Mekong AmaLotus Review

[Floridiana]

Back from this river cruise yesterday.

 

We booked this cruise a year ago with APT, an Australian company because it alone offered a combination of the upper and the lower Mekong and included a 2 night Halong Bay cruise. As it turned out, the upper Mekong cruise was cancelled because the ship got damaged a month before we left home.

 

We still did the Hanoi, Halong Bay and Saigon section + the Mekong River up to Siem Reap with APT.

 

APT had 85 passengers on the AmaLotus, most of them Australians, a sprinkling of Brits and 2 Americans (us). All of them fit walkers, most over 55, a few under 35. There wasn't much walking required, but some river banks were steep and overall there were plenty of steps. The ship has no elevator.

 

We had cabin 111, comfortable, with a small balcony, room for 2 chairs and a small table, and an additional French window. There was a lower cabin category below us and a better category above which had more floor space and a bathtub. Our cabin had plenty of storage and both large suitcases would have fit under the bed. There was a safe in the closet. APT offered 7 pieces of laundry free for each person. I don't know whether Ama Waterways does this as well.

 

We saw several other river boats, some looked similar, some more luxurious, some less so. CroisiEurope's ship had no balconies, all cabin doors opened upon the outside walkway which was not wide enough for chairs. We were rafted with another boat in Phnom Pen where 4 ships docked at the same time, 2 by 2. The rest of the time, the AmaLotus was anchored in the middle of the river by itself or docked alone at the river bank.

 

I'll write about the food and the excursions later. My garden calls!

[Floridiana]

Food:

Definitely too much. lol Fish was delicious, local meat dishes as well. Avoid the steak until they have a new supplier. Lots of local tropical fruit. Free wine, beer, soft drinks, juices, water.

 

Passengers:

Well travelled, mostly couples, a few singles. Australians are said to be friendly and laid back which was true on this trip. Dress was casual. My smart casual was a hand woven silk scarf added to a simple blouse and my husband wore a subdued Hawaiian shirt.

 

At the end of our cruise, the ship took on 60 American Ama passengers for the trip downriver. We met Ama passengers in the notorious Prison21 in Phnom Penh. All visitors of this very emotionally charged place were foreigners. One local teacher had brought his class of teenage boys to the Killing Field near the city. You could see in their faces how deeply they were touched. I found both visits very difficult to bear and could not even go inside the memorial with all the skulls collected in this field. There are about 200 killing fields around the country.

 

Excursions:

All included, the tips for guides as well. However, there were several occasions where it was suggested to give the locals one US $. The cyclo riders in Saigon, the rickshaw drivers in a small port town in Vietnam, the ox cart drivers in Cambodia etc. I would advise to keep a few 1 $ bills in your pocket since we were sometimes told too late and I did not always take money ashore.

 

We visited 2 schools and some passengers brought English books and pencils. Do not give candy. Shampoo, toothpaste, soap were also appreciated, but we gave those to the tour guide in Halong Bay who stores them for fair distribution.

 

Dress on shore:

Mostly very casual. Temples, pagodas, king's palace require covered knees and shoulders. No scarf for that purpose! It is not necessary to wear long pants. Capris which cover the knees are acceptable. We went to a couple of places where we had to take off our shoes; socks and bare feet are ok. The locals dress modestly. If you see short, short skirts and outrageous color combinations, you know they are tourists.

 

Please ask if you have any questions.

[Keith1010]

Thank you for the nice writeup.

 

How did you find the weather this this time of year?

 

Keith

[Floridiana]

Thanks Keith.

 

Hanoi had a cold snap. We were lucky that Halong Bay was over that and sunny which seems to be a rarity. I was so glad that I had brought a thinsulate warm, windproof and ultralight LL Bean jacket. Best purchase ever.

 

Saigon was very warm but not unbearable. The Mekong had a nice breeze when we were moving. The ship sails sometimes by day, sometimes by night. It has a covered sundeck and a small swimming pool which this Floridian did not use. :D I sat on my balcony pretending to be a traveler from the past looking out at the river. Not many passengers used the pool since quite a number of Australians came from warm Queensland where pools are as standard as in Florida.

 

Now Angkor Wat was HOT! After a morning of visiting, we were so soaked that we had to change clothes. Same thing in the afternoon. This is the "cool" and dry season! Dress code: covered knees and shoulders for the ruins.

[Keith1010]

Floridiana, thanks for elaborating on the weather.

 

We have visited Vietnam a couple of times on Cruise Ships but at some point I would also like to do it via River Cruise so this is very helpful.

 

Best to you.

