How to book a Nile cruise without overpaying

How to book a Nile cruise comes down to five decisions, made in the right order: which direction and how many nights, which day you can sail, which class of ship, what the price must include, and what to ask before you pay anything. Get the order wrong and you end up paying for a ship that does not fit your flights, or for a cheap fare that turns expensive on board. Here is the order we use ourselves when we plan a trip for a guest.

1. Decide the route and the number of nights

Every Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan follows one of three shapes. Three nights sails downstream from Aswan to Luxor. Four nights sails upstream from Luxor to Aswan and gives you an extra evening on the water. Seven nights joins the two on the same ship, so you see Luxor and Aswan twice and have time for Abu Simbel.

The temples on the way are the same in each direction, so this is a question of time, not of what you will see. Our three night, four night and seven night programmes are written out day by day, and if you are unsure which suits you, we have compared them in three nights, four nights or a week.

2. Fit the sailing day to your flights

This is the step most people skip, and it is the one that decides the most. Nile cruise ships do not leave every day. Each one runs a fixed weekly pattern, and there are three in use on the river:

• Four nights from Luxor on Monday, three nights from Aswan on Friday. This is the most common.
• Four nights from Luxor on Thursday, three nights from Aswan on Monday.
• Four nights from Luxor on Saturday, three nights from Aswan on Wednesday.

Start from the day you land in Luxor or Aswan and work out which pattern fits. Only then look at ships. A beautiful ship that sails two days after you arrive costs you two nights in a hotel, which is more than the difference between most ships in the same class. Tell us your flight dates and we can see straight away which ships leave when you need them to.

3. Choose a class, not a brand

Once you know the day, choose how much ship you want. Every ship we sell is five star, and we sort them into three classes. The route, the temples, the guide and the meals are the same in all three. What changes is the cabin, the food, the public space and how many other guests are on board.

As a guide to what that costs, three nights on the ships we price runs from $499 to $639 per person in our standard class, from $549 to $859 in deluxe and from $699 to $1,490 in luxury. The full breakdown, and why four nights costs more than three, is in how much does a Nile cruise cost.

The ranges overlap, and that is useful. The cheapest luxury ship costs less than the dearest deluxe one. If you give us a budget rather than a brand, we can usually find a better boat for the same money. If you already have a name in mind, we have compared the six Mövenpick ships and the five Sonesta ships side by side.

4. Compare prices only when they include the same things

Two quotes for the same ship can be several hundred dollars apart and both be honest. The difference is almost always in what is left out. A Nile cruise price should include:

• Full board on the ship, from dinner on the first night to breakfast on the last morning.
• Every excursion in the programme, with a licensed Egyptologist at every site.
• Every entrance fee named in the programme: Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae.
• Transfers between the airport or your hotel and the ship, and back.

A fare that covers the cabin and the meals only will look cheaper on the screen. The excursions and entrance fees are then sold separately, often on board, where you have no way to compare. Put two quotes next to each other line by line before you decide which one is cheaper.

What is not included on any honest quote: international flights, your visa, drinks from the bar, optional tours such as the balloon over Luxor or Abu Simbel, and tipping.

5. Ask these questions before you pay

Before you pay anything, get clear answers to these, in writing:

• Which ship exactly, by name, and not “a ship of the same category”.
• Which cabin type and which deck. On some ships the lowest deck has portholes rather than a window.
• Is the price per person or per cabin, and is it for two people sharing?
• What is included and what is not, as a list.
• The exact sailing day and the time you board.
• The single supplement, if you are travelling alone, and the price for any children.
• What happens if you cancel, and what happens if the ship is withdrawn by its owner.

A good operator answers all of these without being asked twice. If an answer stays vague, treat that as the answer.

How paying works with us

We reply to every enquiry within one working day with an itinerary and a price in US dollars, per person, based on two people sharing a cabin. Nothing is booked and nothing is charged at that point.

When you are happy, you accept the quote in writing and pay a 25 percent deposit. We send a written confirmation with the ship, the cabin category, the dates and the total price, and from that moment the price is fixed. The remaining 75 percent is paid on your first day, when you arrive.

Cancellation is free up to 60 days before departure, and dates can be moved free of charge more than 30 days before sailing, subject to availability. If the owner withdraws your ship, we move you to one of the same category at no extra cost or refund what you have paid. The details are on how booking with us works and in our terms and conditions.

When to book

For the busiest weeks of the year, book as early as you can, because the ships on the most common sailing days tend to fill first. For the rest of the season, a few weeks ahead is usually enough. Booking early helps, but less than people expect. The bigger saving comes from being flexible about which ship, not about when you book.

We work with around 250 ships on the river, so there is nearly always one that fits your dates. Send us the days you have and how many of you are travelling, on WhatsApp or through our contact page, and we will come back with the ships that sail when you need them and a price for each.

If you want to know what each day holds before you choose, we have written out the Nile cruise itinerary day by day, with what to look for at every temple.

Still choosing when to come? The best time for a Nile cruise, month by month compares the months on weather and crowds.

Before you fly, run through what to pack for a Nile cruise.