For scuba divers seeking a Red Sea liveaboard at exceptional value, the Discovery I has earned its reputation as a trusted favourite. This 32-meter wooden-hulled motor yacht, operated by the experienced Discovery Divers team, takes you away from crowded day-boat dive sites and places you right above the region’s most celebrated wrecks and pristine marine parks. Waking up to the stillness of dawn at a site like the Brothers or Daedalus, with the day’s first dive awaiting below, is the essence of a proper Red Sea diving safari.
The Discovery I (ex-Amelia) is designed with scuba divers in mind, accommodating just 20 guests in 10 air-conditioned cabins, each with a private ensuite bathroom. There are 4 cabins on the upper deck, offering a choice of twin or double configurations, while 6 twin cabins sit on the lower deck. After a morning of diving, you can retreat to the spacious, air-conditioned saloon where the lounge and dining areas are kept separate-a small but appreciated detail that lets you relax or socialise without feeling on top of one another. The food onboard receives consistent praise from guests, with meals served buffet-style and options available for vegetarians and vegans .
Above deck, the Discovery I provides ample room to unwind. 2 large sundecks give you options depending on your mood: one offers shaded seating with tables and a bar, perfect for a midday break, while the other is fitted with mattresses for soaking up the sun between dives. The social heart of the boat is often the upper deck as the sun begins to set, a natural gathering spot to review the day’s highlights with a cold drink in hand.
Practical details matter on a diving safari, and the setup on the Discovery I liveaboard reflects years of operational experience. The dive deck is well-organised with a dedicated camera table and charging stations, a feature that underwater photographers will appreciate. 2 large Zodiacs (over 5 meters each with 40 HP engines) serve as tenders, allowing for efficient transfers to the reefs. For enriched air users, the onboard membrane system supplies nitrox free of charge, giving you more time to explore walls and wrecks. Freshwater showers and dedicated rinse tanks for cameras and gear round out a dive platform designed for ease and efficiency.
Cruises aboard the Discovery I cover the full spectrum of Red Sea scuba highlights. Northern routes take you to the SS Thistlegorm and the Abu Nuhas wreck graveyard, while southern expeditions target the offshore marine parks: the Brother Islands, Daedalus Reef, and Elphinstone. These are sites known for dramatic walls, schooling hammerheads, oceanic whitetip sharks, and healthy soft coral gardens. With 3 to 4 dives scheduled each day, including night dives where permitted, you are guided by a professional English-speaking crew whose local knowledge ensures you hit the right spots at the right times.
What ultimately sets the Discovery I liveaboard apart is the consistency of its operation. It strikes a rare balance: a vessel that is comfortable and well-maintained without the premium price tag, crewed by a team that has built a loyal following for their friendly, hardworking approach. For certified divers who want to experience the Red Sea’s most iconic dive sites with a group of like-minded people, in a setting that prioritises safety and straightforward value, this liveaboard delivers a trip that feels both adventurous and reassuringly reliable.
There are 10 cabins on Discovery I. 4 cabins are on the upper deck, 2 with double beds and 2 with twin beds. 6 cabins are the lower deck, all with twin beds. All cabins have en-suite bathrooms.
All the cabins have:
- Air-conditioning
- En-suite bathroom with hot-water shower and hand basin
- Portholes on lower deck, windows on upper deck
- Towels & bathrobes
- Reading lights
- Bedside cabinet
- Fridge (upper deck cabins only)
- Cabinet, mirror and shelves
- Bedding
- 24-hour, 220v electricity supply
- European-style 2-pin plugs
- Fire alarm, life jackets and fire extinguishers
No. of bathrooms / showers - 10 / 10 - hot water
Brothers, Daedalus & Elphinstone (8 Days / 7 Nights - 17 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, manta rays, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Hurghada, Big Brother, Little Brother, Aida II wreck, Numidia wreck, Daedalus Reef, Elphinstone, Safaga, Salem Express
Day 1
The Discovery Divers staff will be at the arrival terminal of Hurghada Airport or Marsa Alam Airport to welcome you. An air-conditioned van will take you to Port Ghalib or Hurghada marina where the Amelia liveaboard yacht is moored. The journey from Hurghada to Port Ghalib takes about 4 hours. Otherwise it’s only a few minutes to Port Ghalib from Marsa Alam Airport if you have landed there, and a similar distance to Hurghada marina from Hurghada Airport. Once onboard the Amelia liveaboard you will be served a welcome cocktail and meet the boat crew and the tour leader, who will assign you to your cabin and provide a briefing on boat safety and the upcoming week of activities. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed; your diving will start tomorrow.
