We really wanted to try a stay in Halong Bay for our trip and booked this cruise. However, our room was a little damaged. We had two twin beds, and one of the ottomans at the end of the bed had a massive yellow stain on it. In addition, one of the windows in our room had a long crack in it (it was probably around 4 feet long total and spanned most of the width of the window). Lastly, when we came in our AC wasn't working at all.
Other than our room, the cruise felt very rushed and the food was plated / presented really well, but the quality of food was really low. Lots of chewy, poorly cooked meats. Our guide for the trip was fantastic and very outgoing, and loved his energy. However, everything else felt lack luster.
In regards to travel, the schedule was not clearly communicated before the trip - we thought we would disembark around 930am and return to Hanoi around 1230pm, however we didn't dock at the marina again until 12pm. The shuttle service they provide to and from the marina also stops at a different, local place for a "bathroom break" for 30 minutes where it feels forced for tourists to buy souvenirs / food. This happened to us both on the way there and on the way back.
Lastly, if you sit outside, you will be harassed by locals on boats trying to sell you snacks, drinks, etc. It was constant.
Overall, we wouldn't book this cruise again. We would want to do 2 nights instead of 1, and try out a different cruise to see how the quality and experience might compare.
