Egypt & Red Sea Cruises

The Red Sea is rarely visited as a cruise destination itself. Instead, you’ll find that cruise ships pass through the Red Sea on longer voyages between Asia and the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. Sailing through the 100-mile-long Suez Canal is an unforgettable experience. Sit out on the top deck and you’ll feel as though your ship is slicing through the dry desert.

Egypt has several cruise ports that are gateways to some of ancient Egypt's most splendid sights, such as the Great Pyramids at Giza, and the ancient city of Alexandria.

If you'd like to explore more of Egypt to see the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and the incredibly sites of antiquity at Luxor, taking a cruise down the River Nile is the perfect way to do that. Out sister company RiveryVoyages.om specialise in river cruises all over the world, and can offer Nile river cruises with any of the world's river cruise lines.

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Egypt

Luxor

Luxor

Summary Since the early steamers visited Egypt in the nineteenth century, Luxor has remained a tourist hotspot. Situated on the east side of the Nile in the centre of The Nile Valley, Luxor is an ideal location for tours and trips to surrounding places of interest.

Aswan

Summary Aswan is Egypt’s southernmost city and remains hot and dry all year round. It is considered the most picturesque setting on the Nile and serves as a base for tourist excursions to many local sites of interest.

Esna

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Qena

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Kom Ombo

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Edfu

Summary Edfu is an Egyptian town of The Nile Valley situated halfway between Luxor and Aswan, on the west bank of the Nile. The town is popular with tourists for being home to one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, dedicated to the sky god of the Nile, Horus.

Dendera

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Safaga

Summary Port Safago has been undergoing a transformation, slowly metamorphosing into a holiday rsort. Like other cities on the Red Sea, the commercial port town sits close to great offshore dive sites. Unlike others, however, tourist development hasn't taken off in a meaningful way. But if the mass tourism in Hurghada is a turnoff, Safaga offers a small-scale and much more low-key alternative, though the best dive sites can still be seen on a day trip from Hurghada. Safaga is also the closest beach resort to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, which lies 200 km (124 mi) to the southwest; when cruise ships offer land excursions to Luxor, they often do so through Safaga.

Port Said

Summary Port Said is located by the Suez Canal in the Northeast of Egypt. The city is steeped in history and culture as well as being an ideal place to enjoy seafood, shopping and fishing.

Sharm El Sheikh

Summary The port and town of Sharm-el-Sheikh lies near the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula where the Straits of Tiran meet the Gulf of Aqaba. With its strategic position, the Sinai posed a desirable target for various rulers over the centuries. In recent times, the last battle for the Sinai was fought between Egypt and Israel from 1967 to 1979, ending with a peace treaty signed in Washington, D.C. Since the withdrawal of the Israelis, more and more Egyptians have settled in the Sinai, taking advantage of the booming tourist trade. However, vast interior regions are still sparsely populated. Many Bedouins have been affected by the advent of the 21st century, which is rapidly changing their age-old customs and nomadic lifestyle. As tourism and hotel projects continue to spring up along the Sinai coast, contact with Bedouins not involved in tourism is becoming increasingly rare. Once their nomadic life kept them on the move with their tents; today many Bedouins cultivate grain, vegetables and dates in addition to catering to the tourists. Sharm-el-Sheikh was initially developed by the Israelis during the Sinai occupation. Na'ama Bay, a short drive from the port, has grown from virtually nothing into a sizeable resort since the early 1980s. Between the two towns, a string of hotels line a once-untouched coastline. Resort hotels offer great opportunities for swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving. Glass bottom boat trips are available for those preferring to view the exotic marine life of the Red Sea without getting their feet wet.

Alexandria

Summary Founded by Alexander the Great, Alexandria was Egypt's capital for over 1,000 years. Now, it is visited by tourists looking to enjoy some diving and those interested in the Great Library, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Cairo

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Djibouti

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Ad Dammam

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Wedjh

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Jeddah

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Dhuba

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King Abdullah City

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Duba

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Al Wajh

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Jizan

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Yanbu al-Bahr

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Farasan Islands

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Ar Ra’s al Abyad

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Haifa

Summary Spilling down from the pine-covered heights of Mount Carmel, Haifa is a city with a vertiginous setting that has led to comparisons with San Francisco. The most striking landmark on the mountainside is the gleaming golden dome of the Baha'i Shrine, set amid utterly beautiful garden terraces. The city is the world center for the Baha'i faith, and its members provide informative walking tours of the flower-edged 100-acre spot, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the top of the hill are some small but interesting museums, the larger hotels, and two major universities. At the bottom is the lovingly restored German Colony, a perfect area for strolling.Israel's largest port and third-largest city, Haifa was ruled for four centuries by the Ottomans and gradually spread its tendrils up the mountainside into a cosmopolitan city whose port served the entire Middle East. The climate is gentle, the beaches beautiful, and the locals friendly.You don't see the religious garb of Jerusalem or the tattoos and piercings of Tel Aviv in this diverse but fairly conservative city. In fact, you can't always tell at a glance who is part of an Arab or Jewish Israeli family, or if someone is a more recent immigrant from the former Soviet Union.