 

Keith

[Host Jazzbeau]

Just in case anyone reading this is unclear on the relationship, APT and AmaWaterways are partners. AMA builds the ships (or leases them in places where you must, like the Duoro) and staffs them. APT takes about half the sailings and markets from Australia -- their prices are pretty all-inclusive. AMA markets their own sailings, with a more middling inclusiveness (beer and wine at meals and all excursions are included, but tipping and liquor are not). AFAIK the cruises cover the same itineraries at the same level of luxury -- the differences are in what's included in the fare.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Host Jazzbeau

[Floridiana]

You are correct. The ship's crew belongs to the ship. The guides, however, mentioned several times that they were employed by APT and that the salary was good, no tipping needed or expected.

 

Liquor was extra, but all other drinks were available any time, not only during meals.

 

By the way, only half the cruise was on the Mekong, after Phnom Penh, the ship - like the others - sailed up the Tonle Sap to an area near the lake without getting close enough to see it. It is very shallow and hotel ships may or may not be able to cross it in October at high water. The AmaLotus turned around back down to Oodong near Phnom Penh. It's the access point to the road to Siem Reap.

 

This was our second river cruise, the first was just 3 days on the Yangtze which offers a much more dramatic landscape through the gorges. The Mekong runs here in flat country between rice fields.

 

In Vietnam, we saw:

a village with a water market and an amazing catholic cathedral; a village at noon where a loudspeaker blasted Mississippi delta blues with a Vietnamese singer. The locals were having lunch and waved happily. We also saw candy making, not exciting but another chance to see private homes close-up and look at a python and chicken including a fighting cock and a cock fight rink not in action; an insanely busy food street market where customers come by on motorcycles, weave through parked motorcycles, pedestrians and vendors;

a silk manufacturer with old fashioned French and English machines. This is something you will probably not see anywhere else. I bought an airy silk blouse for about $ 20; a small scale rush mat manufactory. There is art for sale in addition to the usual tourist junk. Many were picking up small gifts for grandchildren.

 

None of the vendors are aggressive anywhere on the Mekong which makes it possible to look at things, take photos, smile and have a good time.

 

We rode on rickshaws through village streets and gave our driver US $ 1. They pool their lucky money and go out for a drink of rice wine. APT pays the rickshaw drivers who are poor country folk trying to make some money. Without the tourists, they would have almost no business since most people use motorcycles.

[Floridiana]

The ship slowed down on the Tonle Sap. We encountered our first really aggressive vendors of silver bangles which are produced in the same village where we visited a really excited 3rd grade class. That was fun.

 

The next day, we went to a monks' blessing in a monastery which also serves as a home for older women survivors of the Cambodian killing fields and the 9 year civil war that pitted the Vietnamese backed government troops against Pol Pot's army. Both sides used child soldiers and messengers from age 10 up. The women had no family left. A group of raggedy children arranged our shoes in neat rows, your dollar will help their homeless families. On the way back, we used oxcarts. Without the tourists, these rice farmers would have no income during the dry season. That's where my dollar went. APT had paid them, of course. One oxen pays for food, the other one for his children's education, explained one driver.

 

The last stop was another busy market town and a floating village. The clothes you donate to charity may wind up there. Cambodia is a very poor country! People smile, pray, work hard and hope the future for their children will be better. Tourism is one of Cambodians' hopes.

 

This cruise offers no scenic excitement. It gives a little bit of insight into life along the river. I had read Marguerite Duras' autobiographical novel "The Lover" (set on the Mekong and in Saigon) and Greene's "The Quiet American" decades ago and understood nothing. The ship has many copies of "The Lover" DVD and I reread "The Quiet American", both with completely new insight. I had no stomach for documents on the Killing Fields, but I could have read about Angkor Wat!

[Floridiana]

It doesn't look like many people here are interested in the Mekong River.

[Mark_T]

I had the same impression and I'm not sure why. Overall I'd rate this trip above the China trip that receives so many travelers.

 

I'll finish out my Viking Mekong review thread now I'm back in the UK again after a business trip, but I'm not expecting too many views.

[Floridiana]

I'll read yours Mark. :-)

[deec]

I am very interested in reading the review.

We leave end o October for the trip with vantage

[Floridiana]

We met Vantage travelers in our Siem Reap hotel, very nice Sofitel in a beautiful garden setting with a gorgeous pool area. I asked one couple how they liked Vantage, they were very satisfied.

[Hoyaheel]

It doesn't look like many people here are interested in the Mekong River.

 

Ironically, as much as I disliked river cruising in Europe, I've been actively researching river cruising on the Mekong (though sadly I've missed the 'unknown' aspect by a few years - it appears to be growing in popularity with many new boats being built by companies active in other markets, as well as some specific to the region)

 

On the other hand, we might just do a land/air tour, not sure yet. We're doing an ocean cruise in Asia in November - that's usually our first approach to a new region and then we go back for more in depth touring.....

