With more than hundred ships cruising the Nile during high season, all looking slightly different than the other and all having slight differences in their itineraries, this inside article is a general description of the cruise adventure.
The most of Egyptian cruises do 7 nights or 3/4 nights, but shorter or longer cruises can also be arranged. Some of Egyptian cruises go to north as Dendera, but the majority goes Luxor - Aswan - Luxor. It is often cheaper to buy a cruise as part of a package, as most cruises are geared towards groups and sometimes will charge the solo-traveler or the small group of 2 or 3 persons more than a package-deal.
The distance between Luxor and Aswan is only around 225 kilometers and a 7 nights cruise will consist of at least 3 or 4 days docked in Luxor and Aswan (usually 1 day in each town) where guests see the sites and use the cruise as a "floating hotel". The cruise will often be docked with several other ships, and unless you are either on the innermost or outermost ship, there will not be any real view on those days.
All Nile cruises look the same and have more or less the same schedules. They have 3-5 decks, some companies charge extra for cabins on the uppermost decks, some does not. There is a reception, a restaurant and a lounge/bar plus a sundeck, where you can often find a small swimming pool. Sometimes there are also a couple of small shops aboard selling gold, costumes, tobacco and postcards. Many ships cruising the Nile are classified as 5*. The experienced traveler will probably feel that 5 stars in Egypt is more like 3 or 4 stars in other places.
All meals are served on board the ship, but usually the restaurant does not offer any food outside meal-times. Sometimes the bar can serve a light snack, but be prepared and buy your own snacks and keep them in the cabin. Drinks are usually not included, and the guest sign a receipt each time they have something to drink. Most cruises does not allow "outside drinks" on the sundeck, the bar or the restaurant, but there should be no problem keeping some wine, spirits or water in the cabin.
Most cruises expect that you dress up for dinner, but nothing fancy, just casual. The fancy dresses are for the "Galabeya-party" or "Fancy-dress-party" held at least once a week on almost every ship. Depending on the mood of the travelers it can be an amusing night or an embarrassing night. Guests are dressed up in galabeyas, bellydancer-costumes etc., the ship serve an oriental buffet and after dinner there is silly games, music etc. One night there can also be a Nubian show, a tanoura (whirling dancer), an orchestra and a belly dancer but don't expect entertainment on board a cruise to be world class!
Passing the lock in Esna can take hours if there are many ships waiting to go through. Once or twice a year, the lock close down completely and cruises dock in Esna and not Luxor. The lock is closed around June and December for about a fortnight, but this can vary a great deal. Best to check with travel agent before booking.
The crew expects to be tipped generously after a cruise. Ten Egyptian pounds pr. person pr. night is a good amount and should be delivered in the reception on the day of check out. They have a box for the same.
The most of Egyptian cruises do 7 nights or 3/4 nights, but shorter or longer cruises can also be arranged. Some of Egyptian cruises go to north as Dendera, but the majority goes Luxor - Aswan - Luxor. It is often cheaper to buy a cruise as part of a package, as most cruises are geared towards groups and sometimes will charge the solo-traveler or the small group of 2 or 3 persons more than a package-deal.
The distance between Luxor and Aswan is only around 225 kilometers and a 7 nights cruise will consist of at least 3 or 4 days docked in Luxor and Aswan (usually 1 day in each town) where guests see the sites and use the cruise as a "floating hotel". The cruise will often be docked with several other ships, and unless you are either on the innermost or outermost ship, there will not be any real view on those days.
All Nile cruises look the same and have more or less the same schedules. They have 3-5 decks, some companies charge extra for cabins on the uppermost decks, some does not. There is a reception, a restaurant and a lounge/bar plus a sundeck, where you can often find a small swimming pool. Sometimes there are also a couple of small shops aboard selling gold, costumes, tobacco and postcards. Many ships cruising the Nile are classified as 5*. The experienced traveler will probably feel that 5 stars in Egypt is more like 3 or 4 stars in other places.
All meals are served on board the ship, but usually the restaurant does not offer any food outside meal-times. Sometimes the bar can serve a light snack, but be prepared and buy your own snacks and keep them in the cabin. Drinks are usually not included, and the guest sign a receipt each time they have something to drink. Most cruises does not allow "outside drinks" on the sundeck, the bar or the restaurant, but there should be no problem keeping some wine, spirits or water in the cabin.
Most cruises expect that you dress up for dinner, but nothing fancy, just casual. The fancy dresses are for the "Galabeya-party" or "Fancy-dress-party" held at least once a week on almost every ship. Depending on the mood of the travelers it can be an amusing night or an embarrassing night. Guests are dressed up in galabeyas, bellydancer-costumes etc., the ship serve an oriental buffet and after dinner there is silly games, music etc. One night there can also be a Nubian show, a tanoura (whirling dancer), an orchestra and a belly dancer but don't expect entertainment on board a cruise to be world class!
Passing the lock in Esna can take hours if there are many ships waiting to go through. Once or twice a year, the lock close down completely and cruises dock in Esna and not Luxor. The lock is closed around June and December for about a fortnight, but this can vary a great deal. Best to check with travel agent before booking.
The crew expects to be tipped generously after a cruise. Ten Egyptian pounds pr. person pr. night is a good amount and should be delivered in the reception on the day of check out. They have a box for the same.
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