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She Was Built by Divers, for Divers.
Dr. Petr Paszek opened Planet Divers in Dahab in 1998. M. Abdelghany Saleh was a diving instructor there. Ten years of diving, instructing and guiding later, they built the boat they couldn’t find anywhere else — M/Y Aphrodite, launched in 2008. Today Mohamed is the sole owner, and the same founding principle still drives everything: a boat built for divers, by a diver.
FOUNDED
YEARS OPERATING
CAPTAIN’S YEARS AT SEA
MAX. GUESTS
THE STORY
A Decision to Build the Right Boat, in the Right Place.
The story begins with a decision. Dr. Peter Paszek and M. Abdelghani Saleh — a Czech and an Egyptian, both passionate about the Red Sea — had spent years taking people underwater. Peter as the owner of Planet Divers dive centre in Dahab, M. Abdelghani Saleh as a diving instructor there. And for years, they were frustrated by the same thing: the boats weren’t built right.
They decided to do something about it. Together they chose the right shipyard in the north of Egypt — a place with the expertise and the tradition to build a boat that would last. The brief was clear: build a comfortable, well-equipped safari vessel designed specifically to operate in the deep south of the Red Sea. Not the busy northern routes where day boats go. The deep south — where the Red Sea shows its true character.
St. John’s Reef, Rocky Island, Zabargad, Daedalus, Elphinstone — these are the sites that Peter and Mohamed had in mind. Remote reefs, untouched by the day-boat traffic of Hurghada. Exceptional biodiversity. Conditions that demand a well-built vessel and an experienced captain. M/Y Aphrodite was designed from the hull up to make those sites accessible, comfortable and safe.
Two compressors. Membrane Nitrox included as standard. A proper dive deck with individual equipment stations. Every cabin air-conditioned. A sun deck wide enough for the whole group. The result was M/Y Aphrodite — built in Alexandria in 2008, named after the goddess born from the sea, and operating on the same founding principle to this day: a boat built for divers, for the Red Sea, by people who dive it themselves.
THE NAME
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite was born from the sea — rising from the foam of the waves off the coast of Cyprus. For two people who had spent their careers in, on and under the water, the name was obvious. The sea gives. It takes. It changes you. Naming the boat after its goddess was the only honest thing to do.
HISTORY
Over Twenty-Five Years in the Red Sea.
Planet Divers Opens in Dahab
Dr. Petr Paszek opens Planet Divers dive centre in Dahab, on the Sinai Peninsula. Mohamed joins as a diving instructor. Both are passionate technical divers. Over the following years Planet Divers becomes a well-established operation — and the place where the idea for a liveaboard built differently first takes shape.
Ten Years in Dahab
A decade of daily diving and instruction at Planet Divers. Petr as owner and Mohamed as instructor — both taking clients on Red Sea liveaboards, both developing an increasingly clear picture of what those boats get wrong and what a properly built vessel would look like.
Design & Build in Alexandria
Mohamed’s father — a naval engineer — joins the project. M/Y Aphrodite is designed from scratch around the specific requirements of diving in the Red Sea. Built in Alexandria, one of Egypt’s great maritime cities. Every specification decided by someone who actually dives.
First Departure
M/Y Aphrodite launches and completes her first Red Sea safari. Membrane Nitrox standard, two compressors, proper dive deck, full crew. The boat is different from everything else operating at the time. Word gets out quickly.
Building the Routes
Over seven years of weekly departures, Mohamed and Petr develop the routes that define the Aphrodite programme today — from the North Classic to the 2-week Best of Red Sea. Each route is refined through direct experience and guest feedback. Captain Mousa Parsi joins the vessel.
Establishing the Programme
M/Y Aphrodite becomes one of the most consistently reviewed liveaboards on the Red Sea. Repeat guests become the majority of bookings — the most honest metric there is.
Pandemic & Resilience
The Red Sea liveaboard industry stops. M/Y Aphrodite uses the downtime for a thorough maintenance programme. The crew stays together — Mohamed’s decision, and one he doesn’t regret. When diving resumes, the boat and team are ready.
Full Restoration
Complete restoration of M/Y Aphrodite. New cabins, updated equipment, full interior refit. The boat that launched in 2008 is better than ever.
Hull Overhaul
Full hull overhaul completed. M/Y Aphrodite enters her 18th season in the best structural condition of her life. The same founding principle still applies: everything on this boat exists because a diver needed it.
THE OFFICE TEAM
The People Behind the Bookings.
The crew is on the boat. The office team is on land — handling enquiries, coordinating bookings, managing partner relations and making sure everything that’s supposed to happen does happen.
