673186087
931983442
info@nextgendivingtravel.com
EN
ES
Contact
NEXTGEN Diving Travel

orem ipsum dolorRED SEA – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


On a liveaboard diving cruise, you’ll have the unique opportunity to explore a wide variety of dive sites that day-trip dive centers simply can’t reach—whether due to distance or logistics.

Only on a diving cruise can you enjoy the full freedom of waking up right at the dive site, ready to jump in the water. Forget about hauling your gear, assembling and disassembling tanks, or traveling between the hotel and dive center. Our boats are a blend of modern hotels and floating dive centers, offering all the comforts: air conditioning, hot-water showers, spacious common areas, large dive decks… All you need to focus on is EAT, SLEEP, DIVE. We also schedule dives at times that let us avoid the crowds, especially those from day boats, so you can enjoy a more relaxed and exclusive experience.

What should you bring with you on the trip?

Documents
You must bring all the completed documentation that we will send you before the start of your trip.

After the welcome on board, the guides will collect the following documents to make photocopies, which must be presented to the local authorities: 
  • Diving certificate.
  • Nitrox certificate if you wish to use it for diving.
  • Valid diving insurance.
  • Passport with a minimum validity of 6 months (with an entry visa to Egypt).
Our guides are obliged to deny participation in diving activities to anyone who does not present the requested valid documentation.
Material
You must bring your complete diving equipment with you. If you do not have your equipment or do not feel like bringing it, you can rent all the diving gear you need. We advise you to check all the equipment before the trip, as we will not have materials on board that have not been previously requested from the agency.

While it is true that we will have basic spare parts and equipment pieces, as you will see in one of the points developed later, you should keep in mind that it is impossible for us to have spares for all equipment parts, brands, and models on board. Therefore, we recommend adding to your travel suitcase all those spare parts that might break or are used more frequently, such as mask and fin straps.

Your travel suitcase must include:
  • Dive computer (mandatory).
  • Surface marker buoy or safety stop buoy (mandatory).
  • Dive boots. Fins.
  • Buoyancy Control Device (BCD).
  • Dive mask.
  • Snorkel.
  • Regulator.
  • Dive torch (essential for night dives and wreck dives). Wetsuit.
Diving Level
We recommend a minimum level of diving experience for all our cruises, depending on the Red Sea route you plan to take:

Classic Northern Route and Wreck Route: Open Water Diver or equivalent (we recommend Advanced).
Southern Routes: Advanced Open Water Diver or equivalent. 

The Red Sea offers ideal conditions for onboard courses, such as Nitrox, Advanced OWD, and other specialties. If you're interested in furthering your training with us, here you'll find all the information.

The boat’s technical staff reserves the right to limit, restrict, or suspend dives due to technical issues, weather conditions, or force majeure. Failure to follow technical guidelines may result in partial or complete suspension of diving activities for the individual concerned. These restrictions or limitations do not entitle the affected person to any refund of the cruise cost..
Clothing and Protection
Thanks to the pleasant weather year-round, we’re able to offer weekly departures with no fixed season. That said, we recommend bringing comfortable, lightweight clothing.

In the winter months, we suggest packing a windbreaker or sweatshirt for the cooler evenings. Of course, don’t forget your sunglasses, sunscreen, and swimwear. Shower towels, hand towels, and/or bathrobes are provided on board.
Travel First Aid Kit
The boat is equipped with a basic first aid kit for emergencies. In accordance with local regulations, it contains only essential medical supplies such as a thermometer, gauze, cotton, alcohol, oral rehydration solutions, band-aids, Betadine, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, etc. Each guest is responsible for bringing their own specific medication.
We highly recommend packing your own travel first aid kit with commonly used items and any personal medication you may need.
Don’t forget to bring:
      • Motion sickness tablets
      • Painkillers

      • Anti-inflammatories

      • Oral rehydration salts
      • Anti-diarrheal medication

      • Ear drops

    • Band-aids or blister plasters/tape

Passport and Visas


The Egyptian government requires that, for Spanish nationals, passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the start of the trip. In other words, your passport must remain valid for at least 6 more months from your departure date. If it doesn’t, you’ll need to renew it before traveling.

For all other nationalities, please contact your embassy or consulate to check the specific requirements.


Our full packages include both airport meet-and-greet assistance and the delivery of entry visas by our local representative, who will be waiting for you at the arrivals terminal.


Reception and Transfers

Once you arrive in Sharm or Hurghada, a representative from our company will be waiting for you just outside the terminal to welcome you. They will be easy to spot, holding a sign with the NEXTGEN Diving Travel logo or name. Our staff will accompany you during the transfer to the boat, where one of our guides will be waiting for you.


Check-in and Check-out Times for Our Boats


Our cruises run from Saturday to Saturday, so boarding takes place on Saturdays. Check-in is available from 11:00 PM on Saturday until 4:00 AM on Sunday.

Typically, on Fridays around midday, after a relaxing morning at sea, we return to port at approximately 3:00 PM.

Check-out is available from Friday at 3:00 PM until Saturday at 8:00 AM. Personal belongings cannot be left on the boat before or after these times. Any changes to this schedule must be agreed upon in writing with the agency in advance.

Our Boats and Diving

Our entire fleet features air-conditioned cabins equipped with private bathrooms, all designed with your comfort in mind. Additionally, we provide a double set of towels and/or bathrobes on board, depending on the boat.

In the dive area, each diver has a designated spot to organize their gear, a locker to charge batteries, and a box to store dive equipment.

We use 12-liter aluminum tanks with both DIN and International valves. You can prepare and set up your gear in your chosen spot, and after each dive, there’s no need to swap tanks—the crew will refill your tank for the next dive. Nitrox is available on board for an additional fee.

