Middle East – Travel Today

3. Uniworld Egypt

Posted on 14 September 2026 - 4:25 pm by Rebecca

3: Uniworld: The Finest In Luxury Travel

The S.S. Sphinx Or The River Tosca?

Uniworld’s two Nile ships, the S.S. Sphinx and the River Tosca both offer the same itinerary, but agents will need to match their clients to the ships.

“Guests do exactly the same experiences, they have the same shore excursions, the same activities and events—it’s really just about what décor appeals to your clients,” says Uniworld’s md ANZ Alice Ager.

Both ships have a pool, a shop, spa, a coffee corner and a rooftop bar.

If clients love the colourful landscape of Egypt, traditional décor and the bright blues of the staterooms, suggest the purpose-built S.S. Sphinx, which was the preferred ship of a number of the Kiwi agents, says Ager.

For those looking for a more understated luxury feel, the refreshed River Tosca delivers. (It also offers plush seating in the lounge and restaurant, as opposed to the traditional seating on the S.S. Sphinx.)

“There’s really not a lot in it. I would actually recommend don’t overthink it, both ships are absolutely stunning,” says Ager. “Whatever ship you’re on you sorta fall in love with it.”

. . . Groups

For agents selling groups on the Nile, Ager points out that the all-suite River Tosca can offer a standard room type, which she says is especially popular with ship charters. The S.S. Sphinx is suited for those looking for a mix of cabin types within a group, she adds. See more from Ager in this clip HERE.

. . The Abu Simbel Add-on

Pictured: Uniworld offers an optional Abu Simbel excursion that includes early morning flights to the iconic temple, a couple of hours to explore, and then back to the ship for lunch. The Kiwi group is pictured at the temple, which was moved to higher ground after the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Dining on the Nile

Dining is definitely a highlight for passengers travelling on Uniworld’s S.S. Sphinx and River Tosca ships.

Breakfast and lunch are buffet-style, and there’s changing barbequed meats, salads and sauces on offer as well as a traditional Egyptian share plate for the table at lunch.

The onboard soups were also a hit with the Kiwis. Dinner is a changing selection of western favourites, as well as the option to sample some local fare. There’s also a vegetarian option.

Let's Talk Mobility

Egypt is really a destination for those who are mobile. Ancient Egypt was not built with modern accessibility standards in mind, and a luxury cruise product cannot turn an ancient archaeological site into a fully-accessible attraction.

There can be uneven ancient stone surfaces, steps and some steep descents into the tombs.

A Nile cruise provides an excellent base from which to explore Egypt, but the excursions still involve walking, steps and uneven surfaces.

2. Uniworld Egypt

Posted on 10 September 2026 - 10:38 am by Rebecca

2. Uniworld: The Finest In Luxury Travel

Dendera Stay: The Uniworld Difference

There are many companies offering a Nile River cruise, but Uniworld is the only cruise line, that sails ‘downstream’ north to Dendera to overnight in the settlement.

The cruise line has its guests at the colourful Dendera Temple first thing in the morning, giving the feeling of a VIP experience at the popular site. The venue is a short drive from where the ship is docked.

“The best part about that is that when you wake up on the first morning you wake to the incredible view of sunrise over Dendera Temple from the ship, which is stunning,” says Uniworld’s Alice Ager.

“It means Uniworld guests visit this amazing temple early, before the sun gets too high in the sky and the temperature increases and before all the other tourists arrive on their coach. I think it’s a great way to visit and a lovely feature of the Uniworld program.”

The Kiwi agents on the cruise say the itinerary is another Uniworld unique selling point.
“You can’t under estimate the benefits of getting there early before the crowds—and before the heat,” says xtravel’s Tori Keating. “We were literally among the first people there and not having to jostle for space means there is time to really explore the colourful temple, the hieroglyphics and the sheer scale of the temple.” On other cruise lines the trip to Dendera is made by coach.

Photo: The Kiwis on bus two celebrate seeing the colourful Dendera Temple before the crowds and heat.

