Uniworld's "Splendors of Egypt and the Nile" remains a fascinating itinerary on a super-comfortable ship with an excellent crew that aims to please and food as good as the food on Uniworld's European cruises. As mentioned by cruisers last season, this is the time to visit Egypt as the number of tourists remains relatively low. Security at the airports, hotels and every tourist site is very tight, and we never felt uneasy. An armed guard unobtrusively accompanied us on tours in Cairo as well as on the Nile.
From our transport from the Cairo airport (we arrived one day early) to every aspect of the tour and transport back to the airport, Uniworld staff took care of every detail. Our Egyptologist/Cruise Manager Mohamed Ragheb conducted all tours in Cairo and on the Nile and was absolutely excellent. We learned so much from him about ancient Egypt as well as life in modern Egypt. He especially watched out for two passengers who use canes for mobility and who fell walking on uneven ground. After that, a crew member accompanied both on excursions and helped with the tricky transfers onto a felucca and motorboats.
The vibe on ship is very informal -- many people wore to dinner the clothes they had worn during the tours, except for the Galabeya night when Egyptian food was featured for dinner and crew and most passengers donned galabeyas, inexpensive for purchase at the ship's boutique.
The large size of the standard staterooms on the Tosca spoiled us for the size of the staterooms on Uniworld's European ships. There is plenty of storage, the bed is super comfortable, and the rooms feature large floor to ceiling French balconies. Our AC system worked well, Plenty of bottled water was provided daily (we had to use it for brushing our teeth). The decor on the Tosca is more understated than that on Uniworld's other ships but has a distinct, attractive Egyptian style.