Destiny

Boat

Built around the habits of divers rather than adapted as an afterthought, Destiny, also marketed as MY DESTINY, is a modern Egyptian liveaboard designed for long Red Sea safaris. Construction ran from 2021 to 2023, and the completed vessel combines a 37-metre length, an 8-metre beam and a substantial steel hull. The operator states that approximately 220 tonnes of steel were used. Her contemporary bow is intended to cut more cleanly through waves, improving comfort and stability during the exposed passages that link Egypt's offshore marine parks.

Twin 900 hp MAN engines power the vessel, while two generators and two desalination systems support life aboard during remote itineraries. The current standard guest limit is 20 people, giving Destiny generous common areas relative to her capacity. Published cruises commonly last 7, 9, 12 or 14 nights and may start or finish in Hurghada or the Marsa Alam/Port Ghalib area, depending on the route.

Inside, the air-conditioned salon is arranged for both quiet surface intervals and sociable evenings. Sofas, a library, board games and a PlayStation 5 provide alternatives to editing photographs or discussing the day's dives. A weekly onboard “bazaar” may offer branded clothing, reusable bottles, mugs, jewellery and other items for purchase. Large windows and a pale contemporary interior keep the shared spaces bright rather than enclosed.

Dining follows an unusual waste-conscious approach. Breakfast is presented as a buffet, but later meals are ordered à la carte: guests select upcoming dishes and the galley prepares the required quantity. The intention is to serve freshly made food while limiting unnecessary waste. Published meal service includes full board, snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments, with vegetarian, vegan and allergy-related requirements accepted when communicated before the trip. A large guest refrigerator near the restaurant and sun-deck area can hold personal snacks or medication.

Outdoor space is spread across several levels. The sun deck combines shaded seating, open loungers and an area used for barbecues, where the operator describes meat and seafood choices. Higher up, the flybridge is a relaxed viewpoint for morning coffee or a drink at sunset. These separated leisure areas allow guests to find sun, shade or a quieter corner even when the full complement of 20 is aboard.

Destiny's safety inventory is unusually detailed in the operator's public specification. It includes ENOS diver-location equipment, a defibrillator, two 25-person life rafts, emergency oxygen, first-aid and DAN kits, life jackets for guests and crew, fire extinguishers on every deck and in every cabin, and fire alarms in the cabins, salon and restaurant. Navigation and communication equipment includes GPS, radar, echo sounder, radio, VHF/DSC and satellite telephone.

Cabin

Destiny accommodates a maximum of 20 guests in exactly 10 air-conditioned ensuite cabins. The current detailed inventory is:

• 1 Panoramic Suite — upper/sun deck: one double bed, a broad panoramic window, individually controlled air conditioning and a private bathroom with rain shower and toilet; maximum 2 guests
• 1 Upper Deck Double Cabin — upper/sun deck: one double bed, a standard sea-facing window, individually controlled air conditioning and a private bathroom with rain shower and toilet; maximum 2 guests
• 3 Upper Deck Twin Cabins — upper/sun deck: two separate single beds in each cabin, a standard sea-facing window, individually controlled air conditioning and a private bathroom with rain shower and toilet; maximum 2 guests per cabin
• 3 Lower Deck Twin Cabins — lower deck: two separate single beds in each cabin, a standard window, individually controlled air conditioning and a private bathroom with rain shower and toilet; maximum 2 guests per cabin
• 2 Lower Deck Double Cabins — lower deck: one king-size bed in each cabin, a standard window, individually controlled air conditioning and a private bathroom with rain shower and toilet; maximum 2 guests per cabin

This reconciles to 5 cabins on the upper/sun deck and 5 cabins on the lower deck, with no bunk rooms and no standard triple occupancy. Some older or less detailed listings describe a different category mix; the ten-room inventory above follows the current cabin-by-cabin sales record and the vessel's published maximum of 20 guests.

