Halong Athena Cruise

beautiful cruise, lovely staff, amazing food

staff were amazing however would knock on door 3/4 times a day with menus or asking us if we were ready way before the arranged time - not so relaxing if that’s what you are looking for. Day started at 6am every morning if not you miss breakfast

Nice rooms, attentive staff and good meals.

Itinerary focused too much on crowded locations. Day of less crowded swimming was compromised by anchoring at area with strong current. They could have gone further inland but chose not to (according to someone working on ship). Pearl farm is just a sales pitch. Long wait times to get on, and more frustratingly, to get off the boat at departure and end. Also long wait times to get shuttle back to Hanoi. Never enough time at any of the stops to just relax and enjoy the location and activities.

Absolutely fantastic. Staff went above and beyond and so so friendly! We had kids and they helped cater dinner towards their preferences which I wasn't expecting and was very grateful for. An awesome itinerary, run very efficiently! Highly recommend this tour

Nothing - absolutely fantastic

Das Perdonal war super freundlich, zuvorkommend und hat sich regelmäßig nach unserem Wohlbefinden erkundigt. Das Abendesden war sehr gut und auch die Cocktails auf dem Oberdeck haben geschmeckt. Ausflüge und Aktivitäten waren inklusive (Höhlenbesichtigung, Strandaufenthalt Kajsk fahren, etc). Der Sonnenuntergang vom Oberdeck war toll.

Generell muss man wissen, dass ein solcher Cruise eine Massenveranstaltung mit noch ganz vielen anderen Cruise Gesellschaften ist. Daher sind die Aktivitäten einfach wirklich sehr überfüllt. Dafür kann Athena nichts, aber man sollte es wissen. Ich persönlich würde zwar wieder mit Athena fahren, aber nicht nochmal die Halong Bucht als Cruise machen. Eine Übernachtung reicht.

Personalas labai paslaugus ir malonus. Suorganizavo gimtadienio sveikinimą. Kajutė erdvi, lovos ir pagalvės super patogios. Maistas taip pat skanus ir didelis jo pasirinkimas. Maloniai nustebino vėliavėlės ant stalo. Visą dieną trunkantis užimtumas.

Laivas plaukia apie valandą į įlanką ir išmeta inkarą. Norėjosi ilgesnio plaukimo. Naktį laivas taip pat niekur neplaukia. Iš tiesų, turėtų vadintis ne kruizas, bet nakvynė laive. Gėrimai nėra įskaičiuoti į kainą.

Bij de haven werden we opgewacht en netjes begeleid. Super mooie kamers, bedden lagen heerlijk. Douche was goed warm. Het personeel was netjes en vriendelijk en spraken goed Engels. Het eten was echt heel erg lekker. Vooral het 7 gangen diner. Cocktails smaakte ook erg goed en betaalbaar. Dit moet je een keer meegemaakt hebben! We vonden het jammer dat we maar 1 nacht geboekt hadden..

Jacuzzi op het dek was koud, maar werkte wel. Het is jammer dat je niet heel veel vaart en vooral op 1 locatie blijft.

Dejlig sejlads og ro på skibet uden høj musik i baggrunden.

Eficiencia dos funcionarios, tudo muito bem organizado e muito simpaticos. Foi uma experiencia muito boa. Comida optima e bem apresentada. Medidas de segurança bem aplicadas. Quartos e espaços muito bons.

L’accueil et le personnel étaient formidables . A l’écoute, disponible et gentil . Les repas étaient délicieux , copieux et variés . Literie confortable

Beaucoup d’autres touristes avec nous mais cela ne nous a pas empêché d’apprécier notre croisière

Sehr gutes Essen und schönes Zimmer. Manager war super. Gut, dass wir 2 Nächte gebucht hatten. Am 2.Tag hatten wir einen tollen Ausflug in die andere Bay mit Kanufahren, Perlenaufzucht und baden.

Todo el personal muy amable y todas las actividades coordinadas. Las habitaciones cómodas y limpias . Hacia frio por lo que no pudimos utilizar la cubierta que estaba muy linda

Todo muy bien

Falsche Angaben, keine Kreuzfahrt, Schiff liegt vor Anker, mit kleineren Schiffen zu den “Sehenswürdigkeiten, sehr langweilig

Die schreienden rücksichtslosen Touristen,

Lovely staff, very friendly

Very attentive staff!

The staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was great.

The bathroom door did not close. It's hard to avoid, though. I could tell the wooden frame was swollen.

The team on the cruise was really kind and always taking care of us . Food is great and the location one of a kind. It is worth it to take it and enjoy the landscapes

We did the cruise end of December and was high season, unfortunately the activities like kayak and the beach were really crowded. You need patience and positive attitude to enjoy the wonderful nature during this season.

スタッフのおもてなしが最高でした。

船なので仕方ないかもしれないですが、お風呂の温度が低いのと水圧が弱いくらいです。他は文句のつけようがないサービスでした

We absolutely loved our trip with Athena Cruise!! The staff were so friendly and informative. We did the 1 night 2 day option and it was enough. Our room was amazing, the food was good and the excursions were fun. I would definitely recommend this company for Ha long bay cruise.

Everything was perfect, I do not have anything bad to say at all.

El crucero está muy bien. La habitación era amplia y cómoda. El personal es muy amable y están muy atentos. Soy celiaca y tienen a una persona dedicada a las alergias por lo que ella siempre sabe lo que te puedes comer y no. La comida nos gustó bastante, con mucha variedad y cantidad. Tienen un programa con muchas actividades pero siempre puedes escoger si participar o no, esta muy bien para quien le apetezca. El tamaño del barco es perfecto, con un número de gente no demasiado grande.

Todo nos ha gustado mucho, lo recomendamos al 100%

Everything

אירגון של ההפלגה . שירות טוב .

לא מפלגים כלל כמעט. ובמנה הצמחונית יכול להיות משהו יותר טוב מפיצה . ( זה חלק מארוחה מצוינת .5 מנות ) .

Barca ben tenuta e comoda, il cibo buono anche se poco vario (no cibo occidentale) le attività organizzate bene

Avrei gradito una navigazione più lunga nella baia. Alla fine si parte dal porto appena imbarcati e ci naviga per circa un oretta e mezza. Da lì si sta fermi fino al giorno successivo quando si rientra dal posto. Le varie attività si svolgono utilizzando barchette più piccole mentre la nave principale rimane ancorata nello stesso punto quindi si ha sempre la stessa vista e si è circondati da decine di altre navi

Was a beautiful boat and the rooms were lovely

We were in an Executive Double with a balcony suite, staying one night. The whole cruise is lasts about 24 hours and is organised and time managed to get the most out of your stay. Particularly liked the Surprise Cave and Titov Island trips. The staff are so engaging and personable and take care of you so well.

Ha long Bay is extremely popular and there were so many cruise ships along this journey. It’s to be expected I guess but I hadn’t envisaged so many people. Perhaps the Cat Ba Island cruise with less tourists might have been better?

La amabilidad del personal

La poca movilidad del crucero, no es crucero realmente, solo se para en un punto y luego vuelta y ya está

We did the 2 day 1 night cruise which is 24 hours long. The staff were lovely and the program was really well run. We were upgraded to the royal suite which was a really gorgeous room with a huge wrap around balcony.

My comments relate not to the boat but to the destination. There are too many people visiting a small number of tourist accessible destinations in the bay. If I were to visit again I would stay in the boat and skip the over crowded excursions.

Manager was impressive

No activities , i saw other cruises had some music kareoke and dance event. But they are in rush to close all that as they have to do the same for next day

Staffs were friendly and always energetic. They explained things in details. Welcomed us warm. The food were also good. Activities were interesting. View of Ha Long bay was good. Michael, Joyce and all other staffs were all good. Thank you. We had a good time on your cruise. Cam on ban.

This was the perfect property, we loved everything about it.

Everything was perfect 👌

Wir waren eine Nacht auf der Athena Cruise und hatten eine tolle Zeit. Alles war top organisiert, von der Anreise bis zur Abreise. Wenn man auf dem Schiff ankommt gibt es ein Mittagsbuffet, anschließend kann man einen Ausflug in eine nahegelegene Höhle machen, die sehr sehenswert ist. Am Abend gibt es ein mehrgängiges Menü, welches sehr gut war. Jedoch muss man Getränke separat bezahlen. Am nächsten Tag hat man die Möglichkeit um 6:10 Uhr einen Taichi-Kurs zu besuchen, um 7:30 Uhr geht es dann zum Kajakfahren. Anschließend gibt es noch ein reichhaltiges Brunchbuffet, bevor es wieder an Land geht. Das Personal ist zuvorkommend und wir haben uns sehr wohl gefühlt.

