Dive trip with Mekong Princess - 7 nights

Boat

Mekong Princess is a luxury cultural river vessel created for travellers who want to experience Vietnam and Cambodia slowly, from the water and at village level. She is a non-diving liveaboard: there are no scuba dives, dive guides, cylinders, compressors or underwater excursions. Instead, the programme combines daily life along the Mekong, historic cities, religious sites, artisan visits, local transport and unhurried observation from the deck.

Launched in 2015 and built in Saigon, the steel-hulled vessel measures approximately 63 metres long and 10 metres wide. Her shallow draft is suited to inland navigation, while two 480 hp Doosan Marine engines provide an average cruising speed of about 8 knots and a published top speed of 11 knots. The standard accommodation is deliberately intimate: 14 suites for 28 guests, supported by public rooms sized for the full complement.

The design interprets French Colonial Indochina rather than copying a contemporary hotel. Warm teak, polished brass, detailed joinery and soft fabrics create a composed setting, but the river remains the principal view. Mekong Deck holds the lower accommodation, dining room and reception; Bassac Deck places the larger suites higher above the water alongside the main lounge; the upper Observation/Sundeck is reserved for open-air relaxation.

The Ramvong Lounge is the social centre, with air conditioning, comfortable seating and broad river views for briefings, talks and quiet afternoons. Its bar serves the included selection of local spirits, local beer, coffee, tea, soft drinks and bottled water. The Observation/Sundeck adds shaded loungers and an open perspective over banks, floating traffic and evening light. Because the landscape changes continuously, time between excursions feels like part of the itinerary rather than a transfer.

At the Indochine Restaurant, all 28 guests can dine together. The published programme includes buffet breakfast, buffet lunch and a seated multi-course dinner, with French-Indochina and lighter spa-cuisine influences. Themed dinners, a cooking class and a tropical-fruit presentation add regional context. Dietary needs should be declared before travel; their acceptance remains subject to the galley's written confirmation.

Wellness is available without overwhelming the destination. A compact fitness room is complimentary. The Princess Spa offers treatments at extra cost, except that the published Angkor Suite privileges include one complimentary one-hour massage per guest. Wi-Fi is included in public areas, but river coverage can be intermittent; this journey is better suited to guests who can tolerate periods offline.

Service continues ashore. The operator lists admissions, port charges, the scheduled cultural excursions, listening devices and transport appropriate to each visit as included. Depending on the location, guests may travel by full-size coach, sampan, cyclo, xe loi or local boat. Cold towels, welcome drinks after excursions and shoe cleaning are small but useful touches in the tropical climate.

Cabin

Mekong Princess accommodates 28 guests in exactly 14 river-facing suites across two accommodation decks. The verified inventory is:

• 2 Angkor Suites — 52 m² / 560 ft², forward Bassac Deck: fixed 2 m × 2 m king bed; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling river windows; separate furnished private veranda with a 180-degree view; minibar; marble spa bathroom with a large soaking tub beside the window and a glass rain shower; enhanced butler privileges including complimentary laundry through Tuesday evening, personal Wi-Fi, daily canapés and one one-hour onboard massage per guest
• 2 Tonle Suites — 30 m² / 323 ft², Bassac Deck: fixed 2 m × 2 m king bed; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding river doors with a French balcony; Kashmir rugs; minibar; marble bathroom with a large soaking tub beside its panoramic river window; butler privileges including embarkation wine and fruit, in-suite breakfast on request, daily canapés, packing assistance and a scented bath on request
• 4 Apsara Suites — 24 m² / 256 ft², midship Bassac Deck: one approximately 2 m × 1.8 m queen bed convertible to two approximately 2 m × 0.9 m twins; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and French balcony; Cambodian-inspired décor, television and private marble bathroom with river window
• 4 Saigon Suites — 24 m² / 256 ft², Mekong Deck: queen or twin convertible configuration with the same published dimensions; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and French balcony; Vietnamese decorative details, television and private marble bathroom with river window
• 2 Junior Suites — 20 m² / 216 ft², midship Mekong Deck: queen or twin convertible configuration with the same published dimensions; maximum 2 guests; floor-to-ceiling sliding doors and French balcony; Old Saigon-inspired decoration, television and private marble bathroom with river window

The calculation is exact: 2 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 2 = 14 suites and 14 × 2 = 28 standard berths. A general operator FAQ mentions a possible total of 30 when children are included, but the vessel page and published suite inventory support 28 standard guests. No extra bed or triple occupancy should therefore be promised unless the operator confirms the exact suite, child arrangement, sailing and final vessel capacity in writing.

Every category includes individual climate control and a colonial-style ceiling fan, an electronic safe, internal telephone, hairdryer, 110 V and 220 V multi-configuration outlets, bathrobes and slippers, a pillow menu, 500-thread-count bed linen, refillable mineral-water jugs, natural bath amenities, a makeup mirror and a bathroom nightlight. The operator also lists a complimentary minibar throughout the cruise, thermos bottles for excursions, nightly pillow chocolates, daily newspaper, in-room breakfast on request, an LCD television/movie channel and 24-hour reception.

