MS Salacia Nile cruise: our review of the all-suite ship

The MS Salacia Nile cruise sells space. The ship was converted so that it carries no more than 59 guests in 31 suites, on a hull of a size that normally takes 140–160. Our verdict: a good-value upper-range choice for travellers who hate crowded sun decks, with a published price list that actually says what is included. You pay more than on a standard ship, but you get space and far fewer fellow passengers.

The ship: an all-suite MS Salacia

Salacia is a conversion. Instead of rows of standard cabins, the hull holds 31 units:

• 1 Master Suite, about 65 m²
• 18 Royal Suites, about 28 m²
• 9 Stateroom Suites, about 21 m²
• 3 Single Staterooms, about 15 m²

That adds up to a maximum of 59 guests on 5 decks, with a pool and bar on the Lido Terrace and a separate sun deck, the Sahara Terrace. Memphis Tours quotes a crew-to-guest ratio of about one to one. For comparison, a typical 5-star ship on the same route takes 100–150 guests or more.

The Stateroom Suites, at about 21 m², are close in size to a standard cabin on a good ship, so the Royal Suite is the one that really changes the experience. The three single staterooms are useful for solo travellers; the published single fares are for those or for sole use of a larger cabin, so ask which.

Neither the owner nor the conversion date is published. Salacia is sometimes listed as a five-star ship, but most Nile ships sold to foreigners call themselves five-star and Egypt publishes no official list, so judge it by the numbers above.

Salacia itinerary and weekdays

Memphis Tours sells Salacia on Saturday from Luxor (4 nights) and Wednesday from Aswan (3 nights), all year. Another agency shows Friday and Monday instead, so confirm the day with whoever you book with before you buy flights. The Saturday/Wednesday rhythm is shared with ships such as the Sonesta Star Goddess, Steigenberger Regency, JAZ Elite Viceroy, Esplanade, Concerto and Concerto II.

The route is the standard one: West Bank, the Esna lock, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan's Philae and High Dam. The 4-night version from Luxor adds a full Aswan day; the 3-night version from Aswan compresses Kom Ombo and Edfu into one day. Our Luxor to Aswan and Aswan to Luxor guides have the day-by-day.

Salacia Nile cruise price

Memphis Tours publishes these fares per person, valid to 30 April 2027 (Christmas, New Year and Easter are priced separately):

Included: transfers, full board, entry fees for the standard sites, a shared Egyptologist guide (groups of 15–20), the horse carriage at Edfu, the motorboat to Philae and Wi-Fi. Excluded: visa, Abu Simbel, the Luxor balloon flight (US$129), sound and light shows, the ticket for Tutankhamun's tomb, drinks and tips. Memphis Tours suggests US$8–12 per day for the crew and US$10–15 per day for the guide. A 25 % deposit secures the booking, with the balance due two days before arrival.

Two things to do with that list. First, the balloon: US$129 through the cruise against about $63–96 on the platforms, so book the Luxor balloon yourself. Second, the maths: in winter you pay about $400 per person per night with entry fees included. MS Mayfair publishes $330 per night including sightseeing, and A&K's Sun Boat IV costs $3,235 for 4 nights. Salacia sits between the two, closer to the upper 5-star ships than to the luxury lines.

Salacia or a platform cruise?

No platform sells Salacia by name. The comparable listing we would book instead is the 3-night cruise from Aswan with Abu Simbel and a Luxor balloon flight, from $580 with 555 reviews (4.5). It is sold as "a 5-star ship or similar", so you will be on a standard-size ship with far more guests, and whether the entry fees are included depends on the listing. Check "includes"; if they are excluded, budget EGP 4,060 per adult for the eight core sites (official prices).

GetYourGuide is the cheapest of the three today and the only one with a real review history. Ship, cabin, inclusions and dates may differ. Most GetYourGuide bookings can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead, but multi-day cruises may differ, so check the listing.

⛵ Aswan

GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan

From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight

4.5 (555)

from $580Check dates

⛵ Aswan

GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan

From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide

4.3 (654)

from $450Check dates

⛵ Aswan

GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan

Aswan: 4-Day Private Nile Cruise to Luxor with Balloon Ride

4.2 (261)

from $643Check dates

⛵ Aswan

GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan

From Aswan: 4-Day, 3-Night Nile Cruise with Hot Air Balloon

4.5 (168)

from $550Check dates

⛵ Cairo

GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Cairo

From Cairo: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Balloon Flight

4.5 (157)

from $1,300Check dates

⛵ Luxor

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

What travellers say about the Salacia Nile cruise

We have not collected enough reviews of Salacia to report common themes, and the review figures that sellers show are their own. Before you pay the deposit, ask:

• Which suite category and deck you are booked in, in writing.
• Which weekday the ship leaves on your dates, and where it moors in Luxor and Aswan.
• Whether the guide's group is really 15–20 people on your departure.
• What the Christmas, New Year or Easter supplement is, if you travel then.

How to book Salacia

The main seller is Memphis Tours, the Egyptian agency founded in 1955, which publishes the fares above on its website. Other Egyptian agencies resell the ship too. Get the ship name, cabin category, inclusions and cancellation terms on your confirmation before paying.

Alternatives to Salacia

• Also all-suite, operator-published: the Sonesta Star Goddess, 33 suites with terraces, also on Saturday/Wednesday.
• Published rates with fees included: MS Mayfair, no sailings June–August.
• Real luxury: the Oberoi and A&K ships in our luxury Nile cruise guide.

Salacia Nile cruise: questions