Egypt Travel Hub

Alexander The Great Nile Cruise

No shared tables, no green nylon, no gilt on the  Nile...
Caroline Hendrie takes a  small and stylish Nile cruise
The Alexander the Great is an unexpected oasis of tranquillity on one  of the busiest tourist beats in the world, the  temples and tombs scattered along  the banks of the Nile from Luxor to Aswan.
Last year 8.6 million tourists  descended on Egypt, 840,000 of them from the  UK. And in January this year there were 78,000  British visitors, twice as many  as in the same period last year, partly due to a  leap in value of sterling  against the Egyptian pound.

PURE  white egrets stand stock still in the reeds.  On the bank a brown humpbacked cow  chomps intently in the shade of a date palm.  Below, two fishermen in a tiny  rowing boat gently draw in their nets. Then a  pied kingfisher races by inches  above the rippling, khaki water.
There is a Spanish couple  silently turning the pages of their books on the  sun deck above, a German man is looking intently  through his zoom lens, the  barman brings me a pot of mint tea. No piped  music, no green nylon grass, just  the sound of the breeze, a teak deck and a wicker  sofa with bleached calico  cushions to lean back on and enjoy the view.
Alexander The Great 5 * Luxury
The sleek Alexander The Great offers a sophisicated cruise experience with exceptional standards and smart accommodation. With an intimate  atmosphere, tasteful decor and stylish furnishings, it is the perfect  way to cruise the Nile in style.
With the inevitable increase in holiday packages and  scores of cruise boats  jostling for position on the Nile, it is a  revelation to find a vessel that has  turned its back on the pack- em-in philosophy,  yet still presents good value.
Alexander the Great was a standard 60-cabin boat that has been stripped out and refitted as a 30-cabin floating  boutique hotel, furnished with  understated elegance.
In the dining room, enough tables for two can be found for all and dinner is  waiter service, with five courses and several  choices. Not only that, they offer  Egyptian dishes such as spicy green molokhia soup  and stuffed pigeon for dinner,  and ful (fava beans) and tamiya (fried bean  patties) for breakfast  rightly  judging that their passengers are sophisticated  enough to be interested in  sampling local cuisine.
If you’ve never been on a Nile  cruise, all this won’t sound revolutionary,  but the norm is uninspired, international food and shared tables. Cabins are  small, with minuscule shower closets  and  five-star decor means smoked-glass  mirrored ceilings, fake marble and gilt galore in  public areas.
So it was a breath of fresh air stepping aboard at  Luxor into Alexander’s light, uncluttered reception with its pale walls, stylish  sofas and sculptural flower lamps  very boutique, so far. Our cabin, called  Linen Twins, was also in minimalist style, with  subtle textures and wood  laminate floor. In the bathroom was a fixed shower as well as a bathtub and  towelling robes. I told my partner Michael, who  had never been to Egypt before,  how spoilt we were.
Other cabins, all of identical size and layout,  have jazzier names  Jungle  Paths, Like the 70s, Journey to China, but are  equally light and sleek, with  flashes of colour in throws or headboards, an  op-art cushion here, a quirky  ostrich-shell lantern there.
facilities
Each of the 30 suites is  individually designed to provide the ideal blend of color, texture and  atmosphere.
Room  amenities: 100% Egyptian  cotton oversized bath towels, on â?“ allergenic foam pillows.mera  accompanied by music, four satellite channels ( when docked ), air  conditioning.
Bathrooms: Egyptian cotton bathrobes, hairdryer ,full size soak in tub,  magnified mirror ,wall telephone, teak floors.
100% Egyptian cotton sheets, on  allergenic comforters, in room safe box, stocked private bar, TV, with one DVD /one Video channels, two music channels ,front view ca
Restaurant "The Red  Fiesta"
This outlet is a non smoking area and mobile  phones are  prohibited. Shorts and jeans are not allowed at  dinners.
Members of "chaine desrotisseus" Kitchen hygiene: under supervision of Cristal  International Britannia Ltd. food safety division
facilities & Services
conference &  meeting: When organizing conferences or  meetings, you can count on our "Red Fiesta" restaurant room. This room  is perfectly suited for the organization of meetings for small (10 - 25  persons) and larger groups (25 - 50 persons). In order to arrange a  conference and discuss other details facilities and description of the  item: (micro projector, overhead, slides, flip chart + screen) please  ask for our assistance.
