Nile cruise shipLuxury flagshipsLuxor → Aswan

Sonesta St. George I

Five-star sailing on the Luxor–Aswan reach

Sonesta St. George I is a Nile cruise ship operated by Sonesta Cruises / Sonesta Hotels & Resorts Egypt, built 2011. It has 57 cabins and 10 suites for up to 114 guests and sails itineraries of 3 or 4 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.

Good to know

Five-star sailing on the Luxor–Aswan reach. A 114-guest, five-star cruiser working the classic Luxor–Aswan corridor, suited to travellers who want full-service comfort with a spa, pool and nightly programme.

Class Luxury flagshipsCabins 57 · up to 114 guestsRoute Luxor → Aswan

Sonesta St. George I, a Nile cruise ship

Operator: Sonesta Cruises / Sonesta Hotels & Resorts Egypt
Accommodation: 57 cabins · 10 suites
Guests: Up to 114
Decks: 5
Dimensions: 75 × 15 m
Built: 2011
Route: Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Temple of Horus at Edfu, Kom Ombo, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae, High Dam)
Trip length: 3 · 4 nights
Departures: Every Monday from Luxor (4 nights); every Friday from Aswan (3 nights)
Season: Year-round. Rate seasons: summer 27 Apr - 26 Sep; winter 27 Sep - 26 Apr; plus Christmas/Easter and New Year peak periods
Wi-Fi: Complimentary WiFi

About Sonesta St. George I

Built in 2011, the Sonesta St. George I carries up to 114 guests across five decks in 47 Deluxe Cabins and a small run of suites: six Presidential, three Elite and one Royal. Cabins are fitted with double-glazed panoramic windows and 43-inch televisions, and the ship keeps a full-service feel with a main dining room serving breakfast and lunch buffets and à la carte dinners, plus a lounge, piano bar and sun-deck bar.

Above decks there is an oversize swimming pool with a shallow-water extension and a Jacuzzi, alongside a wellness centre with a gym, massage, sauna and steam bath. Evenings run to entertainment in the lounge, and a doctor is on call.

Itineraries range from three- and four-night legs between Luxor and Aswan to a seven-night Luxor–Aswan–Luxor round trip, calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo and reaching the major sites of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Horus and Philae.

Highlights

Oversize sun-deck pool with Jacuzzi
Spa with sauna, steam bath and gym
Panoramic-window cabins with 43-inch TVs
Lounge, piano bar and nightly entertainment
Complimentary WiFi on board

At sail

Day by day

Sonesta St. George I sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Temple of Horus at Edfu, Kom Ombo, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae, High Dam) Departures every monday from luxor (4 nights); every friday from aswan (3 nights). 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)	$1,596–$1,960	$1,021–$1,500
Single cabin (sole use)	$2,480–$3,130	$1,590–$2,400
Triple cabin (per person)	$1,521	$950

5 days / 4 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor

Cabin	High season · Sep–Apr	Low season · May–Aug
Double cabin (per person)	$1,891–$2,480	$1,231–$1,900
Single cabin (sole use)	$3,100–$4,000	$1,940–$2,800
Triple cabin (per person)	$1,895	$1,145

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 St. George I 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: 47 Deluxe Cabins
6 Presidential Suites
3 Elite Suites
1 Royal Suite
Dining: Main Dining Room - breakfast and lunch buffets, a la carte dinners
Sun Deck Bar
Lounge
Piano Bar
Facilities: Main dining room
Lounge with dance floor and nightly entertainment
Panoramic lounge
Piano bar
Sun deck bar
Oversize swimming pool with shallow-water extension
Jacuzzi
Gift shop / bazaar
Gym and jogging track
Dry cleaning
Doctor available on call
Spa · pool · gym: Spa and wellness centre with gym, massage, sauna and steam bath; oversize sun-deck pool with shallow extension and Jacuzzi. Cabin bathrooms fitted with spa units including steam bath, Jacuzzi and water massage.
Itineraries: 3 nights Aswan to Luxor
4 nights Luxor to Aswan
7-night round trip Luxor-Aswan-Luxor (operator site)
8-day option offered by resellers

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 Sonesta St. George I, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.

4.8 out of 5via Tripadvisor (186)

“We loved our cruise on the Sonesta St. George. They just overhauled this boat last year, and it shows - rooms are updated and clean, with super fancy shower/saunas and doors that open so you can get the breeze from the Nile… The real stand out, though, is the staff.”
— JenT617, Boston, Massachusetts, USA · via Tripadvisor

Good to know

Sonesta St. George I questions, answered

How much does Sonesta St. George I cost?

Advertised rates start from US$1,065 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Sonesta St. George I have?

57 cabins and 10 suites, for up to 114 guests.

What route does Sonesta St. George I sail?

Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Temple of Horus at Edfu, Kom Ombo, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae, High Dam), departing Every Monday from Luxor (4 nights); every Friday from Aswan (3 nights).

What's included on Sonesta St. George I?

Full-board dining, all guided sightseeing, licensed Egyptologist guide, entrance fees per itinerary, arrival/departure transfers. Excludes optional excursions, beverages, gratuities, personal expenses, insurance, visa.