Hurghada: Afternoon Sailing cruise to orange bay with Lunch

A wooden, twin-masted yacht carries you from Hurghada toward Orange Bay, with a reef stop, a sandy island break, and a sunset ride back to the marina. The ship looks like a pirate vessel from the golden age of sailing, though you should know it may operate under engine power rather than actually sail.

I like the spacious upper sun deck, where you can stretch out with sea views, and the air-conditioned dining salon, a welcome refuge after time in the sun. The buffet also offers more choice than the usual boat lunch, including shrimp, calamari, fish, chicken, kofta, salads, rice, pasta, potatoes, and fruit.

The main caution is the sales activity connected with onboard photography. Some people have found the repeated photos and expensive photo-book offers annoying. Drinks are also limited onboard to coffee, tea, and soft drinks, while Orange Bay refreshments can cost a lot.

Key points to know before booking

• A pirate-style twin-masted yacht: The wooden ship has a large sun deck and two lower salons decorated with marble, wood, and pirate details.
• One hour at a Red Sea snorkeling site: Gear, life jackets, and national park fees are included.
• Orange Bay is a separate one-hour stop: You get time for the sandy beach, swimming, and relaxation away from the boat.
• A substantial buffet lunch: Expect seafood, meat, salads, starches, soup, and seasonal fruit in an air-conditioned salon.
• Family entertainment is included: Children can join activities such as a treasure hunt, though the program may be brief.
• The return is timed for sunset: The ride back to Hurghada is the scenic finale, usually reaching the marina around early evening.

A pirate ship with a practical family setup

The first thing you notice is the boat itself. The Premier Sailing Boat is designed to look like a classic pirate ship, with twin masts, timber details, and plenty of room on the upper deck. You can sit in the sun, watch the Red Sea, and move around without feeling trapped in a cramped excursion boat.

Below deck, two air-conditioned salons are finished with marble and wood. This matters in Hurghada, where a few hours in direct sun can wear you out. Lunch is served in one of these salons, so you can cool down, eat comfortably, and avoid balancing a plate in the wind.

Families get a distinct setup. Children can join the animation team in the lower deck while adults spend time upstairs. The planned activities include a treasure hunt and other games. I would treat this as a useful extra rather than a full childcare service, since the treasure hunt has been reported as very short, and German-language supervision is not guaranteed.

The staff are generally described as friendly and helpful, and the boat has received especially strong praise for being clean and spacious. If you are prone to seasickness, the size of the yacht may help. One person who usually worries about motion sickness found the ride comfortable, although no boat can promise perfectly calm conditions.

Pickup from Hurghada and the afternoon schedule

Hotel pickup is included, and the collection normally happens about one hour before the stated departure. Give the booking team your hotel name and room number if applicable. Pickup has worked smoothly for some passengers, but one person reported a delay of about 30 minutes, so avoid arranging a tight evening appointment after the cruise.

The published program runs on Saturdays and Wednesdays, from about 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm. The activity is advertised as five hours, while the full operating window can run closer to five and a half hours once pickup, boarding, and marina time are counted. Check the confirmed start time before booking.

The route begins at Hurghada Marina. The boat then travels toward a snorkeling location, continues to Orange Bay, returns to the yacht for lunch, and heads back toward the marina around sunset. The order may vary slightly, but the key stops are the reef, the island, the meal, and the evening cruise.

English and German support are available. The activity is also listed as wheelchair accessible, though the practical ease of moving between the marina, boat decks, and water activities is worth confirming when you book if you use a wheelchair.

The Red Sea snorkeling stop

After leaving the marina, you spend roughly 45 minutes to one hour traveling toward a local reef. The trip gives you time to settle in, find a place on the sun deck, and take in the open-water views.

At the snorkeling site, you get about one hour in the water with equipment and a life jacket supplied. The stop is intended for viewing marine life around the reef rather than for a long swim from a quiet beach. You should bring your own towel, swimwear, and sunscreen. Wetsuits are not included.

The reef stop is one of the best parts of the day if you want a taste of the Red Sea without signing up for a full-day diving trip. You can see fish and underwater life close to the surface, and the guided format gives first-time snorkelers a clear structure. I would still keep expectations sensible. Water visibility, sea conditions, and the amount of marine life can change from day to day.

The boat provides life jackets, but you should use them if you are not a confident swimmer. Keep your sunscreen reef-friendly if possible, and remember that the sun can be strong even when the sea breeze makes the deck feel comfortable.

Orange Bay, one hour on the sand

After snorkeling, the boat continues to Orange Bay. You get about one hour on the island, with time to sit on the sandy beach, swim, or simply dry off and slow down.

This stop breaks up the day nicely. The boat offers shade and air conditioning, while Orange Bay gives you the chance to put your feet on sand and enjoy a more relaxed island setting. The short visit is enough for a swim and a few photos, but it is not long enough for a leisurely beach day.

Bring any essentials you want with you when you leave the yacht. The island has drinks and other purchases available, but prices can be high. Since onboard drinks are limited to coffee, tea, and soft drinks, you may want to budget for an island purchase if you want something different.

For families, Orange Bay is also the main stage for the children’s program. The treasure hunt is meant to keep children busy while adults relax, but it may finish quickly. If your child needs a long, structured activity, you should not choose this cruise solely for the animation program.

Lunch in an air-conditioned salon

Lunch is served after the Orange Bay stop, back on the yacht. This timing works well because you can swim and snorkel before eating, then cool off indoors as the boat begins its return journey.

