Dora Cruise

The whole trip in Halong Bay with La Pandora was very well organized, with beautiful scenery and a relaxed pace. We enjoyed activities like kayaking, swimming, and a small boat ride through the Bright and Dark Cave. It’s a great choice for families with childre. The price for the cruise is reasonable too. There is transfer from hotel in Hanoi Center included in La Pandora Cruise. The staffs were thoughtful and attentive!!! Guide on cruise spoke English well and epxplained many things to us so we understand more about Halong formation and history of this area.

If you’re looking for a truly luxurious way to experience Halong Bay, this cruise is absolutely the way to go. My partner and I spent 3 days and 2 nights on board, staying in a stunning honeymoon suite that was worth every penny. From the moment we stepped onto the ship, we felt like VIPs. The interiors are elegant yet warm, with thoughtful touches everywhere like fresh roses petal as we celebrated our ceremony on cruise and immaculate spaces. One of the biggest surprises was the food, every meal was outstanding. We enjoyed a wide variety of fresh, flavorful dishes that easily rival some of the good fine dining spots we’ve visited. What really made it special was how effortlessly the crew accommodated our dietary needs. Davis, in particular, made sure my husband always had amazing pescatarian options, they adjusted every dish for him without a single awkward moment. The activities were equally memorable. We had a blast kayaking, exploring beautiful caves, and learning about local life — Tom Cruise (the manager!) kept everything perfectly organized and made sure we were always in the right place at the right time. Dian and Bruce were also exceptional, sooo knowledgeable, warm, and dedicated to making sure we had the best possible experience. One thing to keep in mind is that the bay’s water isn’t always as pristine as you might expect because it’s not the crystal-clear turquoise you’ll find in some other parts of Southeast Asia. But honestly, the breathtaking scenery, the luxurious boat, and the world-class service more than make up for it!

We were recommended Dora Cruise by our friend. So we chose 2-night cruise — it truly exceeded our expectations in so many ways. The boat was clean and modern, and the rooms looked exactly like the photos we’d seen on the booking site. It had a very comfortable bed, a large bathroom with a bathtub and we loved having a little balcony to soak in the views. The scenery from the balconies on all the rooms was spectacular, but we felt especially lucky because we were upgraded for free to a middle-level suite in the rear corner, which gave us a beautiful panoramic view of the bay each morning! The Cruise’s member were so kind and attentive. They took care us from head to toe, spent their time to remember our names, diets. A special shoutout to Tina for making the best passionfruit cosmopolitan cocktail! We couldn’t find this taste again in other places. The food on board was very good, and we felt well fed throughout the trip. The excursions to Cat Ba Island and the Dark Cave were also very enjoyable, with lots of interesting information shared by the wonderful guide -Tom. After seeing so many other boats on the water over those two days, we honestly believe Dora is the best option in the mid-range price bracket. For the price we paid directly with the company, we felt we got excellent value for money — a comfortable, scenic, and genuinely memorable cruise experience.

We had an exceptional experience on the Dora Cruise. Big thanks to Dora team. We were a large family of six adults and two young children on vacation in Vietnam, and the crew made sure that everyone in our group was well taken care of from start to finish. They made our trip truly memorable! A real standout for us was our waiter for the journey, Davis. He was always courteous and incredibly attentive to our needs, which we appreciated immensely. Tina, the assistant manager, also deserves a special mention — she was so thoughtful and sensitive to the fact that we had young, sometimes fussy children with us, and did everything she could to make sure they were comfortable and happy Dora Cruise is well organised and well maintained, we booked 3 separate rooms. The room with the extra bed felt a bit small for us, especially since my kid loves to run around and she needs more space. But in general activities during the trip were thoughtfully arranged and worked well for us as a family. Although the food initially wasn’t exactly to our taste, the crew genuinely listened to our feedback and went out of their way to adjust the meals so we could enjoy them more.

Dora Cruise was honestly the best choice we made during our whole time in North Vietnam! It was like a mix: The views of Halong Bay and the less touristy of Lan Ha Bay, and this combination was sooo great, just like you’d imagine, but even better in real life! The first thing really made this trip stand out was the amazing Dora Cruise crew. From the very start, the ride to Halong was comfy in a clean, cozy bus with a friendly, helpful guide who kept things fun, and they picked me up just in front of our hotel, which was soo convenient as we brought a big luggage (I wanted to dress beautifully so haha) Once we arrived, everything was handled so smoothly — our luggage was taken care of in no time and we were soon stepping onto the Dora ship, which is new, clean, and soooo pretty, with a super friendly crew who were always smiling. And I just have to give a HUGE shoutout to the wonderful Dian, who took such good care of us from start to finish. We treated ourselves and booked one of the two suites for the 2 days 1 night trip and OMG, it was sooo posh! I wish I booked 2 nights instead! We had a bathtub with an insane view over the bay and even our own private deck — seriously felt like a dream! The activities were well-organized, safe, and explained clearly — we loved kayaking and the cave visit was awesome too. The meals were delicious with local specialties that made every bite a treat. And the cocktails? Haha, they were nice and strong — just how we like them!

My family and I had a wonderful trip on Dora Cruise. We’re really glad we chose the Dora Cruise for exploring the bay — it was a comfortable and pleasant experience overall. We booked the Connecting room, it was huge, clean and easy to look after my children. The thing made it stand out the most was the wonderful staffs on Cruise. They were so friendly, kind and attentive. We were especially lucky to be looked after by Chi, she was the one made our trip feel special. Our daughter really loved her as she was soo patience and carefully listened to her. We had 1 person who is lactose intolerant, and she always made sure that we had soy milk available. I loved the food there a lot, hot, fresh, well seasoned and nicely presented. The itinerary was fine, relaxing and also suitable for our child. The bay itself is so beautiful that it’s worth the trip alone — and thanks to Chi and the Cruise’s team, it’s a memory we’ll treasure for a long time!

My wife and I chose Dora Cruise to celebrate our ceremony. We used to have a nice experience in Halong Bay Cruise 3 years ago and this time wanted to try the Lan Ha Bay. The view here is not too different but less crowded a little bit. We had a peaceful and relaxing stay on the Cruise. The service throughout the trip was nice, our waiter named Davis. He was very helpful and caring, he wanted to make sure that we had everything we needed. One of the highlights for me was the Jacuzzi, which we didn’t have on the last time in Halong Cruise. It had a fantastic view overlooking the entire landscape — it was a great place to unwind and take in the scenery, although it’s worth mentioning that unfortunately, it didn’t have any bubbles, but not an issue. I liked the itinerary here, more chilling and relaxing comparing the itinerary we had in Halong Bay – for the active people. If I had to note one downside, it would be the internet connection, but it was understandable. However, aside from that, the overall experience was excellent and I’d happily recommend it to anyone looking for a relaxing getaway with beautiful views and good service.

I was a solo traveler. I read a lot of reviews and saw that Halong Cruise is a highlight point so decided to give a try. I bought a package including transfer for 2 days 1 night. Communication during the booking process was good and clear. I received full itinerary with estimated pick up time by email, and it was quite accurate. The bus I had was comfortable. There was one stop on the way for a restroom break, and as mentioned in other reviews, there is a stop at a pearl factory for about 30 minutes and a visit to another shop area on the way back. However it was no pressure to buy anything. When I was dropped off at the harbor, there were Cruise’s staff there to support, check-in process was quick, they also noted and double checked my diet, which was shellfish allergy. Passengers were transferred to the main cruise ship by a smaller boat, and it took about an hour. The cruise ship was well maintained. My room was on first floor, nice view with small balcony. There were other cruise ships around — at one point I counted 23 within view. But the Cruise moved to other points where had a better view. Not too crowed, and still had a view to the Bay. The itinerary was informed when I was having lunch, all the details were printed out. The planned activities were enjoyable and well organized — I tried kayaking in the afternoon, they also had cooking class demonstration, you can give a shot if you want, or just chilling around. Drinks on the sky bar were reasonably priced, it was still cheaper than drinks at my hometown. They offered happy hour, buy 2 get 1 free. Overall, it was a pleasant solo trip with a relaxing pace and beautiful surroundings.The set menu was good and cared about my diet. The staffs were nice and friendly, especially thanks to Tom, who supported me a lot!

