Reviews of King Tut 1 Nile Cruise, Nile Cruises

Your other reviews before we booked none mention the amount of days the boat is mored up 4 out of the 7 day cruise the boat never moved. The boat was noisey when moving

The food was poor.

The staff were good and helpful

The sites were great.

After my amazing holiday on King Tut 1, I came home to read other comments which left me feeling quite shocked and disappointed. As I cannot believe we could of been on the same boat!



This holiday wasn't like anything we have ever tried and every bit of it was awesome.

Starting with good in flight entertainment, our own mini bus from the airport to the boat, which only took 10-15minutes and our bags carried for us straight to our rooms. Which were dressed in polished wood and brass, roomy and leaving us with more than enough shelf space for two teenage girls.. with lots of pairs of shoes!!



The boat itself, I thought, was amazing! Completely spotless, and although my family and I went in August which was hot but not unbearable, left only 45 of us on a boat supposed to hold up to 150+ and it left us feeling relaxed and comforted all week! Which included us also to visit some of the top temples and tombs without the mad rush in a touristy fashion, that only lasted a couple of hours, which left the rest of the day soaking up the sun!! John, our tour guide was also spectacular, as he was full of both important and completely useless Egyptian information! I would say that the Horse and Buggy ride through Luxor was well worth the extra cost... giving you a real feel for life in Egypt as well as being allowed ride on the front! Conversely, the felucca ride was regrettable long winded and we were rightly advised not to attend the Luxor (Karnek temple) Light Show. However the entertainment on the boat itself was adequate yet enjoyable if taken with a pinch of salt (and a few of the Egyptian white wines!). All of the staff treated my sisters and I like royalty, especially our waiter Umr by remembering our drinks by the 2nd night, and by also entertaining us with a small dinner table puzzle or dilemma. [For example taking a cork out of a wine bottle...use a napkin!!].



As for when we weren't looking round temples, the upper deck was great, with a small and completely fine pool, sun beds both out in the sun and in the shade, a table tennis table and of course the bar with a selection of wine, beer and soft drinks almost at your fingertips as we sailed down the Nile, observing the world of Egypt go by! The views both at night and during the day are outstanding!! The world of Egypt outside the boat was slightly daunting, however because we were with the tour guide, we weren't bothered too much by people selling stuff...again if taken with a pinch of salt, we ended up finding it quite funny!



Overall, the Egyptian night on the boat was fantastic and very amusing, the rooms offered completely adequate facilities including bath, shower, mirror, two beds and towel origami made by all of the staff!! Rooms were cleaned twice a day, air conditioned and surprisingly quiet whilst travelling at night and although the TV didn't work whilst cruising, which wasn't an issue as we preferred to admire the amazing views of Egypt instead! The food was yummy but not much choice on the desserts, but plenty of main course to go round!!



This was the best holiday I have been on yet and wish to go back some other time! I would recommend it to anybody as it is different but also very relaxing at the same time!! 10/10!! Thank you!!

I wasn't sure about this part of our holiday,however it exceeded all expectations, fortunately for us August being so hot there where only 45 guests on board when the capacity is 150+ so the service was 110 per cent. We have 4 daughters 14- 18 whom the waiters and staff treated like their own sisters. Our own designated waiter Umr was was incredibly attentive and amusing (always remembering our drink requirements).

Our guide John was very knowledgable of all the areas we visited and we felt his advice about where to spend our money on trips was very good eg. a family of 6 to see the light show at luxor at £29 per head -his advice "don't bother" The horse & buggy trip around Luxor was just wow!!! Back to the ship, it is an oldish boat, but if you think of the Orient Express it is just like that, wonderful woodwork, beautiful brass and all cleaned & polished on a daily basis.The food was the same basics every day, how ever cooked in a different style & flavour,the worst thing was trying every thing because it all looked so good. The pool was a great size for us but for a full capacity of guests would seem a little small. The strange thing about the ship and the hotel we went on to stay at, there are no female employees, but that is the Egyptian way. My best memory of this holiday was the way we glided down the Nile through a biblical landscape, watching people going to work on donkies & fishing in the river, whilst standing lager in hand covered in sun tan lotion. The best holiday we've had and we were impressed at the towel origami by the staff.

