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A white multi-deck cruise ship with orange junk-style sails bearing a logo and hull registration text sits on calm green water in front of forested limestone karst islands under a blue sky.
A white multi-deck cruise ship with orange junk-style sails bearing a logo and hull registration text sits on calm green water in front of forested limestone karst islands under a blue sky.
A white multi-deck cruise boat with two orange sails and logos on the sails and hull floats on calm green water in front of forested limestone karsts under a partly cloudy blue sky, photographed from an elevated, drone-like angle.
A white multi-deck cruise boat with two orange sails and logos on the sails and hull floats on calm green water in front of forested limestone karsts under a partly cloudy blue sky, photographed from an elevated, drone-like angle.
A wood-paneled cabin with a double bed, a branded cushion on it, two armchairs and a small table, and balcony doors opening onto green water and limestone karst peaks.
A wood-paneled cabin with a double bed, a branded cushion on it, two armchairs and a small table, and balcony doors opening onto green water and limestone karst peaks.
Sun deck with artificial grass, wicker loungers with rolled towels, an ornate white railing and an orange sail printed with 'UniCharm' logo, with limestone karsts silhouetted against a low sun.
Sun deck with artificial grass, wicker loungers with rolled towels, an ornate white railing and an orange sail printed with 'UniCharm' logo, with limestone karsts silhouetted against a low sun.
A wood-panelled cruise cabin with a double bed, a glass-walled bathroom, a small sink area with an oval mirror, and two armchairs around a round table with mangoes and water bottles, with 'UniCharm' branding on the pillow and bed runner.
A wood-panelled cruise cabin with a double bed, a glass-walled bathroom, a small sink area with an oval mirror, and two armchairs around a round table with mangoes and water bottles, with 'UniCharm' branding on the pillow and bed runner.
An aerial view of a white cruise ship with orange sails on calm teal water, with a rocky islet topped by a small red-and-white lighthouse in the foreground and green karst mountains under a blue, cloudy sky.
An aerial view of a white cruise ship with orange sails on calm teal water, with a rocky islet topped by a small red-and-white lighthouse in the foreground and green karst mountains under a blue, cloudy sky.
A white multi-deck cruise ship with orange sails bearing the name UniChar sits on calm water in front of tall limestone karst islands at sunset.
A white multi-deck cruise ship with orange sails bearing the name UniChar sits on calm water in front of tall limestone karst islands at sunset.
A wood-paneled cruise cabin with a double bed, branded embroidered cushion and runner, and a seating area with wine glasses, with large windows and a balcony looking out on limestone karsts rising from green water.
A wood-paneled cruise cabin with a double bed, branded embroidered cushion and runner, and a seating area with wine glasses, with large windows and a balcony looking out on limestone karsts rising from green water.
Sun-deck with rows of loungers and rolled towels on artificial grass beside a white railing, an orange sail printed with a logo, and limestone karst islands with the sun setting over calm water.
Sun-deck with rows of loungers and rolled towels on artificial grass beside a white railing, an orange sail printed with a logo, and limestone karst islands with the sun setting over calm water.
A cabin bathroom with a white vessel sink, oval wood-framed mirror, and glass-enclosed shower, with a mirror reflecting a window that looks out on misty limestone karst and water.
A cabin bathroom with a white vessel sink, oval wood-framed mirror, and glass-enclosed shower, with a mirror reflecting a window that looks out on misty limestone karst and water.
Aerial view of green water dotted with forested limestone karst islands, with a single white cruise boat with orange sails and a few floating fish farms in the middle distance.
Aerial view of green water dotted with forested limestone karst islands, with a single white cruise boat with orange sails and a few floating fish farms in the middle distance.
A white multi-deck cruise boat with two orange sails bearing a blue logo sits on calm green water in front of forested limestone karst hills, with hull registration text visible and hazy sunlit sky above.
A white multi-deck cruise boat with two orange sails bearing a blue logo sits on calm green water in front of forested limestone karst hills, with hull registration text visible and hazy sunlit sky above.
An aerial view of a multi-deck white cruise boat with orange sails on calm green water, surrounded by forested limestone karst islands under a blue sky with clouds.
An aerial view of a multi-deck white cruise boat with orange sails on calm green water, surrounded by forested limestone karst islands under a blue sky with clouds.
Several tandem kayaks with paddlers in life jackets glide on green water toward a gap under a large limestone karst cliff.
Several tandem kayaks with paddlers in life jackets glide on green water toward a gap under a large limestone karst cliff.
LH-39 · Lan Ha Bay

