The MS Tulip Nile cruise is worth a look for two kinds of traveller: solo travellers, because two of its cabins are singles with no single supplement, and anyone who wants a terrace they can actually sit on, which only its 8 Terrace Suites offer. For everyone else it is a recently refurbished, mid-size ship on the standard Monday/Friday loop, priced at the upper-middle of the market by the agency that publishes its fares.
- Type
- Upper-mid-priced cruise ship, recently refurbished (seller)
- Cabins
- 50: 40 cabins with Juliet balcony, 8 Terrace Suites, 2 single cabins without supplement
- 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
- Cabins
- 4/5Juliet balconies on 40 cabins, 8 Terrace Suites, 2 singles
- Facilities
- 3/5Small gym, sauna, large sun deck; a pool is not stated
- Itinerary
- 3/5Standard Monday/Friday loop
- Value
- 3/5Upper-mid agency prices; the same tier table as other ships
- Transparency
- 2/5Owner, refurbishment date and star rating not published
- Booking ease
- 3/5Through agencies only
Pros
- Two single cabins with no single supplement
- 8 Terrace Suites with a balcony you can sit on
- Opening panoramic windows in the standard cabins
- Monday/Friday departures, the same days as many other ships
Cons
- Juliet balconies are not balconies you can sit on
- Upper-mid prices, not budget
- Owner and refurbishment date not published
- Sold only through agencies, with no operator website
The ship: cabins, Terrace Suites and singles
The seller that publishes the Tulip's details describes a ship that "recently underwent a full refurbishment" (no date given), with 50 rooms:
- 40 cabins with opening panoramic windows and a Juliet balcony: a rail across a full-height window, not a space you can step out onto.
- 8 Terrace Suites with a sit-out balcony, the only rooms where you can sit outside in private.
- 2 single cabins on the main deck with no single supplement, rare on the Nile.
On board: a restaurant, a small gym, a sauna and a large sun deck. The seller's page does not mention a pool; ask if that matters to you.
Even a Terrace Suite does not guarantee a view while moored. At busy moorings ships often tie up side by side, so your balcony may face the next ship until you sail.
MS Tulip itinerary
The Tulip leaves Luxor every Monday for 4 nights to Aswan and Aswan every Friday for 3 nights to Luxor. No day-by-day is published for the ship, so ask for its timetable. On the standard loop, the 4-night trip covers Karnak and Luxor Temple, the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, the High Dam and Philae; the 3-night trip from Aswan covers the same sites at a faster pace and sometimes ends with Karnak after check-out. See the Luxor to Aswan cruise and Aswan to Luxor cruise guides for typical timings.
MS Tulip prices
One Egyptian agency publishes these fares per person, in US dollars:
| Trip | May–August, double | May–August, single | September–April, double | September–April, single |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 nights from Aswan | $925 | $1,590 | $1,315 | $1,925 |
| 4 nights from Luxor | $1,100 | $1,725 | $1,615 | $2,460 |
Two things to read into that table. First, these are upper-mid prices: the plain 3-night cruise from Aswan on GetYourGuide starts from $450 on "a 5-star ship or similar". Second, the same price table appears for other ships from the same seller, such as the Acamar. Identical fares across ships usually mean the agency sells a class of cruise, not one ship, so make sure the Tulip is named on your confirmation.
The single fares in the table are the agency's prices for one person travelling alone. The ship's description says its two single cabins carry no supplement, so ask the agency for one of them by name and check the quote.
Ask what each quote includes. If entry fees are excluded, budget EGP 4,060 per foreign adult for the eight sites of a standard cruise. There is no official tipping rule; agencies suggest roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew and US$10–15 per person per day for the guide. Drinks are extra.
Who runs the Tulip?
The owner is not published. A US tour operator, Friendly Planet, lists a "M/S Tulip" in a fleet it calls the Wings Group, but nothing confirms it is the same ship. The Wings domains themselves are parked or unfinished (Wings Tours review). No official website for the Tulip exists that you can book on; it is sold through agencies.
How to book, or what to book instead
Book through an Egyptian agency that names the Tulip on your confirmation and states the cabin type (single, Juliet-balcony cabin or Terrace Suite), the deck and what is included.
If you do not need the single cabin or the Terrace Suite, a platform cruise on the same route may cost less. A 3-night package from Aswan with Abu Simbel and a Luxor balloon flight is sold on two 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.
GetYourGuide is cheapest today, from $580 with 555 reviews (4.5); Headout's versions cost $600 and $700. None names the ship: ask for its name, the deck and the entry-fee list 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
From Aswan: 4-Day, 3-Night Nile Cruise with Hot Air Balloon
4.5 (168)
from $550Check dates
GetYourGuide4 nightsFrom Luxor
Luxor: 5 Days Nile Cruise with Guided Tours & Abu Simbel
4.4 (69)
from $840Check dates
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
Alternatives to the Tulip
- Solo travellers: Nebu has 4 solo cabins; the Royal Ruby (our review) has 2 singles.
- Real balconies: the Sonesta Moon Goddess lists private balconies for 49 of its 53 rooms.
- Same price tier: the Acamar, with the same agency fares and 4 special-needs cabins.
- Lower budgets: best budget Nile cruises, and all ship reviews.
MS Tulip Nile cruise: questions
Does the MS Tulip have balconies?
Its 40 standard cabins have Juliet balconies (a rail across an opening window, not a space to sit). The 8 Terrace Suites have a sit-out balcony.
Is there a single supplement on the MS Tulip?
The ship's description says its 2 single cabins on the main deck carry no supplement. One agency's single fares start from $1,590 for 3 nights in summer, so ask for one of the single cabins by name.
What is the MS Tulip Nile cruise itinerary?
4 nights from Luxor every Monday, or 3 nights from Aswan every Friday, visiting the standard sites between Luxor and Aswan.
How much does the MS Tulip Nile cruise cost?
One agency sells it from $925 per person sharing for 3 nights and $1,100 for 4 nights between May and August, and from $1,315 and $1,615 between September and April.
Does the MS Tulip have an official website?
No operator website is published. The ship is sold through Egyptian agencies.
