I’ve just added the latest Special Offers to our Nile Cruise Bargains page and hopefully I’ll be blogging regularly as before. Sorry for any inconvenience caused over the last 10 days or so.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

Apologies if you are trying to access the site. If you have any queries or need any help please call us on Freephone 0808 1089 100. Hopefully the site will be back very shortly.

Our other website www.kenyaholidays4u.co.uk has been hacked by a hacker in the Far East called Ickhy Conficker. I’ve no idea why he has done this and I am sure he has no idea what upset he is causing. He actually has a Facebook page and so I have messaged him asking if he would “un-hack” us. However I am not sure if he will.

What a lousy couple of days we are having!

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

Barbara and Colin at the Valley Of The Kings, Egypt

I can understand why people think All Inclusive is THE main choice but unfortunately people only seeking an All Inclusive Nile Cruise are missing out on a large number of excellent Nile Cruise ships who only offer Full Board.

One of the things I tell people is that for the right reason the All Inclusive option is a good choice. That might be when your budget is tightly limited and you need to know exactly what your Nile Cruise will cost you in total before you travel. Or, if you have been personally recommended to a particular Nile Cruise ship and that ship only offers an All Inclusive option.

However, for those people seeking more choice, both in the ships available to choose from and in the choice of refreshments available on the ship then it may well be worth looking at a Full Board option.  Barbara and I have sailed on both All Inclusive and Full Board ships and have enjoyed both but now, if the option is available, we would normally plump for the Full Board option if the ship offers a choice in refreshments/drinks, etc.

To try and help people think a little more about the choice between the two options I have written the following article which I hope will help:

Nile Cruises – Full Board or All Inclusive

If you are thinking of taking a Nile Cruise in the near future you will see when you start looking that you will have the option of a Full Board Nile Cruise or an All Inclusive Nile Cruise. So which to choose and what’s the difference?

Well, firstly, I recommend that you avoid the initial impulse to go for the All-Inclusive option as you might do when looking at a hotel-based holiday. A Nile cruise is very different.

One thing that you may wish to think about, if this is your first Nile cruise, is that apart from any refreshments that you may buy there is literally nothing else to spend you money on, either on board or when on shore. So you do not need a pocket full of spending money as there is so little to spend it on.

On the ship there is literally nothing to spend your money on. They will not ask you for any “extras”. Entertainment is included in the cruise price and although they do have a “ship’s shop” on board you will find that all they really sell are the cheap souvenirs that most of us would give a wide berth.

On shore you will find that you will pass stalls and shops on the way into the ancient sites, but again, most of it you wouldnt’ give “house room”. So  you will probably not be spending money.

So the choice between All Inclusive and Full Board should not be based purely on saving money. You need to consider a few options.

Firstly, a lot of Nile cruise ship owners will not offer All Inclusive as they feel they cannot maintain the standards of food, service and staffing if they have to provide unmlimited drinks and refreshments. So, if that’s the case and you only look at All Inclusive ships, you will be missing out on a lot of really superb ships that only offer Full Board.

Secondly, its worth considering that if you choose an All Inclusive ship then you may well be limiting your choices. Let me explain.

On many All Inclusive ships the the “included” wine and beer will come in a glass not a bottle and if you do not like that wine and beer then there may well be no alternative.  Wine and beer that you do not like can be hard to take for a full week. Normally, on a full board ship, you will be able to buy wine and beer by the bottle and there will be a choice of brands. So, if you prefer a choice and you want to be sure that you are not just stuck with one wine or one beer then you perhaps need to think about a Full Board ship.

Obviously All Inclusive can be very handy if you want to be totally sure that your Nile cruise costs are capped and you will know exactly what you are going to spend. Or, if you are on a limited budget then All Inclusive can be the best choice.

However, if you are thinking that Full Board drinks might cost you a fortune and that you will be presented with a huge bill at the end of the week then let me put your mind at rest.

Barbara, my wife and colleague, and I cruise the Nile regularly and have enjoyed All Inclusive and Full Board Nile cruises. However we now prefer Full Board as we like to be able to make choices that otherwise may be limited on an All Inclusive cruise.  Our last cruise was a few months ago on board an excellent 5 star Full Board ship and our total bill at the end of the week was £210 for the pair of us. In other words £105 each. That included a bottle of wine for most meals, (often that bottle lasted over 2 meals), beers, cold drinks and coffees in the afternoon and a few vodka or gin and tonics after dinner. Plus we had some clients on board and bought a few drinks for them too. So you can see that we did not skimp and yet our total bill came to £210.  Now when you think that we spent  no other money during the week that wasnt’ bad.

