Is a Nile Dinner Cruise Worth It? An Honest Traveler’s Detailed Review

Is a Nile Dinner Cruise Worth It? An Honest Traveler’s Detailed Review

Once you have packed your bags for Egypt, you can be sure that your schedule will consist of big-ticket attractions – looking up at the majestic Great Pyramids of Giza, marveling at the glittering gold treasures of the Grand Egyptian Museum, and wandering around the vibrant corridors of Khan el-Khalili bazaar.

When trying to plan your evenings, you come across the same thing again and again: The Nile River Dinner Cruise. It is featured in almost every hotel brochures, online sites, and tour packages in Cairo.

Being offered as a wonderful evening full of romantic river sailing, yummy buffet dinner, and enchanting traditional Egyptian show, it appears to be too good to miss. However, is it worth using your precious time and money for an hour or two on board of this floating restaurant? Or should you just forget about it as another attraction for tourists?

Read my unbiased review with all details on what you get from this cruise.

What Actually Happens on a Nile Dinner Cruise?

Before analyzing the advantages and disadvantages, it is important to know more about how a usual Cairo dinner cruise works.

Generally, the majority of night cruise services are conducted within the middle part of the Nile River, close to Zamalek, Garden City, or Downtown Cairo. The whole process lasts for about 3-4 hours, including transportation from/to hotels and 2 full hours on the Nile.

Boarding/Departure: After arriving at the quay, passengers are led to their tables in a spacious, air-conditioned restaurant with broad glass windows.

Traveling Along the Nile River: The boat moves off the bank and sails calmly through the river. The guests are offered to come up to the deck and enjoy the illuminated view of the city.

The Dinner Cruise: The open buffet is opened offering national Egyptian cuisine and some foreign dishes.

Live Performers: After the dinners are over, the live performances start. The guests can enjoy the Tanoura spinners, belly dancers, and music performance.

The Pros: Why Travelers Love the Experience

1. A Chance to Unwind From the Hectic Pace of Cairo
Though it is exciting and historically rich, Cairo can get crowded and hectic to move around and sightsee on foot and/or in taxis. It is a refreshing way to spend some time away from the busy pace of Cairo and the hustle of the streets.

2. Spectacular Scenery of Cairo by Night
Cairo looks very different at night. It can be observed from the top deck of the boat:

The shining spire of Cairo Tower

Historic bridges such as Qasr El Nil and their bronze lion statues

Water gardens, high-end hotels and sailing boats floating among the reflections

3. An All-Inclusive Evenings’ Entertainment
After spending a tiring day visiting historical places and sightseeing, planning a dinner and evening entertainments can turn out to be too much effort. A dinner cruise saves you time, as it provides transportation, dinner, and entertainment in one place.

The Cons: What to Keep in Mind

For an enjoyable evening, reasonable expectations are vital. Let me highlight a couple of things which may surprise a first-timer traveler:

It Is Nice But Not Fine Dining: Most average Nile River cruises offer a mass catering buffet style food menu. One would enjoy delicious meat dishes (kofta, chicken), rice, vegetables, salads (hummus, baba ghanoush), and sweet Egyptian pastries. Although quite satisfying and delicious, the food is made in quantity for a large number of people on the cruise at the same time - hence do not expect a fine dining Michelin star experience.

Drinks Are Payable: Almost all Nile dinner cruises offer beverages such as water, soft drinks, and alcohol separately from your cruise ticket cost. Your waiter will take your order for beverages at the table and collect payments at the end of your sail.

Music Is Quite Loud: The music and sound system in the dining hall during the entertainment section of the evening is quite loud because of live musicians, singers, and drummers. If you wish to have a romantic conversation, move to the deck.

Practical Tips for Your Cruise

To save yourself from complications on your night, take heed of the following tips:

Choose Package with Private Transfer from/to Hotel: The evening situation in Cairo is highly uncertain. Choosing to purchase a cruise package with a private transfer from and to the hotel will surely help you solve all your problems with finding a way back home in the evening.

Dress Code: Dress up smart casual style. You don’t have to dress up in evening wear but still, no sports outfits allowed. For men, the dress code should consist of jeans or trousers and collared shirts. Women usually prefer wearing skirts, pants or blouses.

Bring a Coat for Winter: Despite the fact that Cairo is quite warm during the day time, the night becomes quite chilly on the river especially after getting to the upper deck.

Bring some Money for Drinks and Tips: Have some cash in Egyptian Pounds (EGP) for paying for drinks and also for tipping waiters who serve you and other workers on the boat.

The Verdict: Is It Worth It?

Yes, absolutely, Nile Dinner Cruise is well worth it – especially if you’re a first time visitor to Cairo!

Although it is indeed a very touristy type of activity, it gives you fantastic bang for your buck! This activity manages to combine beautiful views of the river at night, a lesson in traditional Egyptian culture and music, and a good meal into one fantastic package!

If you come with an expectation that this activity will be more fun and cultural rather than a peaceful dinner in 5 star hotel, you won’t be disappointed.