Luxury Lifestyle Awards
Luxury Lifestyle Awards: Sophisticated and Luxurious — a Voyage With Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago
Vietnam is undoubtedly a magnificent and diverse country, that is why experiencing it by land or air may not be enough. Water opens up new perspectives and reveals unseen treasures, creating lasting exotic impressions. The esteemed experts of Luxury Lifestyle Awards already know that the Red River and the Gulf of Tonkin are great routes for an unforgettable voyage with Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago — this year’s winner in the category of The Best Luxury Private Cruises in Vietnam.
Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago is Vietnam’s first boutique cruise operator and definitely the industry leader. “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication,” said Leonardo da Vinci more than a few years ago — yet, for Heritage Cruises, this is the philosophy that is proving to be true every day today. Respect for heritage and authenticity, attention to detail, elegance and chic: this is what the team’s mantra is about, and what the valued clients discover on their lavish voyages down the river and the Gulf.
Sometimes, luxury and class manifest themselves in the smallest details — a refreshing scented towel upon arrival, slippers by the bed, or that special meal made exactly how a guest wanted it. Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago boast only 20 lavish suites, which is why space will never feel too crowded, and every traveler will feel valued and special.
“The whole team of Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago is beyond excited about our victory in Luxury Lifestyle Awards. We are happy that the Award’s experts were able to take a close look at our services and amenities and appreciate everything we have to offer. We firmly believe that, in addition to providing guests with attentive top-notch services, we can show them the true beauty and the fascinating authentic heritage of Vietnam,” Pham Ha says founder and CEO of Heritage Cruises.
With Heritage Cruises, guests can enjoy three categories of suites — Delta, Ocean, and Heritage, all ultimately luxurious. Inspired by Vietnam’s “King of Cruise Ships” and is devoted to the chic boutique concept, the company makes sure the experience is ultra-personal for every voyager: the cruises are pet-friendly, the dedicated team can make special accommodations — and throw a party or create romantic intimate atmosphere equally well. But most importantly, Heritage Cruises leave guests with a rich sense of local flavor and many great stories
The opening event of Heritage Cruises in Ho Chi Minh City
On 8th January 2020, the grand opening party of Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan was held in a cozy and luxury space, with the attention of the distinguished guests from travel agents, hotels and media in Ho Chi Minh City. The warm opening event definitely left a great impression on the minds of the attendees as well.
Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan is officially launched in September 2019 and has been received lots of positive feedbacks and a high appreciation from domestic as well as international marketing. According to Mr. Pham Manh Ha, CEO of Lux Group which is the ownership of Heritage Cruises, he states that Heritage Cruises is not only a 5-star accommodation for relaxing and enjoying but also gives the guests a precious opportunity for experiencing Vietnam’s culture, art, gastronomy, and history in the early 20th century.
Between 14th and 16th December 2019, Heritage Cruises was officially opened in Northern Vietnam with the topic of “Touch the heritage”. The launching party which left a good impression on participants’minds featured in a wide range of Vietnamese art performances including Hat Xam, Ca Tru, Hue Royal Court Music, etc. Thanks to the successful launching event at Hanoi, Heritage Cruises continued organizing the launching party at Majestic Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City on 8th Jan 2020.
In addition to special performances, the guests would have a great chance to see with their own eyes on how to make egg coffee which is considered as one of the extraordinary points of the culinary space on Heritage Cruises and enjoyed it.
The party in Ho Chi Minh City aimed to introduce a new and unique brand in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay like Heritage Cruises, along with that this special event somehow conveyed vividly the values related to art, cultures, history, and gastronomy of Vietnam, especially in Northern area to the attendants.
The grand opening ceremony of Heritage Cruises
After one month of coming on stream, Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan has received a wide range of positive feedbacks from the guests due to a series of lavish amenities and services as well as authentic experiences that definitely bring the distinction to them.
The grand opening ceremony of Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan took place on board from 14th to 16th December 2019, with a distinctive concept called “Touching the heritage”. This special event caught the attention of many VIP guests, representatives from lots of travel agents both domestic and international markets and hotels as well as media agents.
