Victory Star Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay 3 Days 2 Nights
Victory Star is a thirty-two-cabin ship on four decks working Ha Long Bay out of Ha Long International Cruise Port, carrying at most sixty-four guests, with a private balcony on every cabin. This is the three-day version: two nights on board, and a whole middle day on a day boat that runs further south than the ship goes herself, into Lan Ha Bay on the Cat Ba side of the archipelago. The shared limousine from Hanoi is included at both ends.
Why this cruise
- A full day in Lan Ha Bay. On the second day a day boat takes you off the ship for the whole day: Trinh Nu Cave, a swim in Lan Ha, lunch on board the day boat and a pearl farm, in water that sees a fraction of the boats of the main channel.
- A private balcony with every cabin. The Deluxe cabins are 22 m², the Suites 28 m² with a bathtub, and the President cabin 34 m² with the best outlook on the ship.
- Two nights, so the bay empties out. The day boats go home in the afternoon and the second evening at anchor is the quietest part of the trip.
- A dedicated triple cabin of 24 m² with a double and a single bed, which is rare on a Ha Long ship.
- The limousine is in the price, Hanoi Old Quarter to Ha Long International Cruise Port and back, about two and a half hours each way.
Prices for 2027
Per person in US dollars, for travel in 2027. Low season is 1 May to 30 September 2027. High season is 1 January to 30 April and 1 October to 31 December 2027.
| Cabin and occupancy | Low season | High season |
|---|---|---|
| Deluxe Ocean View Balcony — two sharing | US$320 | US$339 |
| Deluxe Ocean View Balcony — sole occupancy | US$488 | US$519 |
| Suite Ocean View Balcony — two sharing | US$373 | US$394 |
| Suite Ocean View Balcony — sole occupancy | US$573 | US$607 |
| President Ocean View — two sharing | US$426 | US$449 |
| President Ocean View — sole occupancy | US$658 | US$695 |
| Triple Ocean View — three sharing | Price on request | Price on request |
| Ten or more adults travelling together | Price on request | Price on request |
Children
Under 3 travel free sharing their parents’ bed. Children aged 3 to 10 pay 68% of the adult fare sharing their parents’ bed, or 86% with an extra bed where the cabin takes one. From 11 they pay the adult fare. One child may share a cabin with two adults. A child from 3 years needs a paid seat on the limousine transfer at the adult fare. We confirm the child fare in writing with the child’s age when you book, and ages count at the date of travel.
Festive surcharges
The cruise line charges US$26 per guest for each surcharge date falling inside the cruise: 24 December and 31 December 2027, and the Lunar New Year, 5 to 8 February 2027. We quote it with your dates rather than building it into the fare.
Your cabin
| Cabin | Size | Deck | Sleeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deluxe Ocean View Balcony | 22 m² | Main and upper | 2 adults, double or twin |
| Triple Ocean View | 24 m² | Main | 3 adults — one double and one single bed |
| Suite Ocean View Balcony | 28 m² | Upper | 2 adults, with a bathtub |
| President Ocean View | 34 m² | Upper | 2 adults, with a bathtub |
Every cabin is air-conditioned with its own bathroom and a private balcony over the water, and the interior is worked in Vietnamese materials and motifs. Vietnam operates no official star-rating scheme for overnight cruise vessels, so any star rating quoted for a Ha Long ship is the operator’s own description rather than a government grading.
Planning your trip
- Pick-up is 08:00 to 08:30 from hotels in the Hanoi Old Quarter. If you are staying outside the Old Quarter we agree a central meeting point in advance, or arrange a private transfer at extra cost.
- You board by tender. Check-in is at the port between 11:30 and 11:45 and the tender runs out to the ship at 12:15, so there is a step down into a small boat and a short crossing at each end of the cruise.
- The second day is spent off the ship. The day boat leaves at about 08:20 and you are back on board at three, so take what you need for the day with you.
- Titop Island is a few hundred steps up to the viewpoint, and the stair into Sung Sot Cave is steep, about a hundred steps. Both can be skipped.
- The bay authority can close routes. Itineraries in Ha Long and Lan Ha are set on the morning of sailing by the weather, the sea state and the Ha Long Bay Management Authority, which can suspend overnight permits at short notice. Stops may be reordered, substituted or dropped; where an overnight sailing is prevented the cruise line substitutes a day programme, and a three-day cruise cut to one night is charged at the two-day rate.
- Wifi is slow to unusable once the ship is out among the islands, because it runs off a mobile signal.
- Kayaking and swimming are weather-dependent and the crew stop them if conditions turn.
- Drinks, the bar and the spa are charged on board and settled before you disembark. Tips for the crew and the driver are not included and never added to your invoice.
