Alia Soul | Egypt, Northern Egypt, Southern Egypt

Boat

Completely reworked for a new generation of Red Sea diving, Alia Soul combines the warm character of a wooden safari vessel with a bright, contemporary interior. The 36-metre liveaboard underwent a major renovation in 2024, including enlarged cabins and bathrooms, an extended hull, a generous dive platform and redesigned leisure decks. With a beam of 7.5 metres and a maximum of 20 guests, she provides plenty of room without losing the friendly atmosphere of a small dive group.

Four decks separate active diving areas from the places intended for rest. The air-conditioned salon is light and inviting, with comfortable seating for briefings, conversation and photo review. An elegant dining space hosts buffet meals, while extensive teak decks offer shaded lounges, sunbeds and open viewpoints over the Egyptian Red Sea. The upper sun deck is especially appealing after the final dive, when the desert coast and offshore reefs take on the colours of sunset.

Alia Soul is powered by two 540 hp Caterpillar engines and supported by two generators. Her range allows the crew to link classic northern wrecks with offshore marine parks or travel south from Port Ghalib to St. Johns, Fury Shoals and other remote reef systems. Routes vary from short three- or four-night escapes to longer seven- and nine-night expeditions.

Dining is arranged as full board, normally including three buffet-style meals and one snack each day. Water, tea, coffee and soft drinks are included under the operator's published policy, while beer, wine and other alcoholic beverages can be purchased. The kitchen serves a mix of Egyptian, Mediterranean and international dishes; dietary needs should be communicated well before departure.

Safety receives unusual attention aboard Alia Soul. In addition to standard navigation and emergency equipment, the vessel carries ENOS diver-location units, medical oxygen, a defibrillator and a dedicated treatment room. Together with a roomy dive deck and experienced multilingual team, these features make Alia Soul a compelling choice for divers seeking a comfortable, safety-conscious Red Sea liveaboard.

Cabin

Alia Soul accommodates 20 guests in 10 individually themed, air-conditioned cabins, all with private ensuite bathrooms. Natural wood, clean white finishes, large marine-inspired murals and thoughtful lighting give each room its own identity while keeping the overall style calm and modern.

The upper deck contains four cabins:

• Zen: queen-size bed and sea-facing window
• Blue Lagoon: queen-size bed and sea-facing window
• Romance: twin beds
• Egypt Lovers: twin beds

Six twin cabins are located on the lower deck:

• Starlight
• Hollywood
• Adventure
• Ocean Lovers
• Book Lovers
• Plant Lovers

Typical cabin features include:

• Individually controlled air conditioning
• Private bathroom with shower, toilet and washbasin
• Comfortable queen or twin beds according to category
• Reading lights and bedside storage
• Wardrobe or luggage space
• Towels and regular housekeeping

The operator advises that cabins do not contain general-use power sockets. Phones, cameras and other electronics should be charged in the designated area on the dive deck, where the electrical supply is 220V with European-style outlets. Guests who want a particular bed arrangement or upper-deck location should reserve early and obtain written confirmation.

Diving

Alia Soul was renovated around the needs of serious Red Sea divers. A broad platform and organised dive deck provide space to assemble equipment without crowding, while two Bauer compressors and a membrane system supply air and Nitrox 32%. Standard 12-litre aluminium cylinders are available, and 15-litre cylinders can be requested for an additional fee.

On a typical week-long cruise, guests can expect 3–4 dives on full diving days, with two dives on the final day. The exact total changes with route length, crossings, marine-park regulations and weather. Night dives are common on suitable coastal routes but are prohibited inside the offshore marine parks at Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone.

The ENOS system is one of Alia Soul's defining safety features. Each diver and guide receives a transmitter designed to help the vessel locate a separated diver at the surface. Divers must still carry the normal personal safety equipment required by the operator, including a dive computer, surface marker buoy and torch for night diving.

Main diving facilities include:

• Spacious dive deck and extended water-level platform
• Two Bauer air compressors
• Nitrox membrane system with complimentary Nitrox 32% for certified users
• 12-litre and optional 15-litre aluminium cylinders
• Dedicated charging area for underwater cameras and electronics
• ENOS diver-location units for divers and guides
• Rental equipment when ordered sufficiently in advance
• SSI courses, including Nitrox, deep and wreck specialties, by prior arrangement
• Private dive guide available on request

Some northern reef itineraries suit qualified Open Water divers, but offshore marine-park and southern routes are more demanding. Published guidance calls for advanced training and a meaningful number of logged dives; Brothers–Daedalus–Elphinstone is aimed at experienced divers, with 50 logged dives recommended. Strong current, swell, deep walls, negative entries and blue-water ascents may be part of the experience.

