Dive Review of Emperor Liveaboards in
Africa/Red Sea

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Emperor Liveaboards: "Great Crew, Boat In Need of a Refresh", Oct, 2023, by John Joseph Tillie, FL, US ( 1 report). Report 12630.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Emperor Superior 29 Sep 23 – 6 Oct 23. Hurghada Egypt. Dive conditions: Windy with limited visibility at some sites. Visibility varied from 10 to 60 feet. Most sites had some level of current to contend with. The captain and crew worked to accommodate as many sites as possible given the prevailing wind out of the north. We had a total of 20 dives in the 6 days afloat. The schedule could prove hectic with night dives followed by a sunrise dive the next day. The focus of this trip was on North Red Sea wrecks. The dives on the Salem Express, La Mina, and Thistlegorm did not disappoint. Timing is everything on these wrecks as current and the total number of divers can change hour to hour. The Brothers provided a few shark sightings including 2 thresher sharks. A few divers saw dolphins. The balance of the reefs provided typical Red Sea varieties of anemone, fish, lionfish, damsels, chromias, shrimp, crinoids, and starfish. Good: The crew demonstrated consistent adherence to good safety procedures. The dive deck crew was attentive and helpful in getting divers into and out of gear. Our group used nitrox all week and all fills were at least 3000 psi and 30% O2 or better. Our guide was always aware of the members of his group, was very communicative, and pointed out items of interest when available. His careful timing of entry through the Thistlegorm proved beneficial in that we did not encounter other divers while exploring the cargo bays on an otherwise crowded day. Food was plentiful. Unlimited soft drinks (Coke, Coke Zero, Fanta Orange, and Sprite). Beer was available at a moderate price (3.5-4 euros). Instant coffee and tea were also unlimited. Espresso drinks were available for a small fee. Battery charging was restricted to designated locations and a night watch checked all charging sites, as well as other potentially hazardous points on the boat, every 15 minutes. No special COVID related procedures were implemented. There was plenty of hot water for showers. The provided towels and terry cloth ponchos were a nice perk. Bed linens were changed out mid-week. Needs Improvement: The vessel needs an update. There are no camera tables. Photographers camped out on the salon floor to perform routine maintenance. Lower deck cabins lacked storage. Our ensuite needed maintenance with loose toilet seats and exposed drain screws. Cabins 1 and 2 suffered from engine noise and diesel fumes and several lower deck cabins complained of engine and exhaust odors. The staff opened port lights when weather conditions permitted, which helped some.
Websites	Emperor Liveaboards
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Caribbean, South Pacific, Florida, Mexico
Closest Airport	Hurghada, Egypt	Getting There	From Orlando, FL USA, via London Heathrow, Cairo Egypt, and then Hurghada
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, dry	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	80-82°F / 27-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-50 Ft/ 6-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	[Unspecified]
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	There was one small table behind the camera dunk tank; otherwise, there are no camera tables.

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Dive Review of Emperor Liveaboards in Africa/Red Sea

Emperor Liveaboards: "Great Crew, Boat In Need of a Refresh", Oct, 2023,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Emperor Liveaboards in
Africa/Red Sea