Testimonials
General diving testimonials
I am really impressed with the level of customer service ED now offers - I have been diving with ED for 5 years and this is the best ever. The website is really good, bookings are easy and you have been excellent so thanks very much. ED is really putting forward some good practices, again the website is so user friendly and packed with info, and this was the first time I had used the new booking system, which was straight forward, fast, easy to use and, might I say, idiot proof.
Keith Fennemore, Suffolk & Hurghada February 2008
What a wonderful time I had with Emperor - I am a novice open water diver and was made so welcome from everyone. The boat was amazing and the crew second to none, all very helpful and the food was great! My Buddy was so patient even though my first dive made the tide go out because I sucked instead of blowing! I was lucky enough to see the most amazing green turtle that was huge and lots of amazing fish and other aquatic life, things I will remember for always! Anyone who has always wondered what diving is like must really give it a go I was fifty when I took my course and my only regret is I didn't do it years ago! So give it a go - everyone at Emperor will make you very welcome and it truly is an amazing experience and I for one will be back next year!
Maureen Walker, England January 2008
The dive experience was breath taking, I met some really nice people all madly in love with diving. I was told that the Red Sea is one of the best to dive in the world, I agree totally. I would recommend Emperor to anybody. Best Regards
Andy Lai, England January 2008
I have just returned from two weeks diving in Marsa Alam and would like to thank you for your excellent service. It is rare to meet such a great team of people and go to a dive centre that combines absolute professionalism with a genuinely friendly touch. Please be proud of yourselves. Every single member of the dive team, the reception desk, and the boat crew is a credit to themselves and to Emperor. I hope to see you again soon and will continue to recommend you to all I know.
Mike, Northampton December 2007
I had a great time and excellent dives. The operation is superb, everything ran like clockwork. Very friendly and efficient. The guides were excellent, especially Alex, Penny and Walee. Also I think it was Chris that dived the Thistlegorm , his dive brief and knowledge was superb on the wreck.
Donald Flanagan, Dublin November 2007
I have just returned from a trip to Marsa Alam staying at the Coral Beach Hotel, where I was leading a group of 14. I'm writing to say how fantastic the Emperor team was during our stay and how they made the diving so enjoyable. In particular I would like to highly commend Chris Brown, Aladino, manager Gary and the crews of 'Sea Dream' & 'Isa' for making the week so enjoyable. The planning, safety and execution of the dives were exemplary. I was particularly impressed that, as group leader, I received a complimentary night dive which was very much appreciated.
It goes without saying that Emperor Divers remain the best company in the Red Sea and I would not hesitate to recommend them to customers. The online booking procedure is very smooth, easy-to-follow and efficient, as with all things Emperor.
Sarah Iles, Iles of Diving, West Sussex November 2007
www.scubatraining.com
Got back to London after a fab two weeks in Hurghada and just wanted to let you know that diving with ReefCI was great fun and very insightful, think I'm a much better and more knowledgeable diver for it. Was great that we were often in the water first and tried to go where other divers didn't so that we weren't crowded. A marine biologist on hand to help teach and point things out was pretty good too. Thanks for all your help in organising this trip.
Dale Goosen, London November 2007
I would like to this opportunity to thank the team at Emperor Divers in Sharm for a fantastic service. I did 9 days diving and found it very well organised and the guides were top class especially Susi and Sami who I was with for most of my days. I have to mention the admin staff as well who organise all of the days diving. I always knew where and when I was diving. Again, I thank you for the fantastic diving I had on my holiday, Emperor want to be proud of the very high standards and customer focused service. I would not hesitate to use Emperor again and would recommend you to all of my dive buddies.
Tony Brown, Washington, England September 2007
May I take this opportunity to congratulate your Hurghada team for both the professional and friendly manner in which this trip was undertaken. I was the only member of a party of 4 that was diving but my husband and children remained on the boat and were looked after very well. Your staff, from the bus driver to the lady in the shop through to the boat crew and the instructors, completed the holiday of a lifetime.
The Lyles Family, Batley, England September 2007
Thank you all for making our diving holidays in Hurghada so enjoyable. We had the best holiday ever. The diving experience with Emperor was fantastic, and we felt that we gained great experience and confidence in our skills. Hugh thoroughly enjoyed doing his advanced diving course and has not stopped talking about it since. Manus had a great time on his adventure dive and is looking forward to completing the advanced dive course when he reaches the old age of 12 years. Hugh and I had a great time as well and felt so fortunate that we could trust our children with the great staff from the diving centre. Please give our love to Petra, Ben, Mische, Cath, Nick and all the professional and great buddies that we met there. You all made our holiday very memorable. Hugh is doing his rescue dive this weekend in Galway..it will be very difficult to have the same standards as we experienced in Hurghada. Thanks for sending the CD we enjoy watching it and it will hopefully shorten the winter months for us. We would highly recommend you to friends and family Nora and Hugh O'Donnell, Galway, Ireland August 2007
This was our second trip to Sharm, the first being in July 2005 with a party of school children. We had a great week. All of the emails before we came out were fast, efficient and really friendly. The diving was very good, Brian and Dav were excellent guides, the President 111 was a clean boat with a great crew. I have no complaints and neither did any of our group. I am now planning next years trip, thinking of going to Marsa Alam.
Christian, Fiftybar Diving, Whitstable August 2007
www.fiftybardiving.co.uk
Having recently returned from a family diving holiday in Hurghada I would just like to thank everyone from Emperor for their professionalism and the effort they put in to ensure that everything went smoothly for myself and my children.
From the complexities of booking multiple courses for one adult and four children to the excellent staff at the dive school and on the dive boats we were taken care of and nothing was too much effort.
I want to thank all the staff with special mention to David, Petra, Mick, Lisa but especially Kat, Nick and Kerry who were excellent with my children and cared from them quite literally in sickness and in health.
I would have no hesitation in recommending this dive school to anyone with children of any age and especially with large families! And Kat thanks for playing snooker with the kids it was one of Bonnie's highlights.
Elaine De Fries, England August 2007
A huge thank you to everyone at the Coral Beach Hotel, especially the staff at Emperor Divers and the crew of the Princess Rachelle.
I have been diving with Emperor Divers ever since they started some 15 years ago. I have visited the Red Sea at least 36 times, Wendy about 20, and we had yet another fantastic diving holiday. The diving was brilliant, made even better by the friendly and accommodating staff at the diving school. A special thank you goes to our guides, Aladin, Chris and Mo for their professional approach and for putting up with us. We must also say thank you to the lovely crew of the Rachelle, who remembered us from Hurghada, and still let us on to their boat! One particular dive will stay in our memory for a very long time, and that of the other divers in our group, including the guides. We had the privilege of swimming with a dugong who decided we were friendly intruders and stayed with us for about 20 minutes, swimming to each of us in turn, so close we could have touched it (which we didn't). The dugong was joined by a baby dolphin and its mother. Wow, one of those once in a lifetime encounters.
Jackie and Wendy, England July 2007
Once again I had a fantastic time when I came back to the Marsa Alam Coral Beach. This was my third visit and again I had fantastic service both at the hotel and by the Emperor team and they really welcomed me back. As a woman travelling alone this is very important to me. My special thanks to Vanessa who so patiently helped me through my first night dive, enabling me to be confident enough to do a second - which I thoroughly enjoyed. I would also like to thank Mo, Tarik and Aladino and the boat crews who were as usual so very helpful. You really have a very special set up there and I am planning to come back again - hopefully at the end of October. Marianne Debenham, England July 2007
Two Nights in Tiran
Having just got back from two of the best week's diving we have ever experienced in Sharm, it is time to write in praise of the Emperor Team once again. For us, returning to dive each year with Emperor is like visiting good friends and family. The reception is always warm and friendly and we are very quickly made to feel at home. This was our first visit under the management of Duncan 'The Colonel' McAllister, but any fears that Emperor Sharm might have turned army barmy were quickly dispelled by the invitation to the free barbecue on the first night of our visit. The venue has been changed from the Pirates Bar and buses were laid on to ferry guests back and forth to the nearby town of Hadaba. We were entertained with good food, drink and excellent company. It was refreshing to see many, if not all, of Sharm's Emperor Staff, including 'The Colonel,' relaxing and having a good time whilst getting to know the guests. The night was great fun, especially the ceremony for the 'Dive Guide Plonker of the Week Award.' The two visits we made to the barbecue, held each Friday, contrasted greatly with the rather sedate affairs of the Pirates Bar in previous years, when maybe only a small number of staff would be in attendance.
Another welcome change has been the inclusion of a number of special dive trips to the usual itinerary available. We opted for the overnight Tiran trip. Not once, but twice - such was the fun we had. This trip is highly recommended for those wanting to experience and dive the reefs of Tiran Island without the downside of the 'congested car park' gathering that such a popular dive site produces during peak times. Meeting at the Dive Centre at 10.30am is something of a luxury in itself as it allows for an extra couple of hours in bed. The cruise out to the island is unhurried - as the name of the game is to let the early dive boats do their thing and leave the reefs for lunch as we were getting ready to dive alone. On our trips, an agenda had been set to spot hammerheads off the back of Jackson Reef when the water was sufficiently quiet of divers. We were not disappointed. Not only did we get to see hammerheads in number, but a very graceful Manta and the largest Eagle Ray we have ever encountered with a magnificent wingspan. The morning dive was followed by an excellent late lunch aboard Empress Theresa and by the time we made the afternoon dive most of the other dive boats were heading back to Naama. Then it was into the Laguna for an overnight mooring in calm water. The setting sun, casting its golden light across the island, is a sight not to be missed and definitely a must for photography enthusiasts. A night dive followed in no more than 5 metres of water around the Laguna's pinnacles, which were teeming with sub-aqua night life. We even located a sleeping turtle.
The night dive was followed by a superb dinner, which included one of the tastiest deep-pan pizzas in the Red Sea, and then to bed. The sweltering heat meant that mattresses on deck and a night under the stars was the order of the end of the day. With a sunrise as bright as a button, alarm clocks were not needed to wake us. We all got kitted up for the most important dive of the trip. Getting in the water long before any of the other boats had left the jetty meant that the island and its reefs were ours alone and it was here that we had our best encounters with the gathering hammerheads. Breakfast followed and two dives and a lunch later we were on our way back to the dive centre. Thoroughly exhausted, but with some very special memories of an altogether pleasing adventure. We were so taken with this trip that we opted for a further visit in the second week of our stay. On that occasion we weren't so lucky with our sightings - as local conditions did not allow for a dive around the back of Jackson, but the experience was memorable nonetheless.
It is good to see that Emperor Divers continue to move forward with innovative ideas to keep their guests entertained. Like us, many guests return to dive with Emperor year after year. We are convinced that it is Emperor's commitment to safety and customer enjoyment, together with the wide breadth of experience of the Emperor Team that creates the feeling that you are in safe hands when you dive with Emperor. Whilst many dive operations today appear to get by on a high turn-over of newly qualified, young, freelance guides, there can be no substitute for the reassurance and confidence that comes with the knowledge that you are diving with and being guided by an experienced and mature team. Long may it last.
Our thanks to all of our friends at Emperor, old and new, for making this the best dive holiday yet.
Alan, Nikki & Bailey Wheetman. Norfolk, UK July 2007
Our group, Rebel Divers, has just returned after a week's diving in Sharm. This is our sixth visit to Egypt, the second year with Emperor.
