Aqua Of The Seas Cruise Lan Ha Bay 2 Days 1 Night
Aqua Of The Seas is the second of the two 32-cabin ships in the Aqua fleet, working the Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba route. Every cabin has a private balcony and a bathtub, and the ship carries a gym as well as the swimming pool, a spa and a children’s play room — which, with the balcony cabins, is what makes it the easiest ship in the group to put a family on.
One night on board: the limousine bus from the Hanoi Old Quarter, lunch as the ship clears Tuan Chau, an afternoon at anchor in the clear water at Tra Bau with the kayaks out, a cooking demonstration and a sunset party on the top deck, and squid lines over the stern after dinner. The second morning is Trung Trang Cave inside Cat Ba National Park, then brunch under way and the bus back to Hanoi.
Why this ship
- A balcony and a bathtub in every one of the 32 cabins, the entry-level Junior Suite included. On most ships on the bay that is a suite-only feature.
- A gym and a spa as well as the pool and jacuzzi — only two ships in the fleet carry a gym.
- A play room for children, which almost no ship on Ha Long Bay has.
- Lan Ha rather than the main Ha Long channel. Fewer boats, and an anchorage at Tra Bau where you can swim straight off the ship.
- The transfer is part of the fare — an Aqua limousine bus from the Old Quarter, not a shared shuttle you share with four other ships.
Price per person — 2 days, 1 night
Per person in US dollars, sharing a twin or double cabin, for the complete programme: the return limousine-bus transfer from the Hanoi Old Quarter, the cabin, all four meals on board, the welcome drink and sunset party, the cooking demonstration, kayaking, the English-speaking cruise guide and every bay fee and tax. Low season is 1 May to 30 September; high season is 1 October to 30 April.
| Cabin category | Low season, per person | High season, per person |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Suite Balcony | US$160 | US$184 |
| Senior Suite Balcony | US$184 | US$194 |
| King / Queen Suite | US$223 | US$247 |
| President Suite VIP | US$392 | US$513 |
Travelling on your own
A cabin to yourself is charged as single occupancy:
| Cabin category | Low season, single | High season, single |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Suite Balcony | US$251 | US$292 |
| Senior Suite Balcony | US$292 | US$309 |
| King / Queen Suite | US$359 | US$399 |
| President Suite VIP | US$646 | US$851 |
Dates that carry a surcharge
US$59 per person on 24 and 31 December for the compulsory gala dinner, and US$25 per person on 30 April, 1 May, 2 September and the first three days of Tet.
The ship and the cabins
Ha Long Bay cruises carry no official star rating, so the cabin categories are set out below instead of a grade. All 32 cabins are en-suite with air conditioning, a private balcony and a bathtub, and tea and coffee are replenished daily.
| Cabin category | Sleeps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Junior Suite Balcony | 2 guests | The entry cabin, private balcony and bathtub. |
| Senior Suite Balcony | 2 guests | Larger than the Junior, same balcony and bathtub. |
| King / Queen Suite | 2 guests | An upper-deck suite with a wider terrace. |
| President Suite VIP | 2 guests | The largest suite on board. |
On board: a swimming pool and jacuzzi, a gym, a spa, a children’s play room, a restaurant and a bar.
Planning your trip
- The drive. Two and a half hours each way on the expressway with one comfort stop. Pick-up is in the morning and you are back in Hanoi in the late afternoon.
- Trung Trang Cave. A tender to Cat Ba and a short bus ride, then about three hundred metres of level passage, wet in places, with a low roof in two or three spots.
- Nothing is compulsory. Kayaking and swimming are offered, not required, and you are free to stay on board while the rest of the party goes ashore.
- Weather. Ha Long is a working port under a harbourmaster who can suspend departures when the weather turns, usually in the typhoon months from July to October. If that happens we work the options with the cruise line and confirm in writing.
- Wifi. There is wifi on board, but the limestone blocks the satellite signal for stretches of the route.
- Food. The menus are set rather than à la carte. Tell us about allergies or dietary requirements at least three days before departure so the galley can provision for them.
