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A white multi-deck cruise boat with golden-orange junk sails and a circular emblem on the sails sits on calm water in front of a forested hill with palm trees and a small beach.
A white multi-deck cruise boat with golden-orange junk sails and a circular emblem on the sails sits on calm water in front of a forested hill with palm trees and a small beach.
A white multi-deck cruise boat with three dark orange sails, some with a small emblem, floats on calm water at sunset with limestone karst silhouettes behind it.
A white multi-deck cruise boat with three dark orange sails, some with a small emblem, floats on calm water at sunset with limestone karst silhouettes behind it.
A private balcony with two teal sun loungers, a birdcage-style chair and a potted plant, looking through open glass doors into a wood-paneled cabin with a canopy double bed and a framed painting.
A private balcony with two teal sun loungers, a birdcage-style chair and a potted plant, looking through open glass doors into a wood-paneled cabin with a canopy double bed and a framed painting.
A man in a white cap and t-shirt sits in a hanging wicker egg chair on a boat deck under string lights, facing a calm green bay with limestone karst islands and a cargo barge in the hazy distance.
A man in a white cap and t-shirt sits in a hanging wicker egg chair on a boat deck under string lights, facing a calm green bay with limestone karst islands and a cargo barge in the hazy distance.
A basket tray holding a black bowl of grilled pork skewer and meatball in broth, rice noodles and fresh lettuce, with a printed set menu card, a beer glass and cans on a marble table.
A basket tray holding a black bowl of grilled pork skewer and meatball in broth, rice noodles and fresh lettuce, with a printed set menu card, a beer glass and cans on a marble table.
A small en-suite bathroom with a white jacuzzi-style tub, a toilet with its lid up, a white mat on a dark wooden slatted floor, and white towels hanging on a rail, all within beige wood-panelled walls.
A small en-suite bathroom with a white jacuzzi-style tub, a toilet with its lid up, a white mat on a dark wooden slatted floor, and white towels hanging on a rail, all within beige wood-panelled walls.
Limestone karst islands with green vegetation rise from calm green-blue water under a mostly clear blue sky, photographed from water level.
Limestone karst islands with green vegetation rise from calm green-blue water under a mostly clear blue sky, photographed from water level.
A wood-paneled cabin with three twin beds in white linens, yellow decorative cushions with a medallion emblem, a dark wood door with a round porthole window, cream curtains, and a polished dark hardwood floor.
A wood-paneled cabin with three twin beds in white linens, yellow decorative cushions with a medallion emblem, a dark wood door with a round porthole window, cream curtains, and a polished dark hardwood floor.
A wet wooden upper deck with white railings, stacked white chairs, string lights, a mast, and a sign reading a cruise name at the far end, with limestone karst islands and a cloudy sky beyond calm green water.
A wet wooden upper deck with white railings, stacked white chairs, string lights, a mast, and a sign reading a cruise name at the far end, with limestone karst islands and a cloudy sky beyond calm green water.
A dining table holds a black clay pot of braised fish in a wicker basket with rice noodles, fresh herbs, a printed set menu card with a logo and Ha Long dishes, and a leather room key tag marked 207, with a seated person gesturing behind it.
A dining table holds a black clay pot of braised fish in a wicker basket with rice noodles, fresh herbs, a printed set menu card with a logo and Ha Long dishes, and a leather room key tag marked 207, with a seated person gesturing behind it.
An elevated view over a bay with limestone karst islands, many tourist boats on the water, two blue-and-white boats moored at a pier in the foreground, and palm trees along the bottom edge.
An elevated view over a bay with limestone karst islands, many tourist boats on the water, two blue-and-white boats moored at a pier in the foreground, and palm trees along the bottom edge.
A dining table place setting with a grey folded napkin on a white plate topped with a kraft card reading 'Have a good meal and enjoy your trip aboard Hera Classic Boutique Cruise', beside a pink drink in a flute glass with a 'Welcome' tag.
A dining table place setting with a grey folded napkin on a white plate topped with a kraft card reading 'Have a good meal and enjoy your trip aboard Hera Classic Boutique Cruise', beside a pink drink in a flute glass with a 'Welcome' tag.
A whole cooked fish topped with herbs and fried shallots in a foil-lined steel chafing dish on a buffet counter, with varnished wood paneling behind it and a plate of noodles at the left edge.
A whole cooked fish topped with herbs and fried shallots in a foil-lined steel chafing dish on a buffet counter, with varnished wood paneling behind it and a plate of noodles at the left edge.
A white plate of shredded green mango and carrot salad topped with a purple orchid, on a dining table with a person holding a menu, salt and pepper shakers, and a vase in the background.
A white plate of shredded green mango and carrot salad topped with a purple orchid, on a dining table with a person holding a menu, salt and pepper shakers, and a vase in the background.
HL-30 · Ha Long Bay