We were extremely impressed, once again, with the professional standards of the dive operation and the quality of the two boats that we used over the course of the week (Kastan Sea and Theresa). We particularly enjoyed the overnight trip to Tiran and, although only one of us saw a hammerhead (me!) we all agreed that it was well worth the supplement. Our dive leader Brian was excellent, giving us exactly the degree of guidance that we required but without treating us like children (unlike some I have known in the past!) All in all an extremely enjoyable and competitively priced week's diving and we will undoubtedly be returning to Emperor Divers in the future.
Jonathan Belsey, Rebel Divers, Suffolk July 2007
We undertook this trip as a formal military Level 3 (overseas) Adventure Training expedition. The rules that govern the conduct of military diving are quite strict and Emperor Sharm once again adapted themselves to us fantastically. It was great that our trip coincided with the annual 'Birthday Bash' and a tip of the hat goes to the manager out there for making it such a good week for both diving and socialising.
I would be grateful if you could pass on our formal thanks to both Denis Durrant, our guide for the duration, and Carol Powell, Operations Supervisor, for looking after us so well. This is the fourth time we have used Emperor and we were not disappointed. The service provided was exemplary and the operation both smoothly and safely run. The boat, skippered by Nasser and his team, was always spotless and well catered for and his local knowledge and boat handling ability complimented Denis' guiding to the best dive sites.
All in all, this trip has been a huge success. My soldiers have experienced an excellent range of diving in a stunning setting. Emperor, Denis, Carol and Nasser played a large part in this success for which we are truly grateful.
We look forward to continuing our relationship with Emperor and hope to run a similar expedition again next year.
Capt Dai Tamplin, 1st Regiment Royal Military Police, Germany July 2007
We have just returned from Sharm having dived with Emperor for the sixth time in the last few years. As usual a great experience made so by guides such as Tammi. The Friday night party was wonderful and it gave us a chance to meet a few other faces that are usually hidden.
Ed and Liz Pridgeon, Worcestershire, England July 2007
www.red-sea-apartment.co.uk
We had a lovely trip to Marsa Alam. I brought 9 divers + myself for a weeks diving staying in the Coral Beach and diving with yourselves. Your staff, as always, was professional, helpful and knowledgeable. The diving staff helped me find the best sites for the training I had to complete on the trip and looked after my more nervous divers very well indeed. We were also very lucky to find both Dennis the Dugong (before the bay was closed) and a pod of dolphins! Orca Divers are running a photography competition this year for photos taken on our trips abroad and in the UK and if I was allowed to enter I would surely win with some of the great shots I got on this trip. It was also wonderful to see your company encouraging divers to take part in beach and underwater clean ups. To hear instructors briefing divers on protecting the reefs etc - it goes with everything we believe in here at Orca Divers. The dive centre itself was well run and checking in, getting gear for hire and checking out was all very smooth and easy. We are now planning a liveaboard for November time with you - we just have to decide whether Northern Wrecks or Brothers will be best!
Caroline, Orca Divers, Manchester May 2007
www.orcadivers.com
Email: info [at] orcadivers.com
One word: diving with Emperor Divers Marsa Alam was superb! The organisation was very good, the dive spots were very good and the briefings from Roberta were great. If you want to see some pictures: www.zeeroos.be (foto's, and then click next to the group photo). Everybody agreed: the best organisation from the last 5 years!
Rik Baert, De Zeeroos, Deinze, Belgium May 2007
Nuweiba - thanks to Steffi, Andy, Noeleen, Chris and Paul for some great dives. We were only there for the week and had some really good dives; my daughter and her husband took their AOW with Chris and I tagged along on some of the dives. A special thanks to Noeleen for her help, especially on the last dive when I had stomach cramp; thanks also to Ahmed and Mohammed who were always there to assist. This is the first time I've dived with Emperor Divers and it won't be the last - well impressed - nothing too much trouble and everything runs smoothly from booking in to diving etc.
Martyn Miller, Hemel Hempstead, England May 2007
I have just come back from my 3rd diving holiday with Emperor and am finally writing the thank you letter I keep saying I will write! I have dived with Emperor in Hurghada where I completed my Open Water and Advanced course with the help and patience of Simon Richards! Simon has made sure I got my diving off to a good start and I can't thank him enough - although he is also responsible for starting an obsession! Then I dived with the Emperor team in Marsa Alam - again all the dive guides and team, Mo, Aladdino, Guy etc, were fabulous. I have just got back from a week in Sharm and again dived with Emperor. Denis got me through my Nitrox course and we got to see a shark! On every trip the boats, crew, food and all the Emperor staff, from booking online to the resort, have been great - and all the help is much appreciated. I have felt thoroughly spoilt. Please pass on my thanks to Simon and Denis for their efforts in getting me through my tests - and managing not to laugh to much at me when being a muppet!
Fiona Murphy, Rutland, England May 2007
Nuweiba - Thank you to Chris, Noeleen, Paul, Akmed and Beano, for a wonderful diving holiday, Beryl and I really enjoyed ourselves, again. I personally believe my diving has improved at least four-fold from before I first came to Emperor at Nuweiba in October 2006. I put this down to the professional approach to diving and friendliness of all the staff you have. Nothing ever seems to be too much trouble for anyone - also to the wonderful dive sites at and around Nuweiba.
André and Beryl Ray, Rochester, England May 2007
We look back at a very happy holiday in Marsa Alam. The boat, the crew and the divemasters Roberto and Chris were very nice and helpful. We had good dives and good reefs. Elphinstone was great and of course we were very happy with the good weather and the lack of current. We have really nothing to complain about - we saw the dugong (before the bay closed), shark, turtle, large ray, frogfish, dolphins, stonefish and much more. Next time we book directly with you, that will be much better.
Cor Schaap & Lucia Baker, E & C Duikteam, Houten, Netherlands May 2007
Thanks to everyone at Sharm for yet another fantastic diving experience. From start to finish everything was perfect and as it was the 4th time we've dived with Emperor it was like going back to meet 'old friends'. The staff at Emperor has enabled us to fulfil our dream of becoming divers, they got us through both our Open Water and Advanced courses. We would like to thank Terry Axam for his brilliant tuition, patience, wit and humour, which got us through our Nitrox course this time. We will never forget our very eventful trip to Dahab with him! Thanks also to Matt, Kevin and Osama who also made our diving fun but very informative. Just one last thing to say...WE'LL BE BACK (At Christmas - Inshallah).
Jackie & Graham Hyden, Newport, South Wales, UK May 2007
The staff at Sharm was very helpful and understanding. The assistance provided by the boat crew to all our divers was outstanding (a special mention must go to Rabir) and made for a truly wonderful week of diving. Our guide for the week, Penny, assisted/advised/endured, in fact all three! and her constant enthusiasm was displayed every day. I could not fault any of the week's events - the club and myself have nothing but praise for the staff of both Emperor and the Marcus boat and would not hesitate in recommending the location or the facilities.
Mark McGranaghan, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland May 2007
www.firesac.com
I've just returned to a rainy and windy Britain after a fantastic week of diving with Hurghada. The check in and out process was painless, with all equipment being 'fitted' and available within minutes. Mieszko helped me to refresh my skills since I qualified three years ago (I know!). A good day with two great dives in the afternoon. Nick was our instructor and guide for the week with Simon joining us for a day. Both are great dive instructors and guides, ably assisted by Liam and Adam. All are professional, approachable and friendly. Special thanks to Adam for being patient with me and my ears! The crews of Pharos and Asmaa are all very friendly and helpful. How they put on such a spread of food still amazes me. The highlight was the trip to the Thistlegorm. It took a choppy 4 hours or so to get there - but it was well worth it! The reef dives we did were brilliant too, being able to see all of the fish and corals - brilliant. It's amazing how fast an hour can go by! We had a nice group on the boat too, which made the experience even better. I don't usually go back to the same place twice, but Hurghada may be one of only two exceptions.
Ross Goodison, Bristol, UK May 2007
A fantastic week's diving in Marsa Alam. As regular Emperor customers we are well used to a great service but Marsa really blew us away. We were one of the lucky ones who saw the hammerhead on Elphinstone and have pictures to prove it. We saw turtles on almost every dive - sadly no dugong but we did swim with approx 50 dolphins. Special thanks must go to Vanessa who has the patience of a saint, to Aladdin who made our stay so much fun and to the newest member Chris who I am sure will be a fantastic addition to the Emperor team. As a family of divers it is great to have that peace of mind when booking a trip and you really do get that extra special treatment with Emperor. So to anyone who is thinking of booking their diving with Emperor I can only recommend them wholeheartedly. Until next time.
The Bradshaw Family, Preston, England April 2007
11 other divers and myself have just returned from Sharm. This is the second time in twelve months we have dived with Emperor. Once again the guides were to be commended making our week onboard the "Teresa" more than enjoyable and light hearted throughout. Dennis and Brian were a testimony to two enthusiastic divers with a real interest in the needs of the group and individuals within it.
David Atherton, England April 2007
www.just-scuba.moonfruit.com
Trip with you to Hurghada was a resounding success! Fifteen of us in the party and everyone to a man can't wait for the next trip. Can't say enough about Kat and Petra, our guides, and also all the crew on the boat. They were so much fun but damn good at the job too. We had age ranges from two 12 year olds to a retired grandad and they managed to strike just the right balance to keep us all in check, but happy with it, brilliant job. My firm, Diveworld, has used Emperor through Regaldive for a good few years and we are very rarely anything other than fully happy on return.
Steve Hird, Sheffield England April 2007
www.learn2dive.co.uk
Thank you all for another great diving trip to Hurghada. As always we were particularly impressed by the quality of the Emperor service - from guides to bus drivers, boat crews to admin - everything went really smoothly. Dad really enjoyed learning to dive - thanks Cat for your patience - despite some equalisation trouble he is still determined to keep going. I will get him in the pool soon to keep his skills up!
Once again a particularly big thank you to Simon for his exceptional guiding and for helping me out with the drysuit.
Richard Whalley, New Forest, England April 2007
I just wanted to send you a quick note to say a big THANK YOU to all in Sharm for all your help with arranging the diving for us - you were brilliant and made it so easy for us. We plan to come out again sometime later this year. Thank you once again and also to Claudia who was great and Sameh was just fantastic!
Anya & Owen, Woking & Guildford, England April 2007
During our visit to Hurghada we had a number of problems - transfers to and from the airport, hotel rooms in different blocks, removal of strap from one of my fins, loss of watch, should-have-been-retired shorty wetsuit.
I would like to say how impressed we were by the way each of these was handled. Everything was sorted immediately and, most impressive and rare, with an absolute minimum of (actually, total lack of) fuss - and without making us feel we were being a nuisance. I cannot think of another 'holiday company' (excuse the term but I can't think of another) which has been like that.
The boat crew, also, were really helpful and Cat was just superb - she quickly appreciated what we were interested in and how we liked to dive and was a brilliant, and informative, guide. In the past we have only dived with Red Sea College and we knew that would be a very hard act to follow. Emperor Divers more than 'followed' it and will be the company of choice for us now.
Andy & Eve Blanshard, Huddersfield, England April 2007
Seonaidh is really pleased with the dives she did and what she saw, which was what I hoped for on this trip to Marsa Alam. As she builds her self-confidence as a diver she will I am sure experience fewer problems with her ears. I'll be off telling more people about our week and emailing some of those who were there last year in October to let them know that the dugong came out to play this time. Vanessa, Guy, Aladdin and Tariq were great company and did a great job with us throughout the week.
