Nile cruise shipStandard & independentLuxor → Aswan
Royal Ruby
Well-appointed Nile cruiser with several bars
Royal Ruby is a Nile cruise ship, built 2005. It has 69 cabins and 1 suites and sails itineraries of 3, 4 or 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Well-appointed Nile cruiser with several bars. A 69-cabin, five-deck Nile cruise ship built in 2005, sailing the Luxor-Aswan route on three, four and seven-night itineraries.

- Accommodation
- 69 cabins · 1 suites
- Decks
- 5
- Dimensions
- 72 × 14.8 m
- Built
- 2005
- Route
- Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor
- Trip length
- 3 · 4 · 7 nights
- Departures
- 3-night ex Aswan every Friday; 4- and 7-night ex Luxor every Monday
- Wi-Fi
- Internet access on board
About Royal Ruby
Built in 2005, the Royal Ruby is a five-deck ship with 69 cabins and a presidential suite, its double cabins measuring around 21 square metres. The main restaurant seats 160 guests on full board, and the boat is well supplied with bars, including a lounge bar, panorama bar, sundeck bar and piano bar.
The sun deck carries a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, with fitness equipment, a beauty salon and hairdresser, a library and a gift shop. The ship sails between Aswan and Luxor via Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna, departing Aswan on Fridays and Luxor on Mondays, with 24-hour room and medical service on board.
Highlights
- 69 cabins, built 2005
- Swimming pool and Jacuzzi
- 160-seat restaurant, full board
- Lounge, panorama, sundeck and piano bars
- Library and 24-hour medical service
At sail
Day by day
Royal Ruby sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor Departures 3-night ex aswan every friday; 4- and 7-night ex luxor every monday. 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) | $785 | $630 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $1,315 | $1,071 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $770 | $618 |
5 days / 4 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $870 | $780 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $1,460 | $1,260–$1,326 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $853 | $765 |
- 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 Royal Ruby in the cabin booked
- Full board across all sailing days
- Sun deck, pool, spa, gym and lounge throughout
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
- Double (66, 21 sqm)
- Single (02, 18 sqm)
- Presidential Suite (01, 40-42 sqm)
- Dining
- Main restaurant, 160 seats - full board
- Three classic bars and a piano bar (Egypt Escapes)
- Facilities
- Restaurant of 160 seats
- Lounge bar
- Panorama bar
- Sundeck bar
- Piano bar
- Discotheque
- Beauty salon / hairdresser
- Jewellery shop / bazaar / gift shop
- Library
- Sun deck
- Swimming pool (185 cm depth)
- Jacuzzi
- Fitness equipment
- Laundry
- Internet and fax
- Safe deposit boxes
- 24-hour room service
- 24-hour medical service
- Spa · pool · gym
- Swimming pool (185 cm deep), Jacuzzi, fitness equipment, beauty salon and hairdresser; no dedicated spa stated
- Itineraries
- 04 Days / 03 nights ex Aswan
- 05 Days / 04 nights ex Luxor
- 08 Days / 07 nights ex Aswan
- 08 Days / 07 nights ex Luxor
- 8-day Luxor-Aswan round trip (Egypt Escapes)
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of Royal Ruby, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
3.3 out of 5via Tripadvisor (4)
Good to know
Royal Ruby questions, answered
How much does Royal Ruby cost?
Advertised rates start from US$240 per person for 4 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Royal Ruby have?
69 cabins and 1 suites.
What route does Royal Ruby sail?
Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor, departing 3-night ex Aswan every Friday; 4- and 7-night ex Luxor every Monday.
What's included on Royal Ruby?
Tours, meals and transfers; winter $540-$1,080; Christmas/Easter $690-$1,380; New Year $780-$1,560
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