I had no idea a budget carrier could offer such an indulgent, five-star holiday. Being catered for hand and foot was exactly what I needed.
Just a few hours after a freezing farewell to the UK, our early winter welcome to Luxor arrived beneath the rich colours of a breathtaking sunset. The air felt as warm as the smile of the friendly young easyJet greeter whose cheerful banter and flawless English immediately set the tone for the trip.
After boarding our 136-passenger ship, the next time we saw our bags they were already waiting outside our cabins, alongside smiling crew members ready to welcome us aboard. The light, airy cabin featured a huge, heavenly bed, but the pièce de résistance was the full-wall window overlooking the floating world of the Nile River. From there, you feel completely immersed in the watery landscape and its lush, ever-changing shoreline. The bed and comfortable chairs invite you to lose hours simply watching life drift gently by.
It doesn’t take long to realise what five-star service really means: freshly replenished snacks each day, three generous meals, afternoon treats at 4 pm, and all-inclusive drinks from 10 am until midnight including unlimited bottled water and even cocktail of the day creations, with non-alcoholic options too. There is constant room tidying, nightly turndown service, satellite TV with English-language news and movies, luxurious toiletries, a powerful shower and thoughtful touches such as a personal ironing service.
You meander past lush greenery and swaying palm trees, deserts stretching right down to the shore, rugged hills, ancient dwellings and caves, and the vibrant bustle of Egyptian town life all just as fascinating when viewed from plush deckchairs shaded by umbrellas. With a bar nearby and attentive staff ready to indulge your every whim, even I couldn’t resist settling into a blissful level of relaxation.
I hadn’t realised cruising could be such a charmingly unique and efficient way to travel between the remarkable sites that beckon along the Nile River. In Egypt’s hot, dry climate, almost all life clings to the banks of this mighty river, the country’s lifeblood, meaning a cruise offers dreamlike access to everything along its shores.
Another unexpected delight was the hugely varied buffets served three times a day. They were scrumptious, each with different themes, yet always including fish, a variety of meats, salads, two soups, sauté and fried stations, and more than a dozen types of bread. Time and again we found ourselves declaring each lunch or dinner the best yet, accompanied by astonishingly attentive service.
This region is so rich in ancient artefacts and stupendous structures that archaeologists have only scratched the surface. New discoveries constantly emerge from a landscape quite literally littered with relics of the past. In Luxor, entire neighbourhoods have even been relocated because they conceal further wonders from ancient times including the recently revealed 2.7-kilometre Avenue of Sphinxes, linking the great temples of the city.
Among the must-see sites is the ornate Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, built for Hatshepsut often considered a trailblazer of female leadership in the ancient world and one of Egyptian history’s most fascinating rulers. Both admired and controversial, she defied convention and ruled entirely on her own terms.
Nearby stand the monumental Colossi of Memnon, two towering statues that have guarded the Nile Valley for more than three millennia.
The trips to the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel and the High Dam were all breathtaking both in location and content and all well worth a visit.
The towering walls, tombs and columns reveal remarkable details of lives lived thousands of years ago. The intricate carvings were created to prove the deceased had lived honourable lives worthy of a comfortable afterlife, since earthly existence was seen merely as the beginning of eternity. Their craftsmanship also adorns the sprawling Karnak Temple Complex, built over more than 2,000 years and widely regarded as the largest religious complex ever constructed even serving as a dramatic backdrop in The Spy Who Loved Me from the James Bond film series.
A special mention must go to our Egyptologist guide, Bessam or “Smiley”, as he quickly became known on board. A true legend, his knowledge and enthusiasm for every site we visited were second to none, bringing the extraordinary history of this ancient land vividly to life.
I felt very safe and secure the whole time I was away and all trips and excursions were expertly managed by our tour guide Smiley.
Landing back in the UK was a complete shock after 30 degrees warmth it was a dark raining and 4 degrees back in the UK.
