Movenpick MS Hamees

Specifications of Movenpick MS Hamees

Year of build2001  /  Age: 23
BuilderMaasara Shipyard (Cairo, Egypt)
ClassNile River hotel ship
Ferry route / homeportsAswan-Luxor
Speed12 kn / 22 km/h / 14 mph
Length (LOA)72 m / 236 ft
Beam (width)15 m / 49 ft
Passengers142
Crew43
Decks5
Cabins72
Decks with cabins3
Last Refurbishment2018
OwnerMovenpick Group
OperatorRiviera Travel UK, Emerald Waterways (via Movenpick Hotels and Resorts Egypt)

Movenpick MS Hamees Review

Review of Movenpick MS Hamees

Movenpick MS Hamees ship cruises on Nile River in Egypt. Itineraries depart from homeports Aswan and Luxor. This is a large, top-luxury riverboat (hotel ship) with a restaurant, library, bar lounge, Sun Deck (with fore-located swimming pool). MS Hamees cruises can be alternatively booked via the European travel company Emerald Waterways.

The hotel ship Hamees is owned by Movenpick Group and operated by its subsidiary company Movenpick Hotels and Resorts Egypt. The 2001-built vessel was fully refurbished in 2008. Following its last refurbishment in 2018, MS Hamees is now among the most luxurious hotel ships in Egypt.

Movenpick MS Hamees cruise ship (Nile River, Egypt)

The shipowner Movenpick Group (founded 1973, headquarters in Baar, Switzerland) is a joint venture hotel company owned by Movenpick Holding (66,7%) and Kingdom Holding Company (Saudi Arabia, 33,3%). Movenpick operates around 110 hotels, resorts, and Nile cruise ships.

MS Hamees' fleetmates (Movenpick-owned Nile cruisers) are Prince Abbas, SS Misr, Darakum, MS Sun Ray, MS Royal Lotus, MS Royal Lily, SB Feddya.

Cabins

MS Hamees staterooms (a total of 72) are on 3 decks (out of 5) and mainly categorized depending on deck location. Cabins are in two main grades - Double Cabin (decks 1, 2, 3, 4) and Single Cabine (deck 2 forward). The ship also has no Suites or any cabins with step-out balconies. However, all passenger cabins are in the category "French Balcony", each featuring a window that opens to a railing (false balcony/balconette).

All cabins are equally sized (23 m2 / 245 ft2), each with en-suite bathrooms (single-sink vanity, WC/toilet, glass-door shower, bathtub, hairdryer, deluxe bath products, towels, bathrobes-slippers upon request), ultra-modern furniture, King beds or two twin beds (convertible to a double Queen-size bed), deluxe bedding sets (mattresses, pillows, Egyptian cotton linens), tall bedside tables (doubling as writing decks) with stool chairs, sofa (3-seater couch), premium carpets (with traditional Egyptian patterns), HDTV (satellite reception, Infotainment system with Internet and on-demand movies), phone (intercom), large wardrobe (mirrored, slide-opening, with hangers and drawers, 2x life jackets), electronic safe box (in the closet), individually controlled air-conditioning, 220V voltage, LED lighting, minibar, complimentary bottled water (supplied daily), tea-coffee making facilities.

Single Cabins can be booked without a single supplement (subject to availability).

All staff-crew cabins are located aft on deck 1 (Restaurant Deck) and are with non-opening windows positioned near the ceiling.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

Main facilities onboard Movenpick Hamees ship include Bar Lounge (with comfortable seating and a full-service Bar, Afternoon Tea service, signature cocktails, live entertainment in the evenings), Dining Room Restaurant, Reading Room (Library), Playing Room (Card Room, Billard), Bazaar (two boutique shops, also selling special occasion gifts and souvenirs), Sun Deck (plunge pool, sunbathing area with loungers and deckchairs, shaded seating with 4-seat tables, full-service open-air Bar / beverages and snacks).

Onboard dining is complimentary and includes buffet breakfasts (international and local food specialties) and waiter-served lunches and dinners. Onboard entertainment includes daily lectures (themed on Egypt's history), port talks (the itinerary's next scheduled call port activities).