Anne-Marie Jamieson, England April 2007
Fabulous holiday, fabulous course, fabulous diving in Marsa Alam. It has started something off for me in particular and I am now in the process of purchasing all my own diving gear so that I can continue diving here in the UK. Of course, we'll both be returning to Egypt again and again and look forward to making more use of your services in the future.
Chris Cherrington, Swindon, England April 2007
Just returned from my second trip to the coral Beach Diving Hotel in Marsa Alam. I had booked 5 days diving and once again I had a fantastic time and was treated really well by the staff at Emperor Divers and the hotel staff. Emperor has a fantastic set up there and all were brilliant. The diving was excellent and everyone including guides and boat staff were really helpful and fun. My special thanks to Roberto, Roberta and Mano and to Philippe for showing me round the liveaboard on my last day and to Vanessa for a great last day's diving.
Marianne Debenham, Rainham, England March 2007
For the second year in a row, the service from Steffi and Andy in Nuweiba was superb and Noeleen, Chris and Paul bent over backwards to help out. Last year I described the dive centre as the best run we have ever been to on our group holidays and this year was even better. We will definitely be back again next year.
A bit bizarre seeing a Mimic Octopus, but with the frogfish going into hiding this year there had to be another highlight.
Roger Hirst, England March 2007
I have only a few words really for the crew, guides and boat I had to 'suffer' while day diving with Emperor out of Sharm...truly awe-inspiringly fantastic, and that was just the food! No really, I can honestly say that I have never been made to feel so welcome, comfortable or at ease, I wouldn't hesitate to dive with Emperor again.
Beccy, England March 2007
This trip was my first Red Sea diving holiday, the crew and the guides (Steve and Sammy) made this a fantastic week. The boat was exceptional and the care and attention given to ensuring that we all had a really enjoyable and safe diving holiday was reassuring. The dive sites were marvellous and with the quality of food served on the boat made this a really memorable holiday. Truly a really good trip.
Brian Ayling, England March 2007
We have had a wonderful vacation in Hurghada with Emperor. It was my ten-year jubilee from the first time I was diving with Emperor and I am as pleased as I was the first time. I had twelve dives and staff onboard were very nice and helpful. Special thanks to Cat and Karen. Here back in Sweden we haven't done any dives yet but the cold and murky waters are enticing as a contrast.
Henrik Sundihn & Mattias Svedberg, Karlskrona, Sweden March 2007
Got back from Sharm the other day. Due to various reasons, including high blood pressure, I hadn't dived for a couple of years and not done many dives before that. I must thank Donna for taking the time to coax me back into the water, after I had freaked. Quite frankly during the week I went from looking forward to diving, to wanting to sell all of my kit to booking another to the Red Sea in a couple of months.
If it hadn't been for Donna going the extra distance my kit would be on Ebay today.
Mike Chatwood, England March 2007
The trip to Marsa Alam was fantastic. As you probably are aware, our group did require specific needs and they were met perfectly. The school whose trip I was leading are very keen on running them on a regular basis. Thanks again for all your efforts and could you please pass on our gratitude to all your staff at the Coral Beach Hotel.
Simon Gray, London Scuba, England March 2007
I would just like to send a big thank you to everyone at Emperor for making mine and George's first visit to the Red Sea one to remember. Especially to Arni, Penny & Sarah for getting us through our open water course. A real big thanks to Sarah for persevering with George on that last dive on Thursday afternoon when he couldn't equalise (I thought we were coming back for another day) . Trying to book again for Easter so that we can do some fun dives and our advanced course all the hotels seem fairly full though. Thanks once again to a very professional outfit.
Shaun & George Cook, Flitton, England February 2007
There's not a lot I can say apart from a huge thank you! Everyone in our group had a great time, and the service we had from Emperor was excellent. The booking was handled painlessly by Laura, and all my questions were answered promptly and helpfully. Everyone out in Sharm was very helpful, and Tammi and Carol were brilliant - couldn't have asked for better people to spend a week with, and Sarah was very good and enthusiastic! Our boat (Emperor III) and her crew were great too. For a land-based holiday I wouldn't hesitate to dive with yourselves again, and will definitely recommend you to others. I can't even offer some constructive criticism!
Bob Firmin, Cardiff, Wales February 2007
www.stusoc.cf.ac.uk/suon/subaqua/
Extract from Maureen Colbert's Hurghada experience
When we arrived at the dive site, there were dolphins on the surface, but quite a distance (500 yards approx). Les still using digital camera, and getting good results. Liam guided Les and myself round the coral gardens and Les took lots of photos. Then back towards the boat, and just as we're about to ascend, DOLPHINS! About 15-20 (including babies) arrive and made our trip! Les managed to get several photos - one especially good one (below).
As the guys on the boat will testify, I was absolutely 'gob-smacked'! The dolphins were so close to us (apologies to the 20 or so divers who didn't see them), and Duncan, Tim and Cat also managed to get photos/video of them, which Duncan kindly emailed to me.All in all, we had an absolutely terrific week of diving and our thanks to Cat, Nick, Liam, Peter and the boat crew (who were great, helping me back into the boat when I struggled!) for making our diving so interesting and varied. Also our thanks to Lisa and the rest of the staff in the shop and dive centre. We enjoyed the diving so much that we're already planning a return trip.
Maureen Colbert, England February 2007
Karen and I had a great week's diving in Hurghada. Special thanks to Timia and Liam for their help, assistance, briefings and general good humour. We only started diving about twelve months ago but have done a lot of dives since then. Our time with you was very memorable.
Greg Page, Kingston, England February 2007
The guys and gals at your Sharm centre were fantastic. Although this was my fourth time diving with you, it was the first trip for the rest of our small club. The hospitality and courtesy shown by your staff was terrific, and the level of care and professionalism exemplary. We will be back as soon as possible. Please pass on my thanks to all the staff.
Bobby Kilday, Scotland February 2007
Thank you for helping me, my brother Blythe and friend Dave to enjoy a fantastic time in Sharm El Sheikh. We chose Emperor after getting several recommendations from friends that have used you recently and it's fair to say that your operation more than lived up to our expectations. I would like to compliment you on the very professional operation you run. I would especially like to say thank you very much to the dive guides we had during our six days of diving (Dennis, Cam, Sameh, Terry and Osama). They all, without fail, provided excellent, detailed dive briefings and the subsequent dives were very well led and enjoyable, apart from perhaps when I lost my camera. I have no doubt that our next dive trip to the Red Sea will involve Emperor Divers and I have already recommended your services to a friend who is planning a dive holiday to Sharm in June.
Neil Smith, England February 2007
neil.smiffy [at] btopenworld.com
Thanks to all the people that were involved in making our Sharm diving experience a memory never to be forgotten (Laura, Sarah, Anne, Donna, Matt and all the rest of the crew and staff). I will most definitely return to Sharm for another trip in the very near future. Emperor Divers will be recommended by me to anyone who wishes to go diving in the Red Sea as the manner of professionalism that is shown in every aspect of making a person's diving trip a fantastic experience.
Richard Darke, Cape Town, South Africa January 2007
We had yet another great time! Because we have a disabled diver in the group, Marsa Alam is one of the best places for us to go for him, as the facilities there are almost perfect. Phil (centre manager) was, as usual, a good host; he runs a good centre with a few key staff you should be very proud of. It is my intention to bring out another exped at Easter.
Stuart Scoorge, Bristol, England January 2007
Just another thanks for the diving we had at Sharm. Kev was a great guide, helping us through the referral stage of open water, and once free of worrying about mask removal or weight belt on the surface, the diving became an experience. Looking forward to more diving and hopefully we will return to your place again.
Keith & Julie Taylor, Liverpool, England January 2007
We had a brilliant time. The arrangements were handled by Laura, she did a fantastic job, everything went as planned. Our Guide for the week, Dennis was a star, very supportive. In fact I would like to request he is allocated to my group in Feb when we next come out. Since we joined your partnership arrangement (TUK4110) we have sent lots of people out and now have experienced our own group travelling, it has enhanced our diving options and we have received nothing but praise for Emperor's quality and delivery of service.
Chris Reed, Robin Hood Watersports January 2007
www.roho.co.uk
Just returned from Sharm and wanted to let you know how impressed and extremely pleased we were with the instruction we received from Steve Kehoe on our Open Water course. He made the whole experience more than just a learning experience; it was fun and has certainly whetted our appetites to do more diving. If we do, and we're sure we will, we will return to Sharm to do the advanced course and we will ask for Steve to be our instructor. Thanks also to Dennis and Keith who also helped make our week a better time than we anticipated.
Ray & Chris Eccleston, Wolverhampton, England January 2007
Thanks to everyone who made our diving experience so much fun. As a diver it was important for me to find a good dive school who would help James through his first diving experience and help him pass his Open Water course. He could not have wished for a better guy than Steve K. What a great guy! James relaxed immediately and really enjoyed himself. From the point of booking our dive package over the Internet, to being picked up from our hotel on day one, to paying our bill - everything was really professional and well organised.
Having dived with a couple of other dive centres in Sharm on previous occasions, I would recommend Emperor to everyone and we will definitely be back. A really friendly diving school with enthusiastic and friendly divers and a great fun atmosphere - just what diving should be all about!
Joanne Turner & James King , England October 2006
I am very satisfied with my last trip to Brothers. Nice diving with sharks, beautiful wrecks and more to see than other trips I previously have joined. I have been diving for 41 years in lots of places around the world; this trip was one of the best.
Nils Aukan, Kristiansund N, Norway December 2006
We had a wonderful time in Marsa Alam. Jamie, our guide, was excellent and the crew was really good too. The food prepared by Sammy was great and much more than we expected. It was a nice surprise when they invited us back onto the boat (their home), after working hours to bake us some wonderful cakes. We really enjoyed that.
The only thing I would like to change for next time is the area covered on each dive. I know the guides want to show you as much as they can but I could have spent an hour under the boat! There is so much to see.
Anne Shaw, Secretary, Nottingham BSAC November 2006
I am very pleased to confirm that Emperor Sharm yet again lived up to expectations - and in many respects this year exceeded them!
Laura was an absolute pleasure to deal with and extremely helpful and informative and genuinely seems to take an interest in helping plan such a trip. We were all pleased that you were able to allocate Terry Axam as our lead guide, who quite simply, adds to the enjoyment of the holiday with his knowledge, whit and interest. He was supported by Kevin who, I understand is freelance, but he clearly understands the Emperor ethos and was a credit to your operation.
We were fortunate to be allocated Emperor Marcus and the combination of this, the excellent crew and our guides made this one of the best weeks any of the 20 of us have had with you (and others).
It was my wife, Hilary's 50th birthday and everyone helped make it a special week for her. Our previous trips with you had been tarnished (very) slightly by the 'difficulties' and confusion when trying to pay for extras at the end of the week, and to some extent by the signing-on procedure at the start, but I am delighted to say that both these aspects were more efficient and pleasant this time round.
Our dive club, either in smaller parties or those of similar size to the group of 20 this time, regularly dive in Sharm and certainly I, and most of those actively involved, would be highly unlikely to choose a dive operator other than Emperor.
Jeff Bond, England November 2006
PS It's very nice to be able to give well deserved, positive feedback.
