Choosing a Nile Cruise in Egypt: Your Ultimate Guide

Nile cruises are hands down one of the most popular things to do in Egypt, and for good reason – the serenity of sailing down the world’s longest river AND getting to see some of the most mind-blowing Ancient Egyptian temples and tombs while you’re at it? Yes, please!

 And keep in mind this isn’t a ‘tourist trap’ kind of thing – lots of local Egyptians book Nile cruises as a way to treat themselves and explore Luxor and Aswan too, especially during the winter months and over New Year’s. 

But because Nile cruises are so popular with locals and visitors alike, there are tons to choose from and it’s easy to get confused or overwhelmed. Plus let’s be honest – Nile cruises aren’t cheap, so doing your due diligence before booking is always a good idea. Here’s our ultimate guide on everything you need to know to choose which cruise is best for you.

Quick facts to know before choosing a Nile cruise:

• There are 200+ active Nile cruise ships operating regularly in Egypt

  
  

• When articles, booking engines or travel agencies refer to Nile cruises in Egypt, 90% of the time they mean a cruise between Luxor and Aswan (or vice versa)

  
  

• Besides the Luxor-Aswan cruises, there are Lake Nasser cruises and Cairo-Aswan cruises, but those are far fewer in number

  
  

• All cruises will include sightseeing of some sort with a guide, with the main emphasis being on the Ancient Egyptian sites in Luxor and Aswan. Each cruise will have a detailed itinerary online that you can go over before you book

  
  

• Your days will mainly be spent off the ship. You’ll have breakfast onboard, then spend a day sightseeing on land, then return to the cruise ship before sunset to relax and spend the night onboard

  
  

• Nile cruises in Egypt are most popular during the winter months when the weather in Luxor and Aswan is at its best (November-March), which means that’s when cruises are at peak price and become fully-booked quickly

  
  

• Cruise ships are essentially hotels on the river; they vary from ultra luxury to more basic

  
  

• There are several different types of cruise ship, which we’ll go over in more detail below

A little history of the Nile cruise

Now obviously Egyptians using the Nile as a lifeline and trade ‘highway’ goes back thousands upon thousands of years; even before the Ancient Egyptian civilization started to document it. But it was back in the 1800s that the concept of sailing for leisure and adventure really took hold, first on the traditional dahabiya sailboats chartered by the Egyptian elite in Cairo, then later with steamships.

Thomas Cook ad for steamship and dahabiya cruises

Steamship cruises were introduced in the latter half of the 1800s by the British Thomas Cook & Son (who later went on to build the world-famous Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan in 1899, now known as the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract). Cook hired a steamship from Khedive Ismail and embarked on his first guided steamship cruise down the Nile to Aswan. Within ten years, he owned his own steamship cruise fleet and it was then that Nile cruises really started to boom as a touristic activity. They were much faster than the dahabiyas, cutting cruises from 2 months down to 3 weeks. They could hold way more people, plus offer amenities the smaller, more modest dahabiyas couldn’t. 

The SS Sudan at the foot of the Abu Simple temple, before the monument was relocated to protect it from being submerged in water once the Aswan Dam was built

In the mid-1900s, motor-powered cruise ships began to sail the Nile, and slowly replaced the steamships. Fast forward over 70 years later to the present day, and only two token steamships still cruise the Nile today (more about these historic ships below).

Types of Nile cruise ships and their pros & cons

1. Motorized Cruise Ships

The majority of Nile cruises will be on big motorized ships, which as we said above, are essentially floating hotels. These can take over a hundred guests per cruise, so expect lots of rooms, multiple restaurants, and different amenities like a gym, spa or an on-deck swimming pool, depending on which cruise ship you pick. 

Pros: 

• Different room options (standard, deluxe, suite, etc.)

  
  

• The amenities (who doesn’t want to be in a pool while floating down a river, or have a designated play area for kids?)

  
  

• Onboard restaurant and bar options

  
  

• Nightly entertainment onboard

  
  

• There are cruise ships available in an array of different price ranges and budgets, from the more affordable to high luxury

Cons: 

• Because of the number of people onboard, it’s less private and the service is less personalized than a dahabiya

  
  

• Some people find the sounds & vibrations of the boats to be a nuisance

  
  

• In the high season there are so many cruises, it can seem almost like you’re moving in a convoy with all the other boats, which obviously can take away from the peacefulness of the Nile

  
  

• The big cruise boats tend to dock and go on sightseeing excursions at the same time, so unfortunately there’s usually a crowd wherever you go

2. Dahabiya

The truly authentic way to cruise the Nile. Dahabiyas are traditional Egyptian sailboats, used for millennia as a means for Egyptians to travel on the river. These days, the Nile cruise dahabiyas provide slow luxury for those who want a more private, personalized trip. 

