Nile cruise shipLuxury flagshipsLuxor → Aswan
MS Blue Shadow
A deluxe cruiser on the Esna lock corridor
MS Blue Shadow is a Nile cruise ship, built 2015. It has 57 cabins and 3 suites for up to 108 guests and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
A deluxe cruiser on the Esna lock corridor. A five-star ship of 57 cabins for travellers wanting a full-board sailing with pool and spa between Luxor and Aswan.
- Operator
- Independent
- Accommodation
- 57 cabins · 3 suites
- Guests
- Up to 108
- Decks
- 5
- Built
- 2015
- Route
- Luxor, Esna (lock passage), Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan
- Trip length
- 3 · 4 nights
- Departures
- Saturday from Luxor; Wednesday from Aswan
- Season
- Year-round
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi / internet connection on board
About MS Blue Shadow
The Blue Shadow is a five-star ship of 57 cabins, among them 3 suites, with panoramic windows in the cabins and options for single, double and triple occupancy. Meals are taken full board in the main restaurant.
A swimming pool with a bar sits alongside a gym and fitness room, a sauna with aromatherapy and massage, and further spa facilities. A gift shop, a hairdresser, laundry and dry cleaning, and international direct-dial phones round out the onboard services, with Wi-Fi available.
Sailings run year-round between Luxor and Aswan, passing through the Esna lock and calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo: three nights from Aswan on Wednesdays, or four nights from Luxor on Saturdays.
Highlights
- 57 cabins with panoramic windows
- Swimming pool with bar
- Gym and fitness room
- Sauna with aromatherapy and massage
- Full-board dining
At sail
Day by day
MS Blue Shadow sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor, Esna (lock passage), Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan Departures saturday from luxor; wednesday from aswan. 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 the agencies we track, whose published fares for this boat differ by more than 5%, so the published range is shown rather than a single figure. 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) | $915 | $742 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $1,415–$1,556 | $1,261 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $897 | $727 |
5 days / 4 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $1,103 | $891 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $1,590–$1,876 | $1,425–$1,514 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $1,000–$1,080 | $873 |
- 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 MS Blue Shadow in the cabin booked
- Full board across all sailing days
- 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
- Deluxe cabin (54)
- Suite (3)
- Triple / Double / Single occupancy
- Dining
- Main restaurant - full board
- Facilities
- Swimming pool with bar
- Gift shop
- Hairdresser
- Laundry and dry cleaning
- Panoramic windows in cabins
- International direct-dial phones
- Spa · pool · gym
- Swimming pool with bar; gym and fitness room; sauna with aromatherapy and massage; spa facilities
- Itineraries
- 3 nights/4 days Aswan to Luxor
- 4 nights/5 days Luxor to Aswan
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of MS Blue Shadow, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
2.7 out of 5via Tripadvisor (26)
- ★★★★★
“If I should use only one word to describe our Nile cruise, it would be "fabulous". We had a delightful four days cruising from Aswan to Luxor.”
— MizAdder, Singapore · via Tripadvisor
Good to know
MS Blue Shadow questions, answered
How much does MS Blue Shadow cost?
Advertised rates start from US$740 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does MS Blue Shadow have?
57 cabins and 3 suites.
What route does MS Blue Shadow sail?
Luxor, Esna (lock passage), Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, departing Saturday from Luxor; Wednesday from Aswan.
What's included on MS Blue Shadow?
Full board
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