Review of 2 days 1 night trip on President cruise in June 2022

Vehicles

I went with 2 people, initially thinking of catching the car at the station or booking a car by myself to save money. However, after thinking about it, I decided to choose Limousine directly from the train station. Because the bus picks up directly at my house (my house is in an area a bit far from the old town, but the train station is flexible to pick up my house), it doesn't catch passengers along the way like a normal bus and makes sure I get to the pier on time. .

The car picked me up at 8:45 and was informed that it would go along the new highway so it only took 2.5 hours and rested along the way for about 10 minutes to rest and go to the toilet. The car is new, clean, odorless, with water on board for each person. The break point is a kind of shopping place, but it stops pretty quickly, so for those of us who don't buy anything, it shouldn't be a problem.

The bus stopped at Paradise Suites hotel in Tuan Chau at 11:30, we rested and drank water here for about 30 minutes before being taken to the train to check-in.

About the cruise and rooms

Around 12:15, we boarded the train and were greeted by the crew on board. The first impression is that the ship is very spacious and clean. I found out that the train has been running since 2018 but it seems to be very well maintained, so it still looks new and luxurious. The train also has an elevator.

The restaurant area is very large, there are 2 dining areas and an area for eating breakfast and listening to Jazz music in the evening. There is a shared toilet on the floor, so if you need it, you won't have to go down to your own room. Taking a closer look, I saw that the ship had an outdoor jacuzzi and had 2 sundeck floors, which I did not see in the surrounding ships. Tables and chairs are placed quite a lot on the sundeck to relax and sunbathe.

We were served a welcome drink while listening to an introduction from the train manager about rooms, train schedule and safety while traveling. After that, we checked in and went back to the restaurant for lunch.

Our room is the Ambassador on the 1st floor. The room is large, with a private balcony with seating for sightseeing, virtual living. The room is fully furnished with slippers, toiletries, bathrobes, hair dryer, etc. The bed is super soft. In the morning we have to fight forever to wake up because we don't want to miss any activities, otherwise we can sleep until noon :D

Embassador room on the President cruise

Food on the boat

All meals are included in the trip including 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 light tea before going on a sightseeing tour and 1 full breakfast on the 2nd day.

The first meal is a buffet lunch, the amount of food is large and delicious. However, I think it's still not really special, expecting more strange and diverse dishes. I rate lunch 9/10.

Dinner is served individually, with a variety of seafood dishes. I'm a fan of seafood, so it's easy to see that the food is very fresh, not frozen. Very tasty and beautifully presented. Dinner I give 10/10.

A light breakfast consisting of several varieties of bread, cakes, cereals, milk, tea and coffee. We took the opportunity to eat quickly and then follow the group because we also got up a bit late :))). When I came back, I was really hungry, took advantage of the time to pack up, do the check-out procedures and eat the main breakfast. This meal has a lot more variety, I really like egg rolls, seafood vermicelli and pasta.

In addition, because I booked a train from the train company, I had an extra light lunch at a restaurant on the wharf before getting on the bus back to Hanoi. Because the two of us ate quite a lot for breakfast, we only ate a little more fruit and yogurt.

Restaurant area on the 3rd floor

Cruise itinerary President

The first day we kayaked at Tung Sau Pearl Village. Although we were also quite curious about the pearl culture process, we made an appointment to try kayaking, so we decided to choose kayak. Although it was our first time trying, but listening to the instructions and struggling for a while, we also mastered the kayak and felt very excited. Don't regret choosing kayak :D

Then the train stops at Sung Sot cave. There is a guide to follow to introduce the history of formation as well as only interesting shapes in the cave that you must use your imagination to see. The cave was very crowded at first, but inside, the space was large, so it was less crowded. Big and beautiful cave. I went about 1 hour for this tour.

After returning from activities, there is a cooking program (nem rolls) on the deck or afternoon tea party. However, we chose a spot on the top floor sundeck, watching the sunset and relaxing instead of cooking. Ha Long is really beautiful at the moment. You should take advantage of the sundeck to not miss this beautiful scene.

Dinner starts at 7:30. After dinner, we went out to watch other guests fishing for squid for a while and then returned to the room to rest and relax on the balcony. Ha Long at night, the ships are all lit up, so it looks very shimmering.

The next morning, if you can get up early, go to the sundeck to watch the sunrise or practice tai chi (Taichi) with the guide. We only had time to go up to breakfast so we missed this activity. If I have a chance, I will definitely try it next time.

On the second day, we visited Ti Top Island with swimming and climbing activities. The boat provides towels and water for guests. We climbed to the top of Ti Top mountain to see the bay from above. Because it was so beautiful, we were busy taking pictures. When I came down, I only had time to swim for a while, not to swim in the sea. Nice sandy beach but a bit small. Summer is crowded with tourists, so there is not too much space.

Then, back to the ship, we check-out, have breakfast and return to Tuan Chau Wharf to wait for the bus back to Hanoi.

View of Ha Long Bay from the top of Mount Titop

Staff

Regarding the attitude of the staff, we see nothing to criticize. From the driver to the reception staff, the restaurant staff, the tour guide… all are friendly, enthusiastic and attentive. Employees wear neat uniforms and behave politely and professionally.

The staff, although young, are very enthusiastic, care about all customers from old to young, and know how to play with children. The guide also told a very charming and funny story.

I rate the staff 10/10.

General rating and note

Overall my 2 days 1 night trip is very good value for money. Although there are a few small minus points, it did not affect our experience.

After the trip, I have a few notes for those of you who want to book a cruise:

• Drinks on the train are quite expensive outside and only 1 bottle of water per person in the room, so you can bring some drinks to keep in the room.
• Bring sports shoes or flat sandals when climbing, do not wear flip flops because if the stairs are foggy or rainy, it can be slippery.
• Bring swimwear or shorts with a dry bag for your phone or camera when kayaking as it's easy to get wet.

The post is too long. Thank you for reading to the end of my post. Hope these are the shares to help those of you who are still wondering about a cruise vacation can decide. And moreover, President Cruise will certainly not disappoint you. ;)

See more: President Cruise Information and Schedule