Dinner cruises?

[force5]

Has anyone any experience of going on one of the more modern style dinner cruises on the Chao Phraya river?

 

Earlier this year I went on the Loy Nava dinner cruise. It's a bit of a tourist thing to do but I wanted to have the experience and have a nice meal out but not be stuck inside a restaurant. Loy Nava run two cruises each night, one at 6pm and one at 8pm. I'd originally booked on the 6pm cruise, which is said to be a sunset type cruise, but is was cancelled due to maintenance issues with the boat. My booking was moved to 8pm and I was given two free bottles of wine because of the change.

 

Loy Nava leave from the ferry stop next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton. It was fairly easy to get to by getting a taxi to the Sheraton. All of the hotel staff knew about the cruise as passengers regularly wait in the lobby lounge and we then walked next door. The boat is an old teak style rice barge. I'd chosen this trip because it seemed to have more character and was smaller than the larger and more modern boats run by other cruise operators. Inside there were 2 rows of tables down each side. Food was Thai and was a set menu brought to the table. While the food was quite nice it was a little bland. As the majority of customers are foreign tourists the food is dumbed down to Western tastes, with not much chilli, herbs etc. In my mind they went a bit too safe and it was a little bland and tastless. They provided a handout guide of the sights along the river and there were short displays of Thai dancing by two girls in traditional costumes. The cruise went for about 2 - 2.5 hours and was a nice way to see the river and City at night. I paid just over 2,000 baht which was their Superior package and included a drinks package as well.

 

I'm thinking about trying one of the larger cruise boats but if they are just booze cruises then I'd probably give it a miss. Any one try them?

[Piece Corp]

I tried the Horizon Cruise when I was a guest at the Shangri-La Hotel. Large boat, cruise lasted 2 hours, international buffet, drinks not included.

[arvindsony]

Really amazing ...light and music..superb !!!!

they serviced you so much food....enought for 2 days...hehehehe