ROYAL EVOLUTION

(1 customer review)

39m / 129ft MAX 24 NITROX WIFI

PRICE PER DAY FROM USD 173

LOWEST PRICE GUARANTEE SPECIAL OFFERS APPLY

At a glance:

Unique Red Sea and Sudan diving itineraries
All cabins with ensuite bathrooms
In-cabin morning coffee/tea service
4 decks, sun deck with hot tub and music
10, 12 and 15 litre tanks, nitrox, tech gas blends
Large steel hull boat

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MS Royal Evolution is considered by many to be the finest Red Sea liveaboard there is, and was constructed of steel according to SOLAS and under the full survey of the international surveyor Bureau Veritas; it is proud to be the only vessel in the Red Sea region with this certification. This 39m long steel mono-hulled motor yacht cuts an impressive figure cruising around the best dive sites of Sudan and the Southern Red Sea.

Up to 24 scuba divers can be comfortably accommodated in en-suite cabins on this spacious vessel where 4 decks mean there is always plenty of room for everyone. The air-conditioned lounge and dining area is comfortably furnished and features TV, DVD, music system and computer with photo and video editing.

Although the saloon is very comfortable, many guests prefer to relax in the open air areas. With amenities both on the sun deck and on the upper deck's open air shaded area including music a bar and comfortable seating, it is little surprise. On the sun deck you can even take your cocktail with you into the hot tub. Other touches of luxury include a bathrobe, fresh daily pastries, hot afternoon refreshments, and a cup of hot chocolate after each night dive.

Diving facilities are top end and include a spacious deck with individual storage spaces, camera table with 2 air hoses, charging station and a fresh water shower. 10, 12 and 15 litres tanks are filled in situ including air, nitrox and other technical gas blends, and staff are always on hand to make the diving procedure run smoothly. All divers are welcome to use Nautilus Lifelines to improve safety in-water, and there is a full complement of other safety equipment onboard .

With 17 staff on hand to cater to your every need, all having attended several sea courses including fire fighting, rescue, first aid, man overboard etc., the experience on board the Royal Evolution is one of luxury, comfort and safety. If you are looking for a top quality Egypt or Sudan liveaboard, accept no substitute.

The Royal Evolution liveaboard has 4 Deluxe cabins on the main deck and 8 Standard twin bed cabins on the lower deck, each with its own private en-suite bathroom. The Deluxe cabins have queen size double- or twin- beds, are larger, and feature seaview windows, whereas the Standard cabins have portholes.

All the cabins have:

Air-conditioning
En-suite bathroom with hot-water shower, hand basin, toiletries, towels, bathrobes & hair dryer
Windows or portholes
Satellite TV and DVD player
In-cabin morning coffee/tea service
Reading lights
Desk & chair
Sofa & coffee table (Deluxe cabins only)
Bar refrigerator

Safety box for personal belongings
Wardrobe, mirror and shelves
Personal safety box
Bedding
Life jackets & fire extinguishers
24-hour, 220V electricity supply
European-style 2-pin electrical sockets
Space for luggage
Smoke detector & sprinkler system

No. of bathrooms / showers - 13 / 17 - hot water

Red Sea Northern Wrecks & Brothers (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 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: Abu Nuhas wrecks (Giannis D, Carnatic, Sea Star, Chrisoula K), Gubal Island, Thistlegorm, Shaab Mahmoud, Ulysses wreck, Brother Islands, Numidia wreck, Aida wreck, and Salem Express

Day 1
After passing through customs and collecting your luggage at Hurghada Airport, you will be met outside the arrivals hall by a representative of the fantastic Royal Evolution liveaboard and taken to the marina which is only 20 minutes away. The crew will welcome you on board, show you to your cabin, and provide a detailed boat briefing that will help you familiarise yourself with your new home for the duration of the trip. Dinner inside the huge saloon with a segregated dining area is when you will get to know the other scuba divers that, like you, have chosen this amazing cruise for their vacation in the Red Sea. The boat will leave port early morning while everyone gets ready to dive.

