The Farah Nile cruise most people mean is Avalon Waterways' Egypt programme: MS Farah is the ship Avalon puts its guests on between Luxor and Aswan, wrapped in a 10-day trip that starts and ends in Cairo. Our verdict: a comfortable mid-sized 5-star ship inside a well-built package, good if you want Avalon to handle Cairo, flights and guiding, but expensive if all you want is the cruise.
- Operator
- Sold by Avalon Waterways
- Type
- 5-star cruise ship
- Class
- 5-star
- Cabins
- 55: 51 deluxe cabins and 4 Royal Suites (Avalon)
- Pool
- Yes
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan inside Avalon's 10-day 'Taste of Egypt' (Cairo–Cairo, internal flights included)
- How it is sold
- Avalon Waterways packages and their travel agents
- Status
- Sailing in Avalon's programme (departures listed to December 2027)
Source: avalonwaterways.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Cabins
- 4/551 deluxe cabins with wall-sized windows plus 4 Royal Suites
- Itinerary
- 4/5Cairo, Giza and the GEM, then Luxor to Aswan with Philae
- Value
- 3/5From $4,949 for 10 days with Cairo and flights; a local 3-night cruise starts at $450
- Transparency
- 4/5Avalon publishes the price, departure dates and a day plan
- Booking ease
- 4/5Through Avalon or its travel agents; not sold cabin-only that we could confirm
Pros
- Mid-sized ship: 55 cabins, far fewer guests than the biggest Nile ships
- Wall-sized windows in the deluxe cabins
- Spa, Wi-Fi and a sun-deck pool
- Avalon package includes internal flights and the Cairo days
- Published price and a clear day plan
Cons
- Not sold on its own: you buy a 10- or 14-day Avalon trip
- No published owner and no official ship website
- Avalon cancelled sailings earlier in 2026 before resuming in September 2026
- The package price is many times that of a local 3- or 4-night cruise
The ship: cabins, suites and decks
Avalon describes MS Farah as having 51 deluxe cabins and 4 Royal Suites, wall-sized windows, a spa and Wi-Fi (Avalon's ship page). That makes it a mid-sized Nile ship: smaller than the 100-plus-cabin giants, bigger than the boutique luxury boats with 20–30 cabins.
An older fact sheet for the ship, dated December 2010, listed a different layout (58 cabins and 2 Royal Suites) with French-balcony panoramic windows, Jacuzzis in the suites, a large sun-deck pool, a gym, steam room and sauna, and à la carte dinners. The ship appears to have been reconfigured since then; Avalon's current figure of 55 cabins is the one to use when you book.
What this means in practice:
- Deluxe cabins: the standard grade, with the large windows Avalon highlights. A "French balcony" on the Nile is a window that opens, not a balcony with chairs.
- Royal Suites: there are only four. Ask Avalon or your agent for availability before you fix your dates.
- Sun deck: the pool and loungers.
Like every Nile cruise ship, Farah moors at public quays where ships often tie up side by side, so your window may face the next ship at some stops.
Itinerary: Avalon's Taste of Egypt on MS Farah
Avalon sells MS Farah inside two programmes:
- Taste of Egypt: 10 days, Cairo to Cairo.
- Taste of Egypt with Jordan: 14 days, adding Jordan.
The 10-day trip starts in Cairo with Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and a felucca sail, then flies you to Luxor to board Farah. On the river the programme lists Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, Edfu, Kom Ombo, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae, before you fly back to Cairo.
Start
Cairo
Arrive in Cairo: the pyramids at Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and a felucca sailhotel nights
Fly
Luxor
Flight to Luxor and embarkation on MS Farah; Karnak and Luxor Templeon board
Luxor
Valley of the Kings
The Valleys of the Kings and Queens on the West Banksail south through the Esna lock
River
Edfu
Temple of Horus at Edfusailing
River
Kom Ombo
Temple at Kom Ombosailing to Aswan
Aswan
Philae
The Unfinished Obelisk and Philaeend of the cruise
Fly
Cairo
Flight back to Cairo and homeend
Two notes on the West Bank. The Valley of the Queens is on the programme, but Nefertari's tomb there has been closed since March 2024, so don't expect to see it. And the Valley of the Kings general ticket covers a set number of the tombs open that day, usually quoted as three; open tombs rotate.
- 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.
