Hurghada: Elite vip snorkeling cruise with BBQ buffet lunch

The best part of this Hurghada outing is the four-level Elite VIP boat, which gives you room to spread out instead of squeezing onto a small day boat. You get open sun loungers, shaded seating, two air-conditioned salons, waiter service, and a proper cooked lunch while the Red Sea rolls by.

I like the guided snorkeling stops and the generous food service. Guides stay with you in the water, life jackets are available, and the low rear platform makes getting in easier. The main thing to consider is that VIP does not mean adults-only. One booking found that children were part of other groups, so book this for comfort and service, not guaranteed quiet.

I also like the chance to see several reef sites in one day, with dolphin spotting included as a possibility rather than a promise. The $80 price includes hotel pickup, the national park fee, unlimited hot and soft drinks, and lunch, though wetsuit rental costs an extra $10.

Key points to know before booking

• Four decks give you real room to relax: Choose the open sun deck, shaded mid-deck, or one of two air-conditioned salon and dining areas.
• Three Red Sea snorkeling opportunities: Guided stops focus on coral reefs and marine life, with a low sea platform and life jackets available.
• BBQ buffet is a major part of the day: Expect soups, salads, sides, BBQ chicken, Egyptian kofta, shrimp, and oven-baked fish.
• Dolphins are possible, not guaranteed: The boat moves north to look for them, but wildlife sightings depend on conditions and luck.
• Hotel pickup is included: Pickup begins about 45 minutes before departure, with a listed 35-minute road transfer to Hurghada Marina.
• Good comfort for mixed abilities: The boat is wheelchair accessible, and guides can assist less-confident swimmers in the water.

A spacious start from Hurghada Marina

Your day begins with hotel pickup in Hurghada, usually around 45 minutes before the scheduled departure. The road transfer is listed at about 35 minutes, so allow some extra time before the boat leaves at 9:00 am.

At the marina, you board the Elite VIP Cruise Boat and find one of its strongest features: space. This is not a basic transfer boat with a few benches and a narrow deck. The vessel has four floors, a large open sun deck with loungers, shaded seats on the mid-deck, and two air-conditioned salon and dining decks.

That layout matters more than the word VIP. You can sit in the sun when you want a clear view of the coast, move into shade when the heat builds, and retreat indoors for air conditioning or lunch. If you are prone to seasickness, an indoor area may also be useful, though the available information does not promise that any particular spot will prevent it.

The boat is described as new and well maintained, with professional crew service. Waiters bring unlimited hot and soft drinks to your chosen spot throughout the day. That is a small luxury, but a useful one in the Egyptian sun. You do not have to keep walking back to a service area every time you want water or a warm drink.

The cruise out to the snorkeling area takes about an hour in the main program description. The timetable also lists 1.5 hours of sailing from the marina, so the exact cruising time may vary with the route and sea conditions. Either way, you should expect a substantial ride before the first swim, with the boat itself forming a large part of the experience.

What the first reef stop is like

The first snorkeling stop is chosen for its coral reef, and an expert snorkeling guide accompanies you in the water. You are not simply dropped beside a reef and left to work things out alone. The guide helps with safety and points you toward areas where coral and fish can be seen.

The Red Sea is known for clear, warm water and a wide range of marine life. On this trip, possible sightings include brightly colored fish, octopuses, seahorses, turtles, manta rays, and dolphins. That list describes what may be present in the area, not what you will certainly see on one particular day.

Water temperatures seldom fall below 20 degrees Celsius, even in winter, but some people will still prefer a wetsuit. Wetsuits are available to rent for $10. Bring swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen, and consider the wetsuit if you feel cold easily or plan to spend a long time in the water.

Getting in is handled through a low platform at the back of the boat. That is friendlier than climbing down a tall ladder, especially if you are carrying snorkeling equipment or feel unsteady. Life jackets are available for less-confident swimmers.

