Excellent Choice: Peony Cruise + Hanoi Pearl Hotel 3 Days

There are 02 Peony junks with 20 cabins and 03 decks per boat, giving passengers the best experience onboard.

The first deck has 12 Deluxe Balcony of 26m2 each (including 02 Family Deluxe with connecting door). The front of this deck is the crew's cockpit, and the stern is the reception area.

On the second deck, you can find 01 large dining room at the bow, 06 Premium Deluxe (including 02 Family Premium Deluxe with connecting door) in the middle, and 02 Exclusive Suites (45m2) with a 180° private terrace view at the rear.

The sundeck brings the most comfortable feeling to the seascape with an open bar, sun loungers, and a swimming pool.

Swimming Pool

Decorated with a wooden villa-style border, the sundeck pool is divided into 2 separate swimming areas: the larger is rectangle-shaped and deeper, while the smaller is rounded and shallow, suitable for small kids.

Guests can also sip on refreshing cocktails ordered at the bar (from 7:00 to 23:00) and taste the beauty of the bay at the sun loungers and sofas nearby.

2 layouts of the spacious pool on the sundeck

Spa Room

The wellness corner is quite small but cozy and private, creating a sense of security and relaxation for passengers using the service. There are 02 comfy massage tables, especially spacious and soft, that can bring a comfortable nap to anyone during the treatment. 

Additionally, warm decor with a main tone of brown and yellow makes guests feel comfortable and more peaceful after the energetic day excursion.

Enjoy the healing treatments after the energetic day excursion

Sightseeing activities

Kayak in Tra Bau

On Day 1, paddle around Tra Bau on a kayak to get your new challenge. You will have around 1.5 hours in the afternoon to admire the towering karst formations from the water and catch a glimpse of a floating village.

An idyllic backdrop for your kayaking

Discover Viet Hai Village

You will have a chance to visit a fishing village on the Day 2 morning of the 3D2N cruise. Viet Hai boasts a beautiful cycling route and scenic countryside (the electric cart option is available). Also, you can stop by a local house and enjoy an interesting fish foot massage.

Sit back and relax with a thrilling fish massage at the village

Swim in Lan Ha Bay

After Viet Hai visit, dive into the refreshing water and experience the sensation of weightlessness as you float amidst the hidden beach in Lan Ha. The cool water is perfect for a refreshing dip after a long day of exploration.

Immerse in a pristine beach on a 2-night cruise

Visit Trung Trang Cave

As one of the largest caves in the Cat Ba Archipelago, Trung Trang is not only for sightseeing but also for history learning. On the final day of the Peony Cruise Halong Bay itinerary, you will have a chance to explore its unique structure and tropical greenery.

Trung Trang gives a healing space with fresh air and geological sights.

Onboard Activities

Cooking demonstration

Peony Cruise's cooking class is an interesting pre-dinner option for passengers who love Vietnamese cuisine. The head chef on board is usually the teacher of this class. Here, during the 30-minute cooking class, guests will be introduced to a simple Vietnamese traditional recipe (usually deep-fried or fresh spring rolls) and enjoy the product they made.

Try making the most iconic Vietnamese dish and share the moments

Oriental Taichi Class

Peony Cruise Halong Bay has a spacious sundeck, with a beautiful view of the bay, very suitable for starting a morning with Taichi exercise and watching the sunrise. Although waking up to join the training session at 6:00 is quite difficult for many tourists, a gentle, healthy sunrise exercise, combined with the beautiful scenery in the early morning is really worth it for anyone to change their waking habits once in their life.

Spa & Massage

Like other cruises managed by Big Bay Group, Peony offers a range of beauty treatments, including facial - skincare - massage, body therapy, foot reflexology, nail manicures, and pedicures. These services are all quite affordable, usually only from US $23.5 - US $48, and last from 30 - 75 minutes. However, passengers should book with the cruise manager before using the service for 1 - 2 hours for the best experience.