Hera Classic Boutique Cruise

2 days · 1 night · 3 days · 2 nights · 19 cabins · launched 2017 · Cross-checked 11 Oct 2026 ↓

9.4listings' average54 reviews we read
from$115per person, two sharingcabin for two from $230, read 6 Aug 2026
Check availability

Hera Classic Boutique is the cheaper of Hera Cruises’ two overnight boats: a 19-cabin wooden boat out of Tuan Chau whose 20 m² Deluxe cabin was listed at $230 a night for two on 6 August 2026. That is from $115 per person, two sharing. Of the other 76 boats we publish with a one-night rate, each read on its own date, four listed a cheaper entry cabin, three at $220 and La Regina Classic at $210, and the median was $310.

For that price the one-night trip packs in Titop Island, Sung Sot Cave, a cooking class, a dinner on deck when the weather allows and a morning at a pearl farm by kayak or bamboo boat. The operator’s cruise page also lists a spa room and a jacuzzi. A family of four who wrote in April 2026 remembered the top-deck dinner most: pink tablecloths under strings of lights.

Is this the same boat as Hera Grand?

No. The operator’s website lists three products under its Hera Cruises menu: Hera Grand Luxury, this Classic Boutique, and a 7.5-hour day boat. Hera Grand, which Hera Cruises sells as 13 cabins, is the boat on our Hera Grand Cruise page, and both overnight boats use the operator’s waiting lounge at No. 12 Tuan Chau Marina. Every figure here is the Classic’s.

Two guests describe being moved between boats at short notice. One wrote in December 2025 that they had paid for Hera Grand and were put on this boat two days before departure; another, in July 2025, was offered a different boat the day before sailing after a problem with the booked room. If the boat matters to you, ask for “Hera Classic Boutique” or “Hera Grand” by name on the written confirmation.

On the same 6 August listing, Hera Grand’s cheapest cabin, a 35 m² Junior Suite, was $240, only $10 more than the Classic’s Deluxe. That buys more floor space on the Grand’s lower deck, but the operator lists no balcony for it. On the Classic, $255 gets you an upstairs Executive Balcony cabin.

How old is Hera Classic Boutique, and does it show?

It shows. Six guests, writing in English, Spanish, Turkish, German and Chinese between May 2025 and March 2026, said the boat was getting old or looked worn, though one of them added that the inside was in better shape than the outside. Two resellers give 2017 as the build year. Hera Cruises itself states none.

The bigger choice is the floor. The operator places the four Deluxe cabins, the two Deluxe Triples and the two Family Suites on the first floor, and lists a shower and a large glass door for the Deluxe rooms but no balcony. Three guests mentioned the lack of a balcony downstairs. The harshest of them, in March 2026, described a lower room by the engine room where engine noise and smell kept them awake. Upstairs, the eight Executive Balcony cabins have their own balcony and were $255 for two on the 6 August listing. For $25 more than a Deluxe that is the cabin we would book.

What happens on the one-night trip?

The operator runs a full programme with little slack. These are its own times, which it says may shift on the day; every activity is optional and you may stay on board instead.