Tour at a glance
| Tour code | WMLHAQS27 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 2 days / 1 night — Hanoi to Hanoi |
| Ship | Aqua Of The Seas, 32 cabins |
| Bay | Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba archipelago |
| Anchorage | Tra Bau, Lan Ha Bay |
| Cabins | Every cabin has a private balcony and a bathtub |
| On board | Swimming pool, jacuzzi, gym, spa, children’s play room, restaurant, bar |
| Transfer | Return Aqua limousine bus, Hanoi Old Quarter – Tuan Chau Marina, about 2.5 hours each way |
| Meals | 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 light breakfast, 1 brunch on board |
| Activities | Kayaking, swimming, cooking demonstration, sunset party, squid fishing, tai chi |
| Excursion | Trung Trang Cave, Cat Ba National Park |
| Guide | English-speaking cruise guide on board throughout |
| Seasons | Low 1 May – 30 September; high 1 October – 30 April |
| From | US$160 per person, twin share, low season |
- Cruise
- Bus
- Beach
- Caves
- Cooking class
- Fishing
- Gastronomy
Itinerary, day by day
Morning Pick-up from your hotel in the Hanoi Old Quarter by Aqua limousine bus — nineteen reclining seats, air conditioning, about two and a half hours to Tuan Chau International Marina on the Hanoi – Hai Phong and Ha Long expressways with one comfort stop.
Late morning You are met at the Aqua guest lounge at the marina. Luggage and check-in are handled for you and a tender runs you out to the ship a little before midday.
Midday Welcome drink and safety briefing while the cabin is readied, then lunch as the ship clears the harbour and works in among the limestone towers — close to two thousand of them, inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 and extended across the Cat Ba archipelago in September 2023.
Mid-afternoon The ship anchors at Tra Bau in the heart of Lan Ha Bay, a sheltered inlet where the water is clear enough to see the bottom in the shallows. The kayaks go in here and you can swim straight off the ship; neither is compulsory.
Sundown A cooking demonstration of Vietnamese dishes with the head chef, the sunset party on the top deck, then dinner in the restaurant. Afterwards the bar is open, there is karaoke, and the crew set up a lamp and a line off the stern for squid. Overnight at anchor in Lan Ha Bay.
First light Tai chi on the sundeck for anyone who wants it, then a light breakfast in the restaurant.
Morning A tender across to Cat Ba Island and a short bus ride up to Trung Trang Cave, which cuts right through a hill inside Cat Ba National Park — some three hundred metres of passage, stalactites and stalagmites throughout, and a steady cool draught. The floor is level but wet in places and the roof is low in two or three spots.
Late morning Back aboard, settle any bar account and leave the luggage outside the cabin door for the crew. Brunch is served as the ship works her way back towards Tuan Chau.
Midday Disembark at Tuan Chau International Marina, where the limousine bus is waiting for the run back to Hanoi.
