2025 Red Sea: Grand Sea Explorer
Welcome to “Empty Nesters 2025,” finally our first liveaboard trip to the Red Sea.
October 2nd to 9th, 2025 (Please note this trip has been moved from 2024 to 2025)
The Red Sea liveaboard diving cruises are unequaled. Scuba dive incredible wrecks and technicolor reefs and experience a frequent rush hour of pelagics. The breathtaking underwater scenery, walls boasting giant pristine hard corals, and dazzling drop-offs of soft corals will delight even the most experienced divers. Liveaboard diving amongst the Northern part of the Red Sea (Gubal Strait and Ras Mohammed), the legendary marine park of Brother’s Islands, you’ll often spot thresher sharks, whale sharks, tuna, mantas, oceanic whitetips, and schooling hammerheads. Join “Empty Nesters” on the modern MV Grand Sea Explorer, operating in Egypt as Sea Serpent Grand, an impressive luxury vessel. Let us guide you through mesmerizing underwater sites for the experience of your lifetime. See Red Sea Video
Pre or post-add-ons: Plus, if you’re already in Egypt, why not visit Cairo, Alexandria, and Luxor or enjoy a cruise on the Nile River? We’ve created multiple must-do trip extensions to help you discover the wonders of ancient Egypt, above and below the waterline.
Dive into the technicolor world of the Red Sea. The Red Sea in Egypt is one of the planet’s most exotic and captivating natural environments. There are few places in the world where you’ll find such a diverse array of radiant corals, schooling pelagics, and plentiful marine life along with topside extensions to sites that date to antiquity – it is little wonder that divers refer to scuba diving in the Red Sea as legendary. “Empty Nesters” are so grateful that Explorer Ventures offered this rare and unique adventure in 2025. We also partner with Explorer Ventures for Palau adventure and Galapagos trips in 2025 and 2026. See the Red Sea video
The Amazing Diving
In the Northern part of the Red Sea, the Ras Mohammed National Park is situated at the confluence of waters from the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. This mix results in a wide range of coral and fish life diversity. Its best-known dive sites include Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef, two enormous pinnacles rising from the depths and home to grey reef sharks, tunas, barracudas, snappers, and hammerhead sharks. You’ll also see many sting rays, moray eels, scorpionfish, and dozens of toilets, which were the cargo of the Yolanda wreck.
The SS Thistlegorm wreck is undoubtedly the most famous in Egypt, with its WWII motorcycles and jeeps still in the same position they were when this ship was bombed by German airplanes. This beautiful wreck can be dived several times to discover all its compartments and cargo.
Here are the rates for 2025, October 3rd to 10th in the Red Sea on The Grand Sea Explorer.
| Cabins | Price (Per Person) |
|---|---|
| Master Suites | $2,885 |
| Deluxe cabins | $2,595 |
Abu Nuhas is a shallow reef that has caused more boats to sink than anywhere else in the Red Sea. There are currently several wrecks beneath the surface: the Giannis D, the Chrisoula K, the Kimon K, and some leftovers of the Carnatic, which sank in September 1869. They are now part of the marine world and are covered by soft corals, sponges, and hydroids.
Brothers Islands, Daedelus Reef, and Elphinstone Reef are unequaled. Part of the Marine Park, these dive locales show you the best of the best. Explore breathtaking underwater scenery, walls boasting huge pristine complex coral formations, and sheer drop-offs covered with soft corals, and experience a frequent rush hour of pelagics. Sightings of thresher sharks, whale sharks, schooling tuna, mantas, grey reef sharks, oceanic whitetips, and schooling hammerheads are common. On occasion, spectacular moonfish have also been spotted. The vessel’s experienced captain and dive guides will escort you to these remote and unspoiled reefs, where your senses will be happily overwhelmed.
DIVING HIGHLIGHTS
- Up to 27 dives (weather permitting)
- Dive legendary Red Sea Marine Parks
- Brothers Islands, Daedalus Reef, and Elphinstone Reef
- Renowned wall and drift diving with rich, vibrant reefs
- Famous wrecks: Thistlegrom, Numidia, Carnatic, Rosalie Moller
- Hammerheads, oceanic white-tip sharks, and whale sharks
- 1000 species of fish and 150 species of coral
- Countless more pelagics, tuna, turtles, rays, and large schooling snapper
THE LUXURY ROOMS
VESSEL HIGHLIGHTS
- Capacity – up to 22-28 guests, plus 13 staff, including three dive guides
- 14 staterooms with private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning
- Multiple spacious decks for lounging and sunning
- The fly deck has an inside lounge and long chairs outside
- European and Oriental-influenced buffet-style meals
- Large dive deck with all amenities: air and Nitrox, charging stations
- Green Fins sustainability program
Package details
Package includes:
- Seven nights/8 days aboard a vessel in a standard twin/double cabin.