Cuisine style

On Peony Cruise Halong Bay, you may sample the finest intricate Vietnamese cuisine and delicious European delicacies professional chefs make. Overall, the Peony Cruise’s menu is quite balanced between cuisines. However, the cruise’s strength is still fusion dishes with the main flavors still leaning towards Asian cuisine.

Diverse options of tasty tropical fruits

In addition, carefully crafted to offer various delicacies to suit all palates, the chef is always happy to cater to all special requests, such as vegetarian, Indian, and kid’s menus.

Note: The Indian menu is only served free for a charter group (40 people or more). For groups of under 40 people, the additional fee is surcharged from US $24 per pax.

Dining time

The usual serving time is 6:45 - 7:15 for breakfast, 10:00 - 10:30 for brunch, 13:00 for lunch, and around 19:00 - 19:30 for dinner.

• 2-day 1-night tour: 01 buffet lunch, 01 set-menu dinner, 01 light buffet breakfast, 01 buffet brunch
• 3-day 2-night tour: 01 buffet lunch, 01 set-menu lunch (on day boat), 02 set-menu dinners, 02 light breakfast buffets, 01 buffet brunch

Note: If there are below 15 guests on board, buffet lunch & brunch will be changed into the set menu.

Drinks

Like most Halong Bay cruises, alcoholic beverages are the soul of Peony’s drink menu with hundreds of choices from wine, and spirits, to cocktails. On the other hand, the options for non-alcoholic drinks are not too rich, however, still ensure the basic needs of customers with many choices for fresh juice, smoothies, sparkling water, coffee, and tea.

Enjoy vibrant cocktails and snacks at the sunset party

• Alcohol drinks

The highlight of this menu is the collection of nearly 60 wines with many varieties. However, most of the wine options are sold by the bottle, costing from US $40 - US $390/ item.  There are only 4 options sold by the glass: 2 red wines: Cabernet Sauvignon & syrah, and 2 white wines: Sauvignon Blanc & chardonnay, all from the brand Chilano made in Chile. 

Besides, Peony offers over 50 types of cocktails and mix-drinks at quite affordable prices, ranging from US $10.5 - $27. Notably, all onboard spirits are sold by the shot, averaging around US $13 and the most expensive one is Hennessy X.O cognac which is around US $26/shot.

Note: The rate could be adjusted; you should refer to the up-to-date price on the cruise.

• Non-alcohol drinks

The non-alcoholic beverage options on Peony Cruise Halong Bay are similar to most other ships on the bay and are very affordable (US $2 - US $7). Coffee and tea are the 2 types of drink with the most extensive menu options offering with around 20 options for both. However, travelers should note that the caffeine content in Vietnamese tea & coffee is quite strong, which may not be suitable for those who are not used to drinking it.

Restaurant

Compared to other 4-star cruise boats, Peony’s restaurant has a little larger space which can accommodate around 55 guests with the most enthralling gastronomic experience onboard. In line with the ship's modern minimalist style, the restaurant is neatly arranged, using compactly designed tables and chairs, without any unnecessary details to create spacious walkways between the restaurant and comfortable distances between dining tables.

Elegant neo-classic design for a deluxe dining experience on Peony

The transfer between Hanoi and the cruise port is upon request for all passengers. With an additional fee of US $20/ pax/ way and more, there are different options for a shared shuttle bus or a private car.

From Hanoi

The meeting will be around the Hanoi Opera House, No. 16 Thi Sach Street, or door-to-door at your hotel in the Old Quarter. The pick-up time by shuttle bus is around 8:00 - 8:30.

From Tuan Chau Terminal

If you want to get from Hanoi by yourself, please meet your tour guide at No 34, Tuan Chau Terminal, before 12:00 to get the safety guidelines and finish check-in procedures.

The waiting lounge of Big Bay Group is centrally located at Tuan Chau Port.

BestPrice Reviews: 9.7 /10

On my recent 2-day inspection, I had an enjoyable time with a popular Lan Ha Bay itinerary and exceptional customer service on Peony Cruise. 