Days 2-7
The itinerary allows you to visit famous wrecks in the northern Red Sea along with some stunning reef diving. There will be 4 dives a day, usually with 2 morning dives followed by an afternoon dive, and either a sunset or a night dive. 4 wrecks will be the highlights of diving at Abu Nuhas, all offering spectacular dives and plenty of marine life. The reefs around Gubal Island feature deep walls with an abundance of schools of fish like snapper and surgeonfish. The island is also a perfect place for night diving. The most famous wreck in the Red Sea, the SS Thistlegorm, will leave you in awe: it was sunk in 1941 after being bombed by the German Luftwaffe!
Diving the Brother Islands is a must for all experienced divers. You will surely have fun while diving drop-offs, wrecks, huge gorgonians and colourful soft corals that are home to octopus, lionfish, nudibranchs, frogfish, large schools of fish: an underwater photographer's dream! Bucket list encounters include hammerheads, whale sharks, thresher sharks and manta rays. Lots of curious turtles, Napoleon wrasse and Whitetip reef sharks will be common encounters on several occasions! The Salem Express remains one of the largest accessible wrecks in the Egyptian Red Sea and diving it is a must for passionate scuba diver.
During your vacation you will meet other divers that share your same passion, enjoy delicious food served in a cruise ship style, rest on the sun deck after diving, or read a book in the air-conditioned saloon or spacious stateroom. Or you can choose to jump in the water again in between dives and snorkel with dolphins. 3 gourmet meals a day, plus snacks and fresh fruit are always available, as are drinking water, soft drinks and juices. Expect fine international cuisine from the chef, ensuring that energy levels are well sustained throughout the tour.
Please note that there will only 2 dives on the last full day of the tour. The final night is spent again in Hurghada.

Day 8
Disembark after a final breakfast on the boat. You can arrange with the crew to be transported back to the airport or to a local hotel.

St. John's & Elba Reef (8 Days / 7 Nights - 19 Dives)

Trip highlights: dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Shaab Shouna, Elphinstone, St John's, Elba Reef, Levanzo wreck

Day 1
After passing through customs and collecting your luggage at Hurghada Airport, you will be met outside the arrivals hall by a representative of the fantastic Royal Evolution liveaboard. Take a seat in the air-conditioned van that will take you to Port Ghalib where the dive cruise boat is moored. The journey takes about 3 hours, or just 10 minutes if you have landed at Marsa Alam Airport. The crew will welcome you onboard, show you to your cabin, and provide a full 60 minute detailed vessel safety briefing. Dinner inside the huge saloon with a segregated dining area is when you will get to know the other divers that, like you, have chosen this amazing cruise for their vacation in the Red Sea. The boat will leave port early morning while everyone gets ready to dive.

Days 2-7
This itinerary has been specifically tailored for serious scuba divers who want to enjoy a cruise in the Red Sea with no traffic, providing an ideal underwater environment for all types of divers particularly for underwater videographers and photographers. Part of Elba Reef is in Sudanese waters and special permission has been granted from the Egyptian Navy to dive this pristine and remote reef. During the trip you will also be diving the famous and untouched 113m long Italian Levanzo wreck, built in March 1901 and sunk on 14 March 1923, laying on one of the beautiful Elba reefs at 22-75m in depth.
In the deep south you will have the chance to dive St. John’s Reefs, the healthiest and most colourful in the Red Sea, with their fantastic drop offs, pinnacles, canyons, caves and tunnels, and amazing hard-corals. There is a lot of marine life too, such as barracuda, different types of reef shark, sometimes even dolphins and mantas. The sheer walls of soft corals at Elphinstone are great dives with oceanic whitetip sharks and plenty of marine life.
During your vacation you will meet other divers that share your same passion, enjoy delicious food served in a cruise ship style, rest on the sun deck after diving, or read a book in the air-conditioned saloon or spacious stateroom. Or you can choose to jump in the water again in between dives and snorkel with dolphins. 3 gourmet meals a day, plus snacks and fresh fruit are always available, as are drinking water, soft drinks and juices. Expect fine international cuisine from the chef of Royal Evolution, ensuring that energy levels are well sustained throughout the tour.
Please note that there will only 2 dives on the last full day of the tour. The final night is spent again in Port Ghalib.

Day 8
Disembark after a final breakfast on the boat. You can arrange with the crew to be transported back to the airport or to a local hotel.

Red Sea South, St. John's & Elba Reef (8 Days / 7 Nights - 18 Dives)

Trip highlights: dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Shaab Shouna, Deadalus Reef, Rocky Island, Zabargad, St John's, Elba Reef, Levanzo wreck

Day 1
After passing through customs and collecting your luggage at Hurghada Airport, you will be met outside the arrivals hall by a representative of the fantastic Royal Evolution liveaboard. Take a seat in the air-conditioned van that will take you to Port Ghalib where the dive cruise boat is moored. The journey takes about 3 hours, or just 10 minutes if you have landed at Marsa Alam Airport. The crew will welcome you onboard, show you to your cabin, and provide a full 60 minute detailed vessel safety briefing. Dinner inside the huge saloon with a segregated dining area is when you will get to know the other divers that, like you, have chosen this amazing cruise for their vacation in the Red Sea. The boat will leave port early morning while everyone gets ready to dive.

