MS Nile Shams is a sound choice for a cheap Nile cruise on a named ship, especially in summer, when 3 nights cost $406 per person with the entry fees paid. What you don't get is information: no official website, no published cabin count or star rating, and no owner named. Book it for the price and the route, and ask the agency the questions below before paying.
- Type
- Budget-priced cruise ship
- Pool
- Yes (about 9.7 × 8.8 m)
- 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
- Value
- 4.5/5From $406 for 3 nights with entry fees and guide, one of the lowest fares on the river
- Facilities
- 3/5Large sun-deck pool, restaurant for 150, lounge bar with disco
- Itinerary
- 3.5/5The standard Luxor–Aswan sites on the common Monday/Friday loop
- Transparency
- 2.5/5Clear price table, but no cabin count, owner, age or star rating published
- Booking ease
- 2.5/5Egyptian agencies only; not sold by name on the booking platforms
Pros
- One of the cheapest ships with a published price table
- Entry fees, guide and excursions included in the agency fare
- Sun-deck pool of about 9.7 × 8.8 m
- Monday/Friday departures, the easiest days to match with flights
Cons
- No official website, no published deck plan or cabin count
- No published star rating; "five-star" claims are the seller's
- Winter fares are $210 higher than summer for 3 nights
- Single cabins cost much more than sharing
MS Nile Shams: the ship
"Shams" means sun in Arabic. What the agency that sells it publishes is short: a sun-deck pool of 9.70 × 8.80 metres and 150 cm deep, a restaurant seating 150, and a lounge bar with a disco. At 150 cm the pool is fine for swimming but has no shallow end mentioned, so small children need watching.
The cabin count, cabin size, number of decks, build year and owner are not published anywhere we could find. That is common among independent Nile ships, but it means you should ask:
- which deck your cabin is on, and whether it has a window or a porthole (on some ships, such as Mövenpick's Hamees, lower-deck cabins have portholes only);
- whether the cabin has a French balcony;
- how old the ship is and when it was last refurbished.
Is the Nile Shams a five-star ship?
No official answer exists. 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. Judge the Nile Shams by its price and facilities, not by a star label.
Nile Shams cruise itinerary
The Nile Shams leaves Luxor every Monday for 4 nights upstream to Aswan and Aswan every Friday for 3 nights downstream to Luxor. The two legs make a 7-night round trip if you book both. The route is the standard one: Luxor, the Esna lock, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan.
- 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.
Monday/Friday is the most common rhythm on the Nile, shared with Sonesta, Mövenpick and many independent ships. That makes the programme predictable. On the 4-night cruise from Luxor you typically see Karnak and Luxor Temple on day 1, the West Bank on day 2, Edfu and Kom Ombo on day 3, and Aswan's sights on day 4. The 3-night cruise from Aswan packs Kom Ombo and Edfu into one day. Our guides to Luxor to Aswan and Aswan to Luxor give the full day-by-day; ask the agency for the Nile Shams's own timetable.
Nile Shams cruise prices
The agency publishes this table, in US dollars per person for the whole cruise:
| Cruise | Season | Double | Triple | Single |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 nights from Aswan | May–August | $406 | $361 | $584 |
| 3 nights from Aswan | September–April | $616 | $571 | $836 |
| 4 nights from Luxor | May–August | $455 | $402 | $674 |
| 4 nights from Luxor | September–April | $685 | $632 | $960 |
The fare includes full board, guided excursions with an English-speaking guide, entry fees for the standard sites, transfers on Luxor's East Bank and taxes. Drinks, tips and optional tours are extra, and Christmas, New Year and Easter are priced separately. For children's fares, ask the agency.
Three things the table tells you:
- Summer saves $210 on 3 nights and $230 on 4 nights. The price of that saving is heat: Luxor and Aswan average 39–42 °C by day from May to September.