 

So I very much appreciated your review - thanks!

[krillsister]

My husband & I and another couple did this trip in November 2015. I would not do Vietnam/Cambodia any other way. For us the land/river tour by AMA was awesome, full of so many experiences that I am sure we would not have encountered doing it any other way.

We specifically chose Viking because part of their Land tour includes HaLong Bay which is absolutely beautiful. A site not to be missed and should definitely be seen before Disney completes their park.

[keenmolly]

I loved your review Floridiana. We did the Mekong river cruise Cambodia to Vietnam in June 2014 with Avalon Waterways absolutely loved every minute of it. We are now booked to do the Irrawaddy in Burma in March next year with APT on the RV Samatha. Love these river cruises.

[Floridiana]

I am glad you all liked reading about the Mekong. We saw the Avalon ship, looked very upscale!

 

APT did a very good job for us and the itinerary included 2 nights on HaLong Bay which was important to me. It takes half a day to just get there from Hanoi and then again back to the airport/Hanoi. We were on the best ship they have on the bay. Only 2 of those.

 

We thought we would not book APT again because payment was a bit of a hassle for Americans, but I found an ocean cruise that I am seriously considering. It's on a small ship and includes many small ports along the Croatian coast and on Greek islands that other ships do not or cannot use. I know this coast from the landside and have always wanted to cruise there. If they partner with AMA for this particular cruise, we will book AMA.

 

Hoyaheel, don't worry about too many hotel boats yet. We were rafted only once when 4 boats were in Phnom Pen at the same time, two couples each were rafted together. So only half a boat had direct neighbors.

[Mark_T]

Hoyaheel, don't worry about too many hotel boats yet. We were rafted only once when 4 boats were in Phnom Pen at the same time, two couples each were rafted together. So only half a boat had direct neighbors.

 

I would echo that comment, we did not raft at all at any point and only once were we even close to another ship (Vantage).

 

There seem to be more than enough places to dock, especially if your ship is one of the smaller ones as they make significant use of locations that you wouldn't even notice actually were a dock :)

 

If you are on one of the larger ships then that may lead to a little less flexibility but stay small and all you need is a river bank and you are set :)

[Floridiana]

Even the larger ones like the AmaLotus use the river banks or anchor midriver. I didn't see any larger ship than ours. The only really large ship will remain docked permanently in Phnom Pen as an exhibition hall and art center. It's not completed yet.

[kool kruiser]

We have just arrived back today from a simply fantastic trip with APT in Vietnam and Cambodia, which included 7 days on the Mekong in the brand new and beautiful AMA Dara. We also had two nights on Halong bay and land stays in Hanoi, Saigon and Sien Reap. What APT excel at is their attention to the fine details and the very high quality of their chosen suppliers.Having taken a brilliant European River cruise with them last summer, all I can really say is that nothing ever goes wrong. All you need to do is choose what to eat and your chosen excursions, when choices are offered. We all thought the cuisine on board was really top notch and the beef in the Fusion intimate restaurant, in particular, sublime. However, what makes the trip so great has to be the staff, words cannot express how good they are.

Our three city hotels were all amazing, beautiful, truly 5 star and with wonderful staff.As for the trip, we have ridden quad bikes, been on the back of a motorbike in Saigon, cycled, been on an ox cart and a cyclo rickshaw. The mekong cruise was exactly as detailed by the OP and was really well received by everyone on board. A couple of small revisions. Local spirits are also complimentary throughout the cruise and the guides are actually freelance, with their livelihood dependent on feedback. This clearly works as they were all uniformally excellent.

APT appear to only have offices in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada. On our trip, mainly Aussies, a fair few Brits and a handful of Kiwis.No North Americans though.

 

All in all, an unforgettable trip, China next for us !!

[Floridiana]

This is the exact same trip just a bit later on the sister ship of the AmaLotus. You obviously had a grand old time!

[Dusty Wren]

Food:

Definitely too much. lol Fish was delicious, local meat dishes as well. Avoid the steak until they have a new supplier. Lots of local tropical fruit. Free wine, beer, soft drinks, juices, water.

 

Passengers:

Well travelled, mostly couples, a few singles. Australians are said to be friendly and laid back which was true on this trip. Dress was casual. My smart casual was a hand woven silk scarf added to a simple blouse and my husband wore a subdued Hawaiian shirt.

 

At the end of our cruise, the ship took on 60 American Ama passengers for the trip downriver. We met Ama passengers in the notorious Prison21 in Phnom Penh. All visitors of this very emotionally charged place were foreigners. One local teacher had brought his class of teenage boys to the Killing Field near the city. You could see in their faces how deeply they were touched. I found both visits very difficult to bear and could not even go inside the memorial with all the skulls collected in this field. There are about 200 killing fields around the country.