Days 2-7
This itinerary has been specifically tailored for serious scuba divers who want to enjoy a cruise in the Red Sea with no traffic, providing an ideal underwater environment for all types of divers particularly for underwater videographers and photographers. Part of Elba Reef is in Sudanese waters and special permission has been granted from the Egyptian Navy to dive this pristine and remote reef. During the trip you will also be diving the famous and untouched 113m long Italian Levanzo wreck, built in March 1901 and sunk on 14 March 1923, laying on one of the beautiful Elba reefs at 22-75m in depth.
Daedalus Reef features a large, oval reef with deep walls and drop-offs that offer some spectacular diving. Pristine hard corals, with a high chance of encounters with schools of scalloped hammerheads and grey reef sharks. The currents that flow all year around Rocky Island help the growth of beautiful soft corals, gorgonian fans, sponges and black coral trees. The small island is a shelter for reef sharks, especially grey and silvertips, and manta rays, green turtles and dolphins visit. The island of Zabargad is a fantastic dive location, with walls, drop offs or easier dives in shallower water, with a beautiful coral garden that attracts schools of snappers, big eyes, soldierfish and wrasses.
In the deep south of Egypt you will have the chance to dive St. John’s Reefs, the healthiest and most colourful in the Red Sea, with their fantastic drop offs, pinnacles, canyons, caves and tunnels, and amazing hard-corals. There is a lot of marine life too, such as barracuda, different types of reef shark, sometimes even dolphins and mantas.
During your vacation you will meet other divers that share your same passion, enjoy delicious food served in a cruise ship style, rest on the sun deck after diving, or read a book in the air-conditioned saloon or spacious stateroom. Or you can choose to jump in the water again in between dives and snorkel with dolphins. 3 gourmet meals a day, plus snacks and fresh fruit are always available, as are drinking water, soft drinks and juices. Expect fine international cuisine from the chef of Royal Evolution, ensuring that energy levels are well sustained throughout the tour.
Please note that there will only 2 dives on the last full day of the tour. The final night is spent again in Port Ghalib.

Day 8
Disembark after a final breakfast on the boat. You can arrange with the crew to be transported back to the airport or to a local hotel.

Red Sea South, St. John's & Elba Reef (11 Days / 10 Nights - 28 Dives)

Trip highlights: dolphins, manta rays, turtles, schooling fish & big pelagics

Diving environment: advanced divers, caverns, drift diving, healthy reefs, very popular, wall diving

Dive sites and activities: Abu Dabbab, Brothers, Deadalus Reef, Rocky Island, Zabargad, St John's, Elphinstone, Elba Reef, Levanzo wreck

Day 1
After passing through customs and collecting your luggage at Hurghada Airport, you will be met outside the arrivals hall by a representative of the fantastic Royal Evolution liveaboard. Take a seat in the air-conditioned van that will take you to Port Ghalib where the dive cruise boat is moored. The journey takes about 3 hours, or just 10 minutes if you have landed at Marsa Alam Airport. The crew will welcome you onboard, show you to your cabin, and provide a full 60 minute detailed vessel safety briefing. Dinner inside the huge saloon with a segregated dining area is when you will get to know the other divers that, like you, have chosen this amazing cruise for their vacation in the Red Sea. The boat will leave port early morning while everyone gets ready to dive.

