Era Cruises Halong Bay

7 September, 2019

"Don't waste your money"

I am honestly really surprised by the excellent reviews written about Era Cruise -- this cruise was not what was advertised and I would not recommend it.

To start off, we got picked up at our hotel and had a two hour drive to the pier. After sitting in a van for two hours, we got dropped off at the… MoreI am honestly really surprised by the excellent reviews written about Era Cruise -- this cruise was not what was advertised and I would not recommend it.

To start off, we got picked up at our hotel and had a two hour drive to the pier. After sitting in a van for two hours, we got dropped off at the harbor and hurried
into a small room in the upstairs of a small building. We sat up there for over an hour with absolutely no instruction or interaction from the staff. When a staff member finally came upstairs, it was to pull individuals downstairs to complete their payments...
After this 1 hour + ordeal, we were then jam packed into a small ferry boat for 30 minutes with the people on our cruise and a 20+ person tour group going to a different boat. It was uncomfortable to say the least.

One of the most infuriating parts of this cruise was the way they nickel and dime you for drinking water. Guests are only given two mini 6 fl oz water bottles per day - any other time you want to drink drinking water, you’re charged per bottle an extremely inflated price. When I asked them why this is the case, especially knowing tap water is not ok to drink, they told us the two mini water bottles per day are sufficient for a whole day.... ?

The accommodations were sub-par and not as luxurious as advertised (dusty rooms and stained floors) and the activities were lacking. We went kayaking (lasted 1 hour where you can Kayak around the cruise boat...) and had a tour of light/dark caves (also lasted about an hour). Other than the meals and happy hour, these were the only activities they could fit into a “2 day” trip.

Lastly, they make you check out of your room at 930am on your second day even though you have two more hours left on the boat. No access to showers or ability to change. All the guests ended up just sitting in the dining room because it was the only place with air and wifi.

Ha Long bay was beautiful, but our overall stay with Era was sub-par at best. Less

3 September, 2019

"Nice 2day 1 night cruise"

Small newly built boat . Friendly staff. Good sized rooms . Though limited option on food - it was good . Enjoyed the terrace room . Evening and morning views were awesome - sit with a cup of coffee in the morning and enjoy the view . Same View from Bedrooms also . We fully enjoyed the trip.

1 September, 2019

"Decent treat"

Unlike most people we made our own way to the port from Hai Phong, of which cannot comment on the transport.
You’re taken on a transport boat at first which is quite hot and cramped - probably not the best for small kids, however it’s worth the wait. Once you board the boat you are briefed by the… MoreUnlike most people we made our own way to the port from Hai Phong, of which cannot comment on the transport.
You’re taken on a transport boat at first which is quite hot and cramped - probably not the best for small kids, however it’s worth the wait. Once you board the boat you are briefed by the Manager who in our case was called Thành and was extremely professional (remembering our names every time we spoke) as well as treated his staff very well which is always nice to see. Every other staff was extremely happy and helpful which added to our own experience.

The room was amazing, we got upgraded to a King suite as it was a birthday celebration and there was one free. Hands down one of the best rooms we stayed in. Beautiful bathroom with a bath looking into the bay.

We really enjoyed the itinerary but you’re also reminded you are under no pressure to follow it. The kayaking was amazing as well as the swimming into the bay - once again the staff treatment was amazing as they also enjoyed a swim as well as take photos of us while in the bay. There are also a few extras which is fun to take part in - making of our own spring rolls was a good laugh!

Dinner and lunch are to a very high standard so expect to loosen to a few notches after you eat. We were also treated to a lovely cake due to the birthday celebration, another couple also during dinner as it was their honeymoon. The only negative to the whole experience is the fact that the water is not free onboard and expensive. While you’re given one small bottle while kayaking we found we went a bit thirsty on the trip. Remember to bring yourself a few big bottles ahead of time as they only supply small ones.

Upon checking out once again Thành was a super hero and helped arrange onwards transport! Legend. Less