I went on a Nile River cruise — here’s what I wish I’d known beforehand

Drifting 1,500ft above Luxor’s lunar-like streets, I knew this hot air balloon ride was an experience that would be hard to beat. It was calming to look down on the Valley of the Queens and the Temple of Rameses III without the hum of a plane’s engine in my ears, the tranquility interrupted only by the roar of flames as our pilot Mahmoud adjusted our height.

This was my final excursion before flying home after a week-long trip down the River Nile, a trip that felt decades in the making thanks to my lifelong obsession with ancient Egypt. The caveat to this dream, however, was the fact that I would be staying on a ship.

Before this, the most sailing I had ever done was crossing the English Channel on a school trip to France. I feared relentless motion sickness, being forced to take part in cringeworthy entertainment, feeling alienated as the youngest person on the ship and being stuck with rubbish vegetarian options.

But it only took a few hours on TUI’s new five-star Al Horeya (meaning freedom) to realise my fears had been misplaced. Dare I say, I might even be a cruise convert. The Al Horeya is a new offering from TUI River Cruises. Sailing for the first time in November, it’s designed for Brits who want to take the guesswork out of exploring the Nile and its historic sites. Flights and excursions are included.

The first part of the Legends of the Nile cruise itinerary which took me by surprise was that we weren’t doing much sailing. In total, the ship sails for about 74 miles (120km), from the historic city of Luxor to ancient Aswan, with stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo before returning to Luxor again.

We spent most nights docked, and although the two overnight voyages could be noisy, from the engine hum to the clacking sound of passing through the Esna Lock, I didn’t lose much sleep after getting settled into my cabin. Gone were my fears of being shut up in a dark room with a porthole for a window. Instead, I stayed in a compact but comfortable third-deck cabin with a French balcony.

Though it was a case of luck whether the doors opened onto the river or the dock, more often than not I was able to sit and watch the sun rise over the water while applying sun cream for the day ahead. The ensuite bathroom, while a bit of a tight squeeze, had a shower with the option of a rainfall head — a great way to unwind after a day of exploring.

As an ancient Egypt obsessive, I didn’t want to spend my trip on sun loungers, but there are plenty of people who aren’t as fanatical about Khonsu and Hathor as I am. Each Al Horeya sailing includes two excursions – the Temple of Horus at Edfu, and the Kom Ombo Temple – and they’re both worth going along to.

The Temple of Horus is incredibly well preserved, offering a snapshot of how it would have looked thousands of years ago, while the Kom Ombo visit after nightfall had a fantastic atmosphere. Hardly anyone was there, which made for great pictures. If your priority is winter sun, it’s easy to leave the excursions at that and spend the rest of your trip on the sun deck, basking in 20-25°C sun under cloudless blue skies and enjoying the all-inclusive drinks.

But if you want to see more wonders of the ancient world, booking some additional excursions is well worth the money. Each excursion was fascinating and gave us a digestible snapshot of thousands of years of Egyptian history. On our first full day, we went to the Valley of the Kings and saw the mummy of Tutankhamen in his vacuum-sealed box. It was a real pinch yourself moment, realising this boy – as he was only 19 when he died – has laid in this tomb for more than 3,300 years.

At Abydos Temple we saw the only known carving of Queen Cleopatra, one of Egypt’s best-known historical figures. There was no trace of her reputation as a femme fatale; instead she shook a set of maracas for Hathor, the goddess of music, love, and beauty.

And in Kom Ombo we saw dozens of mummified crocodiles, which had been incredibly well looked after in life as part of the priests’ worship of Sobek, the crocodile god. Breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Al Horeya offer a mix of traditional Egyptian and Mediterranean dishes alongside classic British fare.

I loved ordering a made-to-order cheese omelette at breakfast, watching the chef cook it and taking notes on his technique. Join me on the #alhoreya for the first time! What an amazing experience @TUI UK & Ireland 🩵⚓️🇪🇬 #luxor #nile #rivercruise #nilecruise #tuirivercruises #allhoreya #tui #cruise #travel #egypt.

Combined with lightly-spiced Egyptian fava beans, herb roasted potatoes and cheesy courgette toast, I always had plenty of energy for the day ahead. Lunches usually featured whole fish or grilled meats, flavourful rice and side dishes including vegetable tagine – rich tomato-based stews – or baba ganoush, an aubergine-based dip served with herby flatbreads.