What you're actually paying for
The Ultra Deluxe tier, line by line.
- Cabin size (typical)
- 20–28 m²
- Decks
- 4–5 (cabins on 3)
- Balcony
- All cabins · private balcony
- Dining
- Full board · two à la carte restaurants
- Crew-to-guest ratio
- ≈ 1 : 1.3
- Pool
- Yes · sun-deck pool + bar + shaded lounge
- Best for
- Couples · returning visitors · 50+ travellers
- From (per person)
- £1,200 · 4 nights / 5 days
“The cabin difference vs. Luxury is often a butler and a bigger bathroom. The river is the same width.”
Standard sailing rotation
How the schedule works on the Luxor–Aswan loop.
- Durations
- Every vessel on this page sails 4-night, 5-night, and 7-night variants of the same Luxor↔Aswan loop. The 4-night covers Edfu + Kom Ombo + Aswan temples; the 7-night adds a return cruise with more leisure time and (on most ships) a Dendera + Abydos extension.
- Embarkation days
- The most common rotation is Monday from Luxor and Friday from Aswan, but each vessel sets its own schedule – exact departure days are shown per ship below where confirmed. Cat-A and Ultra-Deluxe vessels often add a Saturday Luxor sailing in peak season (Oct–Apr); dahabiyas typically embark on Mondays from Esna.
- What's included
- Full board on every vessel, all temple admissions, Egyptologist guiding, transfers from/to Luxor or Aswan airport, and port fees. Tipping is not included – a printed guide is issued at embarkation.
In the fleet
5-Star Ultra Deluxe Nile cruisers (15).
Each vessel below sails the 4 / 5 / 7-night variants on the schedule above. Prices shown are the lead-in 4-night cabin; longer variants and balcony cabins are quoted on request.
Acamar Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
Acamar Nile Cruise is a five-star river vessel arranged for you to sail the Nile, with cabins graded Standard, Deluxe and Suite, a sun deck, pool, lounge bar and dining room. Full board runs from lunch on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day, and the vessel includes a scheduled shore-excursion program to the major sites between Luxor and Aswan. Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator, has hand-picked this cruiser for travelers who prefer a ship-based, shore-excursion rhythm rather than a coach-led circuit. The vessel sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan.
From · 4 nights£812/ pp
Alexander The Great Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
Six-night Prestige Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan aboard a 5-star vessel. Typical calls include Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Luxor West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator, and we arrange transfers, Egyptologists and shore excursions. We don't run group bus tours, we favour paced days so you see Edfu and Kom Ombo properly, not in 40 minutes. Unlike many four-night packages, this six-night voyage gives longer calls and more cruising time.
Amada Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
Amada Nile Cruise is a luxury 5-star river cruise linking Luxor and Aswan, with sailing scheduled weekly in both directions. Your cruise ship provides a calm base while the shore-excursion programme visits Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings. Embarkation and disembarkation are available in Luxor or Aswan. Unlike a land-based Nile itinerary, you unpack once while travelling between the principal archaeological sites. The cruise is arranged by Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator, with the vessel selected and booked through its cruise partners.
From · 4 nights£624/ pp
Amwaj Living Stone
Luxor → Aswan
Amwaj Nile Cruise is a river vessel offering full-board sailings on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan. The vessel sails weekly in both directions and embarks and disembarks at Luxor and Aswan. On board you will find a sun deck, lounge bar and a dining room; cabins are graded Standard, Deluxe and Suite. The excursion programme alternates sailing days with visits to Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings. We select and arrange this cruise for our clients, and we do not bundle premium site extras such as pyramid interiors, which are optional and charged separately.
