Nile boats
Nile cruise ships
Nile cruise ships change the trip more than the itinerary does. Here is what each type is actually like, and the vessels people ask about by name.
How to compare Nile cruise ships
People search for Nile cruise ships by name, so this section lists the boats that come up most often. What it will not do is print a specification sheet. Cabin counts, deck plans, refit years and facilities change, operators rebrand, and a confident-sounding number that turns out to be three years old is worse than no number at all.
What actually decides your experience is the category rather than the individual vessel. A large cruise ship gives you a full kitchen, a proper service team and a fixed timetable. A dahabiya carries a dozen or so people under sail, moors in quieter places, and costs more per night for less on board.
So read the category page first, then ask the operator to confirm the details for the specific boat and the specific week you are looking at. Every page below ends with the questions worth putting to them in writing.
Almost every Nile boat sails the same stretch between Luxor and Aswan and stops at the same temples. What differs is the number of people you share it with, how close the boat can moor, and the condition of the vessel itself.
One thing worth knowing before you compare anything: Nile boat star ratings are local ratings, not equivalent to European hotel stars. A five-star Nile boat and a five-star hotel in Cairo are not the same standard. The refurbishment date matters far more than the rating.
What to ask about any Nile boat
- ▲When was it last refurbished? This matters more than the star rating.
- ▲Which deck and which side is the cabin, and does it face the bank or another boat?
- ▲Does it moor alongside, or rafted between other boats at the smaller stops?
- ▲How many passengers when full, not how many cabins?
- ▲Which excursions and entry tickets are included, and which are extra?
- ▲Is the boat named in writing, and what happens if it is swapped?
Dahabiyas
A traditional shallow-draught sailing boat carrying a handful of cabins. Slower, quieter, moors where the big boats cannot, and costs more per night. What a dahabiya is, and who it suits →
Small ships
A motor vessel carrying far fewer passengers than a standard Nile boat. Quieter decks and shorter queues at each temple.
Cruise ships
A standard Nile motor vessel. Most of the boats on the Luxor to Aswan run are this type, and they vary enormously in condition.
River cruise ships
A purpose-built vessel operated by an international river-cruise line rather than an Egyptian hotel group, usually sold as part of a packaged tour.
Specifications, sailing dates and prices change as boats are sold, refitted and repositioned. Confirm the detail at the time of enquiry rather than relying on any published description, including this one.
Ask which boat suits youOfficial sources
Entry rules, opening hours, security advice and exchange rates all move. Check them at the source, not here.
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ↗The ministry lists which tombs and temples currently open.
- UK FCDO travel advice for Egypt ↗It updates continuously, and most UK travel insurance follows it.