What is included in a Nile cruise?
Checked October 2026
Full board on a Nile cruise covers meals, according to the tour operator Egypt Escapes, and not drinks. Excursions, Abu Simbel and Wi-Fi sit outside its base fare. Check whether the visa is in the quote. Flights and transfers are included only if the holiday is built with flights.
The inclusions below come from the tour operator Egypt Escapes' own pages and the visa facts from gov.uk, all read on 15 October 2026. Re-read them before you rely on a figure.
What does all-inclusive mean on a Nile cruise?
It can mean quite different things from one seller to the next. So read the list, not the label.
Egypt Escapes' Nile cruises page sells full board, which covers meals only. Drinks come with a separate all-inclusive drinks upgrade. So drinks are not in the base fare.
Ask what "all-inclusive" covers on the holiday you're looking at. Ask for the list of what is in and what is out.
Is the visa included?
Check whether it's in the quote.
The fee itself is US$30 on arrival, per the FCDO's Egypt entry requirements on 15 October 2026. You pay in cash at approved airports, and it's valid for up to 30 days. British passport holders normally need one.
From 1 August 2026, Cairo airport also offers a digital visa on arrival. It costs US$36, including a US$6 service fee, and is card only.
Your passport must expire at least 6 months after you arrive, with at least one blank page. Some seller pages quote a different visa figure. Go by gov.uk, and check it again before you travel.
Are excursions included?
Not in Egypt Escapes' base fare. It sells excursions as a lighter set or a fuller set. You can also book them with the rep on arrival.
Our page on a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan lists what each set covers.
Is Abu Simbel included?
No. The same seller sells Abu Simbel as a separate extra, outside the sightseeing sets.
Are tips included?
Budget for them. Egypt Escapes' travel guide suggests £27 a head for a standard seven-night Nile cruise. It calls tipping not compulsory, and says tips go to the guide at the welcome meeting.
Our page on tipping on a river cruise covers the detail.
Are drinks and water included?
Meals only, on that base fare. Drinks come with the upgrade. So ask whether water is in the fare, and don't assume it is.
What about Wi-Fi?
Egypt Escapes says Wi-Fi is unreliable and charged. So don't count on it.
Flights and transfers
The seller's cruise-and-stay page lists a cruise-only holiday and cruise-and-stay holidays. It says all of them include flights and transfers. So the word "holiday" can cover quite different totals. Check what yours is built from.
Included, often extra, or yours
- Included in the base fare: meals, on full board.
- Often extra: excursions, Abu Simbel, the drinks upgrade, Wi-Fi and the visa.
- Your choice: tips.
Questions to ask before you compare
- Is the fare full board, and does that mean meals only?
- Which excursions are in the fare, and which are extra?
- Is the visa in the quote?
- Are flights and transfers in the holiday, or priced apart?
- Is there a charge for Wi-Fi, or for the drinks upgrade?
Put every answer in one list, then put the next holiday beside it. Our page on Nile river cruise prices shows how to compare quotes. Our travel team at The JLT Group plans and books the cruise. They'll be in touch to talk it through. When you're ready, use the form below to send us your dates.