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5-Star Ultra Deluxe Nile cruise vessel

5-Star Ultra Deluxe · One step below the top ·

Ultra-Deluxe Nile cruises – the polish, without paying for a suite.

Newer fleet, broader balcony allocation, attentive crew ratios, more cabin square-meterage, and the food + service polish you'd expect at a 5-star city hotel. Strong middle ground for travelers who want Luxury-tier finish on a Deluxe-plus budget.

13vessels currently in this tier

$1,450per person · 3 nights / 4 days

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 a la carte restaurants
Crew-to-guest ratio
≈ 1 : 1.3
Pool
Yes · sun-deck pool + bar + shaded lounge
Best for
Couples · returning visitors · 50+ travelers
From (per person)
$1,450 · 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 sees 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 (13).

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.

  1. Acamar Nile Cruise

    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 programme to the major sites between Luxor and Aswan. Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator, has hand-picked this cruiser for travellers 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.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Fri · Luxor ⇄ Aswan5★

    From · 4 nights$809/ pp

  2. Alexander The Great Nile Cruise

    Alexander The Great Nile Cruise

    Luxor → Aswan

    Sail the Nile from Luxor to Aswan aboard the Alexander The Great, a Prestige-class vessel running the classic Luxor–Aswan river route. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator, and we arrange embarkation in Luxor, guided visits with our Egyptologists, and disembarkation in Aswan. Scheduled stops typically include major temples along the Nile banks, allowing time ashore for sites such as Karnak, the Luxor West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae. We do not run coach-style, large-group shore calls; our Egyptologists prioritise early visits to reduce peak crowds when possible. Unlike short, overnight cruises that rush temple calls, this route gives more time at riverside sites and villages, and more opportunities to watch daily Nile life from deck. Standard site entrance fees are normally included on Nile cruises; premium tombs and pyramid interiors are excluded unless specifically requested.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Wed/Sat · Luxor ⇄ Aswan5★Full Board
  3. Amwaj Living Stone

    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.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Thu · Luxor ⇄ Aswan5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$637/ pp

  4. Concerto II Nile Cruise

    Concerto II Nile Cruise

    LUXOR → LUXOR

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Wed/Sat from Luxor
  5. Esmeralda Nile Cruise

    Esmeralda Nile Cruise

    Luxor → LUXOR

    The Esmeralda Nile Cruise sails from Luxor to Aswan, calling at Karnak, Luxor West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae. This Classic-tier, five-star vessel suits travelers who prefer relaxed days ashore and time on deck. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator, and we arrange Egyptologists, transfers, and embarkation formalities for the cruise. We don't run group bus tours. Unlike many rushed itineraries, this Luxor to Aswan route allows longer stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo rather than 60- to 90-minute drop-ins. Note: sun and heat intensify on the open deck at midday, so early-morning visits and sun protection are practical considerations.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Fri from Luxor5★
  6. Le Fayan Nile Cruise

    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.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Thu · Luxor ⇄ Aswan5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$971/ pp

  7. Salacia Nile Cruise

    Salacia Nile Cruise

    Aswan → Luxor

    You board MS Salacia at the Luxor Nile pier and sign in at reception; luggage moves to your cabin while I run through the day's timings. The vessel operates four nights between Luxor and Aswan on a Classic Nile-cruise scale: cabins are compact, Nile-cruise standard with en suite facilities – not an ocean liner. I time the major visits for cooler hours: Karnak's Hypostyle Hall before the tourist coaches, and Luxor Temple at dusk when the light is kinder and the heat eases. On the West Bank we visit the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut's mortuary temple; site entry allows access to selected tombs and involves short walks and uneven stone surfaces. We sail past riverbank villages and farmland from the shaded sun deck; the boat often moors at the Esna lock in the late afternoon. Edfu receives a two-hour guided visit because the Horus Temple needs more than a quick stop, and Kom Ombo sits at quay level with a short stair into the courtyard. Meals are full-board on board, with Egyptian dishes, salads and a set-menu dinner; coffee and tea service runs through the afternoon. We disembark in Aswan for Philae Temple by motorboat and a scheduled visit to the High Dam. Abu Simbel is not part of the standard cruise: arrange a separate transfer by plane (approx. $180 one-way) or by road (about 3.5–4 hours each way, early start). I manage pacing and walking routes so the heat and steps remain manageable.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Fri · Aswan ⇄ Luxor5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$799/ pp

