Lan Ha Bay Cruise: Honest Review vs Halong Bay (2026)
Planning a Lan Ha Bay cruise and not sure if it’s worth it? We almost didn’t book ours. Klook was selling the Diana cruise for $328 CAD (~$238 USD) per person. Then we walked into Lily’s Travel Agency in Hanoi, bundled it with our Ninh Binh tour, and paid $234 CAD (~$170 USD) per person instead. That’s $94 CAD (~$68 USD) saved each.
That’s $188 CAD (~$137 USD) for two vs Klook — same Diana Executive Suite, plus both limousine transfers included. We booked in person at Lily’s Travel Agency in Hanoi.
This is our honest review: what the Diana cruise is actually like, what surprised us, what fell short, and exactly how we booked it for less.
Watch our full Lan Ha Bay cruise video above. Everything you just read, on camera.
What’s in this guide:
Lan Ha Bay vs Halong Bay: Which One?
This is the first decision and the right one to get right. When we started researching, the number of options was overwhelming. Before you can even pick a cruise, you have to decide which bay.
Halong Bay is UNESCO-listed, famous, and packed. Lan Ha Bay is right next door — same limestone karst scenery, same emerald water, but only 66 cruises total versus Halong’s thousands. Fewer boats, same views.
We chose Lan Ha. Was it completely isolated? No. You still see other boats. But it was noticeably quieter and we never felt crowded. Worth knowing: a Lan Ha Bay cruise has fewer options than Halong and the higher-end ships run pricier because supply is limited. If budget is the priority, Halong has more options at every price point. If you want fewer people and are willing to pay for it, Lan Ha is the right call.
The Diana Cruise: What Is It?
The Diana launched November 2025 and is the first and largest 6-star cruise in Lan Ha Bay. 56 cabin suites, 7 decks, infinity pool, sky bar, spa, gym, panoramic restaurant. When we were researching, a lot of cruise photos looked dated. Old bathrooms, worn cabins. Dealbreaker for us. The Diana was brand new. That’s why we picked it.
We booked the Executive Suite. The upgrade from Senior to Executive was $9 CAD per person. We took it without thinking twice.
The Diana from above. First and largest 6-star cruise in Lan Ha Bay, launched November 2025.
Unmistakably the newest ship at anchor.
Getting closer on the transfer boat. That feeling when you see where you are spending the night.
Checked in and ready to board.
How We Booked Through Lily’s Travel Agency
Walk in. WhatsApp. Bring cash. We walked into Lily’s Travel Agency in Hanoi and told them we wanted Ninh Binh and Lan Ha Bay back to back. They built the whole thing.
The team runs entirely on WhatsApp. They send reminders before every step: pickup times, what to pack, when to be ready. We never had to chase anyone. Genuinely the smoothest booking experience of our 202 days in Asia.
Visa adds card fees — cash gets you the clean price. We had none and had to sprint to an ATM while the team held our spot. We were booking the last cabin and someone else wanted it. Don’t be us.
What We Paid vs Klook
Here’s the exact breakdown. Klook’s current price for the Diana Executive Suite departing Hanoi is ~$316 CAD (~$230 USD) per person. We paid $234 CAD. Our package also included both limousine transfers which Klook charges extra for.
The Ninh Binh to Lan Ha Bay Itinerary Hack
Nobody publishes this routing. Every standard Ninh Binh day tour starts and ends in Hanoi. We asked Lily’s to end it in Ninh Binh instead. One extra night on our own, then a direct limousine pickup to the cruise pier.
- Day 1: Picked up from our Hanoi hotel. Ninh Binh day tour: Hang Mua Peak, Hoa Lu, Trang An bike ride, Tam Coc bamboo boat. Dropped off at our Ninh Binh hotel.
- Day 2: Our own day in Ninh Binh. Bo ne breakfast, Bai Dinh Pagoda, walking street at night. Full Ninh Binh guide here.
- Day 3: Limousine pickup from Ninh Binh, transferred to the pier. 30-minute smaller boat out to the Diana. Board, check in, lunch, afternoon kayaking and excursions, squid fishing at night.
- Day 4: Early morning Tai Chi, fish farm excursion, brunch on board. Off the ship by 10:30am, limousine back to our Hanoi hotel.
This is not something you can book online. You have to ask for it in person. Read our full 2 days in Ninh Binh guide so you know exactly how to use that extra day.
What the Diana Cruise Is Actually Like
Getting there is part of the experience. You check in at the pier and wait for everyone to arrive. Then a smaller boat takes you on a 30-minute ride out to the Diana. She wasn’t as large as we expected but she was unmistakably the newest ship out there. Walking on board felt like stepping into a 007 movie.
The Executive Suite delivered. Full living room, king bed, 4-piece bathroom, and a private wrap-around balcony with two loungers and a tea table overlooking the bay. That balcony was the highlight of the entire trip. We barely had time to take it in before being called for lunch.
First look at our Executive Suite. We were not disappointed.
King size bed, full living area. The $9 CAD upgrade from Senior was the easiest call of the trip.
