What‘s Included

What To Expect

Reviews

• Toxic black mold! Management is greedy and refused to refund for medical risks.

  Chelsea M,

  Nov 6, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  1.00

  I cannot believe this place has almost all 5 star reviews. It should be a red flag when somewhere has 5.0 stars (more on that later; I have proof these are bots). We paid $2400 for a two night cruise in their second highest suite category (elite executive premium suite). Many regrets. There is toxic black mold around the room and my partner is immunocompromised, so we checked out a day early because of the health risk. They refuse to refund us the second night that we did not stay on board. On the way to the boat, we stopped at the waiting zone for our speedboat transfer. We were stuck here for 75 minutes where coffees, soft drinks, anything were an extra charge. We were repeatedly attempted to be upsold during this time. First, they offer us a full price upgrade to the top suite on the ship ($1,800 more, lol no thanks. If we wanted that we would’ve booked it originally). Then the lady comes back with a new offer from her manager (20% off). After rejecting, she comes back with a 30% offer. The whole thing felt so cheap. We get on board and it’s pretty dumpy. I’ve been on nicer carnival cruise ships (which is one of the lowest end American cruise lines). The food was mediocre, not bad, but needed a lot of salt and pepper. The “free flow” at mealtime offer is kind of a sham because it only includes 3 types of cocktails and no wine. The menus were extremely dirty which was another red flag. The room has black mold in both the shower and water closet. Even though the hotel is only 3 years old, it has the wear and tear of a 15 year old boat. Wood planks are broken, scuffs everywhere, old furniture, etc. The floor plan makes no sense with the only sink in the bedroom. The common areas are tacky, there’s a “tip jar” at the front desk, dining room furniture is worse than a carnival ship. Photos (and tik tok videos) make this place appear way nicer and newer than it is…. The ship is smoker friendly in outdoor areas 🙄 and every table has an ash tray. The website said it was a nonsmoking cruise. Our neighbors were smoking cigarettes and the smoke blew over onto our side so we had to go indoors. At 9:55pm you can’t sleep because there’s a karaoke rock band performing at the pool right below your cabin. We requested to cut our trip short and get refunded for the second night since my partner is immunocompromised and there is black mold all over the room and is a serious hazard to his health. They sent an email about their cancellation policy and refused to refund us. We are simply asking to only pay for what we received, which is one night. At first they claimed the black mold was “grout”. We then took a video of me scrubbing the mold with a toothbrush and the mold left on the brush. Management’s refusal to refund us for this extreme issue would have me heavily warn you against staying here. No “luxury” accommodation would refuse a refund in this scenario. This boat is in no way luxury. The five star reviews are fake or heavily skewed, and after doing a DEEP deep dive on every review of this ship after our trip (to see how our experience could be so much worse than the internet’s), there are bots posting the reviews. Their Google reviews has 6,000 5 star reviews and 0 reviews less than 5 stars. That is not possible for a boat with 33 cabins that has only existed for 3 years! The TripAdvisor page has 5.0 stars and if you look into the posts every reviewer only has ONE CONTRIBUTION (!!) which is only for this ship (no other reviews). These positive ratings are BOTS. I also read online that they pressure you to write a 5 star review at the end of their trip and look over your shoulder as you do. The price is just so terrible for what you get. I’d rather spend more time at Capella Hanoi and skip this boat all together. I would heavily advise against booking this ship. From what I gather, Stellar of the Seas is the same thing but even older. Buyer beware.

  

  

• Amazing !!!

  nicola r,

  Nov 5, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  An amazing time on Elite of the Seas 2 night 3 day Halong Bay cruise. The facilities and staff were amazing and the food was delicious. A special shout out to our butler Leo. He delivered exceptional service and was very kind in sharing knowledge about his Vietnamese culture. A big thanks to Tony our cruise manager for making sure we had everything we needed during our stay. Amazing experience!!!

• ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 — Exceptional

  Curious16878535674,

  Nov 5, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Experience with Leo on Elite of the Seas! We had the most incredible experience aboard Elite of the Seas, and our host Leo truly made the trip unforgettable! From the moment we arrived, Leo welcomed us with genuine warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail that went above and beyond all expectations.

• Outstanding experience

  shalnic2025,

  Nov 5, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  This tour exceeded our expectations. The overall experience was incredible from the views, the food and the service. The ship was well maintained and every area was very clean. Our concierge Cici, was incredible and provided the best service we’ve ever experienced. All of the staff were so kind and Tony, our tour manager also went out of his way to ensure we had a wonderful experience.

• Excellent

  A8305GVlaurac,

  Nov 4, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Excellent service and beautiful boat. The staff are incredible. Special shout out to our personal butler Ryan who looked after us. He was extremely helpful and the attention to detail was brilliant. The excursions were great and we especially enjoyed the trip to the village on Cat Ba island. The food was fabulous and plenty of it. Would highly recommend

• Best sea visit in Ha Long bay

  Gail H,

  Nov 1, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  The staff, food and accommodation is amazing. Highly recommend. Great service , fun and interesting excursions. Just come with an empty belly as they feed you delicious tempting food all day. Swimming g pool warm water and beautiful setting.

  

  

  

  

• Elite of the sea

  alicia h,

  Oct 31, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  From the moment we got to the boat the service was exceptional. Staff very attentive and welcoming. Special recognition to Tony, cici and Peter. They went above and beyond to make our stay wonderful.

  

  

  

  

• Great experience and would recommend!

  Tony T,

  Oct 19, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  The Halong Bay Cruise with Elite of the Seas was a great experience. The food was really good. The views were beautiful. CiCi, Kelly, and the staff were are amazing and friendly!!

• Cruisin’

  Lawrence L,

  Oct 12, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Decided to indulge in some R&R on the last leg of my Asia travel journeys. This cruise did not disappoint! From the food, to the accommodations, to the staff (shoutout to Anthony and Nick), it was an excellent way to soak up the vibes of Halong Bay. Highly recommend!

  

• Heaven on the Sea, Elite of the Seas Truly Lives Up to Its Name!

  358lakshmiv,

  Oct 9, 2025

  - Review from Tripadvisor

  5.00

  Our experience on Elite of the Seas was absolutely magical from start to finish. The moment we stepped onboard, it felt like stepping into another world, calm, luxurious, and surrounded by the most stunning views imaginable. Every corner of the cruise was designed to relax the soul and lift the spirit. A huge thank you to Tony, our incredible host, who was with us every step of the way. His kindness, energy, and attention to detail made our trip seamless and so much more enjoyable. And a special shoutout to Ryan, our wonderful butler, who did a brilliant job looking after us, always so thoughtful, efficient, and genuinely caring. They both made us feel so pampered throughout the journey. The activities onboard were such a delightful surprise! The squid fishing… whatttt. Not to mention, the karaoke night was an absolute blast, it truly brought out the singer in me, and I don’t think I’ve laughed and cheered that much in ages! And as someone who never wakes up early, I surprised myself by joining the morning Tai Chi class on the sun deck, and loved every moment of it! The fresh sea breeze, calm waters, and peaceful energy made it a perfect start to the day. After that, we had a lovely tea-making session, which was both relaxing and fun a beautiful way to experience a touch of local culture. There was never a dull moment, with so many thoughtfully curated activities to choose from. The whole experience truly felt like heaven on the sea, tranquil, joyful, and unforgettable. One night just didn’t feel enough, we honestly didn’t want to go back to land! Thank you, Elite of the Seas, for giving us such a perfect slice of paradise. Can’t wait to return and relive it all over again!

  

  

  

  

  

  
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