My husband and I have just returned from the Irrawaddy cruise, Yangon to Mandalay, aboard RV Pandaw II. We have been fortunate enough to do a number of river cruises and this cruise was up there with the best.

The crew on Pandaw II were easily the best we have encountered on any cruise. All crew, from Captain, Purser, dining staff, housekeeping to the sailors, were friendly, well mannered, attentive and had the biggest smiles on “their dials”. Nothing was too much trouble. We were impressed with the way they all assisted each other and we enjoyed having them accompany us on the shore excursions. As all crew were excellent; we are loathe to name individuals, but would like to make special mention of Tun, the dining room manager. He is exceptional with his customer service, his anticipation of passenger requirements and his concern for all passengers with a never ceasing smile. He obviously sets the standard for the other crew under his supervison, showing his excellent leadership qualities.

The food on the cruise was excellent, with something for all tastes. Thank you to chef and his staff.

Other than the staff on Pandaw II, the other highlight of this cruise was the beautiful Burmese people, especially those in the small villages. It was so nice to walk around these villages to see all the smiles on the faces of the locals, especially the children. They are unspoilt by tourism and we applaud Pandaw for requesting passengers not to hand out gifts or lollies to the children. We felt like pied pipers in these villages, with all the children following us but expecting nothing from us.

Patrick, our guide, was excellent with great knowledge and sense of humour.

Thank you to all crew for making our holiday so special.