The experience is designed for more than strong swimmers. The guides can help keep you supported, including using a life buoy if needed. Still, you should be comfortable entering the sea and follow the crew’s instructions. Assistance does not remove the need to judge your own comfort in open water.

The listed first swimming and marine-life session lasts about 45 minutes. That is enough time to see the reef without turning the whole day into one long swim. Afterward, you return to the boat, dry off, and settle in for the next part of the route.

North toward dolphins, with realistic expectations

After the first reef visit, the boat heads north and tries to spot dolphins. The wording matters: dolphins are possible, not guaranteed. Wild animals follow their own schedule, and no responsible boat operator can promise a sighting.

That uncertainty is part of the appeal, but it also affects how you should judge the trip. Book this for the boat, reefs, food, and time on the Red Sea. Treat dolphins as a welcome extra rather than the reason to pay the full price.

The second guided snorkeling stop follows the dolphin search. The route gives you another chance to see coral and fish in a different area, and conditions may change from one site to the next. One of the useful things about multiple stops is that a less impressive first location does not define the whole day.

The full program refers to three snorkeling sites, while the detailed schedule clearly describes a first guided stop and a second guided tour after the dolphin search. The exact number and length of stops can vary with the route and conditions. Expect several water activities, but do not assume every stop will have identical timing.

For anyone who enjoys variety, the structure works well. You get sailing, swimming, reef viewing, a wildlife search, lunch, and another period on the water. For someone who wants one quiet beach stop with no schedule, it may feel busy.

The BBQ buffet is more than a snack break

Lunch is served aboard the boat, and it is one of the strongest value points in the $80 price. The menu includes soups, salads, side dishes, BBQ chicken, Egyptian kofta, grilled shrimp, and oven-baked fish. The exact selection may depend on the day, but this is intended as a full buffet rather than a sandwich or boxed meal.

The food is prepared onboard, with the cooking taking place while you enjoy the sea stops. That creates a more substantial midday pause and means you can eat without losing time traveling back to shore.

The menu also gives you a taste of familiar Egyptian flavors through kofta, alongside seafood and standard barbecue choices. If you prefer seafood, shrimp and baked fish are included in the advertised menu. If you prefer something simpler, chicken, salads, soups, and sides give you other choices.

Food quality received strong praise in the available feedback. One person specifically found the food very good, while another described the BBQ buffet as part of an excellent day. That does not guarantee every dish will suit you, but the meal appears to be a central strength rather than an afterthought.

A small service detail is worth noting. A birthday was recorded during one booking, but no special acknowledgment followed. If you are marking an occasion, tell the crew directly rather than relying on a note in the booking details.

How much comfort does VIP really add?

The word VIP can mean many things on Red Sea excursions. Here, the practical benefits are the boat’s size, multiple seating levels, air conditioning, waiter service, and room to choose your setting.

You can lie on the sun deck, sit under shade, or use one of the indoor salons. That flexibility is valuable during a six-hour day, especially after swimming. A small boat can feel exciting for a short ride but tiring after repeated climbs, wet gear, and limited seating. This vessel gives you more ways to recover between activities.

The boat also has electronic massage beds available onboard. The provided information does not say whether a session costs extra or how reservations work, so ask the crew if this feature interests you.

The experience is wheelchair accessible, which is useful at the boat level. Still, snorkeling involves entering the sea from the rear platform, so check directly with the operator about the assistance you need before booking. Accessibility on the boat does not automatically mean every water activity will suit every mobility level.

The biggest comfort warning is the adults-only expectation. This is not advertised as an adults-only cruise, and one booking was disappointed to find children in other groups. If you want a calm adult retreat, the name Elite VIP may set the wrong expectation. If you mainly want more space and better onboard service, the setup makes more sense.

Timing, value, and what your $80 covers

The advertised price is $80 per person for a six-hour excursion. The day begins with hotel pickup, includes the road transfer to Hurghada Marina, boat transport, guided snorkeling, lunch, and return to Hurghada. The national park fee of $5 is included.