MS Farah Nile cruise prices
Avalon's published prices (seen in October 2026), per person in a double:
| Programme | Length | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Taste of Egypt | 10 days, Cairo–Cairo | from $4,949 (was $5,199), 6 May 2027 departure, flights inside Egypt and taxes included |
| Taste of Egypt with Jordan | 14 days | from $7,348 (was $7,598) |
| Taste of Egypt (Avalon Australia) | 10 days | AUD 7,919 (was 8,319), 29 April 2027 departure |
Departures are listed through to December 2027. International flights to Cairo are on top. Check the inclusions on Avalon's itinerary page for entry fees, tips and drinks before you compare with other packages.
Farah vs a cruise you can book on the platforms
No booking platform sells MS Farah by name, and we could not confirm that Farah takes non-Avalon passengers on any date. If you see "MS Farah" offered by an Egyptian agency, ask in writing for the sailing date and who is selling the cabin before you pay.
If you want the river part only, the comparable product is an unnamed 5-star cruise between Aswan and Luxor. The 3-night cruise with Abu Simbel and a Luxor balloon flight is from $580 per person (rated 4.5 from 555 reviews), and a plain 3-night cruise with a guide is from $450. Both say "5-star ship or similar": the operator chooses the ship, so ask for its name, cabin deck and the list of included entry fees.
| 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.
On this package GetYourGuide is the cheapest platform today at from $580; the ship, cabin, inclusions and dates may differ between listings.
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
On a local cruise, budget for what Avalon's package covers. Entry fees for the eight sites of a standard cruise come to EGP 4,060 per foreign adult if not included, and agencies suggest tips of roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew plus US$10–15 per person per day for the guide. Our Nile cruise prices guide shows the full sum.
What travellers say about MS Farah
We have not collected guest reviews of MS Farah, so we won't summarise opinions. When you read reviews elsewhere, check the date: Avalon cancelled its Farah sailings earlier in 2026 and resumed in September 2026, and an older review may describe the 2010 layout rather than the current 55 cabins. Questions worth asking Avalon or your agent:
- Which deck your cabin is on, and whether the window opens.
- Whether entry fees for every listed site, including any extra tombs, are in the price.
- How tips are handled on the cruise and in Cairo.
- The flight times inside Egypt, since early flights shape the first and last days.
How to book MS Farah
Book through Avalon Waterways or a travel agent that sells Avalon. The ship has no official website of its own that we could find, and Avalon does not publish who owns it. Our Avalon Nile cruise review looks at the line itself: how its package compares with Viking, Uniworld and AmaWaterways.
For the 10-day trip, the main decision is the departure month. Late October to April gives the most comfortable sightseeing; see when to go.
Compare a 3-night 5-star cruisefrom $580Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Alternatives to the Farah Nile cruise
- Another international line: Viking runs its own ships in a 12-day Cairo programme from $6,999; Uniworld's 12-day trip starts at $6,099, and AmaWaterways lists its 11-night programme from €2,740 cruise-only on its European site.
- A UK package with flights: TUI's Nile cruise on its own ships, 7 nights from Luxor in winter.
- A local 5-star cruise: 3 or 4 nights between Luxor and Aswan, booked on a platform or with an agency; see our Luxor to Aswan cruise guide and the list of reviewed ships.
- More luxury on the water: smaller ships such as the Oberoi Zahra include entry fees and guiding in the rate.
FAQ
Who operates the Farah Nile cruise?
MS Farah is the Nile ship Avalon Waterways uses for its Egypt programmes. Avalon sells it but does not own it, and the owner is not published by Avalon.
How many cabins does MS Farah have?
55 according to Avalon: 51 deluxe cabins and 4 Royal Suites. An older 2010 fact sheet showed a different layout.
How much is an MS Farah Nile cruise?
Avalon's 10-day Taste of Egypt costs from $4,949 per person sharing (6 May 2027 departure), including flights inside Egypt. The 14-day version with Jordan is from $7,348.
Can I book MS Farah without Avalon?
We could not confirm that. Avalon is the seller we could verify; if an agency offers the ship, ask for written confirmation of the sailing date and who sells the cabin.
Does MS Farah have a pool?
Yes, a pool on the sun deck, along with a spa.
Is there a cheaper alternative to the Farah Nile cruise?
A local 3-night 5-star cruise from Aswan to Luxor starts from $450 per person on GetYourGuide, on a ship the operator assigns ("5-star ship or similar"). It covers the river only, without Cairo or flights.