Viking MS Antares

The 2007-built MS Mayfair cruise ship is a large Nile River cruiser/hotel ship, featuring spacious staterooms, stylish interiors, and high-quality hotel services.

The vessel is owned by Viking Holdings and operated by its subsidiary Viking River Cruises. She was chartered by Viking in 2018-2019 (when fully refurbished) and acquired in 2020 from AMARCO Group.

Viking Cruises Egypt's fleet also includes the Viking-owned Nile cruisers Ra (2018/reconstructed) and the newbuild sisterships Aton (2023), Hathor (2024), the 2025-built Sobek, Amun and Thoth, the 2026-built Sekhmet and Ptah, and the 2027-built Geb and Anubis.

Like most large Nile-deployed riverboats, MS Antares was constructed by Maasara Shipyard (Cairo), owned by The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co).

Decks and Cabins

MS Antares has just 31 staterooms, including 3 Suites and 28 French Balcony cabins.

Standard complimentary cabin amenities include a hotel-style double bed (convertible to twin beds), luxury bedding (Egyptian cotton linens and pillows), an en-suite bathroom (whirlpool bathtub, jet shower, toilet, single-sink vanity, hairdryer, premium Freyja toiletries, plush bathrobes and slippers provided upon request), a 55-inch LCD TV (satellite reception and infotainment system with on-demand movies and Internet access), international direct-dial telephone, electronic safe (in the closet), mini-fridge (replenished daily with bottled water), wardrobe (drawers and wooden hangers), complimentary Wi-Fi, 220V power outlets, and individual air-conditioning.

Additional perks for Explorer Suite guests include a Welcome Aboard bottle of sparkling wine, a fully stocked mini-bar (wine, beer, and soft drinks replenished daily), a daily fruit plate, wool blankets, a coffee machine (with premium coffee and tea selections), breakfast room service, complimentary laundry and shoeshine services, private transfers in visited destinations (arrival/departure), and complimentary Viking Air Plus (VIP services, private airport transfers—available only to residents of the USA and Canada).

Housekeeping service is provided twice daily by dedicated cabin stewards.

The largest accommodation is the 3-Room Explorer Suite (830 ft² / 77 m²), while both 2-Room Veranda Suites measure 590 ft² / 55 m². The suites are located forward and are bow-facing—the Explorer Suite is on Deck 4 (Upper), while the French Balcony Suites are on Deck 3 (Middle).

French Balcony staterooms are available in two categories—Category D (French Balcony) and Categories A, B, and C (Deluxe French Balcony). Standard French Balcony cabins are smaller (290 ft² / 27 m²), while Deluxe French Balcony cabins are larger (430 ft² / 40 m²).

Only Category AA Veranda Suites feature step-out balconies accessed from the bedroom, while the living room provides access to a French balcony.

All staterooms have sliding floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to a French balcony (a balconette with railing).

Adjoining cabins (with interconnecting doors) are available only on Deck 3 (Middle) and include four pairs—two Veranda Suites (each connecting to an adjacent French Balcony stateroom) and two pairs of connecting Deluxe French Balcony cabins.

Standard occupancy is two passengers per cabin. The vessel accommodates a maximum of 62 passengers served by 75 crew, providing an excellent guest-to-crew ratio.

The ship has 5 decks, 3 of which feature passenger cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

MS Antares offers guests stylishly furnished facilities, including a wellness complex/spa (massage room, steam room, sauna), gym (modern exercise equipment), and beauty salon (Deck 4), a boutique shop and library lounge/internet center (Deck 3), a bar lounge and lobby hall (Deck 2), and a restaurant and galley/kitchen (Deck 1).

One elevator (passenger lift) connects all decks except the Sun Deck (accessible only via outdoor stairs from the Upper Deck). All decks are also connected by a grand staircase located forward-starboard.

The Sun Deck is a spacious outdoor area offering unobstructed views, featuring a large swimming pool (forward), a sunbathing area (with loungers and tables), and a shaded midship-aft lounge and bar with seating.

The ship does not have self-service laundromats; however, laundry and dry-cleaning services are available. There is no 24-hour room service.

