Dive Deep, Sleep Cool, Sip Cocktails

Red Sea Aggressor V – Deep South – Elba Reef
June 21–28, 2025

Yes, We're American. Yes, This Is Long. No, Our Expectations May Not Match Yours. So We've Broken It Down for Easy Skimming. You’re welcome.

The Ship
We sailed the brand-new Red Sea Aggressor V in June 2025—just a few months post-launch—and… it showed. The dive deck was solid, with good space and gear setup, but scalding deck showers (wish we had something close to that in our rooms), inaccessible charging cubbies—16 cubbies for 26 people, 4 of which you needed to be an NBA player to use, and a surprise water shortage on Thursday made for some eyebrow-raising moments. Spacious cabin,Bed walls on 2 sides (someone’s always climbing over someone else), and AC that fought a losing battle all week. Bonus points for the surprisingly excellent in room bathrobes.

The Reef
Elba Reef was quiet and pristine, but lacking in big marine life. Healthy coral, loads of nudibranchs, clownfish, and the occasional ray—but not the kind of site you chase mantas or sharks at. Dive times and meals ran on vibes, not clocks. The dive schedule changed it seemed every dive.

The Staff
Deck crew was awesome. Dive guides? Capable but seemly disconnected in general—little group awareness and minimal communication underwater. The main DM did help out or lady diver who missed getting her open water cert before the trip. So we give him more props than the other.  We ultimately skipped night dives because we didn’t want to end up in Sudan without a buddy.

The Food
Breakfast was a win—made-to-order eggs instead of the usual scrambled eggs and "chicken hotdogs" (labeled as sausages). Unexpectedly, frozen-style French fries made a regular appearance at breakfast… fully cooked, just not something we’ve seen on a morning menu before.

Lunches tended to repeat, with beef or chicken often overcooked and covered in mystery gravies or sauces—which, to be fair, were sometimes the only things bringing flavor to the plate. Dinners were plated with a single option and, as far as we noticed, no questions were asked about allergies or dietary restrictions. One night featured baked turkey—unfortunately served without gravy or sauce, making it quite dry.

"Snacks" (amusingly labeled “Snakes”) were mostly fried and hit-or-miss, though generally appealing enough.

We were never hungry, but in all honesty, we’ve had better culinary experiences on other liveaboards.

The Overall
As a first Aggressor trip, it was underwhelming. The ship felt unfinished, the reef was pretty but forgettable, and the food missed the mark. If you’re new to liveaboards, you might still enjoy it. But if you’ve done a few… let’s just say the robes were the highlight. 

Important to note: This trip was offered at a significant discount—over 60% off the regular rate—which we appreciated. It’s a brand-new ship exploring a less-traveled section of the Red Sea for the Aggressor fleet, and it’s clear they’re working to fill berths and build positive feedback for this itinerary. For the price, we definitely had a good time. The reefs were beautiful, though the Red Sea's Elba Reef likely won’t be on our repeat list.