I took an ultra-luxury river cruise with only 40 other passengers. I'm not sure how I'll ever sail with the masses again.
Jill Schildhouse
- I took a luxury river cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia with Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours.
- There were only 41 of us on board, so it felt like I had the boat to myself at times.
In the cruise industry, there's often a "bigger is better" mentality.
In fact, this year, the Royal Caribbean launched the world's largest cruise ship and announced that its next megaship of the same size would be setting sail next year.
There's no denying that megaships with upward of 7,000 passengers have a lot to offer, but there are tradeoffs to sailing with the masses, such as the experience not being as personalized.
I've sailed on four of the largest ships in service this year, and although I had a blast on all of them, I was itching for a more sophisticated and intimate experience. That led me to book a series of cruises that kept getting smaller and smaller.
I sailed on a ship that held just 600 passengers in February, followed by another that held only 168 guests in March. In September, I booked the smallest cruise I've experienced yet — a 68-passenger riverboat with Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours.
Sailing on the Scenic Spirit made such a difference, even compared to the other two small vessels. The route took us along the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia.
After this intimate river cruise, I fear I'm now spoiled forever.
Although I received this cruise complimentary from Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours, the rate for my sailing would've been about $7,075.
Although the boat holds 68 guests, there were only 41 of us on board.
Not every cabin was occupied, so there were only 41 of us on the ship, even though it could hold up to 68 passengers.
There were multiple times when I was sitting by the pool or on the top deck and never saw another passenger for hours — the closest I'll probably get to experiencing a yacht all to myself.
The crew, which happened to outnumber the guests, went above and beyond.
There were 56 crew members on board, and because staff outnumbered the guests, we experienced highly attentive service.
By the second day, every single crew member was addressing me and other guests by name.
One day, I made a passing remark to a server that passionfruit was my favorite — and the next morning, she brought me a plate full of it as soon as I sat down for breakfast.
All the cabins are suite-style and come with balcony views and a range of amenities.
All 34 suites come with a walk-in closet, access to a pillow menu, and a remote-controlled bed. Each room also has a convertible sun lounge that doubles as a balcony at the push of a button.
I appreciated that the living space was separate from the bedroom area and that there was an en-suite bathroom.
My butler helped to make my experience on board even more personalized.
Each room also had access to a 24/7 butler service.
In addition to bringing coffee and cocktails to the cabin and shining shoes, my butler also set me up with necessary items before and after my spa treatments.
Prior to a spa visit, my butler delivered a special robe and disposable undergarments, massage-preference paperwork, and a card to request a post-treatment snack.
On most cruise ships I've been on, I'd be lucky to be handed a glass of water after a massage. On Scenic, I was treated to a refreshing salad and cucumber water was waiting for me back at my cabin.
The culinary experience was second to none.
Breakfast and lunch were served buffet style in splendid displays, and I never saw the same dishes twice. Some even came from the chef's family recipes.
Each morning and afternoon, there was a station dedicated to a different local dish of the day, each more delicious than the last. The dishes were often paired with an array of Eastern- and Western-style fare.
Dinner was a multicourse seated experience with scrumptious appetizers, entrées, and desserts. Every morsel of food — from sauces to ice cream — was made from scratch.
One day, the staff even set up a "Cambodian street market" with traditional bites and fried insects for those who wanted a truly authentic taste of the region.
Each night, I found a locally-made gift on my bed as part of the turn-down service.
I'm used to finding towel animals or pillow chocolates in my cabin on larger ships, but I've never been given actual gifts at bedtime before.
Among my collected treasures were a stuffed elephant, a zippered fabric coin purse, a wooden fan, a scarf, a woven bracelet, and a salve.
They were all beautiful and quite useful.
I loved the gift shop on board selling local pieces at great prices.
Larger cruises are usually filled with shops carrying designer watches and jewelry, clothes with the cruise line's logo, and tacky souvenirs.
However, Scenic Spirit had two curated glass cases of gorgeous local artwork, handicrafts, jewelry, and trinkets.
I scored a set of three trays and two decorative bowls for just $45, and they look perfect in my house.
The laundry service was convenient and free.
Doing my own laundry was easy, and the machines and detergent were free to use.
There were three sets of washers and dryers, plus laundry baskets, an ironing board, and an iron. I never had to wait for an empty machine.
On other large ships I've had to pay to do my laundry and either fight for machines or go at odd hours.
Each excursion felt thoughtfully planned.
Each tour on Scenic felt carefully curated to envelop travelers in an authentic local experience.
Our small group size allowed us greater access to experiencing the everyday life of the region through activities such as touring temples, exploring markets, and taking a boat ride through the mangroves of a bird sanctuary.
With Scenic’s all-inclusive model, you don’t have to worry about a surprise bill at the end of your trip.
Although most cruises are considered all-inclusive, I hate feeling nickeled and dimed on megaships. Although large ships have cool activities and special dining opportunities, you'll typically need to shell out extra to take advantage of them.
But the all-inclusive pricing for this Scenic Spirit Mekong River trip included a lot between the nine-night cruise and the three-night land portion: lodging, food and drinks at sea, WiFi, excursions, transfers, luggage handling, port charges, tips, and taxes.
The only other charges you might incur are from the spa, for food and drinks for the land portion of the trip, or if you shop on board.
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