Are meals included on a Nile cruise?

Yes. Nile cruises are almost always full board, with breakfast, lunch and dinner on board, and often afternoon tea. Meals ashore on excursion days are usually not included.

Can vegetarians and vegans eat well on a Nile cruise?

Yes. Egyptian cooking has many vegetarian and vegan dishes, such as koshari, ful and falafel. Tell the boat at booking so the kitchen plans for you.

Is the food on Nile cruises halal?

Meat served on Nile boats is generally halal and pork is rare. Ask the boat to confirm, and choose a boat without a bar if you prefer no alcohol on board.

Can I bring my own alcohol on a Nile cruise?

On dahabiyas that sell no alcohol, such as Iris and Hadeel, yes, and the crew will serve it. On ships with a bar, some allow it and some charge a corkage fee.

Can a Nile cruise cater for gluten-free diets?

Yes, with notice. Ask for gluten-free bread and desserts, which are the hardest part. Smaller boats usually handle this best.

Eating on the Nile

Food and drink on a Nile cruise

Nile cruises are almost always full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner on board, often with afternoon tea, mixing Egyptian and international dishes. Water, tea and coffee are usually included, while soft drinks, beer, wine and cocktails are usually extra unless you book an all-inclusive or drinks package. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and halal diets are all manageable if you tell the boat when you book. A few dahabiyas, such as Iris and Hadeel, sell no alcohol at all, so guests bring their own.

Tell us your diet

What you eat

What the meals are like

Large ships usually serve buffet breakfasts and lunches and a dinner that is either a buffet or served at the table, with Egyptian and international dishes side by side. Expect a theme night or two, such as an Egyptian dinner, and on some ships a barbecue on the sun deck. Small luxury ships cook more to order: guests on Historia name the chef and pastry kitchen, and vegetarians say they eat well.

On a dahabiya one kitchen cooks for a dozen or two guests, so the menu bends to the group. Many dahabiyas hold a barbecue on a river island one evening. See a day on board for meal times.

Diets and allergies

Special diets on a Nile cruise

How Nile boats handle special diets
Diet	What to expect
Vegetarian	Easy. Egyptian cooking is full of vegetable dishes, lentils, beans, rice and salads, and buffets always have plenty.
Vegan	Very possible with notice. Many Egyptian dishes, such as koshari, ful and ta'ameya (falafel), are vegan by nature.
Gluten-free	Possible with notice; bread and desserts are the hard part, so ask the boat to prepare gluten-free bread and sweets.
Halal	Meat served on Nile boats is generally halal, and pork is rare. Ask the boat to confirm if it matters to you.
Allergies	Tell us at booking and remind the head waiter on the first day. Nuts are common in Egyptian desserts.
Kosher	Not available on board. Some guests bring sealed food; ask us before booking.

The smaller the boat, the easier this is. Guests on Akhnaton mention gluten-free and vegetarian food done well. On a longer trip on a large ship, some guests with gluten-free diets found desserts limited, so ask ahead.

What is included

Drinks and alcohol

1Usually included. Bottled or filtered water, tea and coffee. Many dahabiyas also include soft drinks and fresh juice.
2Usually extra. Soft drinks on large ships, beer, local and imported wine, spirits and cocktails, paid on board at the end of the cruise. Imported wine is expensive in Egypt.
3All-inclusive. Some ships sell a drinks package. See our guide to all-inclusive Nile cruises.
4No alcohol on board. Iris and Hadeel sell no alcohol; guests bring their own and the crew serves it. Several other dahabiyas work the same way, so ask us.
5Bringing your own. Welcome on dry dahabiyas. On ships with a bar, some allow it and some charge a corkage fee, so check before you pack a bottle.

Prices

What it costs

Full board is part of the cruise price: Nile cruise ships run about US$120 to US$1,500 per person per night and dahabiyas about US$140 to US$1,500. Drinks are the main extra. See what a Nile cruise includes and all-inclusive Nile cruises.

Asked often

Food and drink on board, answered

Are meals included on a Nile cruise?: Yes. Nile cruises are almost always full board, with breakfast, lunch and dinner on board, and often afternoon tea. Meals ashore on excursion days are usually not included.
Are drinks included on a Nile cruise?: Water, tea and coffee usually are. Soft drinks, beer, wine and cocktails are usually extra unless you book an all-inclusive or drinks package.
Can vegetarians and vegans eat well on a Nile cruise?: Yes. Egyptian cooking has many vegetarian and vegan dishes, such as koshari, ful and falafel. Tell the boat at booking so the kitchen plans for you.
Is the food on Nile cruises halal?: Meat served on Nile boats is generally halal and pork is rare. Ask the boat to confirm, and choose a boat without a bar if you prefer no alcohol on board.
Can I bring my own alcohol on a Nile cruise?: On dahabiyas that sell no alcohol, such as Iris and Hadeel, yes, and the crew will serve it. On ships with a bar, some allow it and some charge a corkage fee.
Can a Nile cruise cater for gluten-free diets?: Yes, with notice. Ask for gluten-free bread and desserts, which are the hardest part. Smaller boats usually handle this best.

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