Nile cruises
Any advice on Nile cruises? We would like to go four- or five-star but have read that standards vary.
D Richards
*
* Firstly, all the Nile cruises have to be five-star, and this award is handed out more or less automatically - this is why standards vary. The best way to judge a ship is to hop on and ask to have a look at a room or two, but one can definitely judge a ship by its entrance hall. Otherwise find a reputable travel agent and get him to do the dealing for you. I have used Headings below
Email: info@happycentertours.com
Web site: www.happycentertours.com
Mob : +20105798984

, based in Cairo, but with excellent contacts throughout Egypt. Booking a cruise from a UK-based company would be unnecessary and much more expensive.
Finally, can I recommend forgetting the whole idea of five-star treatment and go for a felucca instead? Taking a cruise you miss out on everything but the superficial side of Egypt. Sailing along the Nile on a felucca can be the most relaxing, beautiful experience of your holiday, but on a cruise with 200 other tourists it will just be another hotel in another hot country.
David Charles
* We went with Kuoni on the cruise ship "Nile Romance" two years ago and had a fantastic time. From the outside the ship looked a little tired but inside it was a good four-star with a spacious room and large windows. The staff and food were amazing. My companion is a vegetarian and used to pathetic vegetarian options when abroad, but was continually pleased with the food. Some of the other ships we passed looked more luxurious whilst others appeared shabby. We didn't feel we were missing out on anything better. The tours included were of a high standard.
We combined our cruise with four nights in Luxor and three nights in Cairo. I'd thoroughly recommend travelling with Kuoni or their sister company Voyages Jules Verne who offer slightly cheaper tours and holidays (just returned from an excellent tour to Sri Lanka with VJV).
Hope this helps.

Leigh Simcoe
* Yes, standards do vary. We have seen a wide range of ships from the tatty, through the ornate to the ordinary and the excellent. A successful Nile cruise requires a combination of a five-star hotel, management and staff, a first class cruise ship, captain and crew, a well-thought out tour itinerary that avoids the crowds, and with an intelligent and knowledgeable Egyptologist/tour leader.
We found all of these during our cruise on the MS SunRay when we went with Kuoni in January. Spotlessly clean and excellent food. You will also find that wherever you go, the Egyptian people are genuinely friendly!
Chris and Ann Shovelton
* All Nile cruise ships have to be 'five-star', but this award is handed out more or less automatically, which is why standards vary. The best way to judge a ship is to hop on and ask to have a look at a room or two, but one can usually judge a ship by its entrance hall. Otherwise, find a reputable travel agent and get him to do the dealing for you. I can recommend Nile Cruises, based in Cairo and with excellent contacts throughout the country
Email: info@happycentertours.com
Web site: www.happycentertours.com
Mob : +20105798984

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