Nile cruise shipLuxury flagshipsLuxor → Aswan
Mövenpick MS Darakum
Moroccan-styled interiors on the Nile
Mövenpick MS Darakum is a Nile cruise ship operated by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (Accor), built 2008. It has 52 cabins and 8 suites for up to 104 guests and sails 3 · 4 · 12 · 14 nights itineraries on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Moroccan-styled interiors on the Nile. A five-star, five-deck ship of 52 cabins and eight suites with Moroccan-inspired interiors, sailing both the short Luxor–Aswan route and long Cairo runs.
- Operator
- Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (Accor)
- Accommodation
- 52 cabins · 8 suites
- Guests
- Up to 104
- Decks
- 4 passenger decks.
- Built
- 2008
- Route
- Short cruise: Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan. Long cruise (Aswan-Cairo): Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Luxor, Qena, Naga Hammadi, Sohag, Tel El Amarna, Minya, Beni Suef, Cairo. Long cruise (Cairo-Aswan): Cairo, Beni Suef, Minya, Tel El Amarna, Assyut, Sohag, Naga Hammadi, Qena, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan.
- Length
- 3 · 4 · 12 · 14 nights
- Departures
- Short cruise: Fridays from Aswan (3 nights), Mondays from Luxor (4 nights). Long-cruise departure days not published.
- Season
- Short cruise November-February and long cruise February-November; sailing-date schedules published for 2026 (long and short) and 2027 (long)
- Wi-Fi
- Complimentary WiFi in all cabins; Panorama and Senior Suites additionally receive an exclusive MiFi device
About Mövenpick MS Darakum
Built in 2008, Mövenpick MS Darakum is a five-deck ship with Moroccan-inspired interior design and 52 cabins plus eight suites. Standard Classic, Superior and Deluxe cabins run to 20 m², rising through junior suites of 26 m² to senior and panorama suites of 34 to 40 m². A low-draft hull lets it sail the full length between Cairo and Aswan.
The main restaurant serves buffet breakfasts and lunches with themed dinner buffets, alongside a lounge bar for afternoon tea, cocktails and evening entertainment, and a sun-deck bar. On deck there is a swimming pool and a leisure area, with a mini gym on the upper deck and a lounge that converts to conference space with a 100-inch projection screen. A passenger elevator serves the decks.
Short cruises run three and four nights between Luxor and Aswan via Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo, while long cruises of 12 to 14 nights link Aswan and Cairo through Middle Egypt. Complimentary Wi-Fi reaches all cabins, and Panorama and Senior Suite guests receive an exclusive MiFi device.
Highlights
- Moroccan-inspired interior design
- Suites from 26 m² to 40 m²
- Sun-deck pool and leisure area
- Long Cairo–Aswan cruises available
- Passenger elevator on board
At sail
Day by day
The classic rhythm on the Luxor to Aswan corridor; Mövenpick MS Darakum sails 3 · 4 · 12 · 14 nights itineraries on the same water. 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
Cabin pricing
Rates by season
Indicative per-person USD rates from the boat's published 2026/27 programme (single published source). Your exact fare depends on dates and cabin — we quote every sailing live, with no booking fee to ask.
4 days / 3 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $2,582 | $2,237 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $4,388 | $3,802 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $2,530 | $2,192 |
5 days / 4 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $3,289 | $2,829 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $5,591 | $4,809 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $3,223 | $2,772 |
- 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
Many ship fares bundle guided shore excursions with an Egyptologist; it varies by package, and your quote states exactly what applies.
Included
- Accommodation aboard Mövenpick MS Darakum 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
- Classic Cabin (first floor, two porthole windows, 20 sqm)
- Superior Cabin (second floor, panoramic windows, 20 sqm)
- Deluxe Cabin (third floor, panoramic windows, 20 sqm)
- Junior Suite (2 units, 26 sqm, second floor)
- Senior Suite third floor (2 units, 40 sqm)
- Senior Suite fourth floor (2 units, 34 sqm)
- Panorama Suite (2 units, 34 sqm)
- Dining
- Main Restaurant - buffet breakfast and lunch, themed dinner buffets
- Lounge Bar - afternoon tea, cocktails, evening entertainment
- Sun Deck bar - beverages and snacks
- Facilities
- Swimming pool
- Sun deck with leisure area
- Mini gym
- Lounge bar convertible to conference space with 100-inch projection screen
- Library and salon
- Gift shop
- Passenger elevator
- 24-hour reception
- Laundry service
- Medical service
- Water purification system
- Fire alarm and sprinkler system
- Low-draft design allowing full Cairo-to-Aswan navigation
- Spa · pool · gym
- Swimming pool / plunge pool on sun deck and a mini gym on the Upper Deck. No spa listed.
- Itineraries
- Short cruise: Luxor to Aswan / Aswan to Luxor (3 nights and 4 nights)
- Long cruise 12 nights / 13 days: Aswan to Cairo
- Long cruise 14 nights / 15 days: Cairo to Aswan
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of Mövenpick MS Darakum, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
- ★★★★★
“The MS Darakum's crew were superb - very professional but also friendly. We ate very well - buffets for breakfast and lunch; in the evening a mix of silver service, BBQs on deck and buffets concluding with Movenpick's famous icecream.”
— Susan P, United Kingdom · via Tripadvisor
Good to know
Mövenpick MS Darakum questions, answered
How much does Mövenpick MS Darakum cost?
Advertised rates start from US$4,949 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Mövenpick MS Darakum have?
52 cabins and 8 suites, for up to 104 guests.
What route does Mövenpick MS Darakum sail?
Short cruise: Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan. Long cruise (Aswan-Cairo): Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Luxor, Qena, Naga Hammadi, Sohag, Tel El Amarna, Minya, Beni Suef, Cairo. Long cruise (Cairo-Aswan): Cairo, Beni Suef, Minya, Tel El Amarna, Assyut, Sohag, Naga Hammadi, Qena, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan., departing Short cruise: Fridays from Aswan (3 nights), Mondays from Luxor (4 nights). Long-cruise departure days not published..
What's included on Mövenpick MS Darakum?
Not specified on the source page
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