Nile cruise shipLuxury flagshipsLuxor → Aswan

Alexander the Great

An all-suite sailing on the Luxor–Aswan reach

Alexander the Great is a Nile cruise ship operated by Jolleys Travel & Cruises, built 1982 and refurbished 2023. It has 30 cabins and 30 suites and sails itineraries of 3, 4 or 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

An all-suite sailing on the Luxor–Aswan reach. A five-star, all-suite ship of 30 suites sailing the Luxor–Aswan Nile, suited to travellers who want an intimate cruise with temple-focused shore days.

Class Luxury flagshipsCabins 30Route Luxor → Aswan

Operator: Jolleys Travel & Cruises
Accommodation: 30 cabins · 30 suites
Decks: 5
Dimensions: 70 × 11.5 m
Built: 1982 · refit 2023
Route: Luxor - Esna (lock) - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan (official Program page). Shore excursions: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Edfu Temple of Horus, Kom Ombo Temple, Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk, felucca sail. Abu Simbel optional.
Trip length: 3 · 4 · 7 nights
Departures: 5-day programme runs Monday from Luxor to Friday in Aswan. Also offered as a 3-night sailing departing Friday from Aswan and a 4-night sailing departing Monday from Luxor.
Wi-Fi: Wireless internet available, complimentary but in the lounge bar only (not in cabins) and unreliable. Also listed as an internet corner.

About Alexander the Great

Built in 1982 and refurbished in 2023, Alexander the Great carries 30 suites across five decks, from 28 Deluxe Suites to two Panoramic Suites with private balconies. Days are spent ashore at the temples and tombs of Upper Egypt, and evenings back on board in a calm, contemporary setting.

Meals are served in the Red Fiesta Restaurant, a roughly 70-seat room with Nile views, with more casual dining and barbecues at The Club on the sun deck and drinks in the upstairs lounge bar. On Deck 4 a heated pool with a Jacuzzi and a shaded solarium sit alongside a spa offering massage and a Turkish bath, plus a fitness centre, boutique and hairdresser.

Itineraries run three nights from Aswan to Luxor, four nights from Luxor to Aswan, or a seven-night round trip, calling at Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo and the sites around Luxor and Aswan, with Abu Simbel available as an optional excursion.

Highlights

All-suite ship, 30 suites over five decks
Deck 4 heated pool with Jacuzzi and solarium
Spa with massage and Turkish bath
Red Fiesta Restaurant with panoramic Nile views
Two Panoramic Suites with private balconies

At sail

Day by day

Alexander the Great sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor - Esna (lock) - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan (official Program page) Departures 5-day programme runs monday from luxor to friday in aswan. also offered as a 3-night sailing departing friday from aswan and a 4-night sailing departing monday from luxor.. The order of the temples is fixed by the river, so what changes between programmes is the direction and how much is fitted into each day.

Luxor to Aswan, 4 nightsusually departs Monday

Day 1
Luxor, embark and the east bank
Board before lunch. The two east-bank temples in the afternoon, when the light is best at Karnak.
Visits Karnak · Luxor Temple
Day 2
The west bank, then sail through the Esna lock
An early start for the tombs, then the boat sails south and passes the Esna lock, often in the evening. Moor at Edfu.
Visits Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut · Colossi of Memnon
Optional hot-air balloon at dawn
Day 3
Edfu and Kom Ombo
Edfu at first light, usually reached by horse-drawn carriage from the mooring. Sail to Kom Ombo, whose double temple sits directly above the water.
Visits Edfu · Kom Ombo
Day 4
Aswan
The Aswan cluster, usually in one morning, with a felucca sail among the islands in the afternoon.
Visits High Dam · Philae · Unfinished Obelisk · felucca
Day 5
Disembark
Breakfast on board and disembarkation, typically by 08:00. Abu Simbel is a pre-dawn add-on, not part of the sailing.
Optional Abu Simbel by road or air

Aswan to Luxor, 3 nightsusually departs Friday

Day 1
Aswan, embark
Board before lunch, then the Aswan cluster in the afternoon.
Visits High Dam · Philae · Unfinished Obelisk
Optional felucca among the islands
Day 2
Kom Ombo and Edfu
Sail north. Kom Ombo sits at the mooring; Edfu is a short carriage ride inland.
Visits Kom Ombo · Edfu
Optional Abu Simbel, pre-dawn by road or air
Day 3
Through Esna to Luxor, east bank
The Esna lock can hold the fleet for a while; the east-bank temples follow on arrival.
Visits Esna lock · Karnak · Luxor Temple
Day 4
West bank and disembark
Check out after breakfast, then the west bank before departure.
Visits Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut · Colossi of Memnon
Optional hot-air balloon at dawn

Day structure aggregated from the published itineraries for this class of boat and direction. Operators shift a call by half a day and the Esna lock queue moves everything; confirm the running order for your departure.