We’re writing this review about a month after our amazing trip on the Cruise — now that we’re safely back home in our country, we still can’t stop thinking about our time sailing through the beautiful Lan Ha Bay! We booked the Senior Suite, and it was definitely worth it — waking up to those stunning views right from our window felt like a million-dollar experience. It was honestly one of the best parts of the trip! We were so happy we decided to go with the 3 days and 2 nights option instead of just 2 days and 1 night. We spent a lot of time debating it haha, luckily we chose right, it gave us more time to relax and enjoy everything without feeling rushed. The suite was spotless, the bed was super comfy, and we slept so well each night. The food was another highlight for us — we loved every single meal! Lunches were served buffet-style with plenty of variety, and the dinners were beautiful set menus. The dishes were a delicious mix of Western and Vietnamese flavors, really well-seasoned and nicely presented. It honestly felt like dining at a fine restaurant every time. The itinerary was relaxing and we really enjoyed the cycling option through the village, which was such a nice way to see the local area. The jacuzzi on the Cruise was warm and so inviting, even in January when the weather was a bit cool — it was such a fun and memorable experience to soak in it while surrounded by the bay’s scenery. All in all, we absolutely loved every moment and can’t recommend this Cruise enough. We’re already dreaming about coming back one day!

My husband and I had a fantastic trip on Dora Cruise for 2 nights and 3 days. We had a wonderful experience staying in our Senior Suite. The suite was not too big, but it was nice and clean. We also had a small balcony with ratten chairs. I loved the moment we sat together and enjoyed the stunning view in Halong. I also loved the moment when we cycled around Viet Hai Village on our second day — we met some lovely people! We were also so impressed with the amazing staff on this cruise, especially a young man named Tom. He was our personal attendant during our stay. He took such good care of us and made us feel very safe. He was so kind. We came here to celebrate my husband’s 60th birthday, and we were so surprised by the lovely cake they gave us — it was so adorable! I don’t have enough nice words to express how much I appreciate the cruise for giving us such a special and memorable experience.

We had a family trip this month on Dora Cruise.The weather was quite hot and humid outside but the room was cool enough for us to relax there. Dora Cruise is professional. I like their itinerary with good arrangement. It was relaxing to me and not too rush. The food there was so delicious, especially set menu in the evening. It was like a fine dining in a good restaurant I used to be in Hanoi Old Quarter! The Cruise's staff are so friendly and helpful. Especially our hostress Tina. She is so adorable and really professional!

This cruise was such a fun and family-friendly experience! There was plenty to do—swimming in the ocean, kayaking, and tons of other great activities. I brought my 5-year-old along and she had a blast too! One highlight of our trip was the incredible help from Jerry. He came with us to the island and was super prepared—he even had a first aid kit on hand when I scraped my leg. He was so friendly with my wife and daughter, and always made sure we were taken care of. Really appreciated his kindness and attentiveness!

We had a wonderful time aboard Dora Cruise. The service was excellent, and we’d like to especially thank Dian from the dining staff. She was extremely helpful, polite, and attentive throughout our journey. Truly outstanding service—keep it up! Anna from Vietnam Escape Tours helped us to book the cruise and all things ran smoothly!

From start to finish, our 2-day, 1-night trip on the Dora Cruise was an absolutely fabulous experience. Our suite was a total “WOW”! Tina took such great care of us—friendly, attentive, and incredibly thoughtful. As a pescatarian, I really appreciated the extra fish and veggie dishes she brought me 😍. The food was delicious, the entire staff was lovely, and we had a great time kayaking and enjoying a boat trip with local villagers. Highly recommended! Dora Cruise could pick us up from Gia Luan Harbour in Cat Ba Island as we stayed in Ca Ba Iland before we went to Halong Bay.