MS Grand Star

Full Board

The Grand Resort

Bed & Breakfast

Combine the excitement of a cruise through the heart of Egypt, with the relaxation of the Red Sea. Our 14 night Cruise and Stay package includes a 7 night Nile Cruise aboard the MS Grand Star, on a Full Board basis, plus 7 nights at at the Grand Resort in Hurghada on a Half Board basis. Your cruise includes an expertly-guided itinerary with 10 free excursions.

Peaceful and relaxing, this is the perfect base for couples and singles to recharge and take in all that Egypt has to offer. Whether you plan to relax and experience the sights and sounds of Egypt from the comfort of the ship, or join in the excitement of exploring old and new Egypt on foot, an unforgettable experience is guaranteed. As is a the warm welcome you can expect when you return on board to enjoy the hospitality and service that your Egyptian hosts are so famous for. MS Grand Star is available to book as Nile Cruise or as a Red Sea Cruise & Stay package.

Features & Facilities

Swimming pool
Sun deck with complimentary towels, sun loungers and parasols
Restaurant
Lounge bar with panoramic view
Sun deck bar
Evening entertainment programme
Fitness equipment
Table tennis
Billiard table
Laundry service*
Souvenir shop
24 hour doctor available

Technical Data

Built: 1996
Length: 73 m
Width: 13 m
Height: 11 m
Decks: 5
Registered: German Lloyd Certification GmbH

Accommodation

Set across 5 decks, the 62 exterior cabins and two suites are equipped twin or double beds, bath with shower, WC, air conditioning, hairdryer and satellite TV. Use of the telephone and mini-bar in room is payable locally.

Cabin pricing is based on lower deck cabins. Middle, upper and top deck cabins feature larger windows and are available for a small supplement, as are the two suites. Please ask for details.

Ship Ratings

Red Sea Holidays rating: 4 Sun
Official rating: 5 Star

What's Included

Exterior cabins with view
Full board with buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner onboard
Evening entertainment
10 excursions
Free late checkout cabin
No hidden extras: includes in-flight meals, resort transfers and 20kg luggage allowance

Full Board features may be subject to specific opening/serving times. Some restaurants, menu items and speciality drinks may be payable locally. See Frequently Asked Questions for details.

Child and infant pricing: To qualify for discounted pricing, infants must be less than 2 years old on date of return flight; children must be between age 2 and 11 years old on date of return flight. Other conditions apply; see Holiday Information for details.

*Payable locally.

In the heart of the modern resort area of Hurghada, the Grand Resort's service and facilities are also on a grand scale. Built in an unusual figure of eight style, one side of the hotel has two pools plus two kids pools and is very lively, offering music and entertainment. The other side of the hotel, with its single large pool, is more quiet and relaxing, making it ideal for both families and couples alike.

Location

Located just 3 km from Hurghada airport and 9 km from the Old Town, the Grand Resort is in the centre of the tourist area. It is directly connected to the Grand Mall, which offers a beauty centre, pharmacy, mini market, jewellery shops, restaurants and coffee shops. The nearest beach is through the gardens of the Grand Hotel just 300 m away.

Sports and Leisure

Live daytime and evening entertainment
3 swimming pools and 2 children's pools - 2 heated in winter - with sun loungers, parasols and beach towels
Weekly folklore show
Water aerobics
Water polo
Badminton
Mini cricket
Shopping mall
Various beach sports
Health Club* at Grand Hotel offering sauna, jacuzzi and massage
Table tennis*
Billiards*
Internet cafe*

Additional Features

Daily shuttle bus to town centre
English speaking staff
24 hour limousine service*
Doctor available 24 hours*
Laundry service*

For the Family

2 children's swimming pools
Maxi Kinder Club for 4-12 year olds with separate children's pool and playground
Daily mini disco and kids movies
Baby Service

Reviews

The Grand Resort

The Grand Resort rated "excellent" by travellers

Restaurants and Bars

8 restaurants providing a range of a la carte, and buffet menus offering International, Indian, and Italian food.
2 bars - a 24 hour lobby bar and 1 offering snacks

Accommodation

In a number of adjacent buildings across 5 floors, all accessible by lift, the Grand Resort's 828 standard rooms and junior suites feature twin, double or king sized beds. Junior suites are larger with an open plan seating area. All have balconies or terraces overlooking the pool area or gardens, and are fully equipped with bath or shower, WC, air conditioning, satellite TV, radio, safety deposit box and hairdryer. Use of the telephone and mini-bar is payable locally.

Inter-connecting rooms are available at a small supplement - ideal for families and groups. Please call for details.

Hotel Ratings

Red Sea Holidays rating: 5 Sun
Official rating: 5 Star

What's Included

Breakfast buffet with range of hot and cold dishes, cereals and fruit
Access to the private beach at the Grand Hotel
Daytime and evening entertainment
Free late checkout room
No hidden extras: includes resort transfers and 20kg luggage allowance.

