Swan Cruises Halong Bay

Swan Cruise has two main decks and 01 sundeck with a capacity of 40 people:

The 1st deck includes a kitchen, 02 Suite Triple Cabins, and 08 Deluxe Cabins. 04 Deluxe cabins can be connected to create a larger area for families or groups. 

The 2nd deck has a restaurant, the remaining 02 Suite Triple, 03 Suite Double/Twin cabins, and 02 Suite Balcony Cabins at the ship's rear.

Overall, the 02 Suites Balcony (28m2) and 04 Suites Triple (22m2) are the only cabins that have jacuzzi bathtubs and are larger than the 03 Suites Double/Twin (18m2). 

Deck 1 & Deck 2

The sundeck boasts the 01 Suite Balcony left and an airy sundeck with many sun loungers and set tables for guests to tanning and relax.

The Sundeck

Despite being a budget cruise, Swan Cruise still provides nice and standard facilities for the guests, including:

Restaurant

Let’s enjoy a wonderful meal in a minimalistic and chic setting with wooden interiors. Stay on the 2nd deck, with a capacity of 40 people, Swan will take you on a flavorful cuisine journey. 

Spacious Restaurant and Bar Onboard

Bar

The bar is right next to the dining room so that passengers can easily choose various kinds of drinks to enjoy: Wine, cocktails, mocktails, smoothies, juices, etc.

Sundeck

The top deck is equipped with sun chairs and tea tables to facilitate tourists' trips while enjoying the magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay. The area is pretty decorated with green grass, paintings on the wall, and colorful flags.

On Swan Cruise, passengers can visit Cap La Island & Thien Canh Son Cave in Bai Tu Long Bay on the 2D1N tour. For the 3D2N tour, you will spend the extra 2nd day in Vung Vieng Village & Cong Dam. 

Here are some exciting activities during the trip that you can take part in:

Swimming & kayaking in Cap La

In the afternoon of the first day, you’ll have 1.5 hours to chill out in the emerald water and immerse yourself in the tranquil area of Cap La. Let’s sail through the imposing Karst mountains and see the breathtaking nature.

Amusing Kayaking activity

Visit Vung Vieng fishing village 

Only available on the 3D2N tour. On the morning of the 2nd day, let’s have an engaging trip to the charming Vung Vieng Village on a rowing boat or by kayak. Here, you can learn about fishermen’s daily life and their culture.

Have a trip to Thien Canh Son Cave

On the last day, guests can visit the well-hidden Thien Can Son Cave. This place is one of the best spots to witness the gorgeous stalactites and stalagmites in Bai Tu Long Bay.

Stunning view inside Thien Canh Son Cave

When booking with Swan, all of your meals onboard are included in Vietnamese and International cuisine.

The usual time for breakfast is 7:00, lunch is 13:00, and dinner is 19:00.

Drinks

Two mineral water bottles and fresh fruit will also be provided for free in each cabin. Other beverages will be charged separately at the end of your journey.

• Alcohol: From US $35 bottle & US $6 shot
• Non-alcohol: From US $2 item

The Drink Menu

NOTE: The price is objected to change in the future.

You can choose a shuttle bus or a private car (extra fee needed) to travel to Halong Bay by booking with BestPrice Travel. The car is modern and is equipped with comfortable seats, air-con, free water, etc.

Transport from Hanoi

If you book the transfer service, a driver will pick you up in the Hanoi Old Quarter at around 8:00 - 8:30 and get you to Halong International Harbor.

From Cruise Port

Tourists who self-transfer to Halong Bay must arrive before 11:30 to check in at the Swan cruise lounge and take a tender boat to the cruise.

BestPrice's Overall Rating: 9.2/10

• Inspection date: July 2024
• BestPrice Travel inspector: Ms. Mie

After a 2-day inspection tour on Swan Cruises, it is pretty easy to tell that this is one of the most suitable cruises for budget travelers who want to visit a less touristy area. With the routes in the pristine Bai Tu Long and a low guest capacity of 40, Swan will satisfy customers who want a peaceful experience and excellent service.

Facilities & Amenities: 8.8/10

Swan Cruises seems well-maintained; the boat was launched in 2017, but the facilities are in excellent condition and look the same as in online pictures. My Deluxe Cabin cabin was well-equipped with a classic wooden design. However, since this was a 3-star cruise, few recreation areas exist.

Pros

• Well-thought design, the cruise's decoration was cohesive, with wooden-based furniture and a warm palette that created a cozy and elegant vibe. 
• Spacious restaurant; the dining area is vast, airy, and can hold up to 40 people.
• Beautiful sundeck with artificial grass, many sunbeds, and gorgeous painting on the wall.

Beautiful Sundeck with clean artificial grass

Cons

• Don’t have many areas for entertainment.
• The cabin size is not big enough if guests bring more than 1 piece of luggage. Deluxe cabins and Suite cabins don't have a balcony.
• The Sundeck floor will be wet and have standing water when it rains.

Foods & Drinks: 9.3/10

The food & drinks on Swan Cruises are great to its 3-star standard. All the meals are set menus (except for breakfast) with great potions. Most of the food is well-cooked and follows Vietnamese style.

Pros

• A significant quantity of food. There are 7-9 dishes for two people.
• Delicious seafood, the ingredients feel very fresh, and the dishes are cooked well.
• Most of the meals are set menu, so everyone can have the same quantity, unlike buffet.
• Drink menus are diverse with fresh and well-made drinks.

The varied Set menu on board 

Cons

• The menu mostly includes Vietnamese food, so it may lack variation for Western customers.
• The vegetarian menu was a bit limited.

Activity & Itinerary: 9.1/10

Overall, the schedule of Swan Cruises for its 2d1n itinerary is pretty interesting, with the two main activities being kayaking and swimming in the Cong Do Area and visiting Thien Canh Son. It is no doubt suitable for many kinds of travelers.

Pros

• The quieter and less touristic route in Bai Tu Long Bay helps you enjoy the spectacular bay peacefully.
• Swimming and kayaking in the emerald water of Cap La Island is great to unwind.
• After visiting Thien Canh Son Cave, you can chill out on the beach close to it.

Create Wonderful Experiences

Cons

• Kayaking in the Cong Do Area will take about 35 - 40 minutes round-way, you may take the tender if you don't want to kayak.
• There are not many things to do at night.

Service: 10/10

The service on Swan Cruises is excellent; all the staff is well-trained. There is nothing to fault with the services on this budget ship.

Pros

• Most of the crew is knowledgeable about Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. 
• Everyone is friendly, cautious, and attentive to all of the visitors.
• The guide speaks good English and connects with every guest very well.

Swan Cruise's review on Tripadvisor

• Number of reviews: 5.715
• Excellent: 5.193/ 5.715

Among the budget cruises in Halong, Swan is adored by its worldwide passengers, with many reviews, and almost 97 % of them giving positive reviews.

Generally, Swan Cruises on TripAdvisor is praised for its fantastic service, with many positive reviews about the amazing sceneries, great food, kind staff, and great guide.

It seems like the cruise has received good responses continuously from its customers. However, there are some complaints about the average food and scams; some people may book from unofficial sites. So be careful!