- Three meals daily.
- Round-trip airport transfers.
- Up to 4 or 5 dives daily (depending on the season).
- Use of tanks, weights, and belts.
- Mineral water, coffee, tea, juices, and sodas.
- Free Nitrox 32%.
- Local beer, a glass of wine at dinner.
- Free dedicated high-speed internet (when in 3G coverage range).
- Bath towels and bathrobes are supplied.
The package does not include:
- Airline ticket to and from the vessel.
- Rental, instruction, and retail charges.
- Fuel tax.
- Crew gratuities (industry standard is 10% and 15% of the cruise price per passenger).
- Trip Cancellation & Dive Insurance (required by the liveaboard).
- Route supplement & port fees.
- If needed, $30 for an Egyptian entry visa (to be paid onboard).
- Onboard charges can change up to 30 days before departure.
- Cairo and Nile River extensions before/after the cruise are available at an additional cost. Please call 803-419-2556 for details.
- Guaranteed Single Occupancy is billed an extra 80% of the retail stateroom price (maximum numbers vary by departure).
Cairo Tours pre- or post-trip-
Pre-trip only: 2-night Cairo Exploration. The base package includes One-way transfer from Hurghada to Cairo by air; 2 nights accommodation in Cairo at the Ramses Hilton or similar; Full Day sightseeing: Pyramids/Sphinx & Memphis/Sakkara (including entrance into 1 Pyramid); full-day sightseeing: Egyptian Museum/Coptic Cairo and Khan El Khalili Bazaar; two Cairo transfers; English speaking Egyptologist in Cairo; 2 breakfasts, two lunches, one dinner; porterage; hotel taxes and service charges. Call us to book.
Pre-trip only: 3 Night Cairo/ Alexandria Exploration; the base package includes: One-way transfer Hurghada to Cairo or Cairo to Hurghada by domestic air; 3 nights accommodation in Cairo at the Ramses Hilton or similar; Pyramids/Sphinx & Memphis/Sakkara (including entrance into 1 Pyramid); Full day sightseeing: Egyptian Museum/Coptic Cairo & Khan Khan El Khalili Bazaar; Full Day sightseeing: Alexandria; 2 Cairo transfers; English speaking Egyptologist in Cairo and Alexandria; 3 breakfasts, three lunches, one dinner; porterage; hotel taxes and service charges. Call us to book.
Post-trip only: 4 Night Cairo and Luxor Exploration base package includes Domestic air Hurghada to Cairo or Cairo to Hurghada; 2 nights accommodation in Luxor at the Steigenberger or similar; 2 nights accommodation in Cairo at the Ramses Hilton or similar; Full Day sightseeing: Pyramids/Sphinx & Memphis/Sakkara (including entrance into 1 Pyramid); full day sightseeing: Egyptian Museum/Coptic Cairo and Khan El Khalili Bazaar; half-day tour Karnak & Luxor Temples; half-day tour West Bank of Luxor (including entrance to King Tut Tomb); one-way Hurghada to Luxor or Luxor to Hurghada; 1 transfers in Luxor 2 transfers in Cairo; English speaking Egyptologist in Cairo and Luxor; 4 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 dinner; porterage; hotel taxes and service charges. call us to book.
Post-trip only: 5 Night Cairo/ Nile Cruise, the base package includes Transfer Cairo/Aswan and Hurghada-Cairo by domestic air; 3 nights accommodation in 5-Star Deluxe Nile Cruise; 2 nights accommodation in Cairo at the Ramses Hilton or similar; full day sightseeing: full day sightseeing: Pyramids (including entrance into one pyramid)/Sphinx &Memphis and Sakkara; full day sightseeing: Egyptian Museum/Coptic Cairo & Khan El Khalili Bazaar; Sightseeing along the Nile in Aswan, Kom Ombo & Edfu; Half day tour Karnak & Luxor Temples; Half day tour West Bank of Luxor (including entrance to King Tut Tomb); 1-way transfer Luxor-Hurghada; 4 transfers in Cairo; English speaking Egyptologist in Cairo and on Nile cruise ship; 6 breakfasts, five lunches, four dinners; porterage; hotel taxes and service charges. Call us to book.