Dive Review of Red Sea Aggressor in
Red Sea

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Red Sea Aggressor: "Two weeks of 5-star pampering", Apr, 2018, by Ms Lynda Durfee, VA, US ( Top Contributor 49 reports with 24 Helpful votes). Report 10246 has 3 Helpful votes.
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Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	The Red Sea has been on my bucket list, and late January when Aggressor announced bargain cruises for the RSA, I jumped and booked two consecutive weeks, the first the Brothers/Daedalus route, the second the southern route. I lucked out with a private cabin for both weeks. From the moment you get onboard, you can relax knowing that everything is being taken care of, from helping you to don your gear, getting in/out of the water, washing out your wetsuits, etc. I'm used to setting up my gear, getting in/out of a wetsuit, etc., but I was happy to let the seamen (deck/zodiac crew) compete to provide me with valet service. The stewards (Ali and Hagazzi), knew everyone's preferences by the end of the first full day, ready with your beverage, breakfast order, special food requirements, etc. Tidy service in the cabins was provided twice daily. Dive guides were very knowledgeable, and enjoyed sharing my special finds on dives (six tiny black-fin dartfish, for example). Crew rinses out your gear and sets it out to dry after last dive on Friday. Everyone was on Nitrox (a few who didn't plan to use Nitrox took the onboard course). Most of the cabins are twins with good-size private baths and plenty of hot water. Warm towels provided on the dive deck as soon as you begin to get out of your wetsuit. Meals were exceptional, cooked by a former hotel chef, and artfully plated and arranged. Plenty of fresh vegetables at lunch and dinner and tasty entrees, including fish, chicken, beef, and turkey for Thursday dinner. Those with special requirements (vegetarian, no fish, etc.) were happy with their alternate choices. Desserts definitely worth saving room for. Nice covered lounge area on bar deck with cooler filled with beer and soft drinks. Partially covered sun deck on top level. Boat made a lot of long transitions after dinner; I'd advise a sedative or sleeping pill; the sound of the engines was like having a freight train running outside. Up to 21 or 22 dives available each week; I skipped most of the night dives, but got in 35 over the two weeks. I found the coral gardens more interesting than the wall dives, but that's my opinion. The walls had mostly thousands of anthias with a few passing sharks; most of the interest (and number of fish) was in the top 30 feet or so. One or two sharks seen on about half of the dives. Two manta rays on one dive, many blue-spotted stingrays, several turtles. Dolphins sometimes appeared on the surface, and the southern route included a snorkel stop where dolphins congregate. Of the 14 liveaboard trips I've made in 10 years of diving, this boat was tops for service, food, and comfort, but I think diving in Fiji was better. A long flight from the East Coast at about $1700, which is why I booked two weeks on the RSA. I spent two nights in Luxor pre-voyage with an all-day driver and guide (Jolie resort), then 3 nights at the Hurghada Marriott before flying home.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	All over Caribbean, all Hawaiian islands, Fiji, Palau, Maldives, Red Sea
Closest Airport	Marsa Alam	Getting There	I flew from IAD, two changes to Luxor (pre-cruise) and two changes from Hurghada
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm, choppy
Water Temp	77-82°F / 25-28°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	80-100 Ft/ 24-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Dive with buddy or buddy with dive guide. Max. 110 ft on 32% nitrox. No time limit.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	I'm not a photographer, but the camera table on the dive deck and charging outlets seemed more than adequate.

Report currently has 3 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By report author: Ms Lynda Durfee in VA, US at May 04, 2018 07:49 EST

Added note. Bring Euros if you can; need for purchases if changing planes in Europe. ATMs in Egypt give you Egyptian pounds (LE). Most shops at Port Ghalib want Euros and might refuse to accept LE or claim they don't have change. US $1 bills widely accepted as tips, though (airport baggage handlers, for ex.), Egyptian equivalent is 20LE bill. As recommended in KBYG, if you want hard liquor, pack it in your checked luggage. RSA serves Egyptian wine and beer. Bars/restaurant at Port Ghalib serve alcohol.

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Dive Review of Red Sea Aggressor in Red Sea

Red Sea Aggressor: "Two weeks of 5-star pampering", Apr, 2018,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Red Sea Aggressor in
Red Sea