3 days in Cairo, Rep Anton met us at the Airport showing a board with my name, whipped thru the airport, retriving luggage and doing Visas and were on our way 15 mins from landing, stayed at the Softel Le Sphinx - absolutely first class, great location and excursions. Rep met us on the 3rd day as promised, for our return trip to Cairo airport and new flight down to Luxor, my only comment here was that the mini bus was old and smelt badly of cigarettes as the driver smoked when toursits were not in the vehicle, it also needed a thorough clean...........the drving in Cairo is crazy! We were met in Luxor by Pop and Tony, very efficient and again, got our luggage very quickly and was on the mini bus to join our Nile cruise within 20 minutes. Luxor airport is only 10/15 mins drive from the Airport so the transfer was excellent, the baggage boys soon had the luggage off the mini bus and into the Cruise ship within minutes.



King Tut I has an impressive reception but the rest of it is dated and worn, the whole ship needs a face lift. The bathrooms are huge compared to large cruise liners, but the shower head kept falling off because it didn't fit the fitting, the bottom of the bath was badly scratched and had black stains which would not come out, the water kept going hot and cold and never stayed at one temperature for longer than a minute, on one occassion the water stopped completely for the whole boat for approx 15 mins with most people in the shower ........no explanation was given. ??? The only socket in your room of any use was in the bathroom, which seriously curtailed my husbands bathroom time as I restricted him access because it was the only decent light where a mirror was and I needed curling tongs to do my hair. All the rooms require gutting and starting again. Whats the good of a sitting area in the bedroom if the TV does not work (it had no batteries in the remote control and no airial lead, when ithey were replaced the TV required tuning, we gave up asking after the third request) More wardrobe and drawer space required at least another usable socket by a mirror, more double/king size beds, all the cabins we saw were twins ???



Our Guide as Hanaa, who was our beautiful egyptologist and an excellent guide, was very knowledgable and has a good sense of humour.



Like most of the previous reviews I was shocked with the amount of money required up front for tips (£28 per person)and especially that everything including extra excursions had to be paid in cash either egyptian or sterling. If I hadn't read some guide books given to me by firends I would not have known about this prior to my arrival? These tips should be included in the price of your cruise like some of the large cruise ships do, then our cash reserves are not depleted. Some of the trips are not worth it, we paid £12 each to go to a Nubian village, which in fact was a very long boat ride where the guide pointed out birds alongthe way that happened to be there at the time, then we visited someones house, that was empty. we did not see an actual working village as was desribed to us. The luxor carriage ride was again £12 each for an hour and half , we rode in a convoy with all the other passengers that had decided to take this optional extra with our driver pointing out where his children went to school, we went thru a bizarre where there was very little room for the carriage let alone the people and children that were trying to shop there.



The cabin boys did an excellent job cleaning the cabins twice daily, and we enjoyed their artistry making animals etc from towels.



The bar staff were on the ball, and always knew what drink you wanted, we were all inlcusive so most of the time the drink was ready and waiting for you as you walked in the bar or restaurant. On our last day on board our all inclusive staus was curtailled and excluded Wine and Beer, and only water, tea and coffee could be taken up to 12 o'clock. I really did not understand why this was, it really did not matter to me as I was on a transfer time at 6am for an early flight home, but all the rest of the people we were dining with were moving on to the Red Sea for a week and their transfer was not until 1.30pm, so what did it all mean, did they go thirsty with their lunch, why the restictions.....no-one on the boat seemed to be able to tell me.??



Bware - Black feet, around about day 4 everyone noticed that the bottom of their baths were black when they got out of them, due to the fact that running around with no shoes on on the boat, made your feet very dirty. We could not identify if it was the Green baise on the sun deck or the carpets in the bedrooms and bars that was dirty.................



The main reason why my score is so low is because this Cruise was described to me as a 5 star deluxe, now in the UK if something was given a rating like that you would expect something really speical, I learned that this rating was issued by the local tourist board, so when you think that the locals live in cement buildings, mostly with No ceilings, sand on the floor, no mod cons, of course the rating will be 5 star deluxe for this boat. If you are British you will NOT think this is 5 star at all probaly somewhere around a 3* only.