All categories use modern finishes, quality mattresses, pillows and bed linen. Towels, bathrobes and warm deck ponchos are placed in the cabins, reducing the amount guests need to pack. Biodegradable shampoo and shower gel are complimentary. A hairdryer can be requested from the crew, while toothbrush, toothpaste, razor and shaving supplies are sold as an emergency kit. Reef-friendlier sunscreen is also available for purchase onboard.

The operator advertises special solo-traveller pricing for two cabins, while the current booking inventory marks twin categories as share-friendly. Because the exact rooms released at solo rates can change by departure, single travellers should have the selected cabin number, deck and supplement confirmed in writing rather than assuming that every twin cabin is available without a surcharge.

Cabins are intended primarily for sleeping, dressing and private bathroom use. Camera and phone charging is organised more safely at the individual equipment boxes on the dive deck. Guests with a strong preference for a panoramic suite, double bed, separate twins or a particular deck should reserve the named category and recheck it on the final invoice.

Diving

Destiny normally offers 2–4 dives per diving day, using compressed air or Nitrox. There is no diving on embarkation or disembarkation day, and the operator expressly states that weather, permissions, crossings and safety take priority over any advertised dive count. Standard cylinders are 12-litre aluminium tanks. Nitrox is included for suitably certified divers; 15-litre cylinders and other non-standard tank arrangements must be requested and paid for separately.

Three instructors are carried on published trips, and the current sales record describes a maximum guide-to-diver ratio of approximately 1:7. Two speedboats with boarding ladders take groups to drop points and recover them after drift or blue-water dives. This tender-based operation is particularly important at offshore reefs such as Brothers, Daedalus and Elphinstone, where the main vessel cannot always position close to the entry or exit point.

The dive deck provides an assigned storage box for each cabin. Charging points for cameras and phones are integrated into these stations, keeping electronics away from sleeping areas. There is a rinse tank for scuba and camera equipment, a spacious camera work surface, three outdoor showers—one rain shower and two hand showers—and additional toilet/shower facilities near the working deck. Complete rental equipment, spare parts and tools are carried, but sizes and specialist items must be reserved before travel.

Principal dive facilities include:

• Included Nitrox for certified users
• 12-litre aluminium cylinders as standard
• 15-litre cylinders on advance request and at additional cost
• Three instructors and small guided groups
• Two dive tenders with ladders
• Individual dive-gear storage and charging boxes
• Equipment and camera rinse facilities
• Dedicated camera preparation space
• Rental scuba equipment by prior reservation
• ENOS diver-location system
• Two 50-litre emergency oxygen cylinders and two DAN emergency kits

Experience requirements are route-specific. For Brothers, Daedalus, Zabargad, Rocky Island and Elphinstone programs, the operator states at least 50 logged dives and Advanced Open Water or equivalent certification. Night dives are prohibited in these marine parks. North–Tiran programs publish a 30-dive minimum, while Fury Shoals–Wadi El Gemal is offered as an easier choice for Open Water divers, beginners and snorkellers. The most recent dive should generally have been within the previous year, and guests must present certification and a logbook.

Currents, deep walls, negative entries, swell and open-water ascents can make the offshore routes demanding. The boat manager may exclude a guest from a particular dive when conditions exceed that diver's demonstrated ability. A private guide can currently be pre-booked for a weekly fee, but it does not remove route certification or official logged-dive requirements.

Other Information

• Destination: Egyptian Red Sea
• Typical ports: Hurghada and the Marsa Alam/Port Ghalib region; the confirmed itinerary determines embarkation and disembarkation
• Airports: Hurghada International Airport (HRG) and Marsa Alam International Airport (RMF)
• Construction: Steel liveaboard built from 2021 to 2023 and completed in 2023
• Dimensions: 37 m long × 8 m wide
• Capacity: 20 guests in 10 ensuite cabins
• Engines: 2 × MAN, 900 hp each
• Generators / water: 2 generators and 2 desalination systems
• Dive team: 3 instructors on published programs
• Tenders: 2 speedboats with ladders
• Nitrox: Included for certified divers, subject to operational availability
• Internet: Complimentary Wi-Fi is advertised, but connection depends on mobile or offshore coverage
• Languages: Arabic, English and German are currently listed for the crew
• Food: Breakfast buffet followed by à-la-carte meals; vegetarian, vegan and medical/allergy-related diets require advance notice
• Payments onboard: Cash in EUR, USD, CHF or EGP; Visa and Mastercard are accepted, but card charges may be significant

