Scuba and sightseeing

Frank

I'd like to plan a trip to Egypt sometime in the next year or two. Main goals would be a few days scuba diving the Red Sea and then to see the usual famous tourism sites (pyramids, Sphinx, Luxor, etc.) Questions:
1) What is the ideal time to go?
2) Where is the best place to base for the diving?
3) Are the Nile cruises worthwhile? If so, does anyone have a specific recomendation?
4) How about the name brand tours like Trafalgar?
Thanks

Myriam

1) Ideal time to go: October to April. We have been in March on a Nile cruise and in May to the Red Sea for diving. May would have been too hot for the Nile.
2) Sharm El Sheikh (Sinai) with the famous Rad Mohamed reef and many others(see www.sinaidivers.com), all close to the hotels. We will be there in October next. Safaga (60 km south of Hurghada) and Al Qusayr (south of Egypt) should be good as well and less touristy.
We ourselves have been diving in El Gouna (30 km north of Hurghada). Diving itself was very good - lots of fishes and beautiful corals - but needed long boattrips to reach the good reefs (1.5 to 2 hours).
3) Nile cruise is certainly worthwhile. You will see the highlights of Egypt. Note: pyramids and sphinx are in Cairo and 6 hrs drive from Luxor and the Nile valley.
4) Trafalgar: unknown in Belgium.