Bismarck

Bismarck is a steel motor yacht built in 2023, 46 metres long and 10.5 wide — one of the largest vessels in the Egyptian diving fleet. She is run by the Hurghada operator Blue Shades Diving and berths at the Anemone beach jetty on El Sheraton Road in Hurghada. The hull is pale green under a white superstructure, with the ship’s name in script lettering on the side above the main deck windows.

Thirty-four guests are accommodated in seventeen cabins across five decks — this is not a converted leisure hull but a vessel purpose-built for diving. The lower deck holds two twin cabins with portholes; the main deck has six more of the same, but with panoramic windows. The sun deck is the busiest: six cabins whose beds convert into a double, plus the Master Suite, the largest cabin on board, with panoramic glazing wrapping around the bow. Two more suites sit on the jacuzzi deck. Every cabin has its own bathroom, individually controlled air conditioning and a minibar. The cabins are numbered 01 to 17 — exactly the count the operator’s booking system sells.

There is a great deal of public space, spread across the decks: a saloon with panoramic windows, sofas and a 65-inch television; a restaurant with the galley on the lower deck; a coffee station; three bars; shaded decks with mattresses and loungers; a barbecue area; and a jacuzzi on the open deck facing the sea. There is also a massage corner. The crew speaks English, French, Spanish, Turkish and Italian.

There are 220 V sockets on board and the operator explicitly allows charging devices — not a given in the Egyptian fleet. Wi-Fi is free, but only where there is mobile coverage: at Brothers, Daedalus, St John’s, Rocky and Zabargad there is no signal at all, and those are precisely the sites people come here for. For anyone who needs to stay connected, the operator offers Starlink at an extra charge.

There are 3 to 4 dives a day, all guided, with no more than eight to ten divers per guide. A 12-litre tank and weights are included; nitrox and 15-litre tanks cost extra. Night dives are offered, but not everywhere: they are banned by park rules in the Brothers and Daedalus marine parks. The operator’s general requirement is Advanced Open Water plus 50 logged dives; some departures accept Open Water divers with 20 dives provided they take the Advanced course on board. If more than six months have passed since your last dive and you have fewer than 30 logged dives, you will need a scuba review before departure. Insurance covering diving is mandatory and is checked at check-in.

What to know about money in advance. Marine park and port fees are not included in the price and are collected at check-in on board, in cash in euros — the operator publishes no figure, so ask when booking. Crew gratuities are also outside the price, and the operator names no recommended amount. The operator asks for onboard settlements in cash: euros, US dollars and pounds sterling are accepted, and cards on board are not mentioned. The trip price quoted is for a berth in a twin cabin on the lower deck — cabins higher up the ship and the suites cost more, with roughly €250 per person per week between the cheapest and the most expensive category. A guaranteed single cabin works out at about +70% of the berth price; the operator’s own terms state +80%, and the supplement does not apply to discounted rates. Non-divers get a 10% discount and snorkelling is free for them.

The schedule is weekly and built around Saturday: check-in on Saturday between 13:00 and 15:00, the vessel spends the night in port and sails on Sunday morning. She returns to port on Friday around 15:00, with check-out on Saturday after breakfast, between 08:00 and 10:00. Children are accepted from the age of eight.