Private Red Sea Liveaboard Charters

The same reefs, without the shared boat

A classic Red Sea liveaboard sells its cabins one by one: twenty or more divers who have never met, a fixed route and a fixed schedule. A private liveaboard is the same kind of boat with only your group on board. You choose the route and the pace, the crew and the chef work for you, and non-divers and children are welcome, because nobody else is waiting for the next dive.

The Red Sea fleet on this site runs from about €15,000 a week for a whole crewed catamaran, and about €20,600 for one of the large Egyptian dive yachts, to superyachts that spend the winter here. Several of the larger dive yachts sleep 20 or more guests, which makes them a good fit for a dive club, a family reunion or a group of friends.

Where a liveaboard goes

The north. The wrecks of Abu Nuhas and the SS Thistlegorm, the reef walls of the Ras Mohammed National Park and the Straits of Tiran. Most northern routes start in Hurghada, El Gouna or Sharm el Sheikh.

The offshore marine parks. The Brothers islands, Daedalus reef and Elphinstone are known for sharks and strong currents. They are for experienced divers, and operators usually ask for advanced certification and logged dives.

The deep south. From Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam: the Dolphin House at Sha’ab Samadai, the coral pinnacles of the Fury Shoals and quieter reefs further south.

What to ask before you book

Tell your broker how many of your group dive and at what level, whether anyone wants to learn, and whether you want nitrox. Dive equipment, guides and marine park fees are arranged differently on every yacht, so your broker will set out exactly what is included before you commit.