At the launching ceremony, Mr. Pham Manh Ha, President of Lux Group and Founder of Heritage Cruises said that “both domestic and foreign tourists always care much about experiences on the cruise ship when discovering Halong Bay in general and Lan Ha Bay in particular. On Heritage Cruises, we promise to bring our guests not only 5-star luxury accommodation but also a chance to immerse in cultural, artistic and historic spaces of Vietnam in the early 20th century. Besides, Heritage Cruises, which is the first boutique cruise operating in Lan Ha Bay, equipped with a waste treatment system to avoid littering and disposing directly to the ocean and protect the natural environment during the journey with Heritage Cruises”.
Heritage Cruises combines classic elegance with comfort, focusing on our country’s history, art, and gastronomy. With 20 luxurious suites with picture windows offering ocean views, Heritage Cruises also delights the guests in sumptuous amenities and services to serve the guests for relaxing and relishing which includes two restaurants featured in distinctive concepts and styles of Indochine and Tonkin, spa, a heated swimming pool, mini gym, outdoor & indoor lounge, pool bar, art gallery, and many facilities, activities, and excursions. It is true that Heritage Cruises is the first cruise ship to bring the 4 days 3 nights voyage, along with 1, 2 or 3 nights journey.
Furthermore, Heritage Cruises is famous for the art gallery, which consists of more than 100 paintings of a well-known artist, Pham Luc who is considered as the Picasso of Vietnam. Therefore, the cruise ship is expected to bring a unique and authentic experience for the guests.
According to Mr. Pham Ha, the launching ceremony is not only an introduction of new branding but also brings different experiences, named “A trip down memory lane” on Heritage Cruises. It can be said that this event made a great impression on attendees’ minds, especially the Show “Heritage By Night” performed by lots of artisans, which carries traditional cultures of Vietnam.
The Show “Heritage By Night” is the combination of different Vietnamese traditional performing arts and customary instruments, which allows the guest to go back onto and immerse in the cultural and artful values of Vietnam. The show presents the spirits “Touching the heritage” that Heritage Cruises’ team would like to convey during the event.
As scheduled, after the grand opening ceremony on Heritage Cruises, the Launching Party is going to organize in January 2020 in Ho Chi Minh City.
WTM London 2019: A precious business opportunity for showcasing high-end cruising services
Heritage Cruises, a member of Lux Group as well as other attendants are looking forward to the largest event of the tourism and hospitality industry to be held on 4th – 6th November 2019 in London. Our Lux Cruises are obviously seen that World Trade Market (WTM) London is a not just a trade fair that introduces tourism products and services in the global market but is a precious business opportunity for enhancing the relationships and partnerships and staying connections amongst tourism organizers and partners.
Heritage Cruises – Vietnam’s first boutique cruise in the Gulf of Tonkin and the Red River, a member of the Lux Group, will participate in WTM London 2019. The founder as well as the owner of Heritage Cruises, Mr. Pham Ha, Director of Sales and Marketing of Luxury Travel, a member of Lux Group Mr. Thang Phan and Director of Sales of Heritage Cruises Mrs. Giang Do will be participating in WTM London at Stand AS880 with the main focus towards “Experiencing our masterpiece in the natural wonders”. With the high expectation to present the cruising services and stay connections amongst business alliances, Mr. Pham Ha stated that WTM London was always the most essential business event for the global tourism industry to introduce new tourism products and services and enhance the business alliances and corporations with existing and new companies. He continued that this was a precious chance for enterprises to expand their brand awareness and high-end travel services to various audiences in more effective ways. So WTM 2019 will become a great opportunity to introduce luxury cruising services in Vietnam.
Mr. Pham Ha said that boutique cruises were similar to boutique hotels that offer intimate ambiance and elegance. It’s obvious that Heritage Cruises and Emperor Cruises are distinguished them from other cruise lines by the accommodation sets, customized services, and a real story or a historical person to narrate.
At WTM London 2019, Heritage Cruises will be introduced with the culture-related concepts and design aiming to bring the heritage alive. In fact, Heritage Cruises is the third cruise of Lux Group and the first 5-star boutique cruise ship featured in floating art gallery, 20 luxurious suites, two restaurants with distinctive concepts, four seasons swimming pool, wine cellar and other lavish facilities and amenities in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam. The cruise mainly focuses on Vietnam’s history, gastronomy, and culture, especially in Northern Vietnam.
The Lux Cruises will be present at WTM London from November 4th – 6th, 2019 to introduce lavish and luxurious cruising services in Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay, Cat Ba Archipelago and seek for strategic business partnerships with the UK as well as European markets.
