nicki-k

We returned from this cruise with Amawaterways last weekend and it really was a trip of a lifetime. We thoroughly enjoyed all of the food we ate onboard, there was plenty of choice for us and more than enough to eat throughout the day. What made the trip exceptional for us was the cultural immersion on the tours, the guides and staff in general were first class and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Amadara based on our experience.

That’s really useful, thank you!

Did you arrange your own transport from HCMC airport to the hotel. We land about 11am on the Saturday and plan to explore as soon as we arrive at the hotel but do you have to register or do anything with Amawaterways on the Saturday? Thanks for your help.

We loved our Ventura cruise in August, the food was good, the staff were amazing and we experienced no issues with queuing for the restaurant (generally eating around 7 pm) or getting seats in the theatre. Thank you for sharing your cruise with us mrsgoggins, I hope you continue to have a super cruise.

The Gatwick Express takes 30 minutes to London Victoria which is near to all the major sites.

When you plan to visit will still be during school holidays, most schools return early in September so London will be very busy. I would definitely buy tickets in advance to guarantee being able to visit, we pre-booked tickets and still had to queue for a short time last year. The Churchill War Rooms are worth visiting and take up to a couple of hours to explore. As JB said, there is plenty to do nearby, adding to his list there is also Buckingham Palace and Trafalgar Square.

This thread has been really informative, thank you! We are doing the identical itinerary in April and then returning to the UK via Singapore where we will be spending 3 nights. It's our first time on a river cruise so we will be out of our comfort zone mixing with other guests, it's reassuring to read that you really enjoyed this aspect. We plan to make the most of every experience and can't wait to go.

The QE voyage 20th August to 30th August has an Ice White theme on 21st August and Masquerade on 27th August, all other evenings smart attire.

I don't know if it's the same on Britannia but on Ventura you could book the theatre up to 14 days before sailing. Keep checking your account because some shows appeared just a few days before sailing.

Ventura had a few problems on Saturday, they were late docking because of two ships ahead that had priority then because they were docking at City terminal, which the Captain said they don't normally use, the gangway didn't fit so we couldn't exit the ship. They had to use the portable gangway stairs/ramps which took some time to sort out, then get all the luggage off first (probably when the incident happened). The first passengers were allowed off at 9:30am. I have to say delays on a ship are much nicer than delays at an airport.

Celebration night on Ventura was the same as gala night, Black Tie. Vouchers were left in the cabin offering a free glass of fizz or elderflower from any onboard bar.

We have also just finished a short cruise with Ventura, our embarkation time was 15:30 and we booked parking with CPS. We arrived at the terminal at 13:30 and had no issues whatsoever. Everything was really well organised, CPS were great and we were quickly onboard with no delays. According to the shore excursions team there were 2500 passengers onboard so lots to check in but they were unbelievably slick in the terminal.

Super photos Sarah, shame about Stavanger but it sounds like you're making the most of it and having a great time.