We Paid $500 for a "Luxury" Ha Long Bay Cruise… Biggest Mistake Ever?

We paid over $500 for what was supposed to be a "luxury" Ha Long Bay cruise… and it was anything but. From outdated and dirty rooms to disappointing food and poor service, this experience did NOT match the brochure. In this video, we’re sharing exactly what happened on our Ha Long Bay cruise—and why it didn’t live up to expectations. If you're planning a trip to Vietnam, watch this before you book your cruise. On this episode of Evan and Lemon, we take you along on our Ha Long Bay cruise experience—expectations vs reality. What looked like a luxury overnight cruise quickly turned into one of our biggest travel disappointments. Other things that went wrong that we didn’t mention in the video, the hot water lasted only a short time so taking a hot bath was impossible, we tried to book a massage but we were told they gave them the “day off”, we were all overcharged for drinks as their website lists different prices than the actual on board menu, there was almost NEVER anyone at the bar so when we went to order a beer we had to find someone and they could never find the beer opener. ⚠️ Ha Long Bay Cruise Tips (What We Wish We Knew) If you’re booking a Ha Long Bay cruise, here are a few things we’d do differently: • Don’t rely on brochures alone—look for recent video reviews on YouTube • Double check what “luxury” actually includes (it varies A LOT) • Read recent Google + TripAdvisor reviews (not just ratings) • Ask for real, current photos of the rooms and food • Be cautious of deals that seem too good for the price point • Book through reputable platforms or well-known cruise companies when possible We’re Evan and Lemon—full-time travelers sharing real, unfiltered travel experiences (the good, the bad, and the “we wish we knew”).