If you were going to cruise on the Nile, then the SS Misr was the ship to take.
Commissioned by the British Royal Navy, the propeller driven Nile Steamer Misr was launched on May 28th, 1918 as a British Royal Navy vessel. It arrived in Alexandria, Egypt on September 8th, 1918, from Preston, northwest England, having steamed 3276 nautical miles in 17.5 days.
Having served in World War II, SS Misr ("Egypt" in Arabic) also participated in setting down the 1924 uprising in Sudan as a warship and troop transporter for the British Egyptian joint task force. After retiring from active duty, Misr went through an entire overhaul; converted into a luxury yacht in 1938 to be used by Egypt's last Monarch, King Farouk. After Egypt's monarchy was overthrown in 1952, Misr became state property and was allocated to the Egyptian Ministry of Irrigation where it languished in a shipyard in a Cairo suburb.
Off to the war in Sudan in 1924
SS Misr was spotted by Tarek Imam, Deputy Managing Director of Traveline. He was instantly smitten. "It was love at first sight. I saw this beautiful boat that carried so much history sitting in a dock, sorely neglected and in bad need of restoration," said Mr. Imam. Traveline purchased the boat in 2003, and began work on restoration. Keeping the original engine intact (which was in surprisingly excellent condition) the entire ship was reconstructed from scratch. In 2006, after three years of construction, the boat was restored to its original splendour.
The SS Misr is no longer the most luxurious vessel on the Nile, but its cruises are unquestionably the most regal. With its sumptuous interiors full of period elegance, black and white photographs of the Egyptian Royal family, cut crystal light fixtures, and a baby grand piano, it is easy to see why onetime guest and British Prime Minister Sir John Major called the SS Misr: “The Orient Express of the Nile.”
Guest accommodation is in 16 themed cabins and 8 suites each one of which has a private balcony. The air-conditioned cabins and suites all have marble bathrooms with bathtubs, LCD television, tea and coffee making facilities, safety deposit box, mini-bar, internet access, and floor to ceiling windows.
Attention to detail is evident throughout the boat whether it’s the crystal and china used at Marasem - the SS Misr’s main restaurant - the pianist entertaining guests in the Saraya Lounge after dinner, or the scented towels that refresh guests on their return from an excursion. The SS Misr also offers guests a classic English-style bar, a gift shop and an split-level shaded Sun Deck with plunge pool.
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| The ship had been very well converted, and very much gave the feeling of a 1920s cruise ship. There were a vast number of staff, including a pianist at afternoon tea time. Going under bridges meant that the funnel had to be occasionally lowered | |||
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| Most of the meals were in the Main Dining Room, but there were a number of barbeques on the back deck. Not gourmet cooking, but when you knew what they did badly, you could choose something that was OK | |||
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| We had a trip to the engines and kitchen. The kitchen was mainly to assure use that it was very "clean", The engines were interesting in being the original propulsion unit, and clearly was still working well | |||
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| The Boyzz got a new Towel Animal every day, which helped to keep them amused | |||