Days 2-10
This itinerary has been specifically tailored for serious scuba divers who want to enjoy a cruise in the Red Sea with no traffic, providing an ideal underwater environment for all types of divers particularly for underwater videographers and photographers. Part of Elba Reef is in Sudanese waters and special permission has been granted from the Egyptian Navy to dive this pristine and remote reef. During the trip you will also be diving the famous and untouched 113m long Italian Levanzo wreck, built in March 1901 and sunk on 14 March 1923, laying on one of the beautiful Elba reefs at 22-75m in depth.
The Brothers will leave you speechless with diving drop-offs, wrecks, huge gorgonians and colourful soft corals. Bucket list encounters include hammerheads, whale sharks, thresher sharks and manta rays. Daedalus Reef features a large, oval reef with deep walls and drop-offs that offer some spectacular diving, with a high chance of encounters with schools of scalloped hammerheads and grey reef sharks. Sheer walls of soft corals at Elphinstone are great dives with oceanic whitetip sharks and plenty of marine life. Rocky Island is exposed to strong current and it is a shelter for reef sharks, especially grey and silvertips. Manta rays, green turtles and dolphins visit. The island of Zabargad is a fantastic dive location, with walls, drop offs or easier dives in shallower water, with a beautiful coral garden that attracts schools of snappers, big eyes, soldierfish and wrasses.
In the deep south of Egypt you will have the chance to dive St. John’s Reefs, the healthiest and most colourful in the Red Sea, with their fantastic drop offs, pinnacles, canyons, caves and tunnels, and amazing hard-corals. There is a lot of marine life too, such as barracuda, different types of reef shark, sometimes even dolphins and mantas.
During your vacation you will meet other divers that share your same passion, enjoy delicious food served in a cruise ship style, rest on the sun deck after diving, or read a book in the air-conditioned saloon or spacious stateroom. Or you can choose to jump in the water again in between dives and snorkel with dolphins. 3 gourmet meals a day, plus snacks and fresh fruit are always available, as are drinking water, soft drinks and juices. Expect fine international cuisine from the chef of Royal Evolution, ensuring that energy levels are well sustained throughout the tour.

Day 11
Disembark after a final breakfast on the boat. You can arrange with the crew to be transported back to the airport or to a 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].

Crew of 17 comprises:

3 Dive Instructors / Guides
Captain
2 Cooks
3 Engineers

2 Masseuse
2 Stewards
3 Deck Hands

Nitrox & trimix - Diving dinghies - Dive platform & deck with hot water shower & toilet - Camera table with air guns & separate rinse tank for cameras - Air-conditioned saloon with TV, DVD, computer and music players - Library with movies, magazines & books - Air-conditioned dining area with well-stocked bar - Sun deck with hot tub, music & sun matresses - Upper deck shaded area with lounge seating & bar - Water dispensers

No sooner do you awake than service begins with cabin coffee/tea service. 3 gourmet meals are served each day. A personal fruit basket awaits you on arrival and there is fruit, snacks, tea and coffee available throughout the day. Each afternoon a hot snack is prepared with a fresh fruit cocktail. The menu is a blend of international fare with some dishes influence by Sri Lankan and Indian cuisine. Evening meals include a complimentary bottle of wine per table of 4.

International, Indian and Sri Lankan dishes served on board.
Food is served buffet style in the air-conditioned dining area located on the main deck.
Main meals consist of breakfast, lunch and dinner with hot snacks in between.
Biscuits, fruit, fresh baked pastries, candy bars, dinner wine, soft drinks, tea & coffee, and drinking water, are complimentary.
Extra alcohol drinks are available for purchase on board.
Dietary requirements can be catered for. Advance notice should be given.
Catering starts at guest check-in on the first day of the tour.

Meal examples: Lamb with artichoke and roast potatoes, Veal stew with potato anna, Chicken lemon butter with grilled vegetables, Veal stuffed with herbs and spinach gratin, Beef stroganoff with sautéed vegetables, Smoked salmon salad, Strawberry pannacotta ...

Built in 2005, refurbished bi-annually
Size - 39m x 8.6m
Weight - 280 tonnes
Top speed - 14 knots
Cruising speed - 12 knots
2 x 1,100 HP Cummins engines
3 Onan generators - 2 x 75 KW & 1 x 38 KW
3 x Divemix tank compressors, plus 1 x Divemix LP (nitrox) compressor

Enriched air nitrox & trimix system
10, 12 & 15 litre aluminium tanks with DIN & Int. fittings
Electricity 220v - 24-hours per day
Water capacity - 22,000 litres
Fuel capacity - 47,000 litres
Freshwater makers - 10,000 litres/day
Waste storage tank

2 life rafts (50 pax)
3 dinghies - 2 x 55 HP & 1 x 25 HP
62 nautical mile radar
SSB & VHF radios
GPS/Plotter
Echo sounder
Autopilot
Satellite & mobile phones
Bilge pump alarm

Search light & SOLAS life buoys
SART radar transponders & emergency flares
Fire alarms / detectors & sprinkler system
Life jackets in all cabins
Fire extinguishers throughout & fire blankets
First aid box and trained staff
Oxygen on board - 60,000 litres plus Wenroll rebreather system

Monthly safety drills are conducted for the crew. These drills are intended for the crew to maintain peak performance skills for scenarios such as Man Overboard, Fire At Sea, Abandon Ship, Unconscious Diver, Lost Diver Searches and more. Guests can sleep soundly knowing that there is a 24 hour watch on board. The watch keeper moves throughout the ship to ensure that systems are functioning properly and that all is well.

