Do the guides travel on the boat? If so, what rooms are they in?

Miss Green - in the case of the Oberoi Philae, our private guide did travel on the boat but only stayed on it one night (the first night we were docked in Aswan where he lived, the second night we were docked at Kom Ombo so he stayed onboard and nights 3 and 4 we were in Luxor and he stayed at a hotel - the reason for that I believe was to lower his costs). When he was onboard he stayed in a regular guest cabin because the boat wasn't full; otherwise there is guide accommodation with the other staff quarters.

The above schedule demonstrates how little cruising there really is in a 4 night cruise! 3 of the nights spent in Aswan or Luxor.

<i>"The above schedule demonstrates how little cruising there really is in a 4 night cruise! 3 of the nights spent in Aswan or Luxor.</i>

Hi Elizabeth, would you say then, that the cruise is just a novel way of visiting temples that could also easily be accessed from either Luxor or Aswan? Although I understand the advantages of your hotel floating along with you, does the cost add quite a bit to ones overall budget - especially if you are want to take your own guide along? I assume you paid for his time and accomodations on top of the price of your cruise.

Every guide book I've read so far encourages travelers to spend more time in Luxor and Aswan than what the cruises allot. I thinking that the Nile cruise could simply add to our time and money needed for this portion of the trip. If we do a cruise at all, I am considering a short cruise on Lake Nassar as an alternative -- for something different. Has anyone done a Lake Nassar cruise?

My wish list for Egypt is getting pretty long already:
-Cairo/Giza (Mena House)
-Siwa Oasis (Shali Lodge)
-Aswan (Old Cataract Hotel)
-Luxor (Sonesta St. George)
-Abu Simbel - via Lake Nassar (m.s. Eugenie)
-Sinai/Red Sea/Diving (Sharm El Sheik or Taba)
-Petra (Moevenpick for location)

Hi TC - as I understand it, it is the law that cruises are a minimum of 3 nights, but obviously as you say the nights in Aswan and Luxor are just a hotel alternative.

Very definitely the sites in Luxor and Aswan can be accessed by staying in a hotel and taking your own transportation/guide. And I believe Edfu and Kom Ombo can be done in a day trip drive between Aswan and Luxor (or vice versa).

Re extra nights in Aswan and Luxor - we had one extra night in each city and that was good for us. You list the Old Cataract in Aswan - has it reopened?

Re incremental cost for the guide with us - there was some incremental cost (but it was quite modest) and the cruise cost was reduced by a small amount considering we didn't use their guides.

TC - having done both the Nile cruise and the Lake Nasser cruise (on the Eugenie) - I would opt for the Nile cruise. Musch more interesting. The Lake Nasser one was okay, and we certainly loved seeing Abu Simble at sunrise, but I found the rest of the cruise to be so-so.

As for the cost of the cruises, keep in mind that you are getting room, meals, tours, and entertainment with that price.

Thanks, Eliz. I'm not sure if the Old Cataract has reopened, but since I'm just in the very, very early stages of considering this trip, I'm not worried. I think the reopen date is sometime in 2010.

GRcxx3....maybe a cruise isn't for us - to anywhere. I'm just not a "group" person.

I was in Answan on 5/16 and 5/18. The Old Cataract has not reopened. It looked like they're still doing quite a bit of work on it.

Another alternative is a Lake Nasser cruise. We were (actually still are - will be cancelling this week!) booked on the Oberoi Philae for late Sept but have just decided to do a lake Nasser cruise on the MS Eugenie instead.

Not sure if it is the right decision, but the idea of sailing right up to the Abu Simbel temples and visiting when the place is practically empty was too tempting. Also the fact that there are only about 5 boats on the lake as opposed to about 500 on the Nile!

After, we will do Aswan to Luxor by road visiting Edfu & Kom Ombo along the way.

Or a great alternative to a big cruise is a cruise on a Dahabyia. 12 cabins at the most and do it on a talior made tour - much better than the big cruise ships. They have their own docks so lining up walking through other boats doesn't happen.
You stop at other places the big boats don't do to. Waking up to a sunrise on the Nile while they put up the sail is an expereince that i will never forget. With the fishmen through out their nets in the early morning light. you tend to be the people those on the big boats take photos of as sail past at a huge rate! While you are languishing on the deck watching the world go by.
We were on the Jasmine 1 with 12 crew & our tour guide (Aamer Ibrahim - excellent guide by the way) The crew was fab & very musical - welcoming us with songs and music & dancing.
I would go back in a heartbeat it was one of those life changing experiences. Being in a Dahabiya you get to see and expereince Egypt close up - it awesome.