The Amwaj Livingstone Nile cruise is a mid-sized ship, launched in 2014, that most British travellers meet inside a Saga or Cyplon package rather than as a cabin on its own. It suits travellers who want flights, visa, excursions and drinks wrapped into one UK booking. If you only want the cruise, a comparable Luxor–Aswan cruise booked locally costs far less, without the extras.
- Operator
- Amwaj International
- Type
- 5-star cruise ship
- Built / refurbished
- Maiden voyage 2014
- Cabins
- 124 passengers; junior suites about 30 m², deluxe cabins about 20 m²
- Decks
- 4 passenger decks
- Pool
- Yes, with whirlpool
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan; 7 nights on board in Saga's 11-day 'Magic of the Nile'
- How it is sold
- Saga Holidays (as a partner ship), Cyplon and other UK operators
- Status
- Sailing (Saga departures listed for 2027)
Source: holiday.saga.co.uk ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Cabins
- 3.5/5Deluxe about 20 m², junior suites about 30 m²
- Ship and facilities
- 4/5Launched 2014; sun-deck pool with whirlpool; 75 crew for 124 guests
- Itinerary
- 3.5/5Luxor–Aswan; 7 nights in Saga's package
- Value
- 3/5Package price is high; much is included
- Transparency
- 4/5Saga publishes the ship's specifications and its inclusions
- Booking ease
- 3.5/5Easy through UK operators; no direct booking found
Pros
- Maiden voyage in 2014, per Saga
- About 20 m² deluxe cabins and about 30 m² junior suites
- Pool with whirlpool on the sun deck
- Saga's package includes flights, visa, excursions and drinks from 11:00 to 22:00
Cons
- Mostly sold in UK packages; the cabin-only price isn't published
- Saga's price is far above a locally booked cruise
- Cabin count not confirmed by the operator
- Saga's example departure is in May, at the start of the hot season
Amwaj, Livingstone, Living Stone: one ship
The names cause confusion. Saga calls the ship MS Livingstone and names its cruise line as Amwaj International. Other sellers call it "Amwaj Livingstone" or "Amwaj Living Stone". All these names refer to the same Nile cruise ship.
Saga doesn't own it. Saga files the Livingstone among its "partner ships": it sells cabins on a ship that Amwaj International runs. That is a common model for UK and other foreign tour operators on the Nile. Avalon, for example, sells the MS Farah the same way. It also means other operators can sell the same ship, in different packages and at different prices.
The ship: decks, cabins and pool
According to Saga's ship page, the Livingstone made its maiden voyage in 2014. It carries 124 passengers with 75 officers and crew, has four passenger decks and measures 73 × 14.5 m. Deluxe cabins are about 20 m² and junior suites about 30 m². The sun deck has a pool with a whirlpool.
The total cabin count is not confirmed on an operator page, so if your cabin category matters, ask the seller for the deck plan. As on every Luxor–Aswan ship, ships often moor side by side at busy quays, so a window cabin doesn't guarantee a river view at every stop.
The details are on Saga's Livingstone page.
Saga's Nile cruise on the Livingstone
Saga's example holiday on this ship is "Magic of the Nile (Solo)": 11 days made up of 3 hotel nights and 7 nights on the Livingstone, from £4,495 per person for a solo traveller, flying from Heathrow. Saga's holidays are for the over-50s. The price includes:
- Return flights and a chauffeur to the UK airport
- Ten excursions, including Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Kom Ombo
- A single-entry Egyptian visa
- Drinks on board from 11:00 to 22:00
- A tour manager
- Travel insurance (with an £89 reduction if you don't need it)
Seven nights on a Luxor–Aswan ship means a round trip: the ship sails the route both ways, and the second leg mostly repeats the river. Our 7-night cruise guide explains what you gain from the extra nights. The example departure is in May. The high season runs from October to April, and May is already hot in Luxor and Aswan; see when to go.
- 0 kmLuxorStart or end of every standard cruise. Ships moor along the East Bank and at private docks south of town; Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank are visited from here.
- 50 kmEsnaAbout 50 km upriver. Ships pass the Esna lock (two ships per lockage), often at night; many ships stop here overnight without visiting the temple.
- EdfuBetween Esna and Kom Ombo. The Temple of Horus is visited by horse carriage or coach from the quay, usually in the morning.
- Kom OmboRiverside temple, open for entry until 20:00: upstream ships stop at dusk, downstream ships come early in the morning.
- 200 kmAswanAbout 200 km by river from Luxor. Philae, the High Dam and a felucca or motorboat round Kitchener's Island; last night of a dahabiya trip at the Aswan bridge dock.
