M/Y Odyssey — a spacious, diver-first Red Sea liveaboard

The Odyssey suits divers who want serious Red Sea routes without giving up room to recover between dives. It reaches the Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone, Rocky, Zabargad, Fury Shoals and the northern reefs, so the choice is not between pelagic walls and coral gardens: different itineraries offer both. Passenger feedback puts the crew and food slightly ahead of the boat itself, with scores of 9.1 and 9.5 against 9.0 for the vessel and 8.5 for diving. That is a useful distinction. The boat is not being sold as a floating palace; its strength is the care around a demanding week in the water, from the dive operation to the meals that follow it. Step aboard for the reefs first, then let the space, jacuzzi and shaded decks make the surface intervals easier.

From the dock, the Odyssey presents as a large purpose-built diving yacht rather than a converted passenger boat. Its 2016 renovation supports the impression of a vessel kept current, while the layout is clearly organised around repeated dives: equipment has its own working areas, the dive deck is shaded, and the tenders handle the journey to the reef. Inside, the boat gives the group several places to disperse instead of forcing everyone into one lounge after a dive. The useful detail is not the top speed; it is the way the boat turns a remote Red Sea itinerary into a manageable base. Boarding feels practical first, polished second. That is the right order on a liveaboard.

The Odyssey is built for a group large enough to create energy but small enough for the crew to learn who needs what. English and French are spoken on board. Passenger feedback gives the crew 9.1, ahead of the boat score, and that difference is meaningful: the people running the trip are a major part of its appeal. Their value shows in the transitions—getting divers from cabin to deck, from deck to tender and back again—when small delays become tiring if nobody owns them. Evenings can stay quiet in the indoor lounge or move outdoors around the bar and dining area. The atmosphere is less about formal service than about a crew making a sizeable boat feel workable.

The Odyssey's recorded departures are seven-night cruises, usually eight days, from Hurghada or Port Ghalib and back, with routes built around the north, the deep south or the Fury Shoals. The Brothers–Daedalus–Elphinstone route is the sharpest pelagic choice: Brothers reaches -85m, Daedalus -40m and Elphinstone -60m, with exposed walls and shark encounters. Rocky Island adds strong-current diving around an isolated reef; Zabargad brings remote reefs, turquoise water and turtles. Fury Shoals is different—an enormous reef complex near Hamata, with hard-coral canyons and a more varied, accessible profile. Northern itineraries reach the Strait of Tiran, where current moves between four offshore reefs, and Shaab Ruhr Umm Gamar, where a reef plateau is marked by pinnacles and at least three wreck remains. Other recorded sites include Fanadir North to -30m, El Fanadir to -40m, Shaab Sabina to -14m, Gotha Abu Nugar North to -9m and Tiran's reefs off Dahab.

Fury Shoals →

Daedalus →

Max. depth · 40 m

Elphinstone →

Max. depth · 60 m

Rocky Island →

Strait of Tiran →

Max. depth · 40 m

Shaab Ruhr Umm Gamar →

Max. depth · 40 m

Fanadir North →

Max. depth · 30 m

El Fanadir →

Max. depth · 40 m

Shaab Sabina →

Max. depth · 14 m

Gotha Abu Nugar North →

Max. depth · 9 m

Turtles, manta rays, reef sharks, hammerheads, barracudas, dolphins, grey reef sharks, jacks, soft corals and morays form the recurring cast across this Red Sea network, with hard coral, anthias, snappers, groupers and tuna adding colour and movement. The reason to choose a particular route is what breaks that pattern. Zabargad is the only recorded site for dugongs. Shaab Ruhr Umm Gamar is the place linked with giant grouper and at least three wreck remains. At Elphinstone, the walls may bring oceanic whitetips, while gorgonians and labrids add detail to the reef. Brothers is the only listed site associated with anemones, Daedalus with bigeye trevally, Fury Shoals with triggerfish, and Shaab Sabina with damselfish. At El Fanadir, a cleaning station and venomous fish such as stonefish, scorpionfish and lionfish reward a slower look. Currents at Rocky Island, Tiran and the offshore reefs are part of what draws the larger animals in.

