Heritage Cruises

Heritage Cruises introduces the first Vietnamese boutique cruise on the Red River and the Gulf of Tonkin. Our fleet of vessels combines classic elegance with comfort, showcasing the country’s history, art, cuisine and culture.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

 

Leonardo da Vinci’s quote captures Heritage Cruises’ vision and philosophy perfectly: the key principle behind every project is a devotion to simplicity, heritage, boutique and product authenticity.

As a company, Heritage Cruises is pure, artful and elegant in offering special perspectives on the Red River and the Tonkin Gulf. Our welcome is personal, with only 20 suites, the accommodation sumptuous, and the views just gorgeous. Whether it is a cool scented towel upon arrival, thoughtfully laying out your slippers, dimming the lights and turning down your bed every evening, or creating last-minute magic to accommodate a special request, the staff at Heritage Cruises will surprise, delight, and amaze you with their ability to anticipate your needs, often before you realize them yourself.

And yet it is the total experience − the unique impression derived from the cruise’s combination of quality, quintessence and ambiance in a spectacular location − that makes cruising on Heritage Cruises unforgettable.

Explore, learn, respect, celebrate, enjoy!

Mission & Vision

Mission

To deliver unforgettable cruise experiences to distinguished travellers from all over the world, showcasing Vietnam’s heritage in every detail.

Vision

Start our first expeditions on the Gulf of Tonkin and further expand between Hanoi and Halong Bay on the Red River and its tributaries, along the coastline of Vietnam, on the Mekong River and to other Southeast Asia countries.

Core values

Ultimate Cruising Experience

At Heritage Cruises, we put our customers first in everything we do. To achieve this means building a cohesive team that always exceeds guest expectations.

Education and continuous innovation are the lifeblood of Heritage Cruises, supporting each team member to achieve the highest standards. We build a team culture of respect, with individual differences welcomed so that each person can contribute their individual ideas and skills to the organisation.

Heritage Cruises is a company that takes pride in its team’s honesty, dedication and friendship as it delivers peak professional performance in a dynamic work environment. We work together to achieve our goals and lead the boutique cruise industry in Vietnam and the region.

We aim to create ongoing win/win partnerships with our suppliers, and through hard work create profits and growth for all.

Our Promise

Creating memories – Heritage Cruises promises a memorable experience, with staff members committed to ensuring every moment on board is a special one. Life is all about moments.

Decades of expertise – As the first heritage and boutique cruise company to cover both Halong Bay and Nha Trang, Heritage Cruises has had more than 20 years’ experience in the cruise and luxury tourism industry.

Ultimate service – Every detail is taken into consideration. “No request is too large, no detail too small” is the credo of the Heritage Cruises staff, who go above and beyond to create an extraordinary experience for discerning guests.

Heritage design – Each Heritage Cruises boutique cruise ship is a one-of-a-kind, exquisitely appointed heritage vessel, drawing on the arts, traditions and culture of the region, and as inspiring as the destinations you visit.

Culinary experience – With menus designed by an Iron Chef, Heritage Cruises has crafted culinary treats for the most discerning of palettes.

Sense of place – Heritage Cruises’ itineraries offer a sense of place. We design cruise itineraries that showcase the destination and include fun activities. As the experience is personalised, guests can choose how deeply they wish to immerse themselves in the activities on offer, or simply just relax.

Goodbye stress – With perfect planning, Heritage Cruises create the ultimate stress-free, chic cruise experience that is just the perfect length as an add-on to an escorted tour of North Vietnam. And it is not just an experience: we create memories to last a lifetime.

Boutique Cruising

Our definition of a boutique cruise: Small is beautiful; boutique…c’est chic.

  • Can be furry (pet friendly)
  • A focus on food and beverage
  • Eccentricity and sense of humour welcome
  • Ultra-personal service
  • Rich in local flavour
  • A personality with a story to tell
  • Sharp focus on setting
  • Modern decor with a quirky touch
  • Feelings of independence
  • A sense of intimacy
  • Contemporary vibe and spirited guests to match.
  • A boutique cruise is a destination of discovery in itself.

Story

A childhood dream

As a teenager, Pham Ha, the co-founder of Heritage Cruises, cruised from Haiphong City to Ho Chi Minh City just a few years after the unification of South and North Vietnam.

A dream come true. Even then he had plans to build his own cruise ships, to have his own fleet, so he could share his passion for his country.

He fell in love at first sight with Halong Bay in 1995 and came to know every single island, sometimes spending a week camping on the isolated beaches and exploring remote islands by kayak.