 

Excursions:

All included, the tips for guides as well. However, there were several occasions where it was suggested to give the locals one US $. The cyclo riders in Saigon, the rickshaw drivers in a small port town in Vietnam, the ox cart drivers in Cambodia etc. I would advise to keep a few 1 $ bills in your pocket since we were sometimes told too late and I did not always take money ashore.

 

We visited 2 schools and some passengers brought English books and pencils. Do not give candy. Shampoo, toothpaste, soap were also appreciated, but we gave those to the tour guide in Halong Bay who stores them for fair distribution.

 

Dress on shore:

Mostly very casual. Temples, pagodas, king's palace require covered knees and shoulders. No scarf for that purpose! It is not necessary to wear long pants. Capris which cover the knees are acceptable. We went to a couple of places where we had to take off our shoes; socks and bare feet are ok. The locals dress modestly. If you see short, short skirts and outrageous color combinations, you know they are tourists.

 

Please ask if you have any questions.

Hi, my DH has been wanting to do this cruise with AMA over the Christmas holiday this year. We have taken 1 cruise with AMA down the Danube & loved it. However, I have concerns with Southeast Asia. Were there a lot of mosquitoes? Did you find anyone having any tummy troubles on this cruise? What were the hotels AMA used for your land portion & how were they? How was the A/C in your cabin? Did they supply bottled water in the dining room & on shore, not just in your cabin? Lastly, how were your flights, business or economy, & what airline did you use? Did you use the ship's air arrangements? Sorry for all the questions, but we don't know many people who have taken this cruise. Thank you kindly

[Floridiana]

However, I have concerns with Southeast Asia. Were there a lot of mosquitoes?

 

No here weren't. February is the dry season. We sprayed liberally with DEET sprays from the USA when we were told to do so, but the Australian's used DEET free roll-ons. I remember seeing mozzies in the forest around the Chu Chi Tunnels near Saigon and one (!) at dusk on the Mekong.

 

Did you find anyone having any tummy troubles on this cruise?

 

No and I didn't hear anybody complaining.

 

What were the hotels AMA used for your land portion & how were they?

The hotels were top notch 5 star Sofitels (Hanoi, Siem Reap) and a Sheraton in Saigon, all of them centrally located. I assume AMA uses the same hotels or other ones of the same high quality.

 

How was the A/C in your cabin?

 

It worked very well.

 

Did they supply bottled water in the dining room & on shore, not just in your cabin?

 

They supplied bottled water in the cabin and replenished the ones in our refrigerator in addition to the two on the desk. They also had water bottles where we left the ship for excursions. The busses in Angkor WAT also had water. The others didn't, but then it was winter in northern Vietnam and the excursions along the Mekong were short. No need to drag along more than one small bottle per person.

 

The ship offered all sorts of drinks, all of them perfectly fine including the ice cubes made from filtered water. I did not order a bottle of water in the dining room, but somebody else did.

 

Lastly, how were your flights, business or economy, & what airline did you use? Did you use the ship's air arrangements?

 

We made our own air arrangements to Hanoi - business for the long haul on Emirates and coach on local airlines from Singapore to Hanoi. We used APTs flight from Hanoi to Saigon, coach, and flew back from Siem Reap on our own. APT took us to the airport in Siem Reap. Again, we flew coach on a local line to Bangkok and business on Emirates back to Orlando.

 

All coach flights were fine, on time, good service and the food was edible.

APT provided flights for the Australians and Kiwis, maybe also the British customers and these flights were included in the price for them. AMA may have similar arrangements for the American/Canadian customers.

 

 

Sorry for all the questions, but we don't know many people who have taken this cruise. Thank you kindly

 

No problem at all. I like to write about this trip. :D

[Damaris1900]

This sounds like something that we would be interested in doing, and I appreciate your comments and insights. I also really enjoyed your review/comments about the Ponant cruise you took, and that is now something we are considering.

 

One question I had is related to age: my DH and I are in our early sixties, active and in good health, but a bit concerned about the cautions that are related to the yellow fever vaccine for people over 60. Was it recommended or required for you to be vaccinated for yellow fever, and if so, was that a concern for you?

[Floridiana]

We got the yellow fever vaccine in our sixties for an Amazon trip. We had no concerns and no side effects. Almost no mosquitoes either. ;) I am glad we did, one less thing to think about when we returned to the Amazon basin in Ecuador 2 years ago. The vaccine is valid for 10 years.

 

I am not sure you need yellow fever vaccines for this South Asia trip, nobody wanted proof. However, I was conscientious with the mosquito repellents because of the potential of Dengue fever. (not Malaria) I own two loose linen shirts with long sleeves that I wore sometimes, good for sun protection, too.