The Red Sea is one of the world's most accessible and rewarding destinations for scuba divers, offering a combination of historical wreck diving and vibrant marine park exploration. For divers who prioritise reaching these iconic, often remote, sites without compromising on comfort or budget, the JP Marine liveaboard presents an excellent choice. This large 37-metre Egyptian liveaboard is built for speed and coverage, cruising at 15 knots thanks to its twin 610 HP engines, enabling it to efficiently link the scattered highlights of the Red Sea's major marine parks on its week-long dive safaris.
JP Marine is operated by Dive Safari Master, a highly experienced and trusted operator with over 20 years in the Red Sea liveaboard industry, providing an essential layer of credibility and confidence for prospective guests. The operator manages a dedicated fleet and holds certifications from reputable bodies including PADI, HEPCA, and CDWS, underscoring a commitment to safety and environmental standards. Adding to this operational assurance, the captain brings over 30 years of experience navigating local Red Sea waters.
The JP Marine offers comprehensive cruises, catering to different diving interests and experience levels. Trips regularly visit the current-swept walls of Brothers and Daedalus Reef, known for their potential pelagic encounters, as well as northern sites like the Tiran Strait and Ras Mohamed National Park. For coral reef enthusiasts, safaris also cover the extensive St. John’s reef system and the remote, untouched areas of Zabargad. Specialised tours, such as the 'Pelagic Trail', are available to maximise opportunities for big pelagic sightings.
Guest capacity aboard the JP Marine is set for up to 28 divers across 14 air-conditioned cabins, each featuring a private en-suite bathroom. The yacht provides ample social and relaxation areas. Inside, an air-conditioned lounge is equipped with entertainment systems and a self-service bar. Above deck, guests can enjoy a shaded, open-air area with comfortable padded seating and a bar for evening drinks. There is also a solarium on the bridge, offering a sunny spot to rest and tan during surface intervals.
Operational logistics on the JP Marine liveaboard are well-geared towards high-volume diving. The dive deck features equipment storage crates and freshwater showers for convenience. Divers benefit from on-board air facilities, including 3 compressors and a nitrox blender. Getting to and from the dive sites is handled smoothly by 2 fast, motorised zodiacs. The standard package includes roundtrip transfers from Hurghada and Marsa Alam and features 3 daily buffet meals with vegetarian options, ensuring divers are well-fuelled throughout the trip.
The JP Marine liveaboard is often noted for providing exceptional value, making Red Sea dive safaris more affordable for divers who are budget-conscious but still demand high standards of operation and comfort. By combining affordability with a large, capable vessel and a focus on hitting the most desirable Red Sea destinations, the JP Marine offers a confident and knowledgeable choice for scuba divers planning their next Egyptian adventure.
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: Big Brother, Little Brother, Aida II wreck, Numidia wreck, Daedalus Reef and Elphinstone
Day 1
This deep south Red Sea adventure begins the moment you step aboard the JP Marine liveaboard in either Hurghada Marina or Port Ghalib. Once your dive kit is stowed and you've found your cabin, the professional crew and tour leader will conduct the essential safety and vessel briefing. Over a convivial dinner, you will anticipate the week's diving before the ship makes its initial overnight move.
Core Days
The true focus of the cruise is the Brother Islands, 2 oceanic pinnacles, Big Brother and Little Brother, that promise high-voltage drift dives. Here, vertical walls are smothered in a tapestry of life: black corals, enormous gorgonian fans, and colourful soft corals, all nourished by the steady current. These dramatic drop-offs are famous for attracting pelagic species, offering encounters with grey reef sharks, the occasional silvertip, and the spectacular scalloped hammerhead. For historical context, the Numidia and Aida II wrecks lie accessible on Big Brother's slopes, completely colonised by flourishing marine growth.
Further south, the JP Marine targets the isolated sentinel of Daedalus Reef. Recognised for its sheer scale and exceptional visibility, Daedalus is one of the most reliable spots for viewing apex predators. It is a known hunting ground for oceanic whitetips and occasionally thresher sharks, particularly at the northern point. Schools of trevally and giant tuna are often sighted in the blue, reinforcing the site's world-class reputation.
The final major offshore dive is the legendary Elphinstone. This site is famous for its northern and southern plateaus, where soft corals line the dramatic walls. While exploring its contours, you are likely to encounter resident whitetip reef sharks, large Napoleon wrasse, and curious green turtles. The experienced dive team on the JP Marine provides a professional framework for these advanced dives. The final full day allows for 2 superb last dives before the vessel heads back to port.
Day 8
Awakening on your final morning, you will share a last breakfast and say your farewells to the crew and guests before disembarking at Hurghada Marina or Port Ghalib.
Daedalus, Fury Shoals & Elphinstone (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Daedalus Reef, Sataya: Dolphin House; Fury Shoal: Maksour, Claudia, Malahy, Abu Galawa; and Elphinstone
Day 1
The moment you board the JP Marine liveaboard in Hurghada Marina or Port Ghalib, your Red Sea diving expedition begins. Once your personal gear is stowed and you have received a comprehensive orientation from the tour leader and crew, you will share dinner with your fellow divers before the vessel makes its initial overnight passage.
