Learn all about corals, reef and fish ecology, sex on the reefs, sharks and reef conservation. Emperor Divers has launched a new liveaboard safari where you can choose to learn about the fundamentals of underwater ecosystems and why marine life behaves the way it does. Why are some fish monogamous and others polygamous and why should that affect their colouring? No prior knowledge is needed.

Or learn how to improve your underwater photography skills
On the same safari, Peter Bergquist, a well known underwater photographer featured in a number of international magazines and books, will lead a new digital underwater photo course teaching the basics of underwater photography for beginners and intermediates, so no prior knowledge is needed.

The Eco and Photo courses run side by side and take place on Gold Fleet liveaboard, Emperor Majesty with air-con ensuite cabins and salons, a large dive deck and sun deck, Jacuzzi/hot tub plus two towels and a bathrobe each!
Cost: Liveaboard 1075 Euro pp + Course 160 Euro pp

Email info.safaris@emperordivers.com for more information

Learn how to use your compact camera to take your underwater photography to a new level. Emperor Divers and Ocean Visions are continuing their successful Underwater Photography Courses aimed at beginners with digital compact cameras who want to learn and develop their skills from a shore base rather than liveaboard.

The courses will be tailor-made for each guest’s make of compact camera and daily short, informal presentations will be mixed with individual tuition and lots of feedback. Guests can also try out different accessories, such as flashguns and lenses, to see how they can improve their results, as well as learning PhotoShop techniques and enjoying a nightly slideshow of their own images set to music.

For more information, contact reservations@emperordivers.com

Thirteen instructors from a selection of Emperor's dive centres descended on Sharm to carry out our crossover training to become BSAC Open Water Instructors. The aim of this conversion was for Emperor to become the main BSAC flagship company providing BSAC courses and catering to their members' needs in the Red Sea, and what a success it was.

The training was conducted over a four day period by Eugene Farrell, one of BSAC’s top National Instructions.

So, if you thought Emperor couldn’t help you because you are a BSAC diver, think again. Why not bring over a group or fun dive and let your Emperor dive centre help with either full courses or referrals.

Mike Clack, BSAC Commercial Coordinator sums it up nicely…"BSAC is very excited to be working with one of the Red Sea’s flagship diving operators. We are delighted that Emperor Divers are developing some of their existing and new locations in Egypt as BSAC Diver Training Centres. This will help meet the demands of new customers taking BSAC courses and for existing members to further their training."

Steve Prior has been a PADI member for over 15 years and for the past seven has been teaching Instructor Development Courses. Stevehas now reached the remarkable milestone of over 1700 instructor level certifications.

Together with his wife, PADI IDC Staff Instructor Janet, they have extensive teaching experience of the diving industry and use this experience to create a low stress learning environment, which helps people to learn more readily when not under pressure.

“Over the years, we have developed our very own unique ‘Prior Knowledge’ materials that we hand out to our Instructor candidates,” said Steve. “The materials accelerate their learning and are very useful for instructors after the exams as well.”

“Janet and I work well as a team and our satisfaction comes from being good at what we do. Dive centres find our enthusiasm for the sport is infectious and leaves candidates with a real feel-good factor,” said Steve. Which is why dive centre owners want ‘Steve Prior’ trained instructors because they know they will get people with the right attitude.

Candidates can get ahead of the game with some special tricks to help them pass exams, such as “Easily pass a physics exam without a calculator” and “A foolproof way to tie knots”. Simple ideas that make passing an Instructor Exam easy.

“Whilst we take our role as instructors seriously, we are always light-hearted and enthusiastic about our teaching,” explained Janet.

STOP PRESS

To date, Steve had a 100% success rate on his most recent IDC in Sharm; in fact all of the candidates also became MSDT’s at the same time. A great achievement for them and for the Emperor/Prior partnership.

For more information, contact info@emperordivers.com

This trip gives you the unique opportunity to combine a night dive, Thistlegorm and Dunraven all in one adventure.

Here’s your sample itinerary:
Day 1
7.30 – Depart Travco jetty
Dive one – Ras Mohamed/Alternatives
12.00 – Lunch on the way to Thistlegorm
Dive two – Dunraven/Small Crack/
20.00 – Night dive Thistlegorm
21.30 – Dinner

Day 2
6.30 - Breakfast
Dive one – Thistlegorm, penetration dive
Dive two – Dunraven/Small Crack/
Alternatives/Lonely Mushroom
Dive Three – Ras Mohamed
4.30 – Back at Travco jetty

Cost of trip: 125 Euro includes two dives on Thistlegorm, a night dive on the Thistlegorm, and a third dive at Ras Mohammed on second day.
200LE extra - Ras Mohamed park fees and food (paid in cash on the day)

Shark & Yolanda Reef: - The most famous dive site in Sharm and one of the top ten dive sites of the world. Strong currents can make this an exhilarating drift dive along sheer walls leading to beautiful coral gardens and the wreck of Yolanda. The possibility of Black Tipped Reef Sharks swimming with spiralling Barracuda and shoals of Snapper, Batfish and Unicorn fish are not uncommon. Not to mention the Turtles, Rays, Napoleon fish and numerous Moray Eels.

Dunraven: - Lying on a sloping plateau against the reef plate the Dunraven’s upturned keel ranges from 15m at the bow down to 28m at the entry point. The 19th century steamers propeller is fully exposed and is great for that perfect wreck picture just before you enter the stern. As you pass her boilers and explore her interior you’ll be amazed at the numbers of Glassfish that live inside. Once you exit, the remainder of the dive is spent looking for the numerous Stonefish that live on this vibrant reef.

