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AMA Waterways, known
mainly for European river cruises, is expanding into the Mekong
River starting in September. The seven-night cruises to Vietnam and
Cambodia are packaged with pre- and post-cruise land stays for a
15-day package starting at $3,999 per person, including
international air from LAX and SFO. The cruises will be operated on
the new 92-passenger La Marguerite, now under construction in Ho Chi
Minh City.
The 235-foot-long La Marguerite boasts spacious outside
accommodations of 226 to 443 square feet. Eighty-two percent of
accommodations have balconies. The 38 staterooms measure 226 square
feet, the six Sadec Suites are 284 square feet and two Indochina
Suites are 443 square feet. The eight cabins on the lower Mekong
Deck have portholes, while all other accommodations have large
windows and balconies. The Indochina Suites also boast whirlpool
tubs. All cabins have air-conditioning, a wardrobe, a writing desk,
a sofa, a mini-bar, a safe, a bathroom with shower, a hair dryer, TV
and a bathrobe and slippers. Bottled water in cabins is replenished
daily. The ship also has a gym, spa, main lounge, second panorama
lounge with library, restaurant with bar, a business center and a
sun deck with a bar and a cross between a large hot tub and pool.
The main restaurant includes unlimited local beer and house brand
spirits with meals. Smoking is allowed only on the Sun Deck.
The 15-day package begins with air on Cathay Pacific to Hanoi, where
guests will spend two nights in a hotel and one night on a new,
luxury junk -- a traditional wooden boat in Halong Bay. Activities
in Hanoi include city tour, rickshaw ride and water puppet show.
From there, guests fly to Siem Reap, Cambodia, and spend two nights
in a hotel, visiting the Angkor Archaeological Park for Angkor Thom
and Angkor Wat. Another excursion heads for Banteay Srei and Ta
Prohm temple. The hotel stays include buffet breakfast daily and
dinner at a local restaurant.
The cruise starts on the seventh day in Tonle Sap Lake. It visits
Kampong Chhnang for a motorboat excursion into lakeside wetlands and
a walking tour through a village; Kampong Cham, for excursions to
Wat Hanchey, Wat Nokor and Cheung Kok village; Phnom Penh for a city
tour, Royal Palace, National Museum and a Killing Fields excursion;
and a border crossing with a visit to Preak Dach village. While
calling at Tan Chau, guests visit a mat-making workshop, rice
polishing factory and silk coloring workshop and take a channel
cruise to visit a fish farm. At Sa Dec and Cai Be, guests will take
a boat ride to a visit and visit a local home, then take a local
junk trip to a floating market. On the final night at Ho Chi Minh
City (formerly Saigon), there will be a farewell cocktail party and
dinner. Guests disembark for a city tour and one night in a hotel.
The new river vessel is owned by three partners representing
different companies, Schreiner said, although he is in discussions
for part ownership or a partnership. The owners sailed on an AMA
Waterways Holland cruise last year to get a feel for the product
North Americans expect. “They took a lot of insight from the
Amadagio,” Schreiner said. AMA Waterways will offer one departure a
month in September through December and then biweekly departures of
the 15-day cruise-tour in 2010 except for the off-season of May and
June. Schreiner said AMA is also offering all dates on a cruise-only
basis, noting that groups can build a land program around the
voyage.
Schreiner said he has been looking for new river cruise markets and
considered the Ganges in India as well as the Mekong. “Finally I
decided to go there [the Mekong] and I really was fascinated by the
whole program,” he said. “The Mekong is one of the longest rivers in
the world, and has scenery, history and beauty.” He also said that a
competitor, Viking River Cruises, was working on a Mekong program
but dropped it. “It was a good time for us to become the market
leader there,” Schreiner said. “Having the partners in Vietnam means
it does not require a heavy investment.” Schreiner said AMA
Waterways is finalizing the details of the program as well as the
brochures. |
