Ship review: If space is a priority, then this Mekong cruise is for you

APT Mekong Serenity

The numbers

• The cruise Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap (11 days)
• The ship Launched September 2023
• Passengers 88
• Crew 44
• Decks Four
• Length 302 feet (92 metres)

The Mekong’s newest river cruiser is one of the more spacious cruisers the Mekong.

Ship shape

The maiden voyage of the Mekong Serenity late last year [2023] also marked the launch of the first ship that Australian brand APT Touring has built from the ground up (the others have been leased). It’s evidently a point of pride for the family-owned and operated company which has branded the official name – APT Mekong Serenity, on the ship. That notwithstanding, the ship is known fondly as The Serenity, for more reasons than one. The Mekong’s newest river cruiser is a luxury 44-berther with generous specifications that make it one of the more spacious cruisers of the 20 or so that ply the Mekong between Vietnam and Cambodia. The combination of space and luxury make for a river cruise that is serene and some.

Boarding

Pre-tour accommodation is at the elegant Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel in the old quarter of Ho Chi Minh City. From here, we take a bus two hours south of the city to My Tho, a one-ship (on our departure day, at least) port town on the Mekong Delta, one of Vietnam’s biggest deltas covering about 40,000 square kilometres. To board, it’s a breezy 10-minute walk through the terminal and across the gang plank. Before we know it, we’re on board with hot towels and welcome drinks.

The design

Grab a stool at the Harmony Bar.

The Serenity has been built and designed in Vietnam, with design notes that might well have said “space equals luxury, ensure each passenger has oodles of room”. The 92-metre slimline river vessel has four decks and just 44 suites, so it’s big enough to find some me-time with a Mekong view, but not so big that you walk around in ever-diminishing circles trying to find your travelling companions.

The interior’s teak door frames and floors and Cambodian and Vietnamese motifs and artefacts are paired with contemporary interior design elements such as mixed fabric upholstery and colourful throw cushions. The look has been dubbed “contemporary Asian fusion sophistication”.

The spaces

The Serenity has four spacious decks that equally share the mainstay ship activities. For ease of orientation, they are connected by one main staircase and (except for the top deck) an elevator. I find myself on daily jaunts to the rooftop when the sun is on the horizon and the tropical heat isn’t so strong. This green-turfed top deck is huge and proves a great spot for morning strolls around a circular athletics track, and sunset drinks on shaded loungers and chairs.

Below it, the pool deck is another popular hangout. The water is waist-deep so it is not for laps, but it’s a social magnet, drawing passengers to its alfresco tables, river-view daybeds and nearby Horizon Bar.

Down the stairs again, deck two’s Harmony Lounge is a spacious indoor area with sociable sitting configurations. Grab a bar stool for evening cocktails, a round table for a game of cards, or settle into lounge chairs for the daily 6pm “captain’s briefings”. Guests stay on this level when dining at special occasion restaurant Indochine, or head down to deck one where Lemongrass restaurant has fabulous floor-to-ceiling windows that show off the Mekong views.

The stateroom

Room to move … guest bathroom.

The Serenity’s 44 berths are all generously proportioned suites, with three different cabin configurations and seven price categories depending on the choice of deck. In keeping with the “space is luxury” mantra, the entry-level suites are 23 square metres, which must beat any other entry-level suites on the Mekong.

All 44 suites are thoughtfully laid out with coffee table and couch areas to maximise in-room relaxation time. There are also private outdoor balconies.

My Bayon suite, on deck three, is the second-biggest room category and almost double the size of the entry-level suites. I’m spoiled with a queen bed facing the water (or the gold-topped stupa or dock, or whatever else we’re cruising past), an ensuite so spacious it has a bathtub, and an entry designed to keep things shipshape with cupboards, shelves and space to lie a suitcase flat.

Two Angkor suites, the largest room category, are on the same deck and are double the size again, with room-length windows that capture the river view perfectly.

The food

Onboard food and beverages are all-inclusive, so you can feast for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ditch the diet. Onboard food and beverages are all-inclusive, so there’s not much to stop guests feasting for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Lemongrass restaurant, breakfast is an indulgent affair with a full buffet spread, from French crêpes and pastries to sushi and eggs any way you like them. My go-to is the noodle station with bubbling pots of stock and a different noodle dish each day. Lunch and dinner is even more elaborate with an a la carte menu that champions the dishes of the country we happen to be cruising through, think goi cuon (Vietnamese rice paper rolls), pho bo (beef noodle soup) and khor ko (Cambodian caramelised beef stew).

For one evening only, guests can dine at Indochine, a more intimate restaurant at the rear of the ship. The six-course South-East Asian degustation menu stars with a roast pork belly appetiser and, for main, a sizzling plate of Vietnamese beef and tea-smoked duck with banana blossom and red cabbage.

Wellness

APT Mekong Serenity’s pool deck is a fun gathering point.

Wellness isn’t a focal point, but if guests are so inclined, there are sufficient options. In the basement (below deck one), there’s a small treatment room for massages and facials and a hair salon. The Fitness Centre, with golden river views in the afternoon, has air-conditioning, cardio equipment, weights and yoga mats. Do-it-yourself outdoor wellness options include the pool and the top deck athletics track.

Entertainment

In between daily excursions there are activities aplenty, from cooking classes in the outdoor kitchen to topical documentary screenings and lectures in the Harmony Lounge. Post-dinner the fun continues with nightly entertainment, including a dance presentation by local schoolchildren, karaoke sessions and guest musicians.

The crew

The Serenity has a crew ratio of one staff member per suite, and a butler service that includes shoe-shining, garment laundering and a packing and unpacking service depending on the room category. Passengers naturally reap the rewards of such a personalised five-star service, but credit goes to the staff who do this so expertly with just four voyages behind them.

The verdict

Exceptional service, fresh decor, indulgent all-inclusive food and drink – the new Serenity should be the cruiser of choice for anyone planning a trip down the Mekong. That the ship is so spacious is another reason to predict smooth waters ahead.

The details

Asia’s newest cruise boat plies the Mekong from Vietnam to Cambodia.

APT’s 11-day Spiritual Cambodia and the Mekong tour between Ho Chi Minh and Siem Reap from $6395 a person (flights not included). The itinerary includes a seven-night cruise as well as a sunrise visit to Cambodia’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Angkor Wat. The Serenity is not suitable for wheelchairs because the top deck has stair access only. See aptouring.com.au.

Rating out of five

★★★★½

Swell Enjoying the constant filmic montage of local life playing out along the Mekong River from my balcony.

Not so swell The oversized top deck could be better used with organised yoga classes and other wellness activities.

The writer was a guest of APT Touring.