Sun Boat IV (A&K)

Sleek, yacht-like lines and quiet Art Deco cues set Sun Boat IV apart: a 236-foot, four-deck riverboat finished in natural textures and etched metalwork, with daybeds and canvas parasols framing a turquoise pool as the Nile slips by. It’s contemporary without noise—polished, proportioned, and made for unhurried days on the water.

Cabins and suites look out to the river—many with floor-to-ceiling windows—dressed in teak, marble, and calm desert tones. For a little theatre-within-the-view, the Royal Suites add private balconies; Presidential Suites heighten the residential feel. (Total inventory is presented as 38 cabins on A&K’s site; configurations have also been described as 36 cabins plus two Presidential and two Royal Suites.)

Life on board feels like a private club afloat: the sun deck pool (heated in winter) and shaded loungers by day; a convivial lounge bar and a dining room that opens to an outdoor barbecue deck by evening. There’s also a small gym, a massage room, library/games room, and a boutique—plus room service when you’d rather let the river come to you.

The look is classic-with-a-refresh. Launched in 1996 and given a significant refurbishment in 2018—think richer teak floors and a cleaner, modern Art Deco palette—the boat reads refined rather than restored.