  8. Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruise

    Sonesta Moon Goddess Nile Cruise

    Luxor → Aswan

    You board at the Luxor Nile cruise terminal and settle into three nights aboard the Sonesta Moon Goddess. I walk you through the West Bank at first light–Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut–so soft morning sun reads the painted reliefs better and tour groups are thinner. After lunch you cross the Esna lock; the lock passage and crew work take about 30–45 minutes. The vessel cruises south through stretch-views of date-palms and small river farms, stopping at Edfu for a focused 90–120 minute visit to Horus’s temple, then at Kom Ombo to read the dual sanctuaries carved for Sobek and Haroeris. In Aswan we make time for Philae island by motorboat and the quarries with the Unfinished Obelisk. Cabins are river-cruise scale–compact and functional, with en suite facilities and daily housekeeping–not ocean-liner space. Meals are full board on board; breakfast, lunch and dinner follow a mix of international and local dishes, and bottled water is replenished daily. Expect early starts and warm midday sun; dress in layers for morning tombs and bring comfortable walking shoes for uneven stone surfaces. I brief the route each evening so you know timings for the next day’s temple visits, transfers to the pier, and any optional extras like a felucca ride in Aswan. This schedule balances on-board cruising time with practical walking time at each site to let inscriptions and architectural details register properly.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Fri · Luxor ⇄ Aswan5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$860/ pp

  9. Steigenberger Legacy Nile Cruise

    Steigenberger Legacy Nile Cruise

    Aswan → Luxor

    You board at Luxor's Nile pier on the East Bank and step aboard MS Steigenberger Legacy. The cruise runs three nights between Luxor and Aswan; luggage handling and cabin assignment take 30–45 minutes after arrival. Cabins average 16 m² – Nile-cruise scale, not an ocean‑liner – with twin or double bedding and a large picture window for river views. You sail south through the Esna lock; the vessel waits to transit when schedules permit and the landscape tightens to sandstone banks. Scheduled guided visits with an Egyptologist include Karnak and Luxor Temple near embarkation, then Edfu and Kom Ombo as you work toward Aswan. Plan for roughly 90–120 minutes at Edfu for the best reading of the reliefs; Kom Ombo is a briefer stop for the twin‑god reliefs and the small crocodile museum. In Aswan the ship moors at the Nile Corniche near the town center; Philae Island is the usual half‑day visit by motorboat. Meals are full board on the ship: breakfast, lunch and dinner presented in the main dining room, with simple regional dishes and international options. The sun deck serves as the day’s viewing platform for the West Bank ridge at dawn and for late‑afternoon light. Expect compact public spaces – lounge, shaded sun deck, and observation area – and personalised service from on‑board staff. Note limited lift access and modest cabin storage. Your Egyptologist guides the monument visits, explains sculptural details and hieroglyphs, and our local office in Luxor supports practical arrangements or last‑minute changes.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Fri · Aswan ⇄ Luxor5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$718/ pp

  10. Steigenberger Minerva Nile Cruise

    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.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Thu · Aswan ⇄ Luxor5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$829/ pp

  11. Steigenberger Regency Nile Cruise

    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.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Wed/Sat · Aswan ⇄ Luxor5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$738/ pp

  12. Steigenberger Royale Nile Cruise

    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.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Fri · Aswan ⇄ Luxor5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$728/ pp

  13. Tulip Nile Cruise

    Tulip Nile Cruise

    Aswan → Luxor

    You board mid-afternoon at the Luxor Nile Corniche pier, a ten-minute walk from Luxor Temple, and settle into MS Tulip’s river-view cabin. I meet you on deck and walk the promenade to point out the Nile’s changing light as we cast off and slip south. Day two begins early on the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings (expect uneven steps and dim tomb chambers), Hatshepsut’s terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon. We pass through the Esna lock in the late afternoon; engines hum and the ship rises with the water – a practical moment, not a show. Edfu’s temple requires a short transfer from the pier by carriage or shuttle; plan about 90 minutes on-site. Kom Ombo’s double temple sits right on the riverbank; we moor there for a one-hour visit. In Aswan we tie up on the city corniche opposite the market; I take you to Philae by motorboat, the High Dam viewpoint, and the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite yard. Cabins are Nile-cruise scale – compact, river-facing rooms with en-suite bathrooms and climate control – not ocean-liner suites. Meals are full board in the dining room; breakfasts are early and packed when an excursion leaves before dawn. Expect clear, practical guiding: I read the reliefs with you, show construction details at Karnak, and flag the best light for photos at each temple.

    3 / 4 / 7 nightsDeparts Mon/Fri · Aswan ⇄ Luxor5★Full Board

    From · 4 nights$1,042/ pp

Five things to know

Before you book Ultra Deluxe.

  1. 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 + a la carte dining standard on Luxury (one a 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 03Is the on-board crew different at this tier?

    The shore-excursion Egyptologists are the same network across all tiers – Discovery Tours Egypt 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

Talk to the Cairo desk

Send your travel window. We'll send back three boats and a hold.

– Suhaila · Discovery Tours Egypt