Two days in Halong, minus the stress. I like how Stellar of the Seas brings a modern ship feel to the classic bay route, with the big highlights packaged into one smooth flow. You get a proper cruise experience, not a rushed day trip, and that includes time for caves, kayaking, and village scenery plus a sundeck BBQ dinner.

What I really like is the mix of sightseeing and onboard “hang time” between activities. The ship offers an outdoor pool, mini golf, a bar, and open common areas, and you also start Day 2 with Tai chi on the sundeck. One drawback to consider is that drinks are not included, and you should double-check your cabin booking details before you board, especially if you booked a specific room category online.

Key Highlights You Should Notice

• Newest ship energy (opened Oct 19, 2018): modern cabins and a newer layout.
• BBQ dinner on the sundeck: a memorable evening meal setting.
• Tai chi session on Day 2: a calm early start with a view.
• Small maximum group size (up to 40 travelers): easier pacing than huge tours.
• Classic Halong and Lan Ha moments: kayaking around caves, floating village time, and cave visits.
• Meals and transfers included: pickup in Hanoi Old Quarter, entrance fees, food, and a guide.

Stellar of the Seas: a newer ship in Halong Bay

Halong Bay feels famous for a reason, but it can also feel over-touristed if your plan is too rigid. What I like about this cruise is that it uses a newer, modern vessel with a comfortable mix of shipboard extras and on-the-water time. Stellar of the Seas started welcoming guests on Oct 19, 2018, and that date matters because you can feel it in the ship’s updated vibe, not just the itinerary.

The ship has 22 luxurious and modern cabins, which helps keep things from feeling chaotic. There’s also an outdoor pool, a bar, and a restaurant, plus a mini golf course for downtime. Translation for you: when you are not actively out on the water or walking around, you have enough space to relax without hunting for a quiet corner.

Getting from Hanoi Old Quarter to Tuan Chau Marina (and back)

This tour is built around pickup and drop-off in Hanoi Old Quarter. The meeting point is 7 Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, and the listed start time is 8:00 am. Since the pickup is specifically in the Old Quarter area, it’s a good fit if you are already staying central, and you do not have to solve tricky transit logistics.

Timing wise, Day 1 moves fast, so pack like you mean it. I recommend bringing a small day bag with sunscreen, a light layer for the deck breeze, and a dry bag if you have one. The itinerary includes a midday cruise lunch and later swimming time, so you will be glad you planned for wet moments and changing weather.

One more small practical point: drinks are not included. That’s not unusual on cruises, but you’ll want to decide early whether you plan to budget for onboard drinks or keep it simple with included meals only.

Day 1 on the water: lunch, Ba Trai Dao swim, sunset party, BBQ dinner

Your first full day starts with the Hanoi pickup and heads toward the bay area via Tuan Chau marina. Once you are on the water, the day is structured around a classic rhythm: sailing, a meal, an active break, then the more social evening part.

The lunch stop happens during the Halong Bay cruise day, and it’s followed by swimming at Ba Trai Dao natural beach area in Lan Ha Bay. That detail matters. Lan Ha tends to feel a bit more relaxed than the most crowded viewpoints, and a natural beach swim is one of the best ways to break up the day. If you get seasick easily, take your time early on and choose a spot on deck where you can see the horizon.

In the late afternoon you’ll shift into the fun stuff: a sunset party and then a BBQ dinner on the cruise sundeck. This is the part where I’d tell you to slow down and actually enjoy the setting, because food tastes better when you are warm, tired, and watching the light change over the water. There are also onboard night activities after dinner, so you are not stuck in your cabin waiting for the next day.

Also pay attention to the ship’s onboard options for that evening. With a bar and restaurant on board, you can usually choose your vibe, whether you want lively social time or quiet downtime.

Classic cave and village time, plus time to play onboard

The itinerary and included experience are built around the things people come to Halong Bay for: caves, paddling, and that feel of floating between massive limestone shapes. The cruise experience is described as having activities like kayaking around caves, floating village time, and cave visits, plus an onshore biking experience in Cat Ba island and swimming under pure water when conditions allow.

Here’s the practical way to think about it. If you are the kind of traveler who gets bored sitting in the same place too long, this schedule keeps moving without requiring you to be on land all day. If you like photos, you’ll get multiple chances: cave exteriors, paddle moments, and views from deck during transitions.

At the same time, you are not locked into only “hard travel” activities. The ship gives you a few ready-made ways to reset:

• Outdoor pool time when you want a break from boats and bikes
• Mini golf if you want something light and silly
• Lounge space and a bar if you prefer a slower evening

That balance is what makes this cruise work for more than just hardcore sightseers. You can be active, then recover, then do it again.

Day 2 at Bai Tu Long Bay: Tai chi on deck and a calmer morning

Day 2 starts with Bai Tu Long Bay, and the morning begins earlier than you might expect. You’ll have a Tai chi session on the sundeck for early risers, scheduled roughly 7:00 to 8:00 am, followed by local breakfast.

I like this part because it changes the pace. After your first day of sailing and swimming, Tai chi is a simple way to loosen up without feeling like you need to keep powering through. Also, Tai chi on deck is the kind of detail that is easy to skip on other tours, but on this one it’s specifically part of the plan.

From there, the day continues with morning cruising time in Bai Tu Long Bay. The name often comes up because it tends to feel a touch more spacious than the most over-visited pockets. You’ll still get that limestone-and-water atmosphere that makes the bay iconic, but with a gentler flow to the day.

If you’re sensitive to early wake-up calls, plan your sleep carefully on Night 1. Bring something that helps you relax in the cabin, and consider packing a light snack if you tend to get hungry before meals.

