Nile cruise shipStandard & independentLuxor → Aswan
Tulip
2018-built five-deck ship, Nile-view cabins
Tulip is a Nile cruise ship operated by Mazaj Cruises & Dahabiyas, built 2018 and refurbished 2024. It has 48 cabins and 11 suites and sails itineraries of 3, 4 or 7 nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan.
Good to know
2018-built five-deck ship, Nile-view cabins. A 2018-built, 48-cabin five-deck ship sailing the Aswan-Luxor Nile route via Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna on 3 to 7-night itineraries.
- Operator
- Mazaj Cruises & Dahabiyas
- Accommodation
- 48 cabins · 11 suites
- Decks
- 5
- Dimensions
- 72 × 14 m
- Built
- 2018 · refit 2024
- Route
- Aswan, Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor; optional Abu Simbel excursion
- Trip length
- 3 · 4 · 7 nights
- Departures
- Fridays ex-Aswan (3 and 7 nights); Mondays ex-Luxor (4 and 7 nights)
- Wi-Fi
- Internet access on board; Wi-Fi in designated areas.
About Tulip
Built in October 2018 and refurbished in 2024, Tulip is a five-deck ship with 48 cabins and 11 suites, from superior cabins up to terrace and royal panoramic suites, all with Nile views. It sails the classic Nile between Aswan and Luxor, calling at Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna, with Abu Simbel offered as an excursion, on itineraries from 3 up to 7 nights.
The main restaurant serves open-buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner with international and Egyptian dishes, with a bar lounge and a pool cafe and bar. The sun deck holds a swimming pool, and there is a health club and spa, a games lounge with billiards and bridge tables, a library, an upper lounge with a dancing area, 24-hour room service and daily entertainment shows.
Highlights
- Built 2018, refurbished 2024, Nile-view cabins
- 48 cabins and 11 suites across five decks
- Sundeck swimming pool with pool cafe/bar
- Health club and spa, games lounge, library
- Daily entertainment shows and dancing area
At sail
Day by day
Tulip sails 2 published programmes. Its own route: Aswan, Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor; optional Abu Simbel excursion Departures fridays ex-aswan (3 and 7 nights); mondays ex-luxor (4 and 7 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) | $1,315–$1,539 | $925 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $1,925–$2,615 | $1,590 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $1,300–$1,508 | $900 |
5 days / 4 nights · Luxor–Aswan corridor
| Cabin | High season · Sep–Apr | Low season · May–Aug |
|---|---|---|
| Double cabin (per person) | $1,615–$1,898 | $1,100 |
| Single cabin (sole use) | $2,460–$3,226 | $1,725 |
| Triple cabin (per person) | $1,600–$1,860 | $1,075 |
- 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 Tulip in the cabin booked
- Meals aboard per the boat's published programme
- Sun deck, pool, spa 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
- Superior cabin (32) - 20 m2
- Single cabin (4) - 17 m2
- Royal Panoramic suite (2) - 40 m2
- Junior suite (1) - 28 m2
- Terrace suite (8) - 40 m2
- Dining
- Main restaurant (open buffet breakfast, lunch, dinner - international and Egyptian)
- Bar lounge
- Pool cafe/bar
- Facilities
- Swimming pool with pool cafe/bar
- Health club and spa
- Games lounge with billiards and bridge tables
- Library
- Upper lounge with dancing area
- Gift and souvenir shops
- 24-hour room service
- Laundry and dry cleaning
- Daily entertainment shows
- On-call medical service
- Sun deck
- Spa · pool · gym
- Swimming pool, health club and spa
- Itineraries
- 3 nights / 4 days ex-Aswan
- 4 nights / 5 days ex-Luxor
- 7 nights / 8 days ex-Aswan or ex-Luxor
Keep planning
Plan your Nile cruise
What guests say
Independent traveller reviews of Tulip, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.
5 out of 5via Tripadvisor (5)
Good to know
Tulip questions, answered
How much does Tulip cost?
Advertised rates start from US$480 per person for 3 nights; prices vary by season and cabin.
How many cabins does Tulip have?
48 cabins and 11 suites.
What route does Tulip sail?
Aswan, Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor; optional Abu Simbel excursion, departing Fridays ex-Aswan (3 and 7 nights); Mondays ex-Luxor (4 and 7 nights).
What's included on Tulip?
Full board accommodation, sightseeing and all transfers by private coaches, private guide, all entrance fees; +10% 22 Dec-4 Jan and Easter
More boats to compare
Historia the Boutique Hotel Nile Cruise
A boutique hotel afloat, in 1920s spirit
Alexander the Great
An all-suite sailing on the Luxor–Aswan reach
Amwaj
2014-built five-star ship, Aswan to Luxor
