A TUI Nile cruise is the simplest Nile holiday to buy from the UK: one booking covers the flight to Luxor, the transfer and seven all-inclusive nights on a TUI-branded ship. Our verdict in one sentence: good value for the drinks, the flight and the two long stays in Luxor and Aswan, but the headline price covers only two excursions, so Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Philae cost extra.
- Operator
- TUI River Cruises (TUI UK)
- Type
- UK tour operator's own branded Nile ships
- Built / refurbished
- Al Horeya refurbished, first TUI sailing 7 Nov 2024; Bahareya first TUI sailing 4 Nov 2025
- Cabins
- Al Horeya 72 cabins (141 passengers); Bahareya 68 cabins (136 passengers)
- Route
- 7-night all-inclusive round trips from Luxor via Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan
- Embarks
- Winter only, with TUI flights from Gatwick and Manchester to Luxor
- How it is sold
- TUI UK packages with flights, also as cruise & stay with a Luxor or Hurghada hotel
- Status
- Sailing in winter (November to April)
Source: tui.co.uk ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Ships and cabins
- 4/5Refurbished ship and a second one added; French-balcony cabins on the lead grade
- Itinerary
- 4/5Seven nights with two in Luxor and two in Aswan; every cruise starts and ends in Luxor
- Inclusions
- 3/5All-inclusive drinks, but only Edfu and Kom Ombo excursions at launch
- Value
- 3.5/5From £1,499 with flights looked strong; the extras narrow the gap
- Transparency
- 3.5/5Current-season prices need a live search on TUI's site
- Booking ease
- 4.5/5One UK booking for flight, transfer and ship
Pros
- Own TUI-branded ships, sold only to TUI customers
- Non-stop TUI flights from Gatwick and Manchester to Luxor
- All-inclusive, so no bar bill at the end
- Two nights in Luxor and two in Aswan, rather than a rushed 3-night run
- Cruise & stay option with a Luxor or Hurghada hotel
- Two Egyptologists per sailing (at launch)
Cons
- Only Edfu and Kom Ombo excursions included at launch; Karnak, Philae and the West Bank are extras
- Winter only: no summer sailings
- Flights only from Gatwick and Manchester
- A 7-night loop repeats the Luxor–Aswan stretch in both directions
- Children: TUI River Cruises is an adults-only brand, so check before booking with kids
TUI Nile cruise ships: TUI Al Horeya and TUI Bahareya
TUI does not resell other companies' ships on its UK Nile programme. It runs two of its own, branded and sold by TUI River Cruises:
- TUI Al Horeya: a refurbished five-star ship that made its first TUI sailing on 7 November 2024. It has 72 cabins (singles, standard cabins and suites) for 141 passengers (TUI press release). An earlier TUI release gave a slightly larger figure; the launch-day numbers are the ones to trust.
- TUI Bahareya: the second Nile ship, the sixth in the TUI River Cruises fleet, with 68 cabins (standard French-balcony and superior cabins) for 136 passengers. Its first sailings were on 4 November 2025.
Both are mid-sized by Nile standards, where most cruise ships carry 50–80 cabins. The lead cabin grade in TUI's published prices is a Deck 2 Superior French Balcony cabin. A French balcony is a full-height window that opens, not a balcony you can sit on.
TUI River Cruises markets itself as an adults-only brand. TUI's Nile page refers to "adults-only ships" in general terms, so if you are travelling with anyone under 18, confirm with TUI before you book.
Don't confuse these ships with a "JAZ Bahareya" that appears in the JAZ fleet listings. We found nothing that links the two.
Itinerary: 7 nights from Luxor
Every TUI Nile cruise is a 7-night round trip from Luxor: two nights in Luxor, south via Edfu and Kom Ombo, two nights in Aswan, then back to Luxor. TUI alternates two itineraries, "Legends of the Nile" and "Ancient Gods and famous Pharaohs". The order of sites is the same; check TUI's daily programme for your departure.
Start
Luxor
Fly from Gatwick or Manchester, transfer to the ship; two nights in Luxor. Karnak and Luxor Temple are optional excursionsmoored
South
Edfu
Temple of Horus, includedsail through the Esna lock
South
Kom Ombo
The temple at Kom Ombo, includedsail on to Aswan
Two nights
Aswan
Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk; Nubian village by felucca: optional excursionsmoored
Return
Luxor
Sail back north to Luxor, transfer to the airportdownstream
The round trip is the reason a TUI cruise feels slower than a local 3- or 4-night trip. On a 4-night cruise from Luxor you see the same temples, but you are back in Aswan by day 4 and off the ship the next morning. On TUI you have two full Luxor days and two Aswan days, which suits a first-timer who wants to take it in at an easy pace. Our 7-night cruise guide explains how the round trips work on other ships.
- 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.
TUI Nile cruise excursions: what's included and what's extra
TUI sells the cruise as all-inclusive: cabin, meals, drinks, flights from the UK and transfers. That is unusual on the Nile, where locally sold cruises are full board with drinks charged on top.
Sightseeing is a different matter. When TUI launched the Nile programme, only two set excursions were in the price: the Temple of Horus at Edfu and Kom Ombo. The rest were optional extras:
- Karnak and Luxor Temple
- The Karnak sound and light show
- A Nubian village with a felucca sail
- The High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae
The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and Abu Simbel are not in the included list either. Budget for them before you compare TUI with a cruise that includes sightseeing. For reference, the official entry fees for foreign adults at the core sites are below.
| 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) ↗
At the official ticket prices, Karnak (EGP 600), Luxor Temple (EGP 500), the Valley of the Kings (EGP 750), Hatshepsut (EGP 440), Philae (EGP 550) and the Unfinished Obelisk (EGP 220) alone add up to EGP 3,060 per adult. Whether tips are included in a TUI package is not stated in what we have seen, so ask TUI; on other Nile cruises agencies suggest roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew plus US$10–15 per day for the guide. Our Nile cruise prices guide has the full list of extras.
