We sell six named five-star ships on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan: Mövenpick MS Royal Lily, MS Acamar, MS Farah, MS Mayfair, MS Tulip and Sanctuary Sun Boat III. All six are full board with a guide, and all six visit the same temples. Where they differ is the starting price, the length of the programs and the days they leave. This guide puts them side by side. We are Avicon Travel, a licensed Egyptian travel agency in Luxor (License No. 1962), and we have been booking Nile cruises since 2010.
How Do the Six Nile Cruise Ships Compare?
All six ships are listed as luxury five-star and sail between Luxor and Aswan, full board with a guide. Mövenpick MS Royal Lily has the lowest starting price at $780 per person, MS Acamar and MS Tulip start at $800, MS Mayfair at $855 and Sanctuary Sun Boat III at $1,125. MS Farah is priced on request.
| Ship | Class | Programs | Departure days | From, per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mövenpick MS Royal Lily | Luxury 5-star | 4 days from Aswan, 5 days from Luxor, 8-day program | Mondays and Fridays | $780 |
| MS Acamar | Luxury 5-star | 4 days from Aswan, 5 days from Luxor, 8-day program | Mondays and Fridays | $800 |
| MS Farah | Luxury 5-star | 4 days from Aswan, 5 days from Luxor, 8-day program | Mondays and Fridays | On request |
| MS Mayfair | Luxury 5-star | 4 days from Aswan, 5 days from Luxor, 8-day program | Mondays and Fridays | $855 |
| MS Tulip | Luxury 5-star | 4 days from Aswan, 5 days from Luxor, 7-night program on request | Mondays and Fridays | $800 |
| Sanctuary Sun Boat III | Luxury 5-star | 5 days from Aswan, 5 days from Luxor, 9-day program | Fridays from Aswan, Tuesdays from Luxor | $1,125 |
Prices are starting prices per person, full board. The final figure depends on the program, your dates and the cabin, so treat the table as a guide to where each ship sits, not a quote. On five of the ships the 4-day program sails from Aswan to Luxor and the 5-day program sails from Luxor to Aswan. Sanctuary Sun Boat III is the exception: both of its programs run 5 days, whichever city you start in. For every cruise we sell, including the ones without a named ship, see our Nile cruises page.
What Do All Six Nile Cruise Ships Include?
Every ship's price includes full-board accommodation on board, pick-up and drop-off, tours in deluxe air-conditioned vehicles, entrance fees to the sites in the program, a guide who speaks English, French or Spanish, and all service charges and taxes. Tips, domestic flights and extra tours are not included on any of the six.
Because the inclusions are identical, you are not paying more on one ship for extra sightseeing. The temples are also the same. The programs follow the classic route in both directions:
- 4 days from Aswan: the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple, then aboard for lunch. Kom Ombo on the second day, Edfu and the lock at Esna on the third, and on the last day the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, the Colossi of Memnon, Karnak and Luxor Temple before you leave the ship in Luxor.
- 5 days from Luxor: Karnak, then Luxor Temple after dark. The West Bank on day two before the ship sails, Edfu (by horse carriage from the mooring) and Kom Ombo on day three, and the Aswan sights on day four. You check out in Aswan on the fifth morning.
Two extras can be added. A sunrise hot air balloon flight fits the last morning of the 4-day program in Luxor; see our Luxor balloon flight. Abu Simbel fits the end of the 5-day program, which finishes in Aswan. Neither is in the cruise price.
Which Nile Cruise Ship Is the Cheapest?
Mövenpick MS Royal Lily has the lowest starting price of the six, at $780 per person. MS Acamar and MS Tulip follow at $800, then MS Mayfair at $855. Sanctuary Sun Boat III starts at $1,125, and MS Farah is quoted for each booking. The gap between the lowest and highest listed price is $345 per person.
Since the route, the temples and the inclusions are the same, the extra money on a higher-priced ship buys the ship itself: the cabins, the public areas and the service. Ask us for the cabin plans of the ships you are considering, with the rate for your dates.
If the name of the ship matters less than the price, our other Luxor and Aswan cruises start lower. Our guide to Nile cruise prices for 2026/2027 explains how the season and the size of your group change what you pay.
What Is Each Nile Cruise Ship Like?
On paper the six ships are close: the same class, the same inclusions and the same temples. What separates them is the price, the program length and the departure days, plus a few details we can confirm for each, such as a welcome reception on MS Mayfair or the 9-day program on Sanctuary Sun Boat III.
Mövenpick MS Royal Lily
Mövenpick MS Royal Lily starts at $780 per person, the lowest price of the six. It sails a 4-day program from Aswan and a 5-day program from Luxor, and an 8-day program is also offered. Departures are on Mondays and Fridays.
MS Acamar
MS Acamar starts at $800 per person, with the same 4-day, 5-day and 8-day programs and the same Monday and Friday departures. On the 4-day program from Aswan, lunch is served as soon as you are aboard and the first afternoon is a felucca sail around Elephantine Island. With the same price and days as MS Tulip, availability on your date usually decides between the two.
