I have been on ocean and river cruises before (Viking on the Danube just this summer; Seadream on the Amazon a couple of years ago) but this was probably the best cruise I've ever been on. The Tosca itself is a 2011 50-passenger, three-deck boat. The tours themselves were given by an Egyptian company. The boat was plush compared to the very spartan Viking boat we cruised the Danube with; unlike the much larger Viking boat, the Tosca had a pool (albeit unheated), lots of covered enclosure/beds on the top deck and a workout fitness room. Meals were absolutely great (breakfast and lunch were both buffet style) and the service was impecable.

The tour started in Cairo for a day visiting the Citadel, Mohammed Ali mosque and the Egyptian Museum. The next day, we flew to Luxor, visited the Karnak temple complex and then embarked. The next day we visited the Valley of the Kings tombs, then in the afternoon we started the cruise, going up and down the Nile, visiting various temples and various sites (the Nubian village near Aswan, the Aswan dam, tea a the historic Cataract hotel, etc). A flight to Abu Simbel was an option, which everyone took and it was worth the additional $ 290 per person cost.

Very professional, classy and friendly all the way around.