Viking Nile River cruise itineraries in Egypt

Previously, Viking Cruises Egypt operated Nile River and Lake Nasser cruise tours using chartered vessels. Since 2020, the fleet has consisted entirely of Viking-owned ships operating on the Nile (roundtrip from Luxor), with fly-cruise packages that include two domestic flights (Cairo-Luxor-Cairo).

Viking's Nile River cruise tour is themed "Pharaohs and Pyramids."

The 12-day itinerary includes a 7-day Nile River cruise and begins with a 3-night hotel stay in Cairo, featuring visits to landmarks such as the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Great Pyramids of Giza, and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Guests then fly to Luxor to visit Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple before boarding the cruise ship for a 7-night roundtrip voyage to Aswan. The table below shows the 7-day itinerary.

Included tours feature a private visit to Nefertari's tomb (Valley of the Queens), as well as excursions to the Khnum Temple (Esna) and the Dendera Temple complex (Qena). A visit to a Nubian village is also included.

Most Nile River cruise vessels (from a total fleet of approximately 200 ships) are marketed as 5-star, although many do not meet premium standards. Onboard dining is typically buffet-style and not gourmet. A key advantage of Egyptian river cruises is their affordability compared to European inland cruises. Viking's Nile itineraries elevate the experience with the brand's signature luxury standards, reflected in higher fares.

Viking Antares cruise packages include:

• 11 Egypt excursions led by professional local guides, with headsets provided
• Complimentary onboard Internet and beverages (beer, wine, and soft drinks) served during lunch and dinner
• All government taxes and port fees
• Domestic flights within Egypt (Cairo-Luxor-Cairo and Aswan-Cairo)
• Airport transfers (on embarkation and disembarkation dates) when flights are booked through Viking Cruises' "Viking Air" program

Viking's Nile cruise tour features:

• 7-night Nile River cruise
• 12-day itinerary visiting 1 country, 6 ports, including a 3-night hotel stay in Cairo (Nile Ritz-Carlton) and 1-night stay at InterContinental Cairo
• Visits to 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Dendera Temple complex (Hathor)
• Onboard Culture Curriculum (enrichment program) led by an expert Egyptologist, who also guides shore excursions
• Visits to a private home in a traditional Nubian village (from Aswan)
• Included meals: 11 breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 9 dinners (featuring both Egyptian specialties and international cuisine)

Signature onboard events include the Welcome Cocktail Reception and the Farewell Dinner.

Viking Cruises Egypt tour packages (optional hotel+land travel)

In 2023-2024, Viking Cruises Egypt introduced optional pre- and post-cruise packages to complement its Nile River itineraries.

The 3-night Pre-Istanbul Package (priced from US$1,400 per person) includes 3 hotel nights in Istanbul (Westin Istanbul Nisantasi Hotel or similar), daily breakfast, two guided tours (Istanbul Old City Tour, including the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and Topkapi Palace), a flight from Istanbul to Cairo, and all transfers.

The 4-night Pre-Jerusalem Israel Package (priced from US$2,400 per person) includes 4 hotel nights at the Orient Jerusalem Hotel (or similar), 8 meals (4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner), three guided tours (Bethlehem Walking Tour, Jerusalem City Tour, Israel Museum Tour), a flight from Tel Aviv to Cairo, and all transfers.

The 4-night Pre-British Collections of Ancient Egypt Package (priced from US$3,700 per person) includes 2 hotel nights in London (Rosewood Hotel), 2 nights in Oxford (Old Bank Hotel), 6 meals (4 breakfasts, 2 lunches), 4 privileged-access visits (British Museum, Sir John Soane's Museum, Griffith Institute, Highclere Castle), 3 guided tours (Petrie Museum, Oxford Walking Tour, Ashmolean Museum), a flight from London to Cairo, and all transfers.

The 4-night Post-Petra Jordan, Dead Sea and Amman Package (priced from US$2,200 per person) includes a flight from Cairo to Amman, 4 hotel nights (1 at the Dead Sea, 2 in Petra, 1 in Amman), 8 meals (4 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners), 4 guided tours (Ancient Town of Madaba, Dead Sea Museum, Petra, Amman, Jerash), and all transfers. Return flights from Amman are not included.