Core Days
The Brother Islands are 2 small exposed promontories in the middle of the sea, with a very high concentration of marine life. The walls feature sponges, anemones and hard and soft corals, giving an astonishing variety of colour to the underwater world. It's very common to see sharks at the dive sites around the islands. Scalloped hammerheads and grey reef sharks, silvertip and whitetip reef sharks. At Big Brother there is a wreck that can be dived when the conditions are right, especially if it's not too windy. It's the Numidia that lies between 5-8m, completely covered with hard and soft corals. and gorgonians.
The reefs at Daedalus and Elphinstone are home to schools of surgeonfish, fusiliers, trevallies and colourful reef fish. Hammerheads, oceanic whitetips and thresher sharks can be seen here, as well as manta rays, usually seen during the summer months. There will also be a dive at the unforgettable wreck of the Salem Express, a 100-metre ferry boat that hosts frogfish, blue-spotted stingrays, schools of angel and butterflyfish. The ship is now covered in hard and soft corals.
3 dives a day are the norm in the Red Sea marine parks. A typical day will start with a morning dive at 7 am, breakfast at 8 am, 2nd dive at 10 am, lunch at noon, 3rd dive at 2 pm, snacks at 4 pm, night dive when permitted at 7 pm. Dinner around 8 pm. There will only 2 dives on the last day as the boat then sails back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals of local Egyptian fare every day. Main meals are served buffet style in the dining area of the saloon. Breakfast is usually eggs, pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals consist of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish. Snacks like cookies, juice and fresh fruit are served every mid-afternoon. There is self-service tea, coffee, soft drinks, drinking water, 24/7. Most dietary needs can be covered including vegetarian and vegan. The yacht also serves beer, and a fine wines selection is available.
Day 8
Check out time is normally at 10 am after a breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to the airport or your local hotel. Please note that these trips use Hurghada marina and Port Ghalib for embarkation and disembarkation - check above for exact port details.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Brothers (8 Days / 7 Nights - 19 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Hurghada, Abu Nuhas wrecks (Carnatic, Giannis D, Chrisoula, Kimon M), Strait of Gubal, Rosalie Moeller, SS Thistlegorm, Shaab Ali, Ras Mohamed, Big Brother, Little Brother, Aida II wreck, Numidia wreck, Safaga
Day 1
The Discovery Divers staff will be at the arrival terminal of Hurghada Airport to welcome you. An air-conditioned van will take you to Hurghada marina where the Amelia liveaboard yacht is moored; the journey is only a few minutes. Once onboard the Amelia liveaboard you will be served a welcome cocktail and meet the boat crew and the tour leader, who will assign you to your cabin and provide a briefing on boat safety and the upcoming week of activities. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed; your diving will start tomorrow.
Core Days
This route visits the famous wrecks in the northern Red Sea, along with some stunning reef diving. The most famous wreck, the SS Thistlegorm, will leave you in awe: it was sunk in 1941 after being bombed by the German Luftwaffe! With its historical cargo of World War II machinery and equipment, all neatly stowed in its open holds, the wreck of the Thistlegorm would be a highlight of diving anywhere in the world. 4 wrecks will be the highlights of diving at Abu Nuhas, all offering spectacular dives and plenty of marine life. Ras Mohamed, at the southernmost tip of the Sinai, is one of the best kept national parks in Egypt. Its waters are rich in nutrients, attracting pelagics.
The Brother Islands are 2 small exposed promontories in the middle of the sea, with a very high concentration of marine life. The walls feature sponges, anemones and hard and soft corals, giving an astonishing variety of colour to the underwater world. It's very common to see sharks at the dive sites around the islands. Scalloped hammerheads and grey reef sharks, silvertip and whitetip reef sharks. At Big Brother there is a wreck that can be dived when the conditions are right, especially if it's not too windy. It's the Numidia that lies between 5-8m, completely covered with hard and soft corals. and gorgonians.
4 dives a day are the norm in the Red Sea (but only 3 dives per day when in the marine parks). A typical day will start with a morning dive at 7 am, breakfast at 8 am, 2nd dive at 10 am, lunch at noon, 3rd dive at 2 pm, snacks at 4 pm, sunset or night dive when permitted at 7 pm. Dinner around 8 pm. There will only 2 dives on the last day as the boat then sails back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals of local Egyptian fare every day. Main meals are served buffet style in the dining area of the saloon. Breakfast is usually eggs, pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals consist of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish. Snacks like cookies, juice and fresh fruit are served every mid-afternoon. There is self-service tea, coffee, soft drinks, drinking water, 24/7. Most dietary needs can be covered including vegetarian and vegan. The yacht also serves beer, and a fine wines selection is available.
Day 8
Check out time is normally at 10 am after a breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to the airport or your local hotel.
