Overview
We are heading back to the Red Sea in the Summer of 2026 onboard MV Emperor Elite for an epic week of diving in the Southern RED SEA OF EGYPT!!
We are chartering the MV Emperor Elite for a week of diving around the South and St Johns reefs from 11th to 18th June 2026!
This trip takes you to some of the best diving the Red Sea has to offer. Here the diving is less arduous so it’s a trip for those who want to see the best but have a more relaxed time while doing so. As a 21+ DIVES cruise, there’s a good chance to enjoy 21 or more dives on a 7-day safari if you choose to.
Sailing to the southernmost reefs, you’ll depart from Port Ghalib and dive some sites to the South before sailing overnight to your southernmost point in the St. John’s area. Depending on weather, government approval and marine life sightings in recent weeks, we may sail to the southernmost islands of Rocky and Zabargad, or we’ll moor instead in the vast reef system of St John’s to begin the adventure in the South.
When leaving Port Ghalib the route can sometimes take in a dive at Abu Dabab on the first or last day. Often spoilt for choice, your guides will pick sites that they know to be the best for the time of year and can find excellent alternatives should the weather affect the normal route. Although the distances are long, where possible we travel overnight so, as a 21 plus route, our aim is to get as many dives in as possible at some of the most impressive reefs. Below are some of the highlights.
On the way to Fury Shoals, we’ll dive Sha’ab Sharm with its wall dives and white tip reef sharks. At Fury Shoals, dive Sha’ab Claude with its famous swim-throughs and huge porite corals. White tip reef sharks and an anemone and clownfish settlement can be seen a little off the reef to the South. Abu Galawa Soraya has a fantastic coral garden and a wreck of a private sailing boat populated with glass fish.
St Johns is a vast collection of small reefs offering some of the most remote and rewarding diving in the Red Sea. This incredibly beautiful reef lies a short distance north of the Sudanese border. The reef covers a huge area and many dives would be needed to explore the numerous coral heads and islands. Habili Ali offers giant gorgonians and black corals whilst grey reef, silvertip and schools of hammerhead sharks might be found on the west side. Habili Gafaar is a mass of soft corals teaming with shoals of snappers, butterfly fish and barracudas. Mantas, grey reef and silvertip sharks can often be seen in the blue.
Gota Kebir is a massive reef, famous for its tunnels and south plateau, where jacks and barracudas can be seen and the occasional manta. The tunnels are ideal for novice cave divers.
Gota Soraya is rated as possibly one of the best wall dives in the Red Sea, with overhangs and cracks in the reef wall full of glass fish and sweepers and an abundance of corals, Grey Reef, Silvertips and Hammerhead sharks.
On the last day as we head back to port, we will try to take in a dive or two on the world famous Elphinstone Reef if weather and diver experience permits us, or we will finish in the Abu Dabab area perhaps with another dive or two closer to Port Ghalib to relax and unwind before your final night in port.
Holly and Mark specialise in taking groups to the Red Sea with Emperor! Check out the Egypt series on our YouTube to see why you have to join this epic trip and all the photos in the Gallery from the last Red Sea trip!
Location: Diving around the beautiful South and St Johns reefs of the Egyptian Red Sea.
Dates: 11th to 18th June 2026
Duration: 7 nights/ 6 diving days Diving: Boat for all levels of experience (Min 20 dives).
Vessel: MV Emperor Elite
Departure Port: Marsa Ghalib, Egypt
Price: $1,950 per person (twin share basis)
The Vessel
MV Emperor Elite is spacious, custom-designed and a popular choice. At 38 metres, she accommodates a maximum of 26 guests in a variety of cabins including the fabulous double Junior Suite which gives amazing panoramic views of the Red Sea. She welcomes you to her stylish air-conditioned saloon and the air-conditioned dining room is where great food and free red wine with dinner is served.
Boat Faculties:
- Main deck: Partitioned air-conditioned lounge and dining room with comfy sofas, 55″ LCD Smart TV, locally stocked bar offering beer and wine. Dive deck and dive platform.
