Luxurious Ambassador Cruise is teaming up with conductor Dong Quang Vinh to stage Halong Bay’s first orchestral cruise, showcasing instrumentalists, opera singers and ballet dancers in what’s poised to be a remarkable sunset concert.

The inaugural “Dreamy Voyage – Symphony of Heritage” on 22 December this year will begin with a red-carpet wine reception at Ambassador Lounge at Halong International Cruise Port from 3pm. Guests will then board Ambassador Cruise II for the concert in the UNESCO World Heritage site from 4.45pm – 6.30pm followed by a buffet dinner on the lavish vessel.

Dubbed “Vietnam’s music ambassador” by domestic and international media for his ongoing efforts to promote Vietnamese music to the world, Vinh will conduct Suc Song Moi Orchestra during the cruise. Featuring 30 Vietnamese instrumentalists, the orchestra will play four chapters, with four to five songs apiece. The chapters comprise classical opera and ballet music, Vietnamese music, film scores, and Christmas carols.

The program, to feature performances by award-winning tenor Nguyen Truong Linh and soprano Trang Bui, is packed with iconic music. Highlights include themes from ballets “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker”, as well as “Nessun Dorma”, “Hello Vietnam”, blockbuster Titantic’s “My Heart Will Go On”, “Joy to the World” and “Jingle Bells”.

Born into a family of esteemed traditional musicians, Vinh began learning to play the bamboo flute at nine with the Vietnam National Academy of Music, where today he is conductor and teacher of orchestral conducting. He is also the principal conductor of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet, and artistic director and conductor of Hanoi Voices Choir. He has been a guest conductor of numerous international orchestras including the Shanghai Opera House Symphony Orchestra.

He described Halong Bay’s upcoming orchestral cruise as “something to be celebrated” because it would promote arts and culture in a unique setting, thus making orchestral music more accessible.

“My desire is to bring music to everyone and this is an irresistible opportunity,” the conductor said. “To take this enchanting music, usually performed in a large concert hall, and bring it to an open space, one as spectacular as Halong Bay, with a new audience of cruisers is particularly rewarding.”

Nguyen Cao Son, the chairman of Asia Premier Cruises (APC) Corporation, which owns Ambassador Cruise, added that the orchestral cruise marked the beginning of a series of exquisite themed cruises to be staged by the cruise line.

“An orchestral cruise is yet another first for Halong Bay from Ambassador Cruise, following the introduction of our day cruises and dinner cruises earlier this year,” he said. “The breathtaking backdrop of Halong Bay’s stunning limestone karsts will bring a whole new dimension to this atmospheric orchestral performance.”

The elegantly designed 45-cabin Ambassador Cruise II is home to spacious sundecks across two floors affording 360-degree vistas, two restaurants, two bars, an entertainment area for live music, large open-air jacuzzi and a five-metre glass bridge jutting from the vessel’s bow that inspires compelling photographs.

The 500-ton five-floor steel craft with a basement measures 90-meters long, 16-meters wide and 19-meters high, making it the largest and most luxurious ship to ever ply Halong Bay’s waters with a total of 10,000sqm of lettable space. Ambassador Cruise is the only Halong Bay cruise line to include an elevator system for the elderly and people with disabilities.

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Ambassador Cruise, the luxury line behind UNESCO World Heritage site Halong Bay’s most compelling cruise experiences, will celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve with exquisite dinner cruises.

Ambassador Cruise II, which debuted in February this year and offers an eight-hour day cruise followed by a four-hour dinner cruise, will toast its first Christmas and New Year’s Eve with special dinner cruises.

Passengers will soak up a sunset show by the Ambassador live band on the vessel’s spacious sundecks across two floors affording 360-degree vistas from 5:45 – 6.30pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Instead of plying the usual cruise routes within the Halong Bay area, the Ambassador Dinner Cruises will sail along the bay adjacent to the mainland to witness the glittering lights of Halong City and Bai Chay Bridge by night from 6.30 – 10pm.