Time What happens
11:30–12:00 Check in at the Hera lounge, No. 12 Tuan Chau Marina
12:00 Board, welcome drink and cold towel, lunch while the boat sails
14:30 Titop Island: climb to the viewpoint or swim from the beach
16:00 Sung Sot Cave
17:30–18:30 Sunset on deck, a lesson in floating rice cakes, and a third drink free with every two during happy hour
19:30 Dinner, outdoors if the weather is good
21:30 Squid fishing, a traditional costume show, a free herbal foot bath in your cabin
06:15 Tai Chi on the sundeck, then a light breakfast
07:30 Pearl Farm, by kayak or bamboo boat
09:30 Check out
10:00 Early buffet lunch in the second-floor restaurant
11:00 Back at Tuan Chau

Some guests found this too much. One in March 2026 said the excursions started too early to relax, and another in October 2026 said staff kept knocking on the cabin door about timings. Titop and Sung Sot sit on the main Ha Long Bay circuit, and a guest in June 2025 complained of hundreds of people on the island beach.

The three-day trip keeps the same first evening and final morning. On the middle day a separate day boat takes you to Trinh Nu Cave, Ba Trai Dao beach and Me Cung Cave, and the operator adds a free sauna and a gala dinner.

Which cabins are there, and what do they cost?

There are 19 cabins in six classes. Prices below are per cabin for two adults (the Family Suite for four), from a halongbaytours.com listing read on 6 August 2026. The three-day figure is for the whole trip.

Cabin Floor Size Cabins One night Two nights, whole trip
Deluxe 1st 20 m² 4 $230 $435
Deluxe Triple 1st 20 m² 2 not listed not listed
Family Suite (4 adults) 1st 40–45 m² 2 $470 $908
Executive Balcony 2nd 25 m² 8 $255 $485
Hera Suite 2nd 40–45 m² 2 $285 $545
Hera Triple Suite 2nd 45 m² 1 not listed not listed

Hera Cruises gives the suites as 45 m², halongbaytours as 40. The Hera Suite, Triple Suite and Family Suite have a bathtub. The Family Suite takes no extra bed.

Two prices are worth knowing. On originvietnam.com, also read on 6 August, the Deluxe was $212 for the low season of 1 May to 31 August. The second night costs slightly less than usual: on halongbaytours the three-day Deluxe added $205, 89% of the first night, against a median of 93% across the 65 boats with both rates on that site (listings read August to October 2026).

What is included, and what costs extra?

The operator’s inclusions cover four meals on the one-night trip, the cooking class, afternoon tea, Wi-Fi, kayaking or the bamboo boat, and the sightseeing tickets. Its list also includes bottled water by room standard, yet two guests, in March 2025 and March 2026, said they had to pay for water. Ask before you sail.

Not included: drinks, massage and spa treatments, tips, and the shuttle bus from Hanoi, which halongbaytours sells at $30 per adult return. On 6 August the same site also showed a Summer Deal on this boat with the round-trip bus free at the same $115 per person, so ask whether a deal like that is running. The same listing adds a $35 per person surcharge for the Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve gala dinner.

Food draws split reviews. Several guests praised it. Others, including three guests between November and December 2025 who wanted Indian or vegetarian food, said the kitchen did not cater for them. March 2026 reviews go both ways: one guest was served dal makhani and roti, another said the two vegetarians in their group had little to eat. The operator asks for special requests at least 24 hours before departure. Put yours in writing, and read our food on board guide.

Who is Hera Classic Boutique right for?

It suits couples and friends who want the standard one-night programme on a small wooden boat. It is listed among our best-value cruises and, at 19 cabins, our small boats. Families can take a Family Suite for four adults, and one family in April 2026 found the crew kind to their young children, though the room felt small for four.

Who should look elsewhere?

Look elsewhere if you need a spotless, recently refitted cabin. Two guests, in December 2024 and March 2025, reported cockroaches, and two guests who paid for a bathtub cabin, in August 2024 and January 2026, found the tub broken. Nor is it the boat for slow mornings or an empty bay.

