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| Egypt
Nile River Cruises |
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| General information
about the Nile Cruise |
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A Luxury Nile Cruise boat is a highly
appointed, floating, 5-star hotel, with
most of the facilities of a normal
5-star hotel, including a relaxing sun
deck and swimming pool. All your meals
are included, though beverages and
bottled water are not included. You will
have your own en-suite, air-conditioned
cabin (we book upper deck cabins
wherever possible), and full use of all
the boats facilities (restaurants,
ships, sun deck, swimming pool, etc)
We use several different cruise boats on
the Nile, and we will inform you exactly
which boat we will use enough time
before your departure, as the boats
shuttle back and forth on the Nile
between Aswan and Luxor, with regular
breaks for cleaning and maintenance.
However, we regularly inspect to ensure
they are of the same 5-star deluxe
standard.
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Life on board |
All of the boats offer comfortable
accommodation and have mainly twin
bedded cabins all of which are
air-conditioned and have private
facilities. All of the cabins have
panoramic windows affording views of the
passing river bank. With the exception
of Viking I & II all the boats have the
added benefit of a fridge, internal
telephone and TV with local and video
channels. Suites are also available if
you want to have that little bit of
extra comfort. These cabins are larger
than standard berths and have a double
or twin beds and are equipped with
en-suite facilities, internal telephone,
fridge and TV local channel.
One of the pleasures of cruising is the
food and your Nile cruise operates on a
full board basis with buffet breakfast
followed by lunch and dinner which can
either be a set menu or buffet style.
The only additional expenses are drinks,
tips, souvenirs and optional excursions
available on board. A credit system
operates on board the boat whereby all
extras will be billed to your cabin.
There is limited money exchanging
facilities on board, so it is advisable
to ensure that you have enough local
currency although your guide will allow
time for a bank stop during your cruise.
The lounge bar is the perfect place to
relax on comfortable sofas and enjoy a
cocktail before dinner and entertainment
in the evenings.
On the sundeck you will find a plunge
pool with sun beds and towels, there are
also chairs and tables in a shaded area
where you can relax. The reception area
has safety deposit boxes and there's
even shop on board where you can buy
souvenirs and essentials.
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Accommodation: |
Guest Cabins feature:
Broad panoramic Windows
Private, direct-dial Telephone
Hairdryer
Safety Deposit Box
Mini-bar
Music System
Individual Climate Control
Television and Movies Program
Bathroom equipped with full-size Bathtub
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Food & Dining: |
Accommodation aboard the cruise boats is
on full board basis. All meals are
included and are in an open buffet
style, some days there are many
varieties, depending of the type and
quality of the cruise boat; these meals
are served with a fixed timetable.
Tea and coffee is available, while on
the move, every day at 5:00 pm. Other
drinks are offered in the bar area.
A tempting selection of international
and Egyptian cuisine is served in the on
board restaurant. Breakfast is buffet
style, with a choice of fruit juices,
tea and coffee, cereal, rolls and
breads, cheese and cold meats, pastries,
boiled eggs or omelette. Lunch and
dinner are taken in one sitting often
buffet style with a wide selection of
starters including salads and delicious
soups with fresh rolls and breads. A
number of main course choices are
available - chicken, beef and fish
dishes, fresh vegetables, pasta and
rice. For dessert take your pick from
superb pastries and creamy puddings
whilst a healthy option of fresh fruit
is usually available if you prefer. To
accompany your meal, choose from a range
of soft drinks, beer, wine or bottled
water. Remember, you just sign for them
as you go along and pay at the end of
your cruise. Afternoon tea and cake is
usually served on the sundeck when the
boat is sailing "Drinks are extras"
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Entertainment |
Discotheque, Belly Dance Show, Captain's
Welcome Cocktail Party, fancy Galabia
Party and Nubian Folkloric Show
Every day there is a full entertainment
program, which differs from one boat to
the other. On most cruise trips that I
have conducted, the first day is usually
a cocktail party, run by the boat, where
they offer free drinks and introduce the
staff on board. This party is also
called “the manager’s party”, where the
manager introduces his crew to the
guests on board; don’t forget to wear
formal clothes during this party!
Another night there is a “Galabia party”
or long dress party, where you will be
encouraged to get Egyptian outfits and
wear the local Galabia. During such
parties, some games are conducted; the
tour guides on board run the party,
which offers much fun!! To buy a Galabia
will cost you around 50 LE, but if you
do not wish to buy one, you can hire one
from the bazaar shop located on board.
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Another night will have a Nubian show,
where you will see Nubian dancers and
singers in their local outfit.
The last evening’s entertainment is
usually has: a belly dancing show, a
juggler’s show, and local singers and
bands.
