Typhoon warts and all - I found this review online - thanks Atticusuk.




Blowing in the wind
A review by atticusuk on Typhoon (Red Sea Liveaboard)May 3rd, 2006
Author's product rating:
Customer Service on Board - Outstanding
Activities on Board - Good fun
Value for Money - Good

Advantages:
Great crew and good facilities
Disadvantages:
Engine noise in the morning .

Recommend to potential buyers:
yes

Full review
Typhoon was my home for a seven day diving holiday visiting the wrecks and reefs of the Red Sea. This itinerary saw us crossing the Straits of Tiran and the Straits of Gubal so it was a good test of the boats comfort and stability in rough seas however it is as a dive platform and a place to relax and unwind between a dive that is most important. For those of you not used to a diving liveaboard then it is important to remember that this is a boat geared up for a particular holiday. Some of the facilities like ensuite have not always been a feature of dive boats in the past indeed some of the boats I have used in the UK boast an outdoor toilet for men and the need for excellent balance.

Technical DetailsI had booked the trip through Tony Backhurst Travel and Typhoon is part of the Tornado Marine Group who has an excellent reputation in the Red Sea so I was really looking forward to my trip. For the dates and itinerary that I wanted I had the choice of two boats and had chosen the more expensive option for the extra comfort level and the fact that the boat was a newer build.The dimensions of the boat are 33m in length with an 8m beam. Fully air conditioned throughout, two 700 Hp Cummings engines provide the power. There are two K14 compressors to fill he dive tanks and the boat can provide Nitrox and is also able to facilitate re-breather divers.For the diving there are 2 tenders which comfortably carry up to eight divers at a time and have 40 bhp engines, there are also two life rafts with capacity for 50 people however we had no need to put these to the test fortunately.

The Cabins
There are ten cabins in all meaning that there I capacity for 20 guests on any one trip and for my trip it was fully booked. If you are assessing a boat for a diving holiday then seeing it fully booked is ideal as you are better able to assess the facilities when it is being fully utilised.All of the cabins have ensuite facilities that consist of a shower, wash basin and toilet. I was impressed with the size of our cabin, both single beds had plenty of room (often bunk beds are the norm but not on Typhoon) and there was plenty of storage space for the limited amount of clothing that you need. Storage for one person was under their bed whilst under my bed was the AC unit. There was a hanging closet with additional shelf space and also a small safe which neither of us could work out how to operate.The shower worked well as did the toilet however only if you remembered to use the small bin for any waste paper as the plumbing could not cope with toilet paper in the system, this is quite common for some land based holidays I have been on in Southern Europe so was not a big deal on a boat.The AC unit worked really well however the fact that the cold air blew out from beneath my bed directly at your feet meant that I was in danger of catching frostbite while I was unpacking and to be honest the AC spent more time off than on, needless to say in the height of summer it would be able to do the job.Now they always say location is everything and that certainly is the case with cabins on Typhoon. There are seven cabins below decks for guests plus one more for the dive guides. There are a further two on the main deck and the tenth is on the upper deck.There appeared to be a certain trade off of pros and cons between the cabins. The higher your cabin is then the more sway you will experience in rough sea. The lower it is the more stable and given the itinerary we had included two bumpy crossings then I was glad to be as low as possible.On our trip there was a slight problem with the water supple which had a habit of switching off, this problem seemed to affect the upper cabins and hot water was a rarity for them while our cabin enjoyed a constant supply of hot water. However this did come at a price as being below decks meant that we were quite near the engine room which meant we had an alarm call most mornings at 5.30 as the boat traveled from the overnight mooring to the first dive site of the day, given that the first dive is at 6.30 this is not too bad but it is a bit of a shock to the system. To be fair the water problems will be a one off but the stability and engine noise are not so if you have a preference put in a request when booking. Overall the cabins were clean although showing signs of wear and tear however they were made up every day and the towels changed frequently and they were very comfortable.