In 1997 he took a film crew there for 2 months to make the ‘Vertical Ray of the Sun’, a film by the famous director, Tran Anh Hung, which was filmed in Cua Van Floating Village, near Three Peach Beaches, on the frontier between Halong Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago.

His personal mission is to deliver happiness. He is passionate about quality cruising, heritage, culture and history. Pham Ha is recognized internationally in the tourism business and knows the market well. As a result, he initially built a fleet of cruise ships in Nha Trang Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay.  The building of a new fleet in the Cat Ba Archipelago, the Red River and in the future for longer trips from north to south Vietnam is a continuation of his childhood dream.

Heritage Cruises derives the inspiration for its boutique concept and design from the heritage ships of the inspirational patriotic entrepreneur Bach Thai Buoi, who transformed transportation on the waterways in Tonkin in the North Vietnam in the early 20th century. Almost a century later your clients can embark on a voyage through time on a Heritage Cruises ship – a vessel inspired by heritage designs and with impeccable service fit for the bourgeoisie from the 1930s.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Leonardo da Vinci’s quote captures Heritage Cruises’ vision and philosophy perfectly: the key principle behind every project is a devotion to simplicity, heritage, boutique and product authenticity.

As a company, Heritage Cruises is pure, artful and elegant in offering special perspectives on the Red River and the Gulf of Tonkin. The welcome is personal, the accommodation sumptuous, and the views just gorgeous.

And yet it is the total experience − the unique impression derived from the cruise’s combination of quality, quintessence and ambiance in a spectacular location − that makes the cruising experience on Heritage Cruises unforgettable.

And all because of Pham Ha’s childhood dream.

Meet Our Team

Lux Cruises is a member of Lux Group, an award-winning Asian travel and hospitality group with more than 20 years delivering authentic and unique experiences. Lux Cruises is a combination of 6 ultra-Luxury, boutique cruises, yachts, tenders and speedboats under two brands, Emperor Cruises and Heritage Cruises, operating in the most scenic bays and archipelagos of Vietnam: Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay (Cat Ba Archipelagos), Nha Trang Bay and Phu Quoc Archipelagos.

Meet Our Sales Team

Mrs. Do Thanh Huong
Chief Operations Officer

“As a cruise expert certified by Lux Cruises with attitude, knowledge, skills, and passion for travel and cruising, with many years of expertise, I have a mission to organize, to bring happiness, to touch the hearts of our guests, while conforming to the core values, mission, and vision of Lux Cruises. We are committed to customer rights and declare 100% of customers satisfied with service and customer care, I share my passion for travel and cruising with travelers. I am always willing to go the extra mile and tailor make on request, in 24 hours, completely free of charge, whatever you like, with my in-depth advice, providing authentic and unique travel experiences that I personally guarantee. Call me around the clock, 24/7, to check availability, and get the best concierge advice. I am committed to bringing high value to you, helping you have really meaningful, fun, safe, and memorable cruising trips. After all, I would like you to come back to us as a lifetime client, with a word of mouth recommendation directly from you.”

Mrs. Lieu Pham
Regional Sales Manager

Mrs. Oanh Pham
Sales Manager

Responsible Cruising

Our aim:

Our aim is to create a better place for people to live in and more beautiful places for people to visit.

Attitude:

Responsible cruising is all about attitude, and the Heritage Cruise’s team is passionately committed to socially responsible travel through education, and by reducing our carbon footprint.

Sustainable building materials:

Built using sustainable materials, new engines, the structure of the cruise ship is designed to maximize natural light and airflow, and to reduce the need for air conditioning.

Reduce, reuse, recycle:

Absolutely no plastic bags, we provide reusable water bottles and reuse your towels and linen.

Cruise with purpose:

Cruise with us to create a better bay for people to live in and a better place for travelers to visit. We save fresh water and organic waste is transferred to be recycled into biogas. With our responsible policies, we aim to keep the bay clean and healthy for future generations to enjoy.

Socially responsible:

Heritage Cruises operates sustainably, creates jobs, employs local people, promotes local culture, heritage and products, supports a project to protect marine life in Cat Ba Archipelago, Bai Tu Long Bay and Halong Bay and heritage projects in the Red River Delta.

Environmental awareness:

At Heritage Cruises, our team collects rubbish daily when kayaking, and on the 5th of every month we clean all the trails used for trekking, together with the islands and beaches, so that guests can enjoy the pristine beaches and coves in our operating areas. We conserve and use the oceans and marine resources responsibly to ensure the sustainable management of the impact of tourism on the oceans.