Please dont let this review put you off going to see the Pyramids, Valley of the kings etc, as they are well worth seeing, just be mindfull of what I have said above.

The transfer from the air port to the boat was the smoothest we have ever had. The rep had already got us our Visas and all we had to do was show our passports and wait 20 minuets for our cases, then we were whipped of to the cruiser in Luxor The King Tut 1. As we got out of the taxi a couple of young boys stood selling peanuts, "try some, here take a few" as he took my arm and put a few peanuts into my hand. This was the first of many encounters of beggars we encountered. It was so bad at one point, just by me looking in the direction of an article would cause a crowd of these "sales men" (with garments over their arms) to ring around me "as cheap as chips" they would say. It was scary! This happen to us every time we went out. Apart from that it was the most relaxing holiday I have ever had. The food was good although a bit repetitive. Chicken, Beef or Fish is the only meats available. The boat it self was dated, but kept clean. The cabins very nice with a fridge, and a TV that didn't work. If you are above the average dress size, stick to the shower as the baths are narrow. The Beds, very hard! Entertainment on the boat was minimal. On the Egyptian night we played a number games on the dance floor (very funny night!) and the Nubian dancer who came and spun around in a wide skirt for at least 45 minuets and left walking in a straight line! The bar person's were great at first but service got sluggish to almost nil service by the end of the week and most of the time the beer was not cold. Waiters were great and by mid week they new what we was having and would have our drinks ready on the dinner table for us. We had a wonderful tour guide called John. He new every thing about the tombs / temples and the history of Egypt and made the excursions more interesting.

A MUST DO is the hot air balloon ride and the Felucca boat ride. Both breath taking! The valley of the Kings and the tombs.

DONT DO's Get in the pool it was disgustingly dirty most of the time. Or take pictures of the locals in the temples and out side they ask for cash before you have chance to get your camera away from your eyes.

Over all a relaxing calming holiday with very good weather all of the time. And a chance to meet some very interesting People.

My wife and I have just spent the most fabulous weeks holiday of our lives on the Nile in Egypt with Orbital Travel. The booking process was easy, having found Orbital in the internet I was slightly concerned about booking with a company whom we had not heard of before, however, after talking with their people a couple of times it was clear they knew everything there was to know about the country and the cruise we wished to take.



From the moment we arrived into Luxor airport everything was taken care off, before we got to the immigration hall, we were met by the Orbital Travel Rep who issued us with visas and directed us through to the arrival hall.



The baggage boys identified our luggage and quickly we were on our way, the whole process took less than twenty minutes from the time we landed to leaving the airport. After a short transfer we boarded our Nile cruise boat for the week the King Tut 1, Reception deck was impressive with large hanging chandelier and nice feeling of space.



The guide gave us a quick welcome meeting, a local fruit based welcome drink and asked us to complete some forms for the boat. We were give the keys to our cabin/suite located on the reception deck and went to freshen up. Within a few minutes of entering our cabin the houseboys brought the luggage. We had been told not to tip anybody on board but there was a system we could use to pay the staff which seemed much easier.



The cabin was reasonable size, very clean with a sitting area, TV Fridge and coffee table, large window which unfortunately did not offer any view due to the boat next to us. Bathroom had a bath and shower everything was spotlessly clean.



Once we had settled in we went up to the third deck and into the restaurant for dinner, large buffet style with table’s circular and oblong set for 8 people. Waiters were very

friendly and showed us to our table for the week, we meet some really nice people on board which only added to the enjoyment of the holiday.



Our tour guide, was exceptional, rarely have I seen such passion coupled with knowledge in one person, he did much more that give talks on the history, he made it come to life for everybody in the group. His name was John very helpful and friendly a wonderful advert for his company. The temples and tombs were something we shall always remember.



On board the King Tut 1 there were party nights, the usual belly dancer show, plus a Nubian show in Aswan, perhaps another night of entertainment would have been

nice, but that's being a little picky. Many people seemed more than happy to sit on the top deck after dinner and watch the world go past.



