Nile cruise shipLuxury flagshipsLuxor → Aswan
Sonesta Moon Goddess
Private-balcony cabins on the Luxor–Aswan Nile
Sonesta Moon Goddess is a Nile cruise ship operated by Sonesta Cruises / Sonesta Hotels & Resorts Egypt, built 2000 and refurbished 2022. It has 53 cabins and 4 suites for up to 106 guests and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
Private-balcony cabins on the Luxor–Aswan Nile. A five-deck Sonesta cruiser for up to 106 guests, suited to travellers wanting a private balcony, sailing Luxor–Aswan on three-, four- and seven-night itineraries.
- Operator
- Sonesta Cruises / Sonesta Hotels & Resorts Egypt
- Accommodation
- 53 cabins · 4 suites
- Guests
- Up to 106
- Decks
- 5
- Dimensions
- 72 × 12 m
- Built
- 2000 · refit 2022
- Route
- Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (with optional Abu Simbel extension)
- Trip length
- 3 · 4 nights
- Departures
- Every Monday from Luxor (4 nights / 5 days); every Friday from Aswan (3 nights / 4 days)
- Season
- Year-round. Rate seasons: May-August and September-April
- Wi-Fi
- Complimentary wireless internet throughout the ship
About Sonesta Moon Goddess
The Sonesta Moon Goddess is built around forty-nine cabins with sliding glass doors onto private balconies, plus four Presidential Suites with a private lounge, across five decks. Cabins come with climate control, mini-bar, safe and a bathtub, and the ship carries complimentary wireless internet throughout.
On-board life centres on a sun deck with an oversize pool, a shallow extension and a Jacuzzi, served by its own bar, with a spa and wellness centre, a spacious gym and a jogging track alongside. A main dining room, deck barbecues and in-room dining until midnight cover the meals, while evenings bring a discotheque, a belly-dance show and a Nubian folkloric performance.
Itineraries sail Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan on three-, four- and seven-night patterns, with an optional Abu Simbel extension.
Highlights
- 49 cabins with private balconies
- Sun-deck oversize pool with Jacuzzi
- Spa, spacious gym and jogging track
- Presidential Suites with private lounge
- Complimentary WiFi throughout
At sail
Day by day
Sonesta Moon Goddess sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (with optional Abu Simbel extension) Departures every monday from luxor (4 nights / 5 days); every friday from aswan (3 nights / 4 days). 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) | $1,127–$1,200 | $850–$927 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $1,691–$1,790 | $1,401–$1,475 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $1,057–$1,175 | $825 |
5 days / 4 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $1,423 | $1,050–$1,123 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $2,111–$2,360 | $1,600–$1,691 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $1,348–$1,450 | $1,025 |
- 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 Sonesta Moon Goddess 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
- 49 cabins with sliding glass doors to private balconies
- 4 Presidential Suites with private lounge
- Dining
- Main Dining Room
- Sun deck bar
- Barbecue on deck
- In-room dining until midnight
- Facilities
- Main dining room
- Sun deck with oversize pool, shallow extension and Jacuzzi
- Sun deck bar
- Barbecue area
- Discotheque
- Jogging track
- Spacious gym
- Billiards
- Table tennis
- Bazaar
- Beauty salon
- Laundry service
- Elevator
- Doctor available on call (charge applies)
- Spa · pool · gym
- Spa and wellness center with massage services, sauna and steam bath; spacious gym and jogging track; sun-deck oversize pool with shallow extension and Jacuzzi.
- Itineraries
- 3 nights Aswan to Luxor
- 4 nights Luxor to Aswan
- 7-night round trip Luxor-Aswan-Luxor (operator site)
- 8-day package offered by resellers
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of Sonesta Moon Goddess, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
5 out of 5via Tripadvisor (196)
“What a wonderful trip 3 days and 4 nights aboard the Moon Goddess. The food, served as a buffet for breakfast lunch and dinner was superb. The room was super clean and the staff was courteous and kind.”
— Skyros7, Los Angeles, California · via Tripadvisor
Good to know
Sonesta Moon Goddess questions, answered
How much does Sonesta Moon Goddess cost?
Advertised rates start from US$299 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Sonesta Moon Goddess have?
53 cabins and 4 suites, for up to 106 guests.
What route does Sonesta Moon Goddess sail?
Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (with optional Abu Simbel extension), departing Every Monday from Luxor (4 nights / 5 days); every Friday from Aswan (3 nights / 4 days).
What's included on Sonesta Moon Goddess?
3 or 4 nights accommodation on board full board, entrance fees, private excursions, guides, transfers, daily water bottle, service charges and taxes
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