I spent hours researching the best Ha Long Bay Cruises in Vietnam. But there were so many options to choose from, and I quickly became overwhelmed.
So, I created a spreadsheet, sifted through the different cruise itineraries, price ranges, boat layouts, and guest reviews, and finally decided on Dora Cruise.
Fast forward a few months, and Dora Cruise was the highlight of my trip to Vietnam.
This guide details everything you need to know: the good and the bad.
It’s the Dora Cruise review I wish I had when doing my research, and I hope it helps you with your travel planning.
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Is Dora Cruise worth it
I’ll cut to the chase – yes.
I highly recommend the Dora Cruise and would book with them again.
I paid for the trip myself, and no one knew I was a travel blogger, so you know this is an unbiased review.
The saying “you get what you pay for” never rang as true as it did for the Dora Cruise. It’s a luxury cruise, meaning you are paying a premium for the experience.
But the superior service and high level of comfort make it worth it.
How long is Dora Cruise in Ha Long Bay
Dora Cruise has two options:
For both options, you meet at the port at 11:30 am on the first day and return to the port by noon on the last day.
Most people book an overnight cruise through Ha Long Bay, but this doesn’t give you much time to relax as you’re constantly on the go.
I visited Ha Long Bay with my husband and 8-month-old baby, and we opted for the 2-night option as we wanted a more relaxed itinerary.
However, this review is relevant if you’re doing the 1 night cruise, as you’re all on the same boat (I’ll explain why later).
Dora Cruise Review
The Price
The price for a 1N/2D cruise ranges from 300 to 400 USD for 2 people.
This price varies depending on the time of year you visit and the room type you select. You can view the options here.
It’s an all-inclusive cruise, meaning all meals, accommodation, and activities are included in the price.
Drinks, transport to Ha Long Bay, and staff tips are excluded.
Yes, you can get cheaper cruises like Sunlit Cruise, but your room won’t have a private balcony, and you’ll miss out on a rooftop jacuzzi.
There are also more expensive options like Capella Cruise. But I wouldn’t want to pay more, given my fantastic experience on the Dora Cruise.
The rooms
I loved the rooms, all of which had a private balcony with outdoor seating.
They were spacious and modern, with enough room to fit a cot for our baby.
The bed was massive and extremely comfortable and came fitted with high-quality linen. The bathroom was equally impressive, with a shower and a large bathtub overlooking the beautiful bay.
The soundproofing was also good, and we didn’t hear any of our neighbours in the rooms next to ours.
The rooftop Jacuzzi
The rooftop jacuzzi is one of the most underrated aspects of the Dora Cruise.
We planned our trip for February, which is winter in Ha Long Bay. It was cold.
But this is why we loved the Jacuzzi.
There’s nothing better than relaxing in a hot jacuzzi while drinking an ice-cold beer after kayaking around limestone cliffs. It’s also a great chance to mingle with other guests.
If you want to enjoy the jacuzzi with no other guests, then skip one of the activities. This is typically when everyone leaves the boat, so there won’t be many people around.
The staff
The Vietnamese people are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met. And the staff onboard the Dora Cruise were no different.
Each couple or group is assigned a staff member who takes care of you on the cruise. They’ll manage your meal service and any special requests you have.
We formed a close bond with our waitress, Dian, and our baby loved her. We had a few extra requests, and nothing was too much trouble.
All the staff were incredible, from the cruise manager to the chef, the receptionist, and the cleaners. They were genuine and friendly, and I was sad to say goodbye at the end of our cruise.
You can read more guest reviews here, which highlight how amazing the staff are!
The food
No review of Dora Cruise is complete without discussing the food. The cruise is inclusive of all meals and caters to different dietary requirements.
Breakfast is served as a buffet, and you have a choice of eggs your way.
There’s fruit, yoghurt, cereal, croissants, muffins, bread with spreads, and noodles.
Lunch is magnificent and consists of a plated meal with various courses.