All in all a wonderful experience, could not find anything to fault with the booking arrangements, the boat and the entire crew, would recommend this to anybody who has

an interest in the history of the human race.



Mark 9/10 – only the lack of views while docked stopped me giving 10.

Just arrived back from 2 weeks in Egypt, first week on the King Tut 1. I have read all the previous comments and can only assume that the the ship had taken a really bad downturn from when the other reviewers were on board. The cabin was supposed to be a suite, I would hate to see an example of an en suite room because that is all this is. It was cramped, old fashioned, the only power point was in the bathroom ! and generally not what I would have expected from a 3* let alone a 5*. The restaurant had a mind of its own as to opening hours, sometimes breakfast was from 7am to 9am, sometimes 8am to 9am, lunch was when they decided to open as was dinner. Anytime from 7pm to 8.30pm. The food was uninteresting and repetative and several of the passengers were taken quite ill, my husband being one of them, he is still not well upon our return to the UK. The majority of the staff were not at all inclined to be of service, (although I will say SOME where lovely) it actualy came to the point that we had to practically beg them to make and serve drinks and coffee on the sun deck. Bearing in mind that we all paid £26 per person up front for tips I suppose the inclination was that they were just not bothered. The high point was the tours, Hanaa, our guide was great, very knowledgable and everything ran to time when she was around, when she was not, that was a different matter.

Our holiday was with Orbital / Future Travel. We had booked to cruise on Tut II a week before leaving we were told we were booked on Tut II. On arrival we told been booked on Tut I.



We finally arrived at the boat around 6.30pm.given a small welcome drink and

issued with our cabin numbers and keys.

I had booked November 2007 and requested a cabin on the upper deck

Because I had heard that lower decks were prone to noise from the engine

We were give a cabin on the middle behind reception deck which in fact is the lower deck and next to engine. The only sleep we got all week was from pure exhaustion.

But we just give credit to cabin staff they were very very good.



The Dinning room was expect, clean, well presented, the staff were friendly but it was hard to catch their attention. A bit frustrating at times



If it is was difficult to get attention of dinning room staff it was almost impossible to get good service from bar staff found them very aloof severally times we waited 30 minutes to be served your drinks. This only seemed to be a problem with all inclusive passengers. (Which we were)



The itinerary a bit confusing as different groups seemed to have a different number of excursions encluded in their package deal this lead to little niggles here and there in who had paid for what.

I think even your guide Hanna was a little bit up set with the constant confuse.

The extra tours a little over the top and not great value for money.

Better trying to do them yourself especially Horse Carriage ride. £20 per couple



We went "all inclusive" after 6pm on the previous Monday, we were informed on the Monday we were travelling home (leaving a 3 pm) that we could only get water, tea and coffee up to lunch time (which was 12 noon ) And 12 on the dot it stopped so even at lunch we had to paid even for water £1 a bottle. In reality we paid for seven days but only got six and a bit, petty and mean we felt. By this time I was thoroughly fed up complaining.



The experience of this holiday. It was not the unforgettable holiday that I had hoped it would be for my son and myself 5 out of ten holiday. This was not 5* not even 4*

Try another company you might have better luck.

Our holiday was with Orbital.The flight to Luxor by Monarch Air was smooth but very uncomfortable,the Airbus is not suitable for anyone over 5ft.7ins.I could not even lower the small table in front of me,obviously the designer of this aircraft was a very small man.



On arrival at the airport in Egypt we were kept waiting for over half an hour before being marched off to a coach parked some distance away,there to be kept waiting for another half hour.



We finally arrived at the boat around 6.30pm.given a small welcome drink and issued with our cabin numbers and keys.

My wife and I had booked pre Christmas and requested a cabin to the front and on the upper deck,we were given a berth near the middle and on reception deck !!.



The cabin was very nice clean and well laid out BUT unless you are used to sleeping on the floor you will find the beds very,very hard.

We found that the only sleep we got was from pure exhaustion.

The cabin staff very very good and we gave them 10 out of ten.



The Dinning room is as one would expect,clean,well presented,the staff were friendly but it was hard to catch their attention at times.