Restaurants may be subject to specific opening/serving times. Some bars, restaurants, menu items and speciality drinks may be payable locally. See Frequently Asked Questions for details.

*Payable locally.

Nile Cruise & Stay

Combine the best of a relaxing holiday on Egypt's Red Sea coast with a voyage of discovery as you cruise through 5,000 years of Egyptian history. Enjoy 3 nights in Hurghada or Makadi Bay then transfer to Luxor to join a 7 night Nile cruise, with an inclusive, fully-guided itinerary. After your cruise, return to the coast for a further 4 nights by the Red Sea.

Day 1-3: Arrival in Hurghada / Makadi Bay
Arrive in Hurghada on Friday and transfer to your hotel there or in Makadi Bay. The cruise starts on Monday, so you can relax and enjoy the Red Sea until the itinerary commences.

Day 4: Arriving in Luxor
Luxor, is the site of the ancient Egyptian capital, Thebes, and home to many of the most renowned monuments, tombs and temples. It is the starting point for your Nile cruise. You will transfer by coach from your hotel to your chosen cruise ship in Luxor by coach. The transfer takes around 5 hours.

Day 5: Western Thebes
Breakfast on board before travelling to the West Bank of Thebes and the final resting place of a succession of mighty Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings, littered with intricate tombs – beautifully coloured and decorated with hieroglyphics. A visit to the tomb of Tutankhamun is a popular optional excursion, but please note that the surviving treasures now reside in the Cairo Museum. On the West Bank discover the Temple of Hatshepsut, one Egypt’s few female Pharaohs, and the gigantic statues of the Colossi of Memmon, two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, which have stood in the Theban necropolis for the last 3,400 years.

Day 6: Luxor
After breakfast visit the East bank of Thebes and the staggering Temple of Luxor and Temple of Karnak. The Luxor Temple was erected by Amenophis III for Mut, the vulture-headed wife of the God Amun and was added to throughout the centuries by Tutankhamun, Ramses II and a host of Christians, Romans and Muslims. At the vast open air museum of Karnak, translated as "the Most Selected of Places" and the main place of worship of the eighteenth dynasty of the Theban Horus in Edfu temple Triad that had Amun as its head, you can marvel at the Great Hypostyle Hall with its 134 columns. In the afternoon, sail to Edfu via Esna lock.

Day 7: Edfu/Kom Ombo
During this day’s sailing you’ll have the opportunity to visit Edfu, home to the wonderfully preserved 2000+ year old Temple of Horus, the falcon-headed God of the Sun and Plants. Lunch on board as we continue towards Aswan and its mighty dam via the impressive sight of Kom Ombo standing sentinel on a headland at a bend in the river. The unique double temple, was built in 250BC to honour the crocodile-headed god Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus.

Day 8: Aswan
This morning is spent visiting the island of Agilika and Philae Temple, dedicated to Isis. The temple, comprising 40,000 blocks and weighing about 20,000 tonnes was moved to the island between 1972 and 1980 to save it from being flooded by the new lake formed following completion of the Aswan High Dam. Giving a rare view of how the ancients built their mighty monuments, visit the Unfinished Obelisk, a giant stone column abandoned in its quarry. After lunch, enjoy a felucca ride (traditional Egyptian sailing boat) along the Nile before returning for dinner.

Day 9: Aswan & surrounding area
Make the most of the onboard facilities as you sail to the Aswan area. Alternatively, you can take time out for one of the optional excursions, such as an early morning trip to Abu Simbel* (by air or by bus) to see the great sun temple with its four gigantic statues of Ramses II hewn into the desert mountainside. Another option is to take a day trip to an Aswan Nubian Village and National Park*. During the evening you take an optional excursion to experience the atmospheric Sound and Light show* in the Philae Temple.

Day 10: Cruise to Luxor
A leisurely morning of sailing to Luxor via Esna (please note the cruise ship does not stop here). Make the most of your last full day on the ship as you relax and enjoy all the amenities on offer and soak up the scenery. With evening comes the option of visiting the Sound and Light show* at Karnak, where the pharaohs rise to tell of the birth of Karnak and Luxor, the heroic achievements of the pharaohs and the god Amun.

Day 11-15: Hurghada & the Red Sea
After breakfast, relax on board ship before transferring back to Hurghada or Makadi Bay by coach. As before, the transfer will take around 5 hours. On arrival in, check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of your holiday at leisure, enjoying the hotel facilities, or the many diving and snorkelling opportunities. On the day of departure you will transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK.

Please Note
*Optional excursions are payable locally.
The itinerary may be subject to change due to local operational or weather conditions.