"First and foremost, the crew took safety very seriously. Their safety briefing and explanation of the boat's specs were detailed and clear, which was very reassuring given the recent accidents in the Red Sea area.
Our dive trip had a bumpy start - the military closed all Red Sea ports for on the first 2 days due to the recent storm and dive boat accident. But the company was able to accommodate us with an alternative plan. Although we had to sit on the boat and wait on day 1, the company arranged shore dives at Marsa Shagra for us on day 2; and once the boat was able to sail on the second evening, the company/crew redesigned the route so that we could still dive at all the spots we wanted to visit despite the shortened itinerary. We were all happy with the boat's resolution of the unexpected situation. It was obvious that the crew cared a lot about customer satisfaction. The dive guides and boat crew were very friendly and took our feedback with care and patience.
Overall, this boat is among the more expensive boats in the area, but it was important that we felt safe and taken care of. I wish we had done more dives, but it was still a nice trip!
The Dive The World representatives responded to my questions very quickly." - Yuyao Wang, USA, 5 December 2024 ...

DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES

MORE TRIP DETAILS

Dive experience: Advanced Open Water diver license and 50 logged dives is required.

Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, some soft drinks, hot drinks, Egyptian entry visa on Egypt only itineraries), hotel accommodation, transfers to the boat from the nearest airport, dives (as detailed in the trips below), experienced English speaking instructors (3 per trip), Nautilus Lifelines, tanks, weight and weightbelts, all taxes.

Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): Dive equipment USD 23 per day, port and park fees: Egypt-only - USD 152, Elba - USD 210. Sudan trips: local taxes USD 589, Hurghada to Port Ghalib transfers. Fuel surcharges - Egypt-only: USD 117, Elba Reef: USD 175, St. John's, Sudan Central & Far North: USD 769, and St. John's & Sudan: USD 886. All fuel surcharges to be paid in advance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival (cash (VAT-free) or credit card, cash only for Sudan trips).

Optional extras: Alcoholic drinks, nitrox fills for enriched air certified divers (USD 82 per week), torch USD 7 per day, diving computer USD 7 per day, dive insurance, 15 litre tank USD 5 per day. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival. Note: prices of items purchased onboard are subject to change.

How to get there: MS Royal Evolution departs from Port Ghalib and return transfers are provided from nearby hotels and from Hurghada and Marsa Alam airports to the departure point. Check-in time starts at 3 pm on the first day, until the yacht departs 8 am the following morning (after port clearance). The yacht returns to Port Ghalib in the evening of the penultimate day and check out is at 8 am.
On Sudan trips, the yacht departs in the evening of the first day and all guests must be onboard by 9 pm. The yacht returns to Port Ghalib at 7 am on the final day and check out is at 8 am - 12 noon. The liveaboard operator can arrange visas on arrival at Port Sudan (USD 260 for USA citizens, USD 310 for all other nationals).
The last dive of the trip will be at around 3 pm on the second last day of the trip. Please wait at least 18 hours before flying after diving. For more details, including airlines, see our travel information section for the Red Sea.

Non-diver rate: There is no discount.

Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travellers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of 75% of the published price for their own cabin.

Dive clubs and group discounts: Egypt trips: pay for 5 guests and 1 additional person can join the cruise in a Standard cabin free of charge. Sudan trips: pay for 7 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise free of charge.

Whole boat charter rate (per night): Egypt trips: pay for 18 guests and 6 additional persons can join the cruise in a Standard cabin free of charge. Sudan trips: pay for 20 guests and 4 extra persons can join free of charge.

Add-on package: If you have time, we strongly recommend that you consider some of the wonderful antiquities tours in Egypt which can add a whole new dimension to your holiday. Cairo museum's royal mummies, the pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, a glorious cruise down the Nile staying in a luxury cabin, The Valley of the Kings, all of these and more can be seen in packages starting at 6 nights' duration. Other activities such as 4x4 safaris and camel tours are also available as are custom-made packages to suit your needs.

Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow

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Customer rating: Excellent!

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