RV Lan Diep: 16-square-metre cabins, twice a European barge
The RV Lan Diep carries 44 passengers in 22 cabins of 16 square metres, with 21 crew. She is 50 metres long and 10 metres wide, across 3 decks, and was built in 2007.
Two figures deserve attention. First: 16 square metres per cabin. On the European river ships in the same fleet the published surface drops to 10 square metres, and the hotel barges start at 8. Second: 21 crew for 44 passengers, one for every 2 travellers. In Europe the ratio sits around one in 5. These are not brochure details, they are the difference between two ways of running a river cruise.
Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, two countries in one itinerary
The Lan Diep climbs the Mekong from the Vietnamese delta into Cambodia: Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho, Vinh Long, Cai Be, Sa Dec, Chau Doc, then Phnom Penh, Koh Chen, Kampong Tralach, Kampong Chhnang and Siem Reap. The river runs 4,500 kilometres from the Himalayas to the South China Sea, and you cover a fraction of it, but the right fraction.
What you see from the deck has no European equivalent. Floating markets, stilt houses, rice fields starting at the bank, children waving from boats. Life on the river did not move elsewhere when the cruise boats arrived: it is still there, and it is the show.
The four Mekong boats in figures
CroisiEurope operates 4 boats on the Mekong, and the spread between them is real: 28, 44, 48 and 62 passengers, over lengths of 38, 50, 51 and 65 metres. Build years run from 2007 to 2017. The Lan Diep ranks second by capacity with 44 passengers, 22 cabins and 21 crew. Across the 4, the crew ratio stays between 1 to 1.9 and 1 to 2.1 passengers, where the fleet's European ships sit around 1 to 5.
The water level question, which nobody asks early enough
The Mekong rises and falls sharply with the season. On the final stretch towards Siem Reap, the level can change what is done by boat and what is done by road. We always ask CroisiEurope to confirm for your specific date before you commit. Clients rarely raise it themselves, which is exactly why we raise it for them.
Getting to Southeast Asia from Montreal
There is no non-stop flight between Montreal-Trudeau and Ho Chi Minh City. Allow at least one connection, often two, and a full day of travel each way. We always build in at least one night on site before embarkation, and on this kind of destination we recommend two: jet lag does not sort itself out in a taxi.
Vietnam and Cambodia both apply entry formalities to Canadian travellers, and those change. We check them at booking and give you the current list rather than letting you discover it three days before departure.
What is included and what is not
The CroisiEurope Mekong formula covers full board, drinks with meals and at the bar, and the excursions in the programme. Gratuities are not included. Travel insurance never is, and on a destination requiring 2 connections it deserves more attention than elsewhere. We itemise every line and explain what Quebec's FICAV fund covers before you sign.
Who she suits
Travellers who want space in the cabin and a very present crew, and accept the flying time. If you want newer and larger, the RV Indochine II dates from 2017 and publishes 18.5 square metres. If you want smaller, the Toum Tiou II carries only 28 passengers. The RV Indochine sits between the two. The full fleet is on our CroisiEurope cruises page.