Speaking of personalized – some dahabiyas (such as the Zein Nile Chateau) can even be booked completely for your own private charter, and an itinerary can be created specifically for you and your group’s interests. 

Pros: 

• Dahabiyas can only take a fraction of the number of people that the standard cruise ships can take, so it’s the equivalent of staying in a tiny boutique hotel as opposed to a sprawling resort

  
  

• They travel by sail and are pulled by tugboats when there’s not enough wind, so there’s no motor noise

  
  

• Because of their smaller size, dahabiyas can dock at sites on the Nile where larger cruise ships can’t. This allows for more sightseeing at different spots off the beaten track, away from the crowds

Cons:

• The price. Because dahabiyas take fewer people but essentially offer the same itinerary as the larger cruises, they tend to be pretty expensive, even more so than the big luxury cruises

  
  

• They don’t offer all the bells and whistles that the cruise ships offer, eg. pool and spa and multiple restaurants/bars

3. Steamships

SS Sudan

Currently, the only two restored and functioning steamships cruising the Nile are the SS Sudan and the SS Misr, both imbued with over a century of history. The SS Sudan dates back to 1921, and the SS Misr (now run by Movenpick) dates back even farther to 1918. 

Both of these ships carry far fewer people than the modern cruise ships (the SS Sudan has 18 cabins and 6 suites and the SS Misr has 16 cabins and 8 suites). The SS Misr has a swimming pool as well.

Pros:

• These iconic steamships provide far more history, nostalgia and romance than your standard cruise ship. Agatha Christie was inspired to write Death on the Nile while on a cruise on the SS Sudan in 1933 – there’s now a suite named after her, and filming for the movie actually took place on the SS Sudan

  
  

• It’s quieter and less crowded than the standard cruise ships

Cons:

• They tend to be pretty expensive

What are the best Nile cruises to choose?

MS Oberoi Zahra

Like we said above, there are over 200 Nile cruises operating at any given time. So which ones are the best?

It’s important to note that when you book a cruise through a travel agency or online package, lots of times you don’t actually get to choose which ship you’re on. You’re essentially assigned to whatever ship fits the dates and price you picked. So if you chose a cheaper package, you’ll probably be on one of the more basic ships. If you chose something higher-end, you’ll get one of the luxury cruise ships.

Alternatively, if you decide to skip buying an online travel package and want to book a specific cruise and specific type of room directly, here are some of the highest-rated ones per price bracket:

Standard cruises:

• MS Princess Sarah

• MS Steigenberger Legacy

• MS Royal Esadora

Luxury Cruises:

• MS Oberoi Zahra

• MS Oberoi Philae

• MS Historia Boutique Hotel Nile Cruise

  
  

Dahabiyas:

• Nour El Nil fleet

• Merit Dahabiya

• Princess Farida Dahabiya

Important note: we've only listed a handful of high-rated cruises just to give you an example, but there are many!

Duration of Nile cruises

MS Sun Sanctuary IV

One of the first things you’ll have to decide on before choosing your Nile cruise in Egypt is how long you want the duration to be. Like we said above, 90% of Nile cruises are between Luxor and Aswan (and vice versa). 

Local tip: we get asked a lot which cruises are better, the ones that originate in Luxor or the ones that originate in Aswan. Our answer is, they’re both pretty much the same but the ones starting in Aswan usually run a day shorter, if you’re pressed for time.

1. Luxor/Aswan Cruises

MS Historia Boutique Hotel Cruise

On average, the shortest cruises take 4 nights from Luxor to Aswan and 3 nights from Aswan to Luxor (this route is faster because you’re moving with the river current). So why are so many cruises longer than 3-4 nights? Basically it all comes down to sightseeing. The longer your cruise is, the more sights you’ll be able to fit in your itinerary – and trust us, Luxor and Aswan and all the places in between have a LOT of fascinating Ancient Egyptian spots to explore! 

Read more: 20 Must-See Ancient Egyptian Sites

Since time/budget/interests are a personal choice of each traveler, we recommend going through the itineraries of the 3/4/5/7 night cruises and comparing, to see which ones speak to you the most. Some of the longer cruises tack on trips to Abu Simbel south of Aswan (very worth it), while others add more fluff experiences to their itineraries. So go through the fine print of the itineraries, read the reviews and make the choice that suits you personally the best. 