Cabin pricing

Rates by season

Indicative per-person USD rates from two independent published sources within 2%. Your exact fare depends on dates and cabin — we quote every sailing live, with no booking fee to ask.

4 days / 3 nights · Aswan to Luxor

Cabin	High season · Sep–Apr	Low season · May–Aug
Double cabin (per person)	$1,176	$833
Single cabin (sole use)	$1,755	$1,446
Triple cabin (per person)	$1,152	$809

5 days / 4 nights · Luxor to Aswan (Mon-Fri)

Cabin	High season · Sep–Apr	Low season · May–Aug
Double cabin (per person)	$1,446	$1,029
Single cabin (sole use)	$2,314	$1,568
Triple cabin (per person)	$1,421	$1,005

Cabins are allocated by the operator at confirmation; tell us your preferred deck and we will ask.
Longer itineraries are priced as the sailings combined, confirmed on your quote.

The fine print

What's included and what isn't

Published by the operator. Confirm what your own booking covers before you travel.

Included

Accommodation for 3 or 4 nights in the chosen cabin category
Arrival transfer from airport, train station or hotel
Full-board dining
All guided sightseeing tours per the standard 3/4-night itinerary
Services of a licensed professional Egyptologist guide
All entrance fees to historical sites named in the itinerary
Departure transfer to airport/train station

Not included

Tours not mentioned in the itinerary
Optional excursions
Beverages — water, soft drinks, alcohol
Tipping for cruise crew and guide
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Visa fees. Guide language not specified in this list

The boat in detail

Cabin categories: Deluxe Suite (28 units)
Panoramic Suite with private balcony/terrace (2 units)
Executive Club suites (5 units with private lounge, Nile terrace and butler service)
Dining: Red Fiesta Restaurant - approx. 70 seats, panoramic Nile views, buffet breakfast/lunch and a la carte or table-service dinner
The Club (sun deck) - casual dining / BBQ with live oriental music
Upstairs lounge bar - drinks and entertainment
Facilities: Heated swimming pool with Jacuzzi (Deck 4 / Solarium)
Pool bar and grill
Solarium with sun loungers
Spa with massage and Turkish bath
Fitness centre / gym
Lounge bar seating approx. 60 with flat TV, projector and surround sound
Boutique / gift shop
Hairdresser
Laundry service
Wireless internet
24-hour doctor
Evening entertainment: belly dancer, Whirling Dervish, Galabeya party
Member of the Chaine des Rotisseurs
Food safety supervised by Cristal International Britannia Ltd.
Spa · pool · gym: Heated outdoor pool with Jacuzzi and shaded relaxation area on Deck 4; spa offering massage and Turkish bath; fitness centre.
Itineraries: 3 nights / 4 days: Aswan to Luxor
4 nights / 5 days: Luxor to Aswan (Mon-Fri)
7 nights: Luxor to Aswan and back (round trip)

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

Nile River Cruise: the complete guide Luxury Nile cruises Nile cruise vs land tour The cheapest time to cruise the Nile

What guests say

Independent traveller reviews of Alexander the Great, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.

“Alexander the Great is a boutique boat with only 30 cabins. Fabulous accommodation. Fabulous private egyptologist guide. Great food.”
— travelwritermosman, Mosman, Australia · via Tripadvisor

Good to know

Alexander the Great questions, answered

How much does Alexander the Great cost?

Advertised rates start from US$679 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Alexander the Great have?

30 cabins and 30 suites.

What route does Alexander the Great sail?

Luxor - Esna (lock) - Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan (official Program page). Shore excursions: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Edfu Temple of Horus, Kom Ombo Temple, Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk, felucca sail. Abu Simbel optional., departing 5-day programme runs Monday from Luxor to Friday in Aswan. Also offered as a 3-night sailing departing Friday from Aswan and a 4-night sailing departing Monday from Luxor..

What's included on Alexander the Great?

Accommodation, full board (breakfast/lunch/dinner), all guided sightseeing per standard itinerary, licensed Egyptologist guide, all entrance fees, airport transfers. Excludes optional excursions (Abu Simbel, hot-air balloon), beverages, gratuities, insurance, visa.