Unicharm Cruise

2 days · 1 night · 3 days · 2 nights · 23 cabins · launched 2018 · Cross-checked 10 Oct 2026 ↓

from$155per person, two sharingcabin for two from $310, read 10 Oct 2026
Check availability
Cabin 50 m² · well above bay median of 35Older hull than 23 of 33

Unicharm boards at Tuan Chau, spends its night at anchor in Lan Ha Bay, and puts you on a bicycle into Viet Hai village on Cat Ba the next morning. The owner’s price for that, read on 10 October 2026, is $155 a person, two sharing, in a Deluxe Sea View room. It already covers the shared coach from Hanoi’s Old Quarter and back, the guide, the kayaks, the bay entrance fees and four meals.

Guests who chose Unicharm over other boats say they did it to get away from the crowded part of the bay. One guest on a quiet night in May 2026 counted ten passengers in total, and wrote in the same review that the ship could do with freshening up. You will know it at the pier by its two orange sails.

The owner lists 23 cabins: sixteen Deluxe Sea View rooms of 20 m² on the lowest deck, four Charm Terrace cabins of 30 m² on the second and third decks, and three Family Connecting units, each a Deluxe and a Terrace joined by a door you can close. Two booking sites say 20, the Deluxe and Terrace count alone; ask whether the Family units are extra rooms or pairs of the others.

What do unhappy guests complain about on Unicharm?

The low-rated Google reviews of Unicharm come back to three things: the meals, the coach and being hurried through the programme. A guest in January 2026 found the food short on flavour and the rice paper at the cooking class so stale that it cracked as soon as anyone touched it; even the chef struggled with it. A guest in May 2026, who liked the room and the guide, describes trays of fish fillets, oysters and calamari left untouched and thrown into one bin bag after each of their four meals. On the other side, one guest calls the food amazing and mentions lots of seafood, and a family with vegetarians says they were well catered for.

Two reviews from late May 2025 describe a stop of 25 to 30 minutes at a highway souvenir hall, and both say the activities felt rushed; one says the second guide hurried everyone along constantly. That guest’s return coach was shared with another boat’s passengers and left the cruise earlier than expected. A guest in March 2025 ran out of hot water on the first evening, when everyone came back from kayaking in the cold and showered at once.

Ask, before you pay, what time the return coach leaves Tuan Chau and whether it is shared. Give any dietary needs in writing when you book; the owner’s FAQ only asks you to mention them once you are on the bus. And on day one, shower before the kayaks come back.

How do the two days run?

The two-day trip is roughly 24 hours on the boat with about three hours on the road at each end. The times are the owner’s. The owner makes the tunnel paddle depend on the tide and reserves the right to change the programme for weather or the bay authority.

  • 08:00 to 08:30. Hotel pick-up in the Old Quarter.
  • 11:30. The coach reaches the wharf at Tuan Chau. Boarding is at 12:30 and lunch at 13:00, as the boat heads south past Ba Trai Dao beach, Frog lagoon and the Dark and Light Cave.
  • Afternoon. Two-seat kayaks behind the guide, a swim, and a paddle through a tunnel into a lagoon if the tide allows.
  • Evening. A cooking class, dinner at anchor in Lan Ha, squid fishing off the side.
  • 06:00 to 08:00 next day. Sunrise from the sun deck and breakfast, then at 07:00 a tender to the Viet Hai dock and about half an hour by bicycle to a village house.
  • 10:30 to 12:00. Check-out, brunch on a different route back, and the dock at noon. Hanoi drop-off is estimated for 15:00 to 15:30.

A January 2026 guest says the cave pass and the tunnel paddle never happened on their trip, and that the village stop was mostly time in a café.

Which cabin should you book, and what does it cost?

Book the Deluxe unless you want somewhere to sit outside. Prices are the owner’s per-person tour prices with the coach included, read 10 October 2026.

Cabin Owner’s count Size 2 days, per person 3 days, per person
Deluxe Sea View 16 20 m² $155 $300
Charm Terrace 4 30 m² $180 $340
Family Connecting 3 50 to 60 m² price on request price on request

The Deluxe rooms sit on the lowest deck behind a floor-to-ceiling window, and one guest on that floor in March 2026 wrote that they could see the sea from the bed. The Charm Terrace adds 10 m² and a private terrace on an upper deck (double bed only) for $25 more each. The Family unit sleeps four adults and two children.