Lavish Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve feasts featuring Asian and European delicacies ranging from roast meat and fresh seafood to sashimi and sushi will be served at the ship’s two restaurants from 6.30-7.45pm.

Passengers check in at the port and transfer to Ambassador Cruise II from 5.30 – 6.30pm with a welcome drink in hand such as a sparkling wine.

The elegantly designed 45-cabin Ambassador Cruise II is also home to two bars, a large open-air jacuzzi and a five-metre glass bridge jutting from the vessel’s bow that inspires compelling photographs.

The 500-ton five-floor steel craft with a basement measures 90-meters long, 16-meters wide and 19-meters high, making it the largest and most luxurious ship to ever ply Halong Bay’s waters with a total of 10,000sqm of lettable space. Ambassador Cruise is the only Halong Bay cruise line to include an elevator system for the elderly and people with disabilities.

“What better way to mark Ambassador Cruise II’s first Christmas and New Year’s Eve than with great food, great entertainment and great onboard facilities with the city and bay in the backdrop?” said Nguyen Cao Son, chairman of Asia Premier Cruises (APC) Corporation, which owns Ambassador Cruise. “Ambassador Cruise II’s debut year has been spectacular, with the vessel welcoming up to almost 1000 guests per day during peak times on both its day cruise and dinner cruise. We look forward to ushering in an even better and brighter 2024.”

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Halong Bay, Vietnam, November 7, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / The five-star line behind Halong Bay’s most remarkable cruise experiences, Ambassador Cruise, is poised to usher its 200,000th passenger aboard its ‘Ambassador Cruise II’ vessel by the end of 2023.

Since its debut in February this year Ambassador Cruise II, which offers both a luxurious eight-hour day cruise followed by an exquisite four-hour dinner cruise, has welcomed up to almost 1000 guests per day during peak times.

The vessel has helped propel a tourism bonanza for Vietnam’s Quang Ninh province, attracting more than 156,000 passengers, making for 13% of the estimated 1.2 million visitors to Halong International Cruise Port from January 1 through to October 31 this year. Combined with Ambassador Cruise’s overnight cruises ‘Ambassador Cruise I’ and ‘Ambassador Signature Cruise’, it’s estimated Ambassador’s fleet will contribute to 18% of the total number of passengers to the cruise port by the end of the year.

Elegantly designed, Ambassador Cruise II features spacious sundecks across two floors that total 324sqm and 250sqm, affording 360-degree vistas of Halong Bay and its myriad limestone karsts. Two restaurants, two bars, an entertainment area for live music, and the large open-air jacuzzi are among the 45-cabin vessel’s top-notch facilities. The five-metre glass bridge jutting from the vessel’s bow inspires compelling photographs.

The 500-ton five-floor steel craft with a basement measures 90 meters long, 16 meters wide and 19 meters high, making it the largest and most luxurious ship to ever ply Halong Bay’s waters with a total of 10,000sqm of lettable space. Ambassador Cruise is the only Halong Bay cruise line to include an elevator system for the elderly and people with disabilities.

The Ambassador Cruise II’s daytime voyage, known as ‘Ambassador Day Cruise’, takes passengers on a sublime journey through the UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its plethora of limestone karsts dotting its emerald waters.

The itinerary includes exploration of Sung Sot Cave and swimming off Titov Island, whose scalable heights offer panoramic views of the bay. Passengers take in Luon Cave by either kayak or in a bamboo boat rowed by a local followed by a cooking class and Filipino DJ onboard.

Designed for travellers who cannot squeeze an overnight trip to Halong Bay into their schedules, the itinerary covers the same ground as an overnight cruise within a shorter time frame.

