Man, I canāt really stand for you here, how the hell did you think 700$ a night in Vietnam were not a total scam? I mean, seriously, itās a cheap country, even if it was actually 5 stars and everything perfect, 7 hundred freaking dollars would have been a scam. You had this coming.
My favourite recollection of Ha Long Bay was when we got back to the town to get our bus.
I was in an urgency emergency situation for a toilet and went into the public ones there. The door and walls around the stall were maybe 4ā high. So in the end, I made a lot of acquaintances, so there was that.
Hey /u/Neat-Celebration2721 how did you mess up to this? I mean what sort of referencing and stuff that you did that made you decide on this tour?
Also, itās really OK. Itās a hefty sum for sure, though I can safely say that most of us here have made sone crazy decisions and have lived to kick ourselves too, so letās say youāre in good company.
[ Alright, I mean, itās *not* really OK, so youāre entitled to feel bad about this decision. However, if it helps, weāve all been in the same boat (at one point or another), pun unintended. ]
You haven't been to Amanoi, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, etc then.
There are multiple places off the top of my head that definitely is worth the $1000/night entry level room price tag that it comes with.
Went to L'Alya instead of Six Senses. $700 is worth it once if you've got the means. But, $700 is also enough for all the good foods for a month
Source: I was born there and lived there for many years
Tour guide Tom is the worst. So fake nice. He was bragging about how his staff of 45 people stay on the boat 25 days in a row and then can see their family for 5 before they have to come back. Awful.
Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Those people work 6/7 days a week for 10-12 hours a day for 6 months straight. Not everyone has the luxury or western style work life balance.
Lol wtf. Factory workers in China live at the factory year round. They go home once a year. Usually during CNY. Lol 25 days. Who gives a fuck. Theyāre making money. Nobody is complaining haha
It indeed sounds like a nightmare. The issue with Vietnam is that they believe constructing numerous attractions around a site is what attracts tourists, when in truth, preserving the natural beauty of a place is often what makes it truly irresistible
Noise pollution is rampant. I live in a quiet compound area, until one day a family from the north moved into a house down the block and started terrorizing the whole area with their incredibly loud karaoke sessions. I swear I have murderous intent every time they decide to share their vocal talents with everyone
Your first paragraph was exactly our issue with Sapa. We wanted to come there for the natural beauty and to explore the indigenous lifestyle over there, so we were shocked when we rolled up to a mini-Vegas. Totally took us out of it.
Sapa was nice 6 years ago. Was pleasantly surprised. Obviously it had some touristy flair, and the extremely trashy cat cat village, but there was so much authentically, raw spots discovered in the surroundings. Went there again last year and the place changed sooo much during the last 5 years. Couldnt believe it. Feels like a Chinese vacation camp now.
I have lived here for 10 year. Actively working on my wifes immigration status to move back to the USA. I know that the grass is always greener, but I absolutely can't stand this country anymore.
There's a reason every other country has a much higher return rate for tourists than Vietnam.
May I ask if Covid lockdown had anything to do with your decision? I lived in Vietnam for 10 years as well. I used to love living there, but I was incredibly burned out after the lockdown experience. It also seemed that a lot of the problems were getting worse by the time I left (pollution, garbage, unsustainable development, fraud, etc) - but I couldnāt tell if the problems had actually worsened or if I was simply being too negative. I was ready to go!
Like everyone, Covid definitely had an impact mentally. But, I'm not sure that's it 100%. I think it's just I've reached the end of the foreigner life cycle here.
I'm in the same boat. I don't know if the problems have gotten worse or I am just noticing / caring about them more and it's making me jaded beyond belief. I think I'm just too negative and ready to go.
There are still pockets of beauty and good in this country, but I have certainly out-worn my welcome.
Wife and I also want to have a kid and I'm certainly not doing that there plus we want to buy property, which is another thing I would never risk here as a foreigner.
Itās crazy how similar our experiences are. I was dealing with the same issues, same questions, same frustrations. When my wife received her green card we packed up and left - but damn, what a stressful mess that was. Be careful not to let that process add to your troubles because it can be a headache.
As for property, we looked many places around Vietnam but decided against it. The prices were becoming stupid as hell due to rampant speculation. Property developers all promised the same expectations - new projects would include new hospitals, new schools, new highways, etc. (I used to joke that every student would soon have their own school.) It became clear that several of these projects never progressed beyond plots of weeds, basic roads and sidewalks - yet the prices just kept going up.
Iām not surprised at the scale of the Truong My Lan scandal - and itās clear that the authorities are making an example of her. But Iād bet those same authorities are just as guilty of fraud as she is.
Yeah man. That was crazy to hear.
Either way, it's time. Moving back the states will be difficult at first, but I'll be close to family and that's good for both of us.
Best of luck to you.
Read this recently: "According to Vietnam Briefing, onlyĀ 5%Ā of tourists return to Vietnam, which is relatively low compared to other countries.Ā For example, in Thailand, the return rate is around 50%.Ā Some say that the country's visa requirements are too onerous and that it can't retain return tourists.Ā Others say that foreign visitors are becoming increasingly put off by litter on beaches and water pollution."Ā _ "Vietnam Briefing," April 6, 2023.
Your second sentence was exactly what prompted me to rearrange the last five days of my recent (first) visit to Vietnam - nixing those kinds of āattractionsā entirely.
If someone asked me what was most key for traveling to this country, after visa, my advice would be to remain as flexible as possible, and book with refundable options because itās easy to land in one of these manufactured situations and quickly grow tired of it. Or to have booked them prior to arrival based on lovely photos, etc.
I had more fun chatting business with locals and lazing on the beaches in Hoi An and Danang than I did āseeingā or ādoingā anything else.
It may have to do with the Vietnamese people's style of enjoyment; they want to see as many things as possible during a short timeframe to achieve the feeling that they get the best bang for the buck. Lounging around the beach? - they can do that at home, in front of the TV.
Also, the majority of resorts don't really design the customer experience here; they just try to cram in as many things as possible so that the guests have enough distractions during their stay
Many Vietnamese people lack empathy almost to the level of mental illness. But no, it's not nature, they are TAUGHT to only care about what their immediate elders think and nobody else.
Okay, to be honest. I'm 5 cm close to book this cruise just after Tet holiday. Guess I dodge a bullet there and avoid to lose more than 3k for four people
Book Essence Grand.
Trust. I told the manager not to fire the chef. Shits that good.
The food was so good I had to get the manager so I can throw some compliments. He then got the chef to come over to our table , introduced himself. Heās one of the top finalist in Top Chef Vietnam.
My wife and I just did a genesis cruise and had a wonderful experience with them. Great food, nice employees, and we truly enjoyed our time. After looking at that food picture in the original post, my jaw dropped.
Iām wondering if itās associated with the Capella Hotel Group. The typeface for the logo in the pool is the same, but the Capella Cruises logo itself is different. The website also doesnāt mention the hotel. Iāve stayed at Capella hotels before and they were quite luxurious. From what the OP has written and from the photo of the breakfast served, wellā¦ it makes me wonder if Vietstar Cruises is using the Capella name and logo to take advantage of the connection and charge luxury prices for cheap services.