Overall, this wooden junk offers fantastic value for money with its well-maintained facilities, delectable cuisine, diverse activities, and 4-star service. I can say it's a standout choice for families with kids and couples on a mid-range budget.

Facilities & Amenities: 9.4/10

With an adequate number of cabins, each of the 20 staterooms provides a comfortable space for a private balcony and bathtub that very few 4-star cruises can accommodate.

Nevertheless, my Premium Deluxe Balcony is quite narrow (26m2) and has the same features as the Deluxe Balcony. The only difference is that it is on the higher deck and more expensive.

Pros

• Spacious swimming pool with 2 separate areas, more privacy, and safety for small kids
• All cabins are equipped with an ocean-sense turquoise theme, private balcony, and bathtub
• Stylish traditional junk models and well-maintained public areas

Cons

• Limited number of family connecting cabins (only 2 for each suite)
• Very few differences between a Deluxe Balcony and a Premium Deluxe Balcony
• The functional room tag name should be bigger since it looks like a regular guest room, which is hard to notice

Kid-friendly pool is totally safe for small children and the elderly.

Foods & Drinks: 9.6/10

For those who have food allergies, Peony Cruise is somewhere you can trust to have a pleasant culinary experience, from Asian to Western food. The F&B manager is a delight who particularly considers dietary requirements. Otherwise, Vietnamese food is full of praise for its tasty flavors.

Pros

• Fresh, delicious, and varied types of buffet dishes, especially Vietnamese food
• Diverse options for special dietary requests and charter menus

Cons

• Limited options for snacks or light meals throughout the day
• The higher price of premium wines and signature cocktails than other mid-range cruises

Savory fusion dish at set menu dinner on Peony Halong Bay Cruise

Activities: 9.8/10

Peony Cruise offers an exciting 2-day Lan Ha Bay itinerary packed with both outdoor and indoor adventures. As an active person, I’m interested in hiking to Trung Trang Cave (more than 100 steps) and bending down while walking inside. For adventure seekers, the 3-day cruise would be ideal, with cycling activity in Viet Hai Village.

Pros

• Energetic and well-organized itinerary, such as kayaking, hiking, cycling, and cave-visiting
• Eye-catching biking routes and valuable insight into fishing culture at Viet Hai Village on the 3D2N cruise
• All activities are suitable for everyone to enjoy, including kids and the elderly

Cons

• Few entertaining activities due to the lack of facilities onboard

Diverse outdoor activities are available for all types of travelers.

Service: 10/10

During the whole trip, we received absolute professional service; the staff always provided full information about the itinerary and time for guests. I can’t praise Lee - the cruise manager, Ken - his assistant, and his team enough.

I also loved that the staff always asked us beforehand whether we had food allergies; that was thoughtful of them. They were even supportive at meals; I asked them to peel the shrimp for us.

Pros

• Friendly and helpful staff and handsome and gentle waiters are on every corner
• Attention to detail and personal touches throughout the cruise
• Surprising preparation for guests' special events like birthday, honeymoon, and wedding anniversary
• The informative guide told us interesting legends about Lan Ha Bay and Trung Trang Cave

Exceptionally attentive crew staff to support every need of passenger

TripAdvisor Reviews: 5/5

• Number of reviews: 2,480
• Excellent: 2,328 / 2,480 reviews

Up to November 2024, Peony Cruise Halong Bay on TripAdvisor has ranked #39 of 698 Boat Tours & Water Sports in Hanoi. Many travelers have praised the cruise for its crew members, especially the F&B manager, dietary requirements, the beautiful boat, the cave tour, and the Halong Bay seascape. On the contrary, very few reviewers have complained about the miscommunication and cancellation policy since a few years ago.

Popular mentions of cruise reviews on TripAdvisor

All in all, Peony is still a favorable choice for those who wish to come back to Halong Bay. It has become a rising star of 4-star cruises in Lan Ha Bay at a reasonable price.