Nile cruises
Checked October 2026
A Nile cruise is worth it if you want Egypt's temples and tombs from a moving hotel. AmaWaterways builds its Nile sailing around Luxor and Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Philae at Aswan. Before you choose, check the ship, the cabin and what the fare leaves out.
What travellers report
Among Nile reviewers who said whether they would go again…
One dot per Nile reviewer who said whether they would go again. Filled: said they would. Open ring: said they would not.
Nile cruises: 92% (405 of 441)
Text version of this chart
| Reviews of | Said they would go again | Of reviewers who said | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nile cruises | 405 | 441 | 92% |
This describes reviewers, not your chances of enjoying any one cruise, and it is not a rating of any ship or line. A few clear “no” answers were coded as not saying, so the yes share runs a little high. Base: 1,329 published traveller reviews we analysed, posted Jan 2023 to Oct 2026. Checked October 2026.
Method: from published traveller reviews posted Jan 2023 to Oct 2026 we kept the 1,329 about a river cruise, then counted the reviewers of Nile cruises who said whether they would go again. An independent reader checked a sample of the coding and recomputed every count.
River Cruise Escapes' Nile pages take the trip one question at a time. They cover the route and how long the trips run. They cover which months run hot, the ships and what's included. They also cover the FCDO advice and prices. Every fact names its source. Our travel team at The JLT Group plans and books your trip.
Where this trip fits
Here's the Nile at a glance, from the sources this page uses.
| What you're asking | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| What you see | Luxor and Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Philae at Aswan, plus a felucca sail, per AmaWaterways' Nile page. |
| Meals | Full board: all meals, no drinks, per the tour operator Egypt Escapes' Nile cruises page. |
| Excursions | Outside that seller's base price. |
| Wi-Fi | Can be unreliable on board, the same page warns. |
| Ships | From small dahabiyas of 6 to 12 cabins up to large ships with rooftop pools, on Egypt Escapes' vessels page. |
| Lifts and access | The vessel pages give none. Ask, for the named ship. |
| Travel advice | Read the FCDO's Egypt advice first. Our Nile safety page quotes it, with its date. |
Is a Nile River cruise worth it?
It is if Egypt's temples and tombs are the reason you're going. The ship carries you between them, and your cabin travels with you.
AmaWaterways builds its Nile sailing around these:
- a guided walk at Luxor and Karnak
- the Valley of the Kings, including Tutankhamun's tomb
- a crossing to the island temple of Philae at Aswan
- a sail on a felucca
Most of what you came for sits on shore, and you see it with a guide.
Now the practical side. Egypt Escapes sells its cruises full board: all meals, no drinks. Its excursions are not in the base price. It also warns that on-board Wi-Fi can be unreliable. So budget for drinks and visits, and don't count on being online.
Read the FCDO's advice before anything else. Our Nile safety page quotes it with its date. The full advice is on the FCDO's Egypt page.
What is the best company for a Nile cruise?
No single company is best for everyone. Compare the ship you'd sail on instead. The name on the brochure tells you less than the boat.
Ask these four things about any Nile sailing you're offered:
- The exact ship. Get its name in writing, as well as the cruise line's.
- When it was last refitted. Ask for the year.
- Your cabin. Ask which deck it's on, and what sits above and below it.
- What the fare includes. Ask for meals, drinks, excursions, Wi-Fi and tips, line by line.
Then add access. Egypt Escapes' vessel pages give no lift or access details for any of its ships. So if stairs matter to you, ask for the lift in writing, for the named ship.
Our page on dahabiya Nile cruises or a larger ship compares the two main kinds of boat.
What are the best all-inclusive Nile cruises for 2026?
"All-inclusive" can mean different things on the Nile. Read the list behind the label.
Start with the base fare. On Egypt Escapes' cruises, full board means all meals and no drinks. Excursions sit outside the base price. So a fare called full board can still leave drinks and visits to pay for.
Then ask the seller three plain questions:
- Are drinks included, and which ones, at which times of day?
- Which excursions are in the fare, and which cost extra?
- Is Wi-Fi included, and how well does it work on board?
Our page on what is included in a Nile cruise goes through the inclusions one by one. For what the extras can add up to, read Nile river cruise prices.
Can you take a cruise ship to Egypt?
These pages cover river cruises on the Nile itself, on river ships and dahabiyas. If an ocean cruise is what you have in mind, ask our travel team what they can book.
For how river and ocean trips differ, read river cruise or ocean cruise.
What is the most luxurious Nile cruise in Egypt?
The ship type shapes your trip more than any label does. Egypt Escapes' range starts with small dahabiyas of 6 to 12 cabins (Farouz El Nil six, Gorgonia twelve). At the other end are large ships it calls five-star, with rooftop pools and sun decks.
So decide what luxury means to you first:
- A small boat. That seller lists dahabiyas of 6 to 12 cabins.
- Facilities on board. The larger ships add rooftop pools and sun decks.
- Your own cabin. Deck, view and what sits around it matter on any boat.
Whatever the label, ask for the ship's name, its cabin plan and its last refit year. Then compare like with like.
The Nile pages, one by one
Each page answers one question in full.
- Nile cruise Luxor to Aswan: the route between the two cities.
- How long is a Nile cruise?: the lengths on offer.
- Best time for a Nile cruise: the hot months and the cold nights.
- Dahabiya Nile cruise or a larger ship?: small boat against big ship.
- What is included in a Nile cruise?: meals, drinks, visits and extras.
- Is a Nile cruise safe?: the FCDO advice, quoted and dated.
- Nile river cruise prices: what builds the price, piece by piece.
- Nile cruise and Cairo: adding Cairo to the river.
New to river cruising? Start with which river cruise is best for first timers. For how fares compare, read river cruise cost. For who books your trip, read how to book a river cruise.
When you know roughly when you'd like to go, send it through the enquiry form. Name the month, and say whether Cairo is on your list too.