Travel Information

For your financial security Red Sea Divers Ltd are members of the following :-

Possible surcharges Please Note - Whilst there is no charge for paying with Debit cards, that we will pass on to you the 2.5 per cent bank charges for balances paid on Credit cards. Most companies that we use for Red Sea Holidays now include Airport Departure Tax but Red Sea Divers Ltd will add a 3 pounds per person booking fee - this booking fee will also provide Travel Trust Association Fidelity Insurance Protection (also known as the Safe Seat Plan) for any money held by our company on your behalf with cover up to 11,000 pounds per person. On some trips there is a late booking charge and/or ticket on departure charge that we may have to pass on to you. There might also be flight company/tour operator/airport taxes and more commonly now, FUEL surcharges etc added as per various Tour Operators booking conditions Tour Operators Booking Conditions - click here for the fine print legal stuff

Please note Gordon Brown's Budget announcement that he is going to tax air flights 20 pounds extra to Egypt starts in February 2007. An additional £20 Air Passenger Duty Tax applies to all passengers travelling after 01.02.07. This extra tax is included in some of our advertised prices but NOT on all trips so please ask when booking if this is of concern.

RED SEA DIVING REGULATIONS UPDATE

There are new diving rules, which have been brought in by the Red Sea Association. These rules provide stricter requirements for liveaboard and day diving charter boats, and for the divers who holiday aboard them.

These new rules are intended to improve the safety of divers in the Red Sea.

All divers will normally be required to fill in a self certification MEDICAL CERTIFICATE on arrival at the Liveaboard or dive centre please read this carefully before departure as you may have to obtain a doctors certificate if you cannot answer NO to every question

Prerequisites for diving guests on Marine Park safaris (Brothers, Zabargad, Daedalus, Rocky)

A minimum of 50 logged dives

A self-declaration medical form duly signed by the diving guest.

Valid insurance cover against diving accidents from a reputable company.

Prerequisites for diving guest on NON marine park safaris:

No minimum number of logged dives required.

A Self-declaration medical form duly signed by diving guest.

Valid insurance cover against diving accidents by a reputable company.

Safety equipment for ALL Safari diving guest (Marine Park and NON Marine Park)

- Surface marker buoy. - One torch for each buddy pair (even on daytime dives).

Air Departure Tax Good news for environmentalists? Gordon Brown's Budget announcement that he is going to tax air flights 20 pounds extra to Egypt starts in February 2007. We have to collect this tax on the government's behalf and pay it via the flight companies, so flight prices have risen, some holidays will have this added to their invoice and even some early bookers may receive an additional bill. We hope that is is going to be used to help slow global warming and is not just another stealth tax! This extra tax is included in some of our advertised prices but NOT on all trips so please ask when booking if this is of concern.

Alcohol. Wines and spirits are best obtained in the Duty Free at your UK departure airport, and you may take these onboard any of the boats. On most of the boats guests are welcome to take duty free beer on board, however VIP ONE and some other boats would prefer guests not to take their own beer onboard. A corkage charge may be made by some boat owners.

Arrival in Egypt Unless your entry visa is included or if you have pre-bought your Visa then you will need to purchase your visa from the bank window inside the terminal building before queuing for immigration. You will be met by a member of the dive centre or boat crew and/or our instructor or host. They will be waiting for you inside the terminal building before and after baggage reclaim, and will have a sign displaying the name of your boat or Tour Operator. PLEASE Note that you will not be allowed back into the terminal building after going outside, so if you want to purchase anything from the Duty Free shop in the arrivals area do so before leaving the final exit. Many guests like to pick up a case of imported beers from the shop to take to the boat for example.

Baggage The FREE baggage weight limit is now usually 15 - 20kgs, and FREE hand luggage is restricted to 5kgs (please note that most airlines now actually enforce carry-on weight and size restrictions). Some companies will allow a bit extra for divers but this is not guaranteed. We can give you most carriers pre-flight contact numbers if you want to arrange for extra baggage although this can be relatively expensive on charter flights. In some cases you may not be able to increase your limit even if willing to pay extra, so do check.

See how even an underwater photographer can stay within normal free luggage allowances (20kgs hold baggage and 5kgs hand baggage)

Only essentials will be allowed as hand baggage. ALL other bags, must be checked in as hold baggage. No sharp objects including even nail files or scissors are allowed in hand baggage. Please therefore pack your baggage accordingly to minimise delays at check in.

Certification, Please bring with you your diving certification card and logbook if available.

Clothing: It is nearly always sunny, and warm in the summer even at night so Shorts, T- shirts and swimwear are the norm. We recommend a fleece and jogging trousers for the evenings between mid November and April. Remember sunscreen, hats and sunglasses. Although a small towel is provided in the cabins we recommend you pack a beach towel for after diving. Shoes are not worn on any of the boats, so you will not need shoes during the entire charter.

Courses: Advanced courses and specialties can sometimes be conducted within the diving schedule on some boats - Call David at 01334 656577 for advice.