My partner, two friends and myself returned from a week's holiday in Hurghada. We booked the holiday through Thomson and booked our diving direct by email with Emperor before we left. We stayed at the Hilton Resort.
The booking process itself was excellent - we received prompt responses to the emails, addressing all of our questions. It was great to have all the information we required prior to leaving, including all of the forms we needed to fill in.
Overall, we found the organisation of the whole diving experience excellent - it was a very relaxed atmosphere at the centre/on the dock. I expect partly due to the dive centre being on site at our hotel and partly because there were only two boats. But everything was carried out very professionally. Our two guides were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. And the boat crews likewise.
The actual diving was wonderful - who could ask for more than wrecks, dolphins, turtles and eagle rays - all in one week! The dive briefings were thorough and accurate - and we loved the white-board 'maps' of the dive sites - they really helped us to visualise the sites before we splashed.
I suppose the only thing, which could have been different, was having water tubs available with fresh water on the dock, so we could rinse out our kit once or twice during the week. At the end of the week, we did this by rinsing the kit on board the boat before docking on the last day. The tubs were there - but they didn't have any water in them. We'll certainly dive with Emperor again!
Sian Raynor, Isle of Wight October 2006
Re Marsa Alam:
Tried to catch you before we left to say thank you for the brilliant service from you and your staff on our recent holiday. Once again we would like to praise your guides, (Aladino, Vanessa, Roberta and Mataeus) they were excellent guides underwater and so helpful and friendly on land.
The boat crew were up to their usual standard, although we did miss Sammi, the food was very nice and the crew so friendly and helpful.
Thank you for the tip before we came out about the four Oceanics in the area, because of that tip, we booked Elphinstone and were not disappointed. The experience of diving with sharks for the first time was totally amazing and we are still buzzing.
Look forward to coming back next year, will be in touch once we have decided which month we are coming out, to arrange our diving requirements.
Linda & Graeme Moore, Kent, England October 2006
I just wanted to write and say thanks very much for a lovely couple of days diving in Port Ghalib, Marsa Alam. I had a wonderful time. Also, I wanted to mention how impressed I was by your staff; they are a wonderful reflection on the operation you run down there; you must be very proud of them all. They are all lovely and friendly and from checking in to paying my bill I felt completely looked after. I know a little bit about what goes on 'behind the scenes' in dive centres, but even with this, all your staff were totally approachable and acted completely professionally the entire time. I know I was only a 'sort of' guest, but I recognise and appreciate excellent customer service when I see it. A special thanks to Mo and Brad for looking after me on the boat on Elphinstone Reef, (Brad I didn't get a chance to say goodbye, I wish you and Cas all the happiness for your time there), and also to Aladino for the previous days guiding and all the shark stories! (Despite which I slept soundly that night!) I will always remember my first mini shark encounters! Thanks guys!
Ruth Haslam, Travelling randomly, Anywhere October 2006
Just a quick note to thank you and all the staff for making the diving an enjoyable experience. Having been in Sharm for a while before getting round to diving, it was a breath of fresh air to turn up and find everything so well organised. This coupled with the professionalism of each and every instructor we spent time with made for an all round good time.
In particular I would like to pass on a Big Thanks to "Big Mo" - with only a few dives under my belt I was somewhat nervous about the deep dive on my AOW course. Mo's easy manner and excellent instruction really did put me at ease and, not to put too fine a point on it, the 2 days diving with him made what was rapidly becoming a mediocre holiday into a fantastic one. As an instructor in a different physical skill area I recognised in Mo many traits of a excellent instructor, such as, an in depth background knowledge of the subject, patience and willingness to listen, sense of humour, professionalism and the ability to adapt, to name a few.
Laurence Goldberg, London, England September 2006
We are generally a group of between 5 & 7 divers and thought that the combination of the Coral Beach Diving Hotel at Marsa Alam & Emperor Divers was the best that we have experienced in the Red Sea so far in the three years that we have been visiting the region. So much so that it is our intention to come back again next year.
Talking with Phillipe in the Dive Centre, the one ingredient that we wanted, as far as our wish list was concerned, was a mini-safari from Marsa Alam. So we were delighted to hear that it is your intention to put on 2 day / 1 night mini liveaboard safari on your new boat for 2007.
You ticked all of our boxes and we will be back next year. Please keep us posted on your plans for the mini liveaboard safaris.
For my part I will see Emperor sooner rather than later as I am booked in, with my daughter, for a week in Hurghada at the beginning of November.
Peter Draper, Sutton Courtenay, England September 2006
Email: peterdraper325 [at] btinternet.com
My wife, friends and I recently spent a very enjoyable week diving with Emperor Divers, I would like you to pass on our thanks to all the personnel who made this holiday so enjoyable. The dive guides Tammi, Mat, Steve, Cam and Carol did there best to ensure that everything went smoothly they were all very friendly and carried out their tasks very professionally. The briefings were good and full of useful information especially the one for the Thistlegorm carried out by Tammi. The boat crews were also very helpful and the atmosphere on all the boats was relaxed and happy.
David Morgan, Cheshire, England August 2006
Firstly I would like to say thank you so much to the Emperor Team at Nuweiba, Steffi & Andy, who made our stay very enjoyable and the rapport and co-operation was excellent throughout our trip. Their commitment, professionalism and local knowledge was invaluable. I will be returning to Nuweiba for further training with students in October, and look forward to seeing you all once again.
Glenn Hewitt, Basildon, England August 2006
www.wrecksandreefs.co.uk
We have just returned from diving with Emperor and the whole group of 14 divers thoroughly enjoyed their diving. Osama, our guide for the week, was very attentive and entertaining and accommodated all our diving needs as we requested them. The only problem we had was with the accommodation in the hotel, which was nothing to do with Emperor and even this was resolved very quickly. The general consensus of the divers was that they would dive with Emperor again.
Steve Gibson, Tyne & Wear, England August 2006
www.sunderlandscubacentre.com
Holiday in Marsa Alam was fine and the diving was as expected, excellent!
Facilities at Coral beach were second to none and hopefully as the location 'grows up' the surrounding areas will represent a change from the hotel. As for the staff and facilities provided by Emperor, these were again almost faultless. Dive staff in particular, Jamie and Becks, were fantastic accommodating our well experienced group without patronisation. Dive sites were a little limited but well worth the trip, as they are still almost virginal. Overall the holiday and experience were most enjoyable and I will certainly consider Emperor diving again.
David N Atherton, Northwich, England July 2006
www.just-scuba.moonfruit.com
I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everybody at Emperor Hurghada who made us feel so welcome during our fortnight with you. You made us feel a part of things and we felt so comfortable in your company. I know Amy (who was doing some work experience with you) has been so inspired by you all, in many different ways, and had an experience which is rare. I'm sure she will remember these fondly for years to come. Already her gap year plans are changing!
Kevin Duff, Bristol, England July 2006
www.casamexicana.co.uk
Thanks, once again, for the diving in Nuweiba - superb as usual and very relaxed. Another 10 days diving and fantastic company both in and out of the water. Just to let you know I have checked the website for the local quarry, Capernwray diving, and the water temp is a bracing 15 degrees!
Norman Bishop, Southport, England July 2006
My group had a fantastic time in Marsa Alam and feel that without the help and assistance of James and Penny our trip would not have been as enjoyable. The crew of Empress Amy were simply amazing and nothing was too much trouble for them. Sammy's cooking was a treat. Having travelled extensively around Egypt, this trip must rate in the top 3 and I am pleased to say I will recommend Emperor Divers to all my friends and colleagues.
Dave Brown, London, England July 2006
www.londonscuba.com
You have an exceptionally well run centre. In summary:
Pick ups on time, bus good condition, air conditioned, clean, good drivers; centre also always clean, tidy, good shop, (loved the Lipton iced tea); paperwork on first day very efficient; chap in the kit room very friendly, and honest! He found some stuff we left in the BCD and kept it safe for us to pick up later - very impressed.
Kit all good make, all worked, all clean, all good quality well maintained, good procedures in place if anything not working.
Boats, lovely, clean (very important), good size, well designed, crew helpful. The chefs on the boat deserve a special mention, without exception food was lovely, varied, lots, delicious, and presented in a way that indicated they cared.
As to the dive instructors: Steve K, exceptionally nice chap, excellent sense of humour, looked after me very well especially as I am not very good and a bit nervous, felt comfortable at all times in the water, he came across as a very experienced, very professional and very competent. Steve gave me back a lot of confidence I had lost as a result of previous dodgy experiences. Terry, the consummate professional, made me feel I earned my Nitrox cert, again felt 100% safe at all times and in very good hands, he is a great ambassador for Emperor. Sarah, lovely, chilled, very kind, the best buoyancy of any diver I have ever seen, managed to lead a dive without taking her eye off the group for one second, felt very safe indeed. She also (in conjunction with Steve K) sorted out problems I was having with my mask. Phil (videographer) though not a dive instructor always seemed to help wherever needed and was nice to have on the boat. Other instructors were always willing to offer advise and assistance and seemed concerned with all students, it felt they actually cared about us as opposed to some dive outfits who make the customer feel like they are in the way on a dive.
As regards the running of the dives, the briefings were very good, liked the binders with pictures, felt prepared and not rushed for the dives and the dive leaders cared about the group, quite good banter between the staff, indicating a good bond.
The ratio of divers was very good, especially seeing the other outfits in the water that seemed to have at least 10+ per instructor, in groups up to 20.
Drop off back to hotel was good, though a bit late sometimes. I will see you next year!
Phil C, Reading, UK June 2006
All of our ScubaDiva group (8 in total) had a great time on the Fraser. The food was excellent, the service was excellent, and the guides, Jim and Ute were out of this world. When we book again, we will be putting in a request for Jim and Ute to guide our boat if possible. Thanks to Emperor for making it a fantastic holiday.
Sally, ScubaDiva, England June 2006
My group, Rebel Divers, returned from Sharm having had a 6-day diving package, largely on the Empress Theresa, for 8 divers and 3 snorkelers. Most of us have dived in Sharm before and, in general, we were very impressed with Emperor Divers' operation and will certainly be using you again when we come back next year. Specifically:
- The boat was great. Plenty of space, crew very good, toilets clean (for Egypt!). I realise that the Theresa is the largest boat in your Sharm fleet, but if they are all to the same standard then this is very impressive.
- The price was very good, especially with the June discount. The fact that we did not have to pay for Nitrox tanks that had been ordered but not used was much appreciated.
- The dive guides were excellent. I would single out Donna, Sarah, Dan and Cam for special mention, as these were the guides we saw most of. Dan's marine biological background was particularly appreciated
- Overall service was swift and efficient. No haggling over incorrect bills on the final day. Also, my wetsuit, which had been damaged on the boat one night, was replaced with a new one with no problem or argument.
- Our only gripe would be the hanging around in the sun each morning, waiting for the bus. I realise there is a problem with guests not arriving on time, which then messes up the bus schedule, but perhaps the provision of a little more shade would make the wait less sweaty!
Jonathan Belsey, Suffolk, England June 2006
Apart from the weather, I can confirm we all had a great time in Hurghada especially the time spent with Emperor Divers. The two dive guides, Cat and Hassan, were excellent. Cat's dive briefs were most informative and her art work excellent. As a dive club we wanted to be able to have a relaxing week and left to dive our own plans (within reason) and not be subjected to following the guides like lemmings. After the first check out dive, Cat and Hassan, whilst keeping a professional watch on proceedings, left us to do our own thing. The whole Emperor team at the Hilton Hotel were always pleasant and willing to help, the first day's check in was very smooth and efficient and we weren't left waiting around as 10's of divers checked in as we had with other dive schools in the past. The final added bonus was staying at the Hilton, two minutes walk to the jetty and we're off diving.