Experiencing A Masterpiece In The Natural Wonder
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COMPLIMENTARY 02 CHILDREN UNDER 12-YEAR-OLD
COMPLIMENTARY A ROUND-TRIP TRANSFER HANOI – GOT HARBOUR
Are you ready to cruise artfully with historical Heritage Cruises – Vietnam’s First Boutique Cruise Brings Heritage Alive. Read More
The float-out ceremony of the first 5-star boutique cruise
On 18th June 2019, Nam Phat Shipbuilding and Shipping JSC cooperated with Heritage Cruises JSC to organize the Float-Out Ceremony of the first boutique cruise in the Gulf of Tonkin in Quang Yen Town, Quang Ninh Province. It’s true that Heritage Cruises is completely invested by Heritage Cruises Joint Stock Company, which is the member of Lux Group.
Heritage Cruises is the third cruise of Lux Group and the first 5-star boutique cruise ship in the Gulf of Tonkin, Vietnam.
Deriving the inspiration for its boutique concept and design from the heritage ships of patriotic entrepreneur Bach Thai Buoi who is considered as “King of cruise ship” in Vietnam in the early 20th century, Heritage Cruises consists of 20 suites ranging from 33m2 to 80m2, divided into 4 different categories with a maximum capacity of 60 guests. Besides, there have been luxury amenities including two restaurants related to Indochine and Le Tonkin for Vietnamese gourmet cuisine, Vietnam’s first infinity swimming pool and pool bar, luxury wine cellar, Red River Lounge for relaxing and contemplating the original arts of Hang Trong. Heritage Cruises, especially, offers a floating exhibition, L’Art de l’Annam which shows the first designer art gallery of artist Pham Luc, known as the Picasso of Vietnam, as well as the works of many famous Vietnamese artists and Bach Thai Buoi Library for reading and relaxation which displays the pictures depicting the daily life of people in Northern Vietnam before The August Revolution.
In the float-out ceremony of Heritage Cruises, Mr. Pham Manh Ha – CEO of Lux Group said that “Both domestic and foreign tourists always care much about experiences on the cruise ship when discovering Halong Bay in general and Lan Ha Bay in particular. On Heritage Cruises, we promise to bring our guests not only a 5-star luxury accommodation but also a chance to immerse in cultural, artistic and historic spaces of Vietnam in the early 20th century. Besides, Heritage Cruises, which is the first boutique cruise operating in Halong Bay, equipped with waste treatment system to avoid littering and disposing directly to the ocean and protect the natural environment during the journey with Heritage Cruises”.
In the float-out ceremony, there is a special guest – Mrs. Bach Que Huong, who is the great-granddaughter of patriotic entrepreneur Bach Thai Buoi. She is considered as the godmother of Heritage Cruises. She said: “By 2019, Heritage Cruises floats out, there have been a full 100 years (1919 – 2019) since my great-grandfather floated out Binh Chuan Ship. I’m really emotional when I can see with my own eyes a part of the family’s history which is partly reconstituted on Heritage Cruises. I would like to say thank Mr. Pham Ha, who is imbued with the spirit “Vietnamese people boarding Vietnamese cruise ship” which my great-grandfather takes the initiative in the early 20th century. Heritage Cruises seems to bring guests not only the style but the spirit of Bach Thai Buoi as well”.
The first voyage of Heritage Cruises is expected to start on June 2019, with an initial price from VND 10,000,000/cabin for 2 days 1 night trip.
Contact us at website if you need any further information.
Feng Shui Experience
Heritage Cruises categorizes itself as ships not only using stars but also by characters, quality, style, and the overall special Feng Shui experience, which together ensure that our cruises have a story to tell.
Originating from China, Feng Shui has a 3000-year history and Vietnam, like many other Asian countries, continues to practice it in daily life, in its architecture and interior design. Our heritage-inspired cruise ship, Heritage Cruises, has been created with the balance of ying and yang in mind, with the five elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth onboard harmonizing with the surrounding environment.
Feng Shui affects our health, relationships, quality of life and, of course, experiences when we travel. Cruising is all about you and your experiences. We have designed our cruise and accommodation with the best practices of Feng Shui in mind for your greater comfort, restorative sleep, and memorable experience while you are staying with us.
All our suites are designed using Feng Shui principles including the lighting, neutral colors, no TV, and the bed facing the ocean, respecting the free flow of Chi in the suite. You can see the ocean from every corner of your suite and we create a warm and pleasant ambiance for you to create your own memories. We even have a tree in each suite, there to bring good fortune.