Core Days
The trip begins with check dives at accessible coastal locations such as Abu Dabbab and Ras Shouna. These sheltered areas offer excellent visibility over thriving shallow coral gardens, allowing you to acclimatise your gear and buoyancy. Look for resident green turtles and the colourful macro life inhabiting these pristine inshore reefs.
The core of the trip focuses on the high-energy, world-class offshore marine parks. Your deepest immersion into the blue begins at Daedalus Reef, an offshore pinnacle known for its immense vertical drop-offs. Daedalus is famed for its potential for significant pelagic encounters, offering certified divers the thrill of sightings with oceanic whitetip sharks, and occasionally thresher sharks and hammerheads.
The JP Marine then navigates the vast and vibrant Fury Shoals system, celebrated for its unique reef topography and extensive hard coral formations. Dive sites like Shaab Maksour feature powerful walls and plateaus that attract schooling fish. Smaller reefs such as Shirianit and the Abu Galawa sites (Abu Galawa Kebir and Abu Galawa Soraya) present intricate underwater architecture, including swim-throughs and a shallow wreck covered in glassfish. A huge highlight is Sataya South, a massive horseshoe reef that is a famous gathering point for spinner dolphins.
This route provides a superb balance between exhilarating blue-water diving and the sheltered diversity of the fringing reefs. The final offshore destination is the renowned Elphinstone, where walls are draped in massive gorgonian sea fans and soft corals. This site remains a prime location for spotting whitetip reef sharks. Every dive operation aboard the JP Marine is executed by a professional team, ensuring confidence throughout your experience.
The final full day includes 2 last dives before the JP Marine begins its run back towards the port.
Day 8
Awakening on your final morning, you will share a last light breakfast and say your farewells to the crew and guests before disembarking in Hurghada or Port Ghalib.
Daedalus, Rocky, Zabargad & St. John's (8 Days / 7 Nights - 19 Dives)
Trip highlights: hammerhead sharks, shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Daedalus Reef, Zabargad, Rocky Island, St. John's: Big Habili, Small Habili, Umm Erug, Umm Hararim; Fury Shoal: Maksur, Claudio, Malahy, Abu Galawa and Sataya
Day 1
Stepping aboard the JP Marine liveaboard in Port Ghalib, you will secure your gear, be shown to your cabin, and receive your comprehensive safety and itinerary briefing before enjoying dinner and an early night as the vessel begins its deep south passage.
Core Days
The heart of this dive expedition explores the far reaches of the Egyptian Red Sea, starting with the renowned St. John's reef system. This vast network of sites is celebrated as one of the Red Sea's healthiest and most colourful underwater regions. Divers with the JP Marine explore an astonishing variety of topography, including breathtaking drop-offs, pinnacles, canyons, and natural caves. Sites like Gota Soraya and Habili Ali are magnets for schooling fish, attracting barracuda and various reef sharks. Divers often spot turtles, giant Napoleon wrasse, and, with luck, dolphins or manta rays.
The safari continues to the remote, current-swept islands of Rocky and Zabargad. Rocky Island is an exhilarating wall dive, distinguished by its incredible density of soft corals, black coral trees, and huge gorgonian fans, which flourish in the nutrient-rich water flow. This environment is an ideal place to observe cruising grey reef sharks and silvertips. Zabargad provides a striking contrast, featuring a unique island structure with a mix of steep walls and sheltered shallow coral gardens, teeming with schools of snappers, bigeyes, and soldierfish.
Finally, the JP Marine liveaboard trip includes a period at Daedalus Reef, an immense offshore pinnacle known globally for its spectacular pelagic potential. Its isolated position makes it a magnet for schooling hammerheads, oceanic whitetip sharks, and occasional thresher sharks, particularly around the northern tip. Daedalus provides an intense blue-water contrast to the complex topography of St. John’s, cementing the trip's reputation for exceptional visibility and major encounters.
2 final dives take place on the last full day of the tour before the JP Marine returns to port.
Day 8
Following a light breakfast, disembarkation occurs at Port Ghalib or Hurghada Marina.
Fury Shoals (Dolphin Adventure) (3 Days / 2 Nights - 0 Dives)
Trip highlights: dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics, non diving activities
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Fury Shoals: Sataya. Freediving, snorkelling.
Day 1
Board the JP Marine at Marsa Alam. The crew greets you on arrival and shows you to your cabin, giving you time to settle in and prepare any personal snorkel gear. After a welcome dinner in the air-conditioned saloon, the tour leader provides a clear safety briefing and outlines the days ahead. The yacht remains moored overnight, with activities beginning in the morning.
Core Days
This mini trip centres on one of the southern Red Sea's most distinctive reef systems: Fury Shoals. The JP Marine liveaboard positions you within easy reach of Sataya, a vast horseshoe-shaped reef that has earned a reputation among divers and snorkellers alike. Its sheltered lagoon and outer walls offer two distinct ways to experience the water. Inside the lagoon, the attraction is the resident pod of spinner dolphins. These animals are frequently encountered resting or socialising in the shallows, and the experience is one of quiet observation. Freedivers find particular reward here, dropping down to watch the dolphins move through the calm, clear water. Snorkellers can simply float at the surface as the pod drifts by.