- Upper deck: Sun deck with sofas and tables, locally stocked bar and premium coffee bar offering espresso, latte and cappuccino
- Sun deck: Deckchairs, sunbeds, bean bags
- WiFi: Complimentary and limited-data package for single device. Additional codes available on board. Please read terms of use.
- 2 dive guides
- Dive deck: Spacious dive deck and 6.5m x 8m platform. 3 x Bauer compressors under deck.
- Diving tender: 2 x Zodiac 40 HP
- Dive equipment rental: Full range on offer; must be arranged before arrival in resort. All divers are required to use a dive computer and SMB for every dive and a torch each for night dives.
- Dive tanks: Equipped with 12-litre Aluminium tanks as standard and 15-litre Steel tanks on request. FREE Nitrox; up to 40% plus partial pressure system and filling equipment for Tech purposes
- PADI courses available: Skills Review, Advanced Open Water, Adventure Dives and Specialties
- Technical, re-breather and side mount diving; on request
- Medical: Oxygen, comprehensive First Aid and AED available
- Camera facilities: Charging stations, air gun, rinse tanks and camera table
Diving
This trip takes you to some of the best diving the Red Sea has to offer. Here the diving is less arduous so it’s a trip for those who want to see the best but have a more relaxed time while doing so. As a 21+ DIVES cruise, there’s a good chance to enjoy 21 or more dives on a 7-day safari if you choose to.
Sailing to the southernmost reefs, you’ll depart from Port Ghalib and dive some sites to the South before sailing overnight to your southernmost point in the St. John’s area. Depending on weather, government approval and marine life sightings in recent weeks, we may sail to the southernmost islands of Rocky and Zabargad, or we’ll moor instead in the vast reef system of St John’s to begin the adventure in the South.
When leaving Port Ghalib the route can sometimes take in a dive at Abu Dabab on the first or last day. Often spoilt for choice, your guides will pick sites that they know to be the best for the time of year and can find excellent alternatives should the weather affect the normal route. Although the distances are long, where possible we travel overnight so, as a 21 plus route, our aim is to get as many dives in as possible at some of the most impressive reefs. Below are some of the highlights.
On the way to Fury Shoals, we’ll dive Sha’ab Sharm with its wall dives and white tip reef sharks. At Fury Shoals, dive Sha’ab Claude with its famous swim-throughs and huge porite corals. White tip reef sharks and an anemone and clownfish settlement can be seen a little off the reef to the South. Abu Galawa Soraya has a fantastic coral garden and a wreck of a private sailing boat populated with glass fish.
St Johns is a vast collection of small reefs offering some of the most remote and rewarding diving in the Red Sea. This incredibly beautiful reef lies a short distance north of the Sudanese border. The reef covers a huge area and many dives would be needed to explore the numerous coral heads and islands. Habili Ali offers giant gorgonians and black corals whilst grey reef, silvertip and schools of hammerhead sharks might be found on the west side. Habili Gafaar is a mass of soft corals teaming with shoals of snappers, butterfly fish and barracudas. Mantas, grey reef and silvertip sharks can often be seen in the blue.
Gota Kebir is a massive reef, famous for its tunnels and south plateau, where jacks and barracudas can be seen and the occasional manta. The tunnels are ideal for novice cave divers.
Gota Soraya is rated as possibly one of the best wall dives in the Red Sea, with overhangs and cracks in the reef wall full of glass fish and sweepers and an abundance of corals, Grey Reef, Silvertips and Hammerhead sharks.
On the last day as we head back to port, we will try to take in a dive or two on the world famous Elphinstone Reef if weather and diver experience permits us, or we will finish in the Abu Dabab area perhaps with another dive or two closer to Port Ghalib to relax and unwind before your final night in port.
*Please be aware the dive sites and areas mentioned in our itineraries are not guaranteed. They are subject to change based on weather conditions and are at the discretion of our cruise director/captain. This is to ensure we provide the best sightings and activities possible during your dive experience while also prioritising your safety.
Itinerary
Arrive: 11th June 2026 to embark on MV Emperor Elite for 7 nights with departure at 6:00pm. Emperor Divers paperwork check in and welcome dinner with Holly, Mark and vessel crew.