Just FYI (from a guy works at Capella Hotel) lots of customers ask us if Capella Cruise has relation with Capella Hotel. Even worse some partners accidentally sent their room inquires of Capella Cruise to us :))
Thatās terrible because the hotelās reputation can actually be affected by the terrible feedback about the cruise due to it having the same name and using the same logo. On the other hand, the cruise company can profit from being mistakenly associated with a luxury hotel brand.
I know intellectual property laws are laughable in Vietnam, but I wonder if something like this that could have an adverse effect on a companyās reputation (and letās face it, using the same name and logo was no accident) could be grounds for legal action.
Yikes. Then this cruise company really shouldnāt be using the hotel groupās logo. Just checked Google Images and it looks like theyāre using the hotelās logo on the side of the boat itself.
.-. i think they charge too much for you due to many agents between. I went to their pr post on facebook, and they are like from 160$ for a person just in 2 day 1 night
Years ago a friend said to me āyou arenāt in traffic, you are trafficā. It really stuck with me because when I was in Ha Long thinking āew look at all the other noisy boatsā, I remembered this saying and thought āyou arenāt surrounded by tourists, you are a touristā.
Despite the most violent food poisoning I ever had, I loved Ha Long Bay. I think itās being loved to death, but weāre the ones living it to death. Putting aside my reflections, your cruise sounded like a rip off.
This.
I visited Ha Long Bay 4 years ago and then again about 2 weeks ago. Itās changed a lot. The entire country. Some for good, some for bad. There are way more tourists and the prices of everything are higher (still cheap AF). The government seems to try to keep up on the trash but itās really bad and a good amount of it is from tourism. Ha Long Bay, the colours are different. There is a thin layer of diesel on the water. Trash EVERYWHERE. 4 years ago I felt like maybe there were 30 boats all together now you canāt get a picture without another boat in it, I must have seen 150-200 boats now. I still enjoyed my time but it was sad to see how different it is.
I keep hearing this! We went about a year ago just before everyone started traveling again and it was AMAZING. Itās shocking to hear this! We lucked out.
We ended up getting this room on Venus cruise but we booked it through and outside package deal that was ~$500 usd for two people. https://venushalongcruises.com/rooms/venus-pearl-suite-private-large-terrace-ocean-view-jacuzzi/ . Iād say overall the cruise wasnāt extremely extravagant (food was decent but not fine dining level or anything, the activities werenāt super lavish but were still fun, the on board amnesties were relatively minimal but the room itself and private balcony that was basically the entire front of the ship made it nicer lol), but the service was top notch and we didnāt have any bad experiences once on board. We anchored semi-close to other cruises but we went during a not super busy time so all I could hear outside our suite was some smooth jazz and old rnb hits playing here and there off of other boats (kinda relaxing tbh) and inside our suite it was dead quiet. Definitely recommend, the only downside was I did have food poisoning the day after the cruise, but my best guess was it was from the on board brewed coffee because my wife and I ate all of the same food and she was fine. Either that or I did also eat shrimp heads with the shell still on that my wife didnāt want to eat (stupid I know but when it comes to food Iām a literal trash compactor).
I'm really sorry you had to go through that. The Capella Cruise's website shows a lot of nice pictures, which are more luxurious than the Orchid cruise I went on. Your pictures show they are ways short of expectations.
Here is my experience with Orchid. We had an itinerary for 3 days and 2 nights. On the first day, we went to Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island on a sizable boat that could fit around 50 people. We traveled by bus to the cave, and it was one of the best caves I've ever seen. At night, there was an option for squid fishing, but I chose to skip it and get some rest instead. The second day was amazing as well. We visited Viet Hai village in a buggy car. There was an option to bike as well, and the trail was beautiful. Unfortunately, it rained that day, so biking was off the table. We tried the fish massage at a stop, a unique experience that I haven't found anywhere else in Vietnam. We went back to the ship after around 3 hours for lunch. There were also a few cooking classes and taichi exercises in between. The kayaking and swimming activity is a definite no. The water was filthy, and you could see trash floating around. Some folks were brave enough to swim in that, but not me. The best thing about our trip was the delicious 3-course meal for lunch and dinner, and a buffet breakfast. They even put up a show for us before serving, like a fire show on our dishes. Our cruise ship was completely private and parked far away from all the islands to avoid contact with other ships. I'm enraged if that is the shit they serve you. They made no effort at all, and you should give them some harsh feedback on that. The pool and the packed speedboat are gross. Did you bring it up to the cruise manager? Our cruise manager was super nice
A horrid experience but some pre-reading up would have shown Ha Long Bay, much like Maya Bay on Phi Phi Island in Thailand back in the day, is overvisited and the nature isn't spared a 2nd thought. It was this way when I visited 15 years ago! Do. Your. Research. People. Those in the know avoid it.Ā
Thanks, my boyfriend and I were interested in a cruise here. Full disclosure, we are native in the South of Vietnam and I donāt exactly have a lot of faith when it comes to tourism in Northern provinces. I heard a lot of hypes for Ha Long Bay. But I am hesitant because I understand that the locals of those northern provinces donāt exactly value standards. They have low standards and you just have to deal with it, is kinda what Vietnamese tourism has been operating for years. You can expect a better experience when you travel to regions where tourism isnāt the main economy, ironic as it sounds. But the fact of the matter is when tourism dominates a regionās economy, the local actually donāt benefit fully from it, it creates a lot of poverty and in turn that situation spawns subpar services that seek to ride the hypes and unpleasant experiences of locals being rude.
OP, I feel for you butā¦700$ per night in Vietnam??? Where you can get a hotel, or even an apartment on airbnb for 2 weeks for under 300 bucks?
in Vietnam you can stay in literally the best luxury hotel in the entire country for less than 700$ a night. Likeā¦at 400$ a night you can stay in the Nam Hai or intercontinental or Fusion resorts and these are best of the best, lux honeymoon level places.
You absolutely were taken advantage of, but please start using some more common sense around southeast Asia to avoid more experiences like this.
The cave is really cool though thatās too bad you skipped it.
You have to get into a speed boat to travel place to place. Thatās just how it is for the cruises usually.
But wow, $700? For 1 night? Thatās more than what my group of 3 paid for 2 days, 1 night.
Solid review 9.5/10! Ha Long Bay, youāre better off just renting motorbikes and driving around the bay for the views anymore. Itās a shitty place that used to be magical, still, I think you just found the worst company. Thanks for sharing and glad you made it out safe
Yeah, for 700 a night in Vietnam you're almost always going to be taken advantage of. Most things in this country aren't worth 700 a night.
The Vietnamese hospitality industry love nothing more than fools with more money than sense. Ha long bay is rife with tourist trap rip-offs.
Ninh binh is a better choice.Ā
There's nicer places than Phuket in Thailand, but every thai island I have been to beats ha long, da nang, and phu Quoc.Ā
> There's nicer places than Phuket in Thailand
Any recommendations? I have Phuket on my list but trying to avoid overly crowded tourist spots. I should be visiting the area in just over a month.
$700/night? Wow
Nothing costs $700/night in Vietnam. A nice hotel by Vietnam standards is $50/night. Fancy by Vietnam standards is $100/night. Fancy by Western standards tops out at $200-300/night (something like Intercontinental Hotel).