Alternatives: - Situated on the west side of Ras Mohamed are a series of outcropping coral pinnacles, where you can find numerous coral genera, large groupers, stingrays, nudibranches and even leopard sharks. Ideal for night dives due to a maximum depth of 12 m around the coral pinnacles, which are extremely well sheltered.

Here’s your sample itinerary:
Day one
10.30 – Depart from Travco Jetty
Dive one – Shark & Yolanda Reef
13.30 - Lunch
Dive two - Dunraven
Night dive - Alternatives
21.30 - Dinner

Day two
Dive one – Shark & Yolanda Reef
7.00 – Breakfast
Dive two – Dive site in Ras Mohammed
10.30 – Arrive back to Travco Jetty

This trip is weather/ wind dependent and shark sightings can not be guaranteed.

Cost of trip: 99 Euro includes night dive and second day’s diving.
165LE extra - Ras Mohamed park fees and food (paid in cash on the day

Do one guided beach dive for your orientation and then on the following days you can enjoy unlimited, unguided dives with your friends and family.

40 Euros per diver per day
Non-divers, friends and family are welcome to join you at the beach for an entry fee of just 20le.

Note: No solo diving allowed. All divers must have a buddy.

Baggage allowance is 20kg with an extra allowance of 12kg for diving equipment for £30 return. EasyJet charges £7.98 per item checked in the hold per flight.

Flights will run every day of the week except Fridays and Sundays. They will also take group bookings on line for up to 40 people.

Check out their website for prices and details: www.easyjet.co.uk

Emperor Inflight
When you're flicking through EasyJet's inflight 'Destinations' magazine, turn to the Hurghada page as the information is compiled by...you guessed...Emperor Divers!

For more information go to www.emperordivers.com/hurghada_reefci.php or email reservations@emperordivers.com

However, if you're stuck at home, dreaming of being there, now you can at least realise the dream a little more as Sport Diver magazine will be carrying a regular column on what's been happening at ReefCI and Emperor. Polly Wood, ReefCI's founder, opens the series with a short introduction to the background of ReefCI. So make sure to get your copy of Sport Diver and start to learn how your diving can actually help the Red Sea's environment.

The team is looking at the relationship of weather, tides and moon phase to see if there is a pattern that would allow them to predict when the sightings increase. So far, surface sightings seem to be in rough seas and almost all sightings are around mid day.

One strange idea was that they are attracted by singing underwater…however, this seemed to have had the reverse effect but if you have heard the guides sing you would completely understand why!

Because the centre is closer to some of the best dive sites, it means you can enjoy more flexible diving with half-day or one-day boat trips with the centre’s new fast boat diving* or on the familiar decks of Pegasus or Pharos.

Both budding and experienced divers will enjoy Hurghada; whether it's day diving, doing one of the day trips below, learning to dive, taking your diving further or technical diving with Tekstreme.

Hurghada is renowned for its stunning scuba diving, snorkelling on coral reefs and wrecks, watersports and beaches. For hustle and bustle, try the local markets or vibrant nightlife.

* Available from March 08

Read all about it here

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Clearly Emperor guests are very happy to book online and many have opted to use the system, but email and telephone is still available if you prefer to contact our helpful reservations department with your booking.

Going diving has never been so easy - easy to understand, easy to do and great diving once you get there! In just a few clicks of that little mouse, you could be on your way to one of our five resorts or fleet of safari boats. To prove the point, October's prize draw winner booked his diving online, so not only was it easy, but also free! Well done to Eric Peters from The Netherlands who booked 3 x 5 day dive packs in Hurghada and gets his pack refunded.

Wreck Divers will be able to join the Get Wrecked trip from Sharm El Sheikh visiting some famous sites such as Thistlegorm, Dunraven, Rosalie Moeller, Ulysses, Abu Nuhas and others.

For the more experienced diver we will offer the Sinai Brothers Cruise, which will travel to Ras Mohamed, Thistlegorm and the Brother Islands before heading to Tiran.

Divers will be required to have:
*15 to 20 logged dives recommended for the Sinai Classic Cruise
*50 logged dives for the Get Wrecked Cruise

For more information, email info.safaris@emperordivers.com

From opening in Hurghada 15 years ago, Emperor now operates dive centres in Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Nuweiba and Safaga.

Emperor Fleet is now one of the largest in the Red Sea offering nine vessels from Platinum luxury to highly comfortable Bronze categories, some of which can travel twice as fast as competing liveaboards.

Throughout the 15th Anniversary year, promotions and special give-aways are planned along with a fabulous chance to win a luxurious liveaboard holiday at the NEC Dive Show.

The 2008 Annual Red Sea Bash next July promises to deliver even more to guests in resort as the dive centres gear up to give guests the time of their lives.

Special Offers

15 FREE dive packs
to celebrate 15 years of Red Sea Excellence

Thank you to all our guests for a fabulous 15 years. And to help celebrate the next 15, we have some very tempting SPECIAL OFFERS for you.

Dive 6 days, pay for 4
03 Jan – 14 Mar 08
05 Jun – 11 Jul 08

Book an Open Water course, get a FREE 5-day dive package (selected dates)

15 dive packages to give away.
One each month from Oct 07 – Dec 08.
Random choice from pre-bookings – dive in it to win it.

Liveaboards
SAVE 150 Euro
FREE Nitrox & Nitrox courses (selected dates)

Can’t wait? Then email reservations@emperordivers.com