MS Medea is a well-specified standard cruise ship sold at prices close to the luxury band, and that gap is the whole question. If its Thursday departure fits your dates, it is a comfortable way to do the classic route; if price matters, ships with the same itinerary and similar cabins cost a good deal less.
- Type
- Cruise ship sold as 5-star, priced at the upper end
- Class
- 5-star (seller's label)
- Cabins
- 59, incl. 2 junior suites and 1 single
- Decks
- 4 plus sun deck
- Pool
- Yes
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan: 4 nights from Luxor, 3 nights from Aswan
- Embarks
- Luxor on Thursday, Aswan on Monday
- How it is sold
- Egyptian agencies; owner not published
- Status
- On sale with agencies
Source: luxorandaswan.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Cabins
- 3/5Mostly 20 m² twins and doubles, two 28 m² junior suites, one single
- Itinerary
- 4/5The classic route; Thursday/Monday departures off the Monday/Friday pattern
- Value
- 2/5Up to $1,890 per person for 4 nights in winter, for standard-size cabins
- Transparency
- 3/5Detailed agency spec sheet; owner and build year not published
- Booking ease
- 3/5Through Egyptian agencies only; not on any platform by name
Pros
- Sun deck runs the full length of the ship, with pool and gym equipment
- One single cabin — rare on the Nile
- Thursday from Luxor / Monday from Aswan, a less common rhythm than Monday/Friday
- Agency fares include entry fees, guide and full board
Cons
- Priced close to luxury ships, without luxury cabin sizes
- No balconies mentioned in the ship's description
- Only two suites
- No official website; owner not published
The ship: decks, cabins and sun deck
Medea measures about 72 by 14 metres, with four passenger decks plus the sun deck, and is described by its seller as "approved by Lloyd's". The 59 cabins and suites break down as:
| Cabin type | Number | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | 36 | about 20 m² |
| Double | 18 | about 20 m² |
| Smaller double | 2 | about 16 m² |
| Single | 1 | about 13 m² |
| Junior suite | 2 | about 28 m² |
The restaurant seats 120. The sun deck runs the full length of the ship and holds the pool and some gym equipment; smoking is allowed only up there. The agency's description mentions no balconies, so assume a window and ask before you pay for a "Nile view" — at busy moorings ships often tie up side by side, so your window may face the next ship.
The single cabin is worth knowing about if you travel alone: on most ships a solo traveller pays a supplement for a double. Medea's single is small (about 13 m²) and there is only one, so ask early.
MS Medea Nile cruise itinerary
Medea sails the classic route in both directions, joined into a 7-night round trip:
- 4 nights Luxor → Aswan, every Thursday. The upstream run: Karnak and Luxor Temple, the West Bank (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple), the Esna lock, Edfu, Kom Ombo and, at Aswan, the High Dam and Philae.
- 3 nights Aswan → Luxor, every Monday. The same core temples downstream, with Kom Ombo and Edfu packed into one day.
The seller does not publish an hour-by-hour timetable. The standard pattern for both directions is set out in our guides to the Luxor to Aswan cruise and the Aswan to Luxor cruise. On the upstream run, ships often reach Kom Ombo in the evening — the temple admits visitors until 20:00.
The Thursday/Monday rhythm matters more than it looks. Most of the river's best-known ships embark on Monday and Friday, so a Thursday start from Luxor opens dates that the Monday/Friday ships don't.
MS Medea prices
The agency that publishes Medea's specification also publishes its fares, in US dollars per person for the whole cruise, including full board, excursions, entry fees, an English-speaking guide, East Bank transfers and taxes; drinks, tips and optional tours are extra, and Christmas, New Year and Easter are priced separately:
| Cruise | May–August | September–April |
|---|---|---|
| 3 nights from Aswan, double | $1,051 | $1,575 |
| 4 nights from Luxor, double | $1,236 | $1,890 |
| 3 nights, single | $1,699 | $2,490 |
| 4 nights, single | $2,010 | $3,000 |
Triple-share fares run slightly lower than doubles. For children's fares, ask the agency.
For comparison, agencies list budget five-star-label ships such as Nile Shams from $406 for 3 nights in summer, while agency fares for the newer luxury ships Historia (from $1,339 for 3 nights) and Soleil (about $1,279) are below Medea's winter fare of $1,575. That is a lot for 20 m² cabins. Every price band is in our Nile cruise prices guide.
The platforms sell the same route on unnamed ships. A 4-night cruise from Luxor with Abu Simbel starts from $840 on GetYourGuide, and a 3-night cruise from Aswan with Abu Simbel and a balloon flight costs less again — compare it across platforms:
| 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.
Ship, cabin, inclusions and dates may differ. Platform listings say "5-star ship or similar" and do not name the ship, so you will not know which you are on until the operator tells you — ask for the ship's name, your cabin deck and the list of entry fees included before you pay.
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
Tips are extra. There is no official rule; agencies suggest roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew plus US$10–15 per person per day for your guide, and the ship usually announces its suggested figure at the welcome briefing.
What travellers should check
We have not gathered guest reviews for Medea. If you read reviews elsewhere, look at the date and the cabin type: a review from several seasons ago tells you little about today's food or upkeep. Before booking, ask the agency:
Booking MS Medea without surprises
- Confirm the ship by name — MS Medea — in writing, not "Medea or similar".
- Ask for the cabin type and deck; the two smaller doubles are about 16 m².
- Check the weekday: Thursday from Luxor, Monday from Aswan.
- Ask which entry fees are included — the agency fares above include them; some others may not.
- For Christmas, New Year or Easter, ask for the festive fare and any compulsory gala supplement.
How to book MS Medea
Medea has no official website, and its owner is not published. It is sold by Egyptian agencies, which quote the fares above or their own. No booking platform sells it by name. If you book through a platform you get "a 5-star ship or similar" on the same route — sometimes cheaper, never guaranteed to be this ship.
Alternatives to MS Medea
- Also Thursday from Luxor: the Steigenberger Minerva and Royale (Steigenberger), JAZ Crown Jubilee (JAZ), Mövenpick Sun Ray (Mövenpick) and the German-market Alyssa.
- Similar money, more ship: Salacia, an all-suite conversion for at most 59 guests, from $835 for 3 nights in summer.
- Real luxury: our luxury Nile cruise guide compares Oberoi, A&K and Sonesta.
- Lower prices: best budget Nile cruises.
All reviewed ships are on our Nile cruise ships page.
MS Medea Nile cruise questions
What day does the MS Medea Nile cruise depart?
Thursday from Luxor for the 4-night cruise to Aswan, and Monday from Aswan for the 3-night cruise to Luxor. The two legs join into a 7-night round trip.
How much does the MS Medea Nile cruise cost?
Agency fares start from $1,051 per person for 3 nights in summer and reach $1,890 for 4 nights in winter, in a double cabin, including full board, entry fees and a guide.
How many cabins does MS Medea have?
59: 36 twin and 18 double cabins of about 20 m², two smaller doubles, one single and two junior suites of about 28 m².
Does MS Medea have a pool?
Yes, on the sun deck, which runs the full length of the ship and also has gym equipment.
Is MS Medea a luxury ship?
It is sold as five-star and priced near the luxury band, but its cabins are standard size and only two are suites. Most ships sold to foreigners call themselves five-star; the label covers a wide range.