5 Best Halong Bay Cruises

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Discover the best Halong Bay cruises for the perfect adventure in Vietnam!

One of the best places to go on a cruise is Halong Bay, in Northern Vietnam. Strewn with picture-perfect tropical paradise islands with pristine beaches, the broad inlet can be navigated on a number of agile cruise ships. Each of them is truly unique allowing you to profit from a number of nonpareil cruise-specific travelling experiences.

Check out the top 5 Halong Bay cruises below.

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5 Best Halong Cruises

Mon Cheri Cruise

  • Departure & Return Location: Hanoi (Old Street Quarter)
  • Departure time (from Hanoi): 9 am (first day)
  • Return time (to Hanoi): 2.30 pm (last day)
  • Meals: 1 breakfast+1 brunch, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Aerial view floating fishing village and rock island, Halong Bay, Vietnam, Southeast Asia. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Junk boat cruise to Ha Long Bay. Popular landmark, famous destination of Vietnam

One of the best cruises in Halong Bay is Mon Cheri Cruise. You will sail from Haiphong on a three-decked cruise-sailing ship-rigged out for an adventure-full sea trip ahead. 

A 2-day sea-voyage will take you to Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Island, and Dark & Blue Cave and offer you a chance to delight in mind-blowing sea views. During your trip, you will be catered to by an expert cabin crew & an English-speaking tour guide; a squad of veritable culinary wizards, which can cook not just regular fare from all over the world, but also offer you top-quality halal food, prepared in a separated halal-specific kitchen. 

The vessel itself features 18 chic cabins with private balconies, a luxurious restaurant and a bar, and modern spa & fitness facilities. What is more, the ship itself is brand-new, launched just in 2018. 

Keep in mind that if you purchase this 180$ cruise you will benefit from a free-visa approval letter. Also, free of charge, you can take part in activities like cooking classes, Tai chi exercises, bamboo boat swimming, and fishing for fish & squid, among other Mon Cheri-specific experiences. 

  • Departure daily, from Hanoi
  • 2 days/1 night
  • Group tour
  • Launched in 2018
  • 18 cabins
  • Metal boat

Keep in mind that you can extend your tour for an extra day, turning it into a 3 days/2 nights opulence-exuding package. 


Glory Legend Cruise

  • Departure & Return Location: Hanoi (Old Street Quarter)
  • Departure time(from Hanoi): 7.30(first day)
  • Return time(to Hanoi): 4.00pm (last day)
  • Meals: 1 breakfast+1 brunch, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Sunset over Ha Long bay islands Halong mountains in South China Sea, Vietnam. UNESCO World Heritage Site Asia.

One of the best-value sea tours of Halong Bay is the Glory Legend Cruise. 

On it, you will not just sail around Halong Bay but also profit from unique Indochina decor, top-notch service, ambrosial cuisine, a library, spa & a fitness area, but also will meet local fishermen and learn what makes this part of Vietnam truly special. 

Head for the great sea tour to explore the region’s authentic charm, without spending a fortune. It will set you back just 119$, with a free visa approval letter priced in. 

  • Departure daily, from Hanoi
  • 2 day/ 1 night
  • Group tour
  • Launched in 2013 (refurbished in 2016)
  • 22 cabins
  • Metal boat

Keep in mind that you can book either a 2 day/1 night option or a 3 day/2 nights option. 


Orchid & Azalea’s Peony Cruise

  • Departure & Return locations: Hanoi (Old Street Quarter)
  • Departure time: 9.00 am (first day) 
  • Return time: 2.30 pm (last day)
  • Meals: 1 breakfast +1 brunch, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
Cruise boats on Halong bay, Vietnam

Run by the same operator as two other premium Halong Bay cruises, Peony Cruise is one of the newest luxury cruise lines that will take you around the most scenic spots in Halong Bay, like Cat Ba Island, Trung Trang cave, Lan Ha Bay & Halong Bay proper for just 139$.

Launched in just 2018, it features not just 20 luxurious cabins with a balcony, delectable onboard fare and exquisite drinking menu, but also a one-of-its-kind interior and first-class service by a team of Peony Cruise hospitality ninjas. 

On this tour you can see for yourself the beauty of Lan Ha Bay, one of the best places to see in Halong Bay with its jade-green water and its pristine paradisiac beaches, making it one of the best cruises in Halong Bay. 

  • 2 days/1 night
  • Departure daily, from Hanoi
  • Group Tour
  • Launched in 2018
  • 20 cabins
  • Metal boat

Keep in mind that the cruise ship departs from an exclusive jetty, and is one of the most recently-launched cruises in Halong Bay. Also, you can opt for a 2 day/3 nights sea journey, which will additionally offer you a chance to visit Bai Tu Long Bay & Viet Hai Village. 


Phoenix Cruiser

  • Departure & Return Location: Hanoi (Old Street Quarter)
  • Departure time(from Hanoi): 7.45am
  • Return time(to Hanoi): 7.30am
  • Meals: lunch
Photos from Halong Bay and Ninh Binh in 2015

One of the budget cruises you can go on in North Vietnam, and still feel like a veritable aristocrat, is Phoenix Cruiser. On it, just 59$, you can not only feel utmost comfort at a good price but also pay a tribute to the spirit of exploration. 

You will sail to the floating villages, which make North Vietnam one of the most authentic places to visit in the whole region, and such natural marvels as Thien Kung, also known as Heaven Palace Grotto, featuring preternatural stalactites and stalagmites. 

Keep in mind that it is not just sightseeing that is on the menu, you can also take pleasure in ambrosial seafood, and even go kayaking. 

  • 1 day
  • Departure daily from Hanoi
  • Group tour

Bear in mind that the cruise can be extended for another day. This can extend your Halong Bay cruises adventures.


Stellar of the Seas Cruise

  • Departure & Return Location: 10 Phan Chu Trinh Street
  • Departure time(from Hanoi): 8.10
  • Return time(to Hanoi): 15.30
  • Meals: breakfast+1 lunch, 1 dinner,1 breakfast, and 1 lunch. 
Lan Ha Bay by Cat Ba Island in northern Vietnam.

The most luxurious of the cruises you can take is the Stellar of the Seas Cruise. On this boat, you can travel in luxury and utmost nonchalance around the mesmeric seascape of Halong Bay. Onboard your every whim will be catered to by the squad of hospitality gurus, surprising even the most jaded of jet-setters.  

What is more, you can even play golf on the vessel’s micro-golf-course, with gob-smacking sea vistas passing by; or splash around its magnificent swimming pool. All this, just for 230$. 

  • 2 day/1 night
  • Departure daily from Hanoi
  • Group tour

For sure there are many ways to explore the pristine beauty of Northern Vietnam, but for sure one of the most time-tested means to do it is to go on a cruise. Like this, you will feel what the East is all about: luxury, sensuality and utmost ease. 


Travel Insurance

Getting travel insurance before you travel is a MUST. It’s the number one thing you should always pack before travelling that can save you a lot of money, time, and stress. With how crazy travel has gotten recently you need that peace of mind that no matter what happens there is something protecting you from losing out. I always travel with travel insurance and think everyone should.

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Pick from all these amazing Halong Bay cruises and get your adventure started!

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