Strand Cruise Review

5.0 / 5.0
28 reviews

RV Strand on the Irrawaddy River -- A Tantalizing Glimpse of Myanmar

Review for Asia River Cruise on Strand Cruise
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drinkwaterderek8
6-10 Cruises • Age 70s

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Sail Date: Apr 2017

After reading a review of luxury cruise options in Myanmar in 'The Weekend Australian' in October 2016, I opted for the RV Strand's short cruise from Bagan to Mandalay (4 nights). This was my first experience of small vessel luxury cruising but it won't be my last. Great food across several international cuisines, flexible excursion choices, a stateroom with plenty of space (the word cabin does not do it justice), and an interesting combination of activities highlighting Burmese (i.e. Myanmar) culture. The cream on an already rich cake was the thoughtful evening surprises: every night the stewards left an example of a Burmese artifact on the bed: a model of a Burmese marionette, a lacquer box or tray (finely-crafted lacquerware is one of Myanmar's main traditional products). The service was impeccable: I arrived unexpectedly in my room one evening to find a steward ironing my pillowcases while they were still on the pillow! Nothing was too much effort for the crew members. Though not a cheap holiday, I certainly have not ruled out doing this cruise again in combination with a trip to the Inle Lake. I book ended the cruise with a couple of nights at The Strand Hotel in Yangon -- a superbly restored colonial hotel incorporating much appealing indigenous design where everything matches the standards on the cruise. The attention to detail at the hotel and on the ship is impressive: I informed the hotel manager in passing of a food allergy and when I arrived on the ship the maitre d/chef knew about it. My only reservation about the cruise concerned a lecture on the history of the Bagan Temple precinct. A fascinating subject which could have made for a marvellous presentation. Instead, we were given a boring academic lecture by an authority who was difficult to understand.

Cabin Review

Cabin Deluxe

I occupied the standard (Deluxe) stateroom on the ship which featured all the space and facilities one could wish for.

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