The second ship from the same hotel chain
The Sun Goddess belongs to an American hotel chain, the same one that owns
another Nile ship met elsewhere in our catalogue. That is no coincidence: on the
Nile, several ships sold under cruise banners in fact belong to hotel groups. The
company selling you this trip charters her.
Seventy-seven metres, five decks, 30 cabins, 60 travellers, a crew of around
sixty. That is close to one crew member per traveller, particular to Nile ships
and without equivalent in Europe. A lift, a spa with sauna and fitness centre, a
sun deck with bar and barbecue corner, a lounge, a billiard table and an
Egyptian-style bazaar.
A note about our inventory, and about the offer
As of 27 August 2026 our system shows no date for this ship. The line
nonetheless still publishes her among its chartered vessels, with a single
nine-day Egyptian expedition. The offer is thin and seasonal: the destination page
shows only October departures, the ship page adds January, February and November.
A reseller declares availability in 2026 and 2027.
In other words: the ship is not withdrawn, but the inventory is narrow at the
line and empty on our side. Write to us and we will have confirmed at source what
actually exists on the date you are considering.
Alcoholic drinks are not included on this ship: she is one of the four named as
excluded from that inclusion. Technical sheets also contradict each other on the
year of construction and the number of cabins depending on the source.
The other ships in the fleet
The Oberoi Philae also holds the Nile. The The Jahan sails the lower Mekong. The Delfin II holds the
Peruvian Amazon. The Charaidew II runs up the Brahmaputra.
Who owns this ship
The line owns twelve ships and charters ten others. The twelve it owns are
exactly the twelve carrying the National Geographic name. This one is not among
them: the hull belongs to a local owner, and the line charters her for its own
departures.
That says nothing about quality, which can be very high. It says who answers
for what if something goes wrong aboard, and that is exactly what you want to
know in such a case. It also means the same ship may be sold by other brands and
directly by her owner: there is no exclusivity.
One point about the brand: National Geographic does not own the line and does
not organise the trips. It is a brand licence agreement, extended to 2040. What
National Geographic contributes are lecturers and specialists who join many of
the expeditions.
From Quebec
None of these routes begins here, and international air travel is not
included in the fare. Depending on the region, expect one or two connections,
and sometimes a compulsory internal flight the itinerary specifies.
Arrive the day before at the very least. On an expedition the ship leaves on
time and does not come back for you. A delayed bag or a shifted flight can be
absorbed by one spare day, and cannot be absorbed at all otherwise.
Our advisors assemble the flight, the expedition, hotel nights, transfers and
insurance in a single file, under the protection of Quebec's compensation fund
for travel agency customers. Write to us and we will look at what the season
allows.
