Halong Bay Revisited: A Signature Cruise Experience

I slept the entire journey and woke up when our van finally reached Signature Cruise's welcome center. CS and I arrived in Hanoi earlier that morning and felt like I just closed my eyes when my alarm went off to signal that it was time to prepare for our hotel pick up. I arranged our transfers with the cruise company to make sure that we arrive in time for our boarding. 

The staff offered refreshments while we wait for boarding. We were also handed out tickets and boarding passes during the short briefing along with other guests of the cruise ship.

I heard the staff called our names when it was our turn for boarding. Signature Cruise offers 2- and 3-day cruises so make sure you double check that you're on the right queue.

Welcome to our home for the next two days - the 5-star Signature Halong Suites!

Upon boarding, passengers were provided cold towels and instructed by the crew to proceed to the dining area for a thorough briefing of the 2-day itinerary. Sarah, our guide, was gracious enough to answer all questions but since this was our second Halong Bay cruise, we already had an idea on what to expect. The room key cards were handed out after the Q&A and roll call of the manifest to make sure that no one was left behind and all passengers are accounted for.

An hour interval was announced after the briefing so passengers can check out their rooms and explore the beautiful Signature Halong Suites. However, CS and I thought it was the perfect timing to get familiarized with the ship while everyone headed downstairs to their respective cabins. And true enough, we were fortunate to get a good 20 minutes to enjoy the deck for ourselves!

We made our way to our suite just before other passengers started arriving at the sun deck. Our first Halong Bay cruise with Bhaya Cruises back in 2013 paved the way for our affinity with this type of experience. I even remembered telling CS how I would love to go back aboard a bigger ship with our own balcony where we could enjoy the magnificent view of Halong Bay in the comforts and privacy of our own room. Well, wish granted so say hello to our Signature Senior Suite!

A senior suite cabin can sleep two adults comfortably and commands Php18,000 for a 2-day all inclusive Halong Bay cruise package. Steep price for an overnight stay but wait until you see how the fully air-conditioned cabin looks and its wide range facilities that include the following:

• Private balcony
• Luxurious and contemporary decorations 
• Handcrafted wooden furniture
• LCD Samsung TV (you can borrow DVDs from the crew)
• Fully stocked mini bar
• Electric kettle with local coffee and tea
• Private bathroom with hot water and tub

The cruise includes full board meals with lunch and dinner on the first day and breakfast on day 2. All meals are served at the restaurant located at the ship's main deck with a seating capacity of 45 and surrounded by an outdoor balcony for passengers who wish to dine al fresco.

One of the many things I love about Signature Cruise is the amazing food + meticulous presentation served on every meal. Our guide also explained each dish as it arrived on our table and checked on us if we wanted more servings. I tell you, food is overflowing and you'd never leave your table without a full stomach! Requests are also welcome if you have dietary preferences.

Green Mango Salad

Spaghetti with Sticky Rice and Grilled Pork

Steamed Prawns

Pan-fried Sea Bass with Steamed Rice and Vegetables

Cake and Seasonal Fruits

One of the cruise highlights is a visit to Vung Vieng Fishing Village, a floating community located 20kms off the mainland. This remarkable experience lets guests get a glimpse of the simple and extraordinary life of living in a house boat. The village can be accessed only via rowing boats which the female inhabitants manage and organize for extra income while the men go fishing.

When you search for Halong Bay cruise online, hundreds of names will show up on your screen and many of those will claim to be the best but photos can be deceiving so beware of false advertising. So if your requirements are as straightforward as mine: genuine hospitality, organized and detail oriented, spacious and luxurious cabin, excellent service, and great food - look no further as I am 100% sure that Signature Cruise will exceed your expectations!

~o~o~o~

Signature Halong Cruise
Vinashin Port, Halong
Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel.: (8424) 3935-1268
Website: www.signaturehalongcruise.com/en/

Hotel Review: Golden Holiday Hotel, Hanoi VN

It might be the local cuisine, its old charm, or the friendly people that we met in our past travels - there's something/s that keep drawing us back to Hanoi, Vietnam. Just 3 and a half hours away from Manila via plane, I was able to score a great deal from yet another irresistible Cebu Pacific promo that only cost us about Php4500/person round trip airfare. But as with majority of budget carriers, schedules are red eye flights so we arrived around one in the morning and was forced to pay for a hotel room a day in advance so I'd be guaranteed an accommodation upon arrival. Nevertheless, I still managed to book a room that fits our requirements: must be clean and comfortable, offers reasonable rates, easily accessible within Old Quarter, and comes with complimentary breakfast - all adequately met by my hotel of choice, Hanoi Golden Holiday Hotel.

Moreover, this boutique hotel takes pride in having a dedicated and professional team that ensures its guests have a memorable stay in the city. Apart from the basic hotel facilities, Hanoi Golden also offers airport transfers, 24/7 front desk and security, concierge, currency exchange services, Vietnam tour packages and many more. Since I knew that we'd be spending most of our time out, I passed on the room with a private balcony and got the suite with a city view instead.

 

The perfectly designed golden suite double room has large windows to let the natural light in and offers modern amenities like a 42" TV with Netflix and free wireless internet. That's on top of its basic room features such as a double bed, airconditioning unit, complimentary coffee and tea, safety deposit box, iron and ironing facilities, private toilet and bath, sitting area and a mini bar.

Another thing to love about Agoda is the flexibility in its room rates. Guests have the option to book rooms depending on their budget and needs. While breakfast is always a good idea, there are days when you had to leave your hotel early in the morning even before the usual 6AM breakfast time. With Agoda, you can book rooms without breakfast to cut down your room rate instead of paying the full amount. But since we don't have a tour or a flight to catch, I opted for a room with buffet breakfast for two. Variety is quite limited, as to be expected as this is a boutique hotel, but the dishes offered were appetizing and tasty. Besides, the street food in Hanoi is something to look forward to so leaving the hotel in a half full stomach is the best way to go.

Pros: Warm reception, helpful staff, affordable room rates, great location, spacious and well designed room and allows late check-out but subject to room availability. Another notable thing about the hotel is that aside from letting guests leave their bags after check-out, guests are permitted to use the shower on the lower ground level, complete with towels and bathroom amenities, to freshen up before leaving. They surely take hospitality to a whole new level.

Cons: Except for the slow internet that made Netflix on TV impossible to stream, we loved our stay at Hanoi Golden Holiday; it definitely tops the list of our favorite hotels in the city.

~o~o~o~

Hanoi Golden Holiday Hotel
43 Hang Dong, Old Quarter
Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
Tel.: (8424) 32004833
Website: www.hanoigoldenholidayhotel.com