Movenpick MS Hamees cruise ship (Nile River, Egypt)

The riverboat has no wellness facilities (gym, hairdresser, spa / massage rooms) or elevators. Medical service (onboard doctor on call), room-service and laundry services cost extra.

Emerald Waterways Nile River cruise itineraries

When chartered by Emerald Waterways, MS Hamees cruises on two itineraries - 10-day (themed "Cairo and Ancient Egypt River Cruise") and 16-day (themed "Israel and Ancient Egypt River Cruise").

Emerald Waterways Nile River cruise deals are inclusive of custom-designed land tours in Egypt and Jordan. Both itineraries are inclusive of 4-night ship cruising on Nile River.

The cruisetour's included excursions are part of the company's EmeraldPLUS program that offers exclusive touring in Cairo City, the Egyptian Museum, the Great Sphinx and the Giza pyramids, local family home dining. In Jordan are offered a walking tour (through local traditional markets), Mount Nebo (John the Baptist's cave), Al-Khazneh Temple (aka The Treasury) in Petra. Emerald Waterways' DiscoverMORE program additionally offers optional tours and excursions (at an extra cost) and includes Aswan's Botanical Gardens, evening light show at Giza and more.

Emerald Waterways Egypt Nile River cruise itinerary map (ship MS Hamees)

Next are shown the daily scheduled activities and ports along these itineraries.

10-day "Cairo and Ancient Egypt River Cruise"

  • Day 1 - Cairo
  • Day 2 - flight Cairo to Luxor
  • Day 3 - Luxor (cruise ship embarkation)
  • Day 4 - Luxor-Dendera-Luxor
  • Day 5 - Luxor-Esna-Kom Ombo-Nile River cruising
  • Day 6 - Aswan-Abu Simbel-Aswan
  • Day 7 - flight Aswan to Cairo
  • Days 8-9-10 - Cairo overnight hotel

Emerald Waterways' 10-day cruisetour deals are inclusive of 4 nights on the ship MS Hamees, 4 nights in Cairo hotel, 1 Night in Luxor hotel, airport transfers, Tour Director services, port taxes and fees, onboard and ashore gratuities, EXCURSIONS (Karnak Temple Complex, Hatshepsut Temple, Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple, Esna Temple, Lom Ombo Temple, Philae Temple, Great Pyramids and Sphinx, Egyptian Museum). EmeraldPLUS excursions include cruising to Dendera (Hathor Temple), Abu Simbel Temples (Ramesses II and Nefertari Meritmut), Felucca boat cruise in Aswan, home-hosted dinner in Cairo.

Onboard dining includes 21 meals (9x breakfasts, 5x lunches, 7x dinners) and two drinks served with each lunch and dinner on the Hamees cruise ship.

Emerald Waterways !0-day Nile cruisetours are priced ~GBP 3350 per person (~USD 4200 / EUR 3750 pp).

16-day "Israel and Ancient Egypt River Cruise"

  • Day 1 - Cairo
  • Day 2 - flight Cairo to Luxor
  • Day 3 - Luxor (cruise ship embarkation)
  • Day 4 - Luxor-Dendera-Luxor
  • Day 5 - Luxor-Esna-Kom Ombo-Nile River cruising
  • Day 6 - Aswan-Abu Simbel-Aswan
  • Day 7 - flight Aswan to Cairo
  • Days 8-9 - Cairo overnight hotel
  • Day 10 - flight Cairo-Amman
  • Day 11 - Amman
  • Day 12 - Amman-Wadi Rum-Petra
  • Day 13 - Petra
  • Day 14 - Petra-Dead Sea
  • Day 15 - Amman (departure)

Emerald Waterways 16-day cruisetour deals are inclusive of 4 nights on the ship MS Hamees, 4 nights in Cairo hotel, 1 Night in Luxor hotel, 2 nights in Amman hotel, 2 nights in Petra hotel, 1 night at Dead Sea, airport transfers, Tour Director services, port taxes and fees, onboard and ashore gratuities, EXCURSIONS (Karnak Temples, Hatshepsut Temple, Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple, Esna Temple, Lom Ombo Temple, Philae Island Temple, Great Pyramids and Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, Mount Nebo, Amman City Tour / walking tour of local markets, Jeep Tour in Wadi Rum, Petra guided tour). EmeraldPLUS excursions include Hathor Temple, Abu Simbel Temples, Felucca boat cruise in Aswan, home-hosted dinners (in Cairo and Amman), Jerash ruins (Gerasa).

