Rules, Standards & Terms

Onboard Rules & Standards

SY Mermaid is run to a consistent set of standards so every guest, of every experience level, has a safe and comfortable week on the water.

• SY Mermaid does not sell or serve alcohol onboard. Guests are welcome to bring their own alcohol for personal consumption; our crew does not supply, manage, store or collect it. An extensive selection of soft drinks, juices, tea and coffee is available throughout.
• All guests attend a mandatory safety and briefing session before the first water entry of each safari.
• Divers must hold a recognised certification appropriate to the planned dive sites and present their certification card and logbook on boarding.
• A buddy system applies to all dives and snorkel excursions; guests follow the guide's briefed plan for each site.
• Marine life and coral are never to be touched, fed or collected. Fins and equipment are kept clear of the reef at all times.
• Kitesurfing equipment must be inspected by crew before use, and sessions are subject to the captain's assessment of wind, current and traffic.
• Guests travel under their own personal responsibility and are asked to disclose any relevant medical conditions before departure.
• Minors must be accompanied by an adult guardian at all times, both onboard and in the water.
• The captain may amend the route, sites or schedule at any time for reasons of weather, sea state or guest safety.
• Please follow all crew instructions and treat the crew, other guests and the vessel with respect.

Price Includes

• Return transfer between the designated departure airport/hotel and the yacht, on the scheduled boarding day.
• Full board throughout the safari — breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus snacks and unlimited soft drinks.
• Daily guided snorkelling or diving, according to your chosen route, led by our onboard guide team.
• Standard cabin accommodation, bed linen and daily housekeeping.
• Weights and standard tanks for certified divers on diving routes.

Not Included

• International and domestic flights.
• Visa meet-&-assist service, where required.
• Environmental tax, marine park fee, fuel surcharge and port fees — all payable onboard.
• Dive and snorkel equipment rental, and larger tank sizes.
• Kitesurfing equipment rental, where not travelling with your own gear.
• Nitrox and technical gas fills.
• Crew gratuities (a guideline amount is suggested in your booking confirmation).

Booking Process

• We place your requested cabin type, guest count and dates on option for seven days while availability is held.
• Once you confirm, we issue a trip invoice and the booking is secured with a 50% deposit.
• A booking is only considered confirmed once the deposit has arrived in our account.
• The remaining balance is due 30 days before departure.
• Guests must bring the exact passport copies previously provided to us on the day of departure; mismatched documents may delay boarding for the whole group.
• All bookings are subject to these terms and are made under the guest's personal responsibility.

Check-in & Transfer

Check-in, check-out and boarding times vary by route and home port (Hurghada, Marsa Alam or Hamata) and by season. Your confirmed schedule, exact meeting point and boarding time are provided with your booking invoice.

• Complimentary transfer is provided between the airport designated for your route and the yacht, on the scheduled boarding and disembarkation days only.
• Transfers from airports or areas outside the standard catchment for your route, or on other days, may carry an additional charge.
• Please arrange flights to arrive comfortably ahead of your confirmed boarding deadline — we cannot be held responsible for missed departure caused by flight delays or other travel disruption, and cannot cover any resulting hotel costs.

Onboard Payment

Onboard extras (marine park fees, port fees, environmental tax, fuel surcharge, equipment rental and gratuities) can be settled in cash — Euro, US Dollar, British Pound or Egyptian Pound — or by credit card, where our standard exchange rate and a 2% service fee apply.

Cancellation Policy

Cancellation fees are calculated as a percentage of the total booking cost, not the deposit received: