Sea Serpent Contessa (Contessa Mia)

Liveaboard · Egypt · Official Website
Sea Serpent Contessa at anchor off the Egyptian coast, name on the superstructure

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36 m · 24 guests · 12 cabins

TL

Sea Serpent Contessa is a 36-metre vessel from the Sea Serpent fleet, working the Red Sea out of Hurghada. She carries two names: the operator lists her as SS Contessa, while the name painted on the superstructure still reads Contessa Mia — it is the same hull, renamed when she was repainted. Twelve cabins take up to 24 guests.

After the interior was renewed, cabins and lounges are finished in pale oak. Eight twin cabins sit on the lower deck and four more on the main deck: two twins and two with a double bed. Every cabin has its own bathroom with a shower, air conditioning and either a porthole or a window.

The main-deck saloon has windows all the way round, deep sofas, a large screen and a bar. Next to it the restaurant runs the full width of the hull: European and Egyptian cooking, fresh pastry from the boat’s own pastry chefs, local fish and seafood. Water, juices, smoothies, tea and instant coffee are unlimited and free.

The dive deck takes up the whole stern: an individual station per diver, tank racks, rinse tanks and a separate rinse for camera gear. Three compressors, a nitrox membrane, rebreather and tech-diving support, and two tenders to run divers out to the reefs. Nitrox 28–32% is free and SSI training is run on board. An ENOS surface diver-location system is carried.

One thing sets her apart from most Egyptian boats: marine park fees, port fees, reef tax and the fuel surcharge are already in the price — nothing compulsory is collected on board. Only the visa and, if you wish, gratuities.

Routes cover the northern reefs and wrecks including the Thistlegorm and Ras Mohammed, the Straits of Tiran, Dahab with the Blue Hole and the Canyon, the Brothers Islands and the famous Brothers — Daedalus — Elphinstone triangle.

No mark-up

You pay the rate the operator publishes. The only thing added on top is the actual payment processing cost — no fee of ours.

We run the booking

Correspondence with the operator, holding your places, the contract, confirmation and all paperwork sit on our side. Nothing for you to arrange yourself.

Pay by card

We send you a Stripe invoice — pay by card, in your own currency, from anywhere in the world. The transfer to the operator is handled on our side.

Support in your language

We help you pick the cabin and dates, answer questions on the route and gear, and stay reachable until you are home — in English, in your time zone.

We quote the exact amount when confirming the booking: it covers the operator's rate plus the actual payment processing cost. No hidden charges.

Yacht Specifications

Length

36 m

Beam

7.5 m

Material

Wood

Year Built

2008

Capacity

24 guests

Cabins

12

Speed

14 knots (11 cruising)

Engine

2 × MAN, 1200 HP each

Refit

2020

Bathrooms

13

Tender

2 tenders, 5.6 m each, 40 HP each

Water capacity

14 t

Fuel capacity

11 t

Freshwater maker

18,000 L/day

On Board

Free nitrox
Free internet on board
Air-conditioned saloon with panoramic windows
Audio and video entertainment in the saloon
Bar
Restaurant on the main deck
Outdoor dining area
Sun deck with loungers and sofas
Sun deck bar
Fly deck with a seating area
Foredeck sun pads
Camera station
Charging stations
Separate rinse for underwater cameras
Sea-view cabins
Air conditioning in every cabin
En-suite bathroom in every cabin
Warm-water showers
Outside showers
Daily housekeeping
Non-smoking cabins
Custom built for diving
Snorkeller friendly
Local and international crew
Available for full charter

Diving on board

Free nitrox 28–32%
3–4 dives a day, 2–3 on the departure day
Night dives
Tanks and weights included
Three compressors, 900 L/min combined
Nitrox membrane 500 L/min
Rebreather support, portable booster pump on request
Tech diving
Sidemount, single tank
DIN adaptors
Shaded dive deck and rinse hoses
Separate rinse for underwater cameras
Two tenders for reaching the dive sites
ENOS surface diver-location system
One to three dive guides on board
SSI courses and specialities on board

