Every diving liveaboard has her own regulations and the dive guides inform the guests about them during the initial briefing onboard. These regulations are not only important for the order onboard but they also ensure the safety of the divers, the crew and the boat therefore they must be adhered to.

Smoking
Smoking is only allowed in designated areas. Smoking is strictly forbidden in the cabins, in the diningroom and in the salon. Please use the ashtrays and make sure to put out all cigarette butts completely. It is forbidden to throw cigarettes and cigarette butts into the sea.

Safety equipment
There are life vests in every cabin and fire extinguishers in the common areas. Furthermore there are life rafts, life buoys, first-aid kit, emergency Oxygen and Satellite telephone. The guests must familiarise themselves with the location of these devices.

Footware
For safety reasons, wearing sandals, flip-flops and any other footware onboard the boats is not permitted.

Indoor common areas
All diving equipment must be stored in its place on the dive deck, on the hangers or in the storage boxes. Entry into the salon, the diningroom and the shisha room is not permitted while wearing wet clothes. Please change into dry clothes before entering these areas.

Bathrooms
It is forbidden to throw into the toilets any paper products, bathroom tissue, sanitary pads, tampons or any other foreign objects as they will cause blockage. Please use the waste bins in the bathroom and in the cabin to dispose of these items.

Dining
The three main daily meals are served in the diningroom buffet style. Please consume any foodstuff brought with you from outside of the boat in the diningroom as well. For hygene purposes, do not take any foodstuff into or keep them in the cabins and common areas.

On the deck
Some may choose to spend the night under the stars on the deck in warmer weather. For this case we recommend bringing a sleeping bag as it is not permitted to take the bed mattrases or the bed sheets out of the cabins.

Clothing
Thanks to the warm weather, light clothes made of cotton, skirts, shorts, short-sleeve T-shirts and blouses are the best choice in the summer months. Hats, sunglasses and tanning lotion (with minimum SPF30) are also important. It is recommended to stay indoors or in the shade during the noon hours. In winter during the day long pants and a light sweater are enough but in the evening a jacket or a light coat may come handy. Onboard Cassiopeia and Andromeda light, comfortable clothing is acceptable. In the evening a light sweater or cardigan may be needed but during the day bathing suits, shorts and T-shirts are quite acceptable.

Nitrox
Nitrox-certified divers can dive with Nitrox. There is a membrane Nitrox system onboard with a 32% mix.

Environment protection
It is very important to protect the environment and the marine life during the safaris as well. Feeding and hunting of the animals is strictly forbidden as is removing any living creature and corals from the sea. It is forbidden to touch, to break, to stand on or to damage corals in any other way. Furthermore it is forbidden to throw anything into the sea.

Alcohol and other mood-altering substances
The dive guides have the right to forbid any guest to participate in the diving activities partially or completely if they feel the individual(s) is (are) incapable to do so physically and/or mentally in a safe manner or he/she (they) behave(s) in a way that may pose danger to the others’ health and/or safety (ie. they are under the influence of alcohol or other mood-altering substances).

Tour schedule
Day 1: arrival, transfer to the boat, night spent onboard in the harbour
Day 2: sailing out in the morning, 2 day dives and 1 night dive *
Day 3 – 6: 3 day dives and 1 night dive per day *
Day 7: 2 day dives, returning to the harbour after the second dive, night spent onboard in the harbour **
Day 8: transfer to the airport, departure
* No night diving is permitted at the National Park islands in Egypt and in Sudan it depends on weather conditions.
** The last night for Egypt safaris may be spent in a hotel if necessary because of the itinerary of the following tour.

Diving gear
The following items are a must for diving: full diving gear, signed release form, valid diving certification card, valid diving insurance with decompression chamber assistance.

Diving
A minimum of OWD certification is necessary to be able to dive onboard our boats. At certain dive sites (National Park islands, wrecks lying in deeper waters, more challenging itineraries) the minimum certification level is AOWD and the minimum number of dives is at least 50. The dive guides have the right not to permit divers with insufficient experience to dive at certain sites. The officially allowed diving depth limit is 40 metres.

Health
Basic first-aid kit is available onboard but it is recommended that divers bring their own medication they are familiar with, necessary or prescribed by a doctor as they may not be available in Egypt or in Sudan. Although there is medication onboard to treat diarrhea and seasickness, it is best to bring their own supply including ear drops. Please make sure before travelling that none of your medications affects your diving ability. In case of sickness or an emergency, the dive guides must be notified.

Electricity
There is 220v current onboard with European-style plugs. There are electrical plugs in every cabin and in the common areas and also there is a separate charging station on the main deck where phones, laptops, cameras and batteries can be charged.

Languages
Our dive guides speak Arabic and English and some of them also speak German, Russian and other languages.

Equipment rental
It is highly recommended for every diver to bring his/her own full gear but it is possible to rent equipment. This request should be sent to us at least one week prior to departure. Twelve-litre compressed-air tanks and weights are provided for the guests onboard but weight belts should be brought along. We also advise to bring spare parts (o-rings, seals, batteries, bulbs, straps, hooks etc.) that may become necessary to fix or replace parts on the equipment.

Tip
It is customary to give a tip to the dive guides and the crew at the end of the tour if satisfied with the services. It is usually EUR30 / person / week in Egypt and EUR50 / person / week in Sudan.

Payment onboard
We only accept cash payments (EUR, USD, EGP in Egypt and SDG in Sudan) onboard.

Transfers
We provide transfers for our guests between the airports and the boats in air-conditioned buses, coasters or taxis for individual guests.

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