What we could not confirm

Nobody publishes the boat’s length, its number of decks or how many guests it carries. Hera Cruises lists eight Executive Balcony cabins, but its deck plan shows seven plus one Honeymoon cabin, so one of the eight may be sold under that name. The operator heads its itineraries “4Star” and calls the boat five-star in its inclusions. Its page asks for full payment 14 days before departure and charges 100% for cancellations, but the wording does not make the cut-off clear. Get the terms in writing; our cancellation policies guide explains what to ask.

Why people book Hera Classic Boutique

Book it if

  • You want a one-night Ha Long trip at a low price: the 20 m² Deluxe cabin was listed at $230 for two on 6 August 2026, and only four of the other 76 boats we publish with a one-night rate listed a cheaper entry cabin
  • You want a balcony for little extra: the 25 m² Executive Balcony cabin upstairs was $255 on the same listing, $25 more than the Deluxe
  • You can stay a second night; on that listing the Deluxe cost $435 for the three-day trip, so the extra night added $205

The decisions either side of it

Amanda Cruisethe step up+$3
Hull 2022 against 2017
25 cabins against 19
Hera Grand Cruisethe step up+$5
Hull 2016 against 2017
11 cabins against 19

Chosen by price proximity within the same bay, computed from our dataset — not by commission. We add no booking fee to any of them.

Our read

Hera Classic Boutique sells a full one-night Ha Long programme on a 19-cabin wooden boat for close to the lowest cabin price we hold. The trade is the boat's age and a mixed record on cleaning and catering. Pay the $25 for an upstairs Executive Balcony cabin and confirm the boat's name on your booking.

Choose your cabin

Deluxe Cabin4 of 19 cabins

20 m², double or twin beds, on the 1st floor.

20 m²Double or twin1st floor
$2302D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $435 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Executive Balcony Cabin8 of 19 cabins

25 m², double or twin beds, private balcony, on the 2nd floor.

25 m²Double or twinBalcony ✓2nd floor
$2552D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $485 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Hera Suite2 of 19 cabins

45 m², double or twin beds, on the 2nd floor.

45 m²Double or twin2nd floor
$2852D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $545 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Hera Family Suite2 of 19 cabins

45 m², 1 double + 2 single bed, on the 1st floor.

45 m²1 double + 2 singleMax 4 guests1st floor
$4702D1N · per cabin · up to 4
highest published rate3D2N $908 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Deluxe Triple Cabin2 of 19 cabins

20 m², 1 double + 1 single bed, on the 1st floor.

20 m²1 double + 1 single1st floor
no published ratewe will get you a numberunknownAsk for a quote
Hera Triple Suite1 of 19 cabins

45 m², 1 double + 1 single bed, on the 2nd floor.

45 m²1 double + 1 single2nd floor
no published ratewe will get you a numberunknownAsk for a quote
Rates are the highest published fare per cabin we found (rack rate, double occupancy unless marked) — treat them as the ceiling, not the floor. Seen on one listing only; the operator publishes no rate card we can cite.

What guests say

9.4/10
listings' average
from 54
reviews we read
Guest scoremedian 9.570of 108
How many people reviewed itmedian 8779of 108

The review-count bar is on a log scale: the boats we can score run from 1 review to 515, so a straight scale would squash almost everything against the left edge.

Fewer reviews than the median boat — a newer listing, not a worse one

This is not our score. We have not collected reviews of our own yet, and we do not reprint other people's — the words belong to the guests who wrote them. What we can tell you is the aggregate across the listings we track, and where Hera Classic Boutique Cruise sits against the 108 boats we can score: a median of 9.5 on 87 reviews. Scores in this bay cluster near the top (8–9.9), which is why we show you the review count as well. When we have enough reviews of our own to mean something they will appear here beside these, clearly marked as ours.

That number is what we collected and read. The score beside it is the average the listings publish, computed on 49.