The wrap-around private balcony. Two loungers, a tea table, this view. Highlight of the trip.
Morning coffee on the balcony. This is what we paid for.
The ship
Inside: a gym, mini golf putting green, pool deck, sky bar, and a full dining room. The ship has everything. The schedule was so packed with excursions we barely used any of it. The pool deck looked great and we never touched it.
The gym. Brand new, fully equipped. We walked past it several times.
Mini golf on board. We saw it. We never played it.
Spots to sit and watch the bay. When we had a free moment.
The bar menu. Priced accordingly. We stuck to complimentary tea.
The food
All meals were buffet. Lunch had a solid spread on arrival: seafood, fried dishes, pizza and pasta, traditional Vietnamese options, welcome drink. Dinner was similar with slight variations. We went in expecting a la carte for dinner. That’s not what it was. Fine food, nothing you’ll talk about a month later.
One heads up: the vendor on the lower deck charged 200,000 VND (over $10 CAD) for a can of Pringles. We said no.
Lunch on day one. Seafood, fried dishes, pizza, pasta, traditional Vietnamese options.
Solid selection. Nothing memorable.
Dinner. We expected a la carte. Buffet again.
Fine for a cruise. Not what you expect at 6-star prices.
Breakfast the next morning before heading back to the pier.
The excursions
Kayaking was our most anticipated activity. It was marketed as kayaking through caves. We got 20 minutes on open water. The bay views from the water are genuinely beautiful but it’s not cave kayaking. Disappointing if that’s what you came for.
Squid fishing after dark: a couple of people caught something, most didn’t. Worth doing just to be out on the water at night. The Dong Ho folk painting class ran as an alternative. The morning fish farm and monkey excursion was the surprise highlight of the whole trip — the monkeys showed up unannounced.
Kayaking in Lan Ha Bay. Advertised as cave kayaking. Open water instead. Still stunning.
The limestone karsts up close from the kayak. No caves, but the scenery made up for it.
20 minutes on the water. We wanted more time. The schedule had other plans.
The fish farm excursion. Not the most exciting stop — until the monkeys showed up.
Up close with the fish. The monkeys appeared on the island behind us.
Jenny trying her luck. The squid were not cooperating.
Ian coming up empty. A couple people caught something. Not us.
What’s Included (and What Isn’t)
Some things listed online didn’t match what was actually offered on our sailing.
Included in our package:
- All meals: 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners, 1 brunch (all buffet)
- Welcome drink on arrival
- Tea and coffee in your cabin
- Kayaking on open water (not cave kayaking)
- Dong Ho folk painting workshop
- Night squid fishing
- Fish farm visit and monkey island excursion
- English-speaking guide throughout
- Limousine pickup from Ninh Binh and drop-off to Hanoi hotel (via Lily’s package)
Not included:
- Drinks beyond the welcome drink (bar menu on board)
- Spa and massage (bookable on board)
- Snacks from the on-board vendor (budget for sticker shock)
- Tea ceremony (listed some places online, not offered on our sailing)
Is the Lan Ha Bay Cruise Worth It?
Ian and I don’t fully agree on this one. Ian thinks yes. I’m less convinced I’d tell a friend it’s a must-do.
The bay itself is stunning. Lan Ha is genuinely beautiful and the Diana is a gorgeous ship. The Executive Suite, the private balcony, the feeling of being out on that water — all of it delivered on the luxury promise.
But for a 6-star cruise, the food didn’t match the price. Buffet both meals, nothing memorable. The activities felt like the same itinerary every boat on the bay runs: kayaking, fish farm, squid fishing. Nothing set the Diana apart in terms of what you actually do.
The bigger issue was the pace. One night is not enough. The schedule was packed with excursions and we never had a quiet moment to sit on that balcony and soak in where we were. If we did this again, we’d book 2 nights minimum and look at an itinerary covering both Lan Ha and Halong Bay.
So is it worth it? The experience — yes. The 6-star price for what you get in food and activities — that’s debatable. Book it for the ship and the bay. Go in knowing the itinerary is standard and the dining won’t blow you away.
Book it for the ship and the bay. Lan Ha is stunning and the Diana delivers on luxury. Just go in knowing the itinerary is standard and the dining won’t blow you away. If we did it again: two nights minimum.
How to Book
Two options. One requires being in Hanoi first.
Option 1: Lily’s Travel Agency (what we did)
Walk in or reach out at lilystravelagency.com. Ask to bundle Ninh Binh with Lan Ha Bay and request the drop-off in Ninh Binh at the end of the day tour. All communication via WhatsApp. Bring cash.
Option 2: Klook
Current price is ~$316 CAD (~$230 USD) per person for the Executive Suite departing from Hanoi. No itinerary customization but everything is sorted before you land. Book the Diana 6-Star Cruise on Klook here.
Adding Ninh Binh before the cruise? Check the Ninh Binh day tour on Klook as a starting point.
Klook.com
Follow our daily adventures on Instagram: @chasing.jenny