Simon Jarvis, Worksop British Sub Aqua Club June 2006
Email: simon.jarvis [at] worksopsac.co.uk
We took a group of 18 of amateur, semi-professional and professional photographers on a Photographic Workshop; we have been to Nuweiba on a previous 5 occasions just as a couple and wanted to take a bigger group. We have nothing but praise for Andy, Steffi and the Dive centre staff who worked extremely hard to make sure we all had a productive and enjoyable week. Taking such a large group is always hard work but we have already had 17 of the people we took send us emails thanking us for a great trip, which says a lot.
Alan & Heather James, Bristol, England May 2006
www.marine-cameras.com
We had a glorious time in the Red Sea - still talking about the 'next level of diving', the boat, the crew, the onboard galley cook, the many different species of fish we saw. A lot of the sea life was different from what you see in the Caribbean and the colors were very enchanting. Thanks for having made the experience a great one.
Joyce Peach, Charleston, South Carolina, USA May 2006
Thank you for a great week of diving with you guys. We really enjoyed ourselves and learnt a lot. We will hope to see you again before too long. I have attached a photo of me in my aeroplane for you - it was taken at the Royal International Air Tattoo at Fairford UK last year. During this flight I broke the world record for limbo flying by flying under 11 sets of ribbons 5 metres high whilst upside down!William Curtis, MD, Gold Air, England May 2006
www.goldairint.co.uk
My friend Nikki and I have just returned from our holiday in Sharm where we had 4 brilliant days diving with Emperor. We had a really fantastic time - we ended up doing more dives than we planned and only wish we could have done more. The instructors were all so friendly and helpful, which made the dives and boat trips even more fun: Brian and Steve T were great company, gave excellent and enthusiastic briefings and tried to make the dives a little bit different which was more exciting. Sameh's local knowledge and stories kept us entertained, Terry offered some great tips and seemed genuinely interested in our experiences. We didn't need much persuading to dive Thistlegorm and do a night dive - both were a massive buzz! We were extremely impressed with the dive centre organisation on all counts - the counter staff were brilliant when we booked by email - really quick and friendly responses, the kit store and dive boat crews were all brilliant and food on board was very tasty. I really hope we can come back again soon - the Red Sea is a magical place to dive!
Hannah & Nikki, Bath, England May 2006
PS. Can you arrange for us to see some manta rays next time please, they kept hiding from us!
Thanks for another great week with Emperor. Despite a few personal setbacks you guys were 5 star. Can you please pass on our thanks to Tammi, Steve and Tim for sorting us out. It's much appreciated.
Ian, Stirling, Scotland April 2006
I just got back to Sweden from a lovely week in Sharm. Thanks for another great diving holiday in Egypt. This was my third dive holiday with Emperor and everything went smoothly as usual. Considering the excellent diving, nice boats, friendly crew and satisfying lunches, I can say that I will definitely be coming back in the near future. Many thanks to you, Laura, for the smooth booking process. We spent most of our time on Empress Theresa, a beautiful boat with the most pleasant crew, in my opinion. It was a little disappointing that we didn't get to dive Thistlegorm this time with Emperor as there weren't enough divers that were interested, but we see it as an excuse to go back to Sharm again! However, we did get to dive on the day before our flight, thanks to Davorin, who helped us ensure that we managed 2 dives 24 hours before our flight.
Jessica Tan, Malmö, Sweden April 2006
We have been going to the Red Sea with Emperor since 1995 in Hurghada - eleven trips in all. And keep going back. This trip to Sharm was one of the best, if not the best.
Some of our students were completing diver training, Scuba Diver to PADI OW or PADI OW referral. Tammi and Dennis, the two instructors, were excellent. I was particularly interested, as one of the students was my daughter. Dennis was brilliant in dealing with her apprehension over the mask clearing exercise. The five students with him on the second day could not have had a better instructor or introduction to diving.
Terry and Mohammed our two guides were the best. Terry was very sharp and aware of what we hoped to achieve and helped to make it all possible. He was also great fun and had a limitless fund of entertaining stories. Mohammed was great with the newly qualified divers. A gentle, calming influence, which ensured they all had great dives. The boat, Empress Shorouk, was the best I have been on. The crew were excellent working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that we had a great time. The food was good, universally appreciated by both staff and students. The skipper, Hassan, even managed to find dolphins on the last day on the way back in. Tim the centre manager was very good. He made himself known to us on the first day and checked up during the week that all was well. He was interesting to talk to and gave me plenty of ideas about how we might organise training for students on future trips. The office staff, including Laura, were all very good too. As trip organiser I felt that everything was done that could be done to make my life easier. All the pick-ups, kit and logistics worked well. All the staff cared that we had a good week's diving. It is not hard to see why you are consistently voted the best dive outfit in the Red Sea.
We have an excellent DVD of our trips this year to Dunraven and Yolanda Reefs to show at our school Open Day to help recruit new students to the school. All our students were aware that they had been on a great dive trip. Which all helps spread the word for next year's trip. We will be back.
Andrew Powell
Head of Biology, Canford School, Wimbourne, England April 2006
Email: afup [at] canford.com
I am contacting you to inform you that I have placed a link on my site to yours. I have done this because I have used you numerous times and find your services to be exceptional.
Andrew McCabe, England March 2006
www.divediaries.co.uk
Email: andy [at] divediaries.co.uk
As we've been travelling around the Middle East, we've used quite a few dive companies that have assured us all the kit will be provided and transport arranged, but it has not all gone quite to plan. However, our diving with Emperor was extremely well organised and went perfectly. Everybody was pleased with the boat, the lunch was excellent, the guides were extremely friendly and helpful and the dive site was as good as it gets. Please pass on our thanks from everybody here to the dive team at Hurghada for the great day.
On a personal note, thanks very much for being so helpful over the e-mail and phone. It certainly made my job at this end much easier.
Onboard we have a port guide passed to all other Royal Navy ships containing all the normal information. I will make sure you go in with a 5 star rating, so standby for more sailors in the future!
Ben Jewson LT RN, HMS Montrose March 2006
We reluctantly returned from Marsa Alam on Friday. We couldn't have wished for a better holiday. The organisation of the Emperor Dive centre was second to none. Everyone there was really friendly. Bob and Emma, our Dive guides, made the holiday an absolute dream. Empress Rachelle's crew really looked after us, lunch was brilliant and it was a real surprise that such a small galley could produce such an assortment of food, even the fussiest eaters amongst us could not complain.
We managed to see all that we wanted, from Sharks at Elphinstone to the Dugong at Marsa Abu Dabab. It was thanks to Bob the we saw the Dugong, he has honed his searching technique down to a T and managed to then come looking for the rest of us to point us in the right direction.
The Coral Beach Diving Hotel surpassed our expectations. The staff was friendly, the rooms clean and comfortable, the food delicious and the beer always cold. The only thing I could say against it is how cold the swimming pool is, but those who braved it soon got used to it.
It was my first trip to the Red Sea so I have nothing to compare it with, but the veteran Red Sea divers amongst us were impressed. We all went away saying we would come back again.
On a personal note, as the organiser, I would really like to thank Rose who made the whole booking process so easy for me. Her offering to book the rooms at the hotel for me made it so much less stressful.
I had a wonderful holiday and I would like to thank Emperor Divers for that. I will definitely be diving with you again, I just wish I was there now!
Susan Kelly, Hounslow, England March 2006
www.hilsag.org
I would just like to drop you this quick note to say how much I enjoyed my last 6 days diving with you, with a special mention to the crew on the Emperor Marcus and Terry our instructor and dive guide. As an instructor myself I was very impressed with the professional attitude of all your instructors and the ease of which everything was made for our dive team. Thank you for a fantastic week, see you again SOON!
Aaron Bower, England February 2006
I just wanted to say thank you for a fabulous holiday that my boyfriend and I enjoyed last week. We stayed at the Coral Beach, Marsa Alam, and couldn't believe what a great hotel it is. Being able to walk from breakfast straight onto the dive boat each morning was sheer bliss!
Emperor Divers were also brilliant. Luc in particular needs to be praised together with the crew on Empress Isa. Luc was professional throughout and yet allowed us to dive without feeling as though we had to follow him wherever he went (a practice that happens in Sharm despite divers having sufficient experience to dive on their own!). The diving was lovely and, if I may say, better than Sharm!
We shall certainly be returning to Marsa. The only concern we have is that in a couple of year's time it won't be the tranquil place it is at the moment!
Never having dived with Tony Backhurst before, I shall certainly be recommending you to friends from now on.
P.S. The price for the week was unbelievably good value
Caroline Shimmin, Bournemouth, England February 2006
After several trips to Sharm, and diving with various companies, I must say that this trip is ranked highest amongst the best we have had. The communications we had prior to our trip were first class; all email enquiries were answered very promptly and in full.
On arrival at the dive centre, a friendly welcome from staff who were genuinely happy to speak to us made a big impact on our group, some who had never been on a diving holiday before.
The diving went really well, having many levels of experiences on the boat and different objectives, the sites that were suggested fulfilled all of our requirements. I would say that this is because our guide for the week, Terry Axam, definitely understood our needs and, being a role model professional, put our needs first.
Unfortunately the only complaints we heard all week was for the early rise to the Thistlegorm, but that was short lived. On arrival at the wreck there were no boats, no swell and no current, but there were Turtles, Barracuda, Crocodile fish, and all the usual shoals, and should I dare say only 10 divers all day. Pretty amazing really, and we were not a liveaboard!
During the week, our group of 8 made 94 dives, approximately 80 hours underwater, and required a holiday to recover. The general consensus is 'Brilliant'. Overall, from Terry, Sarah and Sally and the crew on Adham, to Laura and Tekstreme, the trip was a great success. We already have plans for the next Red Sea trip which I know will be equally as good.
Alex Scott, Central Scuba, Stirling, Scotland February 2006
www.central-scuba.co.uk
Thank you to our excellent guides Sameh and Chris for a wonderful week in Sharm. The guys catered to our every need and made the diving safe and fun for everyone on the boat. The experience level was a mixed bag and both Sameh and Chris handled the varying needs of all divers in a very professional and safe manner.
Above all, they both worked very hard to ensure we had a good time both diving and out of the water, regularly going the extra mile by escorting us to some of the local restaurants and bars in their own time.
I have had a number of e-mails from other members of our boat La Luna thanking us, and you, for a wonderful holiday. There has also been a large number of the group that now want to take their diving further and are booking further courses after their very enjoyable time in Sharm.
Steve Clowes, Sheffield, England January 2006
A huge thank you to Emperor (especially to Sameh & Chris) for the 5 days diving we had with Emperor recently. We spent 5 days with Sameh and Chris and have to say we could not have spent it with better guides. Sameh's knowledge and expertise of the dive sites are absolutely amazing; everything from beginning to end was perfect.
Being my first diving holiday I really wasn't sure what to expect but I really do believe it could not have been any better, I have already recommended Emperor to some friends that are travelling out next week and will definitely use them the next time I visit.