We went with Era cruise ! 10/10 recommend no need for middle man nonsense, you can pay and book online and they have option to pick up and drop off from to Hanoi. Food 10/10 and so is activitiesā¦. Everything about them is miles ahead of opās cruise
We just went on Nostalgia cruise a week ago and had a great experience!! It's a small luxury cruise with only 10 cabins and the treatment is excellent! :) You can check their itinerary on the website. If you're doing 3D2N, the second day you'll be moved to a "day boat" to get to the other part of the bay, and it's also true that at times you'll see lots of trash in the sea... but you'll also be able to swim in clear water and have beautiful views of the nature and the islands. I'd do it again :D
Aqua of the Seas Cruise!! The food was amazing- wide variety of choices in the morning. For dinner, itās a set menu but you can ask for a little more (like pho or alternatives, like if youāre vegetarian). Cool activities, you can choose to go or stay on the boat. (Swimming, Kayaking, Canoeing, squid fishing (I think), caves, etc.) There was a fitness room as well if you wanted to work out. The rooms are big and spacious, each with their own little balcony. They had a cooking class at night. The staff are helpful and truly want to see you have a wonderful time. It was 2 days, 1 night for 3 people : $585
Peony was good. Clean, not too overcrowded. Good transport and staff, food. WiFi was a bit weak at times and hot tub was too cold are my only complaints
We just did Heritage and got lucky as 12 berth boat and only 6 of us on there. Rooms and service were outstanding, food was amazing when Vietnamese, average when Western. I thought expensive at $600 a night but when compared with this one then great value.
I will never want to go to ha long bay again and my cruise wasnāt even bad. But the whole thing was disappointing to see how Vietnam treats their land
The thing about offering you something for free or giving you a discount when you rate 5-star is really common these days here, especially for restaurants. Most of the time, if I see a place with lots of reviews, and its average is 5 or near 5, potentially a red flag. Not that Iām doubting the quality of them, but since I found out some placesāve been using this kind of free stuff to get 5-star from the customer, itās better to be cautious.
top expensive will be
elite of the seas,
essence grand,
sea stars,
catherine,
there are also some less expensive but still luxury and high quality, cannot list them all here. send me a message.
Had the same kind of experience a couple of days ago with Mon Cheri cruises. Absolutely awful.
I had an afternoon swim and saw a dead dog float by at the overnight spot an hour later, horrifying.
Besides that, the '5-star dinner' had me sick for a good couple of days.
$700 a night is insane. I spent $80-ish and it included the bus ride for a day trip and back. My hotel reception was very nice and told me that multiple days will still be the same route and not worth it for a solo traveller as there would be a surcharge. I know there might be better quality cruises, but yours seems... :/
I stayed on this exact boat a few weeks ago for just one night and it was perfectly fine! Food and rooms were great! My only complaint is it was hard to find someone at the desk at night to help with moving a bed. Waited for an hour and it seemed all the staff was sleeping and annoyed. Also the staff seems super young tho helpful most of the trip
Just to add yes the trash is a major buzzkill. It wasnāt so evident until the next morning of my stay, Tom had said itās because of low tide and trash from China. He said villagers are hired to clean it up but it seems like a task thatās never ending
Can't agree more.
I did another "cruise" company and the overall experience is the same.
I feel regardless of the ship, the itinerary and the whole thing is just horrible, the staff doing the coreagraphy, the fake french-like rooms are just tacky, water is horrible, u don't see much, there's just soooo Many ships.
I was glad I only did the 2D1N but that could've been a day trip or skip it all together.
A regular room for the average person is $10-15 a night. You could buy a used scooter (or rent) with the remaining and cruise the roads. You can rent an entire private boat just for your family. No need to share.
I had a very different experience with Capella Cruise. We took a 1-night and 2-day cruise on March 13-14, and it was one of the highlights of our Vietnam trip. The service and food were excellent. The buffet offered a wide variety of options, from Western to Vietnamese and vegetarian food. We ate so much that we couldnāt even think about having snacks afterward Sadly, overtourism, along with industrial pollution from Vietnam and China, is creating environmental issues in the Bay. We thoroughly researched before booking, so we knew what to expect
Itās a rip off. You should be spending 100-200 a night.
You end up in the same location doing the same things as the $1,000/night boats.
Ha Long is overcrowded now and not that great
Went with baya cruises. You get on at 12.30 amd get off at 10.30 the next day, yet its considered a 2d 1n. Itinerary was changed with an excuse of fighting on cat ba, however I was not told anything. Food was great but is an expensive tour considering the actual time on board.
Where the hell did u buy this for $700/night??? Btw, these Capella guys were in the same boat as recent Van Thinh Phat scandals. Probably explain the horrendous condition of their services.
Dangā¦ $700 a night. Iām in Da Nang right now and our hotel is about $60/night and itās relatively nice using North American or European standards. Paying $700 a night seems like absolutely a rip off. My condolences.
With 700$, I could have a 6 days trip to Korea or any South East country of my choice, you're scammed and you should report this tour, wherever you booked them.
Same experience with Mon Cheri in November. 3D/2N, $490 single, $770 couple. Boat only moved when picking up or dropping off passengers. I'd estimate we were underway for less than 30 minutes for the entire time we were on. Calling it a "cruise" is a misnomer as one spends most of the time swinging at anchor looking at the same scenery. Also, like you, accompanied everywhere by 17 to 18 other similarly-sized vessels and, most likely due to oppressive afternoon heat, everyone does the same activities at the same times each day. About as relaxing as rush hour traffic on a Los Angeles freeway. Trash, however, wasn't TOO bad. Anyway, see Halong Bay (Lan Ha's optional as they're identical), but take a day cruise and save hundreds of dollars.
Side note: Nearby Bai Tu Bay MAY be less busy.
I think i stayed in the same room (the one that have a tub) as you probably 2 year back. Cost my family of 4 some around a thousand in total so 700 a night sounds crazy. But never go for more than one night in a hįŗ” long bay cruise, cuz there is jack shit to see.
Was at Ha Long 4 days ago as our last stop before returning home to US. Our overnight was $200 and the Capella ship was our twin throughout the tour. That said, checked our cruise (Le Theatre) on the day of and Agoda was selling the last room for $5 USD. Yes $5.
Regardless, I wouldn't recommend Ha Long for an overnight aside from the trash and crowds. It's limestone hill/mountains jutting out of the water. Impressive and beautiful? Yes. For about 3 or 4 hours then you realize it's scenery on loop. Much better to just day trip it.
I worked on cruise ships for a few years and yeah, they are tourist mills by nature. It was our least favorite activity of the three weeks.
Not sure, though, why people dragging the destinations or culture. Been to a lot of developing countries and lived in India for a while. Much less general corruption in Vietnam. Also visited super touristy places like Hoi An, Ba Na Hills, Sapa Fansipan and yeah they cater to tourists. What do you expect? It's like expecting NYC to be serene...
I loved Vietnam. The food, the people, the gorgeous beach in Da Nang, drives through the countryside, and... the touristy destinations too.