Diving: Friday – Thursday. 4-5 dives a day for the exception of Friday (2 dives). Dives will be a variety of reef, wrecks or blue water dives for pelagics.
Diving Times: Morning dive at 6am, 2nd dive at 10am, 3rd dive at 2pm, 4th dive at 4pm and night dives at 6:30pm.
Meals: Family buffet meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast will be served from 7.30am, lunch at 12.00pm and dinner at 7:00pm.
Depart: 18th June 2026 Disembark at 9:00am after morning dives and local transfer to hotel or Marsa Ghalib International Airport for your flight home.
Check out all the photos from the Red Sea 2024 trip to Egypt with Emperor Divers on the Gallery.
Pricing
Price: $1,950 per person (twin share basis)
Included in your trip costs:
- 7 nights on board (last night either on board or in a hotel).
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner (food allergies will be catered to).
- Afternoon snacks, tea, coffee, soft drink sand water.
- Glass of red or white wine with dinner.
- 6 days of diving (21+ dives including night dives).
- Dive guides.
- Tanks (12 litre) and weights.
- Nitrox if certified.
- Marine park fees.
- Environmental fees.
- Port departure fees.
- Local transfers to and from airport/hotel.
- Professional photos.
- Custom Blue Horizon Diving trip t-shirt.
Excluded in your trip costs:
- All flights (please book flights with plenty of time).
- Any required visas for travel to Egypt.
- Alcohol and specialty coffees.
- Equipment rental.
- Travel and Dive insurance (Strongly recommended).
- Tourist tax.
- Gratuities (suggested $10-15 per dive per diver).
- Personal expenses.
- Out with trip tours.
- Pre and post trip hotel day pass or overnight use.
- Dive training costs.
By Booking onto our trips you agree to our Booking, Payment & Cancellation Policy.
Booking, Payment & Cancellation Policy
- Blue Horizon Adventures Limited and Blue Horizon Diving Limited’s cancellation policy is inline with the cancellation policy of our operators. Once payment has been made in full there are no refunds.
- To guarantee your space on the trip, a 50% deposit is due with the booking. When we receive your deposit, we will send you a detailed trip information pack including welcome letter, booking voucher, invoice, sale receipt, waivers and forms to allow you to prepare for the diving trip.
- The remaining 50% of your payment is due is due by 1st January 2026.
- Full payment is due five (5) months prior to the trip start day.
- We reserve the right to re-sell any space that is not paid in full by this date.
- Deposits are non-refundable.
- No refund is made for any unused parts of the itinerary.
- Trip details such as dates, prices, accommodations, are subject to change without prior notice.
- Travel and dive insurance is not included in the trip price but is strongly recommended to have.
- A dive medical form will be provided for completion on booking to ensure you are fit to dive. If Yes is answered to any question, a doctor sign off will be required. This must be completed prior to our trip. If unable to be cleared our repayment terms apply as per noted in the booking, payment and cancellation policy.
- By booking onto our trips, you agree to assign all rights to the film, videotape, digital media, sound recordings, photography and printed quotes thereof made of you during the trip by representatives of Blue Horizon Diving Limited, Blue Horizon Adventures Limited, or their designee. You hereby authorise the reproduction, copyright, exhibition, and/or distribution of said materials worldwide without limitations for any purpose. No money shall be due to you for such use, now or in the future.
- Payment can be made by wire transfer, credit/debit card or PayPal.
- Blue Horizon Diving Limited and Blue Horizon Adventures Limited are not responsible for any transfer fees associated with payments.
- Flights, visa, travel expenses and taxes are not included in the trip cost.
- Travel and dive insurance is not included in the trip price but is strongly recommended to have.
- Flight time and schedule, weather, water temperature, and animal behavior are all subject to change.
- We strongly recommend and advise all guests to purchase travel insurance in case of unforeseen circumstances.
Red Sea Dive Trip 2026
2026: 11th - 18th June 2026
Max. 22 participants
Please note: After your purchase is confirmed we will email you a confirmation.