Dinner is also buffet style with numerous meat options, seafood, vegetables, noodles, and desserts.
The food was always plentiful, and there was a wide variety of options to cater to different preferences.
Was it a fine dining experience? No (but I was not expecting that).
If you want a more refined dining experience, then choose a more extravagant cruise.
One criticism I read online was that there isn’t enough local Vietnamese food. And I agree, to an extent.
But the food was delicious, there was a lot of it, and we were happy.
The itinerary
Each Ha Long Bay cruise offers a different itinerary. Some stay in Ha Long Bay, others go further to Lan Ha Bay.
The itinerary for the Dora Cruise was my main reason for choosing them over the hundreds of other options.
1 Night 2 Day cruise itinerary
The 1N/2D Dora Cruise goes to both Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. You will experience more of Lan Ha Bay on the 2N/3D cruise.
You might have heard of Titov Island and the iconic viewpoint overlooking Ha Long Bay.
Well, Dora Cruise doesn’t go there. And I was happy about that!
Why? Because it’s extremely touristy, and the staircase leading to the top is lined with queues of tourists.
Instead, Dora Cruise offers a kayaking trip around the bay as well as a bamboo boat ride to “Dark & Light Cave”.
Additionally, there are onboard activities including squid fishing, tai chi, and cooking classes.
2 Night 3 day Cruise itinerary
If you opt for the 3-day cruise, you will do the above activities as well as an additional day trip to Cat Ba Island, where you can cycle around Viet Hai village and explore the nearby beaches.
While you’re on this day excursion, the guests from the overnight cruise will return to port, and new guests will arrive.
For each activity, you have the option to rather stay on the boat (which I’m sure you’ll be tempted to do as the Jacuzzi is extremely appealing).
The boat transfer
Before starting your cruise, you’ll need to take a 45-minute boat transfer from the main port to Dora Cruise.
When looking into cruise options, I read a few horror stories about this transfer.
Tiny boats. Extremely squashed inside. People and luggage getting wet.
These were stories of different companies, not Dora Cruise.
Luckily, with Dora Cruise, the transfer boat is very comfortable. It’s smaller than the cruise boat, but it’s fully enclosed, so you won’t get wet or cold.
If you book a cheaper cruise option, you will most likely be squashed in a smaller boat.
During this boat trip, the cruise manager gives a safety briefing and shares more information about what to expect on your cruise.
For families
The Dora Cruise is extremely family-friendly, and I wouldn’t hesitate to re-book with my family.
Having said that, we were the only people with children on board, and most guests were couples and groups of friends in their mid-thirties to sixties.
The chef was happy to prepare food appropriate for our baby, and the staff adored him. They looked after him while we ate and wanted to entertain him all the time (which was amazing for us as it gave us a bit of a break).
Our baby also loved the Jacuzzi, and there were lots of open spaces for him to move around and play on the boat.
There are interconnecting rooms, which are ideal for families with older kids.
If you’re traveling to Vietnam with a baby, I suggest reading this post first.
Other things to note
- Everything operated like clockwork. There was no waiting around, and the cruise stuck to a tight schedule.
- Our cruise was fully booked. Even though it was a full boat, we never felt that there were too many people onboard, as the boat was spacious and comfortable.
- The bus from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay is an additional expense. I highly recommend booking this through Dora Cruise and not another agency (like we did for the journey to Ha Long Bay). For our return bus to Hanoi, we booked with Dora Cruise. Their bus was far more comfortable, and I felt safer compared to our other bus, which we arranged through a different agency.
- There are no ATM’s near the meeting point, so I recommend drawing money in Hanoi.
Do I recommend Dora Cruise in Ha Long Bay?
I spent a month traveling in Vietnam with my family. Dora Cruise was the best way to end our time in the country, as it took us through one of the most picturesque destinations in the best way possible.
If you’re looking for a stress-free, luxurious cruise, then you won’t go wrong with Dora Cruise.