Manta Ray →

Mobula birostris

Dugong →

Dugong dugon

Lionfish →

Pterois volitans

The Odyssey's guides and instructors speak English and French, and dives are guided by the professional dive team. The required level depends on the itinerary: Fury Shoals accepts Open Water or equivalent divers with 10 logged dives, while routes such as Brothers–Daedalus–Elphinstone and Best of Tiran require Level 2 or Advanced certification with 50 logged dives. Briefings lead into tender-based dives, with the crew handling the surface operation around the site. Oxygen, first-aid kits, fire equipment, GPS, radar, sonar, VHF/DSC/SSB radio and satellite communication are carried on board, and the crew is trained in first aid. Nitrox certification and other diving courses can be arranged during the cruise; a private guide is also available separately.

The dive deck is shaded and arranged around personal stations, rinse tanks and a dedicated camera area, with a separate rinse for cameras. Charging stations are available, and hot-water showers, outdoor showers and towels make the return from the tender less of a chore. Standard diving uses 12-litre tanks with weights provided; DIN adapters are available, and 15-litre tanks can be hired separately. Nitrox is free for certified divers. The boat has two Yamaha 85 hp tenders, so divers enter and exit the water from the tenders rather than directly from the main hull. That arrangement keeps the Odyssey clear of the reef and lets the tender collect divers where they surface. Rental equipment and snorkelling equipment are available as optional extras.

Between dives, the Odyssey gives the group places to spread out: a shaded dive deck for gear and conversation, an air-conditioned indoor lounge, and upper outdoor areas where the sun or shade can be chosen. The jacuzzi is the obvious recovery point, but it is the separation between spaces that matters more over a week. A diver can sit outside with a drink, move indoors to cool down, or return to the cabin without crossing the whole boat. The lounge includes a library and audio-video entertainment for the hours when the sea is flat and nobody wants another conversation about sharks. Massage is available on board, adding a quieter option after a long day in current.

A day begins with the compressor and the first briefing before the boat's sleeping passengers have fully surfaced. Divers move from cabin to station, check gear and board the tender for the first descent, then return to food, water and a short interval before the next site. The same pattern repeats through the day's dives, with the shaded deck absorbing tanks, wet suits and conversations between entries. Lunch and later meals break up the work of diving, while navigation may happen during a surface interval or after the day's sites. When conditions and the itinerary allow it, a night dive changes the same reef completely: torches replace the sun, and the boat becomes the bright reference point on the surface. Then the crew resets the deck, divers dry off, and the cycle starts again.

Meals are served buffet-style, with Western and local cooking on the same table and vegetarian options available. Full board covers the trip, while water, tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks keep the gaps between dives simple. Beer and wine are available separately. On a four-dive day, the galley has a practical job: put something substantial in front of divers without turning every meal into an event. The food score of 9.5 is the strongest passenger rating attached to the boat, which suggests that the kitchen is one of the Odyssey's clearest advantages. Expect choice rather than a fixed restaurant menu, and local flavours alongside familiar dishes when the body wants food, not ceremony.

The cabins are spread across the boat and include lower-deck, main-deck and upper-deck categories, with double, twin and triple arrangements. All are air-conditioned and have private bathrooms, while standard windows and some sea-view cabins bring daylight into the room. Storage matters more than decoration after four dives, and the Odyssey is arranged to let divers retreat without losing access to the shared spaces. The upper deck adds a jacuzzi and open areas, but the cabin remains the place to escape the noise of the saloon and the movement of the group. The boat has 13 bathrooms for a maximum of 26 guests, so the practical side of a week at sea has been considered. Choose the cabin deck carefully if engine noise or a view matters to you.

Recorded departures and returns use Hurghada or Port Ghalib, depending on the itinerary. Return airport transfers are included, connecting the airport with the boat. The transfer arrangements are sent with the trip details, so flight planning should follow those instructions rather than assume every route uses the same port. Arriving in Egypt the night before boarding is the sensible choice.