What's included
Included
- Return limousine-bus transfer between the Hanoi Old Quarter and Tuan Chau International Marina
- One night on board Aqua Of The Seas in the cabin category selected, en-suite with air conditioning
- All meals on board as listed in the programme: 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 light breakfast and 1 brunch
- Welcome drink on boarding, a seasonal fruit plate in the cabin, and tea and coffee replenished daily
- The sunset fruit party, the cooking demonstration and the morning tai chi session
- Kayaking as shown in the programme
- All bay entrance, sightseeing and cruising fees, with the insurance that comes with the ticket
- Use of the swimming pool, the jacuzzi and the gym
- Evening squid fishing, karaoke in the restaurant and wifi on board
- Cabin decoration for a honeymoon, anniversary or proposal, and a birthday cake if the date falls on board
- English-speaking cruise guide on board throughout
- Onboard insurance, government tax and service charge
Not included
- International and domestic airfares, airport transfers and departure taxes
- Vietnam visa fee and any visa service charges
- Hotel accommodation in Hanoi before or after the cruise
- Personal travel insurance — we strongly recommend cover that includes boat travel
- All drinks and beverages, including those taken with meals
- Spa and massage treatments on board
- Gala surcharge on 24 and 31 December and the holiday surcharge on 30 April, 1 May, 2 September and Tet
- Tips for the crew and your driver
- Personal expenses and anything not listed under the inclusions
Age pricing
| Traveller | Age | Rate per person | Sleeping arrangement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (parents pay any entrance fees) | 0 to 2 years | No charge | No extra bed |
| Child sharing parents' bed | 3 to 10 years | $109 · 68% of the adult fare | No extra bed |
| Child in own single bed | 3 to 10 years | $138 · 86% of the adult fare | Extra bed |
| Child sharing a twin room with one adult | 3 to 10 years | $160 · 100% of the adult fare | Own bed in a twin room |
| Child 11 and over (adult fare) | 11 years and over | $160 · 100% of the adult fare | As an adult |
Frequently asked questions
From US$160 per person sharing a Junior Suite Balcony in low season (1 May to 30 September) and US$184 in high season (1 October to 30 April). A King or Queen Suite is US$223 to US$247, and the President Suite VIP US$392 to US$513. A cabin to yourself starts at US$251. The fare covers the return limousine-bus transfer from the Hanoi Old Quarter, the cabin, all four meals on board, kayaking, the English-speaking cruise guide and every bay fee and tax.
It is one of the two largest at 32 cabins, it works the Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba route, and it carries a gym, a spa and a children’s play room as well as the pool and jacuzzi. Aqua Luxury is the same size but adds a lift between decks and a mini-golf green; Aqua Legend is smaller at 21 cabins and quieter.
It is the easiest ship in the group for a family. Every cabin has a private balcony, there is a play room for children on board, and the pool, the jacuzzi and the sundeck are all in use through the afternoon. Tell us the ages of the children when you enquire and we will confirm what the ship can hold in one cabin, as the number of extra beds is limited.
It sails from Tuan Chau International Marina out through Ha Long Bay and anchors in Lan Ha Bay, the Cat Ba end of the same UNESCO site, where there are far fewer boats than in the main Ha Long channel. The overnight anchorage is Tra Bau, a sheltered inlet where you can swim off the ship.
An Aqua limousine bus collects you from the Hanoi Old Quarter in the morning and runs to Tuan Chau International Marina in about two and a half hours on the expressway, with one comfort stop. The return runs the same way after brunch on day two. The transfer is in the fare; if your hotel is outside the Old Quarter, tell us and we will confirm the pick-up point.
Included: the return transfer, one night in the cabin category you choose, four meals on board, the welcome drink, the sunset party, the cooking demonstration, morning tai chi, kayaking, squid fishing, wifi, the English-speaking cruise guide, and all bay fees and taxes. Not included: drinks of any kind, the spa, the Vietnam visa, personal insurance, tips for the crew and driver, and the gala or holiday surcharges listed on this page.
Yes. US$59 per person on 24 and 31 December for the gala dinner the ship makes compulsory on those two nights, and US$25 per person on 30 April, 1 May, 2 September and the first three days of Tet. We state these in writing in your quote before you commit.
Yes. Children are charged on the age scale shown on this page, as a share of the adult fare in the same cabin and season. Cabins take a limited number of extra beds, so tell us the ages when you enquire. A child taking a seat on the limousine bus is charged for the transfer.
Neither is compulsory. The kayaks go in the water at Tra Bau in the afternoon and you can swim straight off the ship there. If you would rather stay dry, the sundeck, the pool and the bar are open. Kayaking and swimming are the first things dropped if the sea gets up.
There is wifi on board, but the limestone blocks the satellite signal for much of the route and the connection comes and goes. Plan on being out of contact for stretches of the itinerary.
Ha Long is a working port under a harbourmaster who can suspend departures when the weather turns, usually between July and October. If it happens we work the options with the cruise line — a change of date, a different ship, or a refund of what the line releases — and confirm the outcome to you in writing.
Send an enquiry and we confirm the cabin and the price in writing within 24 hours. Nothing is charged on this website. To hold the booking we take a 30% deposit by bank transfer or card, with the balance due at least 14 days before you arrive.
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