The staff was excellent organized

The between room to bathroom has a different level of the height on the ground , so it could be some hazard

We had a great couple of days on the Athena Cruise. Great experience from the moment you are collected to the moment you are dropped off. Food was excellent as well as the quality and cleanliness of the room. Halong bay is stunning, it is extremely busy though the guides did an excellent job of navigating us around.

Everything: reception at the harbor (in their own lounge) was great, food was amazing, boat was beautiful and clean, but most of all: the staff was incredible. Despite the fact that I informed the administration 1 week before departure (through whatsapp, email and booking.com!) about dietary requests, the staff did not receive these requests. Luckily the manager asked me about it and I explained it to him. He immediately went to figure this our and less than 1 hour before departure, he was able to communicate it with their cook and all out meals were perfect! Lots of respect for the crew and kitchen! Our transfer after the cruise (from halong bay to Hanoi) was also not known by the staff in the harbor. I showed them my confirmations and they were able to arrange this within less than 10 min. (Transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay went fine, although I do think it's very expensive). In other words: communication from the administration/office to the crew was terrible, but the crew fixed it all! Thank you crew! The excursions were also super nice.

In the lounge (at the harbor) you have to wait a bit before boarding. They have a bar and you can buy drinks. We bought some water, only to find out 5 min later (when boarding the tender) that no plastic bottles are allowed. I'm all for it, but it would have been nice if they would've put a notification in the lounge to warn us. There were dozens of full and unopened bottles of water left in the lounge by others: such a shame!

현지 아테나크루즈 마이클에게 깊이 감사함을 느낍니다.,.~~ 일일이 번역 본을 매번 먼저 보내주고 친절한 설명 감사했어요~~ 청결하고 맛난 식사도 감사했어요~~

영어 외 언어로도 승객에 맞게 안내 멘트를 해주셨음합니다..~~ 물론 마이클이 도와주긴했지만 조금 아쉬웠어요~~^^

Kelvin the cook manager was amazing! He made sure that we got the right dietary food. He even gave us helpful recommendations for food. Thank you!

Shower did not drain very well in room 109. The shower water pooled in the bathroom. Check the drains.

Rooms were nice. Staff were very helpful and friendly

Ship looks old needs updating. Food was a bit bland. Needed some entertainment and music at night - no vibe. Happy hour could’ve been longer

The cruise ship was fabulous and ed had a wonderful time. Our cabin was very spacious and we enjoyed the balcony. The food was excellent - my husband and I are vegetarian and they went out of their way to accommodate us.

Nothing! It was superb!

El crucero es perfecto. Limpieza, comida y personal.

Las excursiones no merecen la pena. No por el crucero, sino por la saturación de gente. La cueva no está mal pero la playa es lo peor. Es mejor disfrutar del crucero

Tutto. Consiglio vivamente questa crociera nella baia di Halong: è stato tutto perfetto, dai transfer alla camera, dalle attività al cibo. Peccato aver avuto solo una notte a disposizione, avrei fatto volentieri almeno un’altra notte!

Nulla.

Como siempre en Vietnam, lo mejor la amabilidad y disposición del personal. Todo perfectamente limpio y ordenado, muy puntuales con todo el horario establecido. La única queja es que se hace muy corto.

Quizás el viaje de 1 noche se queda corto para disfrutar de la bahía.

Cabin with balcony

Lack of water in rooms

Staff molto cordiale e accogliente. Servizio eccellente e ottima organizzazione delle attività. Cibo abbondante e molto buono. Camere pulite e spaziose. Un ringraziamento speciale a Mr. Tony e Mr. Ha per la loro gentilezza e disponibilità.