Cabins, onboard comfort, and where you spend your time

There are 22 cabins, which means you are more likely to run into the same faces than a massive floating hotel situation. That makes the ship feel more “together” than chaotic, especially during meal times and when activities end back onboard.

What you can count on from the ship setup:

• A restaurant for meals
• A bar for drinks (not included)
• An outdoor pool for downtime
• Mini golf for low-effort fun
• Open deck areas where you can watch the bay scenes

I’d frame it this way for you: this cruise is not only about where you go, it’s about how you move between activities. Having pool and lounge space means you are not forced to go from kayaking to dinner without any recovery time.

One more practical note. Since the day includes swimming, biking, and deck time, you’ll want to think about your small essentials: a dry towel if you have one, swimwear you can dry later, and a pair of footwear that handles wet surfaces if your onshore time includes uneven ground. The ship setup makes it easy to stow gear, but you’ll still feel better if you arrive prepared.

Food, hosts, and that all-important onboard rhythm

This is one of the strongest parts of the experience. The trip description includes food throughout, and the included list explicitly calls out food plus a guide and entrance fees. On a cruise, that matters because food quality and timing can make or break the vibe.

Based on the positive feedback around the food and hosts, I’d expect meals to be one of the highlights rather than an afterthought. The centerpiece is the BBQ dinner on the sundeck, which also makes it feel like more than just a meal, it’s part of the experience.

What you should do: treat dinner as your recharge point. If you try to cram too much gear, too many photos, and too many deck hops, you will end up tired and slightly annoyed. Instead, use the meal rhythm to set a pace. Eat, reset, then head out for any onboard night activities if you feel like it.

And remember: drinks are not included. If you enjoy soda, beer, or mixed drinks while traveling, plan for those costs. If you don’t, you can keep spending controlled by focusing on included meals and water.

Price and value at around $460 per person

At $460 per person for a 2 days, 1 night Halong Bay cruise, the key value question is what’s actually included. This package includes:

• Pickup and drop-off in Hanoi Old Quarter
• Food
• Guide
• Entrance fees
• Mobile ticket

That is a meaningful chunk of the cost you would otherwise pay separately. You’re not only booking a boat ticket, you’re booking a coordinated transit and full-day schedule. The fact that the group max is up to 40 travelers also helps with perceived value, because you are not usually shoulder-to-shoulder with hundreds of people.

About booking timing, the average booking window is listed as 74 days in advance. That suggests this cruise tends to be popular enough that planning early helps you secure the cabin category you want.

One more thing: non-refundable policy is mentioned for this experience. Since this cruise schedule is fixed, you should only book once your travel dates are solid. If your plans might shift, you’ll want to be careful.

Who this cruise is best for (and who should think twice)

This experience is a strong fit if you:

• Want a classic Halong Bay style trip but with a modern ship and comfortable onboard options
• Prefer a structured itinerary with clear blocks for sightseeing, swimming, and meals
• Like mixing active moments (kayaking, cave time, biking) with downtime (pool, mini golf, deck views)
• Want pickup and drop-off handled, without DIY transfers

I’d think twice if you:

• Hate paying extra for drinks, since drinks are not included
• Are very strict about cabin category accuracy, since there have been reported issues where a specific room booking did not appear on arrival
• Need a very quiet trip with minimal group interaction, because even with a cap of 40, it’s still a group experience

Small-group pacing: what max 40 travelers means for your trip

A maximum of 40 travelers is a big deal in practice. It usually means you get:

• Less scrambling around photo spots
• Faster boarding and calmer transitions
• More manageable group energy during activities

You’ll still see people on deck and at shared spaces, but it’s the kind of group size where the crew can keep moving smoothly. That pacing makes the day feel less like a factory line and more like a guided experience.

Booking smart: protecting your cabin and your expectations

This cruise is marketed as a premium experience, and the ship is new enough that it feels modern. Still, I recommend one habit if you care about cabin comfort: confirm your cabin category details before you board and bring any booking confirmation you have on hand.

There is at least one negative scenario reported where a specific suite booking did not show up when the traveler got on board. The boat and crew were praised, but the room record problem was the sticking point. So if you are paying extra for a better cabin category, it’s worth being extra careful.

Also, plan to spend a little on drinks if you want them. Because drinks are excluded, you can either treat it as a controlled add-on or choose to go simple and stick to included meals.

Should you book this Stellar of the Seas Halong Bay 2 days, 1 night?

If you want Halong Bay with good onboard comfort and a packed-but-manageable 2-day rhythm, I’d say this cruise is a solid choice. The big reasons are the newer ship feel, the included food with BBQ dinner on the sundeck, and the mix of kayaking, cave time, and swimming plus a calmer Day 2 morning with Tai chi.

Book it if your dates are firm and you want transfers from Hanoi Old Quarter, meals handled, and small-group pacing. Skip or re-check details if you are booking a specific cabin category and need that assignment to be exact, or if you’d rather not deal with extra onboard drink costs.

FAQ

What is included in the Stellar of the Seas 2 days, 1 night price?

The price includes pickup and drop-off at your Hanoi Old Quarter hotel area, food, a guide, and entrance fees.

Are drinks included?

No. Drinks are not included in the package.

Where does pickup and drop-off happen?

Pickup and drop-off are offered at hotels in the Hanoi Old Quarter area. The listed meeting point is 7 Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội 100000, Vietnam, and the tour ends back at that meeting point.

How many people are in the group?

The maximum group size is listed as 40 travelers.

What time does the tour start?

The activity start time is listed as 8:00 am.

Is the booking refundable if I cancel?

No. The experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason.