A murder-free cruise down the Nile on the 1920s steam ship that inspired an Agatha Christie classic

The actor David Suchet, who starred as Hercule Poirot in TV films and on the big screen, has recounted trying to perfect the Belgian detective’s fussy walk, as described by his creator Agatha Christie. In the end, Suchet placed a penny between his butt cheeks and shuffled like a penguin to keep it in place, thus recreating Poirot’s distinctive gait – a testament to his resourcefulness and acting chops.

Well, fire up your little gray cells and oil your mustaches: here’s the opportunity to enjoy the inspiration for one of Christie’s best-loved books. With a legacy of more than 70 crime novels, 150 short stories and 25 plays, this year marks the 50th anniversary of her death. One of Christie’s most beloved travel destinations was Egypt, to which she returned many times, including in 1933 when she took a Nile cruise on the famous Thomas Cook steamer, the SS Sudan. With the name changed to the fictional SS Karnak, it provided the characterful backdrop to one of Poirot’s most famous cases, in Death on the Nile.

The last surviving vessel from Thomas Cook’s original fleet of Nile steamers that used to travel between Luxor and Aswan, the Steam Ship Sudan was launched in the 1920s, what is monikered “the golden age of travel,” when the graceful ships were perceived as the height of elegance and exploration until World War Two saw the fleet fall into disrepair. Happily, the steamer was carefully restored to working order at the turn of this century. Now owned by Voyageurs du Monde, the parent company of Original Travel, which is organizing trips on the steam ship, it duly starred in the 2004 TV film adaption of the book, with Suchet once again embodying the fastidious sleuth.

Evoking the glamor of a century ago, the steamer’s original teak decks are retained along with its Belle Epoque interiors, embellished with vintage mirrors, leather armchairs, and ornate cast-iron bed frames. Enthusiastic passengers often immerse themselves in the experience and bring suitcases full of ’20s fashions. It’s not compulsory, but you can get in character and let the first chapter begin. And if you want to reenact the great detective, remember to pack a penny.