Experience requirements differ by route: Northern Reefs & Wrecks and Northern Wrecks & Strait of Tiran ask for 20 logged dives, North, Tiran & Dahab for 30, North & Safaga for 15, and the Brothers Islands and the Brothers — Daedalus — Elphinstone triangle for 30 dives plus Advanced Open Water. Every diver needs a valid certification and a completed medical form. Egyptian law caps the depth at 40 metres and all dives are non-decompression; night dives are forbidden inside the marine parks, as are gloves and knives. The dive guide may keep a guest off a particular dive. Your own kit is mandatory: dive computer, SMB, snorkel, regulator with alternate air source, torch for night dives and a weight belt. Rental gear is not normally kept on board — order it at least two weeks before departure.

Food and drinks

Full board — three meals and a snack
Buffet style
European and Egyptian cuisine
Fresh local fish and seafood
Fresh pastry from the boat's own pastry chefs
Fruit basket always available
Vegetarian and vegan options
Gluten-free on request
Outdoor dining and a beach BBQ
Free water, soft drinks, tea and instant coffee
Free fresh juices and smoothies
Capsule coffee and sparkling water at extra charge
Beer and local wine at extra charge

Tell us about special dietary needs — allergies, religious restrictions, gluten-free — when you book. You are welcome to bring your own products.

Navigation and safety

Radar and echo sounder
GPS and compass
VHF and HF radio
EPIRB, AIS, SART
Satellite phone
Life rafts (1 × 25 places, 2 × 20 places)
45 life jackets and life buoys
Fire alarm in every cabin
Fire extinguishers, foam suppression in the galley and engine room
Oxygen tanks and first aid kit
AED defibrillator
ENOS surface diver-location system
CCTV and escape hatches
Spare bilge pump
Marine flares and rescue rope launching gun
Walkie-talkies between the vessel and both tenders
Captain and one crew member first-aid certified
24-hour deck watch
Contract with a hyperbaric chamber and local hospital
SOS rescue boats on northern routes

Cabins

· 8 cabins

Twin

Beds: 2 single beds

Eight lower-deck cabins with twin beds. En-suite bathroom with a shower, air conditioning, a mirror with a dresser and space for luggage. This is the base category — the departure prices shown are for these cabins.

Air conditioning En-suite bathroom with shower Porthole Up to 2 guests Shared occupancy possible

· 2 cabins

Twin

Beds: 2 single beds

Two main-deck cabins with twin beds and a window instead of a porthole — higher up the vessel, brighter and steadier under way. En-suite bathroom with a shower and air conditioning.

Sea-view window Air conditioning En-suite bathroom with shower Up to 2 guests Shared occupancy possible

· 2 cabins

Double

Beds: 1 double bed

Two main-deck cabins with a double bed — the only ones on board. Mirrored wardrobe, TV, sea-view window and an en-suite bathroom with a shower. No shared occupancy; the cabin is sold whole.

Double bed Sea-view window TV Air conditioning En-suite bathroom with shower

Schedule & Pricing

Northern Reefs & Wrecks

The classic northern Red Sea week out of Hurghada, open to divers of any level: Abu Nuhas with four ships on the bottom — Giannis D, Carnatic, Chrisoula K and Kimon M — Ras Mohammed National Park with the Shark & Yolanda dive and Anemone City, two or three dives on the Thistlegorm, the Red Sea's most famous wreck, the Dunraven at Shaab Mahmoud, Gubal Island and the Dolphin House at Shaab El Erg. The operator asks for 20 logged dives.

March 2027
1 departure
April 2027
1 departure

North & Brothers

Northern wrecks plus the Brothers Islands — the week that has everything. First half: a check dive at Shaab El Erg, the Abu Nuhas wrecks with a night dive, Gubal Island, the Ulysses, two or three dives on the Thistlegorm and Ras Mohammed. Then the vessel heads offshore to Big and Small Brother: sheer walls, the wrecks of the Numidia and the Aida, grey reef, hammerhead and oceanic whitetip sharks. Requires 30 dives and Advanced Open Water.

