Athena Royal Cruise
A neoclassical premium cruise from the Athena Group on the quiet Bai Tu Long Bay. All 22 cabins have a private balcony; the boat carries up to 42 guests across 3 decks, with a semi-classical restaurant, spa and sauna rooms, and a sizeable sundeck jacuzzi. The route favours calm, uncrowded waters - Cong Do kayaking and the Thien Canh Son Cave.
Scored by our Halong cruise team, who spend their season on these waters. We rate each boat the way a returning guest would - cabins, dining, crew, itinerary and value - not the way a listing does.
The all-balcony layout is the real draw, and the Bai Tu Long route stays genuinely calm while the core-Halong fleet jostles for space at Sung Sot. The spa, sauna and sundeck jacuzzi punch above the price point, but the plunge pool is tiny and comes without towels, and only the top three cabins get a bathtub, so book the Premium Terrace or the Royal if a proper soak matters to you.
Choose your suite
Deluxe Balcony Cabin
BEST VALUE
Elegance Balcony Cabin
Premium Terrace Royal
Athena Royal Cabin
Connecting Cabin
Prices are per cabin, all guests included in USD. Final price is confirmed on WhatsApp before any payment.
Cabin details - Cabins (22 cabins / 3 decks)
Itinerary
Hanoi - Bai Tu Long Bay - Cong Do
- Limousine pickup in the Old Quarter ~08:00-08:30 (add-on), board at Halong International Harbour ~12:00, welcome drink + briefing, lunch cruising
- Afternoon: anchor at the Cong Do area for kayaking among limestone islands and swimming at pristine beaches; back onboard for Happy Hour + cooking class
- Evening: fusion set-menu dinner, then films, board games, squid fishing or booked massage
Thien Canh Son Cave - back to Hanoi
- Sunrise tai chi on the sundeck (~30 min), light breakfast
- Thien Canh Son Cave (~200 stone steps) + white-sand beach viewpoint
- ~09:00 check out, brunch cruising back, tender to harbour ~10:45
- Transfer to Hanoi ~15:00
Meals
- 2D1N: lunch buffet, dinner, light breakfast, brunch. Welcome drink, in-room tea/coffee + snacks
Activities
Cong Do kayak/swim, Thien Canh Son Cave, Vung Vieng Village (3D2N), spa/sauna, sundeck jacuzzi, cooking class, tai chi, squid fishing.
What’s included
- Accommodation in Athena's suite cabin
- All onboard meals (welcome drink + cold towel on boarding)
- Complimentary kayaking, cave exploration, swimming, trekking + night squid fishing
- Morning tai chi on the sundeck
- Complimentary room setup for honeymoon/anniversary/birthday
- In-room tea, coffee + Vietnamese snacks
- Bilingual (VN/EN) guide onboard
- Pickup
- Hanoi Old Quarter (limousine add-on) → Halong International Harbour (No 9)
- Pickup window
- 08:00-08:30
- Drop-off
- ~15:00 Hanoi (last day)
- Children
- Under 5 stay free
- Ages 5-10
- 75% of adult fare
- Age 11+
- Full fare
- Note
- 2 children <11 in their own cabin = 100% cabin rate; a 3rd person using an extra bed = 100% (final terms confirmed at booking)
- Weather
- Bai Tu Long weather is variable; kayak, swim and cave activities are weather-dependent. Winter (Dec-Feb) is cool and misty.
We never take card payments on this site. Your booking is confirmed by a real person on WhatsApp, and the final price is agreed before you pay anything.
Ask us anything about this cruise
A real person replies within hours, 7am-10pm ICT - WhatsApp is fastest.
Same Athena Group quality and neoclassical style, but Athena Royal sails the quieter Bai Tu Long Bay (Cong Do, Thien Canh Son Cave) instead of the busy core-Halong route - pick Royal for calm and space, Luxury for the famous Sung Sot/Titop stops
It's a solid premium boat with spa, sauna and a sundeck jacuzzi, but the pool is small and towels aren't provided for it, and onboard Wi-Fi is weak - normal for the bay. Bring a towel and don't rely on the connection