Here are the top ten elements we include in the suites to conform with Feng Shui rules and to heighten your senses.
1. Design with a purpose
Our suites have been thoughtfully designed for our guests with safety, authenticity, sincerity, protection and great comfort in mind. All 20 suites are located on the main and upper decks, far from engine noise, public and social areas and easy access to all the exit areas both in the rear and at the front of the ship. The main stairs are at the heart of the ship benefiting from both natural light and fresh air.
2. Neutral colors and warm space
We use Indochine style heritage-inspired designs in neutral colors, using natural materials that create a warm, elegant, pleasant ambiance for our high-end guests. We ensure we give our clients the ultimate in luxury and sophistication with our extraordinary onboard facilities.
3. Feng Shui bed position
There is space above and around the bed to balance the Dragon and the Tiger (the white tiger represents female energy). With a classic colonial-style bed and wooden headboard, the bed is placed to avoid straight lines and positioned to fully enjoy the floor-to-ceiling windows and bring you energy.
4. The free flow of vitality.
Clutter in a bedroom hinders the free flow of Chi and the flow of air and vitality. Our suites are decorated minimally so that objects do not disturb the vitality, but are very neat, simple, and elegant, in a distinctive boutique style.
5. Tree in the suite – the wood element
The suite has a small tree which is the wood element of Feng Shui, together with an Indochine colonial-style bed with wooden headboard, lamp table, sofa, and smart luggage rack.
6. Slow pace of life
Each suite is designed with absolute privacy in mind, giving you the space to appreciate life and enjoy the wonderful views. There is no TV in the suite, so you can truly escape surrounded by the natural wonders of the bay. Indeed, you will be able to capture every romantic moment as every second counts while you are on board.
7. Connecting with nature
We use sustainable materials and neutral colors to enhance your mood and create the perfect ambiance for you and your companion so that you can connect with nature as well as appreciate the culture, arts, people, food and heritage.
8. The language of art in Feng Shui Experience
You can enjoy wonderful works of art with different themes on the Red River Delta, the ocean and heritage by one of the most famous artists in the country, Pham Luc. You will also learn about the early 20th-century pioneer, Bach Thai Buoi, the King of the Ocean and River Cruises, who inspired our team to follow in his footsteps and to apply ethical business practices in everything we do, ensuring you a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
9. Natural light – Feng Shui Experience
We understand the importance of illumination, and the suites have been tastefully designed to benefit from natural light and air circulation. With your own private balcony, you can spend time outdoors or stay in the comfort of your suite.
10. Make it simple
Simplicity is the ultimate in sophistication and luxury in the design of our suites. We avoid sharp-angled and reflective objects, ceiling fans, and vanity units which can become cluttered.
Touching the heritage on Vietnam’s first boutique cruise
The Lux Group to launch Vietnam’s first boutique cruise in the Gulf of Tonkin and on the Red River, Vietnam.
Already operating in Vietnam’s Nha Trang Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, under the five-star Emperor Cruises brand name, Heritage Cruises, a member of the Lux Group, will launch its first boutique cruise in the Cat Ba Archipelago in the Tonkin Gulf under the brand name of Heritage Cruises. The company announces the launching of its website and first cruise photos at www.heritagecruises.com and promoting through various travel trade shows and roads show in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America.
Heritage Cruises introduces the first Vietnamese heritage and boutique cruise on the Red River and the Gulf of Tonkin. Launching in May 2019, Heritage Cruises will offer authentic experiences for 40 guests aboard an architecturally designed boutique river and ocean cruise ship in the Gulf of Tonkin. Amenities include a luxury spa, movie under stars, two restaurants, indoor and outdoor lounges, pool bar and swimming pool and 20 suites with picture windows offering river and ocean views.
As defined by The National Trust for Historic Preservation, “Cultural heritage tourism is traveling to experience the places, artifacts, and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present. It includes cultural, historic, and natural resources.” Heritage Cruises derives the inspiration for its boutique concept and design from the heritage ships of the patriotic entrepreneur Bach Thai Buoi, who transformed transportation on the waterways of Tonkin in the north of Vietnam in the early 20th century. Being a heritage-inspired designer cruise ship, but still with a boutique concept, Heritage Cruises care about the guest experience, offering them an upscale lifestyle with an artistic twist, together with concierge services.