Unlimited hot and soft drinks are also included, along with hotel pickup and drop-off. These extras improve the value because transport and marine park fees can otherwise push up the final cost of a day on the water.

The schedule lists departure from the marina at 9:00 am and arrival back around 3:30 pm. That is closer to 6.5 hours from marina departure to return, while the activity is advertised as six hours. Build your day around the longer window, especially if you have an evening transfer, dinner booking, or another excursion planned.

Wetsuit rental is not included and costs $10. Bring your own if you have one, or decide based on the season and how long you expect to stay in the water. Sunscreen and a towel are essential, and a dry change of clothes would be sensible, though only swimwear, towel, and sunscreen are specifically listed.

The booking terms add flexibility: you can cancel up to 24 hours ahead for a full refund, and reserve now while paying later. The available instructor languages are English, German, and Russian.

Who will get the most from this cruise?

I would recommend this outing to you if you want a full Red Sea day without giving up basic comforts. It suits couples, families, mixed-age groups, and anyone who wants snorkeling combined with a proper lunch and a large boat.

It is also a good match if you are not a confident swimmer. Guides accompany the water sessions, life jackets are available, and the rear platform provides easier sea access. You still need to be willing to enter the water, but you do not need to be an expert snorkeler.

You will probably appreciate it less if you want a quiet, adults-only atmosphere. Children may be present, and the boat’s several decks offer space but do not guarantee peace and quiet.

It is also not the best choice if your only goal is seeing dolphins. The crew tries to find them, but the sighting is conditional. Think of the dolphin search as one part of a wider day built around reefs, swimming, food, and comfortable sailing.

The rating of 4.6 from 28 reviews fits the overall picture: strong marks for the crew, food, boat, and snorkeling, with a few practical cautions about the adult-only assumption and a missing purchased video. One booking paid €30 for a video and had not received it by email. If you buy any onboard photo or video package, confirm how and when it will be delivered before leaving the boat.

Should you book the Elite VIP snorkeling cruise?

Book it if you value space, food, and service as much as time in the water. The four-level boat, air-conditioned salons, waiter-served drinks, guided reef stops, and BBQ buffet give you more than a basic snorkeling transfer for the price.

Go in with sensible expectations. Dolphin sightings are not assured, the exact stop pattern can change, children may be onboard, and a wetsuit costs extra. Bring your swimwear, towel, and sunscreen, and plan for the day to run from morning pickup until roughly mid-afternoon.

For a comfortable Red Sea introduction from Hurghada, this is a solid choice. For a guaranteed wildlife encounter or a true adults-only cruise, choose something else.

FAQ

How long does the Hurghada Elite VIP cruise last?

The activity is advertised as six hours. The program departs from Hurghada Marina at 9:00 am and returns around 3:30 pm, not including the hotel pickup transfer.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hurghada are included, with pickups beginning about 45 minutes before departure. The listed road transfer to Hurghada Marina takes about 35 minutes.

How many snorkeling stops are included?

The program describes three snorkeling sites, with a first guided reef stop and a second guided snorkeling tour after the dolphin search. The exact timing and number of stops may vary with the route and conditions.

Are dolphins guaranteed?

No. The crew moves north and tries to spot dolphins if possible, but sightings are not guaranteed.

What food is served at lunch?

The onboard buffet includes soups, salads, sides, BBQ chicken, Egyptian kofta, grilled shrimp, and oven-baked fish. Hot and soft drinks are available throughout the day.

Is snorkeling equipment or a wetsuit included?

Wetsuits are not included. You can rent one for $10. Bring swimwear, a towel, and sunscreen.

Is the boat suitable for people with limited mobility?

The activity is listed as wheelchair accessible. The boat has a low rear platform for sea access, but you should confirm the assistance available for your specific needs before booking.