Luxury Nile cruises

What luxury means on the Nile

Nile cruise ships are often described with hotel-style labels, but there is no single rule that everyone uses. So rather than rely on a label, we group the ships we offer by what each one actually has on board, as listed on its own page. The ships in this class share a few things: every one lists a swimming pool and suites, and most list a spa, massage rooms, or a sauna. Many add a fitness center, a library or reading room, and evening entertainment.

What does not change is the river. A luxury ship sails the same programs and stops at the same temples as the ships of our other classes. You choose this class for the ship you come back to: more room, more comfort, and more ways to spend the hours between visits.

Wellness on board

Wellness facilities are where the luxury ships differ most from the rest of the fleet, and from each other. Some examples from the ships' own pages: Oberoi Philae lists a temperature-controlled pool, a full-service spa, and massage rooms; Oberoi Zahra lists a full-service spa; MS Mayfair lists a Jacuzzi, steam, and sauna rooms; Sonesta St. George I lists a sauna and steam room; and Movenpick Royal Lily lists sauna and massage rooms with poolside service.

If a spa treatment or a sauna after a hot day of temples is part of your plan, check the facilities list of each ship before you choose, and tell your planner. Not every ship in the class has every facility.

Cabins and suites

Every luxury ship we offer lists more than one type of cabin, and all of them list suites. A few go further: Sonesta Star Goddess and Sonesta Moon Goddess list cabins with balconies, which are rare on the Nile, where most cabins have large windows instead.

Cabin sizes and layouts are not the same from ship to ship, even within this class. Read the cabin list on the page of each ship you like, then ask your planner which cabins are free on your dates.

Dining and public spaces

Most ships in the class describe buffet meals in the main restaurant on their own pages, and some add themed dinners. A few, such as Jaz Viceroy and Steigenberger Royale, describe buffet and à la carte meals. The Oberoi ships describe a changing menu of international and local dishes.

Away from the restaurant, look for the quiet spaces: Historia lists a library and quiet areas, Oberoi Philae a library and a movie theater, and Oberoi Zahra a library and cigar lounge. On a hot afternoon, a shaded lounge can matter as much as the pool.

Choosing your program

The luxury ships sail all three programs we offer. The 4-night Luxor to Aswan cruise is the classic choice, with Luxor spread over the first two days. The 3-night Aswan to Luxor cruise is shorter and ends with a full day in Luxor. The 7-night round trip from Luxor nearly doubles the time on board, with a free day in Aswan and an optional visit to Dendera.

On a luxury ship, the longer programs make the most sense: the more time you spend on board, the more you use what you are paying for. If the ship is the highlight of your trip, consider the 4-night or 7-night program.

Luxury ship or another class

If you want a comfortable cruise but care less about a spa or a suite, our deluxe Nile cruises offer ships with a pool and full board on the same programs. For a completely different kind of luxury, a small boat with few guests, see our dahabiya page and the cruise ship or dahabiya comparison.

Who the luxury class suits

A luxury ship is worth it when the time on board matters as much as the temples. It suits couples on a honeymoon or an anniversary, travelers who want a spa treatment or a sauna after a day in the heat, and anyone who likes a suite with more space and a quieter lounge to come back to. It also suits travelers on the 7-night round trip, who spend more time on the ship than on a short cruise.

It is less of a priority if you plan to spend every daylight hour ashore and use the cabin mainly to sleep. In that case a deluxe ship gives you the same programs and the same visits, and the savings can go toward a night in Aswan for Abu Simbel or a few days by the Red Sea.

Whatever you choose, read the facilities list on each ship's page: the class tells you the general level, and the page tells you exactly what that ship has.

Asking for a quote

Choose two or three ships you like on this page, or tell us what matters most, such as a balcony, a spa, or a particular program, and request a quote with your dates. A planner replies within 24 hours with the ships that sail on those dates, the cabins and suites still free, and what is included. We can add hotels, Cairo, and Abu Simbel to the same plan.