Currency: Egyptian pounds but $US, Euros and English pounds are normally welcome (except for taxis). Scottish and Irish bank notes are NOT accepted in Egypt. Not everyone will accept credit cards and there is often a surcharge of as much as 5% added by the Dive Centres, companies, boats etc to cover local banking charges.

You should take full diving equipment (mask, fins, snorkel, boots, knife, BCD, regulator, suit, computer or dive tables and dive watch and a bag). Tanks, weights and air are included in the package. Nitrox is available on some boats now at a supplementary charge per fill (approx 8 - 10 US dollars). All boats are able to handle international ( A Clamp ) or DIN regulators. Tanks are usually aluminium 12 litres on the boats. It is possible to twin up but not necessary for the type of profiles dived. A torch is required for night diving - Please Note that although the Red Sea Governor has decreed that for safety reasons that each buddy pair should carry at least 1 torch - that night diving is not usually possible on marine parks - and on some trips the boat will be travelling at night in any case The water ranges between 20°C in February, to 30°C in August, please remember that after diving in warm seas like this to rinse your ears in fresh water after each dive to avoid water borne infections (swim ear). You should choose your suit according to the time of year. Generally a 5mm is required for waters up to about 25-26°C with a 3mm or shortie wetsuit adequate above that. We will be pleased to advise you and of course the Diving Centres associated with each boat usually have a full range of rental equipment (Some including cameras and computers although it is recommended that these are rented in the UK before departure). For full kit hire in Sharm or Hurghada the cost could be around 25 - 30 Euros per day (included in this is BCD, Regulator, Suit, Mask, Fins, Snorkel). As Marsa Alam is rather remote and dive centres are few and far between you should ensure that that you take all the equipment necessary with you - it may be possible to arrange for some items to be hired but this must be pre-arranged in good time before departure - prices in Marsa Alam will generally be more than in Sharm or Hurghada. The dive master on the boats will be pleased to advise you if you are unsure what equipment you might need to hire. During the week please heed the dive master's advice and although he will not necessarily accompany the divers on every dive he will brief the group on what to expect on each dive site and advise max times etc.

The last two days. Usually on the first 5 days of a liveaboard you will do up to 3 dives per day and you may even be offered a 4th dive occasionally. On the 6th day you will not normally have as many dives (the day before flying home) so depending on flight times, in order to ensure that you have the proper interval between diving and flying, you may only be offered only one or two dives. You will not be offered any dives on the last day as the majority of the guests will be flying and need to decompress fully. Each boat has slightly different arrangements for this last day. If the boat is working the following week you may be booked into a hotel in twin share rooms for the last night (dinner and breakfast supplied) to enable the boat to be prepared for the next group. Or, depending on the flight time, you may simply be asked to clear out your room on the boat after breakfast and pack your luggage, leaving your bags on the boat. You can take a trip into town for shopping or just have a look down town. Sometimes you may be transferred from the boat in the morning to a dive centre or hotel where you can leave your bags. Sometimes the bags may remain on the bus. We do not normally supply lunch on this day, but food and drinks will be readily available from the hotel bar or restaurant. You will be transferred to the airport later in the day in good time for your flight home.

Electricity: The electrical sockets are 220 volt but like most continental sockets are 2 pin, so UK plugs will require an simple adapter. We recommend you buy these and film / batteries at Gatwick before departure.

Embassy contact Details : British Embassy, 2 Ahmed Ragheb, Garden City, Cairo; (tel: +202 794 0852; fax: +202 794 3065); e-mail: consular@cairo.mail.fco.gov.uk Website: http://www.britishembassy.org.eg Office hours (GMT): Sun-Thur: 0530-1230 (1200 on Thur). Consular public hours (GMT): 0700-1100.

Entry Requirements British visitors need a visa, obtainable in sterling or US Dollars on arrival for stays up to a month. For visas and further information on entry requirements, check with the Egyptian Consulate-General, 2 Lowndes Street, London, SW1X 9ET; (tel: 020 7235 9719). Some trip prices include the entry visa although most do not.

Seats on these CHARTER FLIGHTS are limited and are always subject to availability at the actual time of booking - so especially if you are arranging your own connecting flights to London, Glasgow or Manchester please wait until we confirm your holiday.

Northern Red Sea flights are direct to Sharm el Sheikh from Gatwick on Saturdays and Sundays - mainly from Gatwick and Manchester (although more and more regional flights are becoming available at certain times of the year) and the flying time is a little over 5 hours each way. For Hurghada North and Brothers Islands routes - flights are usually to Hurghada on Fridays. During 2008 /2009 there are also Midweek flights direct from Manchester and Gatwick to Marsa Alam to connect with boats diving the Southern marine park islands. Flight times are in local time. Check in 2 - 3 hours before departure at the indicated terminal. Normally Electrical goods (torches) and gauges (regulators) in hand baggage although this may not be allowed by some airlines at certain times. Dive knives go in the hold.

PLEASE NOTE:- All air fares once booked are 100% non-refundable, and may have to paid in full when we book them for you.

