Great cruise and amazing tour guide
As soon as we got on the boat we were greeted with friendly and attentive staff. Food was good with a buffet that changed daily. The highlight of our entire Egypt trip was Mina our guide. An Egyptologist with lots of knowledge and enthusiasm about what he was teaching us.
R7274PPjulieb · févr. 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Great guide and sites, shop definitely not 5 star.
The sites and the guide were easily 5 stars despite the crowds and queues. Our guide ‘King Mena’ was excellent, not only very knowledgeable but went out of his way to make our visit enjoyable. The 4 star review is purely down to the ship, the ‘Coral 2’ , It was certainly not 5 star as advertised and would barely get 3 stars if reviewed on its own. We booked an ‘upper deck cabin’ but were given one deep in the bottom of the ship with only a small dirty window just above water, it smelt strongly of damp with a hint of diesel. Despite our complaining, all we got was shrugged shoulders. Eventually the did find a room the smelt slightly less but still not what we paid for. Food onboard was ok if a bit bland and the whole ship was a bit tired. Staff seem to think a forced smile equates to good service. I don’t mean to be all gloomy, it was still enjoyable, if it was sold as a 3 or 4 star ship it would be fine, pretty clean and everything worked but looking at many other ships around, it was definitely bottom of the pile.
JamesDGould · févr. 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Great way to see the sights, brilliant guide, but beware of terrible cruise ships
Joined the cruise after taking the overnight night train from Giza.
Our guide for the 4 days was King Mina, who was brilliant and deserves a 5* rating on his own. He was very knowledgeable, patient and excellent at guiding us around all the sights, telling us interesting facts and things to look out for which kept the teens engaged. He looked after the entrance tickets, tips, and all the arrangements which meant we could focus on sightseeing the amazing places we visited. He definitely made the trip.
The cruise ship on the other hand was a huge disappointment. The itinerary we booked stated “5 star cruise with upper level cabin”. We were on the Coral 2 ship, which barely deserves 3 star, and were given cabins on the lowest deck on the waterline. The lower deck was damp and smelt of diesel. The rooms were damp and smelly too, and we couldn’t open the window - all our clothes were damp by the end of the trip. The shower was a trickle, and the stewards didn’t keep things very clean - one morning plates full of food were left in the corridor by the room opposite and remained there all morning until I asked for it to be cleared. The food was very basic using cheap cuts - the chicken served each day was just wings and thighs. Salad bar was good though.
Having seen some of the other ships I can definitely say we didn’t get what we paid for, or what could be possible on this trip. When we complained we were told all the ships were full and there was no alternative. So if you book this trip recommend you ask which cruise ship you will be allocated!
We visited in February, which is not the high season but a lot of the sights were still very busy. All the ships arrive at places at the same time, which means hoards of tour groups all congregate at the entrances at the same time. There is no means of crowd control or funnelling people, so often there is a scrum just to get through the ticket barrier. Be aware if you are travelling with anyone who can’t manage tight crowds. Once inside people spread out a bit, but you still may shuffle in a queue slowly past the famous parts.
Overall, a great family trip, well worth it for seeing the sights of southern Egypt without spending ages in buses or cars. Shame the cruise ship was not aligned with expectations.
ameliag731 · févr. 2026 · via Tripadvisor
guide good, boat bad
boat: 2/5
guide: 5/5.
our guide (king mina) was amazing. incredibly informative, and recommended us some lovely spaces and even saved us some money and time on tickets. the boat however (coral II) was not great. having seen images of beautiful rooms, with french windows and tasteful furnishings, we expected such, however when on the boat we were placed in small, barely passable rooms with leaking fridges and tiny showers, on the lower deck on the waterline. we had a small, dingy window with painted over seals, and our room constantly smelt of something unidentifiable, and anything left out would be damp within an hour. the corridors always stank of diesel and cigarettes. the food was bland, and unvaried, and drinks costed a fortune. we also sailed with a flotilla of other cruises, however these were all scheduled to arrive at ports and visit landmarks at the same time- this created massive congestion, with packed temples and massive queues. there was also a shop on the middle deck of the boat, selling the same touristy Tat as every stall on land, however nothing useful like water or soap. the only saving grace was the guide, as i said, and some of the staff who were very pleasant, although sometimes playing loud arabic music in the bar (which cleared everyone out quick)
dylong2026 · févr. 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Essayez d'éviter!
