Stellar of the Seas Cruise Halong Bay 2Days 1Night on 5 Star Cruise

The best part of the Stellar of the Seas cruise is the mix of quiet bay scenery and easy onboard comfort. You get two days among Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Bai Tu Long Bay, with swimming, kayaking, Tai Chi, a sunset gathering, and a BBQ dinner on the sundeck.

I like the small 22-cabin design, which should feel more personal than a large floating hotel. I also like the pool and mini golf course, two useful touches for the hours between shore activities. The main caution is the price, about $460 per person, plus drinks, and the strict no-refund policy.

Key points at a glance

• Three bay areas in two days: The route includes Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Bai Tu Long Bay rather than staying in one area.
• Swimming at Ba Trai Dao: Day one includes time at a natural beach area in Lan Ha Bay.
• A 22-cabin luxury boat: The vessel has a restaurant, bar, outdoor pool, mini golf course, and modern cabins.
• Food is part of the fare: Lunch, breakfast, BBQ dinner, and other listed meals are included, while drinks cost extra.
• A full schedule without a rushed land tour: Kayaking, cave or village visits, Tai Chi, cooking, and sunset activities fill the short cruise.
• Strong satisfaction figures with one serious booking warning: The experience carries a 4.9 rating from 75 ratings and a 99 percent recommendation figure, but one booking problem involved a cabin category not being recorded.

What $460 buys you on this Halong Bay cruise

At $460 per person, this is not a budget boat trip. You are paying for a two-day, one-night luxury cruise, hotel pickup and drop-off in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, food, a guide, entrance fees, and a cabin on a vessel marketed as a five-star or six-star experience.

The value depends on how much you want handled for you. If you arrange a cheaper day trip, you may see the limestone islands but miss the calm evening hours, sunset, dinner on the water, and early-morning Tai Chi. Here, the cruise turns transport, meals, sightseeing, and sleep into one package.

The boat opened in October 2018 and has 22 cabins. That number matters. It is large enough to offer a restaurant, bar, pool, and mini golf, but smaller than a major cruise ship. You should expect a polished cruise setting rather than a quiet private charter.

Food is included, which helps with the overall cost. The listed meals include lunch on day one, a BBQ dinner, and breakfast on day two. Drinks are not included, so keep that extra expense in mind before you decide that the fare covers everything.

The strong rating, 4.9 from 75 ratings, and 99 percent recommendation figure support the idea that the cruise delivers a good overall experience. Still, a high score does not remove the need to check your exact cabin type. One serious complaint involved an executive suite booked online that was not recorded when the passenger boarded. I would keep written confirmation of your cabin category and bring it with you.

Leaving Hanoi for Tuan Chau Marina

Your day begins with pickup in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The listed meeting point is 7 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, near Hoan Kiem Lake, and hotel pickup and drop-off are offered for hotels in the Old Quarter.

The published start time is 8:00 a.m., while the pickup window is listed as about 8:45 to 9:10 a.m. That difference is worth checking before departure. Ask for the exact pickup time and location rather than relying only on the general meeting-point information.

The transfer leads to Tuan Chau Marina, where you board for the Halong Bay portion of the trip. The first day is listed as roughly six hours of touring, though the full experience lasts two days because you sleep aboard the vessel.

A group maximum of 40 people keeps this from being a private cruise. It is still a reasonable size for a guided program, but activities such as kayaking, meals, and boarding will have a shared-tour feel. Most people can participate, and the experience is near public transportation, though pickup is the more useful option if you are staying in the Old Quarter.

Swimming at Ba Trai Dao in Lan Ha Bay

After boarding, the route includes lunch and then swimming at Ba Trai Dao natural beach area in Lan Ha Bay. This is one of the trip’s most appealing details. Instead of only looking at the limestone formations from a deck, you get time in the water.

The water activity gives the afternoon a welcome change of pace. You can enjoy the views from the boat, then swim under clear water as described in the program. Conditions can affect how much time you spend in the water, so treat swimming as a planned highlight rather than a guarantee of a long beach afternoon.

The itinerary also lists kayaking around caves and visits to floating villages or caves. The exact order is not fully specified, so your guide will determine how these fit into the day. That flexibility is normal on a bay cruise, where weather and water conditions can shape the schedule.

Kayaking is the more active option. It lets you move at water level and get closer to the rock formations than you can from the main boat. A cave or floating-village visit adds a cultural and geographic side to the outing, though the supplied details do not name a particular cave or village. Ask the guide for the exact stop on your departure day.

Sunset, BBQ, and onboard evening time

As the day cools, the program includes a sunset party. This is a social part of the cruise, not a formal sightseeing stop. It gives you a chance to enjoy the sundeck, take photographs, and settle into the rhythm of spending the night on the bay.

The BBQ dinner is served on the cruise sundeck. That setting is a real advantage over eating in a regular restaurant, since the evening view becomes part of the meal. The boat also has a restaurant and bar, so you have indoor and outdoor places to spend the evening.

Onboard night activities are included in the program, though no detailed entertainment schedule is supplied. I would not book this expecting a long list of shows or nightlife. The appeal is a relaxed night at sea, with dinner, the deck, and the boat’s facilities.

The pool and mini golf course are useful during free time. They make the boat more than a place to sleep between excursions. Families and mixed-age groups may appreciate that variety, while couples may prefer the sundeck and sunset setting.

