One of the Most Luxurious Cruises in Egypt

We came to Egypt for the temples. To see Dendera, Karnak, and Kom Ombo, where the ancient columns and obelisks, thousands of years old, still bear traces of paint. To learn about the pharaohs and their gods, and how ancient civilizations were shaped by the Nile River.

We would see them over the course of a week aboard the 84-passenger Sphinx, one of the newest and most luxurious vessels on the river. Operated by Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, one of the best river-cruise lines, the ship was the “way in” for our family of three. My husband, Rob, and I both fell for Luxor Temple, which we had almost to ourselves during an after-hours tour under the moonlight. For our eight-year-old son, Bobby, a memorable moment was seeing King Tut’s wizened and fragile mummy up close, during our time in the Valley of the Kings. Equally impressive were a series of vivid stars, traced on an electric blue ceiling, in the tomb of Ramses III.

But there was more — much more — beyond the monuments that made this trip so compelling.

One morning, the Sphinx docked in the southern port city of Aswan, renowned for its Philae temple complex, which dates to the 7th century BCE, and the Old Cataract Hotel, frequented by Agatha Christie. With temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, our family set out on a small motorboat with just four other guests — the rest were apparently content to stay behind, cocooned in their plush, air-conditioned cabins.

We had been sailing the Nile for several days, and the riverbanks, as seen from the Sphinx’s relaxing top deck, had begun to take on a distant, rhythmic quality: mountains, brick homes, children splashing along the shore. More mountains, a field or two, perhaps a high-speed train, all brushstrokes on a painting. This ride, at eye-level, felt more alive: giant boulders lay interspersed among swaying bamboo grass, tempting me to reach out and touch. The sky was unusually cloudy, a relief given the stifling heat.

After weaving in and around several channels, we arrived at an impossibly tall sand dune, sharp-edged like a blade, with a small seating area at the base. “We get to climb that?” Bobby asked. “Cool!” No sooner had we disembarked than the sky turned a disconcerting, Fanta orange; we took shelter from the sandstorm in a nearby home, where the owner proudly showed off his pet crocodile. (Needless to say, that’s not part of the regular itinerary.)

Twenty minutes later, the storm had passed. Rob powered up the sand, slow and steady, with Bobby in tow. I waited at the base, iPhone at the ready for photos. The not-so-graceful pair slid down on their boards to shrieks of delight, falling into the sun-baked earth. Sweaty, tired, and covered in a thin layer of grime, we all were relieved to return to the ship, where fresh juice awaited us, as it did after every excursion, thanks to the ever-attentive crew.

Indeed, one could argue you choose the Sphinx, one of two Uniworld vessels in Egypt, for the intuitive, faultless staff. Its 58 crew members, all of whom were male, following local custom, looked after us with great care. (Because our end-of-season sailing wasn’t full, we enjoyed close to a 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio.)

In addition to the regular crew, there were three Egyptolgists, all expert historians, on our sailing, to guide us through the monuments, museums, and temples. We met our assigned Egyptologist, Akram Abdelmonein, in Cairo, before even boarding the ship. He walked us through the grand halls of the original Egyptian Museum, a 1902 landmark that’s home to some 170,000 artifacts. Abdelmonein never left our group of 15, even flying with us to the grand, rock-carved temples of Abu Simbel, near the Sudanese border. He answered every question with frankness and reassured Bobby that no question was too small — the sign, in my opinion, of a truly great guide.

Here is a closer look at what you can expect — on and off the ship — when you travel to Egypt on the Sphinx.

The Staterooms

Launched in 2021, the Sphinx stands out for its Egyptian craftsmanship and vivid colors. Framed, black and white photos and drawings of ancient ruins line the hallways and the bedrooms; Arabic coffee pots rest on small inlaid stools; brass lamps adorn the bedside tables; and the guest room palette embraces royal blues and vivid golds, with carved, blonde-wood ceilings to give an even greater sense of height.

The 42 cabins, spread across three decks, range from a French Balcony (233 square feet) to a Royal Suite (495 square feet). All category types have French balconies, or windows that lower to allow in fresh air, but I never once considered opening mine, for fear of the heat and bugs.

My family and I traveled in a 430-square-foot Grand Suite, on the sixth, or “Karnak,” deck, which had a small vanity, generous closets, and a well-appointed seating area, with a sofa, coffee table, and two chairs. Like our dining table back home, it became our “stash” pad, where we would place our leftover gear — in this case, tickets, souvenirs, and whisper devices — upon returning from an excursion. The spacious, tan-and-blue tiled bathroom came with a well-pressurized shower and a deep soaking tub: a true splurge-worthy perk for resting weary feet. The Grand Suites, of which there are 20, are the most popular category; we found it offered more than enough space for our group of three. (It’s worth noting that children must be at least four years old to sail in Egypt.) The wonderful housekeeping team came twice daily to freshen the room.

Bars and Restaurants

There is one main dining room on the Sphinx, located on the fourth, or “Luxor,” deck, the lowest level accessible to passengers. Intricate, pebble-tiled floors, wooden columns, carved chairs, and lamp-lit tables give the room a grand, formal feeling. Yet the area is not so stuffy that passengers can’t dress casually, join other groups at the large tables, and make new friends. Every meal we had was plentiful, fresh, and excellent; I’ll never forget tasting roasted Nile perch for the first time, filetted right in front of me by one of the helpful culinary team. Another highlight: the chance to sample okra soup and hawawshi, pita stuffed with minced meat, on “Egyptian street food day.”

Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style daily. At breakfast, Bobby made a beeline for the fresh watermelon, while I opted for the homemade pastries, everything from chocolate croissants to delicate bars, sugar-flecked and crisp. Our dining room servers, Mosan and Omar, quickly began to know our favorite drink orders — Turkish coffee for Rob and I; milk for Bobby — so that they were ready within minutes of walking in.

At lunch, the cold salad and bread station was a gem, with fattoush, tabouleh, cheeses, multiple styles of olives, and house dressings; the hot section showcased a grill option (lamb, chicken, fish) and several entrées, everything from biryani to fresh pasta. Mosan often surprised us with a local Egyptian dish to share at the table — one particular favorite was ful medames, or stewed fava beans — before we even stood up to fill our plates.

Dinner was always a la carte, with a choice of a starter, soup, entrée, and dessert. Some of my favorite dishes included the chicken shawarma and saffron marinated sole; we often paired our entrées with house Egyptian wines, which accompanied every meal.

The light-filled main bar and lounge, on the fifth, or “Dendera,” deck was the gathering place for an evening cocktail; it was also the place for “port talks” and other lectures about upcoming points of interest. The ship’s sun deck also has drink service and the occasional light bite, such as a champagne breakfast or afternoon tea.

Where the Ship Sails

The Sphinx, like its sibling ship, River Tosca, operates eight-day, round trips from Luxor. Passengers must first fly to Cairo, where there is an optional one- or two-night stay in the Egyptian capital, including things like visits to the Egyptian Museum, the Alabaster Mosque, the Citadel of Salah al-Din, and the Pyramids of Giza all included. (The long-awaited, much-discussed Grand Egyptian Museum was unfortunately closed at the time of our visit, though it is on many Uniworld itineraries.)

On my trip, all the Sphinx passengers stayed at the luxe Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza, a centrally located option with a lovely, shaded pool deck; an excellent Lebanese restaurant; and recently renovated rooms, all light-filled and stocked with books on Egyptian history.

After a short, one-hour and forty minute flight south to Luxor, we were bused to the Sphinx, our home for the week. Ports of call on all Uniworld voyages include Dendera, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, and Aswan. Most temples and monuments were easily accessed either on foot or with a short bus ride; visiting the temples at Abu Simbel requires a one-hour flight from Aswan International Airport to Abu Simbel Airport. This excellent excursion is offered for an extra fee, but I highly recommend it.

Shore Excursions

Uniworld includes one or two shore excursions, depending on the day, in the price of the cruise. Many of them depart quite early, to beat the heat; on my trip, that meant departing as early as 7 a.m.

On our first big outing, however, there was no avoiding it. Shortly after landing in Luxor, we were bused to the nearby Karnak Temple, an incredible, open air complex that’s arguably the largest religious site in the world, dating to roughly 2,000 BCE. It’s rightly famous for its stunning ramshead sphinxes and the columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall, but it was also packed with tourists from all over the world. In spite of the heat and crowds, Abdelmonnein, our thoughtful Egyptologist, shared stories of pharaohs and set the stage for the various Egyptian dynasties we’d be exploring during our trip.

The next morning, when we arrived at the Dendera Temple Complex, the contrast was remarkable. Our Uniworld group was the first into the site, which is dominated by the Temple of Hathor, dating to 54 BCE. “Imagine hundreds of Egyptians coming to this place,” said Abdelmonein, as we wandered the halls dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love and fertility. There were no other selfie-taking tourists; it was just us and the birds and a few stray cats. With no crowds to jostle us, we could take our time inspecting the thousands of hieroglyphics that adorn the walls and ceilings. Abdelmonein even pointed out a rare depiction of Cleopatra and Caesarion, her son with Julius Caesar.

Later on in the cruise, we enjoyed the temple of Kom Ombo, which is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon god. It’s home to a small museum filled with mummified crocs — creepy, and very cool. We also visited Abu Simbel, by way of a round-trip flight, organized at extra expense by Uniworld. The journey was worth it to see the larger than life statues of Ramses II — and to marvel at the fact that this 3,000-year-old monument was saved by preservationists during the 1960s, when it was moved during the construction of the Aswan Dam.

Amenities and Entertainment

Don’t choose the Sphinx — or any Egypt sailing, for that matter — if your vision of a cruise vacation includes multiple bars, water slides, and nightclubs. Like other ships on the Nile, this one is beautiful but compact, with a few key amenities, such as a small top-deck pool with sun loungers. Much to our surprise, my family and I were often the only people cooling off at the pool, whether after a morning excursion or a leisurely lunch.

The spa is really more like a massage room, though the treatments I had were excellent and affordable.

At night, local musicians and dancers would sometimes perform for us, as well as the Uniworld crew — one highlight of my trip was seeing one of my favorite bartenders, Ashraf, moving on the dance floor. But most evenings were relatively quiet, with things winding down by about 10 p.m., in preparation for whatever adventures the next day might hold.