Hurghada Pirate Ship Cruise to Orange Bay | Fun Family Snorkeling & Treasure Hunt

Hurghada Pirate Ship Cruise to Orange Bay. Fun family snorkeling and treasure hunt for $30-45? Sounds like kids’ heaven. Reality: cheesy costumes, screaming children and average lunch. Honest review after 10 years living here.

Hurghada Pirate Ship Cruise to Orange Bay | Fun Family Snorkeling & Treasure Hunt

The boat was late. Shock horror. They always are.

We stood on the marina for twenty-five minutes while the “pirate crew” in cheap plastic hats tried to look enthusiastic. But once the ship finally cast off and the sails flapped in the Red Sea wind, that salty air mixed with the smell of grilled meat from the galley hit me. For a second it almost felt like a proper adventure.

Look, I’ve lived in Hurghada over ten years. I’ve seen every boat trip going. The Pirate Ship Cruise to Orange Bay is the one families book when they want the kids to shut up for a day. It’s marketed as fun family snorkeling and treasure hunt. In practice it’s loud, chaotic and very, very cheesy.

The kids love the treasure hunt bit. They run around the deck screaming “Arrr!” while the crew in fake eye-patches hand out plastic swords. The snorkeling stop itself is decent enough. The water is clear and the fish are there. But trying to keep thirty excited children together in the sea is pure comedy.

Why this pirate ship cruise to Orange Bay actually works for families

To be fair the shallow beach at Orange Bay is perfect for little ones. They can splash about safely while the adults pretend to hunt for treasure. The crew do try hard. They organise games and face painting. They even bury a plastic chest in the sand.

But here’s the part nobody admits. The boat is loud as hell. Kids screaming, parents shouting, and the same pirate-themed Arabic pop song on repeat for six hours. The music was loud, I forgot my earplugs. By the third loop I was ready to walk the plank myself.

Lunch is the usual boat buffet. Rice, chicken, some sad salad. Nothing special and definitely not “pirate treasure”. The drinks are overpriced again. Four dollars for a warm Coke. Taking the piss as usual.

The treasure hunt is silly fun for the kids. They dig in the sand and scream when they find the box. For the adults it’s mostly standing in the sun watching them.

Overall the Hurghada Pirate Ship Cruise to Orange Bay does exactly what it promises. It keeps the children entertained with snorkeling, treasure hunt and pirate nonsense while the parents get a day on the water. Just don’t expect peace and quiet. This is a floating kids’ party with coral.

A flat here costs less than a garage back home, and this sort of loud family day out is what passes for normal weekends when you live in Hurghada. Just saying.