October 2026
1 departure
November 2026
2 departures

BDE — Brothers, Daedalus, Elphinstone

The most celebrated route in the Red Sea, which Egyptians themselves call 'simply the best'. Three days at the Brothers with the Numidia and Aida wrecks on a sheer wall, then Daedalus Reef — 96 km offshore, marked by a lighthouse, with schooling hammerheads off its northern tip — and a finish at Elphinstone with oceanic whitetips. The bottom falls away into the blue straight off the reef; currents are strong and dives are deep drift dives. Requires 30 dives and Advanced Open Water.

November 2026
1 departure
March 2027
1 departure

Northern Wrecks & Strait of Tiran

A northern week that pushes into the Straits of Tiran — the 18-mile stretch between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Four reefs named after the 19th-century English cartographers who first charted the area: Jackson, Woodhouse, Thomas and Gordon — drift dives along walls covered in gorgonians and soft corals. Along the way, the Abu Nuhas wrecks, Ras Mohammed, the Dunraven and two or three dives on the Thistlegorm. The operator asks for 20 logged dives.

April 2027
1 departure
June 2027
1 departure

Brothers Islands

A week around two uninhabited rocks in the open sea that Egypt rates as the best diving in the country. Nine dives between Big and Small Brother: the Numidia and Aida wrecks on a sheer wall, grey and whitetip reef sharks, hammerheads and oceanic whitetips, and at dawn a chance of thresher sharks. On the way back, the Safaga area with the Salem Express ferry, Panorama Reef and Ras Abu Soma. Requires 30 dives or Advanced Open Water.

March 2027
1 departure
March 2028
1 departure

North, Tiran & Dahab

The only route in the fleet that pushes up the Gulf of Aqaba to Dahab: the Blue Hole, the Canyon and Gabr El Bint — places a liveaboard rarely reaches. Along the way the Tiran reefs, Ras Mohammed, the Dunraven, the Thistlegorm and the Abu Nuhas wrecks. The operator asks for 30 logged dives.

April 2027
1 departure
October 2027
1 departure

North & Safaga

A rare departure that starts in Port Ghalib and ends in Hurghada. Northern reefs plus the Safaga area: the Salem Express ferry, Panorama Reef with its sheer walls and plateaus, Middle Reef with its small caves, Abu Kifan and Ras Abu Soma. The lowest experience bar this operator sets — 15 logged dives.

August 2027
1 departure

Prices and availability can change. Get in touch and we'll confirm current dates and pricing.

Included in Price

Dive guides on board
7 nights on board with full board
3–4 dives a day, 2–3 on the departure day
Night dives
Nitrox 28–32%
Tanks and weights
Drinking water, tea, coffee and soft drinks
Marine park fees
Port fees and reef tax
Fuel surcharge
Boat and diving permits
Meet & Assist at the airport
Return airport–port transfer
Towels and a bathrobe, towels changed mid-week
Internet on board
Lost luggage assistance

Not Included

Flights
Egyptian visa
Rental equipment
Alcoholic beverages
Crew gratuities
Supplement for a double-bed cabin and for a main-deck cabin
Single occupancy supplement

Optional extras

Egyptian visa arranged by the operator — €35
Crew gratuities — the operator recommends €100 per guest (€75 crew, €25 dive guides) — €100
D.E.C.O. card — covers the first hyperbaric chamber treatment, valid 2 weeks, issued on board — €7
Double-bed cabin on the main deck — €100 per cabin per trip
Twin cabin on the main deck — €50 per guest per trip
Single occupancy of a cabin — about +80% of the berth price
Rental equipment — order at least 2 weeks before departure
SSI courses and specialities on board
Alcoholic beverages, capsule coffee, sparkling water

Extras are shown per person and are paid on board.

Sea Serpent Contessa (Contessa Mia)

from 1199 EUR / 7 nights

Estimated wait time — 24 hours

Sea Serpent Contessa (Contessa Mia)

from 1199 EUR

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Sea Serpent Contessa (Contessa Mia)

Sea Serpent Contessa (Contessa Mia)

Liveaboard · Egypt

from 1199 EUR

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