Lady Mary Nile Cruise

The short answer

Lady Mary Nile Cruise is a five-star Nile cruise vessel arranged by Discovery Tours Egypt.

• Luxury

Snapshot

Good to know

Accommodation

5-Star Cruise Vessel

Destinations

Luxor · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan

Includes

Full board meals · Scheduled shore excursions · Use of public areas · Crew and onboard service charges · Meet-and-assist at Luxor International Airport arrivals hall

Best for

History enthusiasts · First-time visitors to Egypt · Couples · Small families · Travelers who prefer guided sightseeing

Guide languages

English

Background

The facts

Suited to

Is this for you?

What lingers

• 01 Four-day Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, calling at Karnak, Luxor Temple, Kom Ombo, and Edfu.
• 02 Guided visits with our Egyptologists at Luxor West Bank (Valley of the Kings) and Karnak Temple included.
• 03 Overnight moorings at Edfu or Kom Ombo allow calmer afternoons; temple visits scheduled before midday crowds.
• 04 Transfers, port fees, and breakfast, lunch, and dinner onboard are included; pyramid interiors and premium tombs excluded.
• 05 We operate MS Lady Mary as a privately chartered vessel; we are a licensed Egyptian tour operator, not mixed coach groups.

Worth knowing

How this compares

Unlike a day tour, this Nile cruise combines accommodation, meals, and a scheduled temple programme aboard one vessel. Compared with hotel-based sightseeing, it reduces repeated packing and unpacking while still including major sites such as Karnak, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, and the Valley of the Kings. Compared with independent train or private car travel between Luxor and Aswan, the cruise follows a fixed river schedule and provides onboard dining and public spaces. It is best suited to travelers who want an organized, multi-site itinerary with river transport rather than point-to-point land transfers.

Bundled in

• 🍽 Full board

The fine print

What's included – and what isn't

Tailor it

Make it yours

The cruise can be arranged as a private or semi-private travel plan with separate transfers, depending on availability and budget. Common add-ons include private Egyptologist guiding, premium tomb entries, upgraded cabin categories, and extended pre- or post-cruise stays in Luxor or Aswan.

All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.

Accessibility

Who can join this

This cruise involves regular boarding and disembarkation via gangway steps and short staircases; expect uneven teak decks and occasional wet, slippery surfaces after river spray. Shore excursions include walking on cobbles, uneven ancient stone, sandy banks and temple steps; sites such as Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings have stairs and ramps of variable steepness. Wheelchair users can travel but should note the vessel is not a lift-equipped cruise ship: many cabins have step thresholds and some public areas are accessed by stairs. Guests requiring a wheelchair or significant mobility assistance must notify us before booking so we can advise on cabin location, transfer feasibility and whether additional assistance (personal helper or local provider with specialised equipment) is necessary. Strollers fold for gangway access and are practical aboard in Standard and Deluxe corridors but may be tight in some Suite layouts.

Before you go

What to pack & wear

– Responsible travel

How we travel here

The vessel uses standard diesel river engines common to Nile cruisers; shore transfers during excursions are usually local air-conditioned minibuses. We work with the cruise line and local suppliers to reduce single-use plastics aboard (water is provided in refillable carafes and plastic bottles recycled where local facilities exist). Crew are locally employed in Luxor and Aswan, and the scheduled shore-excursion programme uses licensed, local Egyptologists and small-site teams so revenue supports those communities. Where possible we book locally run cafés and craft stalls on shore stops to direct spending to small businesses. We do not claim carbon neutrality; instead we prioritise reuse (linen rotation policies on multi-week sailings) and local procurement of food and services to reduce long-distance freight.

• Licensed local Egyptologists

  ETAA-credentialed, on payroll

• Fair wages on the ground

  Drivers + guides paid above market

• Site preservation

  We follow MoTA visitor caps and no-touch protocols

• Carbon-aware itineraries

  Domestic flights only when train/road is impractical

· In summary

Asked & answered

Frequent questions

1. 01 What is the typical itinerary for the 4-day MS Lady Mary Nile cruise?

   Typical 4-day Nile cruises visit major East and West Bank sites around Luxor and Aswan; exact ports vary by departure. Common stops often include Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Kom Ombo and Edfu, though each sailing’s sequence differs. Most 4-day itineraries do not include Abu Simbel because it lies about 280 km south of Aswan and requires a separate flight or extra overland time. As a licensed Egyptian tour operator, we confirm the vessel’s embarkation/disembarkation ports and daily schedule in your booking documents.
2. 02 What is included in the MS Lady Mary cruise price?

   Standard site entrance fees are usually included; premium tombs, pyramid interiors, and gratuities are excluded unless requested. Premium extras commonly charged separately include the Tutankhamun inner tomb ticket, Seti I premium-access, or Khufu pyramid interior access. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and we send a clear inclusions/exclusions list with every confirmed booking so you know exactly what is covered.
3. 03 Can I visit Abu Simbel on a 4-day Nile cruise?

   Most 4-day Nile cruises do not include Abu Simbel due to its distance from Luxor and Aswan. You can add Abu Simbel on a separate flight from Aswan or as a dedicated overland transfer, but that requires an early start, additional transit time, and extra fees. Tell us before you book and we will quote the flight or private transfer option and adjust your embarkation plan where necessary.
4. 04 Are meals and dietary requests catered for on MS Lady Mary?

   Most 4-day Nile cruises include full-board meals; special dietary requests can be accommodated with prior notice. Service is typically buffet breakfast, buffet or plated lunch, and set-menu dinner; kitchens can prepare vegetarian, halal, or gluten-free options if told in advance. If you have severe allergies, provide written details when booking because ship galleys have more limited cross-contamination controls than large hotel kitchens.
5. 05 Is MS Lady Mary wheelchair accessible?

   Wheelchair accessibility on Nile vessels is limited; many cabins and gangways have steps and narrow doorways. If you require level access, tell us before booking so we can advise whether this vessel will work or recommend alternatives and arrange suitable transfers. Expect uneven temple approaches, cobbles, and occasional boarding ramps ashore; these are common constraints on river visits.
6. 06 What should I pack for a 4-day Nile cruise on MS Lady Mary?

   Pack light, layered clothing, sun protection, sturdy shoes, and a small daypack for shore visits. Bring a wide-brim hat, sunscreen SPF 30+, sunglasses, reusable water bottle, modest clothes for temples and mosques, any prescription medications, and motion-sickness remedies if you are prone. Also carry photocopies of your passport, a small first-aid kit, and a plug adapter; we provide final luggage guidance with your travel documents.

If plans change

Cancellation

More than 30 days

Full refund less a £50 admin fee

15–30 days

50% refund

Within 14 days

No refund – date changes considered case by case