Essence Grand Cruise

Check-in time is from 12:15 PM to 12:30 PM. If you’re arriving on your own, please be at the latest at 11:45 AM at the pier to complete the boarding procedures before embarkation.

Check-out time is between 9:30 AM and 10:30 AM depending on the schedule of each cruise. After checking out, Tourist will be served lunch on board before the cruise docks.

There will be a total of 4 meals on board. All meals are delicious and easy to eat. The service staff is very attentive.

Lunch on the first day: Buffet lunch at the restaurant on the first floor. There are various dishes including rice, vegetables, meats, seafood, soup, sandwiches, mixed noodles, rice noodles, etc. There are many Vietnamese-style dishes that are easy to eat. Desserts include fruits and sweets.
Dinner on the first day: A la carte or set menu dinner. They will serve one course at a time, and the next course will be served when the table finishes the current course. There are a total of 6 courses according to the European-style menu.
Breakfast: Before visiting Sung Sot Cave and kayaking, there will be a light breakfast from 6:00 to 7:15 AM. There are bread, pastries, milk, tea, and coffee. You can have breakfast in the room or on the rooftop.
Main breakfast: At 9:30 AM, after check-in, there will be a buffet breakfast on the first floor with a variety of premium European-Asian buffet dishes.
Note: Food and menus may change depending on the season.

The distance from Hanoi to Halong Bay is 180km, and it usually takes about 4 hours to reach Tuan Chau Port in Halong Bay. Along the way, travelers can rest at K52 or Km 77 rest stops in Hai Duong province.

When booking an overnight cruise to Lan Ha Bay, please provide a valid Passport/ID Card/Resident Card at least 3 days before departure for port clearance procedures.

The travel time from Van Don Airport to Tuan Chau Halong is approximately 60 – 90 minutes. If you book the shuttle service with catba.tours, there will be an additional charge starting from 500,000 VND. Please provide your name, phone number, flight number, and arrival time. If your cruise departs from Got Pier, please arrange for transportation to Got Pier before the scheduled departure time.

For all-inclusive cruises, there will be a hotel pickup service in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. If you’re staying outside the Old Quarter, please be at the designated meeting points 30 minutes before the scheduled pickup time, such as the Hanoi Opera House or other agreed-upon locations.

If your flight arrives at Noi Bai and check out before 7:30 AM, you can take a taxi to the Old Quarter to board the cruise. Alternatively, you can book a private transfer service with catba.tours.

If you arrive at Hanoi Train Station before 7:30 AM, there will be a pickup service at Le Duan – Hanoi Train Station (Hang Co Station).

Tourist will return to Hanoi around 3:30 PM – 4:00 PM and will be dropped off at hotels in the Old Quarter. The journey from Hanoi to the airport takes about 35 minutes (without traffic). The cruise does not provide transportation to the airport, but you can book a private transfer with catba.tours. Please schedule your flights accordingly to avoid missing or wasting time.

Unfortunately, no. Bringing outside food and alcohol will incur a fee ranging from 500,000 to 900,000 VND, depending on the cruise’s regulations. There is a bar on board offering a variety of beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, for guests to enjoy.

There are no strict luggage regulations on Lan Ha Bay cruises, but it’s advisable to leave excess luggage at the hotel. Due to the tender transfer from the pier to the cruise, guests should pack essential items for convenience during boarding and disembarkation.

Upon booking with Catba.tours, you will receive an automatic confirmation email with complete details. Additionally, our customer service team will contact you to confirm and send a stamped confirmation via email or other convenient messaging apps.

Lan Ha Bay cruises can accommodate vegetarian and dietary restrictions. Please inform us 24 hours before departure, and our restaurant team will prepare accordingly. Due to the cruise’s mobility, food ingredients are prepared in advance and brought on board the next morning based on the number of guests.

All expenses are included in the package. Please refer to the section “Excluded” for expenses not covered in the tour, which guests are responsible for paying according to their usage.

The itinerary remains unchanged unless affected by natural disasters or foggy conditions. If scheduled maintenance and inspection require the cruise you booked to be replaced, we will transfer you to a cruise of equivalent service standards, reschedule your trip, or provide a refund.

For the comfort of all guests, smoking is not allowed inside the cabins. However, smoking is permitted on the balcony or designated smoking areas. Please dispose of cigarette butts properly in the designated containers and ashtrays.

There is no fee for changes made at least 3 days in advance. Changes made 1 day in advance will incur a 35% fee.

Please refer to each Halong Bay cruise’s specific cancellation policy below this FAQ section. Thank you for your interest in Catba.tours services.

When traveling to Tuan Chau Port independently, our shuttle service team will contact you to guide you on parking arrangements, and fees will be paid directly to the parking lot as per your request.

You will receive a refund via bank transfer upon agreement between the consultant and the client regarding the policy.

You will receive a refund via bank transfer upon agreement between the consultant and the client regarding the policy.

Please specify your preferences in the booking form, and our consultants will advise and confirm accordingly. However, please note that all requests are subject to availability, and we will confirm with you upon boarding.

While there is no medical department on board, first aid kits are available, and crew members are trained in first aid. The cruise is managed and supported by the port’s medical department.