What to Expect on Your First Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise: A First-Timer’s Diary

What to Expect on Your First Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise: A First-Timer’s Diary

I am sure that, just like me, before my first Nile cruise, you have questions swarming in your head, mixing up anticipation and doubt. It will be too crowded, will it not? Will the food be any good, or is it all an expensive tourist trick? Do I have to dress as if I was going to a ball in high society?

Everyone who lives in Cairo or visits Cairo for the first time will tell you how much you should feel the river at night. And while it is one thing to read tips in bullet form online, it is entirely another story to experience it all yourself.

Let us take a look inside the diary of a first-timer and see how an evening spent on a Cairo Nile dinner cruise really takes place.

7:30 PM: Arriving at the Dock (The Anticipation)

Our trip began on the busy river strip of Zamalek. In Cairo, one needs patience to get through evening traffic; hence, we ensured that we allowed enough cushion time. Coming in thirty minutes prior to the boarding process is a major life-saver since you will be able to avoid the stress of last minute preparations and take in the pre-cruise environment.

As you walk down the pier, you will find the environment very lively and inviting. Fairy lights hang over your head, boats rock against the docks, and you can hear instrumental Arabic music playing softly in the dark waters. The check-in process happens at the gangway using your booking details, and you are warmly welcomed on board by the crew members with genuine Egyptian hospitality.

8:00 PM: Casting Off and the First View

The moment all of us get seated in the dining room – we had a chance to find ourselves a cozy table near a huge window – the engines of the ship start working. It is a very gentle process – there is no loud noise and jerks at all – the ship just silently slides away from the wooden pier.

And this is when magic happens.

All the hustle and bustle of Cairo disappears instantly, making place for the rhythmic sound of the river. As the ship goes ahead into the channel, everything changes right in front of our eyes – we can see the gleaming dome of the Cairo Opera House, the glowing lattice of the Cairo Tower and even the stone arches of the old bridges.

So, if you really want to enjoy the trip, I advise you to follow my advice – get yourself a drink, go up to the deck, where you will be able to see how the twilight sky turns dark blue and how the lights come on everywhere in the city.

8:45 PM: The Open-Buffet Dinner

When the ship reaches its second turn upriver, dinner time is announced.

And if you are concerned about some mass-produced buffet fare stored under heat lamps, then try to relax. On any decent cruise, the kitchen on board is taken seriously. There is an attractive buffet of carefully prepared foods to satisfy all possible tastes, from those who love trying anything new to those who are extremely fussy:

Starters & Salads: Crispy Egyptian bread, warm dips such as humus and baba ganoush, fresh green salads, and tasty stuffed grape leaves (mahshi).

Main Courses: Tasty grilled meat, delicious chicken, kofta, rice, vegetables and pasta. Everything is fresh and hot and served by attentive staff.

Dessert Station: A magnificent table of traditional sweets of Egypt including delicious rice pudding (roz bel laban), basbousa, baklava and fresh fruits.

Enjoying a hot meal during the sightseeing of brightly-lit facades of ancient buildings and beautiful bridges of Cairo seems to transform the dinner into a special one.

9:30 PM: The Live Entertainment Starts

After you are done with your main dish and sit relaxed with a cup of tea or Turkish coffee, the cultural evening starts.

The performance normally comprises of two main features:

The Tanoura Show: A traditional performance by a dancer who is wearing a colorful and heavy round skirt which keeps spinning without a pause. Colors start moving and turning into bright circles which fill the atmosphere with rhythm. It is colorful, traditional and captivating performance.

Oriental Band & Belly Dancing: Live performance of a band playing traditional Arabic music followed by a belly dancing performance which engages everyone in the room with applause and laughter.

It is festive, lively and offers you great experience of Egyptian nightlife. However, if you want a calmer atmosphere you could go upstairs where there is an open deck area.

10:30 PM: Heading Back to Dock

The energy naturally winds down as the boat nears the end of its journey to return to the dock. Conversations take place in whispers as people finish off their last drinks and take a few more photos against the backdrop of the Cairo skyline.

It’s a little odd to walk again on solid ground after two hours spent floating on water. The city noise is suddenly very close, yet you view it from a different perspective after seeing Cairo in all its glory.

Final Diary Note: Is It Worth It?

If you are still uncertain about whether a Nile dinner cruise is worth all the talk, my diary will assure you that it definitely is.

No matter how much you think about it, this cruise is about so much more than food and entertainment. This is an opportunity for you to trade the bustle of the streets for a smooth flow along the banks of the most popular river on earth.