Other Facilities

The dive deck is one of the most important facilities on a dive boat as this is where your kit is set up and the cylinders stored.There were certainly more than 20 spaces available to kit up and each area had its own storage box for fins and torches and other bits of kit. It did get crowded with 20 divers on it however the fact that most of the diving was by tender meant that most times we would go in three waves of divers and therefore the kitting up was staggered. There were three steps down to the dive platform which was spacious and could comfortably hold ten divers at a time. Entry to the boat from the water was by two ladders which were stable and easy to use.Also on the dive platform there was a storage tank solely for camera equipment and a couple of wracks for fins. There were numerous charge sockets for torches and cameras as well as storage facilities for towels and t-shirts.The dining room was on the main deck and was very spacious with five circular tables seating six people which allowed for people to rotate where they sat to get to know everyone.On the upper deck was the lounge which had a stereo system and plasma screen for entertainment as well as the ability to plug in a PC for dive briefings. Most importantly there was a small bar to get drinks after a hard days dive. If I have one criticism of the lounge it was that it could have been a bit bigger as not all twenty guests could sit down together and also the seats were not the most comfortable. Outside on the same deck there were a number of tables sheltered partially by the sun deck above and these provided a nice place to sit either in the sun or shade to read and have a chat.The top deck was home for the sun worshippers or those who wanted to lounge around on the sun beds. Partially shaded as well this was a good place to sleep between dives. There was also a Jacuzzi on this deck but this was never used as it had to be filled with cold water and then allowed to heat up by the sun and the weather was not really hot enough to achieve this.
The Crew
In all there were about 12 Egyptian crew members and two English dive guides each with specific roles to play.The big bonus for me was the excellent crew on Typhoon. They are the friendliest happiest bunch that I have come across and very good t their work. They did make the difference on this trip as I have traveled with crews before where you can tell they are on edge, either due to a bossy captain or some other friction.Barry and Tori the two English dive guides were excellent at their job with good detailed briefings and always being available to help.The rest of the crew were always smiling and ready to play a joke on the guests, this usually involved bringing you the wrong breakfast or some other prank and it just helped to keep everyone relaxed.I was particularly impressed with the boat handlers who dropped us in over every dive site and were very alert if a diver popped to the surface unexpectedly.

The Food
This is an important factor of a week's liveaboard as there is no where else to go to eat if the food is bad. On this type of holiday you become like one of Pavlov's dogs, a bell is rung which either means it is time to dive or to eat. The bell rings a lot and you enjoy three large meals a day with additional snacks in the afternoon and a constant supply of Egyptian cakes and western biscuits.All of the meals are served buffet style with a range of choices and there was plenty of food for everyone. There is always a vegetarian option and often the chef would prepare something special for the two veggies on the boat in addition to the standard choice. The chef did like to use lots of chili and garlic particularly in the vegetable for some reason but the food was excellent and no one ever went hungry.There was a constant supply of free soft drinks as well as tea and coffee with the option to purchase beer or wine but no hard spirits however you are welcome to bring your own from duty free.
Costs
The weeks diving on Typhoon cost £865 which included flights, transfers, full board, marine park fees and a nights say in a hotel in Sharm on the last night. The only compulsory extra is the entry visa which was £10 I think.On the boat you need very little money however there are a few extras that can add up. Cans of beer were $4 which I thought was a little pricey and would probably take my own next time.If you want to use Nitrox then it is £5 a fill or there is an unlimited option of £60 for the week which usually works out cheaper.Barry and Tori produce both a DVD and a photo CD of the trip both of which are well produced the CD cost £15 and the DVD was £25 I think. You can also purchase a range of t-shirts and bath towels with the boats name on it.The only other cost is that it is customary to tip the staff if you wish and certainly after the excellent service I received I was only too happy to. In total I tipped $50 between the crew and dive guides and this is collected in one group envelope and handed over at the end of the trip.
Summary
Typhoon primarily caters for the Northern Red Sea, running three different itineraries however it does also travel to the Southern Red Sea to do the Brothers Island however there are more luxurious boats covering this route in my opinion.I would definitely book to use this boat in the future and would certainly use the company again. Despite the few niggles the benefits clearly out weighed them and the trip was very enjoyable despite the fact that I had a cold for most of the time which affected my diving a little.The quality of the crew was a key factor with all of the other facilities providing the base for a great weeks diving.