The food was very nicely laid out and of good quality except for the potatoes which for the most part were only half cooked and the beef which was quite tough.

The food was quite repetitive too.



The bar and staff were very friendly and always helpful,no complaints here.



All the itinerary and the extra tours were VERY good and full value for money,our guide John was excellent making the experience fun as well as a learning,if I had to "nit pick"the only thing would be that perhaps he could have explained more about some of the pictures on the walls,having said that he answered any and all questions with enthusiasm.



We went "all inclusive" (all inclusive was water,tea,coffee,soft drinks,local beer and wine)and this is where we feel we have been let down,having arrived after 6pm on the previous Monday,we were informed on the Monday we were traveling home that we could only get water,tea and coffee up to lunch time on our all in.so in reality we paid for seven days but only got six and a bit,petty and mean we feel.



The experience of this holiday is really something and had it not been for the faults mentioned above it really would have been a 10 out of ten holiday.

Went with Orbital travel.

Weather a bit brisk to start but that was the only real minus on this holiday. John the tour guide was excellent and the overall experience was stunning. I have had an interest in ancient Egypt since a child and was blown away by the reality. You just can't really put this holiday in words that can explain it to anyone who has not been there. The food was a bit sameish but very acceptable and the accommodation was comfortable, spacious and clean.One barman could be a bit aloof but most staff were very friendly.

They also like to make great sculptures out of your towels to surprise you when you return from your excursions.

You have to accept that Egypt is a world apart from the UK in culture but that should not detract from a magical experience.

Be prepared to overdose on culture - there are a lot of temples to see and tombs to visit but at the end you feel a greater understanding of this once great civilisation. Get the early coach through the desert to see Abu Simbel - unmissable.

The guide knew his stuff and put it over with great panache.

Go - enjoy - you would have to be a complete moron not to enjoy it.

The sites were amazing to see and worth the visit. The staff on the King Tut 1 were very helpful and friendly at all times. The rooms were dated but were kept very clean and we were completely satisfied with this service.



Negative comments - to describe the holiday as a 7 day cruise is very misleading. We spent at least 4 days berthed so close to other boats you could not see daylight out of your cabin window. The food was monotonous yet plentiful and well displayed. Everyone seemed to be fed up with chicken and beef which was served at lunch time and evening apart from one evening. After seeing some of the other boats you could not really describe King Tut 1 as a 5 star, as it was in need of a facelift.



Within minutes of arriving we were confronted with extra charges for tips, which was requested upfront before any services were given, totalling £28.00 per person. Some people did refuse to pay upfront but paid later in the holiday (which we did). Most people we met on the boat were ill at some stage and tablets were being issued by the reception to help. We would advise that the first sign of trouble you ask about these tablets before trying anything else you may have brought with you. We would advise that this trip is not suitable for children and elderly people (or people who have difficulty walking) due to the transfer from quay to small boats and steps badly in need of repair.



We were glad we did the holiday and saw most things we wanted. The early starts were well worth the effort to avoid the rush.



All in all the trip was worth it although we would not go again. We met some lovely people at our table on the boat that certainly added to our enjoyment of the holiday.



Our low rating does not include the sites which we would give 10 / 10.

My wife and I recently returned from Egypt, cruising the Nile on King Tut 1, and we had a fabulous holiday. The boat had a lovely colonial style and was very clean and tidy.



Cabins at the back of the boat were a little bit noisey when cruising through the night, but were reasonably spacious and all facilities were adequate.



The service on board was excellent and the staff did their utmost to make every day memorable. The lounge was large and spacious and good for entertainment and evening drinks.



The dining area was large, bright and airy and the food was excellent, with plenty of variety at every meal. The waiters were again excellent.



Our egyptologist guide, Mohammed Gad, was extremely informative and did an excellent job of keeping us occupied. He was very educational and at the same time kept it entertaining and very interesting, always being there to help with any queries we had.



I would highly recommend this holiday to see the Temples and the Tombs and all the other marvellous sights of the Nile, we thoroughly enjoyed our time in Egypt.



FARO 209.

My friends & I got back about 3 weeks ago after having the best 10 days of our lives.