Ashdod

Summary Busy Ashdod is not only one of Israel's fastest-growing cities, it's also the country's largest port. Perched on the Mediterranean, it processes more than 60% of the goods imported into Israel. Home to many ancient peoples over the centuries, Ashdod today is a modern, planned city. It's also a convenient jumping-off point for exploring several of Israel's most interesting cities, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Bethlehem.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

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Tel Aviv is located on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, where it boasts some of the country's best beaches on the six-mile stretch of sand, which is divided into ten beaches. The beaches have varied appeal, offering watersports, relaxed chic beach bars, restaurants, host to summer music festivals, great spots for surfing, playing beach games and watching the sunset from.

Its architecture is in the styling of the White City area with 1930s Bauhaus buildings.

It has world class museums, including Beit Hatfutsot Museum, which has multimedia exhibits which tell the history of Jewish communities worldwide, and the Eretz Israel Museum, which has exhibits on the country’s archaeology, folklore and crafts. It also has an on-site excavation of 12th-century-B.C. ruins, where visitors can see history come to life.

Jerusalem

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Jerusalem is one of the most interesting cities in Israel, for its religious and general history. The 12 stations of the cross and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre are popular sites.

The Wailing Wall is the most visited and is sacred to millions of people worldwide of multiple faiths. People write and leave their prayers on the wall.

The city has many vibrant souks (markets) with local foods, handmade crafts, clothing, and trinkets.

Eilat

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The southern Israel port and resort town of Eilat lies on the Red Sea, near to the border with Jordan.

It is known for its beaches, varied water sports and marine life. It is a prestigious centre for windsurfing and kite surfing. Reef fish and coral are abdundant in Coral Reef and at Dolphin beach, which are excellent snorkelling spots.

Dolphins are commonly seen close to the shore at Dolphine Beach, hence its name. Eilat is overall a fantastic place to visit for lovers of the beach, snorkelling and seeing marine life.

'Aqaba

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'Aqaba is an exciting, multi-faceted city.

It is historic city on the Gulf of 'Aqaba, with mosques, castles and ruins. Mamluk Fort, which dates back to the 1500s, is often called Aqaba Castle, was built during the reign of Qansur Al-Ghuri, was once a military site and is now a popular tourist attraction. THe Shariff Al Hussein Bin Ali Mosque is a stunning mosque, inside and out, and ideal place to visit for anyone interested in Islamic culture.

'Aqaba is also an idyllic seaside resort in Jordan and playground of the rich and famous, with a lively nightlife scene, long sandy beaches, extravagent resorts and a rich marina full of impressive yachts.

It has an ancient souk in the centre of the city, which sells spices, artisan crafts and fresh produce.

The city's beachside location means it also offers dive spots, snorkelling and boat rides.

It is located just two hours' away from Petra and Wadi Rum, so is often the port to reach these major attractions from.

Madaba

Summary Madaba is an ancient town in Jordan, southwest of the capital Amman. It’s known for its 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. The Madaba Archaeological Park preserves the mosaic-rich Church of the Virgin Mary and artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Islamic eras. Northwest, the biblical hill of Mount Nebo overlooks the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea.

Petra, Jordan

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The lost city of Petra is on many people's bucket lists. Walking through the narrow winding red sandstone rock pathways and coming out at the giant doors of the treasury is an experience of a lifetime.

The iconic treasury of Petra was carved into the sandstone hill by the Nabataeans in the second century A.D and was originally used as a temple.

The narrow, now abandoned city, was thriving thousands of years ago. The entire city was carved into the red, pink and white sandstone cliff faces and was the capital of the Nabataean empire and a bustling trade centre between 400 B.C and A.D 106.

It was 'rediscovered' by a European traveller in the early 1800s and then the world began its fascination with the place once more. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, and was named one fo the new seven wonders of the world in 2007.

Only 15 percent of the city has been uncovered so far, including the Monastery and scrolls from within.

Wadi Rum

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Wadi Rum is an exciting destination in the desert of Jordan. It offers one of the easiest and safest sights of the desert in the region, and can be visited in a day trip from the port of 'Aqaba.

Its temperatures are extreme with stiffling summer heat and very cold winters. There are tall siqs (canyons) where rock and sand meet.

Bedouin tribes live in the area, who understand how the desert works. It is an immense and exciting place to visit to feel the power of nature and being away from the ditractions of civilisation.