Ancora Cruise

We narrowed our final choices of cruise down to 6 fantastic looking ones, then just picked at random. We came out with the Ancora and it’s fair to say we got very, very lucky!It’s a very new cruise so everything was very modern and very clean. I went with my two teenaged boys and we found the whole trip to be sensational.The crew and captains are of the highest caliber. The Ancora is especially lucky to have a man like Harry as the tour guide – he was fantastic with EVERYONE (seriously, everyone) and by the time we pulled back into the harbour at the end, he had made about 25 more friends – everyone loved him! Big praise to all of the other crew as well for their hard work and friendly conversation!The food was just perfect and came with some amazing presentation. It defied what I thought was possible to do on a boat and it impressed my sons no end. It was also plentiful and delicious, so absolutely no complaints there!Bai Tu Long Bay appears to be the route less travelled, as there were fewer boats around us the whole time we were cruising. You can tell that the Ancora is one of the most beautiful ships in the bay, so it felt like a real pleasure to be on it.There’s just one improvement I would make to the itinerary, and it’s about giving us more time in the bay. We didn’t manage to go swimming or get onto a beach, which was a little disappointing. We almost went to one small beach but the weather was bad and the crowds were growing, so we decided to skip it. Apparently the 3 day itinerary does that so we will have to try that next!We all loved this trip in the end thanks to Harry and the crew and the perfect service we received. Thank you all! 

We knew that we were expecting something nice from the price we paid, but we did not realise how absolutely heavenly it would be. It was SUCH a beautiful journey and I really wish we booked the extra day to enjoy it for longer. CREW – I have to mention the hardworking lads and lasses that really made this cruise special for us. Right from the get go, they were incredibly welcoming and always willing to help, right up until the end. They were so friendly and enjoyed having conversations with guests, and we enjoyed it too! We met some great young minds on that cruise, many of whom can speak multiple languages. Harry was the service manager and he was next level. We loved hanging out with him and we really do miss him quite a lot! He’s got a great attitude and is a real treasure of the Ancora cruise.ACCOMMODATION – The rooms looked exactly like the pictures, but you can’t get a feel for the beautiful atmosphere that comes when you check in for the first time. We had coffee on the small balcony in the morning, which was truly magical. Every amenity we could want was in there somewhere – awesome furniture including great bed, well-stocked bathroom, mini-fridge, hairdryer etc. We also had a Jacuzzi but didn’t find the time to use it!ITINERARY – Very well balanced schedule that appealed to everyone on board through various activities. Kayaking, cave exploring, squid fishing, tai chi, island visit, floating village: everything was great and the scenery was such a beautiful backdrop.FOOD – The food was outstanding the whole way through. We thought that it couldn’t stay such a high quality after the first lunch buffet, but then the dinner was even BETTER. We were in total awe of the chefs! The bar is very well-stocked. There was a rainstorm while we were there and we decided to dance around in it, which actually felt amazing. Harry brought us some towels afterwards.I have many little stories like that but you have to go and experience it for yourself! It was truly fantastic and one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. Thank you to Harry, the crew and the whole of the Ancora Cruise company. You guys are incredible.

Our family of 7 went to Halong Bay and selected the Ancora because it seemed the be one of the newest and most modern. This was the case on the pictures and proved to be more than we could have hoped for once we stepped on.We had some beautiful cabins between us and were even upgraded further by the booking staff. All of the cabins were very spacious and looked like something out of a movie. The luxury here is different class, with staff welcoming you onto the boat after every excursion with a drink and wet towel.Of all the staff, we have to mention Mr. Nghia, who was a very smart man with great organisational skills and a friendly smile. It’s not easy to manage a family of 7 and keep everyone happy, but the staff managed it with aplomb. Special mention for Mai Giang, Lam, and all of the other staff members who put smiles on our faces every time we saw them.With all the food they have on offer, even the pickiest eaters of our family were satisfied by the food, which was delicious and plentiful, with some crazy talented presentation. Great activities and wonderful guiding while off the boat. I can’t thank the Ancora staff enough for what they did for us; we will be back to thank them in person one day!

This is a very new cruise and everything on board feels like it! All the amenities are in top conditions and the décor is not worn even slightly. The crew are unbelievably welcoming and will stop at nothing to make it feel like you’re in paradise. We felt like we were before we even left the harbour. Our tour guide was excellent and very funny, with lots of knowledge about Halong Bay and Vietnam in general. The food was phenomenal, the activities were fun and the scenery was gorgeous. I know this cruise is a little pricier than the other ones, but for the vast stepping up of the service, food and accommodation it’s most certainly worth it in my opinion.

We felt like absolute royalty on the Ancora Cruise! It was a fantastic service from start to finish. The food was unbelievable – like 5 star dining but absolute mountains of it! The cabin and bathroom were top quality, better than most rooms we’ve ever stayed in on land, and with such a view out the windows! The itinerary was well balanced; we didn’t want to fill our time in the bay just doing activities, but we also didn’t want to do nothing either. Amazing staff all round and River, Vodka, Lei, the Tai Chi girl and Flower all get a special commendation from us for their fantastic work! They really made the cruise special for us. 100% worth all the money we paid for the cruise and we would be happy to do the same again in the future. Hopefully we will and all the old faces will still be there!