Other Information

• Destination: Egyptian Red Sea
• Main ports: Safaga/Soma Bay and Port Ghalib; ports may change with the route
• Nearest airports: Hurghada (HRG) for Safaga/Soma Bay; Marsa Alam (RMF) for Port Ghalib
• Renovation: Major refit completed in 2024
• Construction: Wooden hull with teak decking
• Dimensions: 36 m long × 7.5 m wide
• Guests / cabins: 20 guests in 10 ensuite cabins
• Decks: 4
• Engines: 2 × Caterpillar, 540 hp each
• Nitrox: Nitrox 32% is advertised as complimentary for certified divers
• Electricity: 220V, European-style sockets in the dedicated charging area; no general sockets in cabins
• Internet: Complimentary Wi-Fi is advertised, subject to offshore coverage
• Languages: English onboard; dive guides may also speak German, Italian and Arabic
• Meals: Full board with three meals and one snack daily
• Safety: ENOS, oxygen, defibrillator, treatment room, two 25-person life rafts, emergency exits, fire detection and suppression, GPS, VHF, AIS, radar transponder and satellite phones
• No-fly interval: The operator recommends at least 24 hours between the final dive and flying
• Insurance: Dedicated dive-accident insurance covering hyperbaric treatment is strongly recommended
• Payments: Current onboard cash and card policies should be confirmed before travel

Alia Soul explores a wide span of the Egyptian Red Sea, from northern shipwrecks and the Straits of Tiran to remote southern coral systems near St. Johns. Cruises usually embark at Safaga/Soma Bay or Port Ghalib, and published durations range from short breaks to ten-day expeditions. These sample itineraries reflect the operator's route descriptions, but they are not fixed schedules. Weather, permits, currents and diver experience can change the order or selection of sites.

Brothers, Daedalus & Elphinstone – Sample 8-Day Marine Park Route

This demanding offshore itinerary is designed for experienced divers who want steep walls, healthy coral, historic wrecks and the Red Sea's best chance of pelagic encounters. Advanced certification is expected and 50 logged dives are recommended.

Day 1 – Embarkation at Safaga or Soma Bay
Check in during the afternoon or evening, meet the crew and settle into the cabins. The first night is normally spent in harbour.

Day 2 – Check dives and offshore crossing
Begin at Tobia Kebir or Tobia Arbaa, where coral gardens provide a practical equipment and buoyancy check. A later dive may visit Shaab Sheer before Alia Soul starts the overnight passage to the Brothers Islands.

Day 3 – Little Brother
Complete three or four dives along densely covered walls where soft corals, schooling fish and open-water drop-offs create dramatic scenery. Thresher sharks, grey reef sharks and oceanic whitetips are possible visitors.

Day 4 – Big Brother and wrecks
Explore Big Brother's reefs and, when conditions and experience permit, the coral-covered wrecks of the Numidia and Aida II. The vessel later crosses toward Daedalus Reef.

Day 5 – Daedalus Reef
Spend a full day at this isolated lighthouse reef. The northern plateau is renowned for schooling hammerheads, while mantas, threshers, tuna and grey reef sharks may patrol the blue.

Day 6 – Daedalus walls
Further dives reveal long walls clothed in hard and soft corals. After the final dive, the boat navigates back toward the coast and usually anchors near Abu Dabab.

Day 7 – Elphinstone and Port Ghalib
Early dives at Elphinstone combine current-swept plateaus, gorgonian walls and the possibility of oceanic whitetip sharks. Alia Soul reaches Port Ghalib later in the day for the final night onboard.

Day 8 – Disembarkation
Breakfast and check-out in port, with the final dive schedule planned to protect the recommended pre-flight interval.

Northern Wrecks & Reefs – Sample 8-Day Route

The northern Red Sea blends famous maritime history with clear-water reef diving. Depending on permits and conditions, the itinerary may feature Abu Nuhas, the Straits of Tiran, Ras Mohammed, the SS Thistlegorm, Rosalie Moller and the reefs around the Gulf of Suez.