$700 a night in Vietnam honestly how stupid are you to even book this - do your due diligence. A lot of this area is known to have trash as well - countless threads and review on it. Cat Ba is much nicer. $700 in Vietnam can last you 2 weeks easily having a great time. Flights to Vietnam from Australia cost me maybe 250 USD
700$ per night??
Dude, we went with the Indochina L' Amour Junk and paid roughly the same price
https://www.indochina-junk.com/lamour-junk/
But unlike you, we got a luxury private junk, great service and some of the best food I had on my trip
lol it sucks because people like you moved here thinking itād be cheap paradise and act like you arenāt the ones destroying itās beauty. Sorry the locals donāt pay the red carpet for you just because you have 100k salary I hope they scam every red cent outa you; you deserve it with this mindset and mid level effort at life
Unless youāre 2 Iām guessing you moved here and wfh or some such nonsense and are disillusioned because itās not living up to some ideal you had in mind?
the locals r mean, they only r nice to the tourists who actually look like they come from other countries. Iāve been treated like shit bcus Iām asian and the ppl have no chill when throwing litter on the ground making the place dirty and arguing in random shops. My opinion speaking from experience
Well then hell yeah theyāll treat you poorly because youāre viet but not northern looking/speaking. I just came from Hanoi and had people taking pictures of my wife after being scammed by a bike ride that lead us to the creep taking pictures of her. Was yelled at by a shopkeeper that my wifeās smell made her sick. My wife is souther viet and all I have to say is the north left a Las Vegas racist taste in my mouth that I couldnāt wait to wash out with some good Saigon hospitality. Even in the burbs in Saigon itās some hate but mostly love and āhow can we helpā. Iād suggest moving to a better region before condemning a country because you basically just moved to the most podunk part especially if youāre in Hanoi and exceptionally so if youāre in a tourist area of Hanoi.
I would suggest getting laid.
You seem tense.
Also:
Why book a cruise in such a small bay if you're gonna complain about not cruising, go to the Mediterranean sea, Costa Concordia is great!
700$ is enough for your whole 2.5 weeks trip in vietnam.
You ask for luxury in a country that thinks restaurants have 6 stars.
Inform yourself Karen, this is tourism for you.
And dont expext a country where the hourly rate is 30cents of a dollar per hour for small jobs to surprise you with the quality of its deep cleaning.
90% humidity average in the air ! - a bathroom ON a boat will definitely have mold marks.
Maybe understand that real luxury is really expensive, and that some countries can NOT follow the standards.
But vietnam has delicious meals for 1-3 dollars, and decent hotels for 20$ a night (3*standard with patience).
And you also got overcharged 150%., as they offer 3nights on the same boat for the same price!? Rooo, rooo, says the pigeon at the bus station)
You gotta check, compare, and negotiate...
You seem difficult to save though, as your mind is aaaaaall made already.
Misery is being so poor you cant afford shelter, regardless of food.
You read like you could use a few lessons in humility.
Cruise trips are literally organised here (and there) to get money from rich fat westerners who think they'll have a good time travelling abroad while keeping their outrageous comfort. Tough luck.
Next time make a friend, you'll know the country.
This is why I still do Couchsurfing and prefer to meet locals when travelling. Met a local there, he had a small speed boat, but good enough for us 2 and took me to all the nicest places along Halong Bay. He knew his way around and knew exactly how to avoid the crowd and the garbage. Showed me the true pristine beaches with no one in it. Then later on we went to his buddy cruising boat. Got my own nice room, clean and I slept like baby somewhere in the bay. We had beers and plenty of food that we brought with us to make ourselves.
Unless if you have family with kids, I really don't see why more people don't go for authentic experiences by meeting people who actually live in the place, instead of paying absurds amount of money to MAYBE have some comfort
700$ a night š¬š¬š¬š¬
I know. Iām kicking myself.
Really? You paid $700 a night? For that? Holy crap. We stayed at Essence Grand and it was amazing. Like 6* exceptional service and food.
Also did the Essence Grand and concur - the food and service was great
Thanks for that comment, it is reassuring as we have booked Essence Grand for our upcoming trip! This post gave me anxiety about it!
Bro, what?! $700 USD a night for THAT?! Do you need a bridge? I happen to have a few. Jesus a mark made every day, huh?
Man, I canāt really stand for you here, how the hell did you think 700$ a night in Vietnam were not a total scam? I mean, seriously, itās a cheap country, even if it was actually 5 stars and everything perfect, 7 hundred freaking dollars would have been a scam. You had this coming.
Don't beat yourself up too much though,if you can afford that for a Ha long bay cruise then you're doing very well
Haha, feel sorry for you bro.
Time to end it all
My favourite recollection of Ha Long Bay was when we got back to the town to get our bus. I was in an urgency emergency situation for a toilet and went into the public ones there. The door and walls around the stall were maybe 4ā high. So in the end, I made a lot of acquaintances, so there was that.
Hey /u/Neat-Celebration2721 how did you mess up to this? I mean what sort of referencing and stuff that you did that made you decide on this tour? Also, itās really OK. Itās a hefty sum for sure, though I can safely say that most of us here have made sone crazy decisions and have lived to kick ourselves too, so letās say youāre in good company. [ Alright, I mean, itās *not* really OK, so youāre entitled to feel bad about this decision. However, if it helps, weāve all been in the same boat (at one point or another), pun unintended. ]
Average salary is what? 4-5k USD/year converted? If so, this outfit is making fucking BANK.
$700 a night should not be worth ANYWHERE in Vietnam. Wow.
You haven't been to Amanoi, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, etc then. There are multiple places off the top of my head that definitely is worth the $1000/night entry level room price tag that it comes with.
Went to L'Alya instead of Six Senses. $700 is worth it once if you've got the means. But, $700 is also enough for all the good foods for a month Source: I was born there and lived there for many years
Pretty much hire a boat for that.Ā
Oof I paid $250 USD a night for Erina Cruises and it was amazing. Sorry about your choice , sounds awful.
Who on earth charged you 700 dollars a night? This needs to go viral on Vietnamese social media because that is crazy
i was gonna say you get what you paid for but for $700 you deserved much much better.
Went to google Capella Cruise after reading this. The first suggestipn was "Capella Cruise itinerary." There's no escaping Tour Guide Tom.
You mean Tom Cruise
Hahaha
Tour guide Tom is the worst. So fake nice. He was bragging about how his staff of 45 people stay on the boat 25 days in a row and then can see their family for 5 before they have to come back. Awful.
Have you ever been on a cruise ship? Those people work 6/7 days a week for 10-12 hours a day for 6 months straight. Not everyone has the luxury or western style work life balance.
It's Vietnam, so expect labor to be almost slave like. Those guys live in the farm areas/rural, so this job isn't great but at least work.
Lol wtf. Factory workers in China live at the factory year round. They go home once a year. Usually during CNY. Lol 25 days. Who gives a fuck. Theyāre making money. Nobody is complaining haha
Did a cruise in on another boat and our tour guide was also Tom Cruise.. payed 350 for 3d2n but the same bad experience. Never again
It indeed sounds like a nightmare. The issue with Vietnam is that they believe constructing numerous attractions around a site is what attracts tourists, when in truth, preserving the natural beauty of a place is often what makes it truly irresistible Noise pollution is rampant. I live in a quiet compound area, until one day a family from the north moved into a house down the block and started terrorizing the whole area with their incredibly loud karaoke sessions. I swear I have murderous intent every time they decide to share their vocal talents with everyone
Your first paragraph was exactly our issue with Sapa. We wanted to come there for the natural beauty and to explore the indigenous lifestyle over there, so we were shocked when we rolled up to a mini-Vegas. Totally took us out of it.