OWNER & CEO
Mohamed co-founded M/Y Aphrodite in 2008 and is today the sole owner and CEO. A technical diver and instructor himself, he oversees all operations — from route planning and safety protocols to partner relationships and business development. He remains the point of contact for all major charter enquiries and partnerships.
🇪🇬 Egypt · 🤿 Technical Diver · 📋 Owner & CEO
OFFICE MANAGER · GERMAN MARKET
Angelika manages enquiries, bookings and guest communications for German-speaking markets. Growing up in Germany and working in the Red Sea diving industry, she understands both the European guest’s expectations and the realities of operating in Egypt. She handles individual cabin bookings, group coordination and anything that needs a European perspective.
🇩🇪 Germany · 🤿 DiveMaster · Languages: DE, EN
MARKETING MANAGER · RUSSIAN & CIS MARKETS
Diana handles marketing, bookings, communications and partner relations for all speaking markets across Russia, Belarus and the world. She coordinates with dive clubs, travel agencies and individual guests, and manages the logistics that come with large group bookings from the World.
🇧🇾 Belarus · 🤿 OWD · 📋 Bookings & CIS market ·
Languages: RU, EN
Hurghada, Marina street
HOW WE WORK
European Standards. Red Sea Experience.
M/Y Aphrodite operates to European business standards — clear communication, written confirmations, transparent pricing, and no surprises at the marina. Our office team spans Germany, Belarus and Egypt, which means we understand what guests from European markets expect — and we deliver it.
Transparent Pricing
What we quote is what you pay. No hidden fees added at the last moment. Marine park fees, equipment rental and optional extras are itemised separately and confirmed in writing before booking.
Written Confirmations
Every booking is confirmed in writing — route, dates, cabin type, price and what’s included. You have a record of exactly what was agreed before you transfer any money.
Flexible Charter Terms
Private charters are negotiated individually — group size, duration, itinerary, catering requirements. We don’t apply a rigid price list to charters. We build a proposal that fits your group and your budget.
Best Conditions for Individual Bookings
Individual cabin bookings receive the same care as full charters. You’re not second priority because you’re booking one cabin — the experience on board is identical regardless of how many cabins your group occupies.
Response Within 24 Hours
Every enquiry receives a real response — not a bot, not a template. Our office team answers in English, German and Russian within 24 hours, usually much faster.
Long-Term Partner Relations
We work with dive clubs, travel agencies and operators across Europe and the Gulf on an ongoing basis. Partners receive dedicated support, competitive group rates and direct contact with Mohamed — not a call centre.
DIVE CENTRES & PARTNERS
Our Partners.
M/Y Aphrodite works with dive centres, dive clubs and travel partners across Europe, Russia and the Middle East. If you represent a dive centre or travel agency and are interested in a partnership, contact directly at [email protected].
Czech Republic
Finland
Croatia
Poland
Portugal
Russia
Netherlands
USA
South Korea
Germany
Egypt
USA
China
Contact: [email protected]
HOW WE OPERATE
What Hasn’t Changed in 18 Years.
Divers First, Always
Every decision on this boat — from tank placement to Nitrox pricing to how the day schedule works — was made by a diver thinking about other divers. That hasn’t changed and won’t change.
Safety Without Negotiation
Certifications checked. Insurance mandatory. Captain’s discretion absolute. The AOWD+50 requirement for Brothers Islands is a marine park rule, and we enforce it without exception. Safety is not a policy — it’s the job.
Crew Continuity
The same captain, the same crew. That continuity produces a quality of experience that a rotating team cannot. A captain who has done the same route hundreds of times notices things a new crew never would.
Honest About the Sea
We don’t guarantee hammerheads. We don’t promise perfect weather. We tell you what conditions are like, which sites work in which seasons, and what to expect on your specific route. The sea is unpredictable. We are not.
🤝
Long-Term Relationships
Some of our guests have been coming back every year for over 16 years. That kind of trust is earned slowly and lost quickly. Every decision we make — on board and off it — is made with that relationship in mind.
Built by Divers
Founded by two divers in 2008, today owned and operated by Mohamed — one boat, one owner, a long-serving captain and a team who treats every guest’s experience as a personal matter. Because it is.
Guests Who Come Back
The majority of our bookings are repeat guests or referrals from repeat guests. We think this is the most honest metric there is. Nobody comes back to a liveaboard they didn’t love.
DIVE WITH US
Eighteen Years. One Boat. Still Getting Better.
Browse the routes, check the dates or contact us directly. We reply within 24 hours.