What's in the fare — and what isn't

In the fare

  • Welcome drink2 sources“Welcome Drink”
  • Bottled water in cabin1 source“02 complimentary bottles of water in the cabin.”
  • Cooking class1 source“Cooking Class: Traditional Vietnamese floating rice cake”
  • En-suite bathroom1 source“Spacious air-con Cabins and en-suite Bathrooms”
  • English-speaking guide1 source“English-speaking Tour Guide”
  • Entrance & sightseeing fees1 source“Sightseeing tickets”
  • Kayaking1 source“Activities: Kayaking and swimming,…”

Not in the fare

  • Airfare2 sources“Air Fare if any”
  • Drinks & beverages2 sources“Beverages and Tobacco”
  • Hanoi transfer2 sources“Shuttle bus Hanoi – Halong – Hanoi”
  • Peak-season surcharge2 sources“Surcharge for New Year, Christmas”
  • Spa & massage2 sources“Spa and massage services”
  • Tips & gratuities1 source“Tips are welcomed!”
  • Travel insurance1 source“Travel Insurance”
  • Vietnam visa1 source“Visa to Vietnam”

Described differently across sources — read both

These item appears on both lists. Sometimes that is a real disagreement; sometimes the two sources are describing different things. We show what each actually said rather than pick one.

Meals on board
Listed as included · 1 source

“Standard meals as mentioned in the itinerary”

Listed as extra · 1 source

“Meals not mentioned in the program”

Assembled from the 2 sources we read for this boat, grouped by what each line is about and counted by how many sources list it. Quotes are the sources' own wording. Nothing here replaces the confirmation you get in writing when you book.

Good to know

Who should look at something else
  • An older boat would bother you; six guests writing in five languages between May 2025 and March 2026 described it as ageing or worn
  • You want slow mornings; Tai Chi is at 06:15 and several guests found the programme rushed
  • You are booking a lower-floor cabin and sleep lightly; one guest in March 2026 had a downstairs room near the engine and blamed it for noise and smell
What to ask before you pay
8
8 questions, each one tied to something this boat does not publish. Almost none of the cruise pages we surveyed tells you what to ask. Take this list to whoever quotes you.

The moneyWhere the spread hides

How much is the Hanoi transfer, and is it shared or private?
Our sources agree it is not in the fare, but none of them publishes the price. Ask for both options — the gap between a seat on a shared van and a private car is usually the biggest single add-on.
What is the single-occupancy supplement?
Not published by any source we read. Common on this coast and often +50% or more.
Child and infant rates?
Not published for this boat by any source we read — the child tables we found are the sellers’ own, identical across every boat they list. Ask for the age bands, not just the discount.

The logisticsThe mistakes that cost a morning

Confirm it is Tuan Chau Marina.
The piers serving these bays are roughly twenty minutes apart and drivers do occasionally go to the wrong one.
Which stops does the 3 days · 2 nights add?
The route list we publish is the union across itineraries; no source says which legs the longer trip reaches. This is usually the reason to take it.

If it goes wrongNobody publishes this — get it in writing

What happens if the port closes for weather?
The provincial authority closes the port and every boat stays in. No source publishes this operator’s policy. Ask whether it is a refund or a date change, in writing.
Which cancellation ladder applies to your booking, and what deposit?
We found 7 different ladders across our sources for boats on this coast — free cancellation ends anywhere from 15 to 30 days out. It depends on who you book through, not on this boat. Get yours in writing before the deposit.
Is a cave closure refunded or substituted?
Caves close at short notice here. Substitution is normal; a refund is not. Worth knowing which you are agreeing to.
We do not host guest reviews yet, and we will not reprint a score we cannot audit. This list is what we would want in their place — take it to whoever quotes you, us included.
Boarding times and the cancellation ladder

The boat's own timings

Check in on board
12:00pm
Cabin checkout
11:00am
Back in Hanoi
2:30pm

Published by one listing and not corroborated elsewhere1 source. Road transfers vary with traffic — treat the last leg as approximate and do not book a flight out of Hanoi tight against it.