The owner shows each price beside a list price ($225 for the Deluxe, $256 for the Terrace) marked 30% off, and nobody publishes when that discount ends. Travelling alone costs $95 extra. Children under five are free in their parents’ bed, five to nine pay 75%, and ten and over pay the full price. The Lan Ha Bay cruises page and the best-value list compare boats on this bay.

Is the three-day trip worth the extra night?

Yes, if you can walk for three hours. In a Deluxe the second night costs $145 a head ($300 against $155), about 94% of the first; in a Terrace it is $160 ($340 against $180). What it buys is a full day on Cat Ba. After the bike ride comes a trek of two and a half to three hours through forest to Hai Quan Peak, then the Military Hospital Cave and a kayak through Luon Cave and Tai Keo Cave. That puts real caves into the trip, which is what the January 2026 guest on the one-night version missed. More in two days or three.

What is not included?

Drinks, tips for the guide and crew, and anything personal; our list of what cruise prices leave out covers the rest. The owner’s booking conditions say rates already include the 5% service charge and 10% VAT, and paying by card adds 3%. Ask for the drinks list before you board. An extra bed in a Deluxe costs a fee nobody publishes, and the owner warns that Wi-Fi drops out among the islands.

Who it suits

Couples and families who will trade some polish for the outdoor programme of Lan Ha. A family of five on the three-day trip in December 2023 valued having kayaking, hiking and cycling in one package, and travellers landing in Hanoi with no transport arranged get the coach to Tuan Chau and back inside the price.

Who should look elsewhere

Anyone for whom dinner is the event of the evening. Anyone who wants busy Ha Long scenery with other boats lit up around them at night; one January 2026 guest missed exactly that, and the quiet anchorage is the same thing other guests paid for.

What we could not confirm

The owner’s pages disagree about the Deluxe balcony. The room overview says each Deluxe has a private balcony 30 cm deep beyond the sliding window, for standing only. The Deluxe room’s own page says “no balcony”. Treat it as a window.

The cancellation terms disagree too. The two-day tour page promises a full refund up to 72 hours before departure; the general booking conditions say 48 hours. Both say nothing comes back inside 48 hours. The tour pages add that any refund loses $3 to $7 in exchange costs plus a 3% bank fee. Payment and the booking conditions are in the name of Vega Travel, so ask Vega Travel for the refund terms in writing. The owner’s booking form also uses different child age bands from its own price table, so confirm a child’s rate in writing as well.

The owner and one booking site give Tuan Chau as the departure; another sells the boat from Gia Luan on Cat Ba, so check which pier your booking uses. The $310 and $360 cabin figures elsewhere on this site double the owner’s per-person tour prices, coach included, so they will not match a reseller’s cabin-only price.

The owner does not say when the boat was built. Two booking sites give 2018, one of them April 2018. Nobody publishes its length, hull, total deck count or passenger capacity.

Why people book Unicharm

Book it if

  • You want one night in Lan Ha with the Hanoi coach, the guide and four meals inside a single per-person price
  • You would trade some polish for a boat that anchors away from the main Ha Long fleet
  • You walk well and can take the three-day trip, whose middle day is the Hai Quan Peak trek on Cat Ba

The decisions either side of it

Scarlet Pearl Cruisethe cheaper option−$0
Hull 2019 against 2018
23 cabins against 23
Indochine Cruisethe cheaper option−$0
Hull 2019 against 2018
43 cabins against 23

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

From $155 per person, two sharing (owner's tour price, read 10 October 2026), with the Hanoi coach already in it. Two booking sites date the boat to 2018; nobody publishes its length or passenger capacity.

Choose your cabin

Uni-Deluxe / Deluxe Sea View Room16 of 23 cabins

20 m², 2 single or 1 double bed, ocean view, on the 1st floor.

20 m²2 single or 1 doubleOcean view1st floor
In the room
Internet AccessAir ConditioningTelephoneBottled WaterCoffee/tea MakerSatellite/cable TvHair Dryer
$3102D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
operator's published tariff3D2N $600 · per cabin, whole tripoperator tariffEnquire
Charm Terrace Cabin4 of 23 cabins

30 m², double bed, private balcony, on the 2nd and 3rd deck.