There are many bazaars outside the
Temples that you will be visit during
your cruise. Don’t forget to haggle
hard!
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Aswan and Luxor Nile cruise schedules: |
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| Cruise |
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THU |
FRI |
| 3 Nights Cruises Aswan / Luxor |
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| 4 Nights Cruises Aswan / Luxor |
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| 4 Nights Cruises Luxor / Aswan |
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| Dress Code: |
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During the daytime, while enjoying the
tours, you can wear whatever you like,
though due to the extreme heat it is
recommended you wear lightweight
clothes. While relaxing on board you may
wear shorts and swimming costumes, if
you wish. Breakfast and lunch can be
taken dressed like this, but for dinner,
please wear smarter clothes! |
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| How to
pay your Extras: |
| All extras such as
drink, laundry, and telephones bills,
should be settled on the last day of
your cruise at check out time. Payment
can be made with credit cards,
traveller’s cheque, or cash. Make sure
you have enough cash, just in case your
card is not working properly. |
Please note: Many cruise boats do
not accept personal cheques or money
orders!
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| Tipping: |
Don’t forget to leave
tips for the cruise staff, not less than
$3 PER PERSON PER DAY!
These tips should be given to the boat,
place them in a an envelope and hand it
to the reception. After all the groups
have checked out, the cruise manager,
together with the accountant and the
reception, will open all the envelopes
and distribute the money to all of the
crew. This way each person will get his
fair share.
Please Note: this does not include tips
to your Tour Guide, this is separate,
and it is entirely up to you to decide
the size of tip that you will give to
him/her.
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| Taxes & Gratuities: |
12% Service Charge, 5% Sales Tax and
2% City Tax.
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| Check-In/Out: |
Check-in 12:00 p.m.
Check-out 08:00 a.m.
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| Electricity: |
220 volts, AC, 50 cycles.
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| Climate: |
Our weather is sunny year-round,
with infrequent rain and cool
temperatures during winter nights.
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| Points of Interest: |
Daily guided excursions to ancient
Egyptian sites:
Kitchener's Island
Agha Khan Mausoleum
Temple of Philae, temple shared by two
gods, Sobek and Haroeies, in Kom Ombo
Temple of Horus
Valley of the Kings and Queens
Temple of Hatshepsut at El Deir El
Bahari
Colossi of Memnon
Karnak and Luxor Temples
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| Health and Safety onboard cruise
ships: |
All Nile cruise boats are equipped
with safety features and life jackets
are normally placed under your cabin
bed.
During the daytime, while enjoying the
tours, you can wear whatever you like,
though due to the extreme heat it is
recommended you wear lightweight
clothes. While relaxing on board you may
wear shorts and swimming costumes, if
you wish. But beware of too much
exposure to the sun! Apply plenty of
high factor sun block!
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- You should avoid drinking large
amounts of alcohol especially if you
have equilibrium problems. You are
not just putting yourself at peril,
but also the other guests and staff
too.
- People with equilibrium problems
should not spend too much time on
deck at night, on a fast moving
ship; it is dangerous in case you
fall over.
- Smoking in bed is dangerous; the
mattresses are very flammable!
- People who tend to sleep walk
should never take a cabin with a
balcony, an inside cabin with a
window would be far safer.
- Make sure that you know where
the muster stations are, in case you
have to abandon ship.
- If you get sick whilst on board,
some cruise boats have a resident
doctor on board. If not, they have
doctors assigned in each town that
can be called on in case of
emergency.
- If you need some more heath and
safety tips, please read my health
page to know more about health and
safety on board a Nile cruise.
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| Useful tips: |
- For practical reasons on the
Nile, the cruise may be subject to
slight alterations at short notice
while you are in Egypt.
- Most sailing is done during the
day, but during some periods some
sailing may be required after dark
- At busy periods the boat may be
required to wait for a short time to
get through the lock on the Nile at
Esna
- When moored, several cruise
boats may be required to moor
alongside each other. This can
restrict views and require clients
to cross several boats to reach the
shore. Assistance will be provided
if required.
- Esna lock is closing for annual
maintenance twice per year first
time from 01st. June until 15th,
June, second time from 01st,
December until 15th December,
therefore all the Nile Cruise stop
behind the lock and use a car to
transfer you from Esna to Luxor to
make the sightseeing in Luxor
- When first checking in on the
cruise boat, it is advisable to
leave your valuables in a safety
deposit box. This will be available
either in the reception, or a
private safe in your cabin.
- If you wish to buy any items
from the shops on board, the
opportunity for shopping is
generally limited due to the small
size of these shops. But on the
other hand you will get plenty of
time to check what you are buying,
and haggle over the price!
- To call home, most of the cruise
boats offer telephone facilities on
board, but the quality is not as
good as onshore.