Ce fut vraiment une expérience horrible. Mon mari et moi sommes des routards expérimentés et nos enfants extrêmement flexibles et habitués à voyager. Je dois encore noter ce programme avec 1 étoile seulement. La plupart du temps, nous avons passé à attendre l'information quand nous devrions aller quelque part, la réat du temps, nous avons attendu les guides touristiques. À 20 heures, nous avons finalement été informés que le chauffeur viendra nous chercher à 20 heures. 30 heures le lendemain matin pour nous emmener à la croisière. 2 ont reçu 1 cabine pour 4 personnes ( 2 lits par cabine ! ) même si nous avons payé pour 2 . Impossible de réserver 1 cabine pour 4 personnes, croyez-moi, j'ai essayé : ) . Le message suivant est venu vers 14 heures d'un guide. Une heure plus tard, nous avons reçu un message d'un autre guide disant qu'il sera notre guide. . à 16 heures, nous sommes finalement allés à l'île de Philae après avoir reçu un appel à la cabine (heureusement que nous étions là) . On était trop tard pour le barrage d'Assouan et on ne l'a pas vu. Veuillez garder à l'esprit que nous avons eu plus qu'assez de temps pour le visiter par nous-mêmes si nous savions que l'agence va tout simplement sauter. Plus tard, nous avons reçu des instructions que nous devons être prêts à 3 . 45 heures du matin pour aller à l'Abou Simble. Pour une raison quelconque l'agence a ordonné un réveil à 3 heures du matin (qui a besoin de 45 minutes? ? ) , le guide s'est présenté à 4 heures . 30 et nous avons quitté Assouan à 5 heures. 30 ! ! ! L'arrêt suivant était kom ombu. Le guide nous a contactés alors que nous étions déjà à 15 minutes dans le temple. Il lui a fallu encore 15 minutes pour arriver au temple où elle m'expliquait les choses si vite que je n'étais pas capable de traduire des choses aux enfants même si je lui ai gentiment demandé de ralentir un peu. Le lendemain, nous avons reçu un réveil à 3 heures. 10 heures du matin, le guide se présenta à 4 heures. 55 ! ! ! ! Et pour la grande finale, ils nous ont dit de descendre du bateau à 20 h, personne n'était là, bien sûr, notre cadette s'est mise à pleurer qu'elle en avait assez de ça. [...] le chauffeur est arrivé une vingtaine de minutes plus tard, emmené au temple de Louxor, où le guide nous a dit que nous sommes trop tard et que nous retournerons au navire. Et puis on a fondu. Tout le groupe a paniqué, nos deux enfants se sont mis à pleurer. [...] des gens du groupe ont partagé des choses encore pires qu'ils ont vécues. [...] horribles!
NATASA_P · févr. 2026 · via Viator · Traduit
Bonne cuisine, visites rapides et temples le long du Nil
C'est une excellente option si vous souhaitez visiter les temples les plus importants d'Égypte sans frais d'hébergement supplémentaires. Tout commence à Assouan. Ils sont venus nous chercher à notre hôtel avec une ponctualité exemplaire, nous ont conduits au bateau où un verre nous a été offert, et nous avons rencontré notre guide. Notre guide, Mani, était excellent, très sympathique et toujours aux petits soins.
Ils vous informent des pourboires, qui s'élèvent à 10 dollars par personne et par nuit, et ils prennent votre passeport, qu'ils vous restituent plus tard à la réception.
On nous a attribué notre cabine en avance, ce qui nous a permis de nous détendre avant le début de la première excursion au barrage d'Assouan. Cette excursion a lieu l'après-midi. Elle n'est pas particulièrement impressionnante, mais une autre option est proposée pour environ 40 $ (très cher, nous ne l'avons donc pas choisie). La nourriture à bord est excellente et variée. Les boissons ne sont pas incluses, mais vous pouvez acheter de l'eau avant d'embarquer pour la visite si vous ne souhaitez pas payer un supplément sur place. À bord, vous pouvez acheter des boissons sans alcool (80 EGP), de l'eau (70 EGP), des cocktails (300 EGP) et de la bière (250 EGP). On vous remet un ticket et, à la fin de votre séjour, vous réglez la facture ensemble à la réception.
Chaque jour, il faut se lever très tôt ; la réception vous appelle pour s'assurer que vous vous réveillez. Le deuxième jour, vous faites une excursion en bus de 4 heures à l'aller et 4 heures au retour, et vous ne restez qu'une heure environ au temple. C'est très fatigant.
