The MS Mayfair Nile cruise is a good choice if you want to know the full price before you sail. Mayfair Cruises is one of the very few Nile companies that publishes a rate sheet, and its per-night prices include monument entrance fees, guided sightseeing, meals and airport transfers, the items that usually turn a cheap cruise into an expensive one. The ship itself is a solid large 5-star with Juliet-balcony cabins and a pool. The catches: it does not sail from June to August, and there is no lift.
- Operator
- Mayfair Cruises
- Type
- Large 5-star cruise ship, the company's flagship
- Built / refurbished
- Launched October 2010
- Cabins
- 74 guest cabins: Deluxe 20 m² with Juliet balcony, a few with veranda, 2 Royal Suites
- Pool
- Yes, with two hot tubs
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan: 3, 4 and 7 nights
- How it is sold
- Direct (published per-night rates including sightseeing and entry fees) and through agencies
- Sister ships
- M.S. Esplanade, M.S. Mayflower
- Status
- Sailing mid-September to early May; no sailings June–August
Source: mayfaircruises.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Cabins
- 4/5Deluxe 20 m² with French Juliet balcony; few verandas
- Food and service
- 4/5Praised in an independent review; drinks are expensive
- Itinerary
- 4/5Standard Luxor–Aswan programme, plus a 7-night round trip
- Value
- 4/5$230–330 per night with entry fees and guide included
- Transparency
- 5/5Published rates, inclusions, supplements and tipping guidance
- Accessibility
- 2/5No lift: stairs only between decks
Pros
- Rates published per person per night, with entry fees, guided tours and airport transfers included
- Tipping guidance printed in advance, so no awkward guesswork on the last night
- Sun deck pool with two hot tubs, and a spa
- Sister ships with the same rate sheet give you more departure days
Cons
- No sailings June to August, and the season ends in the first week of May
- No lift between decks
- Most cabins have a Juliet balcony you cannot step out on; verandas cost 20 % more
- Wi-Fi is weak and alcohol is expensive, according to one detailed review
The ship: decks, cabins and pool
Mayfair was launched in October 2010. It is 74.5 m long and 14.2 m wide (1,300 gross tonnes) and is certified by the Polish Register of Shipping, according to the company. It carries 74 guest cabins on three decks, which makes it a large ship by Nile standards:
- Nile Deck: the restaurant and spa (plus six tour-leader cabins).
- Main Deck: 22 Deluxe cabins.
- Upper First Deck: 30 Deluxe, 2 Deluxe with veranda and 2 single cabins.
- Bel Air Deck: 8 Deluxe Executive, 8 Deluxe Executive with veranda and the 2 Royal Suites (38 m², with veranda).
- Sun Deck: the pool and two hot tubs.
Standard Deluxe cabins measure 20 m² and have a French Juliet balcony: a full-height window that opens, with a rail, but no space to sit outside. If a real veranda matters, book one of the twelve veranda cabins or suites early; there are not many.
The company's other ships are its sisters Esplanade, launched in 2013, and Mayflower, launched in 2019. Mayfair Cruises also lists yachts as "coming soon".
Itinerary and weekdays
Mayfair Cruises sells three programmes across its fleet:
- 4 nights Luxor → Aswan, with 12 guided tours.
- 3 nights Aswan → Luxor, with 10–11 tours. The company's rate sheet says the 3-night cruise starts from Aswan on its sister Mayflower, not on Mayfair.
- 7 nights Luxor → Luxor, with 17 tours. Dendera and the balloon are not part of it.
An agency lists Mayfair departures on Monday from Luxor and Friday from Aswan; confirm the day for your dates with the company, since weekdays decide which ship you sail on. Two practical rules from the rate sheet: on the 3-night cruise, book a flight after 17:00 on the last day, and Abu Simbel needs one extra night on board.
The route itself is the classic one: Luxor's temples and the West Bank, the Esna lock, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan. Our Luxor to Aswan cruise guide explains the day-by-day pattern most ships follow.
- 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: the published rate sheet
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 |
Supplements: upper-deck Deluxe +10 %, Deluxe with veranda +20 %, Presidential and Royal Suites +75 % (suites include unlimited local drinks and a daily minibar). Drinks, laundry, room service and the minibar are extra in other cabins.
A 4-night cruise in a double in February therefore costs $1,320 per person, entry fees and guide included. For comparison, the entrance fees alone for the eight sites of a standard cruise come to EGP 4,060 per adult when a package leaves them out. One agency lists Mayfair from $1,250.
For the total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027, the company runs special departures on 29 July and 2 August at $950 per person per night in a double.
| 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) ↗
How it compares with the platforms
No booking platform sells Mayfair by name. The closest bookable cruise is a 3-night Aswan to Luxor package on GetYourGuide, 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), or from $450 with a guide (From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide). Both run on "a 5-star ship or similar", and most listings don't say whether entry fees are included, so check the "includes" list. Today GetYourGuide is cheaper than Headout for the same package; ship, cabin and inclusions 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.
Tips and extras
Mayfair Cruises prints its tipping guidance in advance: $10 per person per day for the crew, in cash at reception, and $5–7 per person per day for the guide. Budget for drinks on top, since alcohol is not included in Deluxe cabins. Optional extras such as Abu Simbel and the Luxor balloon are not in the standard rate.
What travellers say
We have one detailed independent blog review to go on. It praises the food, the staff and the pool, and complains about weak Wi-Fi, expensive alcohol and the lack of a lift: every deck is reached by stairs. If you have limited mobility, ask the company which cabins need the fewest stairs before you book.
Beyond that, check the points that matter on any ship: the exact cabin deck, whether your dates sail on Mayfair or a sister, and whether the 3-night option suits your flight times.
How to book MS Mayfair
Book direct through mayfaircruises.com (the company lists an email address for reservations), or through an Egyptian or international agency. Booking direct gives you the published rate and inclusions; an agency may add Cairo, flights and transfers. Either way, ask for:
- the ship's name on your confirmation (Mayfair, Esplanade or Mayflower);
- your cabin category and deck;
- the cancellation terms and deposit.
If you are travelling between June and August, Mayfair is not an option: see our best Nile cruises for ships that sail all year.
Alternatives to MS Mayfair
- MS Esplanade: same company and rate sheet, Saturday from Luxor and Wednesday from Aswan.
- Sonesta Moon Goddess: balcony cabins, sails all year, sightseeing extra if you book direct.
- Mövenpick: several ships, Hamees sails through summer.
- Budget cruises: if the price matters more than the inclusions.
- Nile cruise prices: how Mayfair's rates compare with the rest of the market.
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
MS Mayfair Nile cruise: questions
How much is the MS Mayfair Nile cruise?
From $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. A 4-night cruise in high season costs $1,320 per person, with entrance fees, guided sightseeing, meals and airport transfers included.
Does MS Mayfair sail in summer?
No. Mayfair Cruises does not operate in June, July or August because of the heat. The season runs from the second week of September to the first week of May.
Do MS Mayfair cabins have balconies?
Standard Deluxe cabins (20 m²) have a French Juliet balcony, a window that opens with a rail but no space to sit. Twelve cabins and suites have a real veranda, at a 20 % supplement or more.
Is there a lift on MS Mayfair?
No. Decks are linked by stairs only, so travellers with limited mobility should ask the company which cabins need the fewest stairs.
Are MS Mayfair and MS Esplanade the same company?
Yes. Both belong to Mayfair Cruises, together with Mayflower, and share the same rate sheet and season.