Mekong river cruising operates between roughly Siem Reap (or Phnom Penh) in Cambodia and Ho Chi Minh City (or My Tho) in Vietnam. Itineraries are typically 7-8 nights on the river, bracketed by 2-4 days of land programs in Siem Reap, Hanoi or Hue. Seven operators currently sail year-round.
AmaWaterways deploys the AmaDara — a 124-passenger vessel built in 2015. She is the largest ship on the Mekong and the closest in feel to a European river cruiser, with twin-balcony cabins, a small heated pool on the sun deck, and a Western-style spa.
Avalon Waterways operates two near-identical vessels, Avalon Saigon and Avalon Siem Reap, each carrying just 36 guests across 18 suite-style cabins. Both ships feature the line's signature open-air panoramic suite design with the bed turned to face the windows.
Scenic operates the Scenic Spirit, a 68-guest all-inclusive vessel with butler-served suites and a jacuzzi on the sun deck. The Aura is Scenic's smaller, 44-guest Mekong vessel.
Emerald Cruises operates Emerald Harmony — a 84-guest Mekong-built version of the European Star-Ship with the indoor pool and panoramic balcony suites adapted for tropical conditions.
Aqua Expeditions' Aqua Mekong is the most design-forward ship on the river — 40 guests, four decks, floor-to-ceiling glass throughout the cabins, and a partner-chef tasting menu. She is the highest-priced product on the Mekong by a meaningful margin.
Pandaw operates a fleet of small, two-deck, all-teak vessels — RV Mekong Pandaw, RV Indochina Pandaw, RV Tonlé Pandaw, RV Champa Pandaw and RV Angkor Pandaw — that carry between 28 and 48 guests. The aesthetic is colonial steamer rather than contemporary luxury, and the itineraries reach further upriver into Laos than any of the European-style operators.
Heritage Line operates the steam-styled Jahan, the Khmer-temple-themed Jayavarman and the Royal-Lao Anouvong — each a small, theatrically-designed boutique ship for 28-54 guests.
Practical guidance: for first-time Mekong guests who want a European-cruise familiarity, AmaWaterways or Avalon are the safest fit. For the most luxurious experience, Aqua Mekong. For the most authentic regional feel, Pandaw or Heritage Line. The Mekong itself is more interesting than any of these ships — most guests rate the river days higher than the ship.
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