Read more about Uniworld’s Egypt Famil in Feature 1, HERE.

A Grand (Suite) Cruise Along The Nile

For clients looking for more space on their Nile cruise recommend the S.S. Sphinx’s grand suites.

There’s 18 of the 40m2 cabins available and they feature separate sleeping and sitting areas, a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, a huge walk-through wardrobe and a giant marble bathroom complete with a bath. See more HERE.

The Egyptologists

Each Uniworld Egypt sailing features three onboard Egyptologists, which are with their group from exploring the pyramids and the sphinx at Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum through to the cruise.

The level of detail and scale of Egypt’s history can be overwhelming—but the Uniworld Egyptologists make it engaging, fun and bite sized. They also know where to find the shade and are on hand to offer plenty of tips, from the best photo locations through to helping to negotiate with the ‘energetic’ local salesmen.

Uniworld Egypt

Posted on 9 September 2026 - 4:32 pm by Rebecca

1: Uniworld: The Finest In Luxury Travel

Kiwi Agents’ Nile Adventure Begins

It was a day of both bucket list moments and recreating past memories for the 30-plus members of the Kiwi delegation on Uniworld’s 50th anniversary mega famil to Egypt.

The itinerary officially began with a trip to Egypt’s famed Giza pyramids followed up by a visit to the world’s biggest museum dedicated to a single civilisation. And despite the hype, and a repeat visit for some, many of the Kiwi agents were still in awe. The agents are not alone. Alice Ager Uniworld md ANZ says Egypt and the Nile ‘is having a moment with Kiwi travellers’. Uniworld’s Egypt sales are up 300% on last year for New Zealand alone.

“It’s been amazing to see it come back to life in such a short period of time.” And given that growth, Ager says it’s incredible to be able to host the Kiwi agents, and their plus ones, ‘to experience the Uniworld difference on the Nile first hand’.

The regional Uniworld boss says Kiwis tend to be intrepid travellers keen to explore, to taste local flavours, and learn about the culture. “This itinerary is going to share the wonder of Egypt’s ancient history with them in style and luxury…they are in for a wonderful experience! We love investing in our Kiwi agents; we want them to feel, live and breathe what we offer and how Uniworld is different.”

. . . Starting Strong

Uniworld’s Egypt itinerary starts and ends with two nights in Cairo and includes a half-day at the new Grand Egyptian Museum.
“It’s a whopping museum full of things that have rarely been seen before,” says Ager. “Many of the pieces have been moved from the Original Egyptian Museum in Cairo, but there are also thousands of pieces that have been kept in archive for decades. It’s a great day as the museum brings together all the stories and history of ancient Egypt that you learn through the voyage.”

View Feature 2: Click HERE.

Five Star Luxury

Clients on Uniworld’s Egypt itinerary stay at the five-star Ritz Carlton or the Four Seasons Nile Plaza.
Suggest those staying at the Ritz Carlton hotel visit the nearby old Egyptian Museum. “While the [Grand Egyptian Museum] is modern, clean, air conditioned, the old museum is like stepping back in time and a sight to behold in itself,” says Alice Ager.

“There are some gaps where key pieces have been moved, but they have a replica of the original Rosetta Stone which unlocked the code of language. Without that tablet, we wouldn’t be able to translate many of the ancient languages including hieroglyphics, which blows my mind!”

When To Visit

Depending on how clients handle the heat, the ideal times of year to visit Egypt are during autumn to spring, says Uniworld md ANZ Alice Ager. “Summer is too hot and dry and we don’t operate during the hottest months of Jul and Aug. I once visited in Dec and didn’t pack a jumper so spent the week on the Nile wearing my husband’s sweatshirt.”

Ager says the winter months are a dry 25 degrees in the day time, but notes that temperatures drop when the sun goes down, with a cool overnight and early morning. Pro tip: Christmas really is the best time if you want to avoid the high temperatures, she adds.