30 m²DoubleBalcony ✓2nd and 3rd deck
$3602D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
operator's published tariff3D2N $680 · per cabin, whole tripoperator tariffEnquire
Family Connecting Cabin3 of 23 cabins

55 m², 1 double + 2 single bed, private balcony, on the 2nd and 3rd deck.

55 m²1 double + 2 singleBalcony ✓2nd and 3rd deck
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's in the fare — and what isn't

In the fare

  • Bottled water in cabin1 source“02 complimentary bottles of water in the cabin.”
  • En-suite bathroom1 source“Spacious air-con Cabins and en-suite Bathrooms”
  • English-speaking guide1 source“English-speaking Tour Guide”
  • Kayaking1 source“Activities: Kayaking and swimming,…”
  • Welcome drink1 source“Welcome Drink”

Not in the fare

  • Airfare1 source“Air Fare if any”
  • Drinks & beverages1 source“Beverages, Personal Expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, soft & hard drinks”
  • Hanoi transfer1 source“Shuttle bus Hanoi – Halong – Hanoi”
  • Meals on board1 source“Meals not mentioned in the program”
  • Peak-season surcharge1 source“Surcharges will be applied during the Christmas and New Year’s Eve periods and over the Vietnamese Tet Lunar New Year”
  • Spa & massage1 source“Spa and massage services.”
  • Tips & gratuities1 source“Tips are welcomed!”
  • Travel insurance1 source“Travel Insurance”

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
  • Food is the part of a cruise you care about most; the meals come up in the unhappy Google reviews of this boat as often as the coach does
  • You want to see a cave on the one-night trip; the route passes the Dark and Light Cave from the water and one guest says even that was dropped
  • You need a balcony you can sit on; only the Charm Terrace and Family cabins have a terrace the owner describes consistently
What to ask before you pay
9
9 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.
What time is check-in, and what time is cabin checkout?
No source we read publishes either for this boat. Confirm both when you book, especially if you have a flight on the last day.
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

No source we read publishes check-in or checkout times for Unicharm Cruise. Ask when you book — on this coast checkout is usually between 09:30 and 11:00, and the difference decides whether you get a last morning on the water.

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 Unicharm 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 — 5 published stops
  1. Tuan Chau Island wharf
  2. Dark and Light Cave
  3. Frog lagoon
  4. Ba Trai Dao beach
  5. Viet Hai village

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.

How many cabins does Unicharm Cruise have?

The owner (unicharmcruise.com/room-type) lists 16 Uni-Deluxe + 4 Charm Terrace + 3 Family Connecting = 23, and Tripadvisor listing 14000216 says 23; halongbaycruises.com ("Launched: 2018 20 Cabin(s)": 16 Deluxe Sea view + 4 Charm Terrace + Family Connecting) and originvietnam.com ("Build: 2018 Cabins: 20") both say 20 (read 2026-08-06). The gap equals the 3 Family Connecting rooms, which the listings may count as paired rooms; no source says so. We show the most widely reported figure and recommend confirming it with the operator before you pay.

Why do sources name different piers for Unicharm Cruise?

The owner (unicharmcruise.com 2-day tour page) says "arrive at the wharf on Tuan Chau Island" and halongbaycruises.com/cruise/unicharm-cruise.html says "Transfer only 2 hours driving from Tuan Chau Marina", but originvietnam.com/cruises/unicharm-cruise has guests boarding at "Gia Luan wharf" on Cat Ba Island (read 2026-08-06). We show the most widely reported answer and recommend confirming it with the operator before you pay.

Which pier does Unicharm 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: hull, capacity, decks, length m. A further 4 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 10 Oct 2026

Sheet LH-39
Single source · 4 figuresOnly one of the sources says so — confirm before you rely on it
Launched ⓘ
2018
Bay ⓘ
Lan Ha Bay
Kayaking ⓘ
Yes
Balcony on cabins ⓘ
Yes
More than one figure published · 2We show every value we found rather than pick one — hover the ⓘ
Cabins ⓘ
23varies
Departs from ⓘ
Tuan Chau Marinavaries
Unknown · 4 figuresNobody publishes these, and we would rather say so than guess
Hull ⓘ
Not published
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. 4 figures rest on a single source — confirm before relying on them. 2 figures have more than one published value — hover the ⓘ. How we verify

Where this price sits in the bay

From$155
half the cheapest cabin for two, read 10 Oct 2026
$100$200$300$400this boat
This boat · #15 of 37 priced on Lan Ha BayThe other 36 priced boats · median $155

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.

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