2. Long Nile Cruises (Cairo to Aswan or Aswan to Cairo)

Movenpick MS Darakum

Besides the standard Luxor-Aswan cruises, which tend not to be over 7 nights at most, there’s something called the Long Nile Cruise. This much rarer cruise travels from Aswan to Cairo (and vice versa) over a duration of two weeks. The Movenpick’s MS Darakum is currently one of the few ships offering that route.

3. Lake Nasser Cruises

MS Movenpick Prince Abbas

A third type of cruise is the Lake Nasser cruise. Lake Nasser is to the south of Aswan and the High Dam, where you’ll find the great temples of Abu Simbel, as well as other Ancient Egyptian sites dotting the shores of the lake. These cruises tend to have a duration of 3-4 nights. 

Nile cruise itineraries & sightseeing

Most people who decide to go on a Nile river cruise are interested in seeing the famous Ancient Egyptian temples and tombs of Luxor and Aswan, and interesting spots on the Nile in between. Spoiler alert: if you’re not into that kind of sightseeing, a Nile cruise in Egypt probably isn’t for you. 

Read more: 12 Most Impressive Ancient Egyptian Temples Still Standing Today

Read more: 8 Best Ancient Egyptian Tomb Sites in Modern Day Egypt

But assuming that’s indeed what you’re interested in, then these are the main stops on your average Nile cruise itinerary, plus the possible sightseeing you’ll be doing at each destination. 

Keep in mind that the shorter cruises will only cover SOME of these sightseeing spots, while the longer cruises will include more (but not necessarily all listed below).

Important note: not all cruise itineraries are exactly the same, so we ask once again that you read the itinerary of each cruise online closely before you pick. 

Main Nile cruise itinerary destinations (in no specific order):

-Luxor

• Valley of the Kings

• Deir el Bahri (Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut)

• Colossi of Memon

• Karnak Temple

• Luxor Temple

• Madinet Habu Temple

• Luxor Museum

• Valley of the Nobles

• Deir el Medina (Valley of the Artisans)

-Edfu

• Temple of Horus at Edfu

  
  

-Kom Ombo

• Double Temple of Kom Ombo

-Aswan

• Philae Temple

• High Dam

• Unfinished Obelisk

• Botanical Gardens

• Nubian Museum

• Abu Simbel (usually as an add-on or part of the Lake Nasser cruise, considering it’s beyond the High Dam)

  
  

-Qena (sometimes part of the cruise near Luxor, but during the low water level season is only reachable by land, about 1-1.5 hrs drive from Luxor)

• Temple of Dendera

-Sohag (also sometimes part of the cruise near Luxor, reachable by land)

• Abydos

-Esna

• Temple of Khnum

• Esna lock

-Lake Nasser

• Abu Simbel

• Temple of Kalabsha

• Temple of Wadi El Seboua

• Qasr Ibrim

-Sites reachable only by dahabiya or land (there are also other spots depending on which dahabiya you choose):

• Gebel El Silsila

How much does a Nile cruise cost and what’s included in the price?

There’s obviously so many variables that it’s impossible to give an average number. It depends on the season, duration, group size, type of boat, type of room, if the cruise belongs to an international hotel chain, what activities are included, so on and so forth. 

Long story short, a cruise can range from $500 per person to $10,000 per person in some cases, and that’s not an exaggeration. But just to give you an idea, if you’re looking at the standard 4 night, 3 day Nile cruise on one of the basic Nile cruise ships (not a luxury one), for the month of February for example, it’ll probably cost around $600-$700 per person. The nicer cruise ships and dahabiyas are for much more (averaging $1500 - $2500 per person).

Local tip: the two weeks that cover Christmas and New Year’s are always THE highest priced throughout the year, even more than regular winter high season prices.

What’s usually included in the cruise price?

Local tip: we must state again that this differs from cruise to cruise, so please read all the fine print and don’t blame us if some of these features weren’t included! 

