Zena

Zena and Zeina: the same Nile cruise ship

The spellings Zena and Zeina refer to the same ship: a Phoenix guest explained in 2007 that the catalogue used the name “Zena,” while the vessel was known as MS Zeina. A traveler had already reported a trip aboard MS Zena from Luxor to Aswan in November 2005. The ship was built in 1993 and entered service in 2000.

Size and facilities

The Nile cruise ship is 72 meters long and 14.4 meters wide. The ship is listed as accommodating 144 passengers, with a crew of 80 and five decks. German and English are spoken on board; Egyptian pounds and euros are listed as accepted currencies, and Visa is also accepted. Facilities include a buffet restaurant, an outdoor pool, and a jacuzzi.

Trips between Luxor and Aswan

The historical trip in 2005 went from Luxor to Aswan. A separate, undated agency itinerary lists Nile cruises lasting four, five, or eight days. It gives Saturday embarkations in Luxor and Wednesday embarkations in Aswan; the route listed is Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan. In the four-day itinerary described, embarkation begins before lunch, sightseeing alternates with meals and overnight stays on board, and an early excursion to Abu Simbel is optional.