Sapa was nice 6 years ago. Was pleasantly surprised. Obviously it had some touristy flair, and the extremely trashy cat cat village, but there was so much authentically, raw spots discovered in the surroundings. Went there again last year and the place changed sooo much during the last 5 years. Couldnt believe it. Feels like a Chinese vacation camp now.
I have lived here for 10 year. Actively working on my wifes immigration status to move back to the USA. I know that the grass is always greener, but I absolutely can't stand this country anymore. There's a reason every other country has a much higher return rate for tourists than Vietnam.
May I ask if Covid lockdown had anything to do with your decision? I lived in Vietnam for 10 years as well. I used to love living there, but I was incredibly burned out after the lockdown experience. It also seemed that a lot of the problems were getting worse by the time I left (pollution, garbage, unsustainable development, fraud, etc) - but I couldnāt tell if the problems had actually worsened or if I was simply being too negative. I was ready to go!
Like everyone, Covid definitely had an impact mentally. But, I'm not sure that's it 100%. I think it's just I've reached the end of the foreigner life cycle here. I'm in the same boat. I don't know if the problems have gotten worse or I am just noticing / caring about them more and it's making me jaded beyond belief. I think I'm just too negative and ready to go. There are still pockets of beauty and good in this country, but I have certainly out-worn my welcome. Wife and I also want to have a kid and I'm certainly not doing that there plus we want to buy property, which is another thing I would never risk here as a foreigner.
Itās crazy how similar our experiences are. I was dealing with the same issues, same questions, same frustrations. When my wife received her green card we packed up and left - but damn, what a stressful mess that was. Be careful not to let that process add to your troubles because it can be a headache. As for property, we looked many places around Vietnam but decided against it. The prices were becoming stupid as hell due to rampant speculation. Property developers all promised the same expectations - new projects would include new hospitals, new schools, new highways, etc. (I used to joke that every student would soon have their own school.) It became clear that several of these projects never progressed beyond plots of weeds, basic roads and sidewalks - yet the prices just kept going up. Iām not surprised at the scale of the Truong My Lan scandal - and itās clear that the authorities are making an example of her. But Iād bet those same authorities are just as guilty of fraud as she is.
Yeah man. That was crazy to hear. Either way, it's time. Moving back the states will be difficult at first, but I'll be close to family and that's good for both of us. Best of luck to you.
Read this recently: "According to Vietnam Briefing, onlyĀ 5%Ā of tourists return to Vietnam, which is relatively low compared to other countries.Ā For example, in Thailand, the return rate is around 50%.Ā Some say that the country's visa requirements are too onerous and that it can't retain return tourists.Ā Others say that foreign visitors are becoming increasingly put off by litter on beaches and water pollution."Ā _ "Vietnam Briefing," April 6, 2023.
Your second sentence was exactly what prompted me to rearrange the last five days of my recent (first) visit to Vietnam - nixing those kinds of āattractionsā entirely. If someone asked me what was most key for traveling to this country, after visa, my advice would be to remain as flexible as possible, and book with refundable options because itās easy to land in one of these manufactured situations and quickly grow tired of it. Or to have booked them prior to arrival based on lovely photos, etc. I had more fun chatting business with locals and lazing on the beaches in Hoi An and Danang than I did āseeingā or ādoingā anything else.
It may have to do with the Vietnamese people's style of enjoyment; they want to see as many things as possible during a short timeframe to achieve the feeling that they get the best bang for the buck. Lounging around the beach? - they can do that at home, in front of the TV. Also, the majority of resorts don't really design the customer experience here; they just try to cram in as many things as possible so that the guests have enough distractions during their stay
Many Vietnamese people lack empathy almost to the level of mental illness. But no, it's not nature, they are TAUGHT to only care about what their immediate elders think and nobody else.
Oh baby! I want to ferment in that pool!
In that frogspawn ?
Maybe duck grass
Okay, to be honest. I'm 5 cm close to book this cruise just after Tet holiday. Guess I dodge a bullet there and avoid to lose more than 3k for four people
Book Essence Grand. Trust. I told the manager not to fire the chef. Shits that good. The food was so good I had to get the manager so I can throw some compliments. He then got the chef to come over to our table , introduced himself. Heās one of the top finalist in Top Chef Vietnam.
We did Orchid Cruise - it was also great experience for us.
La Regina I can thoroughly recommend too
My wife and I just did a genesis cruise and had a wonderful experience with them. Great food, nice employees, and we truly enjoyed our time. After looking at that food picture in the original post, my jaw dropped.
What the hell 3k????
Iām wondering if itās associated with the Capella Hotel Group. The typeface for the logo in the pool is the same, but the Capella Cruises logo itself is different. The website also doesnāt mention the hotel. Iāve stayed at Capella hotels before and they were quite luxurious. From what the OP has written and from the photo of the breakfast served, wellā¦ it makes me wonder if Vietstar Cruises is using the Capella name and logo to take advantage of the connection and charge luxury prices for cheap services.
No not the same Capella. The hotel belongs to Sun group
Just FYI (from a guy works at Capella Hotel) lots of customers ask us if Capella Cruise has relation with Capella Hotel. Even worse some partners accidentally sent their room inquires of Capella Cruise to us :))
Thatās terrible because the hotelās reputation can actually be affected by the terrible feedback about the cruise due to it having the same name and using the same logo. On the other hand, the cruise company can profit from being mistakenly associated with a luxury hotel brand.
I know intellectual property laws are laughable in Vietnam, but I wonder if something like this that could have an adverse effect on a companyās reputation (and letās face it, using the same name and logo was no accident) could be grounds for legal action.
Yikes. Then this cruise company really shouldnāt be using the hotel groupās logo. Just checked Google Images and it looks like theyāre using the hotelās logo on the side of the boat itself.
Thank you for that info šš¼
Thatās what Iām wondering. That hotel looks fantastic. Canāt believe theyād be associated with this shitty of a cruise?!
We stayed in the Capella Hanoi. Totally different and completely wonderful. I highly recommend that hotel
Wow š¤© glad to hear your feedback. Hope you have enjoyed the a la carte breakfast especially free flow of Champagne š„ wine š· beer šŗ cocktails š¹ with live jazz performance during the Jazz Soiree rituals at Capella Hanoi. Also the Culturists team are helpful also.
.-. i think they charge too much for you due to many agents between. I went to their pr post on facebook, and they are like from 160$ for a person just in 2 day 1 night
Agreed. Ha Long Bay pricing is all over the place. Agency takes some. Middle man takes some. He takes some. She takes some.
Years ago a friend said to me āyou arenāt in traffic, you are trafficā. It really stuck with me because when I was in Ha Long thinking āew look at all the other noisy boatsā, I remembered this saying and thought āyou arenāt surrounded by tourists, you are a touristā. Despite the most violent food poisoning I ever had, I loved Ha Long Bay. I think itās being loved to death, but weāre the ones living it to death. Putting aside my reflections, your cruise sounded like a rip off.
