Cruise
Sailing Through the Land of Two Smiles with CroisiEurope
by Michael Morcos, photos courtesy of CroisiEurope
It is rare for me to find a trip of a lifetime, as they are rightfully once in a blue moon. Specifically, throughout my many years of traveling, only now and then does a trip have such wonderful experiences and great memories that they truly do last a lifetime.
This was one such tour and would include a luxury cruise through Cambodia and Vietnam on the tranquil Tonlé Sap lake /river, and the mighty Mekong River. To top off these wonderful countries, our other destination would be the beautiful RV Indochine II cruise ship.
The delightful CroisiEurope ship was our home away from home for nine days, and it was perfect for sailing these Asian waterways in all seasons, to say the least. With a maximum capacity of only 64 passengers on this cruise (there were less passengers than that, as this post-pandemic route had only recently been reopened) we felt spoiled and pampered by the warm and inviting staff members that offered us excellent service and attention.
CroisiEurope is a leading cruise line company, with the head office based in France and sailings on European canals and rivers. Further abroad they sail the Egyptian Nile, Southeast Asia and southern Africa as well as ocean ships that frequent three continents.
Being French, they surely know the art of hospitality, including all the comforts, service, cleanliness, and of course, amazing gastronomy and great wines. All this was evident on our Mekong cruise, and we appreciated and enjoyed every moment from start to end.
In this first of two articles, we will highlight CroisiEurope and the beautiful RV Indochine II ship. In a later feature, we will highlight the two wonderful Cambodian and Vietnamese destinations that included tranquil, out of the way villages, the magnificent Siam Reap temples and landmarks, the Cambodian capital city of Phnom Penh and its palaces and the delightfully chaotic Ho Chi Minh City (formally known as Saigon). The best part, though, it was the warm, gentle and welcoming smiling people, their delicious cuisine, and the cultural aspects that made this journey so special.
Design and comfort
It was love at first sight. Having viewed this ship on the internet and in brochures, the Indochine II in person was like finding a beloved, long-lost friend. We immediately felt surrounded by total comfort and luxury. This is CroisiEurope’s latest edition on the Mekong cruise itinerary and although it looks like a historic colonial design, it is freshly decorated with modern colorful furniture and has all the latest amenities.
Staterooms
Our beautiful stateroom was handsomely decorated with dark wood floors and paneling, and was clean, functional, and comfortable. Best of all was the large balcony that gave us amazing vistas of the shoreline and locales. We would spend many hours outside while we sailed, no matter the weather. There are only two choices in-state rooms: most were of similar size and design while there is an upgrade option with a larger cabin and a full size terrace.
Gastronomy
If you are looking to lose weight and get in shape, then look no further than this cruise. Conventional wisdom would say otherwise, but with the added daily activities and the healthy meals served on board, it is relatively easy staying slim.
The meals served on the Indochine consisted of two healthy and delicious buffet style servings and a sit-down service with many options to please any pallet. Included on the menu was fine French cuisine, complemented by dishes with a local flavor, and you can order a meal prepared exactly to your taste and needs by special demand. We would be an example of staying fit and in shape as we would disembark the same weight as when we first started this journey.
Public spaces
You would think that on a ship with the capacity of only 64 passengers public space on the Indochine would be a premium, but that is just not true. The whole top level of the three-level ship was devoted to passenger comfort. With such a warm and humid climate, the outdoor shaded platform was a favourite of most guests as we would feel a cooling breeze and have fabulous views of the river, passing ships and the delightful countryside. Here we would watch life go by while cooling off in the pool or enjoying delicious tea or refreshments. Also on the same level are the ship’s bar, entertainment centre and meeting point for presentations. On the main level are the beautiful restaurant, reception and a mini store. In all, when we were outside our cabin, we felt in total comfort with plenty of elbow room to spare.
Excursions
We will focus on the destinations in a future article but for now, all I can say is that there is at least one excursion included per day. CroisiEurope has done a great job of bringing us to some of the best there is to see and do all along the cruise route. With knowledgeable, professional guides, we would learn this and much more about the lands, history, and cultural aspects of Cambodia and Vietnam.
Even though the main language on this cruise was French, everything was also communicated in perfect English. That included all paperwork, on board presentations, throughout the many excursions, and even with the French speaking crowd. All in all, the French passengers made attempts to speak English while the English-speaking guests made attempts and even brushed up on their French. It was both beautiful and comical and a perfect extra element that comes with traveling.
This was definitely a tour of a lifetime as we visited this fascinating ‘land of two smiles’. As it was our first visit to Cambodia and Vietnam, we would only consider it as a small introduction to this exotic far away land. There is so much more to see, that we will return and possibly have another trip of a lifetime.
