Royal Princess Dinner Cruise: Bangkok Chao Phraya River

Bangkok~ Cockroach Edition

I really wanted to love this experience. I actually had high hopes for the dinner cruise and was excited to finally do it. I had to reschedule my original reservation because the timing didn’t work with my flights, and I have to give credit where it’s due—the customer service team was wonderful and made the reservation change very easy. Then came cruise day… First, be prepared for VERY long lines. Boarding begins around 7:30 PM, which means you don’t really get the full two hours advertised. Once onboard, you’re greeted with a welcome blue syrup shot and water at your table, which was a nice touch. Then the cruise starts and everyone makes a mad dash for the buffet. And when I say mad dash, I mean practically a stampede. 😂 The buffet lines were extremely long, so I decided to wait a little while for the crowd to die down. Eventually, I got my food and returned to my table, 12B. Unfortunately, the view from 12B was already nearly obstructed by two large mechanical fixtures outside the window. At that point, I decided to make the best of it. I was determined to enjoy my evening regardless. And THEN… The unwanted guests arrived. ROACHES. Not one. Not two. ROACH AFTER ROACH AFTER ROACH. I am not exaggerating. They were coming out of the wall, crawling across the table, and one even made its way onto my plate. I actually recorded videos and killed three of them with a paper towel. THREE. 😩 At that point, I called the waitress over, showed her the videos and the paper towel evidence, and explained what was happening. She immediately removed my plates and went to get a manager. The manager came over, saw the situation for himself, and they offered to move me to another area. So where did I go? UPSTAIRS. In the rain. Yes. You read that correctly. 😂🤣 I left my roach-infested table for a “roach-free” table… outside… while it was raining. At this point, I could only laugh because what else could I do? The waitress then brought me a beverage menu and offered me a complimentary glass of white wine, which I appreciated. But at this point, I was wet, hungry, and completely in disbelief that this was how my dinner cruise experience had turned out. I boarded excited to enjoy Thai cuisine, the river views, and the traditional entertainment. Instead, I spent the evening dealing with extremely long lines, an obstructed view, a buffet experience that felt chaotic, and—most importantly—multiple live roaches crawling around my dining area and onto my food. I genuinely tried to make the best of the situation. I gave them the opportunity to correct it, accepted the relocation, and even tried to laugh about the whole thing. But unfortunately, this is not an experience I can recommend. I’m currently in my Grab heading back to my hotel—hungry, upset, wet, and still in disbelief. 😮‍💨 I really wanted to love this experience. I just wish the experience had loved me back. At this point, I believe a refund or significant compensation is appropriate given the circumstances. Rating: ⭐️ out of 5 The customer service team was kind and responsive, but the overall dining experience—especially the roach infestation—was completely unacceptable.

via Tripadvisor

Bangkok~ Cockroach Edition

I really wanted to love this experience. I actually had high hopes for the dinner cruise and was excited to finally do it. I had to reschedule my original reservation because the timing didn’t work with my flights, and I have to give credit where it’s due—the customer service team was wonderful and made the reservation change very easy. Then came cruise day… First, be prepared for VERY long lines. Boarding begins around 7:30 PM, which means you don’t really get the full two hours advertised. Once onboard, you’re greeted with a welcome blue syrup shot and water at your table, which was a nice touch. Then the cruise starts and everyone makes a mad dash for the buffet. And when I say mad dash, I mean practically a stampede. 😂 The buffet lines were extremely long, so I decided to wait a little while for the crowd to die down. Eventually, I got my food and returned to my table, 12B. Unfortunately, the view from 12B was already nearly obstructed by two large mechanical fixtures outside the window. At that point, I decided to make the best of it. I was determined to enjoy my evening regardless. And THEN… The unwanted guests arrived. ROACHES. Not one. Not two. ROACH AFTER ROACH AFTER ROACH. I am not exaggerating. They were coming out of the wall, crawling across the table, and one even made its way onto my plate. I actually recorded videos and killed three of them with a paper towel. THREE. 😩 At that point, I called the waitress over, showed her the videos and the paper towel evidence, and explained what was happening. She immediately removed my plates and went to get a manager. The manager came over, saw the situation for himself, and they offered to move me to another area. So where did I go? UPSTAIRS. In the rain. Yes. You read that correctly. 😂🤣 I left my roach-infested table for a “roach-free” table… outside… while it was raining. At this point, I could only laugh because what else could I do? The waitress then brought me a beverage menu and offered me a complimentary glass of white wine, which I appreciated. But at this point, I was wet, hungry, and completely in disbelief that this was how my dinner cruise experience had turned out. I boarded excited to enjoy Thai cuisine, the river views, and the traditional entertainment. Instead, I spent the evening dealing with extremely long lines, an obstructed view, a buffet experience that felt chaotic, and—most importantly—multiple live roaches crawling around my dining area and onto my food. I genuinely tried to make the best of the situation. I gave them the opportunity to correct it, accepted the relocation, and even tried to laugh about the whole thing. But unfortunately, this is not an experience I can recommend. I’m currently in my Grab heading back to my hotel—hungry, upset, wet, and still in disbelief. 😮‍💨 I really wanted to love this experience. I just wish the experience had loved me back. At this point, I believe a refund or significant compensation is appropriate given the circumstances. Rating: ⭐️⭐️ out of 5 The customer service team was kind and responsive, but the overall dining experience—especially the roach infestation—was completely unacceptable.

via Viator

Too many passengers!!

The Royal Princess Dinner Cruise on the Chao Phraya was a disappointment. The cruise seems vastly overbooked. Just too many people on board. Lines are long for the dinner buffet. Lots of cattle car moments getting on and off. If you can find a similar cruise at a higher price with fewer people, take it. Paying more, even a lot more for a dinner cruise that is a higher quality experience would be entirely worth it.

via Tripadvisor

The check in process was...

The check in process was very slow. When we reached the front of the line they wanted paper tickets yet we already had digital tickets. The check in lady was very rude and asked us how she was supposed verify our tickets and told us to step aside. She said they didn’t have scanners.

via Viator

Not worth the money

Absolutely waste of money - the food was nothing to rave about , no steaks but workers were seen eating them - the music was the same songs on repeat - they then couldn’t go the full way due to low water level - The asiatique mall is very nice outside and had lots of lovely food at reasonable prices Should have just stayed outside

Response from the operator: Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are very sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations and that you were disappointed with the food, entertainment, and the overall cruise experience. We also understand your frustration regarding the itinerary adjustment due to water levels, as well as your comments about value for money. While some operational factors can occasionally be beyond our control, we regret that this had a negative impact on your evening. Your comments about the food and service have been noted carefully and will be shared with the relevant teams for review and improvement. Feedback like yours is important in helping us address shortcomings and enhance the guest experience. We appreciate you taking the time to provide your honest review, and we are sorry that your experience did not reflect the standard we aim to deliver. Best Regards, Oh-Hoo Team

via Tripadvisor