Dive Review of Emperor in
Red Sea/southern Red Sea

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Emperor: "Great guide, nice living accommodations, excellent food, some problems", Jun, 2023, by Harvey Cohen, NJ, US ( Top Contributor 31 reports with 22 Helpful votes). Report 12503.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
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	I booked in advance a private guide for USD500 (which seems to be the typical Red Sea rate). This is the second time I've taken a private guide on a Red Sea liveaboard, and I think it's a fantastic value. My guide, Muhamed, exceeded my expectations in every respect. Diving was almost always from RIBs. On pickup, the driver took the diver's gear and then pulled the diver aboard by one arm. My shoulder joint, which is loose and somewhat arthritic, was quickly strained. In all my decades of diving, this was the first time I had ever seen a dive tender with no ladder. The other divers (including one couple who had been on more than FIFTY Red Sea liveaboard trips) were equally surprised and unhappy about the missing ladder, although they managed. I took a day off to let the strained shoulder rest, then dived from the swim platform for the remaining days. My guide made this work well, and I finished with a total of 12 good dives (versus my typical 20 or more). I will never again book a dive trip without ensuring that there is a ladder! On the majority of dives there were a lot of golfball-sized white organisms in the water, so visibility often was mediocre. Flora and fauna were very good. I was able to video a thresher shark checking me out on one dive, and a hammerhead coming even closer on another dive. Currents were occasionally strong, but the guides were able to navigate to more sheltered areas and nobody ever had to hook in.
Websites	Emperor
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Gulf of Eilat, Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Banda Sea, Red Sea, Fiji, Palau, Coral Sea, Galapagos, many Caribbean locations, New Jersey, Florida, National Aquarium, Dutch Springs, Silfra (Iceland), Panama (Pacific), Seattle Bay, Gardens of the Queen
Closest Airport	Marsa Alam	Getting There	Direct flights from Europe and U.K. I flew Newark (USA) to Zurich to Marsa Alam, with a 23-hour layover in Zurich. I stayed at a Zurich airport Hyatt hotel and took the very short train ride into Zurich old town for a delightful day of sightseeing.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, dry	Seas	calm, choppy, currents
Water Temp	77-86°F / 25-30°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	25-60 Ft/ 8-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	?
Enforced diving restrictions	I hired a private guide. I'm not sure what restrictions were enforced on the other divers, but it appeared that buddy teams could make their own way.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 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 no camera table, compressed air, or space to sit at desk height and work on a PC or camera. The salon had two very small coffee tables, and photographers could sit on low stools to work at these for as long as their backs could tolerate.

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Dive Review of Emperor in Red Sea/southern Red Sea

Emperor: "Great guide, nice living accommodations, excellent food, some problems", Jun, 2023,

Photos Submitted with this Report

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 in
Red Sea/southern Red Sea