By night, Ambassador Cruise II transforms into the ‘Ambassador Dinner Cruise’. A first for the bay, the cruise is underpinned by premium dining and live entertainment. To a backdrop of Halong Bay’s awe-inspiring sunset, guests indulge a delectable meal of Asian and European delicacies accompanied by a cabaret show, performances by Vietnamese singers and a live band.

“Welcoming our 200,000th passenger aboard Ambassador Cruise II in such a short time is a major milestone and testament to how we have redefined cruising Halong Bay; by pioneering a luxurious day cruise and dinner cruise, we have played a notable part in expanding Quang Ninh’s tourism industry post-COVID,” said Nguyen Cao Son, chairman of Asia Premier Cruises (APC) Corporation, which owns Ambassador Cruise. “Attracting more than 69,000 passengers from January 1 until October 31 this year, our dinner cruise alone contributed to 70% of the total number of passengers to the Halong International Cruise Port in the evening amid a total of four cruise operators.”

To celebrate the 200,000th passenger, Ambassador Cruise II will hold a small party aboard with all of the cruise’s guests, and distribute dinner vouchers as a lucky draw present during a mini game. The 200,000th passenger will be presented with a gift voucher of two tickets to attend a liveshow on Ambassador Dinner Cruise.

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Hanoi, Vietnam, August 9, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Leading boutique cruise operator, Ambassador Cruise, is charting new channels of refinement on unsung Lan Ha Bay with the launch of its Ambassador Signature overnight sailing.

The limestone karst-studded seascapes in the northern reaches of the Gulf of Tonkin have long been known for providing uplift through their beauty. And now visitors can embrace fresh visual splendour on the relatively uncharted waters of Lan Ha Bay, just south of Halong Bay, onboard Ambassador Signature, a new 39-berth vessel that made its maiden voyage in July.

The new one-night voyage features myriad alluring calling cards. There’s the destination for a kick-off. Lan Ha Bay’s 300-or-so karst islands and limestone outcrops are every bit as beautiful as Halong Bay. Although it retains all the majesty of its superstar neighbour, Lan Ha Bay sees a fraction of the traffic. The two seascapes are virtually interchangeable, but the lack of tourist boats gives Lan Ha Bay a more isolated appeal.

The vessel is distinguished by an interior design that fuses high luxury with contemporary elements. And this marriage is to the fore in designer cabins in four different categories. These are Ambassador Balcony, Executive Ambassador Balcony, Ambassador Balcony Suite, and the Captain’s View Ambassador Suite. All cabins come with a private balcony and spacious bathroom. And the latter two categories, the highest on the vessel, have private terraces where guests can kick back and savour the incredible scenery in total seclusion. Cabins range from 28-35 sqm.

Elsewhere there’s a spa, a plush piano lounge, and an expansive sundeck; the largest of any cruise vessel on Lan Ha Bay. A strong focus on gastronomy is showcased via sumptuous evening menus curated by Michelin-starred chef David Gallienne. Divine dining is complemented by the melodies of a resident band who enhance the evening ambience.

Enticing optional excursions, meanwhile, include a visit to Viet Hai, a traditional floating fishing village, and a tour through Light and Dark Cave by bamboo boat or kayak. The cave features impressive stalactites and leads to a peaceful lake surrounded by towering limestone cliffs.

“The launch of Ambassador Signature has been momentous for several reasons,” said Nguyen Cao Son, founder of Asia Premier Cruises Corporation, which owns Ambassador Cruise.

“Lan Ha Bay is undiscovered in comparison with Halong Bay, which imbues sailing with a sense of discovery for passengers. In addition to that, we’ve placed an emphasis on life’s refinements via a world-class spa, truly spectacular cabins, and — of course — cuisine masterminded by a Michelin-starred chef.”

Galienne’s multi-course extravaganzas are one among many tantalising aspects of voyages on the new Ambassador Signature vessel.

Featuring a splendid blend of Asian-Vietnamese design with French colonial accents, the ship launched on 21 July.

There are numerous attention-grabbing elements of the experience on Ambassador Signature.