From · 4 nights£566/ pp
Concerto II Nile Cruise
LUXOR → LUXOR
Esmeralda Nile Cruise
Luxor → LUXOR
The Esmeralda sails between Luxor and Aswan, operating a classic Nile itinerary that visits riverside temples and island sites. On this cruise you will step ashore for named monuments commonly visited on this route, including the temples at Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, while daylight hours are spent cruising between moorings. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator, and we arrange transfers, Egyptologists and sightseeing for every sailing rather than supplying only audio guides. Compared with faster overnight crossings, this classic cruise gives more time at riverside temples and a calmer pace on deck. Expect afternoon cruising along the riverbank, morning shore visits, and the practicalities of walking on uneven ancient stone at many sites.
From · 4 nights£875/ pp
Grand Sun Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
Grand Sun Nile Cruise is a 5-star river cruise programme linking Luxor and Aswan through Egypt’s principal Nile sites. Your cruise ship sails weekly in both directions, with an excursion programme covering Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings. Days alternate between sailing and shore visits, giving you time to see the monuments without treating the Nile as a simple transfer. Full board runs from lunch on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day. The vessel is selected and booked by Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator. Cabin pricing is based on two people sharing, with a single supplement typically applying.
From · 4 nights£797/ pp
Le Fayan Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
Board MS Le Fayan at the Luxor Corniche pier and step aboard a compact Nile cruise that runs four days downriver to Aswan. I guide the shore excursions myself when available; we move with the light – morning visits to the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple when tombs are coolest, late-afternoon walk through Karnak's Hypostyle Hall if crowds thin. Cabins are Nile-cruise size and practical, with private en suite bathrooms and wardrobe space; this is intimate, not an ocean liner. Each afternoon you sit on the shaded sun deck and watch feluccas, fishermen and river markets pass close to the bank. We stop at Edfu and Kom Ombo for temple walks; plan on 60–90 minute shore calls in Edfu and a short market visit at Kom Ombo's quay. In Aswan we moor on the Corniche and arrange the motorboat transfer to Philae Temple. Meals follow local rhythms: breakfasts and lunches on board, an evening of grilled fish when the catch is good. Note practical details up front: luggage transfers use the pier gangway, mobile signal is patchy between Nile bends, and some tombs require extra-permit fees. If you like quiet mornings in old temples and direct commentary from an Egyptologist, this four-day downriver cruise keeps logistics simple and the day-to-day focused on sites and sunlight.
From · 4 nights£1,042/ pp
Royal Liberty Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
MS Liberty is a four-day Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, calling at Karnak, Luxor West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. We operate MS Liberty as a licensed Egyptian tour operator and can include our Egyptologist on selected departures. We don't run tight bus timetables; the vessel spends proper time ashore at key sites rather than the rapid 40-minute turnarounds common on some itineraries. Expect early starts, walking on uneven ancient stone and limited shade on the sun deck at midday. Cabins vary in size; please tell us your cabin preference when you enquire so we can reserve the best available.
From · 4 nights£566/ pp
Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
Spend a full day aboard the Sonesta Moon Goddess from Aswan, with guided visits to Philae Temple (Agilkia Island), the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. We arrange hotel transfers in Aswan, an English-speaking Egyptologist, all on-board meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and standard site entrance fees for the included visits. We are licensed by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism (ETAA); itineraries and times are subject to seasonal river conditions and port schedules.
From · 4 nights£883/ pp
Steigenberger Legacy Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
Steigenberger Legacy is a five-star Nile cruise vessel offering full board accommodation and multiple public spaces, including a sun deck pool and lounge bar. The vessel typically sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan, with an excursion program that calls at Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo and Philae. Cabins are arranged by class, from Standard to Suite, many with Nile-view windows or balconies. We arrange the cruise for you and can add shore excursions or cabin upgrades on request.
From · 4 nights£682/ pp
Steigenberger Minerva Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
Steigenberger Minerva Nile Cruise is a five-star Nile cruise vessel based in Luxor, offering full board accommodation and regular sailings between Luxor and Aswan. The vessel has a sun deck with a pool and shaded seating, a lounge bar, a dining room serving full board meals, and cabins in Standard, Deluxe and Suite classes with Nile views. The shore-excursion program calls at Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings, with embarkation and disembarkation at Luxor or Aswan. We hand-pick this vessel for travelers who want spacious public areas and a program of guided shore visits rather than bus-style day tours.