Before each dive, you can analyze your gas mix with the onboard analyzer. The Nitrox blend is typically between 30% and 32%, ideal for our dive profiles.


How is the day-to-day organized?

Upon your arrival at the boat during check-in hours, cabins will be assigned, you’ll be introduced to the staff and crew, and basic safety instructions will be given while you enjoy some welcome juices and snacks.

First Dive
Second Dive
Third Dive
Fourth Dive

From Sunday to Friday, we get up early in the morning. While the guides give us a briefing about the dive site, we can enjoy a light snack (fruit, cookies, coffee, tea, herbal infusions…), and then head to the water for the first dive.

After a surface interval of about 2 hours, we will have sailed to the next dive site. Around 10:30 AM, we’ll be ready for the briefing for the second dive — then straight into the water! When we return from the second dive, the chef will have lunch ready for us. After finishing, you’ll have time to relax on deck or take a nice nap!

Between 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM, fully recharged, we’ll head out for the third dive of the day. After finishing, we usually have some cruising time to the mooring spot where we’ll spend the night. This gives us a long surface interval to enjoy a snack while taking in the spectacular sunsets over the Red Sea.

After checking that our dive light batteries are fully charged… it’s briefing time! Around 7:00 PM, the night dive begins. Upon returning, and after giving everyone some time to enjoy a shower, dinner will be served. While for many of us the day ends here, others keep the night going as long as they can!

Other Frequently Asked Questions

Can non-divers come on board?

Yes, absolutely! If you love the sea, this is the place for you! Throughout the day, on our different routes, we make stops where you can enjoy a swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea and explore a bit of this underwater world through snorkeling.

What wetsuit should I bring?

This topic gets a bit personal, as everyone feels temperature differently.

In general, for diving in the Red Sea, a 3mm wetsuit works well during spring and summer; for autumn, a 5mm or 7mm wetsuit is more suitable, and in winter, we recommend a semi-dry suit.

Keep in mind that on some trips you’ll be doing up to 4 dives a day. Sometimes the wetsuit doesn’t have enough time to dry between dives, so you may feel colder with each dive. If you don’t have the recommended suit, you can always layer with a heated vest. For example, if you don’t have a semi-dry suit, you can wear a 5mm wetsuit with a heated vest underneath.

Water temperatures range between 21°C and 31-32°C, depending on the time of year.

How is the food on the cruise?

Between dives, our chefs will delight you with a wide and varied menu based on the Mediterranean diet, with touches of delicious local cuisine, served across four daily meals (breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner).

If you have any food intolerances or allergies, please let us know as soon as possible so our onboard team can accommodate your needs.

If you are gluten-free or lactose intolerant, we recommend bringing essential products from Spain, as these are not commonly found in Egyptian supermarkets.

Our boats are vegan-friendly; onboard, you will find a wide selection of salads, vegetables, fruits, rice, and pasta, so you can enjoy your meals and recharge for your dives.

¡Momentos señalados!

As you may have noticed, we love taking care of every detail. Offering a personal and family-like touch is our trademark. So, if there’s a special occasion during your stay on board (a birthday, wedding anniversary, honeymoon, wedding, or if you’re celebrating your 100th dive), get in touch with us and we’ll see how we can surprise you.

We adapt to you!

Would you like a private guide just for you or your family? Take your family vacation to the next level—we offer a dedicated team member to look after you exclusively.

Are you a dive photographer who wants to dive at your own pace with a guide by your side?

Bringing your own group and planning workshops, photography courses, environmental talks, or similar?

We make our resources available to you. Have you decided to join a diver on their trip and want a snorkel guide to accompany and supervise you while the rest of the group is diving?

Whatever we can do for you, we will. No doubt about it.

What happens in case of an emergency?

Our onboard team is trained in first aid and handling diving accidents. The boat is equipped with a complete first aid kit and a high-capacity oxygen system.

You must always follow the recommendations of the guide and/or crew. We have an emergency protocol available to you, posted in the diving area in a clearly visible spot.

We also have access to two very modern hyperbaric chambers staffed by world-renowned personnel, operating 24/7, located in Sharm el Sheikh and another in the Hurghada area.

¿Hay WIFI a bordo?

Our cruises are equipped with free Wi-Fi shared among all guests on board. This service is only available when there is mobile phone signal, so there may be times during the week without coverage.

The Wi-Fi is intended for limited internet browsing, mainly to stay connected through communication apps and keep in touch with your loved ones. Since it’s a shared service, we kindly ask you to avoid transferring large files or uploading many photos and videos.

We always recommend disabling automatic updates during the cruise and avoiding streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO, YouTube, etc. Instead, use the offline options these platforms offer by downloading content in Spain before your trip! If you need unlimited internet access or want a private connection, you can purchase a personal data SIM card from local providers (Vodafone, Etisalat, Orange) with sales points at all airports open 24/7.

You can also get a digital eSIM from Spain, compatible with most modern mobile devices, through websites like Holafly. This is a more exclusive service that lets you skip airport lines and manage your data plan directly online.

Propinas

The last day before disembarking will be the time to settle any onboard extras (Nitrox, equipment rental, 15L tanks, Service Tax, etc.). The Service Tax (tips or service charge) is a common practice in many countries like Egypt or the Maldives. This consists of a mandatory weekly payment of €80 to be shared among the guides and crew members.

Please remember that these payments (as well as all onboard extras) must be paid in cash and in euros before you disembark.

We use cookies to offer you the best experience on our website.
You can learn more about which cookies we use or disable them in the "Settings"
1