Day 1 – Safaga/Soma Bay check-in
Board Alia Soul, complete the safety briefing and spend the first night in harbour.

Day 2 – Abu Hasheesh and Shaab El Erg
Travel north, make an easy check dive at Abu Hasheesh and, when conditions allow, finish with a night dive at Shaab El Erg.

Day 3 – Abu Nuhas
Explore the reef known for its concentration of shipwrecks. A sheltered night dive may be arranged at Shaab Mahmoudat.

Day 4 – Straits of Tiran
Dive the strait's current-fed reefs, with a possible night dive in a protected section. Exact sites depend on marine conditions and permissions.

Day 5 – Ras Mohammed and the SS Thistlegorm
Combine the walls and fish schools of Ras Mohammed National Park with a first visit to the Red Sea's most celebrated wartime wreck. A night dive on Thistlegorm may be possible on the published route.

Day 6 – Thistlegorm, Rosalie Moller and Gubal
Return to the wreck in quieter morning conditions, then continue toward Rosalie Moller and Gubal Island. A sheltered night dive can complete the day.

Day 7 – Final northern reefs
Possible closing sites include Umm Gamar before the vessel returns toward Safaga or Soma Bay for the last night in port.

Day 8 – Check-out
Disembark after breakfast.

Deep South & St. Johns – Sample 8-Day Route

Departing from Port Ghalib, this route focuses on colourful southern reefs, caverns and lagoons rather than northern wrecks. St. Johns, Fury Shoals and Wadi El Gemal offer a rewarding mix of relaxed coral gardens and more exposed big-fish sites.

Day 1 – Port Ghalib embarkation
Join the vessel, attend the safety orientation and overnight in harbour.

Day 2 – Abu Dabab and Shaab Sharm
Complete the check dive in the sheltered Abu Dabab area, known for seagrass and turtles, then visit the more exposed Shaab Sharm before travelling south overnight.

Day 3 – St. Johns reefs
Explore offshore sites such as Habili Ali and Gota Kebir, where coral-covered walls, canyons and blue-water edges support abundant reef fish and occasional pelagics.

Day 4 – St. Johns to Fury Shoals
Begin among St. Johns' dramatic formations and progress toward the varied reef network of Fury Shoals.

Day 5 – Fury Shoals and Sataya
Dive coral gardens, swim-throughs and sheltered lagoons before anchoring in the Sataya area. Dolphin encounters may occur, but responsible distance and guide instructions always apply.

Day 6 – Wadi El Gemal
Visit reefs associated with Wadi El Gemal National Park, including colourful labyrinths such as Shaab Malahi, then return north to an anchorage around Abu Dabab. A night dive may be possible.

Day 7 – Elphinstone finale
Weather and diver experience permitting, finish with early dives at Elphinstone before returning to Port Ghalib for the final night.

Day 8 – Disembarkation
Check out after breakfast and continue to the airport or onward hotel.

Other Seasonal Programs

Alia Soul's schedule can also include shorter northern wreck trips, ten-day northern expeditions, Rocky and Zabargad routes, dolphin-focused cruises around Samadai and Sataya, freediving departures and specialist turtle-monitoring journeys. Not every itinerary operates every season, so the current boat schedule should be checked rather than assuming a route is permanently available.

Red Sea Marine Life

The northern wreck routes combine anthias-covered reefs, jacks, barracuda, turtles, rays and occasional dolphins with some of Egypt's most famous shipwrecks. Offshore marine parks offer the strongest pelagic potential: hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, thresher sharks, grey reef sharks and manta rays are all possible, but sightings are seasonal and never guaranteed.

Southern itineraries are especially rich in hard-coral gardens, caves and reef fish. Green turtles, hawksbill turtles, spinner dolphins, Napoleon wrasse, reef sharks and eagle rays may appear. The Red Sea is a wild environment, and responsible operators adapt each dive to conditions rather than pursuing animals at any cost.

Important Planning Notes

• Marine-park routes can involve strong currents, swell and deep drop-offs.
• Certification and logged-dive requirements differ by itinerary; obtain confirmation for the chosen departure.
• Night diving is prohibited at Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone.
• The exact embarkation port may change between Safaga/Soma Bay and Port Ghalib.
• Rental gear and 15-litre cylinders should be reserved well in advance.
• Observe the operator's minimum 24-hour interval between the last dive and flying.