When I was invited on board a small ship cruiser on a Nile Cruise in Egypt, I was a little worried that I would hate it. I hate small rooms and I get seasick. A small room that rocks on the water would be my idea of hell. On the other hand, I really wanted to do a Nile Cruise in Egypt. So curiosity won out.
Discreet luxury on an Oberoi Hotel Group small ship cruiser on the Nile
I needn’t have worried. The Oberoi Philae is a small ship cruiser that has been completely renovated. In its new incarnation, the rooms were made bigger. In fact, there are now only 22 rooms on the whole small ship cruiser. The floor to ceiling windows overlooking the Nile meant I did not feel claustrophobia. I had no seasickness which was pretty amazing! When the small ship cruiser was moving, I could not feel the movement. The passing of the palm trees and life on the Nile was the only way to tell that we were moving.
People have asked whether they should just do a day cruise on the Nile and not a lengthy small ship cruise on the Nile. In my opinion, there is no comparison. You are jammed full with other tourists on the day trip. There is nothing relaxing or luxurious about this version of a Nile Cruise. You will also miss out on seeing daily life on the Nile. I was fascinated with watching the boats crossing the river in the morning, the cowherds tending to their sheep on the little islands that dot the Nile River and the children playing on the banks after school.
The Oberoi Group have two small ship cruisers on the Nile River – the Oberoi Philae and the Oberoi Zahra. The Oberoi Philae runs luxury Nile cruises that go from 4 or 6 days from Luxor to Aswan. The Oberoi Zahra has luxury Nile cruises that run a whole week along generally the same route. After the Nile Cruise, I went Cairo which was a little bit of a shock to the senses after having felt wonderfully chilled on the Cruise. In retrospect, I would suggest you book yourself into the luxurious Oberoi Sahi Hasheesh in the seaside resort of Hurghada just to continue that feeling of complete contentment.
Here’s a photo essay of the inside of the Oberoi luxury small ship cruisers on the Nile:
The Oberoi Zahra takes a longer cruise along the Nile.
The Oberoi Philae was my home for 4 nights and it was delightful.
Communal Areas
Read a book and watch life on the Nile drift by.
Double height ceilings add to the sense of space.
Small touches added warmth to the small ship cruiser.
The Guest Rooms
My spacious room on board the Nile Philae. There was a liberal use of pony skin rugs which is simply not my thing.
After all the sightseeing, a spacious hot shower was most welcoming.
The Luxury Suites
Or, take a luxuriant bath and watch life on the Nile drift by!
Contemporary interior design means there’s nothing old fashioned about this small ship cruiser.
The ultra luxury suite on board each ship feels like a small flat.
The luxury suite on board the Philae is likewise spacious with a huge private outdoor area.
Hot tub anyone? A feature of the ultra-luxe Luxury Suite.
Amenities
The spa area had its own bathtub.
A luxurious surrounding to have a massage.
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If you’re heading to Egypt, then you need to book a Nile cruise. Discover what to expect on
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