The buffet includes seafood soup, three types of fresh salad, rice, pasta, potatoes, shrimp, calamari, fish, chicken, kofta, and seasonal fruit. That is a useful range for a mixed group, especially if one person wants seafood and another prefers meat or vegetarian side dishes.

Food has been one of the most praised parts of the trip. The quantity and selection make the $63 price easier to justify, particularly when hotel transport, entrance fees, snorkeling gear, and lunch are all included. I would not book it expecting a restaurant meal, but the menu is broader than a basic sandwich or boxed lunch.

The air-conditioned salon is an important detail. After swimming, you can eat indoors without sitting in wet swimwear on a hot deck. The pirate-themed decoration adds some fun, although the style is more theatrical than historic. It is a sightseeing boat with a theme, not an old sailing vessel preserved from another era.

The sunset ride back to Hurghada

The return trip is meant to line up with sunset. This is the calmest part of the schedule, when you can find a seat on the upper deck and watch the light change across the water.

The sunset ride is also where the name sailing cruise needs a little explanation. The ship has masts and the look of a sailing vessel, but one booking experience specifically noted that it did not actually sail. You should think of this as a large, pirate-themed Red Sea cruise rather than a true wind-powered sailing trip.

Photography can affect this part of the day. Photographers may take pictures during the cruise, then offer photo books for sale before you leave. If you do not want the service, make that clear early and firmly. This is the biggest complaint attached to the experience, and it can change the mood for people who prefer a quiet boat ride.

The yacht normally reaches Hurghada Marina around sunset or early evening. Hotel drop-off is included, though the exact return time can shift with pickup delays, sea conditions, and the pace of the group.

Is $63 good value?

At $63 per person, the cruise sits above a simple short boat trip, but it includes several separate costs: hotel pickup and drop-off, national park entry, a buffet lunch, snorkeling equipment, life jackets, and the island stop.

I think the price is fair if you want a full afternoon with transport handled for you. A family can use the air-conditioned salon, children’s activities, snorkeling stop, beach visit, and buffet without organizing each part separately. The large boat also gives you more space than a small motorboat excursion.

The value is weaker if your priority is genuine sailing, a quiet natural setting, or a long snorkeling session. You may prefer another type of boat if you want sails in the wind or more time underwater. The paid photography and costly island drinks can also add to the final bill.

The reserve-now, pay-later option and free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure give you some useful flexibility. Those terms are helpful when your Hurghada plans may change, but you should still check the final booking conditions and confirmed pickup time.

Who will enjoy this cruise most?

I would recommend it most to families and first-time visitors who want several Red Sea activities in one organized afternoon. The boat is clean and spacious, lunch is filling, and the itinerary gives you a little of everything: reef time, beach time, food, and sunset views.

It also suits you if you prefer a large, stable vessel to a small speedboat. The indoor salon gives you a break from the heat, and the food selection works well for a group with different tastes.

I would be more cautious if you are looking for a serious sailing experience. The pirate styling is attractive, but the boat may run under engine power. I would also reconsider if you dislike sales photography or want unlimited drinks included.

Bring:

• Swimwear
• Sunscreen
• A towel
• Money for optional drinks or purchases
• A light cover-up for the air-conditioned salon

The official inclusions do not cover wetsuits or extra drinks. English and German assistance is available, and the activity is listed as wheelchair accessible.

Should you book the Hurghada Orange Bay cruise?

Book it if you want a convenient, family-friendly afternoon with a roomy themed yacht, one snorkeling stop, one hour at Orange Bay, a generous buffet, and sunset on the return to Hurghada. The strongest reasons to go are the boat’s size and cleanliness, the food, the friendly staff, and the easy all-in-one format.

Skip it if actual sailing is essential, if you want a long and serious reef session, or if onboard photography sales would spoil your day. The children’s entertainment is a bonus, not the main reason to book, and the island is best treated as a short beach stop rather than a full island escape.

For most people, the $63 cost is reasonable when you use the transport, lunch, gear, and included fees. Just set the right expectations: this is a polished themed cruise with snorkeling and Orange Bay, not a quiet traditional sailing trip.

FAQ

How long does the Hurghada Orange Bay cruise last?

The activity is advertised as lasting five hours. The stated operating schedule is approximately 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm on Saturdays and Wednesdays, with hotel pickup usually taking place about one hour before the trip.

What is included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, national park entry fees, buffet lunch, snorkeling equipment, life jackets, and the children’s entertainment program are included.

Is lunch served on the boat?

Yes. Lunch is served in an air-conditioned salon on the yacht after the Orange Bay stop. The buffet includes seafood soup, salads, rice, pasta, potatoes, shrimp, calamari, fish, chicken, kofta, and seasonal fruit.

Are drinks included?

Coffee, tea, and soft drinks are available for purchase onboard, but extra drinks are not included in the tour price. Orange Bay also has drinks available, though prices there may be high.

What should I bring?

Bring swimwear, sunscreen, and a towel. Wetsuits are not included.

How long do I get at Orange Bay?

You get approximately one hour at Orange Bay for free time, swimming, and relaxing on the sandy beach.

Is snorkeling equipment provided?

Yes. Snorkeling gear and life jackets are included. The snorkeling session at the reef lasts about one hour.

Is the activity available in languages other than English?

The available tour languages are English and German.