Distances along the river, rounded; ships also stop at the Esna lock and sometimes moor at Kom Ombo for the night.
Prices: Saga, Cyplon or a local booking
Here is what is published for the Livingstone, per person:
| Seller | Package | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Saga Holidays | 11 days, 7 nights on board, solo, flights and much more included | from £4,495 |
| Cyplon | "Amwaj Living Stone", 8 days | guide price £1,335 |
Cyplon's figure is a guide price; ask what it covers (flights, entry fees, transfers) before comparing. We found no direct fare from Amwaj International.
For scale, a Luxor–Aswan cruise on a ship of the same class bought on GetYourGuide starts from $580 for 3 nights from Aswan, with Abu Simbel and a balloon flight in the title. It doesn't name the ship, and it includes no flights, visa or daytime drinks. If entry fees are not included, budget EGP 4,060 per foreign adult for the eight core sites.
| Platform | Listing | Rating | Price | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight · 3 nights | 4.5 (555) | $580 Lowest | See on GetYourGuide |
| Headout | From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise with Luxor Hot-Air Balloon Ride & Abu Simbel Visit · 3 nights | 2.0 (1) | $600 | See on Headout |
| Headout | 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Luxor Hot Air Balloon · 3 nights | — | $700 | See on Headout |
Lowest price per person in US dollars, checked on 19 October 2026. Ship, cabin, departure day and what is included differ between listings: open each one before you pay.
The comparison isn't like for like. Saga sells a complete escorted holiday from your front door; the platform sells a cruise in Egypt. For the full price ladder, see Nile cruise prices.
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight
4.5 (555)
from $580Check dates
GetYourGuide2 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 3-Day Cruise to Luxor with Hot Air Balloon
4.3 (657)
from $1,000Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide
4.3 (654)
from $450Check dates
Headout4 nightsFrom Luxor
From Luxor: 5-Day Nile Cruise with Hot-Air Balloon Ride & Abu Simbel Visit
No reviews yet
from $590Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
Aswan: 4-Day Private Nile Cruise to Luxor with Balloon Ride
4.2 (261)
from $643Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day, 3-Night Nile Cruise with Hot Air Balloon
4.5 (168)
from $550Check dates
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
What travellers say, and what to check
We have no reliable summary of guest reviews to pass on. If you are booking a package on the Livingstone, ask:
- Which cabin category the price covers, and its deck
- Which sites the excursions include, and whether Tutankhamun's tomb (EGP 700) or Abu Simbel cost extra
- Whether tips are included: agencies suggest roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew plus US$10–15 per person per day for the guide when they aren't
- The sailing days, so you can see whether the trip starts in Luxor or Aswan
How to book the Amwaj Livingstone
The simplest route for UK travellers is through Saga (over-50s) or Cyplon, which name the ship. We found no direct booking channel from Amwaj International.
No platform sells the Livingstone by name. If you want a Nile cruise without a UK package, the 4-day cruise from Aswan with Abu Simbel and balloon (from $580, 4.5 from 555 reviews) is the closest platform equivalent, on a "5-star ship or similar" that the operator assigns. Ask for the ship's name after booking. For the shape of a 3-night cruise from Aswan, see our Aswan to Luxor guide.
Alternatives to the Amwaj Livingstone
- TUI's own Nile ships are another UK package option, with 7-night winter round trips from Gatwick and Manchester; see TUI Nile cruises.
- Mayfair publishes per-night rates with fees and transfers included, if you'd rather arrange flights yourself; see Mayfair.
- For how the whole route works, read the Luxor–Aswan cruise guide, and browse all reviews in the ships directory.
Amwaj Livingstone Nile cruise: questions
Who owns the Amwaj Livingstone Nile cruise ship?
Saga names the cruise line as Amwaj International and lists the Livingstone as a partner ship. Saga sells it but doesn't own it.
Is Saga's Nile cruise on the Livingstone?
Saga's "Magic of the Nile (Solo)" holiday spends 7 nights of its 11 days on the MS Livingstone, from £4,495 per person with flights, visa, excursions and daytime drinks included.
How big is the MS Livingstone?
It carries 124 passengers with 75 crew, on four passenger decks; deluxe cabins are about 20 m² and junior suites about 30 m².
How much does an Amwaj Nile cruise cost?
Prices depend on the seller: Saga from £4,495 solo for an 11-day package, Cyplon a guide price of £1,335 for 8 days. We found no direct fare.
Are Amwaj Livingstone and Living Stone the same ship?
Yes. "Livingstone", "Amwaj Livingstone" and "Amwaj Living Stone" are names different sellers use for the same Amwaj International ship.