Onboard dining includes 30 meals (14x breakfasts, 6x lunches, 10x dinners) and two drinks served with each lunch and dinner on the Hamees cruise ship.

Emerald Waterways !6-day Nile cruisetours are priced ~GBP 4900 per person (~USD 6160 / EUR 4500 pp).

Movenpick Hamees Nile Cruise itineraries

When Movenpick operates the Hamees ship independently, the company offers three itineraries.

  • 3-night (4-day) from Aswan to Luxor
  • 4-night (5-day) from Luxor to Aswan
  • 7-night (8-day) roundtrip from Luxor

Departures are on Mondays (from Luxor) and on Fridays (from Aswan). Next are listed the daily scheduled activities (times) and ports along these itineraries.

3-night (4-day) from Aswan to Luxor

  • Day 1 - check-in (12-noon), onboard lunch (0:30 pm), land tour (High Dam, Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk), onboard Welcome Cocktail Reception (7:30 pm), onboard dinner (8 pm), overnight in Aswan
  • Day 2 - onboard breakfast (7 am), cruising to Kom Ombo (7 am), Kom Ombo Temple (0:30 pm), onboard lunch (1:30 pm), Afternoon Tea (4 pm) and cruising to Edfu, Edfu Temple (5 pm), cruising to Esna (7:30 pm), onboard dinner (8 pm), onboard Galabia Party (Oriental show, 9:30 pm), overnight in Esna
  • Day 3 - cruising to Luxor (6 am), onboard breakfast (8 am), onboard lunch (1 pm), Karnak and Luxor Temples (3 pm), onboard dinner (7:30 pm), onboard belly dancing show (9 pm), overnight in Luxor
  • Day 4 - onboard breakfast (7 am), check-out (8 am), land tour (Valley of the Kings and Queens, Hatshepsut Temple / at Deir el-Bahari's mortuary temples)

4-night (5-day) from Luxor to Aswan

  • Day 1 - check-in (12-noon), onboard lunch (0:30 pm), land tour (2 pm, Karnak and Luxor Temples), onboard dinner (7:30 pm), overnight in Luxor
  • Day 2 - land tour (Valley of the Kings and Queens, Hatshepsut Temple / at Deir el-Bahari's mortuary temples), onboard lunch and cruising to Esna (1 pm), Afternoon Tea (4:30 pm) onboard Welcome Cocktail Reception (7 pm), onboard dinner (7:30 pm), overnight in Esna
  • Day 3 - onboard breakfast (7 am), Edfu Temple (8 am), cruising to Kom Ombo (10:30 am), onboard lunch (1 pm), Afternoon Tea (4 pm), Kom Ombo Temple (5 pm), onboard dinner (8 pm), onboard Galabia Party (Oriental show, 9:30 pm), overnight in Aswan
  • Day 4 - onboard breakfast (7 am), land tour (8 am, High Dam, Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk), onboard lunch (1 pm), Felucca boat cruise on Nile River around Kitchener Island (4 pm), onboard dinner (7:30 pm), onboard Nubian show (9:30 pm), overnight in Aswan

The 7-night (8-day) roundtrip from Luxor is a B2B voyage that combines the above itineraries.

Movenpick Nile cruise prices are inclusive of

  • airport bus transfers (to/from the cruise ship in Luxor/Aswan)
  • all bus transfers (by air-conditioned coaches)
  • meet-and-greet service (upon arrival/departure)
  • crew assistance (onboard and on tours), certified English-speaking tour guide (Egyptologist) on shore excursions
  • stateroom/accommodation
  • all excursions and entrance fees for sights listed in the cruise tour itinerary
  • taxes and all service charges

Not included in Movenpick cruise fares are all optional tours, personal expenses, gratuities.

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.

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