From · 4 nights£840/ pp
Steigenberger Regency Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
The Steigenberger Regency Nile Cruise is a five-star Nile cruiser offering full board dining and on-board leisure spaces. The vessel sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan, with an excursion program that includes Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings. Cabins are graded Standard, Deluxe and Suite, many with panoramic windows or Nile-view balconies; the vessel has a pool, lounge bar, restaurant and a rooftop terrace. Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator, books and arranges the cruise and embarkation formalities for our clients.
From · 4 nights£710/ pp
Steigenberger Royale Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
The Steigenberger Royale is a five-star Nile cruise vessel offering full board accommodation and an onboard program of shore excursions between Luxor and Aswan. Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator, arranges bookings for this vessel. The ship features a sun deck, a lounge bar, a dining room serving international and Egyptian dishes, and cabins graded Standard, Deluxe and Suite with Nile-view windows or balconies where available. The vessel sails weekly in both directions, and its excursion program visits Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings.
From · 4 nights£696/ pp
Tulip Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
MS Tulip is a four-day Nile cruise operating from Luxor with Egyptologist-led excursions to Karnak Temple and the West Bank. We arrange hotel pick-up, private transfers and guided visits to Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple; our Egyptologists brief you before each walk. Unlike many shore-only day trips, this sailing leaves you riverside in the evenings so visits need not be back-to-back. Trade-offs: expect early starts, walking on uneven ancient stone and limited shade at midday. Premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I are extra and booked separately.
From · 4 nights£1,142/ pp
Five things to know
Before you book Ultra Deluxe.
01What's the actual difference between Ultra-Deluxe and Luxury?
Cabin square-meterage at the top end (Luxury suites often start where Ultra-Deluxe cabins end), butler service on Luxury, two-restaurant à la carte dining standard on Luxury (one à la carte + buffet on Ultra-Deluxe). The vessels themselves are often the same age – Luxury is the finish layer on top, not a different river.
02Are all cabins balcony cabins?
On every Ultra-Deluxe vessel we book in 2026, yes – private balconies are standard, not an upgrade. That's one of the cleanest distinguishers from the Deluxe tier, where balcony allocation varies cabin-by-cabin.
03Is the on-board crew different at this tier?
The shore-excursion Egyptologists are the same network across all tiers – Egypt Discovery rotates the same accredited guides regardless of cruise tier. The on-board crew (housekeeping, F&B, reception) on Ultra-Deluxe vessels is hired and trained directly by the operator and reads as more attentive than Deluxe – first-name service by day two is typical.
04Can I expect a fitness or spa facility?
Most Ultra-Deluxe vessels carry a small gym (treadmill, bike, free weights) and a 1–2-room spa offering massage. Pool, sauna, and steam are common but not universal – we'll flag which vessels in our 2026 inventory have which when we send options.
05How early should I book Ultra-Deluxe for peak season?
For Christmas, New Year, and the February–March peak we'd book 8–10 months ahead – the Ultra-Deluxe fleet is smaller than Deluxe and fills first. For shoulder months (April–May, October–November) 4–6 months is fine. Hot summer (July–August) availability is wide open and prices drop materially.
Different budget?
The other three tiers.
5-Star Standard
Honest entry tier – same temples, smaller cabin, lower price.
5-Star Deluxe
The most-booked tier. Step down on cabin + finish, step down on price.
5-Star Luxury
Category-A vessels and dahabiyas. Different in kind, not degree.
Then pick a route
Which way to sail.
Talk to the Cairo desk
Send your travel window. We'll send back three boats and a hold.
– Suhaila · Egypt Discovery