Le navire lève l'ancre le deuxième jour au soir et, au matin, vous êtes déjà ailleurs. Le dernier jour, vous partez très tôt et laissez vos bagages à la réception pour le départ ; ils sont ensuite transférés dans la voiture qui vous conduira pour la dernière journée.
Le déjeuner du dernier jour n'est pas inclus ; ils vous emmènent dans un endroit servant de la « cuisine égyptienne typique », mais c'est très cher (750 EGP) et nous n'y avons pas mangé car cela n'en vaut pas la peine.
N'oubliez pas qu'à chaque temple, vous disposerez de 20 à 30 minutes de temps libre sans guide pour prendre des photos ; il faudra donc vous dépêcher un peu si vous voulez prendre de belles photos.
Globalement, c'est un bon choix si vous ne souhaitez pas vous soucier du transport et que vous voulez être sûr d'avoir vos repas. Si vous prévoyez de visiter les temples tranquillement et avec beaucoup de patience, ce n'est pas la meilleure option. Pour nous, qui ne sommes pas de grands passionnés d'histoire et qui ne prenons pas de photos de chaque hiéroglyphe, cette option était idéale.
Sebastian_O · févr. 2026 · via Viator · Traduit
Wonderful Nile Cruise Experience on MS Monaco
Wonderful Nile Cruise Experience on MS Monaco
We had an amazing experience on the MS Monaco Nile cruise. Everything was very well organized from the beginning to the end of the trip.
The ship has a beautiful and comfortable interior — clean cabins, cozy common areas, and a very pleasant atmosphere on board. The food was excellent, with a wide variety of fresh and delicious dishes at every meal.
The organization of the excursions was excellent. All visits were well planned, punctual, and smooth, which allowed us to enjoy the temples and historical sites without stress.
Special thanks to our guide Khaled, who was professional, knowledgeable, and very friendly. His explanations were clear, interesting, and full of fascinating historical details. He made ancient Egyptian history come alive and was always attentive to the group.
The service on board was outstanding. The staff were polite, helpful, and always smiling, making the whole journey comfortable and relaxing.
Cruising on the Nile was truly unforgettable — beautiful views, peaceful atmosphere, and perfect balance between sightseeing and relaxation.
We highly recommend the MS Monaco Nile cruise to anyone looking for comfort, great food, excellent service, and perfectly organized excursions.
georgesK4976WC · janv. 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Good experience on the cruise from Aswan to Luxor
Khaled is a knowledgeable and informative guide. The cruise experience is good and the crew on the ship are friendly. Got to see many temples and places of interest.
Pioneer52412078966 · janv. 2026 · via Tripadvisor
A perfect way to explore Egypt and the Nile
Our experience with Mr. Khaled was truly exceptional from start to finish. As a guide with a PhD in Egyptology, he combines deep academic knowledge with practical experience, making every site we visited come alive with fascinating historical context and stories. He is extremely well organized, professional, and clearly passionate about sharing his expertise.
Even though this was not our first time in Egypt, we learned an incredible amount of new and interesting information at each location. Mr. Khaled has a remarkable ability to point out details that most visitors would easily miss and to explain them in an engaging and understandable way. His guidance added a whole new dimension to places we thought we already knew well.
He was also very considerate and attentive to our needs throughout the trip. After the tour he kindly gave us a ride back to our hotel, which was greatly appreciated and showed his genuine care for his guests. Thanks to his planning, we were able to visit a large number of sites without ever feeling rushed or overwhelmed.
The Nile cruise on the “Moon River” was another highlight of the journey. The boat was comfortable, clean, and well maintained, with private bathrooms and showers in each cabin. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the overall atmosphere was very relaxing. The food on board was delicious, with a wide variety of options. As vegetarians, we were especially pleased to find plenty of tasty and well-prepared dishes that suited our diet.
Overall, this tour exceeded our expectations in every way. For anyone looking to explore Egypt in a meaningful, comfortable, and well-organized manner, we cannot recommend Mr. Khaled and this experience highly enough.
edgarasz2026 · janv. 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Perfect way to explore Egypt - much recommended
Mr Khaled has a phd in egyptology and is a very organized and experienced guide. He is clearly an expert in his field and in every location we’ve visited we found many new interesting things about the sites although it’s not our first time here. He was very considerate and gave us a ride to our hotel after the tour. We visited a lot of objects and had a truly good time. The cruise “Moon river” was comfortable and clean. We had bathrooms and showers en-suite. The food was tasty and fitting for vegetarians with good variety.
tomassE4010WP · janv. 2026 · via Tripadvisor