Celebrity's 'Halong Bay by Boat' Excursion

[intr3pid]

Can anyone who has taken Celebrity's Halong Bay excursion comment on the experience?

 

Here is the official description:

 

"Set out into the majestic waters of Halong Bay aboard a traditional wooden sampan for an up-close look at one of the world’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. Set in the infamous Gulf of Tonkin, Halong Bay is a geographic work of art that’s been honored as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Relax and take in breathtaking scenery as your captain navigates among limestone islets that boast rock arches, soaring seaside cliffs, innumerable stretches of white sand, and a host of secluded coves. Upon reaching Dau Go Island, you’ll go ashore for the opportunity to explore the legendary Thien Cung Cave, perhaps, better known as the “Heavenly Cave”. Those who wish can climb the 120 steps leading to this massive subterranean wonder boasting stalactite and stalagmite formations with names like Dragon, Phoenix, and the Four Pillars. After touring the cave, embark on the scenic return voyage through Halong Bay."

 

My questions, for example, are: how crowded was the junk boat?  Did they have any snacks or refreshments on board?  Did they pretty much take a touristy path back and forth?

 

We are trying to find/decide on a private excursion - one that syncs up with our ship's arrival/departure and the port without transfers.  That, and, of course, we won't mind deferring the booking until we have a weather forecast closer to the date.

[dani negreanu]

We've done this itinerary with the Millennium one year ago. The ship docked at noon, with an overnight.

We took a private tour (with others from our roll call) on the 2nd day, at 9M, until 4PM. Fresh lunch was served. We were picked and returned from/to pier. We were 14 passengers and we "hit" all the interesting stops. It was a very enjoyable and satisfactory day.

Ngoan Lee -- 

http://www.travelauthenticasia.com/

 

[dabear]

We did a similar tour last month with a private group of 10 when on a Azamara cruise. The agent picked us up at the ship port & took us to the docks where the HB ships depart for the best tours. There were tour boats where the ship docked but they take you to an area that is cloudy,  crowded and not the best & true area. Our tour was 6 hours, included a seafood lunch & we saw all the highlights. We were advised anything 4 hours or less don't cover the highlights.

Edited December 1, 2019 by dabear

[hallasm]

19 hours ago, intr3pid said:

Can anyone who has taken Celebrity's Halong Bay excursion

We did the Royal Caribbean excursion - assume its the same as Celebrity. Nor crowded at all - get a feeling from my video

 

 

[John Bull]

No duration time quoted by Celebrity ?

It sounds like just a 2-hour cruise, and sadly that's simply not long enough to get away from the dozens of other junks - you need at least a 4 hour cruise, 6 hours is better, and there are 8-hour cruises and overnight cruises (the overnights also sail for about 8 hours, they don't sail in the dark).

 

And it's likely to be pretty full - that means most seats (30 to 40?) occupied, making it very different from Dani's even tho his junk, and ours, were probably of similar size. 

We were 12,  Dani's group was 14,  which means both groups could lounge on the roof or take our pick of the seats downstairs.

 

We were on a very sociable ship, hooked up with about 10 others and for most of the cruise, incl Ha Long Bay, we stepped off the ship with nothing lined-up. We were in Ha Long Bay for an afternoon then the whole of the next day, the first afternoon we negotiated on the tender pier with a junk tout for a 6-hour cruise next-day (junk captains generally don't speak good English and anyway they're out on the water every day.) Price included taxis from tender pier to junk pier and back, we paid the tout when we got back. No inclusions, but silly-cheap cold beers and soft drinks available. And when we stopped at a floating fishing village the offer to cook fish for us if we selected from the nets and bought (eye-wateringly expensive, so we all declined).   

An excellent day, I won't quote the price 'cos it was about 6 years ago - it was unbelievably cheap which won't be the case nowadays, and because I wouldn't suggest you take the big risk that you won't find one on-the-day. 

 

So I suggest you check your cruise RollCall to see if anyone's looking for sharers, or find an operator (sorry, can't help) & look for sharers yourselves. About a dozen is right, but a few more wouldn't be a problem.

 

BTW don't fret about the weather.

Ha Long Bay is very often misty.  That'd spoil a day in many places - but in Ha Long Bay it actually adds to the eerie and mysterious atmosphere of this watery moonscape 

 

(A bear has replied while my typing finger has been busy - with similar thoughts) 

 

JB 

[John Bull]

The junks on hallasm's vid are bigger than ours, which was this sort of size

 

JB 

 

[hubofhockey]

This is so easy to do privately on your own and get so much of a better experience.  We did an overnight, which is probably not possible if you dock at noon, and it was one the true highlights of an amazing vacation.

[phxbne]

We did the Celebrity excursion about a year ago. We had a full day (Christmas Day) and then a half day. We did the half day junk on the second day. We opted for that rather than private for a few reasons, knowing we would just get a 'taste.'

One nice thing was that the junks came to the ship, so that reduced the hassle. They were all about the size of the red one - held around 20-25 I think. It was pretty full. I think they provided drinks (scary how bad my memory is).

It was very crowded walking to and through the cave - pretty much wall-to-wall people. The views from the junk were nice although it was a pretty 'standard' path.

One thing I did not realize was how scenic the cruising in/out of Halong Bay was - we left around 1pm, and the views were magnificent for an hour or so. In hindsight, I may have just done that......

I had been to Vietnam in 1999 and have memories of a very empty Halong Bay which was magical.

[dani negreanu]

23 hours ago, John Bull said:

No duration time quoted by Celebrity ?

It sounds like just a 2-hour cruise, and sadly that's simply not long enough to get away from the dozens of other junks - you need at least a 4 hour cruise, 6 hours is better, and there are 8-hour cruises and overnight cruises (the overnights also sail for about 8 hours, they don't sail in the dark).

 

And it's likely to be pretty full - that means most seats (30 to 40?) occupied, making it very different from Dani's even tho her junk, and ours, were probably of similar size. 

We were 12,  Dani's group was 14,  which means both groups could lounge on the roof or take our pick of the seats downstairs.

 

BTW don't fret about the weather.

Ha Long Bay is very often misty.  That'd spoil a day in many places - but in Ha Long Bay it actually adds to the eerie and mysterious atmosphere of this watery moonscape 

JB 

 

Eerie was exactly the word that came into my mind, and English is not my mother tongue, but this word is spot on.

We left the 2nd day at 10PM, and, as mentioned, the sail away was also amazing. I've took this cruise mainly for HB, and I was rewarded 100%.

And Dani is short of Daniela 😁