How To Choose the Best Nile Cruise

Use these insider considerations when booking to experience this ancient waterway right.

Before we begin, I’d like to tell you that out of all the 15 days I spent in Egypt, I liked the 5 ones on the Nile cruise the most.

Our Nile cruise on board of a ship with a small swimming pool and a great sundeck

There’s nothing better than enjoying time on the deck with your friends while the boat sails to take you to beautiful temples and towns.

Types of Nile Cruises

Nile cruises range from large ships carrying up to 300 people to more intimate 5-star dahabiya sailboats limited to just 12 passengers for a private yacht-style feel.

Assess each type of vessel below when booking. This will have a direct influence on your Nile cruising experience.

Premium Cruise Ships

These 3-5 deck cruise ships offer the most amenities like spas, pools and evening entertainment alongside comfortable cabins, multiple dining venues and top service.

Expect 100-200 fellow passengers. While stops can feel more rushed to keep schedules, comprehensive shore excursions are included in fares that run $250+ nightly.

Click here to see more such a premium Nile river cruise details and to book your dates.

Click here to find out more about another luxury Nile cruise that included a hot air balloon ride at Luxor.

Budget/Standard Cruise Ships

Affordable cruises on smaller, simpler ships often with amenities like small pools and bars provide the essential Nile tour experience.

With 50-100 passenger counts, standard vessels offer basic comfort, buffet dining and still include shore trips. Nightly rates average $125-200 per person.

Click here to see a budget Nile cruise and book your cabin now.

Dahabiyas Sailboats

For exclusivity under billowing sails, book a private multiroom dahabiya holding just 1-12 guests in ultimate comfort.

Click here to see more details of this dahabyia luxury sailboat cruise and make your booking now.

These intimate hardwood boats move slowly, stopping wherever you wish between sights.

Customizable for relaxation or adventures, expect all-inclusive gourmet meals and a private feel with prices starting around $800 nightly.

Such ships feature beautiful details, even though everything is a bit old and outdated.

Choosing Your Ideal Nile Route

Nile cruise duration typically ranges between 3 and 7 nights with routes flowing between Luxor and Aswan or reversed.

Determine your ideal embarkation points and trip length by the landmarks you want to see.

Luxor to Aswan (or reverse)

This round trip route allows cruisers to start and end journeys at either bustling city while sailing leisurely between Egypt’s greatest concentration of attractions spanning landmarks like Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Philae Temple on Aswan’s island, and monumental Nubian sites near the High Dam.

Longer Cruises to Cairo

Extend immersive cruising further by opting for longer 10-14 night sailings originating in Cairo, transiting through less visited Delta region ports before concluding by Aswan or Luxor. Traverse lesser seen landmarks while unwinding on deck taking in timeless Nile vistas between world wonders.

Sometimes there are two or three ships at the same dock, so you need to cross them to board

Factoring Season, Budget and Style

Carefully weigh the following elements when identifying your perfect Nile cruise match.

High and Low Season

While weather stays mild year-round, peak winter months draw bigger crowds and higher fares.

Booking shoulder spring or fall seasons nets savings, thinner visitor count at sites and flexible rescheduling if plans change.

Budget Reality Checks

Keep expenditures in check by confirming upfront what’s included with fares like guided onshore tours, beverage packages, wi-fi connectivity etc.

Review fine print on extra fees like visa services, air conditioning surcharges or imported alcohol upcharges that hike final totals.

Personality and Pace Priorities

Your preference for lively atmosphere or refined tranquility determines if large festival boats suit you better than intimate, romantic sailboats.

Ensure shore excursion paces work for your mobility and adventure levels. Kids clubs and multilingual guides indicate family friendly ships as well.

That’s me in front on the Temple of Hatshepsut, one of my favorite landmarks in Egypt

What To Expect – My Tips to You

In high season, namely from November to February, the Nile is chocked full of cruise ships.

Sometimes you need to pass through one, two or even three ships to get to board your boat. The staff would be looking at you how you fight to carry your suitcase along the narrow decks. They won’t lift one finger to help you. At least I know they didn’t help us.

All cruise ships on the Nile stop by the same monuments and temples. You’ll always be in a crowd while on solid land.

Some stops occur after dark. Get your tripod with you to take photos of those temples.

The clean towels in your cabin will always take funny animal shapes. That’s they way of the staff to tell you they expect some tips.

The cabins are nice and roomy enough to make the journey quite pleasant. We even had a tiny but functional bath tub in our bathroom.

Even the older ships boast beautiful handrails and wooden fixtures.

Cruise ships on the Nile

Booking a Nile cruise requires balancing destination wishlists with on-board atmospheres. But asking the right questions helps narrow the perfect vessel to drift past ancient wonders upon just like Egyptian royalty.

Explore this mighty river in style!

Before you go, check out my article about the best time to visit Egypt.