The surrounding natural beauty, best appreciated via the 360-degree views of the bay from the sundeck, is never anything less than stunning.

An onboard spa encompasses a broad range of massage and other treatments. The piano lounge is the place to wind down after dinner, with live musical entertainment, fine wines and creative cocktails putting added swing into the sailing.

Ambassador Signature’s emphasis on fine cuisine, meanwhile, is sure to capture the imagination of gourmands.

Ambassador Cruise was recently named a World TOP Heritage Gourmet Award winner by the International Business Federation in recognition of the cuisine on its Ambassador II vessel. And the culinary offerings on Ambassador Signature are destined to garner wider attention.

Normandy-born chef Gallienne, who trained at the Michelin-starred Manoir du Lys, earned his star at his Giverny restaurant Le Jardin des Plumes. He earned further recognition by winning season 11 of the TV show Top Chef. For dinners on Ambassador Signature, Gallienne has supervised menus that utilise premium ingredients and fuse Asian and French flavours and cooking techniques.

Since launching its first vessel in 2021, Ambassador Cruise has made a name for itself as the leading luxury cruise operator on Halong Bay. With the launch of Ambassador Signature it now operates three vessels, the others being Ambassador I and Ambassador II. Guests can choose from a variety of journeys including overnight cruises, day cruises, and dinner cruises.

For more information about Ambassador Cruise or to make a booking, call +84 1900 3045.

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Halong Bay, Vietnam, March 3, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Ambassador Cruise is heralding the dawn of a new day in cruising Halong Bay, with the launch of a day cruise on a new vessel with restaurants and bars, an outdoor jacuzzi and a striking glass bridge.

The five-star line behind the UNESCO World Heritage site’s most sublime cruise experiences began the day-long ‘Ambassador Day Cruise II’ tours on February 10 this year.

Elegantly designed, the ship features spacious sundecks across two floors that total 324sqm and 250sqm, affording 360-degree vistas of Halong Bay and its myriad limestone karsts. Two restaurants, two bars, an entertainment area for live music, and the large open-air jacuzzi are among the 45-cabin vessel’s top-notch facilities. The five-metre glass bridge jutting from the vessel’s bow inspires compelling photographs.

The 500-ton five-floor steel craft with a basement measures 90 meters long, 16 meters wide and 19 meters high, making it the largest and most luxurious ship to ever ply Halong Bay’s waters with a total of 10,000sqm of lettable space. Ambassador Cruise is the only Halong Bay cruise line to include an elevator system for the elderly and people with disabilities.

With amenities that hitherto have been the province of overnight adventures only, the new cruise caters for up to 500 passengers, who will check in at Ambassador’s Check-In Lounge in Halong City at 9.45am.

The itinerary includes exploration of Sung Sot Cave, a delectable buffet lunch while the vessel’s route plys a passage by Ho Dong Tien Cave, Trong Cave, Me Cung Cave and Cua Van Floating Village. The cruise anchors off Titov Island whose scalable heights offer panoramic views of the bay. Afternoon tea is served on the vessel’s sundeck. Guests return to Halong International Cruise Port at 4:30pm.

A round-trip shuttle bus links Hanoi with Halong Bay via an expressway that opened in 2018, cutting the drive time between the destinations in half to two hours.

Nguyen Cao Son, founder of Asia Premier Cruises Corporation, which owns Ambassador Cruise, said February was the right time to launch the day cruise, following the world’s reopening and 2018’s launch of both the expressway and Van Don International Airport, located 50km from Halong Bay.

“The day cruise opens up Halong Bay in an exciting new way for many travelers, particularly those who can’t squeeze an overnight cruise into their schedule and yet now have the opportunity to experience this breathtakingly beautiful destination in style in a day,” he said.

Since launching its first vessel in 2021, Ambassador Cruise has made a name for itself as the leading luxury cruise operator on Halong Bay and also offers overnight cruises.