Currently included in the standard published package: accommodation in the booked cabin; 2–4 dives on operational diving days; air or Nitrox; 12-litre tank, weights and weight belt; dive-guide and tender service; all meals and snacks; water, tea, instant and filter coffee, and soft drinks; towels, bathrobe and poncho; biodegradable shampoo and shower gel. The current detailed seller record also labels VAT, fuel surcharge, a welcome drink, barbecue/special dinner, eligible night dives and Wi-Fi as included. The final invoice remains authoritative.

Normally excluded or charged separately: marine-park, diving-permit and port fees; airport, hotel or other local transfers unless the booking states otherwise; alcoholic drinks, juices and speciality coffees; rental equipment; 15-litre or other non-standard cylinders; dive courses; private guide; short-term DAN insurance; massage, spa or yoga services; shop purchases and crew gratuities.

The operator publishes compulsory fee packages of €230 per person for North/Wreck/Tiran routes and €285 per person for southern routes including the northern marine parks. Elba Reef programs carry higher packages—€435 for seven days, €540 for ten days and €570 for eleven days. These official and port-related charges can change even after a booking is made.

Extras include €35 per dive day for a complete rental set without computer and torch, €10 per day each for wetsuit, BCD or regulator, €10 per day for a computer, €7.50 for a lamp and €7.50 for a 15-litre/10-litre or second cylinder. A private guide is listed at €450 per week.

Guests must provide passport and flight data 21 days before departure. The operator requests a passport valid for at least six months on the final travel day and a copy at check-in. A current diving medical examination not older than one year or a completed health declaration is required. Comprehensive travel and diving insurance should cover repatriation, hyperbaric treatment and interrupted travel; short-term DAN cover can be purchased onboard but should not be assumed to replace broader travel protection.

Smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor areas. Soft luggage is strongly preferred because hard-shell cases are difficult to store. Specifications, cabin allocation, extras, transfers, insurance rules and fees should be confirmed on the dated booking document before sale or travel.

Destiny operates across the northern, central and southern Egyptian Red Sea, with published cruises of 7, 9, 12 and 14 nights. Current shorter departures are generally 8 days / 7 nights, often beginning on a Saturday, but ports and route direction vary. The schedules below are representative planning outlines written from the operator's named programs; they are not promises that a site will be visited on a particular day. The captain and cruise director can reorder, replace or omit dives because of wind, sea state, current, harbour instructions, marine-park rules, vessel traffic or guest safety.

Brothers, Daedalus & Elphinstone — Sample 8-Day / 7-Night Expedition

This is Destiny's classic offshore marine-park route and one of its most demanding. It links three isolated reef systems where steep walls, cleaning stations and open water create possibilities for hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, threshers, grey reef sharks, mantas and schooling pelagic fish. Advanced certification and at least 50 logged dives are required. Night diving is not permitted at the marine parks.

Day 1 — Embarkation in Hurghada or Marsa Alam region
Guests are met according to the confirmed transfer plan and board during the afternoon. Cabin allocation, equipment setup, paperwork, the vessel briefing and emergency orientation take place in port. Dinner is served onboard, but no dive is scheduled on arrival day. Depending on the departure, Destiny may remain alongside overnight or begin positioning toward the first sheltered reef.

Day 2 — Check dives and passage offshore
One or more coastal dives allow guides to assess buoyancy, air consumption, DSMB deployment and comfort in current. Possible areas depend on the port and route direction. After the practical checks, the boat heads into open water toward the Brothers Islands. Equipment should be secured carefully before this exposed crossing.

