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 (11).
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.
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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.
From · 4 nights £610 / pp
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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 £620 / pp
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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 £460 / pp
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Le Fayan Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
Le Fayan Nile Cruise is a five-star Nile river vessel offering full board accommodation, public lounges, a sun deck and an organised shore-excursion programme. The vessel sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan, with days alternating between sailing and visits to Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings. Cabins are graded by class, with pricing typically per person sharing and a single supplement for sole occupancy. We arrange this cruise as a licensed Egyptian tour operator and price meals from embarkation lunch through disembarkation breakfast as Full Board.
From · 4 nights £830 / pp
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Salacia Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
The Salacia is a five-star Nile cruise vessel that sails between Luxor and Aswan, with cabins, public decks and a scheduled shore-excursion programme. Cabins are graded by class from Standard to Suite, and the vessel offers a sun deck, lounge bar and a dining room serving full board meals. The vessel sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan. We hand-pick Salacia for travellers who prefer a traditional Nile cruiser with predictable shore calls and on-deck relaxation; it includes stops at Karnak, Luxor West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae as part of its programme.
From · 4 nights £810 / pp
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Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruise
Luxor → Aswan
The Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruise is a five-star river vessel with cabins graded Standard, Deluxe and Suite and public spaces for daytime Nile viewing. The vessel offers full board from embarkation lunch to disembarkation breakfast, a sun deck, lounge bar and an on-board restaurant with concierge and daily cabin housekeeping. The vessel sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan and features a published shore-excursion programme to Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo and Philae. We do not bundle premium tomb tickets with the cruise fare; they are available as optional extras.
From · 4 nights £1,030 / pp
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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 programme 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 £750 / pp
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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 programme 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 travellers who want spacious public areas and a programme of guided shore visits rather than bus-style day tours.
From · 4 nights £740 / pp
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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 programme 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 £770 / pp
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Steigenberger Royale Nile Cruise
Aswan → Luxor
The Steigenberger Royale is a five-star Nile cruise vessel offering full board accommodation and an onboard programme 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 programme visits Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings.
From · 4 nights £770 / pp
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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 £670 / pp
Five things to know
Before you book Ultra Deluxe.
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01 What'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.
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02 Are 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.
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03 Is 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.
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04 Can 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.
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05 How 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.
Talk to the Cairo desk
Send your travel window. We'll send back three boats and a hold.
– Suhaila · Egypt Discovery