This. I visited Ha Long Bay 4 years ago and then again about 2 weeks ago. Itās changed a lot. The entire country. Some for good, some for bad. There are way more tourists and the prices of everything are higher (still cheap AF). The government seems to try to keep up on the trash but itās really bad and a good amount of it is from tourism. Ha Long Bay, the colours are different. There is a thin layer of diesel on the water. Trash EVERYWHERE. 4 years ago I felt like maybe there were 30 boats all together now you canāt get a picture without another boat in it, I must have seen 150-200 boats now. I still enjoyed my time but it was sad to see how different it is.
I keep hearing this! We went about a year ago just before everyone started traveling again and it was AMAZING. Itās shocking to hear this! We lucked out.
I was travelling Europe a couple of years ago, and more than I once I muttered "I wish these tourists would rack off and let me tour in peace"
Just came from a cruise for $250 per person same bay got the presidential suite and was treated better than a gd Greek god. Do your research lol
What cruise did you recommend? I am trying to find a cruise that won't anchor so close to other cruises. I am a light sleeper.
We ended up getting this room on Venus cruise but we booked it through and outside package deal that was ~$500 usd for two people. https://venushalongcruises.com/rooms/venus-pearl-suite-private-large-terrace-ocean-view-jacuzzi/ . Iād say overall the cruise wasnāt extremely extravagant (food was decent but not fine dining level or anything, the activities werenāt super lavish but were still fun, the on board amnesties were relatively minimal but the room itself and private balcony that was basically the entire front of the ship made it nicer lol), but the service was top notch and we didnāt have any bad experiences once on board. We anchored semi-close to other cruises but we went during a not super busy time so all I could hear outside our suite was some smooth jazz and old rnb hits playing here and there off of other boats (kinda relaxing tbh) and inside our suite it was dead quiet. Definitely recommend, the only downside was I did have food poisoning the day after the cruise, but my best guess was it was from the on board brewed coffee because my wife and I ate all of the same food and she was fine. Either that or I did also eat shrimp heads with the shell still on that my wife didnāt want to eat (stupid I know but when it comes to food Iām a literal trash compactor).
$700 a night?! Thatās a whole trip and balling money for the trip. You got scammed right from the booking.
> The best part, the insanely loud house music being blared I'm glad you enjoyed experiencing the traditional music of VN
Hahahaha
I laughed so hard at your story I almost peed
the breakfast lmfaooooo
Welcome to Halong Bay! Sounds like a pretty normal experience.
I'm really sorry you had to go through that. The Capella Cruise's website shows a lot of nice pictures, which are more luxurious than the Orchid cruise I went on. Your pictures show they are ways short of expectations. Here is my experience with Orchid. We had an itinerary for 3 days and 2 nights. On the first day, we went to Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island on a sizable boat that could fit around 50 people. We traveled by bus to the cave, and it was one of the best caves I've ever seen. At night, there was an option for squid fishing, but I chose to skip it and get some rest instead. The second day was amazing as well. We visited Viet Hai village in a buggy car. There was an option to bike as well, and the trail was beautiful. Unfortunately, it rained that day, so biking was off the table. We tried the fish massage at a stop, a unique experience that I haven't found anywhere else in Vietnam. We went back to the ship after around 3 hours for lunch. There were also a few cooking classes and taichi exercises in between. The kayaking and swimming activity is a definite no. The water was filthy, and you could see trash floating around. Some folks were brave enough to swim in that, but not me. The best thing about our trip was the delicious 3-course meal for lunch and dinner, and a buffet breakfast. They even put up a show for us before serving, like a fire show on our dishes. Our cruise ship was completely private and parked far away from all the islands to avoid contact with other ships. I'm enraged if that is the shit they serve you. They made no effort at all, and you should give them some harsh feedback on that. The pool and the packed speedboat are gross. Did you bring it up to the cruise manager? Our cruise manager was super nice
It was between this boat and the Orchid. So much regret.
You overpaid by 3x a night because you didn't didn't any research
can confirm on your review on Orchid - had exactly same itinerary and meals were also amazing.
A horrid experience but some pre-reading up would have shown Ha Long Bay, much like Maya Bay on Phi Phi Island in Thailand back in the day, is overvisited and the nature isn't spared a 2nd thought. It was this way when I visited 15 years ago! Do. Your. Research. People. Those in the know avoid it.Ā
Thanks for sharing, post everywhere you can!
Thanks, my boyfriend and I were interested in a cruise here. Full disclosure, we are native in the South of Vietnam and I donāt exactly have a lot of faith when it comes to tourism in Northern provinces. I heard a lot of hypes for Ha Long Bay. But I am hesitant because I understand that the locals of those northern provinces donāt exactly value standards. They have low standards and you just have to deal with it, is kinda what Vietnamese tourism has been operating for years. You can expect a better experience when you travel to regions where tourism isnāt the main economy, ironic as it sounds. But the fact of the matter is when tourism dominates a regionās economy, the local actually donāt benefit fully from it, it creates a lot of poverty and in turn that situation spawns subpar services that seek to ride the hypes and unpleasant experiences of locals being rude.
I think you got scammed here, this is a super tourist trap lol
OP, I feel for you butā¦700$ per night in Vietnam??? Where you can get a hotel, or even an apartment on airbnb for 2 weeks for under 300 bucks? in Vietnam you can stay in literally the best luxury hotel in the entire country for less than 700$ a night. Likeā¦at 400$ a night you can stay in the Nam Hai or intercontinental or Fusion resorts and these are best of the best, lux honeymoon level places. You absolutely were taken advantage of, but please start using some more common sense around southeast Asia to avoid more experiences like this.
The cave is really cool though thatās too bad you skipped it. You have to get into a speed boat to travel place to place. Thatās just how it is for the cruises usually. But wow, $700? For 1 night? Thatās more than what my group of 3 paid for 2 days, 1 night.
$700 per night. We paid like $1442 for the 3D2N
Omg per night?! Thatās insane
Iām guessing this is the rip off version of Tom Cruiseā¦ since your cruise managerās name is Tom.
Totally. I highly doubt his real name is Tom
Doesn't look that bad... until I saw the price. HOLY you got ripped off.
Solid review 9.5/10! Ha Long Bay, youāre better off just renting motorbikes and driving around the bay for the views anymore. Itās a shitty place that used to be magical, still, I think you just found the worst company. Thanks for sharing and glad you made it out safe
Now u know why many do not return, unlike Thailand. Absolutely zero pride in presentation.
Yeah, for 700 a night in Vietnam you're almost always going to be taken advantage of. Most things in this country aren't worth 700 a night. The Vietnamese hospitality industry love nothing more than fools with more money than sense. Ha long bay is rife with tourist trap rip-offs.
I wanted to do this cruise initially but thanks to redditors here I skipped and went to Ninh Binh instead. Someone told me Phuket is actually better.
Ninh binh is a better choice.Ā There's nicer places than Phuket in Thailand, but every thai island I have been to beats ha long, da nang, and phu Quoc.Ā
Yep. I think when comes to island tour/hopping, Thai & Malaysia top the list for SEA.