Niente

Heel erg aardig personeel! Ze hadden op de kamer van onze dochter en schoonzoon een taart gezet omdat ze net getrouwd zijn! Super lief en lekker

De activiteiten zijn leuk maar ik had gehoopt meer te zien van Halong Bay

الكروز جميل جداً وفعاليات جميلة والموظفين ودوين جدا ويبذلون قصارى جهدهم لاستمتاعك ويوفرون لك سبل الراحة واشكر القائد الكابتن كان يقف على كل مشكلة ويحلها ايضاً مساعدة كان محترم ويحاول مساعدتنا

كل شي كان جميل

Prachtig schip en wij hadden een mooie upgrade van onze kamer, de royal suite

Het vervoersbootje is heel oud en lekt olie/brandstof in het water. Zo zonde en slecht voor het milieu

Amplio, elegante, buena comida, servicio impecable.

Alt var helt igennem perfekt. Personale var perfekte. Oplevelserne var perfekte. Maden var lækker. Værelset var mega lækkert. Vi blev gratis opgraderet til deres premium værelse, som i den grad havde meget lækkert at bidrage med. Intet at sætte en finger på.

Celebrabamos nuestro 10 aniversario y tuvieron detalles en la habitación incluido un upgrade

En general todo bien, quizàs mejorar la calidad de las actividades propuestas

Awesome boat with super friendly team and staff. Food on board was excellent.

The ship was comfortable and a great enthuisiastic crew and a superb way to experience Ha Long Bay

Visit to a beach that was very crowded with other tour groups. Stager the time to visit the caves so not there with hundreds of other tour groups

Excellent crew and amenities on board Athena. Food was exceptional. Mr. Tim who was the main program director was wonderful as he was engaging, personable, knowledgeable and made the whole experience truly memorable. Catering staff also ensured that the food met our needs as vegetarians (food was delicious and diverse). Itinerary was also comprehensive to see the highlights of Halong Bay. Highly recommend this cruise and tour!

After lots of research, we chose Athena Luxury Cruise—and we're so glad we did! From the moment we met at the port to our final goodbye, Tim and his crew took amazing care of everyone. Even at the very crowded Sung Sot/ Surprising Cave, Tim made sure our group stayed together and well looked after. He shared fascinating history at every stop, making the trip both fun and informative. Watching how other cruise leaders handled their groups, it was clear—Tim is the best. If you're considering a Halong Bay cruise and want a premium experience with a team that genuinely cares, Athena Luxury Cruise – and especially Team Tim – comes highly recommended. They deliver not just a tour, but a memorable and enriching journey.

none

The cruise itinerary was the classic route to the largest cave, titop island, and kayaking. The itinerary was well organised and paced. Ship is starting to be a little dated and could do with a fresh coat of paint, but otherwise comfortable, clean and functional. Staff were great.

Transfer times were long on the return trip. Waiting to get off the boat (after check out and breakfast) - 45 mins. Waiting at the cruise terminal for the return bus - 45 mins.

Das Essen war sehr lecker und das Personal freundlich. Das Zimmer mit Balkon ebenfalls sehr schön, grosse Fenster um die Aussicht zu geniessen. Die Ausflüge waren auch gut geplant. Zum Glück haben wir für zwei Nächte gebucht, auf dem Tagesausflug ist man so denn Menschenmassen entkommen :)

Die Halong Bucht ist sehr überloffen, viele Schiffe und viele Leute.. Aber das kann Athena Cruise nicht beeinflussen.

The trip was fun. The ship was well maintained and the activities were well planned. Tim (Tuan) was our manager and did and excellent job. They were interactive and ensure we were comfortable at our stay

Le bateau est très sympa, le personnel est au top. J'ai passé un excellent moment. Les chambres sont très bien décorées.

Le matelas 😵

First and foremost, Tony, and everyone else, did an outstanding job—exceptionally kind, friendly, and respectful throughout. Huge thanks to each and every one of you once again.

-

Le lit King-size est super Le personnel souriant. Disponible. Tim , est très sympathique, très efficace.

Le monde… Il y avait une cinquantaine de bateaux autour de nous…. Mais c’est comme ça… on ne peut rien y changer…

Mi habitacion en la popa del barco. La comodidad de su cama y la vista a la bahia. Personal excelente.

Nada.

