What to Expect from River Nile Cruise?

Earlier this year our very own Lisa Hunt, one of our Senior Business Development Managers, traveled from Australia to Egypt to experience one of our group tours for herself. Here she talks about her experience aboard one of our Nile Cruises to give you an idea of what to expect…

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In April 2019 I joined the nine-day ‘King Tutankhamun‘ group tour. This operates with a two-night Nile Felucca Cruise and has the option to upgrade to a three-night, 5-star Nile Cruise. Well, no surprise to anyone I know, I upgraded. Whilst the Felucca would offer me a very authentic and fun experience with the group, I’m more of a luxury lover, so for me the choice was simple – and worth it. Our cruiser was the MS Miriam, a deluxe cruiser with 60 cabins/suites and a whole lot of amenities. There was a swimming pool, two bars, a restaurant, a reasonably priced gift shop selling souvenirs, a small gym and a gorgeous, sun-filled deck area. It also had the usual services you would expect, like a 24-hour reception desk and safe deposit boxes.

Boarding

Cruisers were docked side by side in the same way that river cruise boats do in Europe. So when we boarded we actually had to walk through the foyer area of two other cruisers to reach ours. They are quite similar, so its important to remember which one you are a guest on. On one night, a couple of us were deep in conversation whilst returning to our cruiser. We went straight upstairs to the deck of the first cruiser and couldn’t work out why we couldn’t get into our rooms. After some very puzzled looks and confusion, the penny dropped, we were on the wrong cruiser!

Cabins and amenities

The cabins were smartly appointed and featured a desk area, queen bed, wardrobe, casual chairs and ensuite bathrooms. It was more than enough room to feel comfortable and they had large windows to view the River Nile and surrounding landscape while we were cruising. As we were going to be on board for three nights, it was nice to unpack a little. Some of us also took advantage of having some clothes laundered as this was available at a reasonable price. Our first afternoon offered some free time, so there are no prizes for guessing where I headed first – the swimming pool! The upper deck of the cruiser was spacious and featured a bar, tables and chairs under large awnings for sun protection, as well as sun loungers for relaxing by the pool. I won’t lie – the water was cold! But for me it was very refreshing against the hot Egyptian sun as temperatures were well over 30°C.

Meals and entertainment

Meals onboard were all served buffet-style in the restaurant. There was enough choice to satisfy even the fussiest eater (me), with soups, salads and main course items including meat dishes and pasta. There was also a dessert bar with every type of cake and indulgence imaginable. The meals were all included in our tour package with drinks at bar prices and an ample selection of cocktails, beer and wine. The restaurant catered for around 120 people and the restaurant staff were all very friendly and charismatic. Evenings on board the Nile Cruise offered entertainment in the bar area, with our first night featuring a traditional Egyptian male dancer and a belly dancer to follow. On our second night we all took part in a Galabeya party. The buffet for the night was Egyptian themed and there was plenty of dancing.

Would I recommend a Nile Cruise?

The Nile Cruise provided a nice change of pace and time to relax in the middle of our itinerary. Along the way we had the chance to spend an evening at Luxor Temple and the Temple of Kom Ombo, as well as use it as our departure point for the amazing Abu Simbel. We all had an amazing time on board and would recall it as one of the accommodation highlights of the journey.