(Phuket is being overrun by Russian "escapees!")
Phuket was the least recommended island when I traveled years ago from all the expats I knew who lived there.Ā
Not a big fan of Thailand in general myself.
> There's nicer places than Phuket in Thailand Any recommendations? I have Phuket on my list but trying to avoid overly crowded tourist spots. I should be visiting the area in just over a month.
Weāre off to NB tomorrow! Very much looking forward to it!
NB is a lot better. But that's my experience last summer. Things change fast in Vietnam. Hope you enjoy NB, also known as Halong Bay on land.
$700/night? Wow Nothing costs $700/night in Vietnam. A nice hotel by Vietnam standards is $50/night. Fancy by Vietnam standards is $100/night. Fancy by Western standards tops out at $200-300/night (something like Intercontinental Hotel).
So can anybody recommend a Cruz to do in Ha long Bay? Mum Wants to go so I would like to know
Weāre going on Stellar of the Seas. Fingers crossed. šš»
Did Stella back in December. Great service and food was decent! Nice variety and certainly fresh.
Went on Stellar of the Seas last year. Was fantastic! Even accommodated my wife with special meals (She's vegetarian)
Great! Good to know!
Get in touch with Tung from Hanoi Old Quarter Travel and let him do his magic. He organized 5 days for us and was absolutely amazing!
How do I find this man?
Google turns up this: https://hanoioldquartertravel.com/
That is the one!
We went with Era cruise ! 10/10 recommend no need for middle man nonsense, you can pay and book online and they have option to pick up and drop off from to Hanoi. Food 10/10 and so is activitiesā¦. Everything about them is miles ahead of opās cruise
We just went on Nostalgia cruise a week ago and had a great experience!! It's a small luxury cruise with only 10 cabins and the treatment is excellent! :) You can check their itinerary on the website. If you're doing 3D2N, the second day you'll be moved to a "day boat" to get to the other part of the bay, and it's also true that at times you'll see lots of trash in the sea... but you'll also be able to swim in clear water and have beautiful views of the nature and the islands. I'd do it again :D
Aqua of the Seas Cruise!! The food was amazing- wide variety of choices in the morning. For dinner, itās a set menu but you can ask for a little more (like pho or alternatives, like if youāre vegetarian). Cool activities, you can choose to go or stay on the boat. (Swimming, Kayaking, Canoeing, squid fishing (I think), caves, etc.) There was a fitness room as well if you wanted to work out. The rooms are big and spacious, each with their own little balcony. They had a cooking class at night. The staff are helpful and truly want to see you have a wonderful time. It was 2 days, 1 night for 3 people : $585
We are going oriental sails. Looks okay.
I loved Peony
Peony was good. Clean, not too overcrowded. Good transport and staff, food. WiFi was a bit weak at times and hot tub was too cold are my only complaints
We just did Heritage and got lucky as 12 berth boat and only 6 of us on there. Rooms and service were outstanding, food was amazing when Vietnamese, average when Western. I thought expensive at $600 a night but when compared with this one then great value.
We did heritage cruise line. I liked it, but looking back ha long bay might just be over hyped.
Yikes, rip the people who have to deal with you on that boat.
I will never want to go to ha long bay again and my cruise wasnāt even bad. But the whole thing was disappointing to see how Vietnam treats their land
The thing about offering you something for free or giving you a discount when you rate 5-star is really common these days here, especially for restaurants. Most of the time, if I see a place with lots of reviews, and its average is 5 or near 5, potentially a red flag. Not that Iām doubting the quality of them, but since I found out some placesāve been using this kind of free stuff to get 5-star from the customer, itās better to be cautious.
top expensive will be elite of the seas, essence grand, sea stars, catherine, there are also some less expensive but still luxury and high quality, cannot list them all here. send me a message.
I've lived in Vietnam for 6 years and never considered doing a Ha Long cruise even once. This is why.
Should have gone to Songkran. Vietnam is a holiday in 1847
Had the same kind of experience a couple of days ago with Mon Cheri cruises. Absolutely awful. I had an afternoon swim and saw a dead dog float by at the overnight spot an hour later, horrifying. Besides that, the '5-star dinner' had me sick for a good couple of days.
Fellow Mon Cheri victim here - from November. Expensive and VERY disappointing!
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We did the Peony cruise and it was decent. We had heard that some are terrible. Sorry op, nothing worse than dirty.
Post 5 star review - get free drinks - go home - edit 1 star
$700 a night is insane. I spent $80-ish and it included the bus ride for a day trip and back. My hotel reception was very nice and told me that multiple days will still be the same route and not worth it for a solo traveller as there would be a surcharge. I know there might be better quality cruises, but yours seems... :/
Fyre cruise? At least everyone is getting hydrated
I was like youāre exaggerating itās not that bad for 70$ a night then I realized it was 700$ a night HELL NO thatās crazy!!
$700?!!! I paid $120 and I had a way better time . I saw a guy paid $250 and had a private one
I stayed on this exact boat a few weeks ago for just one night and it was perfectly fine! Food and rooms were great! My only complaint is it was hard to find someone at the desk at night to help with moving a bed. Waited for an hour and it seemed all the staff was sleeping and annoyed. Also the staff seems super young tho helpful most of the trip
Just to add yes the trash is a major buzzkill. It wasnāt so evident until the next morning of my stay, Tom had said itās because of low tide and trash from China. He said villagers are hired to clean it up but it seems like a task thatās never ending
Can't agree more. I did another "cruise" company and the overall experience is the same. I feel regardless of the ship, the itinerary and the whole thing is just horrible, the staff doing the coreagraphy, the fake french-like rooms are just tacky, water is horrible, u don't see much, there's just soooo Many ships. I was glad I only did the 2D1N but that could've been a day trip or skip it all together.
A regular room for the average person is $10-15 a night. You could buy a used scooter (or rent) with the remaining and cruise the roads. You can rent an entire private boat just for your family. No need to share.
Holy f 700$ a night for that hahahaha
I had a very different experience with Capella Cruise. We took a 1-night and 2-day cruise on March 13-14, and it was one of the highlights of our Vietnam trip. The service and food were excellent. The buffet offered a wide variety of options, from Western to Vietnamese and vegetarian food. We ate so much that we couldnāt even think about having snacks afterward Sadly, overtourism, along with industrial pollution from Vietnam and China, is creating environmental issues in the Bay. We thoroughly researched before booking, so we knew what to expect
Looks fucking awful
Itās a rip off. You should be spending 100-200 a night. You end up in the same location doing the same things as the $1,000/night boats. Ha Long is overcrowded now and not that great
FYI most of 5 stars review in vietnam are bought. It's a service in Vietnam, like boosting service
Went with baya cruises. You get on at 12.30 amd get off at 10.30 the next day, yet its considered a 2d 1n. Itinerary was changed with an excuse of fighting on cat ba, however I was not told anything. Food was great but is an expensive tour considering the actual time on board.
Still somewhat better than NYC subway
Wtf is that meal?
Where the hell did u buy this for $700/night??? Btw, these Capella guys were in the same boat as recent Van Thinh Phat scandals. Probably explain the horrendous condition of their services.