Day 3 — Big Brother
The lighthouse identifies Big Brother above water; below it, coral-covered walls plunge into deep blue. Experienced groups may explore the shallower, recreational portions of the Numidia or Aida II, while other dives focus on the south plateau and wall. Thresher sharks, grey reef sharks, oceanic whitetips, tuna, jacks and mantas are possible, never guaranteed. Entries and exits are selected around current and surface conditions.

Day 4 — Little Brother and transfer to Daedalus
Little Brother's walls carry large gorgonians, soft corals and dense reef fish. Drift dives may pass anthias, groupers, barracuda, Napoleon wrasse and turtles while guides monitor the blue for sharks. The number of dives depends on the crossing plan. Destiny then navigates south toward Daedalus Reef, with no night dive inside the marine park.

Day 5 — Daedalus Reef
An isolated reef and lighthouse rise far from the mainland. Early dives may target the northern section when current and diver experience allow, as scalloped hammerheads sometimes patrol away from the wall. Other dives follow the east or west faces, where hard coral, anemones and schooling fish provide interest even when pelagics remain deep. Threshers, mantas, whale sharks and large tuna are possible seasonal visitors rather than scheduled attractions.

Day 6 — Final offshore dives and Elphinstone
The captain may allocate another dive at Daedalus before the passage toward Elphinstone, or reach Elphinstone earlier if sea conditions favour the move. This long, narrow reef has north and south plateaus and walls falling into deep water. Oceanic whitetips are an important seasonal possibility, while reef life includes gorgonians, soft corals, Napoleon wrasse and turtles. Recreational groups remain within training limits; the deep arch is not part of a normal sport-diving plan.

Day 7 — Elphinstone or coastal finale
One or two morning dives may return to Elphinstone, followed by a more sheltered reef near the coast, or the complete day may be reorganised around the previous night's crossing. Diving finishes early enough to protect a safe pre-flight interval. Equipment is rinsed and allowed to dry while Destiny returns to the confirmed arrival port.

Day 8 — Breakfast and disembarkation
After breakfast, guests settle onboard accounts and leave the vessel for the airport or their next hotel. There is no diving on departure day.

Northern Wrecks — Sample 8-Day / 7-Night Safari

The northern Red Sea is shaped by busy shipping routes, offshore reefs and a remarkable concentration of historic wrecks. This itinerary is less exposed than the offshore marine parks, but penetration, depth, current and vessel traffic still demand disciplined diving. The exact wreck selection depends on permissions, moorings, weather and group experience.

Day 1 — Hurghada embarkation
Board in Hurghada, complete registration and safety procedures, assemble equipment and meet the guides. The vessel normally remains in harbour for the first evening. No arrival-day dive is planned.

Day 2 — Check dive and northern reefs
The first dive takes place at a sheltered reef where weighting, equipment and buoyancy can be checked. A second and possibly third dive may continue around reefs such as Shaab El Erg or Gubal. When conditions and the captain's plan allow, a night dive introduces the northern route's active nocturnal life.

Day 3 — Abu Nuhas wreck system
The reef of Abu Nuhas has claimed several ships and offers a choice of contrasting wreck dives. Possible targets include Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K or another authorised site. Machinery, cargo remains and coral growth make each wreck distinctive. Penetration is never automatic: certification, gas, visibility, current and guide instructions determine whether divers remain outside or enter approved sections.

Day 4 — SS Thistlegorm
Destiny may schedule two or more dives on the SS Thistlegorm to show both its exterior and famous cargo areas. Motorcycles, trucks, railway equipment and wartime supplies remain inside the holds, while jacks, batfish and schooling fish gather around the superstructure. Early timing can reduce—but not eliminate—crowding and current. A night dive is possible only when mooring, traffic and conditions make it responsible.