Drinks cost extra. This is easy to overlook when meals are included, so check the onboard drink prices if you are watching your budget.

Tai Chi and Bai Tu Long Bay on day two

The second morning begins with Tai Chi on the sundeck for early risers. The scheduled time is 7:00 to 8:00 a.m., followed by a local breakfast.

This is a good reason to keep your first night moderate. Tai Chi gives you a quiet start and a chance to see the bay before the day’s activity begins. You do not need to be an experienced practitioner to join, since the point is gentle movement and focus.

The morning route includes Bai Tu Long Bay. Seeing a different bay area adds variety to a short cruise, though the supplied schedule does not give a precise stop or activity there. The value is in the changing setting and the sense that you are not simply repeating the first day’s route.

The program also lists a cooking class. As with the cave and village visit, the exact timing is not supplied. It may be scheduled during a slower onboard period, giving you something hands-on to do before the cruise ends.

Biking on Cat Ba Island is also mentioned among the possible activities. That is an attractive addition for active visitors, but the detailed two-day schedule does not clearly state where it falls or how long it lasts. If Cat Ba biking is important to you, confirm that it is included in your specific departure rather than assuming every sailing follows the same sequence.

The boat itself: comfort with a busy activity list

Stellar of the Seas is designed to feel like a modern floating resort. Its 22 cabins, outdoor pool, mini golf course, bar, and restaurant give you plenty of ways to spend time onboard.

The phrase six stars appears in the description, while the product title calls it a five-star cruise. I would treat both as marketing language and focus on the actual features provided: a modern cabin, meals, a pool, a restaurant, a bar, a sundeck, and organized activities.

The small cabin count is one of the boat’s strongest features. You are not signing up for a huge ship with hundreds of passengers. At the same time, the tour can include up to 40 participants, so the activity group may be bigger than the cabin count suggests.

The design suits people who want comfort but do not want to sit still. You can swim, kayak, bike, join Tai Chi, attend a cooking class, play mini golf, or simply watch the bay from the deck. The drawback is that the schedule may feel full for a two-day trip, especially if you want long, unplanned stretches of quiet.

Food, guides, and what to confirm before boarding

Food, a guide, entrance fees, and transport from Hanoi’s Old Quarter are included. That removes several common costs and makes the trip easier to plan.

The provided information does not name the guide, so you should not book this expecting a particular leader. The guide’s role should cover the transfers, activities, and sightseeing, but the exact style will depend on the person assigned to your departure.

The food receives especially strong praise in the available feedback, along with the hosts. One positive assessment describes the food and hosts as excellent and says the overall experience was worth repeating. That is useful if meals are a major part of your cruise decision.

Before leaving Hanoi, confirm three things:

• Your exact cabin category, especially if you paid for an executive suite.
• The pickup time, since the general start time and pickup window differ.
• Which optional-sounding activities, such as Cat Ba biking or a particular cave visit, are scheduled on your sailing.

These checks take little time and can prevent the most frustrating kind of holiday problem: discovering at boarding that your paid cabin type is not recorded.

Who will enjoy this cruise most

I would recommend this cruise to you if you want Halong Bay with comfort built in. It suits couples, families, and first-time visitors who prefer one organized package rather than arranging transport, meals, a hotel, and bay excursions separately.

It is also a good match for people who want several kinds of activity. You can swim, kayak, join Tai Chi, try a cooking class, and possibly bike on Cat Ba Island. The pool and mini golf course help keep the boat appealing when you are not ashore.

You may want a different option if you are mainly seeking the lowest price, a private boat, or a very slow schedule. The $460 fare is a serious commitment for one night, and drinks add more. A group limit of 40 is manageable, but it is not the same as having the bay to yourself.

The strict cancellation terms deserve attention. This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. Only book once your Hanoi plans, hotel location, dates, and cabin choice are settled.

Should you book Stellar of the Seas?

Book it if you value a polished two-day package, included meals and transfers, a small-cabin boat, and a full list of water and onboard activities. Swimming at Ba Trai Dao, the sundeck BBQ, and early Tai Chi give the trip more character than a simple sightseeing cruise.

I would book with careful confirmation of the cabin category and pickup time. The strong 4.9 rating and 99 percent recommendation figure point to a well-liked experience, while the cabin-record problem shows why you should verify the details directly.

For the right budget, Stellar of the Seas offers a comfortable way to see several bay areas without changing hotels. For a cheaper, quieter, or more independent trip, the price and fixed schedule may not suit you.

FAQ

How long is the Stellar of the Seas cruise?

The cruise lasts two days and one night.

Where does the tour start?

The listed meeting point is 7 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. Pickup is also offered from hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

What time does the tour start?

The stated start time is 8:00 a.m. The pickup window is listed as approximately 8:45 to 9:10 a.m., so confirm your exact pickup time before departure.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off at hotels in Hanoi’s Old Quarter are included.

Are meals included?

Yes. Food is included, with lunch, BBQ dinner, and a local breakfast listed in the two-day program.

Are drinks included?

No. Drinks are not included in the tour price.

What activities are offered?

Activities listed include kayaking around caves, swimming at Ba Trai Dao in Lan Ha Bay, Tai Chi, a cooking class, a sunset party, cave or floating-village visits, and biking on Cat Ba Island.

Can I cancel the booking for a refund?

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