This would mean that you will have to pay an extra deposit after booking, but before the total holiday balance is due, if the flight cost is more than the normal deposit, so taking out travel insurance when booking your holiday is highly recommended.

FREE NITROX: when this is stated it is usually based on 2 free 12L fills per day. Divers may be able to purchase extra fills at approx 8-10 US dollars per 12L fill.

Health : Medical treatment can be expensive and standards vary. Contact your GP about current inoculation requirements and other medical advice especially if travelling inland away from the Red Sea coast. If you are only travelling direct to the Red Sea then no malaria tablets are required although an insect repellent is useful accessory to take along with a basic first aid kit when travelling. The main risks would be to those who did not have current protection from Polio or Tetanus - most British clients have kept these up to date but check with your doctor if in doubt. The water ranges between 20°C in February, to 30°C in August, please remember that after diving in warm seas like this to rinse your ears in fresh water after each dive to avoid water borne infections (e.g. swim ear). Contact your insurer if you have had a previous health condition, including mental illness, which may not be covered if it recurs. We strongly recommend that all travelers abroad take out adequate comprehensive insurance. It is advisable to pack a small first aid kit containing remedies for short term stomach problems, dehydration and small cuts.Use of a repellent cream or spray is usually sufficient to keep mosquitoes at bay. Try to avoid ice in drinks and use common sense when deciding what and where to eat and drink.

Liveaboard extras: All guests should be asked to contribute $ 1 US per day towards the recompression chamber in Sharm. Liveaboard guests are expected to tip the crew, around $30 per diver is normal for the week, but it is at your own discretion should you wish to offer a larger contribution. Alcoholic drinks are not included in your holiday cost, on some boats there is a charge for soft drinks. Allow about 30 Euros (20 pounds) per diver per week in your budget.

Local laws and customs Egypt is a conservative society. Visitors should dress modestly, and when visiting traditional areas like mosques and souqs (markets) women's clothes should cover their legs and upper arms. Public displays of affection are frowned upon.

Visitors should not become involved with drugs of any kind. Possession of even small amounts can lead to long prison sentences (25 years) or the death penalty. Photography of or near, military official installations is strictly prohibited.

Local Travel Local driving conditions and poor vehicle maintenance make road travel outside the main cities hazardous, especially at night. In the event of an accident emergency medical facilities are limited.

Marine Park Fees There is currently a small charge per day for entry to the Ras Mohamed National Park usually only some days on Northern trips but for Marine Park Islands trips in the south. One week Brothers = $65. Brothers/Daedalus/Elphinstone or Daedalus/Rocky/St Johns = $100, 10 day or 14 days up to $150. These payments can be made in USD, sterling or Egyptian pounds, but need to be cash on the day of the boat departure. No cheques or credit cards. Some of the top boats are now including Marine Park fees in the prices - others do not - if this information is not on the boat fact sheet - please ask us. Please note that more charges are likely to be introduced or increased in future as awareness of conservation becomes more widespread and the costs mentioned here are for guidance only. We will also need your passport details for the liveaboard trips in advance of departure to arrange permits

Money. You will need very little cash on board. Drinks are normally charged on an honesty system payable at the end of the trip and a tip for the crew as appropriate. Please don't forget your Marine Park fees which are payable on the boat. These payments can be made in USD, Sterling or Egyptian Pounds, but need to be cash. No cheques or credit cards. Scottish and Irish bank notes are NOT accepted in Egypt. On the last day you will need money for drinks and lunch and any presents you wish to take home.

Tickets will be sent to you by regular post unless otherwise arranged. Please call if you have not received your ticket 4 days prior to departure. For late bookings, tickets are usually issued on departure (TOD) at the flight agency desk in Gatwick - For divers coming to the UK from another country to start the trip using the direct charter flight from London to the Red Sea I can also arrange for flight tickets to be issued at check-in at Gatwick.

Visas: Some trip prices include the entry visa although most do not. Visas are obtainable from the BANK window in the airport on arrival at Sharm or Hurghada at 15 USD each and are valid for up to 1 month (Single entry) The representative of the flight company or transfer company may have already obtained visa stamps in advance for you and may charge a small additional amount for this service. You always have the option to buy the visa stamps directly from the official bank window although this may mean joining a long queue if several flights have arrived together. These payments can be made in Euros, USD or sterling pounds, but need to be cash. PLEASE NOTE Some non British passport holders may require a full Egyptian entry Visa obtained in advance from the Egyptian Embassy. Tel 0207 235 9777 for London Egyptian Embassy. Please note your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date the trip returns.

Vouchers You may be transferred to your hotel or boat by the flight tour operator but transfer arrangements are often the responsibility of the Dive centre or liveaboard boat - check your vouchers or call us before departure if unsure.

Parking Only or hotels with up to 15 days included parking near your departure airport?

If you need any more information don't hesitate to call David and his team on 01334 656577

RED SEA DIVERS LTD, 4 BEECHGROVE RISE, CUPAR, UK, KY15 5DT

Red Sea Divers Ltd - Liveaboard Specialists Since 1993 - Call 01334 656577 or 01334 656577