Steigenberger has five ships on the Nile, and we sell three of them between Luxor and Aswan: the Regency, the Royale and the Minerva. All three cost the same through us, $1,200 per person for three nights and $1,475 for four, so this is not a choice about budget. It comes down to the size of the ship, the feel of the interior, and the day you want to sail.
- Three ships, all five star, all in our deluxe class, all on the classic Luxor to Aswan route with the same programme and the same price.
- Regency and Royale are near copies of each other: 50 cabins and two suites each, a two level sundeck with a pool and a jacuzzi, a library with a fireplace and a panorama bar.
- Minerva is the big one, with 77 rooms. Its two suites are the largest of the three at 39 square metres, each with a balcony and a jacuzzi bathtub, and it is the only one with a doctor and a clinic on board.
- Regency leaves Aswan on Wednesdays and Luxor on Saturdays. Royale and Minerva leave Aswan on Mondays and Luxor on Thursdays.
What every Steigenberger Nile cruise ship has in common
The route, the temples and the guiding are the same on all three, and so is the shape of the day: full board on the ship, a pool and a pool bar on the sundeck, one main restaurant, a lounge bar, and three nights downstream from Aswan, four nights upstream from Luxor, or the two joined into a week without changing ship. The standard cabins are the same size to within half a square metre, around 19 square metres, with a shower, a mini bar, a safe and wifi. On all three the large panoramic sliding windows are on the main and upper deck cabins, so ask us for one of those decks when you book. The programme is written out on our three night and four night pages.
Steigenberger Regency
The classic one. Inside it is warm wood and deep reds, not the pale modern look. Fifty cabins and two suites, a sundeck over two levels with a pool, a pool bar, a jacuzzi and fitness equipment, and inside a library with a fireplace, game tables and a panorama bar.
What really sets it apart from the Royale is the sailing day. The Regency leaves Aswan on Wednesdays and Luxor on Saturdays, the opposite half of the week from the other two, so when your flights do not fit a Monday or Thursday it is the answer.
Through us: three nights $1,200, four nights $1,475 per person, in our deluxe class. Steigenberger Regency page.
Steigenberger Royale
The Royale is the Regency’s near twin: 50 cabins of 19.5 square metres and two suites of 35, a two level sundeck with a pool, a pool bar and a jacuzzi, a library, a fireplace lounge and a panorama bar. Massage and a beauty salon are available on request. The differences are the interior, a touch grander and brighter, and the calendar: Mondays from Aswan, Thursdays from Luxor.
If you are choosing between the Regency and the Royale, choose by the sailing day. On board they offer the same cruise.
Through us: three nights $1,200, four nights $1,475 per person, in our deluxe class. Steigenberger Royale page.
Steigenberger Minerva
One of the largest ships on the river: 73 double cabins, two singles and two suites of 39 square metres, each suite with its own balcony and a jacuzzi bathtub. The single cabins matter if you travel alone, because most Nile ships only sell doubles. The sundeck is wide, with a pool, a pool bar and fitness equipment, and the Minerva is the only ship of the three with a doctor and a clinic on board, where the other two have a doctor on call. Mondays from Aswan, Thursdays from Luxor.
With 77 rooms it is the busiest of the three at the buffet and the gangway. That is the trade for the bigger deck, the biggest suites and the clinic.
Through us: three nights $1,200, four nights $1,475 per person, in our deluxe class. Steigenberger Minerva page.
How to choose between them
For a Wednesday or Saturday departure: Regency. For a Monday or Thursday departure on a 52 room ship: Royale. For a suite with a balcony, a cabin for a solo traveller, or a doctor on board: Minerva. If none of that decides it, choose the day that fits your flights, because the cruise itself is the same.
The price shown is for a standard cabin, per person, for the whole cruise. Suites are quoted on request. If your dates are fixed, our departure days page lists every ship that sails on the day you need.
All three sit inside the price ranges we publish for every ship we sell, so it is worth reading how much does a Nile cruise cost before you settle on one, and the rest of the deluxe ships are listed by class. We did the same comparison for the five Sonesta ships, the six Mövenpick ships and the Jaz ships.
Send us your dates and which of the three you are leaning towards, and we will confirm the cabin, the deck and the price before you commit to anything.