TUI Nile cruise prices
TUI's published lead prices from the first two seasons, per person, two adults sharing a Deck 2 Superior French Balcony cabin, all-inclusive with flights and transfers:
| Ship | Departure | From |
|---|---|---|
| TUI Al Horeya | Gatwick, 4 November 2025 | £1,785 |
| TUI Bahareya | Gatwick, 6 January 2026 | £1,499 |
TUI's Nile ships return for winter 2026/27 with flights from Gatwick and Manchester (Travel Weekly, May 2025); check tui.co.uk for this winter's prices and flight days. In the first season the flights ran on Thursdays and in 2025/26 on Tuesdays, so the weekday can change from one winter to the next.
TUI vs a cruise booked on the platforms
For £1,499–1,785 with flights and drinks, TUI is competitive against booking a flight to Luxor and a local cruise yourself. A platform cruise is cheaper per night but shorter and leaves you to arrange flights: the 3-night Aswan to Luxor cruise with Abu Simbel and a Luxor balloon flight is from $580, on "a 5-star ship or similar", and the plain 3-night version with a guide is from $450. Neither names the ship, so ask for its name, cabin deck and the list of included entry fees after booking.
| 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.
For the 3-night package with Abu Simbel and the balloon, GetYourGuide is the cheapest today at from $580; ship, cabin, inclusions and dates may differ between listings. For the 4-night version from Luxor with Abu Simbel, Headout lists it from $590 against $840 on GetYourGuide, but the Headout listing has no reviews yet.
| Platform | Listing | Rating | Price | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headout | From Luxor: 5-Day Nile Cruise with Hot-Air Balloon Ride & Abu Simbel Visit · 4 nights | — | $590 Lowest | See on Headout |
| GetYourGuide | Luxor: 5 Days Nile Cruise with Guided Tours & Abu Simbel · 4 nights | 4.4 (69) | $840 | See on GetYourGuide |
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.
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
GetYourGuide4 nightsFrom Luxor
5 Days 4 Nights Nile Cruise from Luxor, Aswan & Abu simbel
3.8 (12)
from $750Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight
4.5 (555)
from $580Check dates
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
TUI Nile cruise and stay
The cruise & stay version adds a hotel week to the 7-night cruise (TUI cruise & stay):
- Luxor: 7 nights before or after the cruise. Hotels listed include the Sonesta St George Hotel, Hilton Luxor Resort, Iberotel Luxor, Jolie Ville Kings Island, Steigenberger Nile Palace and Steigenberger Achti Resort.
- Hurghada: 8 nights before or 6 nights after the cruise, in Red Sea resorts such as TUI BLUE Makadi Gardens or Steigenberger Makadi.
The Hurghada option is the beach-and-Nile combination; Hurghada is about four hours by road from Luxor. A Luxor stay is the better choice if you want to see the West Bank properly, ride the Luxor balloon or add the temples TUI's cruise leaves out. Our Nile cruise from Hurghada guide compares the options.
TUI Nile cruise reviews: what to check
We have not collected guest reviews for TUI's Nile ships, so we won't summarise them. Before booking, check these points with TUI or on the booking page:
- Which ship sails your date, and whether your cabin grade has a French balcony.
- The included excursions for your season, and the price of each optional one.
- Whether gratuities are included, and how the crew tip is collected.
- The flight day and airport: TUI flies to Luxor from Gatwick and Manchester only. easyJet also flies Gatwick to Luxor seasonally if you build your own trip.
- Age rules if anyone in your party is under 18.
How to book a TUI Nile cruise, and alternatives
TUI's Nile cruises are sold only by TUI, as packages, through tui.co.uk and its river-cruise sales team. No booking platform sells cabins on TUI Al Horeya or TUI Bahareya.
If the TUI dates or airports don't suit you:
- Shorter and cheaper: a 3-night cruise from Aswan or a 4-night cruise from Luxor, booked locally; see our Luxor to Aswan cruise guide.
- Other international lines: Viking and Avalon on MS Farah sell Cairo-plus-cruise programmes at a much higher price with more sightseeing included.
- Timing: TUI sails only in winter, which matches the best weather anyway; see when to go.
Check 3-night cruise datesfrom $580Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
FAQ
What ships does TUI use for its Nile cruise?
TUI River Cruises runs its own two ships: TUI Al Horeya (72 cabins, 141 passengers, first TUI sailing November 2024) and TUI Bahareya (68 cabins, 136 passengers, first sailing November 2025).
What is included in a TUI Nile cruise?
Flights from Gatwick or Manchester, transfers, seven nights all-inclusive on board, and at launch two excursions: Edfu and Kom Ombo. Karnak, Luxor Temple, Philae, the High Dam and the Nubian village were optional extras.
Is the TUI Nile cruise and stay worth it?
If you want a week on the Red Sea or more time in Luxor, yes: it adds 7 nights in Luxor, or 8 before or 6 after in Hurghada, to the cruise in one booking. The Luxor stay is better for sightseeing; Hurghada is about four hours away by road.
How much is a TUI Nile cruise?
TUI's published lead prices were from £1,785 (Al Horeya, November 2025) and from £1,499 (Bahareya, January 2026) per person, sharing, with flights. Check tui.co.uk for the current winter.
When do TUI Nile cruises sail?
In winter only, roughly November to April, with TUI flights to Luxor. There are no summer sailings.
Is the TUI Sonesta St George a ship?
No. On TUI's cruise & stay it is the Sonesta St George Hotel in Luxor. The cruise itself is on TUI Al Horeya or TUI Bahareya.