All Star Red Sea

All Star Red Sea is the M/Y Scuba Scene, a steel motor yacht 48.5 metres long and 10 metres wide, custom built in the Egyptian port of Safaga and in service on dive itineraries since April 2023. The name on the hull reads SCUBA SCENE; the vessel is sold under the All Star Red Sea brand by the American company All Star Liveaboards. She is one of the largest boats in the Egyptian fleet: five decks, 28 guests, a crew of 13 to 14 and a genuine swimming pool on deck.

Guests are accommodated in fourteen cabins. Twelve of them sit on the main and pool decks, each with a large ocean-view window running the width of the bulkhead, a small seating area and a bed that converts between a double and two singles. The remaining two, cabins 7 and 8, are slightly smaller and laid out differently: one single bed of 0.9 by 2 metres and one double of 1.3 by 2 metres. They are sold for single occupancy at a smaller supplement than usual. Every cabin has a private bathroom, individually controlled air conditioning and — a rarity in the Egyptian fleet — 220 V European type C sockets and USB ports right in the cabin, so you can charge your gear where you sleep rather than only in the common areas.

The decks are clearly divided. The galley and restaurant are below; the main deck carries the dive deck and platform, the laundry and a large camera table; the pool deck holds the pool itself, an open-air lounge and a TV room; above that sit the air-conditioned salon, the bar and the bridge; and the top deck has a sundeck with a jacuzzi and the flybridge. The pool is not a euphemism for a hot tub here — it is an actual swimming pool, with a separate jacuzzi one deck higher.

Diving is run from three tenders fitted with a central tank rack and a boarding ladder. Three dives a day plus night dives where they are permitted: no night diving is allowed inside the marine parks at the Brothers and Daedalus. Three to four guides work each trip and the briefings are detailed, with a visual walk-through of the site. Twelve-litre tanks and weight belts are included; 15-litre and extra tanks cost more. Nitrox on this vessel is not free — $100 for the week, or $8 for a single fill. The boat takes rebreathers and sidemount, and the instructors teach Advanced Open Water, nitrox and technical courses up to Tec 50.

The certification requirement is stricter than usual: Advanced Open Water or the Deep Diver specialty is needed on every itinerary, not only the southern ones. Egypt’s diving chamber additionally requires at least 30 logged dives to enter the marine parks, and for the central and southern routes the operator suggests at least 50, preferably a hundred or more. If your last dive was more than a year ago you will be asked to do a refresher. Every diver must carry a surface marker buoy with a reel.

What to know about money before you go. This operator prices in US dollars. A port fee of $250 per person is paid on board in cash or by card — the operator states that it covers Egypt’s 14% VAT and the park fees, and that there are no other government charges collected on board. The Egyptian visa costs $30 and is bought at the airport on arrival. Diving insurance is mandatory and checked before boarding, but the boat does not sell it. Gratuities are described plainly by the operator: 15% of the trip price is customary, cash preferred. Nitrox, rentals, courses and alcohol are settled on board. Cards are accepted above $25 but carry a 3% fee, and card payments also attract Egypt’s 14% VAT on top — cash works out cheaper. American Express is not accepted.

There is Wi-Fi on board, described honestly by the operator: it works in port, and at sea connectivity is minimal. The satellite phone is for emergencies only. Boarding in Hurghada starts at 6 p.m. on Monday and the vessel leaves the dock early on Tuesday morning; disembarkation is after breakfast on Monday, by 9 a.m. at the latest. Return airport or hotel transfers are included. Laundry is free. Smoking is allowed only on the top deck and in the open salon. Fishing from the boat is prohibited under Egyptian rules, and drones are confiscated on entry to Egypt.