In Brief

Sustainable tourism is based on 6 main pillars: protecting ecological resources, maintaining social and cultural responsibility, creating good jobs for local people, contributing to economic development, satisfying customers, and operating a profitable business.

We define sustainable tourism as protecting the environment together, creating a more beautiful place for people to live, and crafting a more beautiful place for travelers to visit and experience. We ensure cultural preservation by promoting local heritage, customs, and practices.

We are committed to conducting business with professional ethics, promoting the culture and lifestyle of the local people, and introducing the quintessence of local heritage, history, fine arts, and cuisine to the local community and domestic and international travelers.

We use local human resources, train and develop working standards, pay stable salaries, and ensure social security for local people. We contribute to local and national socio-economic development in order to create jobs, reduce poverty, and provide the best possible working conditions.

Customer Rights

We claim the guest’s rights with 100% customer satisfaction. As a guest of Heritage Cruises you have the right to:

  • Enjoy a unique and authentic experience with the most impeccable and memorable service.
  • Enjoy superior service (attitude + art of serving + efficient processes) from competent tourism workers (attitude + skills + knowledge).
  • Make your own request and get responses to inquiries within 24 hours.
  • Be taken care of by all staff with respect, safety, privacy, and quality; and be treated equally with respect and integrity.
  • Be 100% satisfied with your cruising experience, and enjoy courteous, enthusiastic, and attentive customer care.

At Heritage Cruises, our passionate team serves heartily for the worthy experience. Our biggest goal is to go beyond expectation and ensure customer satisfaction.

Corporate culture

LuxGroup was founded in 2005 by Mr. Pham Ha, a passionate traveler and entrepreneur. We put U first, and at the center of everything we do, just for you. LUX stands for the Leading in luxury, Unique difference, Xperiences which Wow the Most Sophisticated Travelers. LuxGroup is a group of small giants becoming one of the best private economic groups in Vietnam, rather than the biggest.

We aim to be one of the greats of workplaces in Vietnam, doing business with kindness. #DeliveringHappiness is the philosophy that motivates and drives LuxGroup to grow continuously. On the voyage to blue seas, LuxGroup brings together the most talented people in the proud journey of success and happiness of the heir of the legacy of the King of Ships: Bạch Thái Bưởi.

Each kind Luxer must be proactive, eager for life-long learning, constantly striving for self-improvement, and must internalize the LuxGroup’s corporate culture and its core values, mission, and vision as the guidelines for that Luxers’ actions in delivering happiness with the 5Ps: Passion, Purpose, People, Planet, and Profit.

Environmental – Social – Governance for sustainable business, our people are our greatest asset. Creativeness and innovation must be constant and continuous to accomplish the goal of “the guest’s rights with 100% customer satisfaction”. This non-stop effort is to ensure sustainable and responsible development of the LuxGroup and bring future generations a better life. We elevate the values of Vietnam’s heritage for authentic and unique travel experiences.

Touching hearts to win over luxury travelers. All of our teams are customer-centric, working for customers, and thus, contributing to LuxGroup’s happiness and success. With the utmost respect for discipline, LuxGroup corporate culture, in doing business with kindness – a culture of professionalism, high – performance, respect, trust, integrity, caring, and sharing, is built and inspired from the noble nationalist entrepreneur: “Kindness, Righteousness, Uprightness, Wisdom, and Faithfulness” with 10 regulations.

To instill and reinforce the core values and “7-day transformation in serving heartily and #deliveringhappiness”. At LuxGroup, each employee considers the Group a second home, a place to engage and spend the majority of each day to live and work. In any role and any position, we are proud to be a member of LuxGroup and proud of our Luxers who have good attitudes, skills and knowledge, and serve our guests from the heart.

Testimonials

“Travel is all about places, experiences, and memories. I would like to introduce you to the rich cultural heritage of the Gulf of Tonkin and the ...”

Pham Ha - Founder and CEO of Heritage Cruises

“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...”

Colm Hutchinton - Director of Halo Digital Marketing Agency

“Like boutique hotels, boutique cruises are characterized by their intimate atmosphere and idiosyncratic style. They distinguish themselves from l...”

Huong Pham - Operation Manager - Luxury Travel

“

Beyond offering a cozier atmosphere, the small size of these cruise ships creates a whole different experience, b...”

Nguyen Tien Hiep - Director of Halucom