Nile cruise shipStandard & independentLuxor → Aswan

Antares

62 guests, with a French balcony in every stateroom

Antares is a Nile cruise ship, built 2007 and refurbished 2018. It has 31 cabins for up to 62 guests.

Good to know

Antares is a 31-cabin motor cruiser in our standard & independent tier, sailing the classic Luxor to Aswan corridor. Pick it to see the same temples for less; comfort varies more at this end of the river, so judge the real photos and specs before you commit. Rates move with season and cabin, so every sailing is quoted live.

Class Standard & independentCabins 31 · up to 62 guestsRoute Luxor → Aswan

Accommodation: 31 cabins
Guests: Up to 62
Decks: 5
Dimensions: 71.9 m
Built: 2007 · refit 2018
Route: Luxor round trip: Dendera (Qena), Esna, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu
Departures: Mondays (tour begins in Cairo)
Season: Departures published from October 2026 to December 2027
Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi (speed may vary)

About Antares

Antares takes 62 guests in 31 staterooms over five decks, with a crew of 75. Every stateroom has a French balcony with a floor-to-ceiling sliding door, a queen-size bed that can be set up as twins, and a bathroom with a bathtub and jet shower. Sizes start at 26.9 m² for French Balcony rooms and 39.9 m² for Deluxe French Balcony rooms. Veranda Suites are 55 m² with a full-size veranda, and Explorer Suites are 77 m² with a separate sitting room and views to port and starboard. Some staterooms connect.

The sun deck has 360-degree views, a pool and shaded seating. The lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows, a library and a bar, and there is a fitness centre and a massage room. Meals are served in an open-seating restaurant on the Lower Deck. Sailings are round trips from Luxor, calling at Dendera, Esna, Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu.

Highlights

All 31 staterooms with French balconies
77 m² Explorer Suites with sitting room
Crew of 75 for 62 guests
Sun-deck pool with 360-degree views
Luxor round trip via Dendera and Aswan

At sail

Day by day

The classic rhythm on the Luxor to Aswan corridor. Exact order flips with the direction of sailing; the temples are the same either way.

Day 1
Embark at Luxor
Board after lunch, then Karnak and Luxor Temple with the evening light on the East Bank.
Lunch · Dinner
Day 2
The West Bank, then sail
Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut in the morning quiet, back for lunch as the ship sails south.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 3
Edfu and Kom Ombo
The Temple of Horus by caleche or coach in the morning; the double temple at Kom Ombo toward sunset.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 4
Aswan
Philae Temple and the High Dam, with a felucca sail around the islands in the afternoon.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 5
Disembark at Aswan
Ashore after breakfast; Abu Simbel works as an early-morning extension by road or air.
Breakfast

The fine print

What's included and what isn't

Many ship fares bundle guided shore excursions with an Egyptologist; it varies by package, and your quote states exactly what applies.

Included

Accommodation aboard Antares in the cabin booked
Meals aboard per the boat's published programme
Sun deck, pool, spa, gym and lounge throughout
Wi-Fi on board

Not included

Drinks beyond water, tea and coffee served with meals
Gratuities for the crew
Temple entrance fees and Egyptologist guiding, unless your package states them
Transfers and extensions such as Abu Simbel, unless quoted

The boat in detail

Cabin categories: 31 staterooms, all with French balcony and queen bed (twin option): Explorer Suite 77 m² (separate sitting room)
Veranda Suite 55 m² (sitting room and full-size veranda)
Deluxe French Balcony 39.9 m²
French Balcony 26.9 m²
Dining: Restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows and open seating (Lower Deck)
Lounge bar
Facilities: Sun deck with 360-degree views, swimming pool and shaded seating
Lounge with floor-to-ceiling windows, library and bar
Fitness centre
Massage room
Laundry service
Flat-screen TV with live channels and movies on demand
Connecting staterooms available
Spa · pool · gym: Sun-deck swimming pool; fitness centre with exercise equipment; massage room with a selection of treatments.
Itineraries: 12-day cruise tour, round trip from Cairo: Cairo hotel nights before and after a round-trip sailing from Luxor

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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

Good to know

Antares questions, answered

Where does Antares sail?

Antares sails Luxor round trip: Dendera (Qena), Esna, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu

What is included in the fare on Antares?

A cruise ship fare of this kind normally covers your cabin on full board, entrance to the temples named in the itinerary, an Egyptologist guide, the listed shore excursions and transfers at each end. Tips, drinks, optional excursions such as Abu Simbel, and personal expenses are normally extra. Whether soft drinks, Wi-Fi and service charges sit inside the fare genuinely differs between operators, so confirm those for Antares before booking.