HO CHI MINH CITY, 2 May 2018: Heritage Line, a popular river cruise supplier in Southeast Asia has launched its summer promotion offering discounts on cruises of around 15%.
In Cambodia, some of the Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City (also in reverse) cruises on the Tonle Sap and Mekong River are discounted 20%.
The 20% discount applies to specific sailings 21 July, 4 August, 8 September and 6 October.
A 15 discount is applicable on other sailings from 1 June to 13 October.
Rates start from around USD 1,577 per person for a seven-night ‘Lost Civilisation Cruise’ between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap.
The cruise line claims the rainy season, June to October, is the best time to cruise the Mekong River due to the high water levels and lush green landscapes.
Cambodia’s Tonle Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, reaches its highest water levels during June to September. The company’s ships assigned to this cruise route are Jahan and Jayavaram.
In Vietnam, Heritage Line’s Halong Bay summer promotion is available on the company’s junks, Violet and Jasmine, with prices for all room types discounted by 10% (Violet) or 15% (Jasmine) discount.
Discounts apply on both of the one and two-night voyages with rates starting from USD 160 per person (one-night cruise).
There are two cruise options: The Dragon Passage one-night cruise and the Jewel of Halong Bay two-night cruise.
Headquartered in Ho Chi Minh City privately owned Heritage Line, specialises in cruises in Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar.
It has a fleet of river and sea junks that offer cruises from Cambodia’s Tonle Sap to the Mekong delta in Vietnam, trips on Halong Bay in Vietnam and river cruises in Myanmar.
The cruise line’s website is light on providing background information on the company under the tag ‘About US’. This was a conclusion made by TTR Weekly in an earlier report in 2017, when the company said it was upgrading the website.
Considering the USD 1,300 to 1500 prices for the cruises, consumers would appreciate more company details. The website is also passive in its sales capabilities, a criticism that could be leveled at most travel suppliers in the region. That is probably because most of the sales are generated by retail travel agents or wholesalers selling the cruises.
However, considering the trend to direct bookings and the use of mobile devices to book and pay for travel, the ‘display only’ websites could be losing valuable new business.
