Royal Seascope Hurghada and Egypt Sun Marine: our review

Royal Seascope Hurghada is a good, cheap, two-hour outing for families, non-swimmers and anyone who gets seasick, and it is honest value at $15 direct. Expect a crowded boat, a limited view through the windows and a photographer selling pictures. The company behind it, Egypt Sun Marine, also runs larger snorkel boats, of which the Pirates sailing boat is the weakest-rated.

Who Egypt Sun Marine is

Egypt Sun Marine (its site also writes "Egypt Sunmarine" and "Egypt Sun Marine Group") is a boat fleet company. Its head office is at Travco Jetty in Sharm El Sheikh, and Hurghada is one of several bases, along with Sharm El Sheikh, Ain Sokhna, Dahab and Marsa Alam; Safaga is also served. The site says the group owns and operates its fleet and has more than 20 years of experience. Its homepage claims 35+ snorkeling yachts, 6+ sailing boats and 15+ semi-submarines. No parent company or legal name is published, and the Travco Jetty address is a place name, not a sign of ownership by the Travco Group.

Royal Seascope is not a separate company. It is Egypt Sun Marine's brand of yellow semi-submarines. It is also unrelated to Royal Cruise Hurghada, despite the "Royal" in both names.

The Dolphin World link. Egypt Sun Marine's site says it operates Dolphin World, the dolphinarium in Makadi Bay. Dolphin World's own site resells Royal Seascope and the Pirates boat. So the two are sold within the same network, and you will see Royal Seascope bundled into Dolphin World packages. Dolphin World keeps dolphins in captivity, and the Red Sea conservation group HEPCA campaigns against dolphinaria. Our Dolphin World review covers the welfare concerns. If you want dolphins, a wild-dolphin boat done by the rules is the better choice. See the dolphin trips guide.

The Royal Seascope "submarine" in Hurghada: what it really is

Every platform title says "submarine", which is misleading. Royal Seascope is a semi-submarine. The hull stays at the surface and you sit in an air-conditioned viewing cabin with windows, about 3 m below the waterline. It never dives.

For a non-swimmer, a toddler or a seasick grandparent, that is the easiest way to see a Red Sea reef. If you expected to go down, you will be disappointed. Hurghada's only real passenger submarine, Sindbad, belonged to a different company. It sank on 27 March 2025, killing six tourists, and is not running. No real submarine trip is bookable in Hurghada. Royal Seascope has nothing to do with Sindbad. The submarine guide explains the difference.

The boats are 20–30 m long and take 40–77 guests. The operator calls the trip suitable for all ages and ideal for non-swimmers, and publishes no minimum age.

The two-hour trip, step by step

The same pattern runs at about 11:00 and 15:00. The afternoon slot suits families who cannot face an early pick-up.

Included on the operator's Hurghada page: soft drinks, lifejacket, snorkel gear and a snorkel guide. There are toilets on board, but no lunch. Not included on the direct page: transfers. Bring ID or your passport, and a towel.

The park fee. The operator's Hurghada page lists the $5 national-park fee among the inclusions. On platform listings, check whether it is included before you pay.

The photographer. Reviewers regularly mention pushy on-board photographers selling photos. You do not have to buy. Say no once, politely, and enjoy the reef.

Royal Seascope Hurghada price: direct vs platforms

Egypt Sun Marine's own price for Royal Seascope in Hurghada starts at $15, without hotel transfer. Through Dolphin World's site, the same semi-submarine costs $20 per adult and $10 per child aged 4–12 with a return transfer, and the pick-up time arrives by WhatsApp the day before. From Safaga the operator's own price starts at $25.

Today the Headout listing is a dollar cheaper than GetYourGuide's. Both include a hotel pick-up option, and the boat is the same brand, but check pick-up areas and whether the park fee is included. Compared with the direct price, the difference is basically the taxi. If your hotel is close to the marina, $15 direct plus a short taxi ride is the cheapest way. If you are further out, the platform price with pick-up is simpler.

Royal Seascope also sails from other resorts:

• From Makadi: the Headout Makadi listing from about $16 is the cheapest Royal Seascope on the platforms. It saves Makadi guests the drive to Hurghada.
• From Safaga: the Safaga listing from about $22 picks up in Safaga but snorkels in Makadi Bay.
• From El Gouna: the El Gouna departure from about $18.
• From Hurghada: GetYourGuide from about $22 and Headout from about $21, both with pick-up.

