MS Mayfair leans into a sleek Art Deco identity across five decks — dark wood set against black and cream tones, with warm browns, beige, and fuchsia in the Presidential Suites, all playing off the turquoise Nile views from each balcony.
72 cabins split between 56 Deluxe Cabins around 20 square meters (French balconies on the Main and Upper First Deck) and premium categories including 2 Presidential Suites near 38 square meters with separate seating areas and full verandas. One independent travel blogger specifically noted the cabins looked genuinely new, with bright white paint and vintage photographs of ancient Egyptian sites as decor — a contrast, she noted, to the tired condition some other Nile ships showed.
The Nile Avenue restaurant, on the Nile Deck, serves a modern fusion of contemporary and authentic Egyptian dishes. A spa with steam and sauna rooms overlooks the Nile, alongside the standard sundeck pool and Jacuzzi — the ship is managed by the same company behind the similarly styled MS Esplanade.
An independent reviewer specifically noted the cabins looked genuinely new, in contrast to the tired condition some other Nile ships showed.
Sails 4, 5, and 7-night itineraries between Luxor and Aswan, with sightseeing entrance fees, transport, and an English-speaking guide typically included — confirm exact inclusions when booking, since terms have varied by operator. Bookable through Mayfair Cruises or standard cruise platforms.
Mayfair is for travellers who want the design to be part of the trip. Art Deco across five decks is a firm commitment, and the reports of genuinely new-feeling cabins matter more than they might elsewhere — tired fittings are the single most common complaint about Nile ships in this price bracket.
The two Presidential Suites at around 38 square metres with full verandas are the ones worth paying up for if the budget stretches.
Its stablemate is Semiramis II in terms of recent refurbishment, but the closer stylistic comparisons are Historia with its 1920s language and Sonesta St. George in French period style. For a modern rather than period look, Amwaj Living Stone.
The five-night option is the interesting one here — an uncommon length on this river that usually buys a slower run between Edfu and Kom Ombo rather than extra sites. On a ship where the decks and public rooms are the selling point, time aboard is not wasted time.