A French balcony means the full-height sliding doors open to a protective railing; it is not a walk-out balcony. Only the two Angkor Suites have a furnished private veranda. All suite bathrooms face the river through a panoramic window, although only Angkor and Tonle are specifically published with soaking tubs. The other categories are described here as marble bathrooms without inventing an unconfirmed tub or shower configuration.

Bed choice matters. Angkor and Tonle have fixed king beds and are not advertised as convertible twins. Apsara, Saigon and Junior Suites can be prepared as one queen or two singles. Bedding, category and deck should appear on the dated confirmation; requests made after embarkation may be difficult to accommodate.

For the most private space, Angkor is the clear choice: it is more than twice the area of an Apsara or Saigon Suite, and its veranda is unique aboard. Tonle suits couples who value a king bed and bathtub but do not require an outdoor terrace. Apsara places a flexible bed on the upper Bassac Deck, while Saigon offers the same 24 m² footprint on Mekong Deck. Junior is the most compact option but retains the same river-facing doors, ensuite privacy and queen/twin flexibility.

Cultural River Discovery — No Diving

This product should always be sold for what it is: a luxury Mekong river cruise and non-diving liveaboard. It does not include scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming stops or recreational water sports. The river is the route into the destination, not an activity site. Guests spend their active time on guided walks and visits, in local craft workshops, at markets, pagodas, museums and homes, or travelling in small local vehicles and boats.

Excursions can involve heat, humidity, uneven ground, steps, narrow gangways and transfers between vessel, sampan and shore. Cyclo and xe loi rides may not suit every mobility level. Travellers who need step-free access or assistance should request a day-specific assessment before booking; the presence of coaches on some visits does not make every site accessible.

Religious buildings and family homes call for modest clothing and considerate behaviour. The Phnom Penh programme also includes Choeung Ek and Tuol Sleng, sites connected with mass violence under the Khmer Rouge. These visits are historically important but emotionally demanding. Guests concerned about their suitability should discuss the current programme with the operator before departure rather than assume an alternative visit will be available.

Water level, navigation conditions, border formalities and local permissions can affect timing. The captain and cruise director may alter a landing, transport method or sequence for safety and operational reasons. Such flexibility is normal on the Mekong and should not be presented as a service failure when the essential route is preserved.

Other Information

• Cruise type: luxury cultural river cruise / non-diving liveaboard
• Destination: Mekong River through southern Vietnam and Cambodia
• Principal journey: 8 days / 7 nights, upstream or downstream between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap via overland terminal transfers
• Standard guest capacity: 28 guests
• Accommodation: 14 river-facing ensuite suites
• Suite decks: Bassac Deck and Mekong Deck
• Vessel: steel-hulled river vessel, launched 2015
• Length / beam: approximately 63 m / 10 m
• Engines / speed: 2 × 480 hp Doosan Marine; average 8 knots, top 11 knots
• Dining: 30-seat Indochine Restaurant
• Activities: guided cultural excursions and onboard enrichment; no scuba diving, snorkelling or swimming programme
• Internet: Wi-Fi in public areas; personal Wi-Fi is an Angkor Suite privilege; coverage can be intermittent
• Smoking: only in the designated outdoor area behind the lounge; not in suites or indoor public spaces, including electronic cigarettes

Confirmed in the operator's published programme: accommodation in the booked suite; buffet breakfast and lunch plus seated multi-course dinner; organic coffee, herbal tea, mineral water, soft drinks, local beer and local spirits; the complimentary in-suite minibar; scheduled shore excursions with admissions; port charges; onboard cultural performances, educational talks, cooking class and fruit presentation; use of the fitness facility; public-area Wi-Fi; library and games; VOX listening devices; post-excursion shoe cleaning; cold towels and welcome drinks after excursions; and shipboard and shoreside gratuities.

For the full published Ho Chi Minh City–Siem Reap route, designated transfers are also included: upstream, from the named Ho Chi Minh City meeting hotel to Saigon Port and from Kampong Cham to the designated Siem Reap hotel; downstream, the corresponding Siem Reap hotel–Kampong Cham and Saigon Port–Ho Chi Minh City hotel transfers. Transfer arrangements for shortened cruises or independently booked hotels are governed by their own confirmation and should not be assumed.

Not included in the published programme: international or domestic airfare; transport outside the stated shared arrangements; premium wine, premium spirits and champagne; visas; onboard spa treatments, except the specifically included one-hour massage per guest in an Angkor Suite; gift-shop purchases; personal expenses; and any item not expressly identified as included. Scuba diving, diving equipment and water-sport services are not part of this river cruise.

Passports and visas remain each traveller's responsibility. Entry rules can change and depend on nationality and route, so the necessary Vietnam and Cambodia permissions should be confirmed from official authorities before travel; the operator states that passports must remain valid for at least six months from entry. Do not rely on an old web page, an assumed visa-on-arrival process or a previous traveller's experience.

The vessel describes SOLAS-compliant safety standards. Every guest must attend the safety briefing and follow crew instructions during gangway and small-boat transfers. Travel insurance suitable for both countries, medical needs and trip value is strongly recommended even where a specific policy is not stated as part of the cruise fare.