Nile Cruise - Sailing on Sheraton’s Hotp

The Nile is not really a place where one wants to spend time keeping up appearances. Like the other vessels on the Nile, the Hotp is really more a floating hotel than a ship. The river does not disappoint even those with the highest expectations, because it conveys a sense of timelessness, moving along its sleepy course past Bedouins watering their horses, mud-walled Fellaheen villages, minaret-peaked mosques and the ubiquitous date palms that cover the region. The Hotp is relaxing, unpretentious vehicle that falls into the background and allows the majesty of the Nile to speak for itself.

Clientele

The strongest feature of this ship is the homey feeling created by its mix of passengers. Families and couples from Europe, the Far East, Australia and North America mingle freely together. One hears occasional crying baby on the Hotp, but nobody seems to mind. This ship almost has the feel of a small village community.

According to boat manager Tarif Fouad, North Americans make up 35% of the crafts’ clients, followed by Europe, the Far East, South America and South Africa. "We use theme parties to break the ice", he says.

Accommodations

The smallish cabins feature two cots, one a pull-down; and two narrow closets. Bathrooms offer stand-up showers, and a few token amenities such as shampoo and body lotion. These simple accommodations aren’t high-tech by any means – there are no TV’s, and radios seem to have only one working channel. On the plus side, picture windows in each cabin allow visitors to feast their eyes on the Nile, instead of prepackaged television fare. A small dresser and nightstand round up the furnishings.

Public Areas

The Hotp’s top deck – lined with chaise lounges and deck chairs – is by far the passenger’s favorite area on the ship. Most passengers spend their time watching the eternal series of rural pastiches on the shore that make up the haunting beauty of the Nile. Some parts of the deck are shaded, others stays open for sunbathers. There is also a small plunge pool on the top deck, and a waiter offers cocktails and soft drinks.

The dining room and the lounge are on two separate decks. The dining room seats all passengers at once and serves three meals per day, buffet style. The bar/lounge also features a pool table, and several clusters of comfortable chairs and small cocktail tables. The lounge was used as the venue for two separate theme nights : "Nubian Night" and a night in which all the passengers dress up in Pharaonic costumes to perform skits. Dressing up as scribes, pharaohs, Romans and Cleopatra is a tradition on Nile steamers.

Dining

The food on the ship reflects the atmosphere. While it is hardly gourmet, the fare was consistently good, and no point were the buffet lines prohibitive. Passengers are welcome to serve themselves as often as they like. The cuisine often displayed Egyptian and Mediterranean influences and ingredients, but sometimes Italian and other continental dishes found their way onto the smogarsbord.

Service

What the service on the Hotp lakes in formality, it more then makes up for in warmth. The crew moves easily among the passengers, speaking English well and responding attentively to their needs. It’s a quality of service for which Egypt is famous, a natural extension of local hospitality. The cabins are made up daily, and there is a feeling that they’re watched carefully when the passengers are gone.

Could be improved

The ship’s cabins could use an upgrade to improve in-room amenities. It’s not a lot to keep the radio up to standard. While the crew may enjoy Egyptian pop music, few of the guests do.

Strongest Selling Point

The Nile itself is what sets up this trip apart from others. What distinguishes the Hotp from the numerous other vessels on the Nile is its relaxing family atmosphere, which lacks the opulence and formality of many other luxury liners. The Hotp is the perfect ship for the kind of the passenger who is more interested in exploring the Nile and the ancient ruins of Egypt than in dressing up for topside cocktails.

Shore Excursions

The Hotp cruises between Aswan and Luxor, Egypt, making stops along the way at archeological sites such as Edfu, Kom Ombo, Elephantine Island and Philae.

Abu Simbel serves as a potential excursion from Aswan. Passengers make the Luxor-to-Luxor seven-night cruise, the Aswan-toAswan six nights voyage or the four-night Luxor-to-Aswan or Aswan-to-Luxor. Taken all together, this procession of antiquities takes passengers across thousands of years of history and art, wit hisses that give true meaning to the word monumental.

Of course, the guided tours given by the ship of these sites are limited by the sheer volume of passengers. As you squeeze through the narrow chambers of the Temple of Horus with a huge crowd ,all trying to see minute details, the limitations of visiting with a large group become apparent.

Rates

All trips start on Saturdays or Sundays. As a sample rate, September 1999 departure features a seven-night cruise from Aswan or Luxor, starting from $1485 per person double. Three nights from Aswan or Luxor are $638 per double. Prices include meals, sightseeings, taxes and welcome cocktails.

Facts

Built: 1979

Renovated: 1997

Cabins: 82