearest chamber and written emergency plan, then ensure their policy matches planned depths and Saudi waters.

Hammerheads, tiger sharks, silky sharks, mantas, dolphins, whale sharks, turtles, tuna, barracuda and schooling reef fish are all described as possible regional encounters. None is guaranteed. Season, current, water temperature, plankton and animal movement decide what appears, and a safe dive plan takes priority over searching in the blue.

Other Information

Currently advertised as included in the standard safari fare:

• Shared transfer from and back to Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport for the scheduled north or south programme; the southern Al Lith road journey is advertised at about three hours
• Accommodation in half of a lower-deck Twin for the contracted number of nights
• Full board with freshly prepared Arabic meals, routine snacks, soft drinks, tea, coffee and water
• Planned recreational diving with two guides, including eligible night dives where conditions allow
• Standard 12-litre air cylinder, air fills, weights and weight belt
• Cabin towel, dive towel, shampoo and shower gel
• Marine-park charges, fuel surcharge, harbour fees, taxes and other stated safari levies
• Wi-Fi when mobile reception is available; uninterrupted service is not guaranteed

Not included or payable separately:

• International and domestic flights, airline baggage, hotels and any independent pre- or post-cruise arrangements
• Saudi visa and immigration costs; eligibility and application method depend on nationality and must be checked through an official source
• Main-deck Master upgrade, currently EUR 250 per person, or lower-deck Master upgrade, currently EUR 200 per person
• Sole cabin use, currently an 80% supplement to the safari price and subject to availability
• Fifteen-litre cylinder, rental equipment and any private or special dive service arranged on request
• Nitrox: the current Dolphin Island page says only air is available, despite contradictory legacy route pages
• Land excursions, cultural add-ons, private transfers, personal shopping and other services not expressly listed
• Crew and guide gratuities; no mandatory or recommended amount is published
• Travel, medical, baggage, cancellation and dive-accident insurance
• Meals and drinks not mentioned in the package

Alcohol is excluded and, more importantly, the operator's Saudi travel FAQ states that import and consumption of alcohol are prohibited in the country. It should not be presented as an optional onboard purchase. Travellers must check current Saudi law before arrival and should not pack alcohol.

The published airport transfer promise must be matched to the selected route. South departures use Al Lith, roughly 210 kilometres south of Jeddah; northern programmes may use Jeddah, Yanbu or a one-way port arrangement. Some current departure tables simplify the port field to “from/to Jeddah.” The final joining instructions should state airport meeting time, road vehicle, actual embarkation port, baggage allowance, last safe flight arrival and return-airport timing.

No child policy, minimum guest age, non-diver tariff or dedicated snorkelling programme is published. Families and mixed groups need written approval. Likewise, exact dietary procedures, medication storage, smoking areas and onboard payment methods are not described. Saudi Arabia generally uses Type G electrical sockets; a general FAQ note about European sockets refers specifically to another vessel, not Dolphin Island, so guests should bring an adapter unless the cabin socket is confirmed.