Cancellation — not a property of this boat

We checked every cancellation ladder in our sources. They differ by who you book through, not by which boat you sail: the same boat carries different terms on different listings. So we will not print one and call it Hera Classic Boutique Cruise's policy.

Across the 7 distinct ladders we found, free cancellation ends somewhere between 15 and 30 days before check-in. After that the fee climbs to 100%.

See the 7 ladders we found
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%30-11 days ahead 15%10-7 days ahead 30%Under 7 days 100%
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%29-15 days ahead 25%14-7 days ahead 50%6-3 days ahead 75%
  • More than 15 days ahead 0%15-10 days ahead 50%9-3 days ahead 75%
  • More than 15 days ahead 0%14-10 days ahead 50%9-4 days ahead 70%
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%30-7 days ahead 20%6-3 days ahead 50%Under 3 days 100%
  • More than 21 days ahead 0%7-20 days ahead 30%3-7 days ahead 50%
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%30-7 days ahead 10%6-3 days ahead 50%Under 3 days 100%

Get the ladder in writing from whoever quotes you, before you pay a deposit.

Where it goes — 4 published stops
  1. Tuan Chau Marina
  2. Titop Island
  3. Sung Sot Cave
  4. Pearl Farm

Stops as published across the sources we track. Operators reorder them with the tide and the weather, and the provincial authority can close a cave at short notice.

Is Hera Classic Boutique Cruise worth it at $115 when Amanda Cruise is $118?

On the figures we can check, Amanda Cruise offers a hull 5 years newer for $3 more. Hera Classic Boutique Cruise earns its place when that $3 is not there, or when a specific itinerary or departure pier decides it for you. Neither boat have we sailed, so read this as a comparison of published figures, not of experience.

Which pier does Hera Classic Boutique Cruise leave from?

Tuan Chau Marina. The piers serving these bays are roughly twenty minutes apart and drivers do occasionally go to the wrong one, so name it when you arrange your own transfer.

What do you not know about this boat?

No source we checked publishes: capacity, decks, length m. A further 2 figures rest on a single source. We would rather say that than fill the gap with a guess. If the operator sends us the figures we will publish them and date them.

Specifications · cross-checked 11 Oct 2026

Sheet HL-30
Corroborated · 4 figuresTwo or more of the sources we read publish it
Cabins ⓘ
19
Hull ⓘ
Wood
Departs from ⓘ
Tuan Chau Marina
Kayaking ⓘ
Yes
Single source · 2 figuresOnly one of the sources says so — confirm before you rely on it
Launched ⓘ
2017
Bay ⓘ
Ha Long Bay
Unknown · 3 figuresNobody publishes these, and we would rather say so than guess
Guests at capacity ⓘ
Not published
Decks ⓘ
Not published
Length overall ⓘ
Not published

Read for this boat: operator, source-1, source-2 — one dot per source, filled when that many publish the figure. 2 figures rest on a single source — confirm before relying on them. How we verify

Where this price sits in the bay

From$115
half the cheapest cabin for two, read 6 Aug 2026
$100$150$200$250$300this boat
This boat · #4 of 24 priced on Ha Long BayThe other 23 priced boats · median $163

We add no booking fee. The figure we show is half the cheapest cabin for two on the rate table we read, dated the day we read it.

Other boats on Ha Long Bay

HL-08 · Ha Long Bay

Amanda Cruise

Cabins 25
Launched 2022

From$118per person, two sharingread 6 Aug 2026A guide, not a quote — we confirm the live rate when you enquire.

Details →
HL-25 · Ha Long Bay

Emeraude Classic Cruise

Cabins 37
Launched 2003

From$118per person, two sharingread 10 Oct 2026A guide, not a quote — we confirm the live rate when you enquire.

Details →
HL-10 · Ha Long Bay

Hera Grand Cruise

Cabins 13
Launched 2016

From$120per person, two sharingread 6 Aug 2026A guide, not a quote — we confirm the live rate when you enquire.

Details →