Kerry Rosenthal, Nottingham, England January 2006
www.divemasterscuba.com
My sincere thanks to the company, the dive guides Sameh and Chris, and to all the men who worked on the boats, where the food was absolutely gorgeous and well worth the money.
This was my first holiday to Egypt with Divemaster Scuba Club. I am so totally in love with Egypt and diving itself. What an amazing experience! I honestly cannot wait to move through all my diving qualifications, get lots of experience diving, and hopefully one day get a job out there working for you! Unfortunately at the start of my holiday I was unwell with a cold, but the guides were very patient and it meant I did not feel pressured to rush. Their patience and kindness resulted in me loving every single dive, and I could equalise safely.
The knowledge they held of the dive sites also made the diving even more spectacular. I would have missed so much down there if it wasn't for them pointing things out. What has been most important to myself is their teaching. I had only done three Open Water dives between qualification and coming to Egypt.
As you are aware, diving is a continual learning process. I made a few mistakes, but both guides were happy to explain what I should do the next time. I was unfamiliar with dive computers and Chris clearly explained this to me and my understanding of how to use one made the dive so much more pleasurable as I felt more confident. I constantly asked them questions to broaden my knowledge and in every instance they were happy to help.
I was never embarrassed to tell Chris and Sameh if I was nervous of anything. They are absolutely brilliant guys who gave lots of reassurance, and always had an eye on you even when you didn't realise.
I consider Emperor very lucky to have these guys on board their team. Not only are they brilliant guides end educators, they also have the biggest hearts in the world. They have such mature and wonderful attitudes to life. Whatever kindness I may have shown them they returned it twofold. I had just done a few dives in Australia and the professional attitude of all involved at Emperor is outstanding...beyond words.
Rachael Barratt, Chesterfield, England January 2006
Email: rachaelbarratt26 [at] hotmail.com
Many thanks for setting everything up for us before we arrived. We are now, unfortunately, back in the real world, where it is a lot colder than in Sharm. We had a great time, despite me not completing the course. We were very impressed by the Emperor Diver's set-up and organisation, and would certainly recommend you to others. Please give a big thanks to Terry and Sally for being wonderful! What great people.
Janice Phillips, Mann Scuba Divers, Isle of Man January 2006
www.mannscubadivers.co.uk
Email: manndivers [at] manx.net
Just thought I would drop you a line to thank you for the superb diving. Returned last Monday to a freezing UK after 5 days diving with two buddies and an "adopted" one! The organisation was excellent, staff really easy to get on with as were all the guides we had. I must mention Tammy who took us out for a couple of days - a great attitude, excellent local knowledge and loved the laid back speed which we took round the reef's! Again thanks for a really great 5 days - we will be back as they say!
Mick Selsby, North Essex, England January 2006
Having lead groups out to Sharm El Sheikh 3 or 4 times a year over the past 10 years it is always a pleasure to dive with Emperor Divers; their professionalism sets the bar in which others should follow.
Combined with courteous, helpful, knowledgeable dive guides nothing is ever too much problem, Emperors flexible approach & assistance has always been key in achieving the completion of courses as well as using the dive sites that I want to get too. Fantastic support staff at the dive centre as well as on the boats has always made for many, many enjoyable weeks diving and the creation of memories that will last forever.
Carl Powell, England January 2006
This is just to thank your instructors and Ahmed for some really nice dives. I have now put a fraction of the pictures on my blog: spaces.msn.com/members/ccelbro/. Jane and I hope to be going to the Red Sea again next year.
Carsten Elbro, Copenhagen, Denmark December 2005
My buddy Richard and I dived with you and w would just like to say a big thank you to all concerned for what was a very professionally run set up and assure you that we had a brilliant time. We will dive with you again the next time we visit and will recommend you to our friends. We would like to say a special thank you to one of your new instructors Dave Goring. He is without doubt a credit to your organisation.
David Eldridge, Totnes, England December 2005
I had a great time with some excellent instructors like Sarah, Dougal and Davorin. The diving was superb but I was also very impressed with the general organisational skill from yourself and the other members of the support staff, particularly Laura.
As you may know Davorin is from Slovenia and since I originate from Serbia we had a great time together.
This was my first visit to Sharm El Sheikh but it will not be the last. There is only one dive centre for me at Sharm El Sheikh and that will always be Emperor Divers.
Keep up the good work.
Branko Kostic, Loughborough, England November 2005
Email: branko_kostic [at] yahoo.co.uk
I would like to officially thank all at Emperor Divers Marsa Alam. Special mention must go to the Dive Centre managers, Bjorn and Caroline. Unfortunately while on holiday, I suffered from minor (level2) Decompression illness (treated for 3 hours in recompression chamber). The attitude and assistance provided was first class and unfortunately these incidents do occur through no fault of the Dive Centre. Once again an excellent dive operation.
Paul Hayley, Luton, England November 2005
Several members of my group had been to Sharm before and were very complimentary about the efficiency of the system. We were bussed to the jetties in big comfy buses and I noticed that everything went very smoothly despite the large numbers of people that the dive centre was handling every morning. They even were able to quickly find and get hold of a bag that someone left at the dive centre by mistake. Also several of our clients were very impressed with the polite and flexible approach of the dive centre counter staff. One chap missed some days diving and was subsequently not charged for Nitrox - that kind of thing. The gear service department was able to save the day when several bits of kit failed. As usual, I had a very happy group of divers who all want to come back next year. I would like to put a word in for Gaynor, our dive guide. She was very competent and nothing was too much trouble for her. She was very cheerful and everybody liked and trusted her. In particular, I was happy to let her supervisor a particularly tiny 11-year-old Junior Open Water diver we had with us, with whom Gaynor was great.
Ann O'Leary, New Horizons Dive Centre, Macclesfield November 2005
Just a short note, as I promised, to thank you all for 3 days safe and good diving in Sharm last week. Our party of eight had experience ranges of between novice snorkeller and advanced diver BSAC. We all stayed together on the same boat and, remarkably, all enjoyed our experiences. One of our party completed his first BSAC diving qualification and he is so thrilled at what is available under the water at Sharm he swears he will be back within a year. Another 'Dive Leader' was amazed at the sea life at Sharm. This after visiting the Galapagos and working on the Turks and Caicos Islands as a tourist catamaran skipper for 8 months! It was my fourth visit and fourth dive centre at Sharm but I was so impressed with your professionalism and safety practices. I have never had roll calls on a Sharm boat before! The guides were efficient, friendly and safe. I will definitely dive with Emperor again.
Tony Dean, Goole, England November 2005
Aramis Sub-Aqua Club
We came to Sharm at the end of a 2-week trip to Egypt. Not having a lot of time to investigate or plan for an extensive diving experience, I asked a colleague for a referral to a dive operation in the Red Sea area. He put me on to Emperor Divers, and through the website, we were able to quickly and easily hook up for the 2 days, including the diving logistics and arrangement of our rental gear. (I usually cringe at the thought of rental gear, but with only the 2 days, we decided not to carry our gear with us). Upon arrival, the large team took great care of us, quickly setting up our diving, getting the right-fitting gear, and even making the payment process painless. The crew on the boats were great, extensive pre-dive briefing like I have rarely seen elsewhere, and the groupings of divers into like experience and plans was excellent. In the water, our divemaster/guide brought the diveplan to life, pointing out some of the remarkable creatures we encountered, while allowing our group flexibility in our pace and path, including extra time at the end of the dive to further explore and slowly ascend from our dives. This was repeated for each of our 5 dives. As a diving professional, I have had the opportunity to dive with a large number of operations and in many locations around the world, and the short experience with Emperor Divers convinced us that we would indeed have to return for a dedicated dive trip to more fully explore the Red Sea area (and undoubtedly with Emperor Divers). The people were great, the equipment top notch and the diving superb. Thanks again to the whole crew for a wonderful couple of days, and a lifetime of memories.
Doug Young, New York, USA November 2005
I have just got back home after my first dive trip to Sharm. Could you please pass on my thanks to Penny and Marianne for a great week. They were enthusiastic, professional and great fun to be with, just superb! On the Saturday I did an additional days diving, this time my guide was Davorin and again he was excellent. I also need to tell how great the crew on the boat Empress Theresa were, they just could not do enough for you.
John Belvedere, Southport, England November 2005
Just want to express my thanks again to you and your fantastic team. It was a very pleasant experience visiting you and the Marsa Alam divesites. I managed to get some good video shots I think, at least compared to the little time available during this short trip.
Lars Villebaek November 2005
www.dykkerforum.com
Just wanted to say 'thanks' again for a fantastic two weeks - my second time in Hurghada, both times in November, both times superb. Big thanks to Penny for the idea of the Abu Nuhas trip. I thoroughly enjoyed my first 'wreck snorkelling' experience, very atmospheric up over the bows of the "Ghiannis D" without another soul in sight, in absolute silence (no sound of wind or waves or anything else, when I quit flapping my feet and held my breath!). The dolphins at the Carnatic were an added bonus. The dolphins at Fanous were just exquisite! Not sure that any of my photos will be worth looking at, but if any are, I'll post them on your website.
Again, many thanks all. A great holiday.
Jenny Lovell, Winchester, England November 2005
Many thanks for three days' great diving at Sharm (13-15 October) from Empress Shark and Emperor Marcus. Excellent briefings and leadership from dive guides and great support from boat crew.
Mike Lennox, Peterborough, England October 2005
Email: lennoxmike [at] hotmail.com
Just wanted to say a quick thank you to the folks at Emperor. Unfortunately, we only had 2 days to dive with you at the end of our 2-week Egypt trip, but the 'team' provided us with a great experience. We look forward to returning for a dedicated dive trip to experience more of the Red Sea diving. Thanks again.
Doug Young, England October 2005
Having now returned from our holiday to Hurghada, I wanted to say "Thank you" to you for all your help and assistance in arranging our diving packages. Everything went according to plan, and it was nice to have the knowledge we were being cared for by 'The best dive operator' in the area. On a more local level, can you please express our gratitude to whoever oversees the diving operations in Hurghada, they run a great team, from the helpful assistants in the shop to the boat crews. The courtesy buses transfer always turned up on time and the drivers helped with the transfer of the kit.
We had the pleasure of 2 days diving from your boat 'MV Emperor Amy' with James and Xavier as dive guides, both great guys who really worked well together and kept the atmosphere relaxed and informal. James's dive briefings were some of the best I've ever known, giving a great deal of information and local knowledge with an emphasis on safety both in and out of the water. They were a real pleasure to listen to and set the standard for others to follow. Our 3rd days diving was from the vessel 'MV Capt. Bologna' with Penny as our dive guide. Penny also gave a great briefing, showing her expertise of local knowledge and dive sites. Penny even managed to get 3 dives in that day even though our boat was a bit slower than the others, but this placed us well at the dive sites as we arrived ready to dive just as the other boats had finished! We also managed to rescue the passengers from another dive boat that had engine failure, the skipper of the Capt. Bologna really knows his boat.
The food provided on both the boats was simply fantastic, how those cooks can produce such good food in such quantities from such a small place is beyond me! As you can tell, we all really enjoyed our holiday, made better with the help of Emperor Divers. I have no hesitation in recommending Emperor Divers to my friends who may go to Egypt for a diving holiday, likewise when I return one day, hopefully to try one of your Safaris. Well done everyone, keep up the good work.