Other semi-submarines in Hurghada, such as the "Panoramic" and "Panorama" boats or the semi-sub catamaran, are not Royal Seascope. Their listings do not name the boat company.

The rest of the fleet: Pirates, Elite VIP, Nefertari

◔ Semi-submarine

GetYourGuide2 h

Hurghada: Royal Seascope Submarine Cruise with Snorkel Stop

4.4 (5,599)

from $22Check dates

◔ Semi-submarine

GetYourGuide2 hFrom Safaga

From Safaga: Royal Seascope Submarine with Snorkeling

4.5 (236)

from $22Check dates

◔ Semi-submarine

GetYourGuide2 hFrom El Gouna

From El Gouna: Royal Seascope Submarine with Snorkel Stop

4.2 (150)

from $18Check dates

◔ Semi-submarine

Headout2 h

From Hurghada: Royal Seascope Submarine Cruise with Snorkeling & Optional Hotel Transfers

4.6 (124)

from $21Check dates

◔ Semi-submarine

Headout2 hFrom Makadi Bay

From Makadi: Royal Seascope Submarine Cruise With Snorkeling & Optional Hotel Transfers

4.6 (110)

from $16Check dates

◐ Yacht

GetYourGuide6 h

Hurghada: Elite vip snorkeling cruise with BBQ buffet lunch

4.5 (42)

from $80Check dates

Egypt Sun Marine (Royal Seascope) on GetYourGuide →Egypt Sun Marine (Royal Seascope) on Headout →Prices checked on 20 October 2026

Elite VIP cruise. This is a big four-deck boat with two air-conditioned salons and a barbecue buffet lunch. It costs $75.05 direct (listed at $79) and about $80 on the Elite VIP listing, which holds 4.5 from 42 reviews. You pay for size and comfort, not extra time on the reef.

Pirates sailing boat. This is a 30 m twin-masted wooden ship for up to 76 guests, with a big sun deck and two air-conditioned salons. It sails for about an hour and serves a seafood-and-meat buffet. The operator's own page lists two one-hour guided snorkel stops; Dolphin World's page describes one stop plus an island "treasure hunt". It costs $70.20 direct. On the operator's own page, transfers and snorkel gear are not included, and the $5 park fee is listed. The schedules on the two sites contradict each other.

The Pirates boat's GetYourGuide listing has the weakest score of any of the company's products: 3.6 from 41 reviews. If you want a themed boat for children, ask exactly which island and how many snorkel stops before you pay. Otherwise a standard Giftun yacht is the safer day. The afternoon sailing cruise, from about $64 with 13 reviews, uses the same "Premier Sailing Boat" wording.

Nefertari. This is a pharaonic-style boat with an underwater viewing platform, sold "from Makadi Bay" at $85 direct.

The Hurghada page also lists an Orange Bay cruise with lunch from $25.81, an intro-diving and snorkeling day from $26.10 and a private yacht at $425.

Royal Seascope Hurghada reviews and complaints

Royal Seascope's main GetYourGuide listing has more than 5,500 reviews and an average of 4.4. That is good, but the lowest of the five big boat suppliers we review. The Headout listings score 4.6 from about 110–125 reviews each.

The themes are consistent:

• Positive: good for families and non-swimmers, short, cheap and easy.
• Negative: pushy photographers selling low-quality photos, and a limited view. The boat stays at the surface, so you see the shallow reef through windows, not the deep.

Booking tips:

• Prefer a morning slot on a windy day. In Hurghada the wind usually strengthens in the afternoon.
• Get into the cabin early. On a boat for 40–77 guests, window places go fast.
• Take the snorkel stop even if you only float. With a lifejacket and a guide, it is a gentle first snorkel.

How to book

1. Direct at egyptsunmarine.com for the lowest price ($15 without transfer). Ask how the transfer and park fee are handled.
2. GetYourGuide or Headout if you want a hotel pick-up and a platform booking record. GetYourGuide's default is free cancellation up to 24 hours before, unless the listing says otherwise. Headout's cancellation depends on the listing.

Bring your passport or ID on the day. In strong wind the Red Sea Ports Authority can close Hurghada port, usually for one to three days, and then the semi-submarines stay in too.

Check dates for Royal Seascope from Hurghadafrom $22Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Alternatives

• A full snorkel day: Zanetta Tours, a budget Orange Bay yacht with non-swimmer support.
• More comfort on the water: Royal Cruise Hurghada, an unrelated brand despite the name.
• A dry day with children: the Grand Aquarium on Villages Road.
• Planning with kids: the family guide.