“Like boutique hotels, boutique cruises are characterized by their intimate atmosphere and idiosyncratic style. They distinguish themselves from larger chain cruises by offering personalized attention and stylish, themed accommodation and a story to tell. We want to create memorable moments that focus on the local culture and arts encountered on the way.” said Pham Ha, CEO of Heritage Cruises.
“Our boutique cruise categorizes its ships not with stars but by “character, quality, style and the overall unique experience of staying there”. As Heritage Cruises’ first boutique cruise, which is positioned as a four-star rating for the whole experience, we want to raise the bar for the art of cruising in the Halong Bay region. We ensure we give our clients the “ultimate in luxury and sophistication” and “out of the ordinary onboard facilities”. Your feedback and social media reviews are important to us and may even affect the official star rating of our property.”
Beyond offering a cozier atmosphere, the small size of this ship creates a completely different experience, both onshore and onboard. Smaller ships allow easy access to remote, less-visited places that the larger vessels just can’t get to, leading to refreshingly unique itineraries. This authentic experience offers the chance to cruise the Gulf of Tonkin (Lan Ha Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Halong Bay) in an authentic and unique style, complemented by personalized service and on-request limousine transfers, which Heritage Cruises offers, taking the 5B highway from Hanoi to cut the journey down to just 1.5 hours.
Heritage Cruises is available for FITs (free independent travelers), small groups and charters. This top-notch cruising experience is for repeat travelers to Vietnam wanting something different, exotic, and out of the ordinary. The exclusive cruising experiences are highly recommended for heritage travelers, seasoned leisure travelers, active holidaymakers, honeymooners, families, fine-art enthusiasts, nature lovers, photographers, groups of friends, VIPs and celebrities.
Cat Ba is the largest of the 366 islands spanning the 260km2 seascape that comprises the Cat Ba Archipelago, which makes up the southeastern edge of Halong Bay in northern Vietnam. Cat Ba Island has a surface area of 285km2 and retains the dramatic and rugged features of Halong Bay. This island belongs to Haiphong City – an important industrial city that, together with Hanoi and Halong, forms an important economic triangle in north Vietnam.
Approximately half of Cat Ba Island is covered by its national park, which is the home to the highly endangered Cat Ba Langur. The Cat Ba Archipelago boasts pristine beaches, secluded lagoons, coves, tropical forests, and lakes, allowing holidaymakers to swim, kayak and bike to fully experience the Gulf of Tonkin. The itinerary also includes the fishing villages of Lan Ha Bay, and watersports such as kayaking, squid fishing, snorkeling and wildlife spotting.
On the three-deck Heritage Cruises ship, 20 suites range from 33m2 to 80m2, while food and beverage options include Le Tonkin and Indochine restaurants for Vietnamese gourmet cuisine. The ship also features an outdoor deck, complete with Vietnam’s first infinity swimming pool on a cruise ship, pool bar, and private cabanas, the Bach Thai Buoi Library for reading and relaxation, the White Lotus Spa offering massages and essential oil treatments, a dry sauna, fitness center, movies under the stars, and games room as well as its art gallery and auction center.
Heritage Cruises offers a floating exhibition, L’Art de l’Annam, with the first designer art gallery of artist Pham Luc, known as the Picasso of Vietnam, along with the works of other famous Vietnamese artists. Guided art tours can be arranged as well as occasional auctions. Concierge services are a specialty on the vessel, with a one-to-one staff-to-guest ratio ensuring every need is attended to. Onboard are 40 crew members, including a cruise director and experiences manager. Apart from daily limousine transfers between Hanoi and Cat Ba Archipelago upon request, the Heritage Cruises team can also arrange for private charter airplanes, helicopters or seaplanes.
“Our cruises operate from Got Harbor in Haiphong for the day cruise, with scheduled one- or two-night programs such as the Heritage Discover and Heritage Explorer. In addition, three- to four-night Heritage Expeditions to the former trading seaport of Van Don and private charters for leisure and professionals are available upon request,” said Pham Ha.
“Travel is all about places, experiences, and memories. We will first sail this brand through the karst seascape of the Cat Ba Archipelago, linking to Van Don, then we will cruise upstream and downstream from the highlands to the capital, Hanoi, and the Gulf of Tonkin over 8 days, following the old river trading waterway, Hanoi-Pho Hien-Van Don. My goal is to gradually build maritime connections from north to south, staying two or three nights in each destination, as part of a 10-14-day expedition.”
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