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.
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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.
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“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 lucky draw presents 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.
For more information about Ambassador Cruise II and APC Corporation, please visit www.ambassadorcruise.com.