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Mekong Cruise suggestions


smtcan
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We are considering a cruise on the Mekong next year for our 50th Anniversary. We would like to include Halong Bay and Siem Reap. Our only previous river cruise was on the Yangtze a couple of years ago. We are in our mid seventies, active with no health or mobility issues.

 

Can anyone recommend a cruise company they have used? We do not need 24 hour hand holding, so we are not looking for ultra luxury, just reasonable food, a comfortable ship and most of all an interesting itinerary. We plan to travel for many more years so although we want something special this time we do want to have some travel money left for future trips.

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We did exactly that with APT. We started in Hanoi, were picked up by an APT representative at the airport because we came without a group from Laos. 2 nights on Halong Bay were much better than one night. Our guides were first rate! Some of the best ever!

 

Flight to HoChiMin City, 2 nights, cruise up the river, bus ride to Siam Reap. They took us to the airport in a car since we left for another individual leg of our trip. The ship was the AmaLotus, used by AMA in the reverse direction.

 

Among the many positive things on this trip such as good hotels, good food, good guides, we enjoyed that everything was included, no tipping the guides - Australian style! I hope APT markets in Canada.

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We did exactly that with APT. We started in Hanoi, were picked up by an APT representative at the airport because we came without a group from Laos. 2 nights on Halong Bay were much better than one night. Our guides were first rate! Some of the best ever!

 

Flight to HoChiMin City, 2 nights, cruise up the river, bus ride to Siam Reap. They took us to the airport in a car since we left for another individual leg of our trip. The ship was the AmaLotus, used by AMA in the reverse direction.

 

Among the many positive things on this trip such as good hotels, good food, good guides, we enjoyed that everything was included, no tipping the guides - Australian style! I hope APT markets in Canada.

Thanks, I will check out APT

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We also enjoyed our Vantage trip on the Mekong .Vantage also does a trip that includes Irrawaddy and Mekong....that would be my choice so only one of the LONG flights and readjustments from jet lag once you are home. Halong Bay is beautiful to add or if it is included with whomever you choose. Each was a great adventure!

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We are considering a cruise on the Mekong next year for our 50th Anniversary. We would like to include Halong Bay and Siem Reap. Our only previous river cruise was on the Yangtze a couple of years ago. We are in our mid seventies, active with no health or mobility issues.

 

Can anyone recommend a cruise company they have used? We do not need 24 hour hand holding, so we are not looking for ultra luxury, just reasonable food, a comfortable ship and most of all an interesting itinerary. We plan to travel for many more years so although we want something special this time we do want to have some travel money left for future trips.

 

 

Here are two links to my cruise blog that review both aspects of your question...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/01/05/amalotus-mekong-river-cruise/

 

16182576282_89dcb8b10b_z.jpg

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2014/12/09/a-far-eastern-trilogy-part-1-halong-bay/

 

15352159944_a15f5d2b59_z.jpg

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Smtcan. ..we did Amawaterways this past Feb. It was well organized. We did the full trip starting in Saigon, cruise up the Mekong, visited Angkor Wat, flew to Hanoi then overnight in halong bay on a junket.

APT (I believe ) was a tad bit pricier and markets mainly to Australians. We moored beside one of their ships when we were in Burma and chatted up a couple people on it. They seemed to be having a great time too.

I liked we could book Amawaterways in Canadian $.

Edited by Jack1
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Thanks Jack. $CAD is an advantage, especially when booking far ahead.

I see you are a fellow Ontarian. Are you originally from Wales? I recognize your avatar.

 

I too prefer to be able to book in $CAD. It removes a big worry about what the Canadian dollar will do.

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Congratulations on a 50th anniversary! The Mekong is a great choice for your next River Cruise.

We are proud to welcome guests aboard the MS Indochine, sailing from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, with some great pre and post options as well. Look for the Indochine II to be launched later this year.

Here's a tip - ask about our anniversary discounts!

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We saw the Indochine several times on the Mekong. Her cabins open onto a common outside walkway, correct?

 

It looks like it from the deck plans and photos. That would be a consideration for us.

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I see you are a fellow Ontarian. Are you originally from Wales? I recognize your avatar.

 

I too prefer to be able to book in $CAD. It removes a big worry about what the Canadian dollar will do.

 

I grew up in North Wales, but we have lived in Canada for forty years. We still have family in UK, including one of our sons and his family who moved back five years ago, so we visit several times a year.

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We saw the Indochine several times on the Mekong. Her cabins open onto a common outside walkway, correct?

 

That is right! On the Indochine, cabins open up to an exterior walkway. On board the Indochine II, the cabins will open internally, but all feature private balconies - the choice is yours!

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  • 2 months later...

Appreciate these posts!! Great ideas and sharing. Would love to read any added details from your sailing and travels in these areas. Am getting ready for late January 2018 to be doing our first visit to Southeast Asia, with stops in Hong Kong, Bangkok, Vietnam and Cambodia, including Angkor Wat and Hue/Danang. This includes seven days on the Avalon ship sailing up the famed Mekong River. Looking for any and all suggestions from those doing these Mekong "adventures"!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 187,008 views for this posting.

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Just completed the Mekong from Saigon to Siem Reap with RV La Marguerite and had a great time except for being sick with fever and flu like symptons for 3/4 days of the trip. A lot of this on this ship unfortunately.

 

The staff, food and organised excursions were great and the ship, while very comfortable and nice could best be categorised as 3 1/2 stars.

 

Majority of the 90 odd passengers were Aussies and NZ residents with a couple from Greece making up the rest.

 

We got a good short minute deal which included airfares, hotel accommodation for 4 nights, transfers etc so felt it was good value for what we paid. Would have been somewhat disappointed if we had paid the full asking price advertised some months earlier.

 

Fortunately we were able to sall all the way to Siem Reap - up the river and across the lake due to water levels but beware - most of the cruises cannot do this except for a small window around September so most will have to endure a long bus ride from near Phnom Penh to Siem Reap for most of the ship's sailings during the year.

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Question

 

Were the flu like symptoms like a stomach virus or the real flu?

 

Have heard that the flu has been really bad in Australia this year so wondering if that was the issue since you had so many Aussies on board.

 

Many on our cruise had travelled in a group throughout Vietnam before the cruise.

 

Some had been to the Dr prior to boarding the ship

 

Many had persistent caught, sweats, no energy, and loss of appetite. We used anti biotics which we always carry with us but they took a long time to kick in.

 

Been home over a week now and still not feeling 100 percent yet.

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  • 3 weeks later...
We are considering a cruise on the Mekong next year for our 50th Anniversary. We would like to include Halong Bay and Siem Reap. Our only previous river cruise was on the Yangtze a couple of years ago. We are in our mid seventies, active with no health or mobility issues.

 

Can anyone recommend a cruise company they have used? We do not need 24 hour hand holding, so we are not looking for ultra luxury, just reasonable food, a comfortable ship and most of all an interesting itinerary. We plan to travel for many more years so although we want something special this time we do want to have some travel money left for future trips.

 

Since you are in Ontario (like us) and want Cdn $ pricing, you might want to consider Avalon. We are booked for next November.

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I'm planning to do my 4th cruise through Uniworld in Dec 2018 in Vietnam and Cambodia with side excursions before and after to include Bangkok, Thailand. They use a ship built in 2017 an also offer excursions before and after the trip. The line has provided excellent service, food, accommodations, etc. There catalog with prices though Dec 2018 is on the web.

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