MS Farah

The 2011-built MS Farah ship cruises on Nile River in Egypt, between homeports Luxor and Aswan (northbound and southbound itineraries). The vessel boasts hand-polished Mediterranean stone floors, handmade Egyptian cotton sheets, natural dark wood furniture, 3-deck high Atrium. The service staff is friendly and English-speaking. The Arabic word "Farah" means happiness/joy.

The boat, among the largest on the Nile, is owned by Farah Nile Cruise and is currently chartered by Avalon Waterways - one of Europe's largest river cruisetour companies/travel brands.

Decks and Cabins

MS Farah staterooms (62 total, in 3 grades) include 2x Royal Suites and 60x Deluxe cabins with French Balconies. All cabins are with double occupancy (2 guests in a room).

Complimentary amenities offered in all types of passenger staterooms include 2x twin beds (convertible to a Queen-sized double bed), bedside tables with wall-mounted reading lamps, floor lamps, deluxe pillow menu, writing desk with chair, window seating (2x chairs, coffee table), UHDTV (32-inch in Staterooms, 42-inch in Suites), USB charge ports and Internet/network plugs, individually controlled air-conditioning, electronic safe box, floor-ceiling window (opening to a French balcony), minibar, fruit basket, cookies, canapes and nuts, kettle (tea packets). Nescafe is served in cabins. All cabin bathrooms are private/en suite, fitted with marble tops and floors, countertop washbasin, wall-mounted magnifying mirror and hairdryer, towels, wall-hung WC/raised toilet, razor plug, bathtub with shower, live plants.

• Both Royal Suites (category S) are located forward (on Wheelhouse Deck), each sized 430 ft2 (40 m2) and with separate lounge room/bedroom (each fitted with a French Balcony).
• Deluxe Staterooms (categories A, P) are located on decks Lower, Main, Second, Wheelhouse, and sized 240 ft2 (22 m2).

The boat has 5 decks, of which 4 are with cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

The ship's amenities include the Farah Lounge Bar (with wall-to-wall windows, premium white leather furniture/sofas, armchairs, pouf chairs, glass-top low tables, two tall tables with high chairs), complimentary Wi-Fi access, welcome aboard gifts (cocktail, refreshing towels), Library Lounge (dedicated to Paulo Coelho, with all his novels available in different languages), telescope and binoculars (on Sundeck), free use of the wellness complex (gym, sauna room, steam room/spa massages are excluded), UHDTVs with cable and satellite reception.

All indoor facilities are fully air-conditioned. The riverboat also offers all the services and facilities needed to organize special events (private parties, family and business meetings, etc). The Farah Lounge also serves the cruise company's onboard enrichment program that includes professional lectures and media presentations (themed on Egypt's history and culture), Galabia Party (traditional Egyptian dresses and belly dances), Cocktail Party (welcome aboard event).

The lavish Farah Restaurant / Dining Room is where passengers enjoy carefully prepared gourmet dishes served by professionally trained waitstaff. Breakfast and Lunch are both buffet-style, while Dinners are a la carte. Tables' capacity varies between 4-seats and 10-seats.

Dining choices include special dishes for vegans and vegetarians (at lunch and dinner), complimentary beverages served with lunch and dinner (2x glasses of local wine/beer, tea/coffee), Sundeck BBQ (alfresco barbecue lunches and dinners/weather permitting).

An onboard cooking class (themed on Egypt's traditional cuisine) is complimentary offered on each voyage, with a diploma issued by the boat's Master Chef.

• (deck 5) Sundeck: Swimming Pool, BBQ-Barbecue Buffet, Pool Bar, sunbathing area (padded wooden sun loungers and cushioned daybed/oyster wicker rattan daybed), shaded seating areas (live plants, padded wooden garden furniture/chairs, sofas, low tables, bar stools)
• (deck 4) Wheelhouse Deck: Navigation Bridge/Pilot House, Gymnasium/Fitness Room, Steam Room, Sauna Room, Massage Room, passenger accommodations (24x cabins, 2x Royal Suites)
• (deck 3) Second Deck: Library, Bazar/Boutique Shops, passenger accommodations (28x cabins)
• (deck 2) Main Deck: Lobby Hall (Foyer with Reception Desk/cashier, glass-railed Grand Staircase, lobby seating/sofas and armchairs), Farah Lounge Bar, passenger accommodations (6x cabins), staff and crew cabins. On Main Deck are also the ship's two entrances (portside and starboard) featuring large glass doors.
• (deck 1) Lower Deck: Dining Room Restaurant & Galley (kitchen and storage rooms), passenger accommodations (6x cabins), machinery rooms/engines.

Farah cruise deals are inclusive of Wi-Fi Internet, room service, all land tours and excursions (by certified local tour guides), port taxes, domestic flights (promos include international flights too), premium bus trave/motorcoach transfers, live evening entertainment (local performers), daily enrichment lectures, Farah cruise ship tour ("behind-the-scenes"), food and wine tastings, 24-hour beverages (bottled water, premium coffee/tea/hot chocolate), replenished daily bottled water (in-cabin).

MS Farah Nile cruisetour prices are per person and based on double occupancy. These are only indicative rates. that might be different when you book your voyage, influenced by travel agency promotions, special offers, and discounts, group travel booking or last-minute deals rates. On Farah cruises, Avalon Waterways offers packages available from GBP 1000 per person including return flights from the UK. Guests can extend their break on the Red Sea Riviera and enjoy one of Avalon's "Nile Cruise & Stay" packages.

