Carina Cruise

Our hotel arranged this overnight cruise on the Carina for us. We had a bit of a long journey there but that was why we left so early in the morning. The bus was comfortable but the roads gave us a little bit of a bumpy ride.We checked in at the dock and boarded the boat with no problems. There were only about 9 cabins on board so the whole atmosphere is very relaxed, which is great. Our tour guide Tom was the star of the show when it came to the staff, but all of the restaurant staff were also brilliant. The food they served was exquisite and they were always smiling while serving it.We had a large double bed with beautiful en suite in our cabin. The rooms looked exactly like the ones on the website and were just as clean. The air con was efficient but you could just open the windows to take advantage of the sea breeze.It was a packed itinerary but we always found time to relax as well as get out into the bay. Tom ensured we were always safe and having fun throughout while we were doing the kayaking, cave visiting, beach visit etc.We read a few reviews before leaving about a few unsavory companies that would deliberately not mention that drinks weren’t included in the price of the cruise. The Carina was very upfront about everything and let us know that drinks weren’t included. They were actually pretty reasonably priced so we were happy to buy them. We paid at the end when we checked out and there were no surprises. We left a big tip for the hardworking staff, many of whom have to stay out at sea for a long time before they get a day off, so we encourage everyone to leave a bit of money for them.The only thing I would suggest to Carina is maybe provide more water to passengers and you only get one bottle at the start, and seeing as you can’t drink tap water in Vietnam, we got through this one very quickly. Water is a pretty basic necessity so maybe a water filter on the boat would be a better idea.This was a great option for us to go to Halong Bay and we’re very glad that we chose Carina. Superbly-run tour and really wonderful staff along the way. Highly recommended!

Me, my sister and my mom were picked up early in the morning, very close to the given time, which was impressive as we saw the morning traffic once we got onto the bus. Tom was our brilliant guide, who was very entertaining and knew so much about the local landmarks that we were driving past. My mom is disabled and so Tom showed her extra care and made sure she was always comfortable when getting on and off the bus as well as moving around. He was very in control during the activities and allowed us freedom while making sure we were all safe.The staff during the service in the kitchen were always smiley and pleasant. We enjoyed the food and liked learning how to make some of it in the cooking demonstration. The Carina is noticeably smaller than the other cruises but I think that this is one of its strong points. You always have a chance to get to know the other guests as there are not all that many on board. There is a lot of character in the ship, not just with the intimate setting, but with the cabins, bathrooms, sun deck, bar and restaurant as well. It all adds up to one fantastic cruise that was organised to perfection.

We had a comfortable 4 hour bus ride from Hanoi to Halong Bay. It picked us up promptly and stopped about halfway in an expensive tourist shop (I’d advise saving your money and buying stuff for much cheaper in Hanoi.From the start, our tour guide Tom was really really great. His English was incredible and he had a wonderful sense of humour – he made everyone laugh at some point on that bus ride over. He knew a lot about the national history of Vietnam as well as that of Halong Bay.The boat was very modern and comfortable. I think there is a maximum capacity of about 16, which sounds tiny, but we were never crowded on the boat and there seems to be plenty of space for everyone. All of the meals are included in the price and all were very good quality. There was lots of seafood and fried foods considering where we were, but there was also a lot of other choice in vegetables, meats, fruits, rice etc…I really enjoyed the kayaking and the night time squid fishing, even though we didn’t catch a single thing! We had Tom on the excursions with us so we were always kept thoroughly entertained! All of the crew were sensational, they really make you feel at home. We were constantly full and the drinks were pretty reasonably priced, so we have absolutely no reason to complain!

One of the Vietnam essentials, this one! We went as a group of 7. Pick-up was very prompt and we were in Halong Bay about 3.5 hours later. The tour guide, Tom, was very entertaining on the way, but still allowed plenty of time for silence as everyone was still practically asleep. Once we got to the boat, we were greeted by even more friendly staff, who really made us feel comfortable over the one night that we were there. We spent a lot of time in the bay and learned a lot about the history of the place from Tom, who really knew his stuff. He took us out kayaking and showed us all how to do it, then we went to the biggest cave in the area, the Surprise Cave, which was beautiful. We had some great food during our vacation to Vietnam, but the food on the Carina was another level entirely. Big thanks to all of the staff and all of the guys behind the scene, this was a very well-run cruise organised by friendly and professional staff. I’ll be telling my friends and family about this one for sure!

First class from start to finish with the Carina. We had a timely pick-up from our hotel in Hanoi and were taken swiftly and efficiently to Halong Bay. All along the way, and during our entire time with Carina, the staff were so polite and caring; if something was a problem, the staff would be on it in a flash and claim that it was no problem at all – wonderful service. For me, I think the food was the best part of the whole experience. We had the most delicious seafood over lots of courses and there wasn’t a single thing that I didn’t like. While we were having dinner, the crew set up a Christmas party on the top deck, with some beautiful traditional (and not so traditional) food, and champagne. We sang Christmas carols and then danced until Christmas day! As for the rest of the cruise, I found the itinerary to be very well balanced between spending time outside the boat and relaxing on it when you wanted. Thank you to Carina for the great experience!