Sun Boat IV (Abercrombie & Kent) Dining

Food and beverage onboard Sun Boat IV was exceptional, as was the service. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily, although opening and closing hours vary depending on the day's schedule and return from excursions. Coffee was served when the first person hit the lounge and that could be as early as four or five. Drinks were served in the Lounge until the last passenger went to bed.

The meals reflected Egyptian cuisine, offered alongside continental fare. There was a wide range of wines on offer from Old and New World wines to a fair amount of local wines.

Restaurant (Main Deck 2): The majority of the meals were served in the Restaurant. The breakfast buffet was served there daily, as was dinner with the exception of the galabeya night when passengers ate on the Lower Sun Deck. Lunch was a mix, served as a buffet on the Lower Sun Deck or with an a la carte menu in the Restaurant.

Regardless of the locale, seating is open with breakfast and lunch available during a window and one fixed time for dinner. The dining ambiance is always vibrant and social, versus intimate and romantic. Large and small groups typically gather before for drinks and continue onto large community tables for dinner.

Dinner was often a mix of meat (veal cutlet, grilled lamb chop) or fish (Lake Nasser perch or crusted salmon) and always a traditional Egyptian option, which was often a vegetarian dish.

Lower Sun Deck (Promenade Deck 4): The Lower Sun Deck was where the BBQ lunches took place. They were decadent and healthy, all at once. There were extensive soups, salads, pastas, vegetables and an equal amount of desserts.

Waldorf, Greek and mixed greens salad is served alongside grilled chicken, Lake Nasser perch and beef kofta. Desserts are an equal mix of continental and traditional Egyptian. Chocolate brownies, lemon cheesecake and apple tarts are plentiful, as is baklava, balah el sham (Middle Eastern pastry) and basbousa (traditional Egyptian sweet cake). The open and airy Lower Sun Deck is an ideal spot to take in the Egyptian ambiance while cruising along The Nile at mealtime.

Room Service: Room service was available all day. There is no set room service menu, as it varies day to day. It depends upon what is served on the ship that day and what the passenger wants. Inquire at the front desk or in the restaurant.