Recently in Marine Life Category

Karina Smit, Dive Centre Manager reports...

Our House Reef jetty has been completely refurbished and is now ready for action. It has been raised and completely made over with new wood and two new entry stairs for snorkelers and divers have been installed. Our House Reef continues to impress with Napoleons, turtles, black spotted stingrays and even Spanish dancers on the night dives. Come and enjoy the unspoiled and pristine reefs of the deep south!"

STOP PRESS! New offer: Emperor Divers Hamata: Zabargad Berenice Resort has some great deals between now and December from only GBP 246 / EUR 300.

Email info.reservations@emperordivers.com for more!

» Visit Emperor Hamata here and find out more...

El Gouna scores highly on TripAdvisor (as do all Emperor's centres), so here we would like to share a happy guest's feedback. It's good to hear it straight from those who experience it...

GenghisandOtherOne
Staplehurst, Kent

“fantastic - as usual”
Reviewed April 20, 2013
 

Dolphin and diver, El Gouna
(Emperor stock photography)

Just dived with Emperor again, for about the sixth time over the past few years ... On arrival, check in and registration was hassle free and I dived for 4 days. Highlight was Dolphin House at Shaab el Erg, where I was alone with my buddy in the gotta and a pod of 14 dolphins came right up to us and circled us a few times. A mother then brought her calf over for a close look at us, accompanied by a big bruiser of a male (he did NOT look cute). fantastic.

The boats are big and comfortable, the hire gear is good and the briefings and safety are excellent. Thanks to Bassem, Ahmed, Terry and the guys. You can leave you kit overnight safely. The lunches, prepared by the boat crew are fabulous. I took my (non diving) parents on the boats one day and my dad said it was as good as you get in the restaurants! The crew are very helpful and friendly and clearly know what they are doing.

I saw several snorkelers and non-divers on the boat and they were not treated like second class citizens, and there were some people doing courses etc. who looked like they were really enjoying it. Everyone had a One on One instructor this week.

Find out more on Emperor El Gouna, the diving and trips here.

With so many amazing sightings, it seems summer has come early in many Red Sea locations.

In Marsa Alam a pod of false killer whales (pic left) was spotted on the way back from Elphinstone to Emperor Marsa Alam, which is exceptionally rare.

The team at Emperor Hurghada reported a sailfish near Carless Reef and dolphins galore continue to put in appearances as well as thresher sharks and mantas.

Sharm has enjoyed early sightings of hammerheads, mantas, whale sharks, dolphins and even a dugong in Ras Mohamed.

Says Emperor Divers’ General Manager, Mike Braun, “This is a great time to visit the Red Sea; so many remarkable sightings at the moment making diving even more exciting than usual. Plus we have some good-value diving/hotel packages helping to make things that little bit easier.”

Come and dive with the best www.emperordivers.com

SAVE up to £420 / €760 on Emperor liveaboards, Elite and Superior! There are only a few places left at these prices and they're going fast. It's first come first served, so hurry.

07 – 14 March
Emperor Superior on Reefs & Wrecks from Hurghada
Limited spaces available at JUST £451 / €550
SAVE £420 / €511

08 - 15 March
Emperor Elite on South & St Johns from Marsa Ghalib
Limited spaces available at JUST £697 / €850
SAVE £340 / €415

15 – 22 March
Emperor Superior on Get Wrecked from Hurghada
Limited spaces available at JUST £533 / €649
SAVE £259 / €316

22 - 29 March
Emperor Superior on Famous Five from Hurghada
Limited spaces available at JUST £574 / €699
SAVE £390 / €476

22 - 29 March
Emperor Elite on South & St Johns from Marsa Ghalib
Limited spaces available at JUST £697 / €850
SAVE £340 / €415

29 March – 05 April
Emperor Superior on Classic Cruise from Hurghada
Limited spaces available at JUST £615 / €750
SAVE £176 / €215

29 March - 05 April
Emperor Elite on Just Brothers from Marsa Ghalib
Limited spaces available at JUST £656 / €799
SAVE £420 / €511

FREE Nitrox on Emperor Elite and Superior
FREE Wi-Fi on Emperor Liveaboards

You can book online or email info.safaris@emperordivers.com.

Remember, places are limited so be sure to book today.

» Click here to see all Offers

Emperor Asmaa has enjoyed a refit and facelift and, from the end of April, will be operating new routes to the breathtaking sites of St Johns and Fury Shoals from Emperor Divers Hamata. The proximity of the boat to the dive sites means the week-long trips save travelling time to St Johns, and the legendary Fury Shoals, which equals more diving time at these deep South dive sites.

A custom-built motor yacht designed with the diver in mind, Emperor Asmaa comfortably accommodates 20 guests in 10 twin-berth cabins, all ensuite. The cabins and salon are fully air-conditioned, there is a large dive deck and sun deck and free Wi-Fi where there is a signal. As with all Emperor fleet boats, guests are guaranteed a minimum of two dive guides. She is also equipped with NITROX and may provide up to two tanks a day, free of charge, depending on demand.

