If there’s a paradise for divers, it lies beneath the sapphire waters of Egypt’s Red Sea. Picture slipping into a realm where time slows, gravity fades, and kaleidoscopic reefs stretch beyond sight - alive with flickering angelfish, gliding rays, and the occasional curious dolphin. From legendary wrecks like the SS Thistlegorm to the vibrant coral gardens of The Brothers, every dive is a front-row seat to nature’s most dazzling display.
Warm waters year-round, superb visibility, and a coastline steeped in ancient mystique make Egypt’s Red Sea more than a dive destination - it’s a siren call for adventurers and marine-life lovers alike.
Our route with the Sea Serpent Glorious Miss Nouran liveaboard included The Brothers, Daedalus, and Elphinstone. These sites offer abundant reef life, colourful soft and hard corals, and occasional pelagic sightings. Over the week we encountered:
The reefs at the Brothers were stunning, teeming with fish and vibrant soft coral. Daedalus had impressive hard coral formations, and Elphinstone gave us our dolphin sighting.
At 131 feet (40m), the SS Glorious Miss Nouran liveaboard accommodates 24 guests and 15 crew, though on our trip we had 23 divers and never felt crowded. The boat is modern, well-equipped, and tailored for those seeking a higher-end experience.
The vessel boasts multiple shaded outdoor lounging areas, a handful of sunbathing berths, and a spacious saloon with comfortable sofas arranged around communal tables. The saloon is ideal for relaxing, socialising, editing photos, or playing cards. A small library onboard includes fish identification guides and fiction books available for borrowing or swapping.
The bar serves local Stella beer (3 Euros), wine, and soft drinks like Coke and Tango. There is no Wi-Fi, and expect about 3 days without any mobile signal, particularly around The Brothers islands.
The boat was captained by Gamal, whose experience was evident, especially when handling some very choppy conditions.
Cabins are modern, bright with natural light, and fitted with compact en-suites (note: no shower screen). My twin cabin felt spacious by liveaboard standards, with enough room for one person’s luggage. Storage is limited, but manageable. The air conditioning worked well but was on the noisy side. Given the 35°C September heat, I left mine on most of the time.
There’s hot water 24/7, though you’ll need to run the tap for a minute before it kicks in. Most guests used tap water for brushing teeth without issue, but bottled water is available.
Rooms were cleaned 3 times a day while divers were out - mainly to manage the waste bins, as toilet paper cannot be flushed. Some cabins had minor odour issues from the en-suite; these were usually resolved by flushing to refill the u-bend.
Meals were served buffet-style across 4 communal tables in the air-con saloon. Food was plentiful and generally well-received, though some guests commented on dry meats and bland flavours. There were no internationally themed meals, for example, Italian, Indian, Thai, or Mexican. There was an occasional side dish of pasta or rice, which may disappoint those expecting more variety.
As a vegetarian, I found the offerings limited. There were no specific vegetarian dishes; instead, I had to rely on side dishes that were available to everyone. This resulted in a low-protein diet, aside from occasional falafel. Vegans or those with dietary restrictions may struggle.
The crew was professional, friendly, and always ready to help. Special mentions go to:
While most crew spoke limited English, their warm demeanour made communication easy. One downside: crew smoked in shared social spaces, which could be off-putting. A designated smoking area would improve this.
We had mixed experiences with the dive leaders:
The ethos of “plan the dive, dive the plan” was not always followed.
Safety was taken seriously, and the fire drill was thorough. We practised donning life jackets and evacuating via the escape hatch (hidden behind a picture in cabin 7), which required stepping on a cabinet and squeezing through a tight vertical hole - challenging for anyone tall or large. At 193 cm, I found it tight getting my legs through. The escape route may not be practical for taller/larger body types, and this warrants serious review. Once on deck they explained where to gather and how to launch the lifeboats. Although the fire drill was excellent, it might be better if this was done immediately you onboarded rather than after the first dive on the second day.
All fire extinguishers were certified, and there are no in-cabin power sockets due to fire risk. All charging must be done in communal or designated areas, making hair styling or charging personal devices a bit inconvenient.
Each dive began with an informative and entertaining site briefing, usually led by the charismatic Sami. The dive deck was well-organised, with plenty of space. Nitrox (typically 29-30%) was available, and divers recorded readings before each dive.
All dives were negative entries, with dive group meet ups at 6m underwater. An extra weight helped with rapid descents.
Zodiac drivers were quick to respond and assisted efficiently in the water. Upon return to the boat, fins were removed and stowed for you - excellent service.
Due to the route being in the southern marine parks, only one night dive could be offered; torches were available for hire.
After arrival at Marsa Alam Airport, we were met by the Sea Serpent team for a 30-minute transfer to Port Ghalib. The port has shops, cafes, and tourist curio stalls. Check-in aboard included paperwork, passport collection, dive insurance, and certification - though no one asked to see mine, which was fortunate, as I’d forgotten it.
The Sea Serpent Glorious Miss Nouran offers a professional and mostly comfortable diving experience with some room for improvement, particularly around vegetarian options, smoking policies, and dive leader consistency.
If you’re chasing big pelagics, manage your expectations - encounters are possible but an element of luck is required. However, for reef lovers and underwater photographers, the Red Sea’s vivid coral ecosystems and fish life are world-class.
Special thanks to Basim, Shazley, Refat, Sami, and the rest of the crew - your dedication and hard work made the week smooth and enjoyable.
Written by Elliott Hey, October 2025
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Dive The World is reliable, responsive and consistent. Please retain your current operating model and keep on keeping it personalized. You have a bespoke service, not a commodity; customers don't like being juggled around from one clueless booking agent to another (which is what your main competitor does).