So there are plusses and minuses for both Full Board and All Inclusive but I would suggest that you keep an open mind and choose the best ship based on service, standards of accommodation and reputation rather than just choosing the All Inclusive option and missing out on a much wider choice of Nile cruise ships.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

Prices are extremely competitive in November and we have some great prices in our Nile Cruise Bargains page including 50% off the second person sailing on the Viking Princess, the Royal Viking and the Alexander The Great on selected dates.

Plus we have some great prices on ships such as the 4 star Pioneer and the 5 Star Nile Style.

Barbara and I took a wonderful Nile Cruise on the excellent Royal Viking Nile cruise ship about 2 years ago and the weather was simply wonderful. We returned home on the 30th of November and the temperature was 80 degrees on the day we left.  We’d enjoyed 8 days of continuous sunshine but it hadnt’ been too hot when we were visiting the temples and ancient sites.

If you can get away now then please feel free to call either Barbara or myself, Colin, and we’ll look at all the possible options we can offer you.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

These are the MS Pioneer, a 4 Star, Full Board ship, plus the following 5 Star vessels; the MS Carnival, the MS Solaris and the MS Nile Style.

You can read more about each of these ships on our Nile Cruise Ships page but if you would like to check the latest availability or prices please do not hesitate to call us on our Freephone number 0808 1089 100.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

Our first impressions as you enter the elegant reception is that you are entering a boutique hotel. Smaller than the large, airy reception of a typical Nile cruise ship, the Alexander The Great feels much more like a luxury yacht. By “yacht” I mean the type of motor yacht that might be owned by a Roman Abramavitch or a Donald Trump.

The Alexander The Great is narrower in width and slightly smaller in length than a traditional Nile cruise ship but this only serves to strengthen the impression that you are aboard somebody’s luxury motor yacht.

Ship’s manager Sherif explained to us that there are only 32 suites on the Alexander and that each one is individually decorated and no two suites are the same. He also told us there is a staff to guest ratio of 1:1.

Sherif showed us around two of the suites which were designed with a luxurious but minimalist feel. All guests are provided with robes, slippers and top of the range toiletries and drinking water is freely provided. With luxurious bedding and elegant bathrooms the suites look cool, stylish and very comfortable.

There are also two “panoramic suites” at the front of the ship that each have their own private balconies that must be wonderful when the ship is cruising along the Nile.

A nice added touch amongst many others is that the bartenders will polish your sunglasses while you are on the sundeck. Little things that leave a big impression.

The restaurant, which is a-la-carte and with waiter service feels more like a top notch London restaurant with individual tables for two and for four. However Sherif explained that the majority of meals are served outside on the sundeck to enjoy the unique views and atmosphere of the Nile whilst dining.

An example of such a unique dining experience he gave was enjoying dinner whilst the Alexander The Great is berthed in front of Edfu Temple which is beautifully illuminated at night. Such unique dining experiences would cost a fortune if enjoyed in front of world famous landmarks in capital cities such as London, Paris or New York.

There is a small gym and steam room and spa area for those of us who like to keep in trim whilst enjoying the excesses of a cruise and there is a full programme of evening entertainment to be enjoyed.

Sherif also explained that the Alexander The Great has it’s own private moorings at each port of call to ensure such uninterrupted dining situations and also avoiding the need to more up besides other Nile cruise ships.

The elegant lounge features luxurious seating and access to the ship’s Wi-Fi. Sherif explained that to cater for guests who do like to rise early they provide access to the coffee and tea making machines in the lounge. Real coffee by the way. Complimentary tea and coffee is available after all meals too.

A Digital Sound and Vision (DSV) is available in the lounge bar where guests can choose from several thousand different songs to listen or dance to their favourites.

In case you forget your glasses reading glasses are available in the restaurant to allow you to read the menu. Another thoughtful little touch.

The small plunge pool and outdoor jaccuzzi are heated and set in elegant surroundings on the two tier sun deck and I can only imagine how nice it must be to be relaxing in the jaccuzzi whilst the Alexander The Great cruises slowly down the Nile.