Usually when you book a Nile cruise (especially the higher end ones), it will include the following:

• Comfortable accommodation & private ensuite bathroom onboard for the length of time you chose, with daily housekeeping

• Full-board meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) – usually open buffet style, but sometimes a la carte on the nicer boats or dahabiyas

• An experienced tour guide speaking the language of your choice (make sure to find out the languages your cruise offers)

• Entrance fees to all sites

• Transportation from the cruise ship to all sites and back

• Taxes and fees

They will also *sometimes* include:

• Onboard entertainment like belly-dancing or cooking classes

• Different themed nights on board with special menus and activities

• Wifi

• Laundry

• Meet & greet at the airport or your hotel

• Extra activities or excursions, eg. hot air balloon in Luxor

• Transportation to/from the airport or your hotel

Usually NOT included in the price:

• Soft drinks (not included for the more standard cruises, but usually included for the luxury cruises)

• Alcoholic drinks (but available onboard for an extra fee)

• Tips (for the boat staff, usually given at the end of the trip, and separate tips for your tour guide and driver)

• Domestic flights

Is a Nile cruise worth it? Or should I just visit Luxor and Aswan normally?

We get asked this question a lot. Lots of people are interested in visiting Luxor and/or Aswan, but not sure if they should go down the cruise route, or just book a regular hotel on land and explore the cities themselves.

Obviously, there’s no cookie-cutter answer for this because everyone’s preferences differ. What we can do however is list the pros and cons of both scenarios, so you can make a more educated choice for yourself.

Pros of booking a Nile cruise:

• The experience of sailing down the Nile and sleeping/waking up on the water (although keep in mind that sometimes you'll be moored overnight next to other boats)

  
  

• Everything, especially sightseeing, is totally sorted out for you – you don’t have to worry about any logistics at all

  
  

• You don’t have to worry about being overcharged for things like transportation or tour guides

  
  

• There’s not much by way of nightlife in Luxor or Aswan – being on a cruise is a nice way to socialize and meet people over dinner and drinks on the boat

  
  

• You don’t have to research and try to locate decent restaurants to have your meals at

Cons of booking a Nile cruise:

• There’s hardly any flexibility in the itinerary; you have to wake up, eat and disembark at set times to make it to each site on time

  
  

• The cruise ships tend to run by the same timetable, so the sightseeing will usually be crowded

  
  

• The inability to spend as much time as you want at each site or ask the tour guide in-depth questions because you’ll be in a large tour group

Pros for staying at a regular hotel in Luxor/Aswan and arranging your own tours:

• You can set your own schedule so that you’re at some of the sites before/after the big crowds

  
  

• You can explore at your own pace

  
  

• You can visit places or do activities that aren’t included in the cruise itinerary

  
  

• You can either go to the different sites by yourself, or you can arrange for a private tour guide or small tour group

Cons of staying at a regular hotel in Luxor/Aswan and arranging your own tours:

• You’ll have to research all the different accommodation options there

  
  

• You’ll have to figure out the logistics of all transportation 

  
  

• You’ll probably have hit and miss restaurant experiences

  
  

• A lot of the nicer hotels in Luxor and Aswan are pretty expensive, so between that + meals + sightseeing tickets + transportation + guide, you might end up spending even more than you would on the cruise

For more information in general about Luxor and Aswan:

Read more: 10 Best Things To Do in Luxor - As Told By Locals

Read more: 7 Best Restaurants in Luxor, Egypt

Read more: Aswan, Egypt - A Local’s City Guide

Read more: 7 Best Places to Stay in Aswan, Egypt

Best way to book a Nile cruise

Ok, so you’ve done your research, decided that you do indeed want to book a Nile cruise (good for you!) and read through all our tips about how to choose the type of cruise best suited for you. Now how do you go about actually booking it?

You have several options:

1. Book directly through the cruise ship’s website. 

Many of the cruise ships, especially if they’re part of a hotel chain or are high luxury, will have their own website that you can book through (and you can also directly email them any questions you may have). This also goes for booking dahabiyas. 

2. Book through a foreign or Egyptian tour agency.

Foreign tour companies like AMA Waterways, Abercrombie & Kent or TUI offer all sorts of Nile cruise package deals, where you select the cruise package that sounds the best for you. There are also dozens of Egyptian tour agencies that offer similar packages. These agencies can arrange either just your cruise for you, or your whole Egypt trip from A-Z. 

3. Book through an online travel experience aggregator. 

Websites like Viator or GetYourGuide are another easy way to book a Nile cruise. Just make sure to read reviews, itineraries and what’s included/excluded before booking anything!

So that wraps up our ultimate guide to choosing and booking the perfect Nile cruise just for you! Sail and enjoy 🙂

You might also like: Where to Go in Egypt: 10 Best Cities & Destinations