Frequently asked questions

To book a Halong cruise, you can go to CruiseHalongBay office at 72 Hang Trong for consultancy and direct booking, or contact us via email, phone (phone call, Zalo chat), or inbox to our Facebook Page. Our travel consultants will always be available to answer any questions and suggest to you the most suitable program.

Because of the very good deal we offer, the cruises often run out of rooms very quickly, especially on weekends. In the high season, many cruises are usually full 1 or 2 months in advance. Thus, if you have a plan to join a cruise trip, you should consider booking as soon as possible to reserve your seat in advance in case your favorite cruise is no longer available.

The cruise organizers allow you to change the travel date with or without a surcharge at least 7 to 15 days in advance and upon the number of reserved rooms. Therefore, if you cannot go on the date you have already booked due to some unexpected reasons, please contact our consultant as soon as possible to help you change the date and avoid any surcharge (if possible).

Each cruise has a different program, but most of them include attractive off-board activities such as visiting a cave, kayaking, sitting on bamboo boats to watch the bay, visiting fishing villages, or swimming in the sea. In addition, there are other on-board activities such as morning tai chi practice, cooking lessons, afternoon tea or simply relaxing on the deck and watching sunset on the bay.

Most cruises do not have medical staff. However, there are medical boxes with painkillers, disinfectants, or bandages for first aid. In case you need to go to hospital, the canoe service (with a fee) of the Ha Long port authority will be available to take you ashore as soon as possible.

A Halong cruise program lasts for 2 days and 1 night with a stay on board of about 24 hours. The cruise departs at 12.00 the previous day and ends at 11.30 - 12.00 noon the next day.

Almost Ha Long Cruises serve vegetarians and vegans food. Please notify our travel consultant in advance 3-5 days before departure so that the staff on board can prepare the most thoughtful meal.

All cabins on the cruise have a private bathroom and restroom. There are full of personal amenities to ensure a comfortable stay for you.

There is usually a resting lounge, restaurant, bar, gym, and spa room on board. Besides, some new and luxurious cruise ship includes a swimming pool (jacuzzi), mini-golf course, reading room, wine cellar, or children's play area, providing a more enjoyable experience to all passengers.

Overnight cruise programs always include meals for passengers. Each 2 days/1 night program has 4 meals including 1 lunch, 1 dinner on the first day,1 light breakfast, and 1 lunch the next day.

Depending on each cruise, you will be catered to a buffet or set menu meal. There is normally a breakfast and lunch buffet to save time for outdoor activities and a dinner set menu so guests can enjoy multiple courses under the lights in the peaceful setting of the bay.

Menu onboard is well designed with varied food such as chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, and especially seafood. You will have a chance to enjoy multiple types of seafood from the bay namely fish, shrimp, squid, oysters, etc.

Beverages are not included in the price. You are provided with 2 bottles of mineral water when check-in. Other beverages will come with an extra fee. Most of the cruises have a bar with a drink menu for you to choose from. Due to the high transportation fee, the price of drinks onboard may be higher than those in restaurants or supermarkets on the mainland.

Travel insurance is included in the room rate but just during the time you are on board and in case of disaster, or fire. This is not individual travel insurance. Individual travel insurance is recommended for your entire trip in Vietnam for complete protection.

Tipping for crew staff is optional. You can tip the staff if you are satisfied with their service. However, the tip is a very meaningful reward for them because it is your encouragement for their efforts, so if possible, you should spend a little tip to encourage and motivate the crew team on board.

The current promotions only apply to Vietnamese and foreigners who are living and working in Vietnam, who have a permanent residence card, or a work permit in Vietnam issued by competent authorities. You will be requested to submit photos/scans of these documents to get the promotion rate.

Halong cruises operate under the direction of the management board of Ha Long Bay. In case of normal rainy and windy weather, cruises still operate. In case of bad weather such as storms, monsoons, or thunderstorms, and the management board does not allow the cruise to depart or requires the cruise to come back mid-way to avoid the storm, the cruise will support changing the date or give a refund depending on the each cruise’s policy. Please contact Customer Service for specific advice.

Weekend surcharge depends on the policy of each cruise. Due to the high demand on weekends, some cruises will apply a weekend surcharge. Traveling on weekdays is a way to save money and avoid crowds. However, some cruises have the same price policy for all days for you to choose from.

Most cruises offer all-inclusive packages that include sightseeing tickets. Services and activities mentioned in the program such as entrance tickets, meals, a cooking lesson, taichi, sampan boat, etc.. are all included (except for the kayak which will be surcharged in some cruises). You only have to pay extra for personal expenses such as transport, drinks, spa services, tips.

The promotions usually come with a no-cancellation policy. However, you can ask for changing your departure date in the permitted time frame in case of an unexpected problem. If you cancel unilaterally, you will not be refunded.

Yes. You need to bring identification documents such as an identity card, or passport, or birth certificate (for children who do not have an ID card yet) when traveling on a Halong Cruise.

For safety reasons, smoking in bedrooms and in restaurants is not allowed. However, you can smoke in open spaces such as balconies or on the sundeck.

Almost cruise’s itinerary includes swimming. For cruises visiting Halong Bay, you can swim at Titop beach - the most famous beach in the bay. For cruises visiting Lan Ha Bay, the ships usually stop at Ao Ech Area (Frog Pond area) or a safe & clean water area for freely swimming or kayaking.

Most Ha Long cruises provide free wifi. However, due to geographical location, when the ships go far from the shore, the wifi signal is often weak and unstable. Hope for your understanding in this matter.

Halong cruise programs normally do not include transportation from Hanoi. You may pay an additional fee to use this service. However, there are still a few cruises including free bus transfer from Hanoi. Kindly check with the travel consultant for suggestions.

The buses normally pick up and drop off passengers at their own office (usually located in Hoan Kiem district). Some cruises will flexibly pick up and drop off guests at hotels in the Old Quarter. Pick-up time is around 8:00 – 8:30 or 9:00 – 9:20 depending on each cruise. After booking, you will receive a service confirmation with specific information on the pick-up point and pick-up time. Or you can directly contact Customer Care for accurate information about the ship you are interested in.

The bus does not pick up from the airport. If you land at Noi Bai Airport, you can take a taxi to the cruise office in Hanoi center to use the bus service. Or if you land at Van Don Airport in Quang Ninh or Cat Bi Airport in Hai Phong, you can take a private car to the pier for more convenience. You can directly contact the Customer Care staff for more detailed support.

The departure time at the port of each cruise varies yet usually at 12:00 – 12.30 pm. Please be at the port at least 30 minutes before departure time to check in. In case you are late, the cruise organizer can help arrange a private speedboat to take you from the mainland to the boat with an extra charge. However, the cost is quite high, thus please arrange the transport and be in time to avoid the fee.

Yes. Day cruises include a lunch onboard. After completing the check in procedures, you will enjoy lunch while the cruise manager introduces the activities and the boat moves to the bay. If you have any special requests about food such as allergies or vegetarian diets, please inform us when booking so that the crew can prepare proper food for you.

Halong Bay day tours only last for 5 - 7.5 hours but offer a bunch of activities such as swimming, kayaking, sunbathing, and watching the sunset on the bay. A few longer journeys include a visit to the village by a bamboo boat rowed by locals, a cooking lesson, or afternoon tea.

No. Private rooms are unavailable on a day cruise. However, there will be more relaxing areas for guests. Besides, a day cruise also has a restaurant, bar, and restroom. Some luxurious day boats are also equipped with a gym and spa to enhance guests’ experience.