The Nile Dolphin cruise is a standard mid-sized Luxor–Aswan ship on the most common weekly rhythm, sold only through Egyptian agencies. Our verdict: a sound choice if an agency quotes you its published fare with entry fees included, but other ships on the same Monday and Friday departures cost less for the same inclusions.
- Type
- Cruise ship sold as 5-star deluxe
- Class
- 5-star deluxe (seller's label)
- Built / refurbished
- Cruising since February 2007 (agency)
- Cabins
- 65: 63 deluxe doubles + 2 suites
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan: 4 nights from Luxor, 3 nights from Aswan
- Embarks
- Luxor on Monday, Aswan on Friday
- How it is sold
- Egyptian agencies; owner not published
- Status
- On sale with agencies
Source: luxorandaswan.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Itinerary
- 3.5/5Monday from Luxor, Friday from Aswan: easy to fit to flights
- Cabins
- 3/563 deluxe doubles and 2 suites; no sizes or deck plan published
- Inclusions
- 3.5/5Agency fare includes entry fees, guide, transfers and full board
- Value
- 3/5$650 for 3 nights in summer vs $436 on Royal Viking, same inclusions
- Transparency
- 2.5/5Fares published by agencies; owner and specs not
- Booking ease
- 2.5/5Agencies only; no platform names the ship
Pros
- Agency fares include entry fees between Luxor and Aswan, so there is no EGP 4,060 surprise.
- Monday/Friday departures fit most flight plans and join into a 7-night round trip.
- Two suites for anyone who wants more space.
- Published summer and winter fares, so you can check a quote.
Cons
- Owner and operator not published.
- Costs more than Royal Viking and Nile Shams on the same days.
- Single fares are high: $1,115–1,315 for 3 nights.
- No published cabin sizes, deck plan or window details.
Nile Dolphin cruise: what the ship is
The agency that sells it describes MS Nile Dolphin as a "5-star deluxe floating hotel" with 63 deluxe double cabins and 2 suites, cruising since February 2007. The owner is not published, and we found no official ship website. 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 it as a solid mid-range ship and judge it by the cabin you are offered.
It is not a dolphin trip. The dolphin-watching boat trips sold in Hurghada on the Red Sea are something else entirely. If you want a Nile cruise from the coast, see Nile cruises from Hurghada.
Itinerary: Monday from Luxor, Friday from Aswan
The Nile Dolphin follows the most common pattern on the river:
- 4 nights from Luxor, every Monday, upstream to Aswan (arriving Friday).
- 3 nights from Aswan, every Friday, downstream to Luxor (arriving Monday).
- The two legs can be joined into a 7-night round trip; on the second leg the sites are not repeated, so the extra nights are river time.
The ship's own day-by-day isn't published, but ships on this rhythm visit the same sites: Karnak and Luxor Temple, the West Bank (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut), Edfu, Kom Ombo, and the High Dam and Philae at Aswan. On the Friday 3-night trip, ask whether Karnak and Luxor Temple come after check-out on Monday morning, and book your flight out of Luxor for the afternoon. On the Monday 4-night trip, ask whether Kom Ombo is visited after dark (the temple admits until 20:00). Our Luxor to Aswan and Aswan to Luxor guides go through a typical timetable.
- 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.
Nile Dolphin prices
Agency fares in USD per adult in a double cabin, including full board, transfers, a guide and the entry fees between Luxor and Aswan:
| Trip | May–August | September–April |
|---|---|---|
| 3 nights from Aswan (Friday) | $650 | $785 |
| 4 nights from Luxor (Monday) | $790 | $895 |
| Single cabin, 3 nights | $1,115–1,315 | |
| Single cabin, 4 nights | $1,260–1,460 |
Not included: drinks, tips, Abu Simbel, the balloon and extra tombs such as Tutankhamun's. Holiday periods are priced separately; expect a compulsory New Year's Eve gala supplement on many ships (agencies quote roughly US$50–180 per person).
These numbers sit in the middle of the market. Royal Viking, on the same Monday/Friday days, is sold for $436 / $646 for 3 nights with the same inclusions (see our Royal ships page). Nile Shams is cheaper again at $406 / $616. The Royal Esadora is quoted at exactly the same fares as the Nile Dolphin, which shows how agencies price ships in bands rather than one by one. If an agency quotes you more than $785 for 3 nights in winter, ask why.
Nile Dolphin vs a platform cruise
No platform sells the Nile Dolphin by name. The closest bookable alternative is a 3-night cruise from Aswan on a "5-star ship or similar", where the operator picks the ship:
| 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) is cheaper than both Headout listings and adds two excursions the Nile Dolphin fare leaves out. Check whether it includes entry fees; if not, budget EGP 4,060 per adult for the eight sites of a standard cruise. For the 4-night direction, the Luxor 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel starts from $690 (4.6 from 132). Ship, cabin and inclusions differ; ask the operator for the ship's name 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
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
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
What travellers should check
We don't have a reliable set of guest reviews to report, so here is what to confirm before you pay:
Booking the Nile Dolphin
- Get "MS Nile Dolphin" written on the quote and the confirmation, not "or similar".
- Ask for the cabin deck and window type; lower-deck cabins on some ships have only portholes.
- Confirm that entry fees are included, as on the published fare, and which tombs are extra.
- Ask for the day-by-day, especially the last morning before check-out.
- Ask about the gala supplement if you travel over New Year.
At busy moorings ships often tie up side by side, so your window may face the next ship. Wi-Fi on Nile ships is usually slow and patchy while sailing. There is no official tipping 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.
Alternatives on Monday and Friday
- Sonesta St George and Sonesta Moon Goddess: bookable direct, with a published child policy; sightseeing is extra on direct bookings.
- Mövenpick ships: a hotel brand behind them; Royal Lily and Royal Lotus pause June–August, while Hamees sails all year.
- Historia: bookable like a hotel through SLH, with agency fares from $1,339 for 3 nights.
- Royal Ruby, Nile Premium and Nile Style: other agency ships on the same days.
To compare classes and budgets, see our guides to Nile cruise prices and the 4-day Nile cruise.
Nile Dolphin: questions
Is the Nile Dolphin cruise a dolphin-watching trip?
No. MS Nile Dolphin is a Luxor–Aswan river cruise ship. Dolphin-watching boat trips are sold in Hurghada on the Red Sea.
How much does the MS Nile Dolphin cost?
Agencies sell it from $650 per person for 3 nights in summer ($785 in winter) and $790 for 4 nights ($895 in winter), sharing a double, with entry fees included.
When does the Nile Dolphin sail?
Every Monday from Luxor for 4 nights and every Friday from Aswan for 3 nights; the two legs make a 7-night round trip.
How many cabins does the MS Nile Dolphin have?
65 units: 63 deluxe double cabins and 2 suites, according to the agency that sells it.
Who owns the Nile Dolphin?
The owner is not published. The ship is sold through Egyptian agencies, not on GetYourGuide, Headout or Tiqets.