The Grand Rose Nile cruise is a real, bookable ship, but it is one of the least documented on the river. Our verdict: book it only if an agency offers it at a clear discount to the better-known ships on the same Saturday/Wednesday rhythm, and only once the agency confirms the inclusions in writing.
- Type
- Cruise ship
- Class
- 3.5 stars on Hotels.com; agencies sell it as 5-star
- Cabins
- 65 (booking-site listing)
- Pool
- Yes
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan: 4 and 7 nights from Luxor, 3 nights from Aswan
- Embarks
- Luxor on Saturday, Aswan on Wednesday
- How it is sold
- Booking sites and agencies; operating company not published
- Status
- Listed for sale
Our scores
- Itinerary
- 3.5/5Saturday from Luxor, Wednesday from Aswan, 7-night round trip possible
- Cabins
- 2.5/565 units; no cabin sizes, deck plan or balcony details published
- Facilities
- 3/5Outdoor pool and spa; Wi-Fi charged extra
- Value
- 3/5$735 agency fare vs platform 3-night cruises from $450
- Transparency
- 2/5No operator site; star rating differs by seller
- Booking ease
- 2.5/5Agencies and hotel booking sites only
Pros
- Saturday and Wednesday departures, useful if your flights don't fit the common Monday/Friday ships.
- A 7-night round trip from Luxor is listed as well as the one-way trips.
- Outdoor pool and a spa.
Cons
- Operating company not published; no official website found.
- Rated 3.5 stars on Hotels.com while agencies call it 5-star.
- Wi-Fi costs extra, and like most ships it will be patchy while sailing.
- No public cabin plan: you can't check your deck or window before booking.
What the Grand Rose is
The ship appears on hotel booking sites as "Orient Grand Rose Nile Cruise", with 65 units, an outdoor pool and a spa. No company publishes the ship under its own name, and we found no official website. That matters: when something goes wrong, you deal with the agency that sold it, not with an owner who publishes terms.
The star rating is the clearest warning. Hotels.com shows it as 3.5 stars, while Egyptian agencies sell it as 5-star. Most ships sold to foreigners call themselves five-star; the label covers a wide range, and there is no public ministry list of rated Nile ships. Treat the Grand Rose as a mid-range ship and judge it on price.
Itinerary and sailing days
The listing gives three sailings:
- 4 nights from Luxor, every Saturday, upstream to Aswan (arriving Wednesday).
- 3 nights from Aswan, every Wednesday, downstream to Luxor (arriving Saturday).
- 7 nights from Luxor, every Saturday, the two legs joined as a round trip.
Expect the standard sites: Karnak and Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut on the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and the High Dam and Philae at Aswan. The exact day-by-day isn't published, so ask the agency for it. Two questions matter: does the 3-night trip visit Karnak and Luxor Temple before or after check-out on the last morning, and does the 4-night trip reach Kom Ombo after dark? Our Luxor to Aswan and Aswan to Luxor guides show what a good timetable looks like.
On a 7-night trip, remember that the second leg mostly repeats the first; sites aren't visited twice, so the extra nights are river time. See how many nights you need.
- 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.
Grand Rose prices vs a platform cruise
The one agency price we found is from $735 per person for the 4-day (3-night) trip from Aswan to Luxor. The listing doesn't say whether that includes entry fees. If it doesn't, add about EGP 4,060 per adult for the eight sites of a standard cruise, plus drinks and tips.
For comparison, the platforms sell 3-night cruises from Aswan for less, on a "5-star ship or similar" chosen by the operator:
| 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.
Today GetYourGuide's 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel and a Luxor balloon flight (from $580, 4.5 from 555 reviews) undercuts both Headout listings and includes two extras the Grand Rose fare doesn't mention. The plain 4-day cruise from Aswan with a guide starts from $450 and has 654 reviews. Ship, cabin and inclusions differ, and the platform listings don't name the ship: ask for it after booking.
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
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
What travellers should check
We have no reliable body of guest reviews to summarise, so here is what to ask before paying:
Before you book the Grand Rose
- Ask for the full ship name on the quote ("Orient Grand Rose") and a guarantee it won't be swapped "or similar".
- Ask for the cabin deck and window type; with no public deck plan, get it in writing.
- Ask which entry fees, transfers and guide services are included.
- Ask for the day-by-day timetable, especially the last morning of the 3-night trip.
- Check the current rating and recent reviews on the booking site you use.
- Ask about the New Year's Eve gala; many ships charge a compulsory supplement (agencies quote roughly US$50–180 per person).
At busy moorings ships often tie up side by side, so your window may face the next ship; don't pay extra for a "Nile view". There is no official tipping rule; agencies suggest roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew and US$10–15 per person per day for your guide.
Better-documented ships on the same days
If Saturday from Luxor or Wednesday from Aswan suits you, these ships publish more:
- Esplanade: published per-night rates that include sightseeing, entry fees and airport transfers; no June–August sailings.
- JAZ Elite Viceroy: 37 units, 21 of them suites, which gives you the best chance of a balcony.
- Steigenberger Regency: a 52-unit ship on the same days, run by JAZ.
- Concerto and Concerto II: Saturday and Wednesday ships with agency fares.
- Sonesta Star Goddess: the all-suite luxury option on these days.
- Royal Beau Rivage: cheaper (from $465 for 3 nights in summer, sharing a triple), but read about its collision first.
For the bigger picture, see our best Nile cruise ships and the budget guide.
Grand Rose: questions
Is the Grand Rose a 5-star Nile cruise ship?
Agencies sell it as 5-star, but Hotels.com rates it 3.5 stars. There is no public ministry list of rated Nile ships, so judge it on the cabins and price you are offered.
When does the MS Grand Rose sail?
From Luxor every Saturday (4 or 7 nights) and from Aswan every Wednesday (3 nights), according to its booking-site listing.
How much is a Grand Rose Nile cruise?
One agency sells the 4-day (3-night) Aswan to Luxor trip from $735 per person. Check whether entry fees are included; if not, add about EGP 4,060 per adult.
Does the Grand Rose have a pool and Wi-Fi?
It has an outdoor pool and a spa. Wi-Fi is charged (USD 5 a night per one listing) and is usually slow while sailing.
Who operates the Grand Rose Nile cruise?
The operating company is not published. The ship is sold as "Orient Grand Rose" through agencies and hotel booking sites.