Day 5 — Ras Mohammed and the Sinai coast
The route can combine a final wreck dive with the walls of Ras Mohammed National Park. Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are known for current-fed coral, schooling fish and a dramatic drop-off, while other local sites provide more shelter. The guides choose entries according to current direction and keep the group together in an area that can be busy with other boats.

Day 6 — Rosalie Moller, Dunraven or Gubal
Deeper and less forgiving than many reef dives, Rosalie Moller is offered only when conditions and guest experience suit it. An alternative plan may use the Dunraven, additional Abu Nuhas wrecks or the reefs around Gubal Island. The purpose is not to tick every famous name, but to select the best combination available on the day.

Day 7 — Final reefs and return to Hurghada
One or two morning dives complete the program at a suitable reef or wreck. The exact final site is chosen around weather, harbour timing and the required no-fly interval. Destiny then returns to Hurghada, where equipment is packed and the final night may be spent onboard in port.

Day 8 — Disembarkation
Breakfast is followed by check-out and the confirmed transfer. No diving is scheduled.

Other Published Destiny Routes

North–Tiran combines northern reefs with the four famous reefs in the Straits of Tiran. The operator currently asks for Advanced Open Water or equivalent and at least 30 logged dives. Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon reefs can bring strong current, walls, coral gardens, schooling fish and seasonal pelagic action. The precise combination with wrecks or Ras Mohammed depends on the scheduled departure.

Fury Shoals–Wadi El Gemal is Destiny's most accessible published route and is described as suitable for Open Water divers, beginners, snorkellers and non-diving companions. Coral gardens, shallow wrecks, canyons and night-diving opportunities create variety. Sataya's sheltered lagoon is associated with spinner dolphins, while Abu Galawa includes the small, coral-covered Tien Hsing wreck. Wildlife encounters and island landings remain conditional and must follow local rules.

St. Johns–Fury Shoals–Elphinstone extends farther south through cavern systems, walls and healthy reefs before adding the more demanding Elphinstone finale. The operator presently applies Advanced certification and a 50-dive minimum to this program because Elphinstone is included.

Brothers–Best of Safaga links the Brothers Islands with Safaga highlights such as Panorama Reef and Abu Kafan. It combines offshore shark potential, Big Brother's wrecks and current-swept walls with deep-edged central Red Sea reefs. The itinerary may operate between Hurghada and the Marsa Alam region in either direction.

Longer programs include Daedalus–Rocky–Zabargad–Elphinstone, Elba–Zabargad–Rocky–St. Johns and the extended Best of Red Sea. The latter is designed to combine a broad selection of drop-offs, pelagic sites, macro habitat, canyons and wrecks over a longer voyage. Elba departures carry substantially higher permits and should be checked carefully for current access rules, ports, duration and experience requirements.

Marine Life and Planning Notes

Egypt's Red Sea supports year-round reef life, but the celebrated pelagics are seasonal and unpredictable. Offshore reefs can produce scalloped hammerheads, oceanic whitetips, thresher sharks, grey reef sharks, silky sharks, mantas and occasional whale sharks. Coastal and southern routes add turtles, dolphins, eagle rays, Napoleon wrasse, barracuda, tuna, anthias, morays and rich macro subjects. No animal, wreck penetration or named dive site can be guaranteed.

• Expect 2–4 dives on operational diving days, never on arrival or departure day.
• Advanced marine-park routes require the documented certification and logged dives stated for that departure.
• Night diving is prohibited at Brothers, Daedalus, Zabargad, Rocky Island and Elphinstone.
• Carry a dive computer and DSMB; confirm any additional mandatory personal safety equipment.
• Reserve rental equipment, 15-litre tanks, courses and private guide service well before travel.
• Keep at least the interval required by the operator and current diving guidance between the final dive and flying; 24 hours is the prudent planning standard for a multi-day repetitive-dive safari.
• Treat the final voucher—not a generic sample itinerary—as the authority for ports, dates, fees and transfers.