Nile cruise shipLuxury flagshipsLuxor → Aswan

S.S. Sphinx

An all-suite Uniworld ship, Cairo to Cairo

S.S. Sphinx is a Nile cruise ship operated by Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, built 2021. It has 42 cabins and 22 suites for up to 84 guests.

Good to know

An all-suite Uniworld ship, Cairo to Cairo. A Uniworld ship for 84 guests where every accommodation is a suite with a French balcony, sailing the 12-day Splendors of Egypt & the Nile round trip from Cairo.

Class Luxury flagshipsCabins 42 · up to 84 guestsRoute Luxor → Aswan

Operator: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Accommodation: 42 cabins · 22 suites
Guests: Up to 84
Decks: 5
Dimensions: 72 × 14.8 m
Built: 2021
Route: Cairo - Luxor - Dendera - Karnak - Kom Ombo - Aswan - Edfu - Esna - Luxor - Cairo
Season: 51 sailings from September 2026 through December 2027; 12-day round-trip Nile cruises 2026-2028.
Wi-Fi: Free shipboard internet

About S.S. Sphinx

In service since 2021, the S.S. Sphinx carries 84 guests across 42 accommodations over five decks, all marketed as suites and all with French balconies, so no room looks inward. Sizes climb from 233-square-foot French Balcony suites through Deluxe French Balcony and 430-square-foot Grand Suites to the 592-square-foot Royal Suites. Egyptian artwork, fabrics and hand-carved furnishings were sourced regionally. Dining spans a main restaurant and a Bistro, with private dining and al fresco deck meals also available. A swimming pool and outdoor bar sit on the sun deck, and the ship adds a massage room, a gym, an indoor bar lounge with panoramic views, a main lobby and a sun-deck lounge. Shipboard internet is free. The route is the 12-day Splendors of Egypt & the Nile round trip from Cairo, calling at Luxor, Dendera, Karnak, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Edfu and Esna. Around 51 sailings run from September 2026 through December 2027.

Highlights

Every room a suite with a French balcony
Royal Suites of 592 sq ft
Sun-deck pool and outdoor bar
Main restaurant plus Bistro dining
Free shipboard internet

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 S.S. Sphinx in the cabin booked
Meals aboard per the boat's published programme
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: French Balcony (16 units, 233 sqft / 21.6 sqm)
Deluxe French Balcony (4 units, 301 sqft / 28 sqm)
Grand Suite (18 units, 430 sqft / 40 sqm)
Royal Suite (4 units, 592 sqft / 55 sqm)
Dining: Main Restaurant
Bistro (second gourmet dining venue)
Private dining room and al fresco deck dining
Facilities: Swimming pool on sun deck
Outdoor bar
Massage room
Gym / fitness centre
Indoor bar lounge with panoramic views
Main Lobby
Sun deck lounge
Spa · pool · gym: Swimming pool, massage room, gym, fitness centre and spa
Itineraries: Splendors of Egypt & the Nile, 12 days, Cairo to Cairo

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

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

What guests say

Independent traveller reviews of S.S. Sphinx, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.

★★★★★
“Absolutely brilliant! Loved everything about the cruise, from the moment I was picked up in Cairo I felt cared for, safe and they treated me like a queen.”
— Lucy H · via Cruise Critic

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