For more information about Ambassador Cruise or to make a booking, call +84 1900 3045.

Ambassador Day Cruise II is priced from USD 112 per person (VND 2.625 million) including day cruise itinerary and program, round-trip shuttle bus transfer from and to Hanoi, one luxury buffet lunch, onboard insurance, tax and service charges, sightseeing fees and afternoon tea on the sundeck.

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Halong Bay, Vietnam, February 8, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Ambassador Cruise is heralding the dawn of a new day in cruising Halong Bay, with the launch of a day cruise on a new vessel with restaurants and bars, an outdoor jacuzzi and a striking glass bridge.

The five-star line behind the UNESCO World Heritage site’s most sublime cruise experiences will begin the day-long ‘Ambassador Day Cruise II’ tours on February 10 this year.

Elegantly designed, the ship features spacious sundecks across two floors that total 324sqm and 250sqm, affording 360-degree vistas of Halong Bay and its myriad limestone karsts. Two restaurants, two bars, an entertainment area for live music, and the large open-air jacuzzi are among the 45-cabin vessel’s top-notch facilities. The five-metre glass bridge jutting from the vessel’s bow inspires compelling photographs.

The 1700-ton five-deck steel craft measures 95 meters long, 15.50 meters wide and 19 meters high, making it the largest and most luxurious ship to ever ply Halong Bay’s waters.  Ambassador Cruise is the only Halong Bay cruise line to include an elevator system for the elderly and people with disabilities.

With amenities that hitherto have been the province of overnight adventures only, the new cruise caters for up to 500 passengers, who will check in at Ambassador’s Check-In Lounge in Halong City at 9.45am.

The itinerary includes exploration of Sung Sot Cave, a delectable buffet lunch while the vessel’s route plys a passage by Ho Dong Tien Cave, Trong Cave, Me Cung Cave and Cua Van Floating Village. The cruise anchors off Titov Island whose scalable heights offer panoramic views of the bay. Afternoon tea is served on the vessel’s sundeck. Guests return to Halong International Cruise Port at 4:30pm.

A round-trip shuttle bus links Hanoi with Halong Bay via an expressway that opened in 2018, cutting the drive time between the destinations in half to two hours.

Nguyen Cao Son, founder of Asia Premier Cruises Corporation, which owns Ambassador Cruise, said February was the right time to launch the day cruise, following the world’s reopening and 2018’s launch of both the expressway and Van Don International Airport, located 50km from Halong Bay.

“The day cruise opens up Halong Bay in an exciting new way for many travelers, particularly those who can’t squeeze an overnight cruise into their schedule and yet now have the opportunity to experience this breathtakingly beautiful destination in style in a day,” he said.

Since launching its first vessel in 2021, Ambassador Cruise has made a name for itself as the leading luxury cruise operator on Halong Bay and also offers overnight cruises.

For more information about Ambassador Cruise or to make a booking, call +84 1900 3045.

Ambassador Day Cruise II is priced from USD 112 per person (VND 2.625 million) including day cruise itinerary and program, round-trip shuttle bus transfer from and to Hanoi, one luxury buffet lunch, onboard insurance, tax and service charges, sightseeing fees and afternoon tea on the sundeck.

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Male, Maldives, February 1, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles former Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine who now heads his own ‘Saint Ange Tourism Consultancy’ this morning boarded the luxury Cruise Ship ‘THE WORLD’ at Patina Maldives and will be sailing on the ship back to Seychelles arriving in the afternoon of Sunday the 5th February.

Mr St.Ange was approached by the Destination Services at Head Office of ‘THE WORLD’ in the USA inviting him to lecture on the cruise ship as it sails in Seychelles.

