Le Journey Luxury Cruise 5 Star Lan Ha Bay - All Inclusive 2D1N

Did not meet expectations

To begin, the crew on board the cruise are amazing and hard-working, friendly, and they did their best to make everything as wonderful as they could. And Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay are beautiful and stunning, and well worth visiting. However, there were things that fell below expectations on theLe Journey Luxury Cruise for 3 days and 2 nights in Lan Ha Bay cruise. First, the vessel was comfortable and clean. The rooms were spacious and the bed was extremely comfortable. But, it's not 5 star. There was a sense of things falling apart and not fixed, and the finishings being shoddy. There were loose fittings on the walls, a ceiling fan falling out of the ceiling, and paint was splattered and dripped when painting was done. There was nothing horrible, but it's solid three star. On the deck were decent deck chairs, but there were no cushions, so there were not particularly comfortable. The food was good. My only complaint was that on the last day's brunch, there were no drinks available. There was no coffee, tea, juice or water available. If guests wanted a drink, they had to pay for it. The biggest disappointment was that this cruise did not cruise. We booked a three-day cruise into Lan Ha Bay because that's what we wanted. More time to cruise away from the crowds and enjoy Lan Ha Bay. But, the operating model of this company seems to be to cruise as little as possible and keep the boat in one small area. We began by being motored in a small passenger boat 30min from the pier out to the vessel. After arriving on board and during lunch, we cruised a short way from where the boat was moored. We stopped and took the tender to a kayak station full of people from other vessels also kayaking and swimming. Back on board we "cruised" again for less than two hours. It was lovely to watch the scenery slip by and appreciate the beauty of Ha Long Bay. We anchored for the night with other vessels nearby (meaning we hear their diesel generators) and many more in view. The next day we boarded a small boat and went on an all-day adventure to Cat Ba Island (which was great) and into Lan Ha Bay. We kayaked from another crowded kayak station with many other tourists, and we had some time on a little beach. The kayaking in Lan Ha Bay was a highlight, but it was busy. Then we motored back to the vessel. That was the extent of our time in Lan Ha Bay. We didn't cruise through it. That evening we cruised again for less than 2 hours. We remained in the same general area we had been the previous day. So, the boat did not cruise into Lan Ha Bay taking us on a voyage as expected. The vessel stayed in a small area and people were moved to and fro. It was more like a floating hotel that didn't really go anywhere. Instead, guests were moved to and fro on smaller (loud) motorboats. If you are having visions of lounging on the deck, reading your book and sipping cocktails while watching the beautiful scenery from the comfort of your balcony or the deck, this is not the cruise for you. If you want a nice floating hotel and some fun excursions (with a great staff) then this would be perfect.

Response from the operator: Thank you very much for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review. First of all, we truly appreciate your kind words about our crew. We are also glad that you found the scenery of Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay beautiful, and that you were comfortable with the room and overall cleanliness. At the same time, we sincerely apologize that several aspects of your experience did not meet your expectations. Your comments regarding the condition of the vessel, including maintenance issues and the beverages during the final brunch are taken very seriously. This is not the standard we aim to deliver, and we will work closely with our technical team to address these concerns and improve the overall condition of the cruise. Regarding your main concern about the cruising experience, we completely understand your disappointment. The itinerary is designed to combine cruising with excursions, and in some areas of Lan Ha Bay, larger vessels are required to remain anchored while passengers are transferred by smaller boats to access certain locations. This may not have aligned with your expectations of a more continuous cruising journey, and we sincerely apologize for any misunderstanding or lack of clarity in how the itinerary was presented. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us, and it highlights important areas where we need to improve — both in terms of service quality and in setting clearer expectations for our guests. Thank you once again for your honest and constructive feedback. We truly hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future and provide you with a much better and more seamless experience. Warm regards, Le Journey Cruise Team

via Tripadvisor

Lovely older boat offers quaint HaLong Bay experience

This ship is quaint and full of character… and in need of a face lift. If aesthetics matter to you, then perhaps you should book elsewhere. However, if you’re looking for a nice boat with a kind and gentle staff who works hard to meet your needs, then this little boat is perfect. The food was 6/10, the rooms actually quite spacious and the 30ish people on board had plenty of personal space in all shared spaces. A quick note… these 2D1N tours are, in fact. a minute less than 24 hours from the moment you get on til you get off the water.

Response from the operator: Thank you very much for your detailed and thoughtful feedback. We truly appreciate your kind words about our team — it means a lot to us to know their efforts made a positive impression on your trip. We also value your comments regarding the boat’s condition and food quality, and we will certainly share them with our management team as we continuously work on improvements. Regarding the 2D1N itinerary, we would like to clarify that this is a standard format for overnight cruises in Ha Long Bay, with a carefully arranged schedule to include transfers, activities, and onboard experiences within the timeframe. Thank you again for your honest feedback, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future. Warm regards, Roxanne

via Tripadvisor

Good but was expecting more from "luxury" boat

Mixed experiences. Tour guide was great. Very enthusiastic. Room was great, clean and bigger than other cruises. Food was good. But generally i was expecting a little more by paying " luxury" options. Activities were basic...swim, kayak for one hour or so, visit the cave which is just a bus ride on the island, stop at the cave for 15 min. Overall the boat was ok, but expected a little more from luxury options. The chairs had no cushion so you could not lay down comfortably. No wifi on the boat ( you dont want to spend your time on the phone there but still the should have it) . Also, I under they want to make extra money to sell drinks but at least water the should have available across the boat for free

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for choosing our 5-star Le Journey Luxury Cruise and for sharing your detailed experience with us. We are thrilled to hear that our tour guide made a great impression on you with his enthusiasm and that you enjoyed the spaciousness and cleanliness of your cabin, as well as our culinary offerings. These are areas where our team strives to excel, and your praise is very encouraging. However, we have also noted your constructive feedback regarding the "luxury" expectations. Regarding the activities: Because we follow a fixed schedule regulated by the local harbor authority to ensure safety and manage guest flow at the caves, the duration can sometimes feel a bit rushed. We will share your feedback with our operations team to see if we can optimize the timing for a more relaxed experience. On-board comfort: We apologize for the lack of cushions on the chairs and the unstable WiFi. As you mentioned, signals in the middle of Lan Ha Bay can be weak due to the limestone karst mountains, but we are looking into better technology to improve connectivity. We will also review the deck facilities to enhance guest comfort. Complimentary water: While we provide free bottled water in the rooms and during meals, we appreciate your suggestion about having free water stations throughout the boat. This is a great idea that we will discuss in our next management meeting. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us reach the true "luxury" standard our guests expect. We hope that despite these points, you had a memorable time exploring the bay. We would love the chance to welcome you back in the future with an even better experience.

via Tripadvisor

Really exceptional boat tour stay on

We had a fantastic time on this boat tour. Our guide Andy was friendly and helpful at every point. What was brilliant was the smooth transition from our bus to boat with all our bags carried for us and exceptional service throughout. A highlight for us was the Squid fishing on the back of the boat! Thank you Andy :)

via Tripadvisor

Great cruise fun 😁

Our guide Andy was fantastic- very knowledgeable and accommodating. The food was really good and we had the opportunity to go kyaking, squid fishing and some had massages as well on our group. Our rooms where very spacious, clean and comfortable. Would recommend this cruise.

Response from the operator: Thank you so much for your kind words! We are especially happy to hear that our staff made such a positive impression on you. Your praise will be a great motivation for our team to keep doing their best. It was a pleasure serving you, and we hope to see you again on Le Journey Cruise!

via Tripadvisor