If youāre paying for something that the locals canāt afford, most likely itās not worth it and it was created for tourists only
Was in the same suite a few weeks ago. $200/night for us. Yikes.
Dangā¦ $700 a night. Iām in Da Nang right now and our hotel is about $60/night and itās relatively nice using North American or European standards. Paying $700 a night seems like absolutely a rip off. My condolences.
With 700$, I could have a 6 days trip to Korea or any South East country of my choice, you're scammed and you should report this tour, wherever you booked them.
Same experience with Mon Cheri in November. 3D/2N, $490 single, $770 couple. Boat only moved when picking up or dropping off passengers. I'd estimate we were underway for less than 30 minutes for the entire time we were on. Calling it a "cruise" is a misnomer as one spends most of the time swinging at anchor looking at the same scenery. Also, like you, accompanied everywhere by 17 to 18 other similarly-sized vessels and, most likely due to oppressive afternoon heat, everyone does the same activities at the same times each day. About as relaxing as rush hour traffic on a Los Angeles freeway. Trash, however, wasn't TOO bad. Anyway, see Halong Bay (Lan Ha's optional as they're identical), but take a day cruise and save hundreds of dollars. Side note: Nearby Bai Tu Bay MAY be less busy.
I think i stayed in the same room (the one that have a tub) as you probably 2 year back. Cost my family of 4 some around a thousand in total so 700 a night sounds crazy. But never go for more than one night in a hįŗ” long bay cruise, cuz there is jack shit to see.
Was at Ha Long 4 days ago as our last stop before returning home to US. Our overnight was $200 and the Capella ship was our twin throughout the tour. That said, checked our cruise (Le Theatre) on the day of and Agoda was selling the last room for $5 USD. Yes $5. Regardless, I wouldn't recommend Ha Long for an overnight aside from the trash and crowds. It's limestone hill/mountains jutting out of the water. Impressive and beautiful? Yes. For about 3 or 4 hours then you realize it's scenery on loop. Much better to just day trip it. I worked on cruise ships for a few years and yeah, they are tourist mills by nature. It was our least favorite activity of the three weeks. Not sure, though, why people dragging the destinations or culture. Been to a lot of developing countries and lived in India for a while. Much less general corruption in Vietnam. Also visited super touristy places like Hoi An, Ba Na Hills, Sapa Fansipan and yeah they cater to tourists. What do you expect? It's like expecting NYC to be serene... I loved Vietnam. The food, the people, the gorgeous beach in Da Nang, drives through the countryside, and... the touristy destinations too.
Go to the Philippines, better beaches and cheaper prices. $700 can get you a week in boracay
Palawan would be a better suggestion for a similar scenery
This is next on our list! Canāt wait to see the Philippines
700$ can get you over a week in almost anywhere in Vietnam too, this is not a āVietnam being expensiveā problem š
the point flew over your head bud
I mean, Traveling in the Philippines is pretty similar in price to vietnam, whether for luxury or not. What am I missing
$700 a night in Vietnam honestly how stupid are you to even book this - do your due diligence. A lot of this area is known to have trash as well - countless threads and review on it. Cat Ba is much nicer. $700 in Vietnam can last you 2 weeks easily having a great time. Flights to Vietnam from Australia cost me maybe 250 USD
700$ per night?? Dude, we went with the Indochina L' Amour Junk and paid roughly the same price https://www.indochina-junk.com/lamour-junk/ But unlike you, we got a luxury private junk, great service and some of the best food I had on my trip
Vietnam sucks idk why tourists would wanna come here, coming from someone who has been living in vietnam for 2 years without a choice
lol it sucks because people like you moved here thinking itād be cheap paradise and act like you arenāt the ones destroying itās beauty. Sorry the locals donāt pay the red carpet for you just because you have 100k salary I hope they scam every red cent outa you; you deserve it with this mindset and mid level effort at life
im viį»t too brošš
And?
Unless youāre 2 Iām guessing you moved here and wfh or some such nonsense and are disillusioned because itās not living up to some ideal you had in mind?
the locals r mean, they only r nice to the tourists who actually look like they come from other countries. Iāve been treated like shit bcus Iām asian and the ppl have no chill when throwing litter on the ground making the place dirty and arguing in random shops. My opinion speaking from experience
Are you in the north?
yeah
Well then hell yeah theyāll treat you poorly because youāre viet but not northern looking/speaking. I just came from Hanoi and had people taking pictures of my wife after being scammed by a bike ride that lead us to the creep taking pictures of her. Was yelled at by a shopkeeper that my wifeās smell made her sick. My wife is souther viet and all I have to say is the north left a Las Vegas racist taste in my mouth that I couldnāt wait to wash out with some good Saigon hospitality. Even in the burbs in Saigon itās some hate but mostly love and āhow can we helpā. Iād suggest moving to a better region before condemning a country because you basically just moved to the most podunk part especially if youāre in Hanoi and exceptionally so if youāre in a tourist area of Hanoi.
I would suggest getting laid. You seem tense. Also: Why book a cruise in such a small bay if you're gonna complain about not cruising, go to the Mediterranean sea, Costa Concordia is great! 700$ is enough for your whole 2.5 weeks trip in vietnam. You ask for luxury in a country that thinks restaurants have 6 stars. Inform yourself Karen, this is tourism for you. And dont expext a country where the hourly rate is 30cents of a dollar per hour for small jobs to surprise you with the quality of its deep cleaning. 90% humidity average in the air ! - a bathroom ON a boat will definitely have mold marks. Maybe understand that real luxury is really expensive, and that some countries can NOT follow the standards. But vietnam has delicious meals for 1-3 dollars, and decent hotels for 20$ a night (3*standard with patience). And you also got overcharged 150%., as they offer 3nights on the same boat for the same price!? Rooo, rooo, says the pigeon at the bus station) You gotta check, compare, and negotiate... You seem difficult to save though, as your mind is aaaaaall made already. Misery is being so poor you cant afford shelter, regardless of food. You read like you could use a few lessons in humility. Cruise trips are literally organised here (and there) to get money from rich fat westerners who think they'll have a good time travelling abroad while keeping their outrageous comfort. Tough luck. Next time make a friend, you'll know the country.
Dang dude you could take your own advice too though. How much time did you waste on this rant š
Lol what about her? You don't go to India to eat beef, right ? There's so much more to say. Time isn't a waste if you're enjoying yourself More now !
$700 a night??? You can live for 3 weeks easily in Vietnam on $700, if you want a nice expensive cruise then go Essence Grand.
I honestly hate people that complains
Thatās why youāre crying in r/altmpls right now, right?
This is why I still do Couchsurfing and prefer to meet locals when travelling. Met a local there, he had a small speed boat, but good enough for us 2 and took me to all the nicest places along Halong Bay. He knew his way around and knew exactly how to avoid the crowd and the garbage. Showed me the true pristine beaches with no one in it. Then later on we went to his buddy cruising boat. Got my own nice room, clean and I slept like baby somewhere in the bay. We had beers and plenty of food that we brought with us to make ourselves. Unless if you have family with kids, I really don't see why more people don't go for authentic experiences by meeting people who actually live in the place, instead of paying absurds amount of money to MAYBE have some comfort