MS Farah
MS Farah sails the same 4-day, 5-day and 8-day programs, leaving on Mondays and Fridays, and is described as having elegant cabins and fine dining. Its 4-day program can begin with a pickup at your Cairo hotel and the flight down to Aswan. Domestic flights are not part of the standard package, so check that the flight is in your quote. MS Farah is priced for each booking: send us your dates and we reply with current rates.
MS Mayfair
MS Mayfair starts at $855 per person, with 4-day, 5-day and 8-day programs on Mondays and Fridays. On the 4-day program from Aswan there is a welcome reception on board before dinner on the first evening, after the Aswan sights and a felucca around Elephantine Island.
MS Tulip
MS Tulip starts at $800 per person. It sails the 4-day program from Aswan and the 5-day program from Luxor on Mondays and Fridays, and a longer seven-night program is available on request. Its page lists full-board, high-end accommodation.
Sanctuary Sun Boat III
Sanctuary Sun Boat III is the top of our range, from $1,125 per person. It is the only one of the six with a 5-day program in both directions, leaving Aswan on Fridays and Luxor on Tuesdays, and it also offers a 9-day program. A welcome cocktail is served on board. The extra day on the program from Aswan gives you the West Bank with a free afternoon while the ship lies at Luxor, then Karnak and Luxor Temple on the last morning.
For cabin sizes, deck layouts and on-board facilities, ask us for the cabin plan of any ship and we will send it with your quote.
How Do You Choose the Right Nile Cruise Ship?
Start with four things: your budget per person, the number of days you have, the city you start in, and the day you can board. Budget narrows the six ships to one or two, the start city decides between the 4-day and the 5-day program, and the departure day settles the rest.
By budget
Up to about $800 per person, look at MS Royal Lily, MS Acamar and MS Tulip. MS Mayfair sits a little higher at $855. Sanctuary Sun Boat III, from $1,125, is the premium choice. MS Farah needs a quote for your dates before you can compare it.
By length
Four days suits a tight itinerary. Five days from Luxor adds a second day of sightseeing and more time sailing. For a longer trip, five ships offer an 8-day program (on MS Tulip, a seven-night program on request), and Sanctuary Sun Boat III offers 9 days.
By route direction
The 4-day program sails downstream from Aswan to Luxor. The 5-day program sails upstream from Luxor to Aswan, against the current, which is why it takes longer. If you want Abu Simbel, finishing in Aswan makes it easier to add. Our guide to Luxor to Aswan or Aswan to Luxor covers the choice in detail; for extra nights ashore, see our Aswan guide and Luxor guide.
By departure day
Five of the ships leave on Mondays and Fridays, and we confirm which direction sails on your date. Sanctuary Sun Boat III leaves Aswan on Fridays and Luxor on Tuesdays, so it can fit when you arrive in Luxor midweek. If you are flying in from Cairo, MS Farah's 4-day program can start at your Cairo hotel, and our 4-day Nile cruise from Cairo is a package built around the flight.
Should You Choose a Cruise Ship or a Dahabiya?
Choose a ship for set weekly departures and the lowest starting price on a named five-star boat. Choose a dahabiya for a smaller, quieter, private boat that can start on any day. Our 4-day dahabiya from Aswan starts at $945 per person and the 5-day dahabiya from Luxor at $1,050, against $780 to $1,125 on the ships.
A dahabiya is a traditional Nile sailing boat, chartered privately for your group, so the deck is yours. The 4-day dahabiya from Aswan to Luxor spends three nights on board with stops at Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna. The 5-day dahabiya from Luxor to Aswan spends four nights on board and adds Gebel el-Silsila, the ancient sandstone quarry between Edfu and Kom Ombo.
The ships suit travelers who want a fixed departure day on a larger boat; the dahabiyas suit couples and small groups who want the boat to themselves. Our slow travel guide to the Aswan to Luxor route describes what the days on the river are like.
How Do You Add Abu Simbel to a Ship Cruise?
Abu Simbel is not included on any of the six ships. On the 5-day programs that end in Aswan, it can be added as an optional excursion on the last day, since the cruise finishes as far south as it goes. On a 4-day program from Aswan, see it before you board with a private day tour.
Our private Abu Simbel day tour from Aswan covers the trip by road with a guide. If you are travelling in October, our guide to the Abu Simbel Sun Festival explains the 22 October alignment and how to fit it around a cruise.
FAQs About Nile Cruise Ships
- Which Nile cruise ship is the cheapest?
Mövenpick MS Royal Lily, from $780 per person, full board. MS Acamar and MS Tulip start at $800. - Which ships leave on Mondays and Fridays?
MS Royal Lily, MS Acamar, MS Farah, MS Mayfair and MS Tulip. Sanctuary Sun Boat III leaves Aswan on Fridays and Luxor on Tuesdays. - Do all six ships visit the same temples?
Yes. Every program covers Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, the Colossi of Memnon, Edfu, Kom Ombo, the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple. - Are flights included in the price?
No. Domestic flights, tips and extra tours are not included on any of the six ships. Pick-up, drop-off and air-conditioned transfers are included. - How long is a cruise on these ships?
Four days from Aswan or five days from Luxor on five of the ships, with an 8-day option. Sanctuary Sun Boat III runs 5 days in either direction, or 9 days.
Send us your dates, the number of travelers and the ships you are considering through our contact page or on WhatsApp, and we will reply with current rates, cabin plans and availability.