Executive Club: Alexander The Great's  Executive Club offers an excellent choice of  services  and facilities to meet the needs of both VIP  leisure  guests and business travelers. Five luxurious  suites  have the extra benefit of a private lounge,  terrace with  wonderful views of the Nile, and all-day butler  service.
Facilities:Rejuvenation, body and soul, is the aim of  Alexander the Great, and nothing restores the  spirit more  than a little pampering to that end, on board  you'll find  a spa offering massages and other treatments as  well as a  sauna, Turkish bath and mini gym. two souvenir and jewellery shops, and a hairdresser
Gymnasium: Located on the sun deck, the Gymnasium features two exercise  machines.  Children under the age of 12 are not allowed to  use this facility without adult supervision.
Wake Up Calls: Automatic wake-up calls are made through the reception desk according to your itinerary, if you  desire an earlier wake-up call please inform the reception desk before  turning in.
Laundry:  Laundry service is available aboard.
Telephone Calls: International / local calls  and faxes can be made through the reception desk.
Internet Room:  located in the upper deck.
Mall:  Please deposit your mail at the reception for prompt  handling.
Dock: Private dock in Aswan.
8 Days / 7 Nights Luxor -  Luxor
Tuesday:
Embarkation & check-in.
Buffet lunch in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Visit to the temples of Karnak & Luxor.
Whirling Dervish & Belly Dance show in the  "Upstairs" lounge bar.
A la carte dinner in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Overnight aboard in Luxor
Wednesday:
Buffet breakfast in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Morning visit to the west bank of Luxor.
Sail to Esna.
Buffet lunch on "The Club" sun deck.
Tea time on "The Club" sun deck.
Passage of the Esna locks.
Welcome cocktail & presentation of the yachtâ?™s crew  in the "Upstairs" lounge bar (Elegant attire).
A la carte dinner in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Overnight aboard in Esna
Thursday:
Early morning sail to Edfu.
Wake up at leisure.
Buffet breakfast in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Morning visit to the temple of Edfu.
Sail to Kom Ombo.
Barbecue lunch on "The Club" sun deck.
Tea time on "The Club" sun deck.
Egyptian à  la carte dinner in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Galabeya party with a chance for guests to dress  up  in traditional Egyptian costumes.  
Overnight aboard in Kom Ombo
Friday:
Early morning sail to Aswan.
Wake up at leisure.
Buffet breakfast in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Morning visit to the High Dam, the temple of  Philae  & the Unfinished Obelisk.
Buffet lunch in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Afternoon at leisure.
A la carte dinner in the "Red â?œFiesta" restaurant. 
Overnight aboard in Aswan
Saturday:
Wake up at leisure.
Buffet breakfast in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Morning at leisure or an optional visit to the  temple of Abu Simbel.
Buffet lunch in the 'Red Fiesta' restaurant.
Afternoon Felucca (sail boat) ride around the  Islands.
Cocktail reception on "The Club" sun deck  accompanied by an Egyptian trio band (Elegant  attire). 
A la carte dinner in the 'Red Fiesta' restaurant. 
Overnight aboard in Aswan
Sunday:
Morning sail to Kom Ombo.
Wake up at leisure.
Buffet breakfast in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Morning visit to the temple of Kom Ombo.
Sail to Edfu.
Barbecue lunch on "The Club" sun deck.
Two hour stop in Edfu then sail on to Esna.
Tea timeon "The Club" sun deck.
A la carte dinner in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Galabeya party with a chance for guests to dress  up  in traditional Egyptian costumes.
Overnight aboard in Esna
Monday:
Wake up at leisure.
Buffet breakfast in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Morning  passage of the Esna locks & sail to Luxor.
Buffet lunch on "The Club" sun deck.
Afternoon visit to the temple of Dendera by coach  from Luxor.
Whirling Dervish & Belly Dance show in the  "Upstairs" lounge bar.
A la carte dinner in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant. 
Overnight aboard in Luxor
Tuesday:
Buffet breakfast in the "Red Fiesta" restaurant.
Check-out.