Tour at a glance
| Tour code | WMHLVS3D27 |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 days / 2 nights — Hanoi to Hanoi |
| Ship | Victory Star — 32 cabins on 4 decks, up to 64 guests |
| Bays | Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, from Ha Long International Cruise Port |
| Route | Luon Cave · Titop Island · Trinh Nu Cave · Lan Ha Bay · pearl farm · Sung Sot Cave |
| Pick-up | Hanoi Old Quarter hotels, 08:00–08:30 |
| Transfer | Shared limousine, Hanoi ↔ Ha Long International Cruise Port — included both ways |
| Boarding | Check-in 11:30–11:45, out to the ship by tender at 12:15 |
| Meals | 7 on board — 2 lunches, 2 dinners, 2 light breakfasts, 1 brunch |
| Day 2 | A full day off the ship by day boat into Lan Ha Bay, lunch on board the day boat |
| Cabins | Deluxe Balcony 22 m² · Triple 24 m² · Suite Balcony 28 m² · President 34 m² |
| On board | Restaurant, bar, spa and sundeck |
| Departures | Daily, subject to cabin availability |
| Price | From US$320 pp — Deluxe Balcony, two sharing, low season |
| Not included | Flights, visa, Hanoi hotels, drinks, spa, tips |
- Beach
- Car
- Cruise
- Fishing
- Caves
- Cooking class
Itinerary, day by day
08:00 - 08:30 The limousine leaves your Old Quarter hotel and runs east on the Hanoi - Ha Long expressway, with a refreshment stop of about twenty minutes on the way.
11:30 - 11:45 Arrive at Ha Long International Cruise Port and check in at the waiting lounge.
12:15 A tender takes you out to the ship. Check-in over a welcome drink, then the safety briefing.
13:00 Lunch is served as she casts off. Ha Long Bay was inscribed by UNESCO in 1994 for its limestone towers, and the first hour under way is the clearest view you get of how many of them there are.
14:45 Luon Cave, by kayak or on a bamboo boat rowed by one of the local women who work the lagoon, through a low arch into a ring of water closed in on every side by cliff.
16:00 Titop Island - a climb of a few hundred steps to the viewpoint, and a small crescent of sand to swim from.
17:00 - 18:30 Sunset on the sundeck, with drinks and a Vietnamese cooking demonstration.
19:15 Dinner on board. 21:00 Squid fishing with the crew.
Meals: lunch and dinner. Overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.
06:30 Tai Chi on the sundeck. 06:45 A light breakfast of coffee, tea and pastries.
08:20 A day boat takes you off the ship for the whole day and runs further south than she goes herself.
09:30 Trinh Nu Cave - the Virgin Cave - on the Lan Ha side, with time to walk through it and to kayak the water underneath.
11:20 A swim in Lan Ha Bay, the quieter water on the Cat Ba side of the archipelago, which sees a fraction of the boats that the main channel does.
12:15 Lunch served on the day boat.
13:45 The boat calls at a pearl farm, where the staff show how an oyster is seeded, how long it is left and how the harvest is graded.
15:00 Back on board the ship.
18:00 Sunset drinks and a cooking demonstration. 19:15 Dinner. 21:00 Squid fishing.
Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.
06:15 Tai Chi on the sundeck as the sun comes up over the islands.
06:30 A light breakfast of coffee, tea and pastries in the restaurant.
07:20 Ashore for Sung Sot Cave - Surprise Cave - on Bo Hon Island, recorded by French surveyors in 1901. The stair up from the landing is steep and there are about a hundred steps; the cave then opens into two chambers, the second of them big enough to hold several hundred people at once.
09:15 Back on board to pack and settle anything charged to the cabin.
09:30 Buffet brunch as the ship runs back towards the port.
10:45 - 11:00 Alongside at Ha Long International Cruise Port. Disembark.
11:15 - 11:30 The limousine leaves for Hanoi and reaches the Old Quarter between 14:30 and 14:45.
Meals: breakfast and brunch.
What's included
Included
- 2 nights on board Victory Star Cruise in the cabin category booked
- Two lunches, two dinners, two light breakfasts and one brunch per guest
- Return shared limousine transfer Hanoi - Ha Long - Hanoi, with pick-up from Old Quarter hotels
- Welcome drink on boarding
- English- and Vietnamese-speaking cruise guide on board
- Ha Long Bay entrance and sightseeing fees
- Luon Cave by bamboo boat rowed by a local rower, or by kayak, two guests to a kayak
- Titop Island - the viewpoint climb and the beach
- Day boat into Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay on the second day, with lunch on board
- Trinh Nu Cave and kayaking
- Pearl farm visit
- Sung Sot Cave entrance and guide
- Vietnamese cooking demonstration on the sundeck
- Sunset party on the sundeck
- Morning Tai Chi on the sundeck
- Night squid fishing with the crew
- One bottle of mineral water per person per night in the cabin
- Onboard insurance and service charge
- Value added tax
Not included
- International and domestic flights, and the Vietnam visa
- Hotels in Hanoi before and after the cruise
- Drinks other than those listed, spa treatments and massage
- Tips and personal expenses
- Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year surcharges
- Any increase in the bay entrance or sightseeing tariff set by the authorities
- Fuel surcharge, if one is imposed
- Travel insurance
- Anything not listed under what is included
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 | $218 · 68% of the adult fare | No extra bed |
| Child in own single bed | 3 to 10 years | $275 · 86% of the adult fare | Extra bed |
| Child sharing a twin room with one adult | 3 to 10 years | $320 · 100% of the adult fare | Own bed in a twin room |
| Child 11 and over (adult fare) | 11 years and over | $320 · 100% of the adult fare | As an adult |
Frequently asked questions
From US$320 per person in low season for two people sharing a Deluxe Ocean View Balcony cabin, and from US$339 in high season. A Suite Ocean View Balcony is US$373 and US$394, and the President Ocean View US$426 and US$449. On your own the whole Deluxe cabin is US$488 in low season and US$519 in high season. Low season is 1 May to 30 September 2027; high season is 1 January to 30 April and 1 October to 31 December 2027. The price covers two nights on board, seven meals, the day boat into Lan Ha Bay on the second day, the return shared limousine from Hanoi, all bay entrance and sightseeing fees, the activities on board and VAT.