Beyond the dolphin encounters, Sataya rewards exploration of its reef structure. The outer slopes drop away into deeper water, covered in tables of hard coral that remain remarkably intact. This is a region known for its stony coral gardens, and the health of the reef supports a steady presence of reef fish. Butterflyfish, angelfish, and parrotfish move across the coral heads, while larger residents like bumphead parrotfish occasionally cruise the reef edge. For certified divers, the site offers easy profiles with good bottom time, allowing you to work along the reef wall or explore the network of gullies and overhangs that indent the outer perimeter.
The JP Marine keeps a relaxed rhythm throughout the trip. Between water entries, the upper deck provides space to rest in the shade, review images from the day, or simply watch the coastline fade to a low line on the horizon. If dolphin activity shifts or weather patterns suggest a better approach to the reef, the schedule adapts accordingly. The emphasis remains on quality time in the water rather than a rigid daily structure.
Day 3
After a final breakfast on board, it is time to pack and prepare for disembarkation. The crew assists with luggage and can arrange transfers to Marsa Alam Airport or to a local hotel. Farewells are exchanged on the dock, with the week’s encounters lingering well after the return to shore.
Rocky, Zabargad & St. John's (8 Days / 7 Nights - 19 Dives)
Trip highlights: shark action, dolphins, manta rays, dugongs/manatees, turtles, great macro life/ marine diversity, schooling fish & big pelagics
Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving
Dive sites and activities: Zabargad, Rocky Island, St. John's: Big Habili, Small Habili, Umm Erug, Umm Hararim; Fury Shoal: Maksur, Claudio, Malahy, Abu Galawa and Sataya
Day 1
The moment you board the JP Marine liveaboard in Port Ghalib, your serious exploration of the Red Sea's deep south commences. After securing your diving equipment and receiving the comprehensive safety and dive orientation from the crew, you will dine and meet your fellow divers before the ship sails into the night.
Core Days
The primary focus of this diving expedition is the St. John's reef system, a vast and remote frontier celebrated among experienced divers for its unparalleled health and vibrant complexity. Descending here, you will encounter stunning deep pinnacles, sheer drop-offs, and coral-lined canyons. Sites like Habili Ali and Gota Soraya demonstrate the sheer scale of the Red Sea’s coral biomass. The robust hard coral reefs are teeming with schooling fish, while the blue often reveals cruising reef sharks, including the majestic grey reef shark, alongside large Napoleon wrasse and turtles. This area offers rewarding opportunities for extended bottom time and exploration.
Further into the deep south, the JP Marine liveaboard visits the iconic exposed islands of Rocky and Zabargad. Rocky Island's current-exposed walls are a masterpiece of marine growth, showcasing giant gorgonian fans and black coral thickets, providing an exhilarating drift dive. This environment draws in pelagic action, with sightings of grey reef sharks and silvertip sharks being regular occurrences. Nearby, Zabargad Island offers varied topography, from deep walls to calmer, shallow coral plateaus populated by schools of snappers and bigeyes, ensuring the JP Marine itinerary offers maximum variety.
The professionalism of the crew aboard the JP Marine liveaboard ensures confidence throughout these remote dives. The final full day of diving includes 2 concluding immersions before the vessel begins its sail toward the mainland.
Day 8
Following a light breakfast, you will say your farewells to the professional team before disembarking at Port Ghalib.
[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].
The daily schedule on the JP Marine liveaboard is specifically designed for divers to maximize bottom time in the Red Sea. On a standard cruise, guests can expect 3 dives each day within protected marine parks, increasing to 4 dives daily in other locations across Egypt.
The routine follows a steady, restorative rhythm built around diving. The morning begins with the first plunge at 7 am. After ascending, a hearty breakfast is served at 8 am to prepare for the second immersion at 10 am. Lunch is available at 12 noon, preceding the afternoon dive at 2 pm. Mid-afternoon snacks are provided at 4 pm, followed by the final dive of the day - a night dive - when local regulations permit, at 7 pm. Dinner is then served around 8 pm. Please note that the final day of the trip includes only 2 dives before the vessel begins its return sail to port.
Fuelling a week of diving is a significant part of the onboard experience, and the JP Marine liveaboard ensures 3 delicious, satisfying meals are provided daily. All main meals are served buffet style.
* Breakfast offers a selection of fresh options, including eggs prepared to your preference: omelette, fried, or scrambled. The spread also features pancakes, toast, bread, fresh fruit, vegetables, cereals, yoghurt or milk, cheese, and sausages, complemented by hot coffee and tea.
* Lunch and dinner menus primarily feature international recipes but are frequently supplemented by local Egyptian delicacies. Dishes consistently include substantial portions of fresh vegetables, rice, noodles, chicken, beef, and fish.
Between meals, certified divers can enjoy self-service tea, coffee, drinking water, and snacks 24/7, with an additional mid-afternoon snack of cookies, fresh fruit, and juice served at 4 pm.