MS Farah Nile River cruise itineraries

MS Farah Nile cruises are between Luxor-Aswan (southbound itinerary) and Aswan-Luxor (northbound itinerary). In Upper Egypt, the boat operates two programs - Luxor to Aswan (4- to 7-nights) and Aswan to Luxor (3- to 7-nights).

When operated independently, MS Farah cruise prices range between USD 2400 (3-night), USD 3200 (4-night) and USD 5600 (7-night). Farah Nile Cruise itineraries include the following (complimentary) daily activities:

• (Day 1) Boarding the ship in Luxor (at 12-noon), included are Lunch, Dinner, evening belly-dancing show (at the Bar Lounge), overnight stay in Luxor.
• (Day 2) Breakfast, visiting The Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut Temple (El-Deir El-Bahari), the Memnon Colossi, cruising to Edfu (via Esna), Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Cocktail Party (at the Bar Lounge), Dinner, overnight stay in Edfu.
• (Day 3) Breakfast, visiting Edfu's Horus Temple, cruising to Kom Ombo, Lunch, cruising to Aswan (Afternoon Tea, Dinner, Galabia Party, overnight stay in Aswan.
• (Day 4) Breakfast, visiting Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple (by motorboat), Lunch, Dinner, Nubian Show(at the Bar Lounge), overnight stay in Aswan.
• (Day 5) Breakfast, leisure time onboard, Lunch, Dinner, Nubian Show (at the Bar Lounge), nightly cruising to Kom Ombo, overnight stay in Kom Ombo.
• (Day 6) Breakfast, visiting Kom Ombo Temple (dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris), cruising to Edfu, Lunch, cruising to Luxor (Afternoon Tea), Dinner, Galabia Party (at the Bar Lounge), overnight stay in Luxor.
• (Day 7) Breakfast, leisure time onboard, Lunch, visiting Karnak Temple Complex and the Luxor Temple, Dinner, belly dancing show (at the Bar Lounge), overnight stay in Luxor.
• (Day 8) Breakfast, follows the debarkation (check-out at 8 am) and the bus transfer to Luxor Airport.

Follows the list of Farah itineraries as themes officially announced by Avalon Waterways.

TASTE OF EGYPT

Itinerary code WUAY (9-nights cruising) "Taste of Egypt" is a 10-day roundtrip from Cairo.

• (Days 1-2-3) The cruisetour starts with a 3-night Cairo luxury hotel stay, with price-inclusive guided sightseeing tours to Giza's Sphinx and the Great Pyramid, Sakkara/Saccara's burial ground (tombs of the Egyptian kings and royals), evening light show at the pyramids, visiting the Egyptian Museum, Old Cairo's Salah Al-Din Al-Ayoubi Citadel (12th-century fortress), Alabaster Mosque and the Coptic Cairo (Babylon Fortress, Coptic Museum, Hanging Church/synagogue, St George Church), Khan Al-Khalili bazaar (shopping tour).
• (Day 4) On Day 4 is the first domestic flight - from Cairo to Luxor (for embarkation on the cruise ship). Activities include a guided tour to Luxor Temple, Avenue of Sphinxes (Luxor Temple Sphinxes), Karnak Temple, welcome aboard cocktail reception.
• (Day 5) Cruising from Luxor to Edfu, where are visited The Valley of Kings, The Valley of Queens, Deir El-Bahri (archaeological site in the Thebes necropolis), the Colossi of Memnon (Pharaoh Amenhotep III's giant statues), follows an evening Galabia (traditional dance) party on the ship.
• (Day 6) Cruising from Edfu to Kom Ombo and Aswan, included are tours to Horus Temple and the Kom Ombo temples, followed by an onboard lecture.
• (Day 7) Arriving in Aswan, included are an overnight stay on the ship, felucca/boat tour (to Kitchener Island), visiting Aswan's Botanical Gardens
• (Day 8) In Aswan is offered an excursion to Aswan High Dam (world's largest embankment dam), cruising to Agilkia Island (in the Old Aswan Dam's reservoir) and a visit to the Temple of Isis. Then passengers return to the cruise ship for debarkation. Follows the second domestic flight (Aswan to Cairo).
• (Day 9) overnight Cairo hotel stay, offered is a tour to Memphis Museum (world's largest open-air museum) and shopping tour to the Khan Al-Khalili bazaar.
• (Day 10) Check-out and home flight.

Prices for season 2021-2022 started from GBP 2535 (EUR 2970 / USD 3480) pp with double occupancy, including two domestic flights.

TASTE OF EGYPT WITH JORDAN

Itinerary code WUAE (13-nights cruising) "Taste of Egypt with Jordan" is a 14-day cruisetour from Cairo exploring the Dead Sea.

• Between Days 1-10, the "Taste of Egypt with Jordan" itinerary is the same as the "Taste of Egypt".
• On Day 10 is the flight from Cairo to Amman (Jordan's capital city) for an overnight hotel stay.
• On Day 11 starts the bus excursion from Amman to Madaba and Petra, with included sightseeing tours in Amman and Madaba. In the evening is the check-in for the overnight hotel stay in Petra.
• On Day 12 is the sightseeing tour in Petra, follows the bus transfer to Dead Sea.
• On Day 13 are visited the Jerash archeological site (ruins and temples at the ancient Gerasa city).
• On Day 14 the cruisetour ends with the hotel breakfast and the following home flight.

Prices for season 2021-2022 started from GBP 3930 (EUR 4610 / USD 5400) pp with double occupancy.