Choosing the Right Nile Cruise

No trip to Egypt is complete without adding a Nile cruise. There are up to 400 cruisers on the river at once, but they are not all created equal. When choosing a ship category, the four and five stars are most befitting to American standards. However, the pricing for the four stars is so close to the five stars, that it makes no sense to downgrade. But, anything below a four star may spark health concerns as they are not regulated for contaminates. Most five star cruisers are certified by Germannischer Lloyd, who trains and inspects for proper food handling.

Though the food is handled properly, there are still some dining issues to deal with. It's best to avoid anything that's made with unboiled water. The water is not necessarily dirty; it's different, and the bacterial change may cause diarrhea.

Drinking water must be bottled only, and they're sold everywhere at kiosks around the country. Evian and Barak are the most widely distributed; you will not have a problem finding them. When dining on the ship, a safety measure is to avoid raw vegetables, pasta and salads as they are rinsed with tap water. In addition, icing on cakes are mixed with tap water and may endanger your health. And, perhaps, the most common mistakes are using ice cubes and on-tap carbonated drinks. Both contain local water sources and can quickly bring you down with intestinal ailments. If you would like a mixed drink, such as rum and coke, have the waiter bring you a can of soda for you to mix yourself. And, finally, two safeguards in the bathroom are using bottled water to brush your teeth and always keep your mouth closed in the shower.

When booking your cruise, you'll be asked to choose from a three, four, five or seven night itinerary. All cruises give you plenty of time in Luxor, home to Valley of the Kings, but the shorter trips may omit the lesser site of Kom Ombo. ( monuments dating to the crocodile -god Sobek). For a first time journey, it's worth the visit, but certainly pales in comparison to the other Nile ports.

A seven night cruise begins in Luxor to Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan, and return to Luxor. (These cruises also operate in reverse). A five night cruise sails from Luxor to Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan.A four night cruise sails from Luxor to Esna, Edfu and Aswan. A three night cruise may omit Edfu.

Choosing a ship that fits your budget and personality is key. The more you learn about the vessels, the more
control you'll have over your vacation. Also, be aware that these ships move from their anchor position when you disembark for the excursion. The names are clearly marked on the front of the ships in Arabic.To re-board your ship, you may have to use gangplanks from three other cruisers, as they line up side by side in the Nile (it's a busy river). It's helpful to have recognition of your ship by it's design, or better yet, stay with your Egyptologist tour guide.

Nile cruises start in the low hundreds per night, with all excursions, meals and entertainment included. For the ultimate in luxury, try the all suite MS Senator, with a hefty price over $4,000 per person. The MS Senator runs only seven night cruises that originate in either Luxor or Aswan.

Only one ship leaves from Cairo and is offered by VisitEgypt.net. Egypt's longest Nile cruise, leaving from Cairo and ending in Aswan. This 14 night adventure will take you to the rarely visited sites of Beni Hassan and Akhenaten's city of Amarna. Prices are steep at over $5,000, but worth every nickle.

To explore your Nile cruiser in detail before booking, see the following sites for professional photos and prices. The whole world travels to Egypt. It's the most incredible place on Earth. Below are nine websites to aquaint you with the major Nile cruise ships.

www.mssenator.com
www.visitegypt.net/tours/cruise.htm
www.grand-cruises.com/index.php?id=64
www.nilecruising.com
www.nilecruisereservationcenter.com
www.nile-cruises-4u.co.uk/DominaPrestige.html
www.sherryboat.com.eg/index.html
www.miragecruise.com
www.nilerivercruise.com
www.visitegypt.net/tours/cruise.htm