The luxury cruise I recently went on in Ha Long Bay was truly an unforgettable experience. Stellar of the Seas is one of the highest-rated luxury cruise lines, if not the highest. While that's fine and dandy, I'm here to tell you if it's worth the extra money when you can easily find a cruise that's 1/3 the price.
First things first, getting to the cruise terminal.
We opted to travel to Ha Long Bay the day before and stay at a resort since we didn't want to be stressed about missing boarding time. We quickly learned that the travel time was not something to be worried about. The cruise shuttle and bus companies work together seamlessly and it's unlikely you'll miss your boarding time since any bus company understands that 95% of their patrons are going to Ha Long Bay to board one of the many cruise lines. If you're still concerned, you can always contact your cruise line to arrange transportation with them so you know that you are in reliable hands.
Upon arriving at the cruise terminal, we were greeted with a bustling atmosphere as the terminal was in the process of expanding. We checked in with the host who tagged our luggage and asked us to take a seat. We found some indoor seats at the Stellar of the Seas lounge and ordered a delicious honey ginger tea while we waited to board. If you take a Ha Long Bay cruise, I urge you to go to the Stellar of the Seas lounge and ordered a honey ginger tea. It was a super strong mixture that had real ginger in it, perfect for the dreary weather that we had. We enjoyed this specific drink so much we ended up ordering it several times on the boat, but it was never as strong as it was at the terminal. When we left we made sure to order an extra drink from the terminal and take it to go.
In order to get to our actual boat, we had to take a smaller 20-person speed boat and the crew handled loading our luggage to the back. This boat would be one of 2 boats that we would always need to take to get to an excursion, unlike large cruise ships in other parts of the world that can just dock at a port. Throughout our cruise, we saw that all the other cruise lines also would be towing a smaller boat.
Cruise Itinerary
We went on a 2-night, 3-day cruise for $600 per person which was a splurge since we had seen signs in Hanoi offering cruises of the same length for just $180 per person. I went as part of a 4-person group and we choose a senior elite suite that had a joining door that was convenient for us to be able to pop into each other's rooms but also have some privacy. Most cruise itineraries are similar and ours was not too different. On our 1st day, we met other folks and learned about the logistical operations. Some were on their 2nd day and others told us they only signed up for a 1 day 2 night cruise. The consensus was that the 2-night, 3-day cruise really gives you time to unwind and enjoy your cabin without getting bored. If you were looking for a quick way to enjoy the bay, then I would definitely opt for a cheaper cruise and go with a 1-night/ 2-day cruise. You'll only be on the actual cruise boat for about 24 hours since you board a bit after noon and will be getting off the next day just before noon so the crew can turn over your room and get ready for their next stay.
Day 1
12:45: Take a Speedboat to the cruise ship
13:00: Enjoy lunch in the restaurant & get keys to the room
15:00 – 17:30: Go Kayaking around caves
16:00 – 18:00: Unwind in our stateroom - AKA take photos of the beautiful scenery
18:00: Cooking demonstration - making spring rolls
19:00: Dinner
20:30: Free time - Hop in the bay for a quick swim in an attached inflatable pool.
DAY 2
6:15 – 6:35: Morning exercise session: Tai Chi - I tried to make it but I just couldn't get up that early
6:45 – 7:30: Breakfast
7:30 – 9:45: Free time to relax on the cruise
9:45: Buffet lunch
12:30 - 16:30: Visit the Viet Hai floating village by electric car or bicycle. Then visit the beach of the Ba Trai Dao area in Lan Ha Bay
16:30 – 18:00: Return to the Stellar of the Seas - and relax on the cruise.
18:00 – 19:00: Cooking demonstration - making spring rolls
19:00: Enjoy dinner
20:30: Free time - we tried squid fishing but there were no bites
DAY 3
6:15 – 6:35: Morning exercise session: Tai Chi - Again I tried to get up in time, but failed
6:45 – 7:30: Breakfast
7:45 – 8:45: Speedboat tour around Lan Ha
9:30 – 9:45: Pack up the luggage and return the key
9:45: Lunch
10:45: Settle down the payment for personal expenses (beverages, spa, etc.).
11:10: Return to the mainland by speedboat
14:00 – 14:30: Drop off in the Old Quarter
Cruise amenities and the extras
My favorite activity on the cruise was sitting on the balcony and enjoying traditional Vietnamese egg coffee. The views were incredible and it was so fun to be able to order directly to our room. We got a couples massage, which was nice but not nearly as luxurious as the massage we got at FLC just a few days earlier.
The meals were hit or miss, they definitely go all out for your first meal. We had some scallops, pan-fried salmon with passion fruit sauce, and a mango cheesecake and banana flambe for dessert. Unfortunately, the rest of the meals were nothing to write home about and usually a buffet style of traditional Vietnamese dishes.
Not only did they have an awesome heated pool in the front of the boat, but in the evenings, the staff would also put out an inflatable pool in the back of the boat. This inflatable pool had a weighted net to protect guests from any marine life in the bay. Don't worry about getting caught in the net, the net holes are super small; you wouldn't even be able to fit a toothpick through them. They also had two stand-up paddle boards available for use for free that guests would take turns using. The water in the bay was quite cold, so we quickly headed back to the front of the boat.
One of the standout features of the Stellar of the Seas was the attention to detail and impeccable service. As soon as we boarded, staff were waiting on deck to greet us and sprinkle rose petals on us as we walked to our lunch room. Throughout the cruise, we had a personal butler available to assist us with any needs and a team of hosts who greeted us each time we disembarked for an excursion. Our butler Alex also had snacks and drinks ready for us when we got back on the boat after our excursion on the beach. Our hosts also were great at being able to communicate with us in English, which was great since we had been relying heavily on google translate for most of the trip.
We also had time to get our photos taken by a drone operator while on the boat and the photos turned out great. The boat had parked in a very peaceful area and there were no other boats nearby. From talking with other tourists that we met, this was a really unique experience and definitely added to the overall "WOW" factor. The drone operator came around when we were eating lunch later to airdrop us the photos.
Conclusion
Overall, we had an amazing time on this luxury cruise and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a truly luxurious vacation experience. If you are traveling as a couple or a group of young adults, I'm sure the details of the cruise would be appreciated. However, if you are traveling with young kids they might not be old enough to appreciate all the small features of the cruise line. The balcony view, traditional egg coffee, and beautiful scenery added to the impeccable service and facilities.
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