- I would recommend visiting a
bank, to change your money, before
cruising, as most of the cruise
boats do not offer this facility and
you will not get access to onshore
banks while you are cruising.
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| Lake Nasser Nile Cruises "Abu Simbel
Nile Cruise" |
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| Lake Nasser |
Since prehistoric times,
the Nile River provided the main trade
route between the Mediterranean and
Africa, with Nubia the point of contact
between the two worlds. For Pharaonic,
Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Arab
civilizations, Nubia was a valued
province and the corridor to Africa, the
home of diverse cultures and political
powers over thousands of years.
In the last century this region has
witnessed two of the greatest
engineering feats in modern history; the
construction of the Aswan High Dam with
the consequent creation of Lake Nasser,
and the UNESCO project which saved the
historical sites of Nubia threatened
with permanent submersion beneath the
waters of the Lake.
The total volume of the dam itself has
been calculated at 17 times that of the
Great Pyramid, and to build it 30,000
men worked round the clock for 10 years.
The resulting reservoir extends 500
kilometers, some 380 of which lie in
Egypt, with an average width of 10
kilometers.
When the decision was made in 1954 to
build the dam, the evacuation of the
Nubian community of over 100,000 people
became an imminent reality. Meanwhile,
urgent attention was required to
safe-guard the Nubian monuments. In
1960, UNESCO responded to appeals for
assistance by launching the Nubian
Campaign, an enterprise that involved
the resources of some 54 nations over a
20-year period. The degree of ingenuity
required to save the temples was a
fitting tribute to the creative genius
that accomplished their original
construction. It was the first time in
history that so many countries,
individuals and disciplines united in an
undertaking dedicated to the idea of a
common cultural heritage and the
universality of art.
Although the Nubian Campaign was
officially completed in 1980, the Lake
and its monuments remained isolated from
tourism for over a decade. Thanks to the
efforts of Mostafa and Tarek el-Gendy,
the owners and operators of the Eugenie
and Kasr Ibrim, the immense lake and the
temples on its banks were made
accessible to travelers as of 1993. Lake
Nasser's coasts are currently
uninhabited, but it is the el-Gendy
brothers' dream that this wealth of
fresh water and land will once more host
thriving communities, as it has
throughout the ages.
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| Points of Interest: |
Kalabsha Temple: Built by the Roman
emperor Augustus and dedicated to the
Nubian version of the god Horus
(protector and guider of souls through
the underworld) known as Mandoulis.
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Beit El Wali: Rock-cut temple
dedicated to the god Amun-Re (known as
'the pilot who knows the water'),
smallest of its type, built by Ramses II
(19th dynasty).
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Kiosk of Kertassi: erected in honor
of Isis (goddess of motherhood, magic
and healing) with two splendid Hathoric
columns.
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Wadi el Seboua (Valley of the
Lionesses): Named for the avenue of
sphinxes which led to the rock temple
built by Ramses II and dedicated to the
god Amun. Was later used as a church.
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Temple of Dakka; Meriotic and
Ptolemaic temple reconstructed on the
site of an earlier temple dedicated to
Thoth (god of wisdom and science) built
by Amenophis II.
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Temple of Meharakka: Late Ptolemaic
period temple to Serapis (a composite of
Osiris, the Apis bull and various Greek
deities)
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Amada: Sandstone temple of Amun-Re
and Re-Harakhte (god of the morning sun,
a combination of Ra and Horus) built by
Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, with a
pillared court added by Thutmose IV.
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Derr: Rock cut temple dedicated to
Re-Harakhte, Ramses II, Amun-Re and Ptah
(god of creation and patron of artists
and artisans).
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Tomb of Penout: Rock-cut tomb of the
viceroy of Nubia under Ramses VI, the
only extant one of its kind.
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Kasr Ibrim: The only monument on
Lake Nasser that still exists in its
original location. Before the creation
of the lake this fort stood atop a high
bluff overlooking the valley, a
strategic site since ancient times. The
fort may date to the Middle Kingdom and
it has been rebuilt and used in a
variety of ways over time, including as
a church and mosque.
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Abu Simbel: The temple of Ramses II
and his wife Nefertari, Abu Simbel also
represents of the triumph of UNESCO's
Campaign to salvage the temples, without
which these monuments would have been
forever lost beneath the Nile waters.
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| Lake Nasser Nile cruise schedules: |
| Cruise |
SAT |
SUN |
MON |
TUE |
WED |
THU |
FRI |
| 4
Nights Cruises Aswan / Abu simbel |
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| 3
Nights Cruises Abu simbel / Aswan |
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| 4
Nights Cruises Aswan / Abu simbel |
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| 3
Nights Cruises Abu simbel / Aswan |
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