RV Samatha (APT) Review

-- / 5.0
Editor Rating
3 reviews
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APT plans launched this boutique-style river vessel on the Irrawaddy River in 2016. RV Samatha has a sun deck with a swimming pool and lounge chairs, a day spa, a fitness room, and a main lounge and bar.

Each of the 30 stylish suites, measuring from 290 to 457 square feet, has either a panoramic or twin balcony, a queen-sized bed, individual climate control, sitting area with dressing table and chair, a bathroom with bathrobes, slippers and toiletries provided, a spacious closet, a safe and free Wi-Fi (when available in remote regions).

All meals are included in the fares and will be freshly prepared by onboard chefs, with three-course a la carte dinners designed by renowned Australian-Vietnamese chef and APT ambassador Luke Nguyen. Complimentary house wine, local beer and soft drinks accompany every lunch and dinner served in the ship's restaurant.

A smaller dining room is set up for private degustation meals for eight people, which can be booked once per cruise. After dinner, Burmese cultural performances and a traditional puppet show are held in the lounge for evening entertainment.

APT Signature Experiences explore Bagan's 2,200 Buddhist temples, stupas and pagodas, including the golden Shwezigon Pagoda, Yangon's Shwedagon Pagoda and the Mahamuni Buddha Temple near Mandalay.

Other small-group excursions include a pottery-making demonstration by local artisans in Yandabo, a horse-drawn cart tour of Inwa and a photo opportunity at U Bein, the world's oldest and longest teakwood bridge. Passengers can prolong the 14-day journey with an optional extension to Inle Lake.

Pros

Signature Experiences are a step above the usual shore trips

Cons

Suite-only room choice may not suit those on a tighter budget

Bottom Line

A brand-new, boutique-style vessel with all the mod-cons

About

Passengers: 60
Crew: 34
Passenger to Crew: 1.76:1
Launched: 2016

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RV Samatha (APT) Cruiser Reviews

Travelling in a first world hermetically sealed bubble in the third world

We cruised on the RV Samatha in Nov 17 from Yangon to Mandalay. The cruise was a delight or at least the onboard component.Read More
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Forensic99

many10+ Cruises

Age 60s

Wonderful experience

RV Samatha review We went on our Irrawaddy cruise, plus a 3 day stay at Inle Lake 15 Feb 2017 to 6 March.Read More
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jo-b

many10+ Cruises

Age 70s

Great Intro to the opening of Myanmar - disappointed by three factors.

APT's Irrawaddy cruise on RV Samatha looked like a great option to achieve the objective.Read More
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sparkerg

few6-10 Cruises

Age 60s

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