The Alexander The Great cruise is a 6 night cruise that departs from Luxor on a Tuesday. So guests who normally arrive from the UK on a Monday will stay for the first night at the famous and very elegant Old Winter Palace Hotel in Luxor.

Sherif then explained to us that sailing from Luxor a day after all the other Nile cruise ships have departed means that guests are then enjoying visits to The Valley of the Kings and other highlights without the crowds and their visits can be much more relaxed and taken at their own tempo. What a great idea.

Although the cost of a Nile cruise on the Alexander The Great is obviously more expensive I honestly feel that you would be enjoying a true “luxury Nile cruise“.

As with all thing in life “you get what you pay for” and if you choose to cruise on the Alexander The Great you are probably going to enjoy a cruise on the top Nile cruise ship available at that price. In fact I would go so far as to say that apart from the very, very expensive Oberoi Zahra, currently the most expensive Nile cruise ship afloat, then you will be cruising on the most unique and luxurious Nile cruise ship available at a much more affordable price.

More importantly you will enjoy an unforgettable travel experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

Barbara and I have already added a Nile cruise aboard the Alexander The Great to our “bucket list”.

Over the next few days I’ll be adding photographs that we took during our visit and hopefully you will be able to see what a beautiful ship the Alexander The Great really is.

If you’d like to know more about Alexander The Great Nile cruises or talk to us about availability and prices please call either Barbara or myself on our dedicated Freephone number 0808 1089 100 or on 01704 833197.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

During the afternoon various Nile cruise ships passed us or we passed them and it was good to see the ships that we use in full steam mode. We have clients out here on the Royal Viking but also on several other ships and we have bumped into a couple of clients during one of the temple visits and everyone is really enjoying themselves.

Tomorrow, Friday, we leave at 4.00am (!!!!) to travel to Abu Simbel which we are really looking forward to and I’ll add a post here to the blog and add video and photos when we get back. Now? Off to another lovely lunch.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

They kindly emailed me from their hotel in Aswan to let me know how they are getting on.  Here is the email I received:

Hi Colin
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Just a note to say what a fantastic holiday we are having here in Egypt.  I will update you on the full itinerary when we get home but so far everything has really exceeded our expectations.  After all the uncertainty of whether we would get here and would we enjoy it so soon after the revolution we are having one of our best holidays ever.  All the arrangements you made for us have been so smooth running and we are contacted by the tour reps frequently with pick up times etc.  Both hotels are excellent and I can’t praise the Oberoi Philae highly enough.  The Nile cruise was amazing ……the boat is just beautiful and the crew were so welcoming and friendly.  They really go the extra mile to ensure you enjoy your time onboard.   Visiting all the temples and tombs was the highlight and the Egyptologist was fantastic with his knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject.  We feel very lucky to be here at this time as the sites are still fairly quiet.  Looking forward to the Lake Nasser cruise starting tomorrow.
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Thanks again,
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Jean & AlexÂ

Barbara and I are flying out ourselves in a fortnight’s time to enjoy another Nile Cruise and we will be “Tweeting” about our experiences and impressions throughout the week.  If you look to the right you will see in the right-hand column a menu that shows our latest “tweets“.  You can follow our week by popping back here to the Nile Cruise Blog or you can subscribe to our “Twitter” account and receive them as they are posted.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide

However our client has now booked a cruise on another Nile cruise ship that is actually sailing.  Here is the email we received today:

“Dear Colin,
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I hope you are well and your business is not suffering too badly because of the situation in Egypt. We are now in Luxor, still celebrating Mubarak’s resignation. Now is a fantastic time to visit – there are almost no tourists, and today we were the only visitors to the Valley of the Kings! Moreover, it seems like we are going on a Nile cruise after all (insha’allah) – the ship is called The Nile Crown, it’s not as cool as Monica, but still nice – it is set to sail sometime in the next three days. They are now trying to sell more cabins (only about 10 or 11 sold so far), so we are keeping our fingers crossed. I do hope that you will be able to resume cruises shortly”.

We are hoping that flights will be resumed very shortly and our clients can enjoy a truly memorable holiday and of course help the Egyptian people restore the damage done to their economy.

Why not find out all about Nile Cruises by obtaining a copy of our exclusive FREE Nile Cruise Guide