Two nights on board in the cabin grade you book, two lunches, two dinners, two light breakfasts and a buffet brunch, the return shared limousine between Hanoi Old Quarter and Ha Long International Cruise Port, an English- and Vietnamese-speaking cruise guide on board, Luon Cave by bamboo boat or kayak, Titop Island, the whole second day on a day boat into Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay with lunch on board, Trinh Nu Cave and kayaking, the pearl farm, Sung Sot Cave with the guide, the cooking demonstration, sunset party, morning Tai Chi and night squid fishing, a bottle of mineral water per person per night, all bay entrance and sightseeing fees, onboard insurance and the service charge, and VAT. Flights, the Vietnam visa, hotels in Hanoi, drinks and the bar, the spa, travel insurance, festive surcharges and tips are not included.
The second day. The two-day programme stays in the main Ha Long channel - Luon Cave and Titop Island on the first afternoon, Sung Sot Cave the next morning. The three-day programme adds a whole middle day on a day boat that runs further south than the ship herself goes, into Lan Ha Bay on the Cat Ba side: Trinh Nu Cave, a swim, lunch on board the day boat and a pearl farm. You also get the second evening at anchor, after the day boats have gone home.
Every cabin on Victory Star has a private balcony and an en-suite bathroom. The Deluxe Ocean View Balcony is 22 m² with a double or twin bed, on the main and upper decks. The Suite Ocean View Balcony is 28 m² on the upper deck and adds a bathtub. The President Ocean View is the largest at 34 m², also on the upper deck and with a bathtub, and has the best outlook on the ship. There is also a Triple Ocean View of 24 m² on the main deck with one double and one single bed.
Yes, in the Triple Ocean View cabin, which is 24 m² on the main deck with a double bed and a single bed. The 2027 contract rate for the triple is still being confirmed with the cruise line, so we quote it on request rather than publishing a figure we are not sure of.
Lan Ha is the water on the Cat Ba side of the same archipelago, south of the main Ha Long cruising ground. It is the same drowned limestone landscape and sits inside the same protected area, but far fewer boats work it, so the anchorages and the swimming spots are quieter. You reach it by day boat from the ship on the second day.
Children under 3 travel free sharing their parents’ bed. From 3 to 10 they pay 68% of the adult fare sharing their parents’ bed, or 86% with an extra bed where the cabin takes one. From 11 they pay the adult fare. One child may share a cabin with two adults. A child from 3 years also needs a paid seat on the limousine transfer at the adult fare. We confirm the child fare in writing with the child’s age when you book, and ages count at the date of travel.
By tender. You check in at Ha Long International Cruise Port between 11:30 and 11:45 and a tender takes you out to the ship at 12:15, so there is a step down into a small boat and a short crossing at each end of the cruise. Tell us in advance if anyone in your party would find that difficult. The ship sails on time, and a guest who misses her has to be taken out to the anchorage by speedboat at their own expense.
There is, but it runs off a mobile signal and goes from slow to unusable once the ship is out among the islands. That is the trade-off for where she anchors. If you need to work, do it before boarding or on the drive.
Itineraries in Ha Long and Lan Ha are set on the morning of sailing by the weather, the sea state and the Ha Long Bay Management Authority, which can suspend overnight permits at short notice. Stops may be reordered, substituted or dropped. If the ship cannot sail at all the cruise fare is refunded; a three-day cruise cut to one night is charged at the two-day rate, and a programme cut to a day trip with lunch on board is charged at half the two-day fare. The transfer is charged once it has run.
Send an inquiry and we confirm the price and the cabin in writing within 24 hours. Nothing is charged on this website. To confirm, pay a deposit by bank transfer or by Visa, Mastercard or Amex through a secure OnePay payment link that we email to you, with the balance due before you arrive. Cabins are confirmed on request, as the cruise line holds no allotment, and the cruise line requires each guest’s name, sex, date of birth, nationality and passport number before departure. Cancellation of a cabin booking follows the cruise line’s own scale rather than our standard tour terms, and we set it out in your written confirmation.
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