Andrew Corke, Essex, England October 2005
Just got back thanks for another great weeks diving with Emperor, it's no surprise you're the best out there. Say thanks to Dan for us, he is a cracking guide. We are looking at booking our next trip with you for next year soon.
Derek Aughton, Stoke on Trent, England October 2005
It's been a couple of weeks since our holiday in Sharm. The photos came back yesterday and it was fantastic to remember the great time we had, especially the diving, all thanks to you guys. You were all fantastic, really patient with me (Jo) it made learning so much easier and fun. I am definitely hooked and will be back soon for more, guess it will be the proper course next time though! Thanks once again.
Jo and Rich, England October 2005
I would like to congratulate the staff at Sharm El Sheikh dive centre for providing both safe and enjoyable dives on my recent trip.
They were extremely efficient and professional. Their briefing at the dive site was both exceptional and thorough. Their professionalism as instructors and dive guides is a credit to the industry.
I would be very happy to recommend your services to any of the divers visiting Sharm in the future.
Amir Mousavipoor, Operations Manager Aquanorth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England August 2005
www.aquanorth.co.uk
email: amir [at] aquanorth.co.uk
Just like to say a big thank you for the best diving that we have done to date, in particular to our Dive Guide for the two weeks, Sameh, who we found to be highly professional, informative and entertaining. The two boats that were allocated to us, Adham and Sodfa, were also excellent in respect of the facilities, the food and the help, assistance and friendliness of the crew. All in all a great two weeks holiday in which we all had personal favourite dives but thoroughly enjoyed all of them. We are very much looking forward to the next time that we can dive with Emperor in the Red Sea and will have no hesitation in recommending you to our fellow divers in the UK.
David Seddon and family, Wigan, England July 2005
Thank you for the great time myself, and the 14 others in my party, had diving with you this last two weeks. Full credit goes to Sameh for both his professionalism and friendliness; you really will not find a better or friendlier diver! The entire group were amazed at how anyone could be in a strong current, doing a safety stop at 5 metres and not move a centimetre while the rest of us looked as though we were in a washing machine trying to keep still! A thanks also to Ingrid for her helpfulness on the one day we spent on the boat with her. We spent our first week on Adham and the crew were friendly and courteous, they really cannot do enough for you and you are always met with a fresh warm piece of cake as you de-kit from your dives!
The second week was spent on Sodfa, with special thanks to Abdul the skipper for entertaining us and his constant need to shout "Sakek", then laugh profusely always entertained us!
We have all said that we would visit Emperor again at Sharm El Sheikh without a second thought and can definitely recommend both Dahab and the reefs of Jackson, Thomas and Gordon for excellent warm water dives.
Thanks again to Sameh for such a fantastic time and we hope to visit again soon.
Jenny Monks, Wigan, England July 2005
However it was the professionalism and skill of a certain dive guide that really made our time diving the Red so amazing and therefore my special thanks go to Sameh who made sure that all of our 25+ dives on the holiday were exceptional. I can safely say that I speak for all the people in our group when I say that his buoyancy in the strongest of currents is truly inspirational!
Thanks again to all at Emperor and I'll definitely be back as soon as I can afford to and maybe next time I might win something in the treasure hunt!
Sam Jones, Wigan, England July 2005
Email: halloween78_h20 [at] msn.com
We all had a great week in Hurghada. You have a great team there now and it was probably the best organized week I have had for a long time. It probably helped that I wasn't teaching and was able to chill out, relax and drink an extra beer or two! The birthday bash was great fun too and we will certainly try to book up again the same time next year - even if it is just to go and beat Mike again at pool. Paul Vinten took me for a rebreather try dive, which was great - it was nice to do something different. Had I not been having such a good time just diving I would have been tempted to do the course. Another two of my group had a go and they really enjoyed it too. Our guide (Cat) was brilliant and certainly one of the best.
Janice Pacey, Southend-on-Sea, England July 2005
Aquapigs Scuba School
email: jp [at] aquapigs.co.uk
A big thank you to everyone at Emperor for making our first diving trip so enjoyable. A special thanks to Sameh, Ian and all on board Empress Theresa. Although we only dived the local sites it was an incredible experience and we will definitely be coming back to try something a bit more adventurous.
Paul Atkinson, Southport, England July 2005
email: patkinson [at] phimpetus.com
Thank you for you assistance with our arrangements for the holiday in Sharm. Everything ran extremely smoothly - from the pick up at the airport on arrival to check in on return. Please pass our thanks for a great week's diving to all the Emperor team that were involved with us, the crew of Tantoria, who looked after us for the week, and the company who carried out the airport transfers so efficiently.
Andy, Michelle, Tim, Debbie, Malcolm & Sarah
Dive Dorset Adventure Sports, Yeovil, England July 2005
We had a smashing time in Nuweiba, most of the group had a really good time and enjoyed it no end. Sadly one of our group didn't conform to how you run your centres and also how I expect people to behave when on holiday with friends. To cut a long story short, the guy in question did not follow the dive briefs and had no consideration for the dive guides. Stephi did threaten that unless he conformed she would not let him dive. But as far as that goes the remaining 10 divers in the group will vouch for Stephi & Andy, who run a great show over there, along with Paula and Andy. We are quite an experienced group in terms of qualifications and were really impressed with how things were run. Please pass on our thanks!
That was our third trip with yourselves now so you must be getting something right!
Ian & Lou, Poole, England July 2005
Wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our holiday at Marsa Alam and to thank you for arranging the diving. We both thoroughly enjoyed our 2 days with Emperor, particularly the trip to Dolphin House as the dolphins came right out to us, and will have no hesitation in diving with you again. Please pass on our thanks to the team at Marsa Alam, especially to Gabrielle who was a marvellous guide.
Mike & Roz Roberts, Bristol, England July 2005
I am writing to claim my prize of the Liveaboard holiday, which I won in Sharm at the Birthday Bash. I am sure you have lots of information which would be useful to me in choosing the time and place of my trip. Thank you very much for this, I am amazed that I won and it really was the icing on the cake of a fabulous week's diving and a great honeymoon. I will always recommend Emperor Divers to anyone who is heading out to the Red Sea!
Peter Aiers, Northampton, England July 2005
email: peteraiers [at] yahoo.co.uk
As part of a group of divers from Basildon Sub Aqua Club, we dived Hurghada - this is my 10th trip to the Red Sea and my 8th with Emperor Divers. This year we were aboard Empress Amy and our dive guide was Cat. My thanks to the crew aboard Amy and our dive guide Cat for an excellent week. We did some fantastic dives with my favourites as Small Giftun Drift and El Aruk Gigi. Amy's crew were diligent, in that as soon as a diver was kitting up there was a crew member to assist. In this particular trip two of my group had high-pressure hoses blow, in no time at all the crew were swapping bits about so the dive could continue. An excellent week and Emperor, Amy crew and Cat did an excellent job in maintaining the high standard that I have seen since diving with Emperor.
Ken Smith, Laindon, England June 2005
Thank you for all your helpfulness and friendliness afforded to me by yourselves during my recent diving holiday. Please say a special thanks to Sarah for all her help and expertise, Steve, Dan & Ingrid. I had a brain tumour removed in 1971 when I was 11 years old. This has left me with slight dystarthia & ataxia (very slight balance & co-ordination problems) and so a very, very special thank you to the captain and crew of the "Empress Theresa" for their help in getting me kitted up and helping me out of the water after the dive. Also for the excellent food onboard.
Trev Thorpe, Langley Mill, England June 2005
Firstly I would like to express my heartfelt thanks for a great weeks diving. Amy and her crew were fantastic and are a great credit to Emperor. Cat's knowledge and ability to match dive site selection to the group of divers under her charge are only exceeded by her enthusiasm. Also a big thank you to James, who I realise is training with you, but was always available to assist and double check and did a fantastic job taking some of the less experienced divers under his wing. To top it all, the food on Amy is absolutely brilliant (although it did mean that the plan of losing a few pounds whilst out there went right out of the window).
Charlie Bullen, Twickenham, England May 2005
'Wow, what a holiday!' I had spoken with a number of people about the diving at Sharm so my expectations were high. I found by the end of the holiday that, in fact, these had been exceeded by at least a factor of x2 if not more.
At the start of the holiday, Gary said it would start good and simply get better every day. Never a truer word was said. Our first couple of days were brilliant, but the last two days were 'Simply the Best!' The trip was extremely well organised and ran like clockwork. But this does not happen by accident and it took planning by Dave, Jane and Gary from Adventures in Diving, Chelmsford. It took execution by diving professionals, Gary, Sarah and Stephen in the water, assisted by Mark Morgan and Mark Jones, Nasser and his crew and staff in the Rosetta Hotel. And finally by the shore-based team at Emperor. There were no hiccups from Emperor at all.
I have been to a number of different places around the world but this experience was 'Simply the Best'.
Alistair Barnwell, Chelmsford, England March 2005
Having just returned from our trip to Hurghada, I would like to tell you that Teresa, who manages this site, was absolutely superb in sorting out the issues that arose on our trip. The boat crew were fab, as was Alwyn our guide on the boat, and felt that you ought to know that they dealt with both Paul and I and our team in a very professional and customer focused manner. Please pass on my sincere thanks to all involved. All of the team had such a good holiday that we are looking to book a week in Sharm in August.
Sandra & Paul Hicks, Seaway Scuba, Trowbridge, England March 2005
A big thank you to you and to the dive guide and dive master that looked after my father and myself during our recent holiday, which was booked through Adventures in Diving of Chelmsford, England.
The dive guide was Gary Taffereli and the dive master (whom I believe had just qualified) was Ed Ehilsdon.
Gary was an excellent dive guide, but I would also like to offer special thanks to Ed who assisted in the dives at the start of the week and by the end of the week was carrying out the briefings and ensuring everyone understood the dive plans. If I hadn't been told that he had just recently qualified, then I would not have know!
Both Ed and Gary were superb as was the land based support that we received, both at the centre and the transport, as was the boat and crew and I have already sung your praises to several divers at work!
Once again-Many thanks from my father and myself for an excellent diving holiday and extended thanks to Gary and Ed (if you could please forward them on... "We did - Emperor").
Peter White, Southend, England November 2004
Just returned from week's diving, organised by Adventures in Diving on board Shorouk with Gary and Ed as Divemasters. Wanted to say big thank you to Gary and Ed for making it such a memorable week. Was very impressed with both of them for their experience of the dive area, the briefings (Ed's were brilliant) and also their concern for safety at all times. Will certainly be returning and would highly recommend Emperor Divers - especially Ed and Gary as the Divemasters along with the crew who could not do enough for us. Well done everyone and thanks for a wonderful memory of my first experience of diving in the sea.
Loraine Jarvis, Burnham On Crouch, England November 2004
I've just returned from a fantastic week's diving with you guys on board the Shorouk. I just wanted to say thanks to Dougal and Mohamed who really made the whole trip special and memorable. The guys made us all feel welcome and part of a close knit group; they were great with the experienced and in-experienced alike making everyone feel special. In addition, keeping the same people on the boat throughout the week worked really well and offered the best possible mix of liveaboard atmosphere and shore based convenience.
Ian Harris, London, England November 2004
email: ianh [at] nortelnetworks.com
Thanks to all of you in Marsa Alam for working so hard to make sure we had such a great week last week, especially Pablo, Carmel and Benn. We had a fantastic time and are now struggling to re-adjust to work and the UK winter! Hopefully it won't be too long until we're out in the Red Sea again and Emperor will certainly be our first choice.
