RED SEA ADVENTURE

Frequently Asked Questions about Liveaboard Trips

What should I bring?
You'll spend your days in bathing suits and casual wear, shorts or jeans,
t-shirts and windbreaker. Bring suntan lotion (non-oil), and sunglasses. In winter a sweatshirt or sweater is advisable. We provide two towels. If you would like more towels or would like a beach towel, you should bring them with you. You are not allowed to wear shoes on board for religious and hygienic reasons...

What documents are needed?
Passport, dive insurance, log book and dive certificate.

How do I get to the harbor?
For Liveaboard trips Red Sea Adventure will arrange the transfers from the airport to the harbor and back. If the trip starts from Hurghada, the transfer is free of charge. The transfer from Hurghada to Marsa Alam or Hamata and back coast € 400-450/group. In case of individual booking the transfer fee is € 50/person. Remember we need to receive your travel itinerary on time!

In case of daily diving the transfer from your hotel to the harbor and back is included in the price, except from Makadi Hotels and El Gouna area where € 20/person/day transfer fee will be charged.

What time can we board?
You may board any time after 12:00 PM. On the first day lunch and dinner is included. We return to the original harbor 24 hour before your flight back to your country. So you have time for a bit of shopping or we can arrange for a facultative program, such as Luxor, Cairo, Quad, horse riding... Advanced arrangement required. We ask that you disembark by 10:00 AM on the last day, so we could prepare the boat for the next trip.

What is our itinerary?
Your group will have a great time exploring the remote dive sites of the Red Sea. In addition to scuba diving, you can spend time beach combing, or photographing the many natural sights or you may just lay back and relax in the sun. Our trip starts the second day of boarding the vessel, around 7 o'clock in the morning. There is no set itinerary, we tailor the trips depending on the weather, your request and our divers experience.

What are the meals like?
We serve three meals a day, as well as snacks and fresh fruits. Fresh fish is also served, in season, when caught. Most meals served will be a combination of oriental and European cuisine. A selection of soft drinks is always on hand. We do not provide alcohol beverage, but you may purchase them on arrival from a Duty Free shop and bring them on board. Obviously you are not allowed to drink between dives!

Can I fish?
Yes, as long as you aren't in a National Park. You can bring your fishing gear.

How much spending money do I need?
Spending money for an evening ashore (drinks, souvenirs) and crew gratuity (baksis money).

What is the recommended gratuity?
The live-aboard business is a service industry, and although the general public is seldom aware of it, gratuities are a major part of a crew member s salary. Few other recreational activities rely so heavily upon the professionals in charge for your enjoyment and safety. Besides being at the mercy of Mother Nature, the quality of your experience is based on the people who provide it. The crew members are generally multi-talented and do several jobs on board. They oversee the diving, cook meals, wash dishes, clean heads and cabins, perform engineering duties, and navigate the seas. We strongly believe that gratuities should be voluntary and based upon the quality of the service the crew provides. € 20 for the crew and € 5 for the dive guide/passenger is customary in the Liveaboard industry, but many leave more when they feel the service was outstanding. The gratuity can be given to the Captain and the dive guides at the end of the week.

Can I snorkel?
Yes, anytime the boat is anchored. You need to bring mask, fins, snorkel and snorkel vest (not required but highly recommended). Snorkeling is usually not supervised.

Can I scuba dive?
Yes, if you are a certified diver. If not, you may take a Discover Scuba Diver course for a € 60 fee.

What is a Discover Scuba Diving course?
For a fee of € 60 our dive instructor will spend some time teaching you the basic theory of diving and giving you some practical instruction. This will allow you to make two dives under their supervision. Additional dives are available for € 20 each. This course does not certify you as a diver. It only qualifies you to dive with an instructor or dive master up to 12m, and you will receive a Padi Recognition Card which is valid up to one year and could be credited toward your Padi Open Water Diver Course! The scuba equipment is included in the cost. Prior arrangement is required on Liveaboard trips!

Can you do open water checkouts?
Yes, our dive instructor can with prior arrangements. The cost is € 15 per dive plus the cost of the certification envelope if not provided.

What dive gear do I need to bring?
Certified scuba divers need snorkel, fins, mask, regulator, buoyancy compensator, u/w watch, depth gauge and for night dives a dive light are required. On Liveaboard trips each diver has to have a surface signal buoy! We provide tanks, weights and weight belts. There is storage on deck for all gear and we have a hose to rinse cameras and regulators. Between November and May a full wetsuit is recommended.

Can I rent dive gear?
If you don't have your own equipment we have equipment available for rent. On Liveaboard trips all must be rented by prior arrangement. Check out our equipment rental prices!

Do I need a wetsuit?
Between fall and spring, a wetsuit is recommended. The chart below will give you a general idea of the water temperatures and what wetsuit you will need. When deciding what to bring, consider that you will be diving a lot each day and it takes your body a while to warm up after a dive. Air temperature, the wind and whether it is sunny all affect how fast your body warms back up after a dive. What each person needs is an individual choice. Some wear a full suit in the summer and some dive with a shorty in the winter...

 

Average Temperatures	Water Temperature	Air Temperature	Wetsuit Recommendation
January-February	19C	15-21C	Full Wetsuit-6mm or thicker
March	21C	17-23C	Full Wetsuit-6mm or thicker
April	22C	18-24C	Full Wetsuit
May	23C	22-27	Shorty or Full Wetsuit
June	24C	25-30C	Shorty or Full Wetsuit
July-Sept	25-29C	28-35C	Skin Suit or Shorty
October	25C	26-28C	Skin or Shorty
November	23C	22-25C	Shorty or Full Wetsuit
December	21C	16-21C	Full Wetsuit-6mm or thicker

How many dives per day?
Normally 3 dive on the first day of the trip and 4 dives per day after that, including night dives, as long as weather is not a factor. In National Parks night dive is not permitted! Usually we start with an early morning dive, before breakfast. We have a dive after breakfast and after lunch and a night dive where it's possible.

Will I see sharks?
We do see sharks on many of our dive sites. Typically, we see Reef Sharks and Nurse Sharks. Some sites are frequented by greater numbers of sharks while others are less populated by them.

Do you do wreck dives?
The Red Sea has a variety of wreck dives especially at the North. Here you can find the famous Thristlegorm or Carnatic, but South also offers some such as Salem Express or Aida.

Do you have a DVD?
Yes, we have a DVD player in the salon. We also have a stereo system and CD player. You are welcome to bring your music or films for the evening entertainment...

Is electricity available?
We have regular 220 V current.

What if I need to be contacted in an emergency?
The calling areas of the remote dive sites of the Red Sea are extremely limited. If someone needs to get in contact with you due to a true emergency, they should contact our Hurghada office and they will relay the message via satellite phone or radio contact. This should only be done if it is a real emergency. The boat is then must return to port or mobile coverage area to make a return phone call.

Do you travel at night?
Only if we need to travel long distance. We prefer to anchor the boat in a secure, calm dive site for the night and start at dawn if necessary...

Do we spend a night in port?
We do return to our original port the late afternoon on the last day before your departure so that our guests may enjoy an evening ashore. Hurghada has much to offer, with dining, entertainment, and shopping all within a short distance. There is not much to do in Marsa Alam or Hamata but if you wish we could arrange your transfer a day earlier and book a hotel for you in Hurghada... Prior arrangement is required!

If you have more questions do not hesitate to contact us!

info@redseaadventure.com