Red Sea North, Wrecks & Tiran Straits (8 Days / 7 Nights - 21 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, beginner divers, drift diving, very popular, wall diving, wreck diving
Dive sites and activities: Shaab El Erg (Dolphin House), Abu Nuhas (Carnatic, Giannis D), Shaab Mahmoud: Dunraven, Straits of Tiran: Jackson Reef, Gordon Reef, Woodhouse Reef, Thomas Reef; SS Thistlegorm, Gubal Island, Ras Mohamed: Yolanda Reef, Shark Reef
Day 1
The Discovery Divers staff will be at the arrival terminal of Hurghada Airport to welcome you. An air-conditioned van will take you to Hurghada marina where the Amelia liveaboard yacht is moored; the journey is only a few minutes. Once onboard the Amelia liveaboard you will be served a welcome cocktail and meet the boat crew and the tour leader, who will assign you to your cabin and provide a briefing on boat safety and the upcoming week of activities. Enjoy your dinner in the air-conditioned saloon before going to bed; your diving will start tomorrow.
Core Days
This route visits the famous wrecks in the northern Red Sea, along with some stunning reef diving. The most famous wreck, the SS Thistlegorm, will leave you in awe: it was sunk in 1941 after being bombed by the German Luftwaffe! With its historical cargo of World War II machinery and equipment, all neatly stowed in its open holds, the wreck of the Thistlegorm would be a highlight of diving anywhere in the world. Ras Mohamed, at the southernmost tip of the Sinai, is one of the best kept national parks in Egypt. Its waters are rich in nutrients, attracting pelagics. Tiran is world famous for its exceptional variety of corals and its strong southwestern currents. It’s home of a lot of big fish in the Red Sea.
4 dives a day are the norm in the Red Sea. A typical day will start with a morning dive at 7 am, breakfast at 8 am, 2nd dive at 10 am, lunch at noon, 3rd dive at 2 pm, snacks at 4 pm, sunset or night dive when permitted at 7 pm. Dinner around 8 pm. There will only 2 dives on the last day as the boat then sails back to port.
Expect 3 delicious meals of local Egyptian fare every day. Main meals are served buffet style in the dining area of the saloon. Breakfast is usually eggs, pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit and veggies, cereals and milk or yoghurt, cheese and sausages, hot coffee and tea. Lunch and evening meals consist of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef and fish. Snacks like cookies, juice and fresh fruit are served every mid-afternoon. There is self-service tea, coffee, soft drinks, drinking water, 24/7. Most dietary needs can be covered including vegetarian and vegan. The yacht also serves beer, and a fine wines selection is available.
Day 8
Check out time is normally after a breakfast and farewells with the crew, before being transferred either to the airport or your local hotel.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
Life aboard the Discovery I liveaboard is simple and structured around the water, allowing you to do what you came for: dive the world-class reefs of the Egyptian Red Sea. On a typical cruise, you can expect 3 dives a day in the marine parks, with a night dive when conditions and park regulations permit.
Your morning starts early, but with purpose. The first dive is usually scheduled for 7 am, a quiet time on the water when the light is soft and the reef fish are at their most active. You will roll from your bunk to the dive deck, check your gear (which stays set up for you the entire trip), and step into the water before breakfast. It is a refreshing, invigorating way to begin the day.
By 8 am, you will have hung your kit and dried off, and the saloon will be set for breakfast. The meal is a buffet, offering a solid spread to fuel a day of scuba diving. Expect hot eggs prepared to order or in the pan, stacks of pancakes, fresh toast, and local bread. There is always a selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, cereals with milk or yoghurt, plus cheeses and sausages for a heartier plate. Hot coffee and tea are always at the ready.
The second dive of the day follows at 10 am, allowing for a comfortable surface interval to rehydrate and review the site briefing. By noon, lunch is served. Again, it is buffet-style in the main dining area, and the food leans into local Egyptian fare. Lunch might feature fragrant rice, noodles, or fresh vegetables alongside grilled chicken, beef, or a fresh fish preparation. The variety ensures you never tire of the flavours, even after a week on board the Discovery I.
The afternoon brings the third dive at 2 pm, often the most relaxed of the day. Afterwards, you will find the crew setting out afternoon snacks around 4 pm. It is a simple but welcome touch: cookies, fresh juice, and seasonal fruit to tide you over until the evening meal.
For those who have the energy, a night dive is often offered at 7 pm where the schedule and park rules allow. It is a chance to see a different side of the reef, with nocturnal hunters and sleeping fish. Dinner follows at approximately 8 pm, a satisfying meal to close out the day. The menu rotates throughout the week, always featuring a balance of meat, fish, and vegetable options.
Beyond the scheduled meals, the Discovery I takes care of the small details. There is a self-service station with tea, coffee, soft drinks, and drinking water available 24 hours a day. If you have specific dietary requirements, including vegetarian or vegan preferences, the crew is accustomed to accommodating them; just provide advance notice before your trip. For those who enjoy a drink after a day in the salt, the yacht also carries a selection of beer and fine wines for purchase.
