The MS Esplanade Nile cruise is the Saturday and Wednesday version of the Mayfair formula: a large 5-star ship whose published per-night rates already include entrance fees, guided tours, meals and airport transfers. It is the ship to look at if your flights fit a Saturday start in Luxor or a Wednesday start in Aswan and you want to know the full price in advance. Like its sisters, it does not sail in June, July or August.
- Operator
- Mayfair Cruises
- Type
- 5-star cruise ship
- Built / refurbished
- Launched October 2013, relaunched October 2018
- Cabins
- 80 guest cabins incl. 8 with veranda and 2 Royal Suites
- Pool
- Yes, with two cabanas
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan: 4 nights from Luxor, 3 nights from Aswan
- Embarks
- Luxor on Saturday, Aswan on Wednesday
- How it is sold
- Direct from Mayfair Cruises and through agencies
- Sister ships
- M.S. Mayfair, M.S. Mayflower
- Status
- Sailing mid-September to early May; no sailings June–August
Source: mayfaircruises.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Cabins
- 4/5Mostly Deluxe; 8 Deluxe Executive with veranda and 2 Royal Suites of 36 m²
- Itinerary
- 4/5Standard Luxor–Aswan route on Saturday and Wednesday
- Value
- 4/5$230–330 per night with entry fees and guide included
- Transparency
- 5/5Same published rate sheet and tipping guidance as Mayfair
- Booking ease
- 4/5Direct by email or through agencies; not on the platforms
Pros
- Entrance fees, guided sightseeing, meals and airport transfers included in the published rate
- Saturday and Wednesday departures, useful when Monday and Friday ships are full
- Pool with two cabanas, and a spa
- Relaunched in October 2018
Cons
- No sailings from June to August
- Only 8 cabins have a veranda
- 80 cabins make it a big ship: expect busy embarkations
- Weekday claims in its own marketing are overstated
The ship: cabins, decks and pool
Esplanade was launched in October 2013 and relaunched in October 2018. It measures 77 m by 14 m (1,300 gross tonnes), slightly longer than the Mayfair. The company's deck lists add up to 80 guest cabins:
- 54 Deluxe cabins, the standard category;
- 16 Deluxe Executive cabins;
- 8 Deluxe Executive with veranda, the only standard cabins with space to sit outside;
- 2 Royal Suites of 36 m².
There are also six tour-leader cabins. On the sun deck you get a pool with two cabanas, and there is a spa on board. The rate sheet's supplements apply: upper-deck Deluxe +10 %, veranda +20 %, suites +75 % (suites include unlimited local drinks and a daily minibar).
The third sister, Mayflower, launched in November 2019 on a hull "almost identical" to Esplanade's, according to the company, with 18 suites and 38 cabins in a Khedivial-era style. Mayfair Cruises' rate sheet says its 3-night cruise from Aswan sails on Mayflower; Esplanade's own page lists a Wednesday 3-night departure from Aswan. Check which ship your dates use.
Itinerary: Saturday from Luxor, Wednesday from Aswan
Esplanade sails 4 nights from Luxor on Saturday and 3 nights from Aswan on Wednesday; joined together, the two legs make a week. The route is the standard one: Luxor's East and West Banks, the Esna lock, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan with Philae. Our guides to the Luxor to Aswan cruise and the Aswan to Luxor cruise set out what each day usually holds.
The company calls Esplanade the only luxury ship on a Saturday/Wednesday rhythm. That is not true: Steigenberger Regency, JAZ Elite Viceroy, Concerto, Blue Shadow, Royal Beau Rivage and Grand Rose also leave Luxor on Saturday. The useful point is simpler: if your flight lands on a Friday or Saturday, Esplanade is one of a handful of options, and it publishes an all-in rate.
Rules from the rate sheet that apply here too: on the 3-night cruise, book your flight home after 17:00 on the last day, and Abu Simbel needs one extra night on board.
- 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 and what they include
Esplanade uses the same rate sheet as the Mayfair. Rates are per person per night in US dollars for a Deluxe cabin and include sightseeing with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, monument entrance fees, meals on board, airport transport and taxes.
| Season | Double | Single | Triple |
|---|---|---|---|
| September and May | $230 | $330 | $210 |
| October to 21 December, January to April | $330 | $430 | $310 |
| Festive departures, 20–31 December | $400 | $500 | $380 |
So the 4-night Saturday cruise costs $1,320 per person in a double from January to April, and the 3-night Wednesday cruise $990, with entrance fees included. That matters: on packages that leave them out, the eight sites of a standard cruise cost EGP 4,060 per adult.
