I had served in Viet Nam in 1969-70, so I wanted to return and see the country. We started our trip in Hanoi, so it was very strange to be up where our “enemies” lived. The people were great!
The history, as the communist country of Viet Nam depicted, was tainted to make them as being very gracious to our soldiers while they were there in prison at the Hanoi Hilton. Getting past ...
This was our second cruise with Ama Waterways (after an amazing Danube experience) and we weren't sure if they could maintain the standard. Not only did they meet, but they far exceeded all our expectations. We had booked airport transfers, the pre and post cruise portions along with the 7 day "Riches of the Mekong". If you don't take advantage of the land portions, you're missing out. We felt ...
Response from SocialMediaA, Coordinator, Social Media
Thank you for taking a moment to write about your recent journey with us. It was wonderful to read how much you enjoyed the service our crew was able to provide you. Your generous review is...
Mekong river cruise, Dec 2018.
We chose this cruise because we know and trust Viking, and had not seen much of Asia (this was my wife’s first trip to Asia). This cruise certainly met our expectations: The food was great, the staff was friendly, and the ship’s cleanliness was impeccable. We had ground tours before and after the river cruise which were fantastic. A suggestion about the ...
I had travelled on a Pandaw cruise previously and could not fault it for style, comfort, friendly crew, variety of villages and other attractions to visit, the food, the guides and the comfort of the cabins. I like the small number of fellow travellers these ships accommodate, and the range of countries they come from. It leads to a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. The first cruise was the ...
Pros:
very clean and well maintained ship
Internet, when in port, works very well - no streaming
Good organization for departure
More things are included than on some cruises - most alcohol, for example, is included.
Variety of shore excursions was great and it is included in the price.
Food is very good. Well presented, healthy and small size portions meant less waste. ...
This was our second trip with Viking. We chose this cruise because we wanted to see Southeast Asia and we had had a great experience with Viking on our last cruise. This cruise exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend it. I would say that this is a higher end cruise-specialty cruise. The cruise consists of both a land portion and a cruise on the Mekong. We started at Hanoi, then ...
I am interested in history, current culture and architecture. I was able to experience all on this cruise. The guides were locals and extremely knowledgeable. The tours of different areas were small so that you could ask questions as you went along.
The boat was small and intimate. You get to know everyone on the cruise. That was great because the other passengers were from all over the ...
I just returned from Pandaw's "Halong Bay and the Red River" cruise (from Hanoi) aboard the Angkor Pandaw. Everything about the cruise was perfect, especially the visits to small towns and villages and two wonderful guides. I'm retired but traveled with two college-age relatives. We all enjoyed every moment of the trip and learned a lot about Vietnam and its culture. This was my third Pandaw ...
We began our Mekong adventure by flying in early to Hanoi just before the Chinese New Year. The city of Hanoi was lit up like our Christmas lights all around the lake and in the neighborhoods. It was delightful! Everyone should experience Chinese New Year at least once in their lives in Hanoi.
The next day we took the Viking extension to Ha Long Bay and saw the hundreds of rock islands. ...
Preface: I am a 'hard marker' and very critical where I think the tour operator could be better. Having said, I have absolutely ***NO*** substantive criticisms to make after our 2 week tour, starting in Hanoi.
Our guide met us at Hanoi airport late at night (having met other straggling incomers during the day) and this set a precedent for individual and collective caring under his shepherding for ...