- The fourth night is cheap. In summer, 4 nights from Luxor cost only $49 more than 3 nights from Aswan, for a calmer programme and an extra afternoon in Aswan.
- Triple cabins save a little, about $45–55 per person.
On top, budget for tips: agencies suggest roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew and US$10–15 per day for the guide. Optional extras such as Abu Simbel or the Luxor balloon are not in the fare.
How it compares with a platform cruise
The cheapest well-reviewed platform cruise, 3 nights Aswan → Luxor with guide, is from $450 per person (4.3 from 654 reviews). It doesn't name the ship, and most such listings don't say whether entry fees are included. If they are not, add EGP 4,060 per adult for the eight core sites, which makes the Nile Shams the better deal on paper, especially in summer.
The only platform cruise that promises entry fees is a Headout 3-night listing from $325, which has no reviews yet. For the bundle with Abu Simbel and a balloon flight, GetYourGuide is cheaper than Headout today:
| 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.
What travellers say
We have not collected guest reviews for the Nile Shams, so we won't summarise any. Instead, check three things before you book: the cabin deck and window type, the ship's age or last refurbishment, and that your confirmation names MS Nile Shams and the departure day. On cheap cruises, agencies sometimes move guests to another ship of the same price; a written confirmation protects you.
How to book MS Nile Shams
There is no official Nile Shams website and the ship is not sold by name on GetYourGuide, Headout or Tiqets. Book it through an Egyptian agency that lists it with a price table.
Booking the Nile Shams safely
- Ask for a written quote naming MS Nile Shams, the departure day and the cabin type.
- Check the inclusions: entry fees, guide, transfers, and which sites are visited.
- Ask about Christmas, New Year and Easter prices if you travel then.
- Confirm how much deposit is needed and the cancellation terms.
- Pay only to an agency that gives you a full programme and its contact details.
Alternatives to the Nile Shams
- Other budget ships: Semiramis III (4 nights $455 in summer, entry fees included, Thursday from Luxor), Royal Viking (3 nights $436, Monday/Friday; see the ships named "Royal") and Chateau Lafayette (triple-share from $479).
- A small step up: Mayfair publishes its own rates, from $230 per person per night with entry fees and airport transfers, from September to May.
- A platform cruise with reviews: the listings in our budget Nile cruise guide.
Our Nile cruise prices guide puts all the price levels side by side.
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
Aswan to Luxor: 3-Nights Felucca Sail to El Silsila, Luxor
5.0 (1)
from $450Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide
4.3 (654)
from $450Check dates
GetYourGuide2 nightsFrom Aswan
Aswan to Luxor: 2-Night Felucca Sail to Kom Ombo, End Luxor
No reviews yet
from $340Check dates
Headout3 nightsFrom Aswan
4-Day 5-Star Nile Cruise with Egyptologist, Transfers and Entrance Fees
No reviews yet
from $325Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight
4.5 (555)
from $580Check dates
GetYourGuide7 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 8-Day Nile River Cruise to Luxor with Guide
4.5 (2)
from $1,258Check dates
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
MS Nile Shams: questions
How much is the Nile Shams cruise?
From $406 per person for 3 nights Aswan → Luxor in May–August and $616 in September–April; 4 nights from Luxor cost $455 or $685. Entry fees and guiding are included in the agency fare; tips and drinks are extra.
What days does MS Nile Shams sail?
Every Monday from Luxor (4 nights to Aswan) and every Friday from Aswan (3 nights to Luxor).
Is the Nile Shams a 5-star ship?
No official rating is published, and there is no public list of rated Nile ships. Judge it by price and facilities rather than stars.
Does the Nile Shams have a pool?
Yes, on the sun deck: about 9.70 × 8.80 metres and 150 cm deep.
Can I book the Nile Shams on GetYourGuide?
Not by name. Platform cruises assign "a 5-star ship or similar"; to sail on the Nile Shams, book through an Egyptian agency and make sure the confirmation names the ship.