Not included: drinks (outside the suites), laundry, room service, Abu Simbel and the balloon. Tipping guidance from the company: $10 per person per day for the crew, in cash at reception, and $5–7 per person per day for your guide.
| Site | Ticket | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Karnak Temple (incl. Open-Air Museum) | EGP 600 | Student EGP 300 · opens 06:00, last entry 16:00 · the Mut precinct is a separate ticket |
| Luxor Temple | EGP 500 | Student EGP 250 · opens 06:00, last entry 19:00 — visit after dark |
| Valley of the Kings (general ticket) | EGP 750 | Student EGP 375 · opens 06:00, last entry 17:00 summer / 16:00 winter |
| Hatshepsut Temple (Deir el-Bahari) | EGP 440 | Student EGP 220 · last entry 17:00 summer / 16:00 winter |
| Edfu: Temple of Horus | EGP 550 | Student EGP 275 · opens 07:00 (06:00 Sun and Wed), last entry 16:00 |
| Kom Ombo Temple (incl. Crocodile Museum) | EGP 450 | Student EGP 225 · last entry 20:00 — ships visit at dusk |
| Philae: Temple of Isis | EGP 550 | Student EGP 275 · boat to the island not included · last entry 15:00 |
| Unfinished Obelisk | EGP 220 | Student EGP 110 · last entry 15:00 |
Official ticket prices checked on 19 October 2026. Many cruise packages include these, many don't: read the listing. Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ticket shop (egymonuments.com) ↗
The platform alternative
No platform sells Esplanade by name. On GetYourGuide, the closest match is a 3-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor, from $450 with a guide (From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide) or from $580 with Abu Simbel and the balloon (From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight, rated 4.5 by 555 travellers). These run on "a 5-star ship or similar": ask the seller for the ship's name and whether entry fees are included before you pay. GetYourGuide is cheaper than Headout for this package today; ship, cabin and dates can differ.
| 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.
What travellers say
There is no independent review of Esplanade that we can summarise fairly, so judge it on what the company publishes and check these points before booking:
- the exact cabin category and deck (only 8 veranda cabins);
- whether your 3-night dates sail on Esplanade or Mayflower;
- the cancellation terms and deposit;
- whether your agency adds anything to the published rate.
The independent review of its sister Mayfair praised food and staff and found no lift on board. Whether Esplanade has a lift is not stated by the company, so ask if stairs are a problem.
How to book MS Esplanade
Book direct with Mayfair Cruises through mayfaircruises.com, where reservations are handled by email, or through an agency that sells the company's ships. Direct booking gives you the published inclusions; an agency can bundle Cairo, flights and transfers. Ask for the ship's name on the confirmation.
Alternatives to MS Esplanade
- MS Mayfair: the flagship sister, same rates, different weekdays.
- Sonesta Star Goddess: the all-suite luxury option on Saturday from Luxor and Wednesday from Aswan.
- JAZ: Elite Viceroy also leaves Luxor on Saturday, with many suites.
- Steigenberger: Regency is the Saturday ship of the fleet.
- Concerto: two Concerto ships leave Luxor on Saturday too.
- Nile cruise prices: what a fair per-night price looks like.
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight
4.5 (555)
from $580Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide
4.3 (654)
from $450Check 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
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Cairo
From Cairo: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Balloon Flight
4.5 (157)
from $1,300Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Luxor
Luxor: 4 Days Nile Cruise with Guided Tours & Abu Simbel
4.6 (132)
from $690Check dates
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
MS Esplanade Nile cruise: questions
What days does the MS Esplanade Nile cruise sail?
Saturday from Luxor for 4 nights to Aswan, and Wednesday from Aswan for 3 nights to Luxor. The company's rate sheet says its 3-night cruise from Aswan uses the sister ship Mayflower, so confirm which ship your dates use.
How much does MS Esplanade cost?
The same published rates as the Mayfair: $230 per person per night in a double in September and May, $330 from October to April, and $400 on festive departures from 20 to 31 December, with entrance fees and guided sightseeing included.
Are MS Esplanade and MS Mayfair sister ships?
Yes. Both belong to Mayfair Cruises, together with Mayflower, and share the same rate sheet, inclusions and season.
Do MS Esplanade cabins have balconies?
Only 8 Deluxe Executive cabins have a veranda; ask for one early and expect a 20 % supplement. The 2 Royal Suites measure 36 m² and cost 75 % more than a Deluxe cabin.
Does MS Esplanade sail in summer?
No. Mayfair Cruises' ships do not operate in June, July or August; the season runs from mid-September to early May.