When contacted by the press about his lecture and his 5 day stay on ‘THE WORLD’, Mr St.Ange explained that his role was to sell Seychelles as a tourism destination and to entice the passengers on board the ship to take excursions when the ship stops at Port Victoria in Mahe, in Praslin and La Digue. “Spelling out the key USPs of Seychelles and what not to be missed will be the base of my lecture as well as talking about the history of the islands” St.Ange said.

Former Minister St.Ange said that he was thankful to the PS for Tourism for the destination promotional posters, the History of Seychelles book and the promotional clips which he received.

“My time on the ship especially in one to one with passengers should go a long way to help with the Seychelles Tourism drive” said Alain St.Ange

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Macao, Macao SAR, January 5, 2023 / TRAVELINDEX / As Macao SAR government optimises epidemic prevention measures and further relaxes restrictions on entry from Hong Kong to Macao, Cotai Water Jet announces the resumption of ferry services for the City Routes between Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal (Sheung Wan) and Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal starting from Jan. 8, 2023.

Cotai Water Jet will provide six sailings daily between Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal (Sheung Wan) and Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal at the beginning of services resumption.

Cotai Water Jet, which is wholly-owned by Sands China Ltd., offers a direct high-speed ferry service between Macao and Hong Kong with the sailing time of around an hour. After disembarking from the ferry, visitors can get on the free shuttle buses from Macau Taipa Ferry Terminal to The Venetian Macao, The Parisian Macao and The Londoner Macao , and experience the dazzling city of Macao.

For more details about Cotai Water Jet or to check sailing schedule, please call the hotline on (852) 2859 1640 (Hong Kong) / (853) 2885 0595 (Macao).

About Cotai Water Jet
Launched in November 2007, Cotai Water Jet is a premium high-speed ferry service between Hong Kong and Macao. Its 11 custom-built catamarans have the capacity to carry more than 400 passengers each and operate at top speeds of approximately 42 knots. Passengers on Cotai Water Jet have a choice of three classes of service as well as direct sailings between ports in Macao, Taipa, Hong Kong, Kowloon and Hong Kong International Airport, providing an important transportation option for both locals and visitors to Macao. The Cotai Water Jet service is managed and operated on behalf of owner Sands China Ltd. by Chu Kong High Speed Ferry Co. Ltd. of Hong Kong.

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Calabasas, California, United States, May 26, 2022 / TRAVELINDEX / Luxury river cruise line AmaWaterways will introduce European Wine Hosts to a special series within its Celebration of Wine river cruises

AmaWaterways has chosen to add wine experts to four special departures designated as European Wine Immersion Sailings. They will be tasked with leading guests through renowned wine regions while sharing in-depth knowledge of local wines, traditions and the history of European winemaking.

They’re part of the 60-strong collection of Celebration of Wine River Cruises scheduled in Europe for 2022.

“We’ve continued to see an increased demand for our wine-themed cruises and are excited to introduce passionate European wine hosts to guide guests through a complete immersion into European wine,” said Kristin Karst, AmaWaterways’ executive vice president and co-founder.

“As part of our Celebration of Wine River Cruises, the European Wine Immersion sailings will feature the popular enhanced tastings, interactive discussions and shore excursions, but will add detailed insights and experiences exclusively catered to the European wine region guests sail through.”

With the new European Wine Immersion Sailings, guests will cruise rivers through vineyards, while learning about regional methods of cultivation and historical figures behind European winemaking. Also planned are visits to historic European wine cellars, vineyards or châteaux, and interactive tastings and discussions focused on regional wines.

Guests looking for immersion into European wine can join the following wine hosts on four European Wine Immersion sailings in 2022:

– Helene Teboul, French wine expert from Marseille, France on the August 4, Colours of Provence sailing
– Fintan Kerr, European wine expert based in Barcelona, Spain, on the October 27, Taste of Bordeaux sailing
– Réka Piros, European wine expert from Hungary, on the October 29, Paris & Normandy sailing
– Marcia Moricz, European wine expert based in Koblenz, Germany, on the November 8, Europe’s Rivers & Castles sailing.

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