The Oberoi Philae – Nile Cruise, Egypt

Arrival

Well…WOW!

Turns out we were the only two guests on the boat for the 4 night cruise from Luxor to Aswan. Bit concerning to start but not a lot you can do at that stage. I had booked the normal cabin but as we were the only guests, asked cost of upgrade to the terrace suite which we got at a very good rate especially as it was my birthday…..yes I got a cake and staff singing!

Room

The cabin….absolutely beautiful. A 30 sqm modern suite with an extremely comfortable king size bed, a large desk or dressing table, walk in wardrobe and a separate living area leading to my favourite space, the private terrace with sun beds and a heated jacuzzi which was the perfect place to take in the wonderful Nile views. You also get a large modern bathroom with freestanding bathtub, separate shower and Jon's favourite space, the toilet with a control pad! Suffice to say we had great difficulty leaving the room even to see all the treasures Egypt offers.

The staff are wonderful…service is immaculate. We did get the feeling they either have cameras in the corridors or someone lurking as they always know where you are but we never felt watched or bothered. The cabin guys had great fun with the towel sculptures every day and I won’t spoil the last surprise for anyone booking the cruise.

Oberoi Philae Cabin Facilities

• Tea and coffee machine provided plus plenty of drinking water.
• International TV Channels
• Brand Toiletries
• Fresh fruit daily.
• Plenty of Hangers
• Hairdryer
• Safe
• Wifi excellent

Dining

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are included as well as tea, coffee and soft drinks, alcohol is an extra cost and there is an excellent selection but they did not overcharge on this. Food and its presentation is exceptional, they carry a number of chefs and the Indian food was superb. We could basically eat when we wanted and in any location, we only had one evening meal on the top deck as it was extremely hot up there during the day even with a breeze. We did get a tour of the kitchens which was fascinating but I did then feel guilty if I did not eat the breads specially prepared every day by the pastry chef.

Amenities

Main Restaurant serving Western, Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisines for breakfast, lunch and dinner

Poolside Restaurant on the top deck serving light meals and snacks, as said we had the option to take any meal there possibly because there was no one else aboard.

The Bar and Cigar Lounge

Swimming Pool - top deck with plenty of sun beds and umbrellas

Hair salon

Spa and Gym

Very well equipped Gym but in true Glad Rags style we didn't take advantage - the jacuzzi was far more inviting!

The Oberoi Spa offers a range of treatments

Conclusion

This is a beautiful boat, spotlessly clean and well maintained and our stay on it became the highlight of our trip due to the wonderful service and amazing food even though three meals a day started to expand the waistline.  We felt very safe at all times and we did notice the armed guards when we moored for the night.  One advantage of this boat is that it does moor directly up to the docks and also that it will sail even with just two guests plus you also get to pass every other boat sailing down the Nile, great fun sitting in the jacuzzi waving bye bye to the other boats.

 

The guide provided, Bahar was really excellent, far better than any of the others. Insulated water bottles were provided for every tour and on return cold towels and a refreshing drink. We were also asked what time we wished to leave for tours and also what time we wanted meals and where we wanted them, I am presuming this is because there were no other guests.

I seriously loved the jacuzzi, absolutely wonderful to return to after a hot, sweaty day sightseeing especially with the champagne on ice. I really would have got back onto this boat to return to Luxor, in fact I could live on it!

The one downside is that anything after this seems a let down so try booking this towards the end of your trip not at the beginning.

The Oberoi Philae Luxury Nile Cruiser - Egypt

Yet again The Oberoi prove that when it comes to luxury & service they are right at the top of the pile - would book this cruise again in an instant. Click logo to visit site