Cruzeiro Athena 2D1N: Baía de Ha Long, Sung Sot, Ti Top

The whole experience from pick-up until departure was excellent. The whole team of Athena has done their best to ensure we have incredible stay and experience. The cabin is comfortable. Food is ample, buffets for lunch and brunch. set dinner was well presented and tasty. Itinerary kayakking is good too. Love the taichi exercise in the morning. Overall, it is a luxury experience.

This genuinely felt like a VIP cruise, not a standard tourist tour. The ship, service, and overall organization were on a very high level. The entire staff was extremely kind, attentive, and professional. As a vegan, I was honestly impressed by how large and thoughtful the food selection was. Important: make sure to inform them in advance, it really makes a difference. The only minor downside is that we didn’t sail that much. We reached the main spot within 1–2 hours and then stayed anchored there until the next day. Still, the overall experience easily outweighs this nuance. Highly recommended.

Our Tour Operator (Alice) was proactive and texted us warmly upon confirmation. She provided us with prompt updates on the pickup timing and vehicle details. She responded to our enquiries promptly when seeking clarifications. The pickup and drop off was smooth. Our cruise managers (Anthony and Ha) along with their team provided great service (ensuring that we safety disembarked/board, checked on our dietary requirements). Highly recommend this cruise.

Athena Cruise was wonderful! The itinerary and food provided onboard were excellent! The staff were very welcoming, warm, and friendly. They were also very professional in delivering service to us. Unfortunately, the vehicle transfer to Athena was not very smooth as the driver or staff did not inform us that there were two different stops. We alighted at the first stop, which was not meant for us, and could have entirely missed our cruise at the second stop. However, the return journey to Hanoi was much better and well-coordinated.

Service: 1. The local travel shuttle service is very thoughtful. As long as you stay in the Old Quarter, the shuttle is very convenient, and the tour leader even helps with luggage, reducing your burden. 2. The food on the cruise ship should actually appeal to Asians as well, blending Western, Vietnamese, and some Chinese elements. 3. During explanations at each attraction, the English explanations are deliberately slowed down, and you can ask questions and consult again. Even with basic English listening skills, you can have a great time. 4. The evening spent on the ship was the most beautiful experience of this Ha Long Bay trip, releasing a lot of work stress. Even on a rainy day, it was still very beautiful. Itinerary arrangement: Although it was a rainy day this time, the itinerary for the Surprise Cave indoors was particularly well-cared for, with raincoats provided. The detailed explanations were full of novelty and imagination. The cruise tour leader and relevant staff also assisted every passenger with boarding and disembarking, and paid special attention to each passenger in more dangerous areas, providing practical care. Value for money: After booking the itinerary, the travel agency immediately began assisting and caring for passengers. Vietnam's service quality, in my opinion, exceeded expectations and was even better than Taiwan's. Coupled with the advantage of natural scenery, I feel it's well worth coming again and entrusting their services.

Great services throughout the 2-day journey. The crew were so helpful, friendly and energetic, keeping all customers feeling welcome and well taken care of. Lunch and dinner were great, with lots of activities keeping the trip happening for all of us. Love the tranquility and the kayak experience.

The Athena I originally booked was pending, and I was worried if the trip would happen. SSTtravel in Vietnam immediately contacted me using the contact information I provided on their website. Ms. Mie, the staff member who assisted me, was professional and efficient throughout our communication. She clearly explained the arrangements and used various methods to reassure me and ensure I understood everything. Concerned that I might not be able to go, she suggested changing cruises. I initially worried it was a sales tactic, but it turned out I was overly concerned. The cruise Mie changed for me was excellent value for money, and she didn't even charge me the price difference. Both the transportation arrangements and the service on the cruise were truly perfect. I thought I'd have to wake up early to go to a meeting point, but they sent a car to pick us up at the hotel. Another pleasant surprise was that they originally said the return transportation would drop us off in the Old Quarter, but they ended up taking us directly back to our hotel entrance. I truly recommend everyone to use this tour and service. Thank you again, Mie and all the staff, for your thoughtfulness towards customers. I will definitely choose such a high-quality travel agency again next time.

This was an amazing and value for money experience. Our guide was cheerful and had clear communication. The team did a good job getting us to all the attractions first ahead of other tour boats, allowing us to enjoy them before they got flooded by a hoard of other tourists. Food was fresh and had a good variety too.

The driver only informed us of the pick-up time after 9 PM the night before, but arrived punctually on the morning of the trip. Many thanks to Chien, Son, Kelvin, and the rest of the crew on Athena for giving us such a relaxing holiday at sea; they were all very friendly! The bus transfer from Hanoi was very comfortable, with a 30-minute rest stop halfway, so the journey wasn't difficult. The food on board was delicious and good, and the activities were not too tightly scheduled, allowing for sufficient rest time between them. There was a queue to go up to Surprise Cave, and climbing on Ti Top Island was a bit tiring, but the scenery was beautiful. In the evening, there was a Happy Hour on the boat with a buy-one-get-one-free offer on drinks, and we also learned to make rice paper rolls on deck while watching the sunset, which was truly delightful. The kayaking session on the second morning started early, around 7 AM, which was good because it wasn't too sunny. On the return journey, the bus dropped us off right at our hotel entrance, which was very thoughtful. I highly recommend Athena!

It was an unforgettable adventure. I left my valuables in the cabin, and many thanks to the cabin crew who managed to retrieve them, and to Vinh, our transport guide, who managed to bring them back to Hanoi and deliver them to our hotel. Special mention to Henry and Ding on the cruise, who were most friendly and helpful. I am most grateful for that. My only suggestion is perhaps to go to a less crowded beach after the cave trip.