We began with a 3 nights stay in Cairo at the Intercontinental Pyramid Park Hotel. The service and staff were excellent. Our tour guide (Madam Sally) was also fantastic. She took us to the sites explained the history, showed us the best bargains and even helped me haggle for an 18ct Gold Hand Crafted Cartouche bracelet, originally worth £1100.



After our glorious 3 days in Cairo, Luxor was Magic. As soon as we landed it felt like home to me, I’m absolutely fascinated by Ancient Egypt by the way. Our guide on the King Tut II cruise was John, who often went above and beyond the call of duty. He gave us great tips on haggling, whether on the boat or on excursions and the people to avoid. Although we had early starts it was well worth beating the crowds, the sweltering heat and getting the best photos. Housekeeping was also of the highest standard, creating clever and imaginative figures from towels on a daily basis.



I was initially afraid that we would have a problem with the food as we had two vegetarians in our party but there was plenty of variety and if the children didn’t like any of the food the staff kindly made them a plate of good old fashioned chips.



On the whole the trip was indescribable. I was constantly awe inspired and desperately hoped our trip would not come to an end. Even at the airport on the way home there was a sombre atmosphere as no one wanted to return. My friends & I have agreed to return to Egypt in 5 years time to the same cruise ship and hopefully with our Luxor tour guide John.



We highly recommend the Classical Tour / Nile Cruise to see Ancient Egypt; it’s a place of marvellous engineering that simply cannot be compared.

My friends and I have just returned from a Nile cruise trip on King TUT II. We had a nice time.



Thanks to John - our Egyptology tour guide - who speaks very good English and is very knowledgeable and passionate about the subject. He used a very good approach to explain the Egyptian history and asked questions to make sure that we had grasped what he was explaining. He gave useful tips on how to haggle in the souks and also advised us on quality of goods and souvenirs. John was very professional, approachable and went beyond the call of duty on a number of occasions.



We visited most of the temples (when the itinerary allowed) in the morning to avoid the mid-day heat and the crowd (other tourists) - although this sometimes meant waking up early!



The housekeeping staff were very friendly and ingenious -they tidied the rooms at every opportunity and made animal or nautical related models on a daily basis with towels.



The restaurant and bar staff were friendly and the food was very good.



The airport transfer staff were also very helpful.



In general, the service provided was excellent as guests are served 24-7.

The boat is well appointed and comfortable The food is very good and staff helpful. The cabins are smaller than perhaps some of the more modern boats.



All rooms are twins but can with some rearranging become doubles, but leaving little other room. The air conditioning is very effective. However, watch out for the £28 requested of each passenger to cover tips for the crew.



Some of the guests did not pay this preferring to tip where good service was given. I think this is best and, in any case, £28 is a lot and almost becomes a payment of staff wages.



Remember this is optional and can be avoided - although this is not stressed. There are gift shops on board that are useful but expensive if you are not inclined to haggle outside. (The locals are a grasping lot with outstretched hands for any small favour. No help is ever offered for free!).



The presence of shops on board may explain why the location of cheaper local shops is not given. When buying without the presence of a guide the shops immediately halve their prices. We were often informed that the guide's commission is 50% of the price! The excursions run by Orbital, and included in the price are by and large well organised and informative.



However this is spoiled by visits to spurious places of interest such as the 'perfume factory', the 'papyrus museum’, and the 'alabaster factory'. None of these produce anything or are museums! They are all showrooms where there is a brief presentation followed by an 'opportunity', and no little pressure, to purchase goods at vastly inflated prices.



All goods can be obtained much cheaper elsewhere. There will be a high commission for the guide at these places. If Orbital, or other companies whose practices are, I suspect, similar, provide guides who purport that they are there to help guests then there should be openness about the commissions earned. It is easy to leave with the impression that everyone is 'on the take'.



There was also a small problem on the last day when all inclusive guests were told that they would have to buy drinks. This was resolved after an argument but such pettiness would not appear necessary.



Please do not take all these negatives as a reason to avoid the King Tut or Orbital. We enjoyed our holiday. But a review of their practices would leave clients with a better impression of the holiday, and Egypt in general.