MS Esplanade

MS Esplanade, built in 2012, is a luxurious Nile River cruise ship and floating hotel featuring elegant staterooms, stylish interiors, and superior onboard service. The vessel is owned and operated by Mayfair Cruises Egypt, a Luxor-based cruise tour company specializing in regularly scheduled Nile River voyages between Luxor and Aswan. The line offers 3-, 4-, and 7-night itineraries visiting Egypt’s ancient temples, tombs, and archaeological sites, all led by certified Egyptologists on guided shore excursions.

Alongside Esplanade, Mayfair Cruises’ fleet includes sisterships Mayfair (2010) and Mayflower (2019 newbuild).

Cabins

MS Esplanade has 67 staterooms, including 2 Suites and 15 Executive cabins. Standard complimentary amenities include an en-suite bathroom (bathtub, shower, toilet, single-sink vanity, hairdryer), flat-screen TV (satellite reception), international direct-dial telephone, electronic safe (in the closet), mini-fridge, coffee maker, internet access, and individually controlled air conditioning. Standard occupancy is two guests per cabin. Additional amenities in Presidential Suites and Executive cabins include complimentary soft drinks (replenished daily) and unlimited soft and alcoholic beverages served in the Bar Lounge.

• Presidential Suite (category PS) – 410 ft² (38 m²), with a queen-size double bed.
• Executive Cabin – 215 ft² (20 m²), featuring large, vertically tilting picture windows.
• Standard/Deluxe Cabin – 215 ft² (20 m²), furnished with either one queen bed or two twin beds.

Shipboard facilities

Built with a sleek design and panoramic windows, MS Esplanade offers stunning Nile River views and a blend of modern comfort and relaxed luxury. The “Plaisir” Lounge Bar on the Main Deck provides a welcoming social space for guests after a day of sightseeing. All meals are served in the Belle Vue Restaurant (Nile Deck), which features local specialties and international cuisine presented in an open buffet or à la carte for dinner, prepared by skilled chefs. The restaurant’s tables seat 6–10 guests. The Sun Deck includes a small swimming pool, outdoor jacuzzi, sun loungers, sofas, and daybeds, as well as a bar serving a variety of beverages and cocktails.

• Sun Deck (5) – Observation lounge and covered bar area with cabanas, swimming pool, and pool bar.
• Upper Deck (4) – Executive cabins (x5 twin-bed, x2 queen-bed), Deluxe cabins (x23 twin-bed, x2 queen-bed).
• Upper First Deck (3) – Nostalgie Salon (library/mezzanine), Presidential Suites (x2), Executive cabins (x6 twin-bed, x2 queen-bed), Deluxe cabins (x18 twin-bed, x2 queen-bed).
• Main Deck (2) – Reception and lobby, Lounge Bar “Plaisir”, Deluxe cabins (x6 twin-bed, x4 queen-bed), Single cabin (x1, 194 ft² / 18 m²).
• Nile Deck (1) – Belle Vue Restaurant, galley/kitchen, spa (steam room, sauna, aromatherapy, massages), hair salon, doctor’s office, guides’ cabins (215 ft² / 20 m²), and engine room.
• Dress code is casual, though T-shirts and shorts are not permitted during meals.
• MS Esplanade (launched in 2010) is a top-luxury riverboat, one of the newest and largest cruise ships on the Nile, designed to exceed expectations for an unforgettable journey through Egypt’s ancient wonders.

Among Esplanade’s signature amenities are spacious decks, elegant furnishings, beautifully decorated venues, and modern facilities including a spa and swimming pool. Guests enjoy gourmet cuisine featuring both Western and authentic Egyptian dishes, à la carte dining, lavish buffets, onboard receptions, attentive service, a Tour Director, 24-hour room service, complimentary coffee and bottled water, English-speaking staff, Galabeya parties, onboard lectures, and guided shore excursions with Egyptologist-led commentary via headsets.

Other Nile and Lake Nasser cruises are offered by vessels such as Kasr Ibrim, River Tosca, Steigenberger Omar El Khayam, and Sonesta St. George.

MS Esplanade Nile River cruise prices are based on double occupancy and may vary depending on booking promotions, agency offers, group reservations, or last-minute discounts. European river cruise operators often offer packages that include round-trip flights from the USA, discounted airfares, and complimentary airport transfers.

Esplanade Nile Cruise itineraries

MS Esplanade operates year-round 3-, 4-, and 7-night itineraries between Aswan and Luxor, and vice versa.

• 9-DAY “HIGHLIGHTS OF EGYPT” – Starts with a UK–Egypt flight to Cairo, includes a 2-day/1-night Cairo hotel stay, followed by a flight to Luxor for embarkation. On day 7, guests disembark in Aswan and fly back to Cairo.
• 12-DAY “PYRAMIDS, LAKE NASSER & NILE” – Round-trip from Cairo, featuring a 4-day/3-night Cairo stay, followed by a charter flight to Abu Simbel for embarkation. The voyage continues from Abu Simbel to Luxor, ending with a Luxor–Cairo flight and farewell dinner.
• 16-DAY “EGYPT & NILE RIVER – LAKE NASSER CRUISE” – Begins with a 3-day/2-night Cairo stay, followed by travel to Alexandria (1-night stay), then back to Cairo for the charter flight to Aswan. The itinerary combines a round-trip Nile cruise from Aswan with a Lake Nasser cruise to Abu Simbel, concluding with a flight back to Cairo.
• MS Esplanade itineraries may vary due to changes in Nile River conditions, traffic, or occasional closures of archaeological sites by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities for research or restoration.
• MS Esplanade cruises must be booked at least 45 days before departure.

Esplanade Nile Cruise package inclusions

• Door-to-door pick-up service (within 75 miles / 120 km of your airport), flight from Heathrow (London), all local transfers, port charges, and airport taxes. Regional flights are available at a supplement.
• Hotel stays: Cairo (Oberoi Mena House), Alexandria (Helnan Palestine), and final night in Cairo (Fairmont Heliopolis). For details on hotel partnerships, see the top-page Viking link.
• MS Esplanade prices include all meals onboard, soft drinks at lunch, and soft drinks plus wine or beer at dinner. The onboard program features live performances by local entertainers and artisans. All excursions and sightseeing tours are included and guided by certified Egyptologists.

Esplanade Nile Cruise tours and excursions

• Cairo – Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, Memphis, Saqqara “Stairway to the Sky” show, Egyptian Museum, Saladin’s Citadel, and the Alabaster Mosque.
• Alexandria – National Museum, Catacombs, Pompey’s Pillar, the Library, and Lighthouse.
• Kom Ombo – Temple of Horus and Sobek, Egypt’s first calendar; Edfu – Temple of Horus.
• Luxor–Edfu–Kom Ombo – Valley of the Kings & Queens, museums, temples, the Sphinxes, Karnak Temple, Amun-Ra, Deir el-Bahri, and the Colossi of Memnon.
• Dendera and Aswan – High Dam, Temples of Isis, Hathor, and Kalabsha, ancient quarries (unfinished obelisk), Kitchener Island, Botanical Gardens, and Aga Khan’s Mausoleum.
• Abu Simbel–Kasr Ibrim–Amada–Wadi el-Seboua – Temples of Dakka, Meharakka, Amada, Derr, the Tomb of Penout, and rock temples.

Note: Visit the “Itinerary” section of CruiseMapper’s River Cruises hub for a complete list of river cruise ships and operators worldwide.