We did extensive research on Ha Long Bay cruises, and choosing this one was the best decision we could have made. Everything was perfect—from the service to the attention to detail. We were celebrating our 6th anniversary, and the crew made it truly special with thoughtful gestures throughout the trip. The food was absolutely delicious, and the service exceeded our expectations. They carefully planned every moment so we could enjoy the cave and kayaking experiences before the big crowds arrived. A special mention to Tim, the manager and true maestro of this incredible team—he orchestrated everything flawlessly and made the whole experience unforgettable. Highly recommend. A solid 10 out of 10!

Very good!!! Friendly and kind stuff. Guide is very nice guy.

Tiene pocos camarotes, lo que lo hace más acogedor. Tim y el resto de la tripulación siempre están dispuestos a ayudarte. Llegamos pronto a las actividades y así no había tanta gente.

Hay ruido por la noche de otros barcos.

El personal i l’atenció! Ens han permès deixar maletes el dia de trànsit a Sapa sense tenir habitació aquell dia!

I was initially hesitant to book the Athena Luxury Cruise due to a few negative reviews on site (though it were very few on site & now i find it completely ignorable) I'm thrilled to say that choosing Athena was one of the best decisions I've made! The cruise exceeded my expectations in every way. The cleanliness and ambiance were exceptional, and the limited suites ensured a peaceful and uncrowded experience. The food was delicious, with a variety of options to cater to different tastes. What impressed me most was the personalized service - the team would come to us to confirm menu preferences before each meal, and even offered customized cooking options. Our cruise captain, Tim, was fantastic! His positive attitude and sense of humor made the experience even more enjoyable. He ensured that we had a private and exclusive experience at each sightseeing spot, taking us ahead of other cruises to minimize crowds. Overall, I would highly recommend Athena Luxury Cruise to anyone looking for a premium and personalized experience. The attention to detail, excellent service, and Captain Tim's expertise made our trip truly unforgettable. Rating: 5/5 stars

The staff was lovely and caring. The food was delicious and the rooms were clean

The drink prices ( soft drinks and alcohol) are exorbitant, at dinner there wasn't even water on the table and you have to buy it. The jacuzzi on the upper deck of the ship is not heated. Most of the time the boat is stationary and doesn't really move...

We had a little glitch when we booked but the cruise line were fantastic and we got the room we wanted. They even threw in a bottle of wine to have on the back deck of our suite on the cruise ship. Everything was incredible from the jetted tub, large room, awesome linens, food which was superbly cooked and presented to the outings kayaking, cave hike, squid fishing. The general manager, Tim was available 24/7 and always with a smile and Kelvin the banquet manger did a fantastic job with our meals. They were both was so knowledgeable and gracious as were all the staff. We met some lovely people and could not have asked for a better time after travelling all over SEA for the past 6 months. It was the most relaxed we have been in a long time.

Le cadre, la beauté du bateau, la qualité de la nourriture. Les paysages.

Rien

Le programme de la croisière est standard mais le responsable Tim et son personnel sont très dévoués et enthousiastes. La chambre était parfaite

Absolutely everything was perfect from the beginning till the end - so we’ve had a great experience although we weren’t able to see the sunrise due to the cloudy weather. The cruise team were fantastic - very friendly and kind, real professionals (especially Tim - the cruise manager). The room was amazing - great views, big comfortable bed, balcony and jacuzzi. We took the classical tour - Surprise Cave (it’s worth it), Ti Top island and kayaking. Next time we will choose less crowded and touristic route. The food on board was excellent.

It’s not a team’s fault - but there was not a real opportunity for swimming on this route (Ti Top is way too dirty and surrounded by ships).

Superbe expérience, organisation optimale par un staff très agréable et disponible (et Tim est très drole). Le bateau et les chambres sont modernes et propres et on y mange très bien!

La vue évidemment ! Baie d’Halong Personnel adorable, souriant et aux petits soins

We absolutely loved our time on this cruise - it was truly one of the highlights of our trip! Everything was handled smoothly from the very beginning, including transfers and submitting dietary requirements ahead of time. I’m vegan, and the crew went above and beyond to provide me with delicious plant-based meals throughout the trip. Special thanks to Henry and Ha, who made sure every detail - from pickup to navigating the queues at the caves - was seamless and stress-free. The staff were super kind, attentive, and incredibly accommodating. We also appreciated the thoughtful tips on what to do next in Vietnam. A truly memorable experience - highly recommend!