With the ‘Fury and Friends’ itinerary costing just £559 for 7 nights, Emperor Asmaa offers genuine value for money for divers looking to explore some of the best sites the Red Sea has to offer.

Due to Hamata Port being so close to Fury Shoals, Emperor Divers is able to offer departures on Tuesdays and Wednesdays without compromising the diving time. Guests arriving on a Tuesday will spend seven nights on board; Wednesday arrivals spend six nights on board with the final night in the Zabargad Berenice Resort, where Emperor Diver’s Dive Centre is located.

‘Fury & Friends’ is a 25+ itinerary, meaning that divers have managed 25 or more dives on a seven-day safari, whilst ‘Fury & St Johns’ is a 21+ itinerary, delivering 21 or more dives.

With direct flights to Marsa Alam, it's only a 2.5 hour transfer to Hamata. 

Full information email info.safaris@emperordivers.com

Emperor Elite looks rather lovely after her dry dock 'face lift'.

Her saloon has had a makeover, her dining room has been given more space to eat, relax and share after-dinner dining tales and the top deck now welcomes guests with new comfy, gleaming sun beds. She was a beautiful boat before, much admired by many, but we've just taken her up a notch.

Come and enjoy her and leave the humdrum behind for a short while.

For more photos of the 'new look' Elite, visit our Facebook page

There has been much excitement in the Emperor team as we open our latest dive centre in Hamata. Here, some of the best Red Sea diving is right on your door step, including the legendary Fury Shoals.

This part of the southern Red Sea is pristine and delivers diving days that echo those early times of ‘pioneering’ diving, far away from the crowds. The dive sites around Hamata offer big fish, bigger corals, small critters, wrecks, shallow caverns and steep drop-offs with typically stunning visibility.
 
The deep south of the Egyptian Red Sea is an unspoilt paradise on land and beneath the waves. Hamata has some of the best Red Sea diving right on your door step, including the legendary Fury Shoals. Emperor Divers is ideally located right on the beach of the Zabargad Resort and is a PADI Dive Resort/BSAC Travel Partner.

 
House reef, RIB/Zodiac and Day boat diving
Come and enjoy the fabulous house reef, RIB and day boat diving from the small marina in Hamata. This area truly is the divers' choice when you're looking for some of the most spectacular reefs the Red Sea has to offer. Our day diving boat is just three minutes away at the marina, whilst the house reef is within walking distance and a great choice for those with non-diving partners and for underwater photographers.

Emperor Divers General Manager, Mike Braun, explains, "We have been keen to open a dive centre here for some time and the opportunity arose when invited by Zabargad Resort to manage the superb house reef and daily diving. This part of the southern Red Sea is pristine and delivers diving days that echo those early times of ‘pioneering’ diving, far away from the crowds.  The dive sites around Hamata offer big fish, bigger corals, small critters, wrecks, shallow caverns and steep drop-offs with typically stunning visibility."
 
Dive sites galore!
Daily diving from Hamata offers much more flexibility and variety, which means guests can often have stunning sites like Sha’ab Hamham Said, Gota Bohar and Gota Sataya Soraya all to themselves, whilst, of course, being able to visit the famous liveaboard sites Sha’ab Claudio, Sha’ab Maksour and Malahi . There are also a few wrecks in the area such as the sailing yacht on Abu Galawa Sorayer and Tien Hsing on Abu Galawa Kebir.

New liveaboard location cuts sailing time
By mid-2013, Emperor will introduce week-long liveaboards and mini safari trips saving travelling time to St Johns, Zabargad and Rocky and allowing a full week’s diving in this divers’ paradise.
 
Direct flights to Marsa Alam
With direct flights to Marsa Alam, it's only a 2.5 hour transfer to Hamata.

Find out more on Hamata, the diving, the trips and the team here...

Reviewed on TripAdvisor. August 30, 2012
By V1xy, UK

"We did the dolphin day trip and it was amazing. We got to swim above the dolphin pod (with their calf) and watch them jumping out of the water.

The guides were brilliant, and gave us a wonderful experience, as well as being taken to a reef to see more underwater life. I would highly recommend Emperor Divers as they are so conscious of the well being of the dolphins and the reefs and are very knowledgable about all the wildlife. I was so disappointed to see huge boats with crowds of tourists on them screaming and shouting at the sight of dolphins and watching the boats chase the dolphins just for the tourists to get their 'fix'.

Emperor Divers use a small boat and are always putting the dolphins first, not chasing them but anticipating their movements so they swim past the boat...or you in the water if you are lucky enough! Please choose this company and not one of the big boats, you might not get a bar on the boat but it's about the wildlife and being respectful to our planet and these guys are great! Thank you everyone at Emperor Divers for such a wonderful trip!"

Join the Oceans Red Sea team in El Gouna on the Dolphin Trip.

(Photo: Jon Thorne)