Dean and Jo Foden, Filby, England November 2004
I would like to put on record that this last trip to Sharm El Sheikh was the best ever...a different atmosphere with all the Centre staff good with the guests and dive guides giving really knowledgeable briefings. The boat, captain and crew were all great and congratulations on a first-rate boat refit. As always, the diving was great, but with the help of everyone, it made a first-class holiday for my group - many have already asked to do the same trip next year.
Bob Taylor, Aqualand Divers, England November 2004
We use to spend our Summer Holidays in Sharm El Sheikh, in our opinion one of the best location in the world. Like usually we dived in August with Emperor Sharm and thanks to your guide Alex, we saw many new, unbelievably interesting places.We would like to thank officially with Alex, who was a perfect guide under the water and a great person on the surface. We enjoyed very much all our trips and we hope you will have always such professional guides in your Staff.
Martina Bassani, Venice, Italy October 2004
email: Mbassani [at] guessitalia.it
I travelled to Sharm El Sheikh with a little but of hesitation as I was coming on my own and feeling a bit apprehensive about what to expect. After the first day I felt right at ease and very relaxed knowing that I was in very capable hands...looking back I have no reservations at all.
I work in the service industry back in the trying circumstances of London's most demanding people and it's not very often that you get a thank you from customers. I also know how good you feel as an individual, a business and a team of people when a customer takes the time and effort write and let you know how much your efforts and hard work do pay off, and people do appreciate the service that you provide.
Being out there and having dived with you for 6 days I realise there are a lot of people that make up the team that often do not get the recognition or the thanks that they deserve.
From the ladies on the reception desk and in the shop, to the people in the equipment room, the bus/taxi drivers, the boat crews and to the lads that fill the air tanks and anyone else that I have left out. You are all an integral part for the organisation and I would just like to commend and thank you all for your efforts.
I don't mean to single out people but considering that I spent the best part of the week with these two people, I would firstly like to thank Lydia Orth for her experience, patience, professionalism and her delightful introduction to the hand signals for NAPOLEON FISH. Brian Williamson - thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise, your help and assistance was greatly appreciated.
The whole team has contributed to a remarkable experience, which will take a lot to match and I thank you all very sincerely. Keep up the good work so that others can share in the experience that I had.
Gavin Liddy, Wimbledon, England October 2004
Many thanks for your help and encouragement at your brilliant dive school there at Nuweiba. I really appreciate all you have done for me, all that you showed me and the secrets you shared with me at your reef sites.
I cannot speak too highly of the school at Nuweiba and also the brilliant staff.
I took up diving last year at the age of 61and have 'not looked back' I feel like a kid again.
Chris Jones, Forest of Dean, England October 2004
I have just recently come back off of my holiday in Hurghada with Emperor Divers and the whole experience was absolutely fantastic. Not only because of the fabulous dive sites but also the company of the boat crew, guides and the people working at the desk. I would like to make a special thank you to Mohammed who took my sister Claire for her Open Water Course, which she passed. Also Cat for being an excellent guide, Tom for being such a lively character on the boat and also Dora for all her help and hard work. I would recommend Emperor to anyone after having had such a good experience with you.
Jason Derry, England September 2004
email: derry [at] houseparty32.fsnet.co.uk
Thank you to the whole Emperor Divers Nuweiba team but especially to Alex and Veronique and the men who helped me out of the foam, over the rocks and carried the tanks and equipment! You have helped give me some great memories, like the sea horse, the leopard ray in the dark and the huge turtle MAGIC! You are a great team; calm, professional and fun! Thank you and I hope to see you again soon.
Beryl Brooke, Rochester, England September 2004
Thank you to Emperor Divers in Nuweiba for looking after us oldies so well. Particular thanks to Alex and Veronique our Dive Masters who pointed out a myriad of things that failing eyes were likely to miss and all the team who managed to haul us out of the water when necessary.
Thoroughly enjoyed it all and look forward to diving with you again in the near future, possibly early November this year.
Michael Hodgson, Rothbury, England September 2004
I have just spent 7 days in Sharm. Normally I dive but due to an injury shortly before this trip I could only snorkel. This is the second time I have used Emperor and once again I find your services excellent. I was greeted warmly again by your staff in Nama Bay and looked after very well. I would like to say thank you to Shani your centre manager and her staff for making my trip so enjoyable. I will be returning in the near future where once again I will be using your services.
Sean Bonner, Durrington, England September 2004
email: uksean1 [at] ntlworld.com
A really big thanks to all at Emperor for another truly unforgettable experience. In particular, our thanks go to Pete Matthews who was once again much more than just a guide. He had tremendous patience with the kids, and gave up his Friday night with his own young family to take us out on a night dive. We will be back!
All our experiences with Emperor are 1st class. We have dived with Emperor twice in Hurghada and twice in Sharm and will always use them for our dive holidays.
Mick, Hazel, Amy & Jack Bradshaw, Preston, England August 2004
Thank you for all your help before our holiday. We had a fantastic time again and still enjoy diving with Emperor Divers. The staff and guides were most helpful, which makes our time with you more organised and enjoyable.
Special thanks to the guides: Barbara, Mohammed and Sameh and the crew of La Luna and Empress Theresa who were as impressive as ever with the dive sites. We also visited Dahab (which was a first for us) which turned out to be a fantastic day out and two very special dives and something new. We are hoping to arrange another trip in the near future (hopefully November) as we have had a few more divers showing interest at the return to the Dive Club this week (the brown faces helped).
Mark Clothier, Skelmersdale Sub Aqua Club, England August 2004
Many thanks for a fantastic time in Hurghada last week, everything was great and it's proving very hard to fit back into work here in cold Glasgow.
Particular thanks to Olwyn and her great diagrams on Pharos and Andy the free-diver whose breathing course kept me under water for longer!
Gareth Jones, Glasgow, England August 2004
Thanks once again to all at Emperor for a wonderful holiday. Some very beautiful and some very exciting dives conducted by friendly, cheerful and professional guides.
Thanks also for the Rescue Diving Course, very well presented and professionally taught. I look forward to diving with you again later in the year.
I've dived with Emperor four times now and I'm planning to spend the winter diving with them.
Bob, Wath upon Dearne, England August 2004
email: robert [at] tinyworld.co.uk
I spent a very enjoyable week in Sharm last week with Norwich Scuba on the Shorouk with Ann as a dive guide. I would just like to say that Ann was an excellent guide and gave me a lot of confidence during the weeks diving. She gave excellent briefs and then took care to make sure we all thoroughly enjoyed our diving.
Dr Caroline Pennington, Norfolk, England August 2004
email: c_pennington [at] uea.ac.uk
I visited Hurghada in October last year and spent a very enjoyable week diving with the Emperor Divers team there. I must say that it was one of the most organised and smooth-running dive outfits I have ever visited. Of course, my experience underwater was even more incredible, with fantastic diving and two dolphin pack encounters within a week near Turtle Bay.
I will be writing a story on my trip for a newspaper in Singapore, and I will be mentioning Emperor Divers in it.
Jessica Tan, Sweden October 2003
WELL DONE EMPEROR DIVERS
I had such a lovely holiday in Marsa Alam in May, I just had to return with my wife last week. She didn't see sharks, turtles or dugongs but thoroughly enjoyed the diving. The staff were all so friendly and helpful, despite the recent tragedy of my three-times buddy in May. This news upset me and I can imagine how they felt but they did not let their feelings influence their work. They were all very patient and really boosted my wife's confidence making her want to dive more and made the holiday one of the best in recent years.
We were planning on going to the Sinai in October, but due to the way we were looked after by the team at Marsa Alam we will probably choose there again for the 3rd time this year. A big thank you to all the team is well deserved and we look forward to seeing, I mean diving with you, all again soon.
Glenn Ralph, Westerham, England July 2004
email: glennralph [at] tiscali.co.uk
Thank you all in Sharm for making our first experience of diving such an enjoyable and successful one. We have rarely come across such a bunch of professional, friendly, flexible, supportive and above all patient group of educators. We know how difficult it can be at times to maintain your enthusiasm in the invariably repetitious round of courses, especially given the special needs of some of the participants, but you all managed it with a tremendous amount of charm. Having weathered the intensive first days of the course, we all four of us felt really bitten by the bug of diving on the last day. We will definitely be back for more and it will definitely be with Emperor. My only negative comments would be that the pool and instruction facilities were a little overcrowded and the instruction rooms, toilet and changing facilities could do with a facelift. However, this did not detract in any way from the excellence of the instruction.
Dr Mike Saul (on behalf of Peggy, Neil and Alan), Holmfirth, England July 2004
email: mike.saul [at] lineone.net
We have just returned from a two-week break in Sharm where we had the pleasure of diving with you from the 20th July for six days. We would just like to say what a wonderful experience we had with you. We were impressed, not only by the way Emperor is run, but also by the attitude of all your dive instructors. In particular we would like to thank Dieter and Barbara, who both stood out. Thanks, too, to all the boat crews and the ladies in the shop and behind the counter. We can see why you have won dive centre of the year for the past four years and hopefully will for years to come. We shall not hesitate to recommend you to our friends and we hope to dive with you again in the future.
Marianne and Craig Osborne, Croydon, England July 2004
email: marianne.craig [at] btopenworld.com
We know this is a long one, but it is good!
(Emperor Divers)
May I take this opportunity to thank all of you for the warm welcome Nikki and I received in Sharm. Happily this visit coincided with your 3rd annual 'Red Sea Bash'. The atmosphere around the dive centre and on the boats was electrifying.
The two barbecue 'banquets' we attended were simply mouth-watering with the food plentiful, well prepared and presented to a very high standard. Free beer vouchers are never to be sniffed at and were well received, as were the gratis T-shirts. Participating in the treasure hunts was great fun and made all the more memorable by Nikki being rewarded with a three-day dive package prize.
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You have a great team there in Sharm and when we return it will be as if we will be returning to visit old friends. Which, of course, we will be. We do send a special thank you to your equipment technician, George. Despite having her regs serviced in the UK before embarking on this trip, Nikki found herself diving with a sticky reg that seemed intent to free-flow for the whole of the dive. George diagnosed the problem drove to Old Sharm to pick up a new first stage and had everything reassembled and working later the same day. He was true to his word and as a result Nikki did not have to miss out on any dives.
All things considered, sharing our time with you has made this the best holiday ever. We are so impressed with the service we have received that I suspect we will be returning to dive with you again and again.
Alan Wheetman, Norfolk, England July 2004
Having recently returned from a week's diving with Emperor Divers in Hurghada, I would like to say what a great guide Cat was. Her briefings were brilliant and her personality really made the holiday. I am back to the Red Sea August 26th for one week on the Fraser liveaboard and hope to meet up with Cat and the team again!
Angela Munro, Eastwood, England July 2004
Just to let you know we had an absolutely superb time in Sharm. We felt really special, we were picked up and dropped off with most courtesy, no hassle at all. Our entire group would like to send their thanks for the great week they had, the birthday bash events were great fun and we appreciate all the work that goes into organising events like this. Once again Emperor Divers has proved they are the best in the industry. Please pass on a biiiiiiiiiiggggggg thank you to your team in Sharm with special thanks going to Denise, she is an excellent organiser and nothing seemed too much trouble for her. We look forward to diving with you again soon.
Shirl & Steve, Coventry Scuba Trip June 2004