12-Night Thailand and Vietnam Cruise: Celebrity Solstice

My husband's family came from Vietnam and his aging parents wanted to visit as tourists. This trip was extremely important to us, and we wanted to provide a top-tier experience for them. A cruise was perfect for this trip, because it would allow everyone to settle in and have a comfortable home base to return to each night. Also, each person could choose how active they wanted to be, and which excursions they were interested in.

The cost for this 12-night cruise on the Celebrity Solstice was around $2,200 per person for a balcony stateroom. This included the classic drink package and basic internet. It also included dining in the main dining room, the buffet and certain other dining venues around the ship. If you do the math, this comes out to around $183 per person per night, which is a steal for an all-inclusive vacation!

The cruise began in Singapore. We visited Koh Samui and Bangkok in Thailand. Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Da Nang and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, and ended in Hong Kong.

Before the cruise, we stayed at the lovely Andaz Singapore. This hotel was centrally located near dining and activities, and was right above a subway station. Service was top-notch and the rooms were very nice.

We did a food tour as well as a city tour, and visited Singapore's famed Hawker Centers, Gardens by the Bay and so much more.

We booked transportation to and from the ports using Rolzo. The drivers were prompt, communicative, and the vehicles luxurious and clean.

Ports of call

Koh Samui, Thailand: We toured the entire island, sampling local street food, exploring beaches and shopping. We saw the Big Buddha, Grandfather and Grandmother rocks, and watched a working monkey pick coconuts.

Bangkok, Thailand: We had an overnight stay in Bangkok. The port was 2.5 hours from the city, so we were happy to have a little extra time. We had an overnight tour guide who drove us to the port. They showed us the major sites, including the Grand Palace, the Emerald Buddha temple, Wat Pho, a floating market, and Chinatown. We enjoyed whimsical tuk-tuk rides and explored the canals on a long-tailed boat.

We stayed at the Marriott Surawongse, and it was spectacular! My husband and I upgraded to a suite with city views.The service here was top-notch, and I will stay here next time I'm in the city.

Saigon, Vietnam-One day is not enough to truly experience this city. It is packed with war-related sites such as the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace. It also has lots of great labyrinthine markets to get lost in, and several interesting pagodas. One day will definitely whet your appetite, but you'll need to go back for more!

Da Nang, Vietnam-There were three major options for this port, although a few other options were on offer. You could tour Da Nang itself, and take a basket boat ride or venture out to the Golden Hands bridge in the Ba Na Hills. Instead, you could visit the Imperial Capital of Hue.Walk in the footsteps of kings, followed by a bowl of the city's signature beef noodle soup, or be charmed by the lanterns and pagodas of the ancient town of Hoi An.

Ha Long Bay, Vietnam-We chose an unconventional tour at this port of call. My husband's father's hometown of Ninh Binh was a 4-hour drive from our port in Ha Long Bay. We had an overnight in this port, so we booked an overnight tour to Ninh Binh.

This was a highlight of this trip for me. Ninh Binh is known as the "Ha Long Bay on Land" because it has soaring limestone karsts similar to those in the Bay. We stayed in Tam Coc Serenity Bungalows for $50 a night. This included a charming but basic villa and an extensive breakfast of Vietnamese specialties and a few Western favorites. We had massages, dined on goat with the locals and visited the magical ancient village of Pho Co. A Vietnamese lady paddled us (with her feet) down a river in Tam Coc, which snaked through rice paddies between steep mountains. Ninh Binh is truly a hidden gem!

Most people chose to do cruises in Ha Long Bay. The smaller boats allow you to get up close and personal to the karsts. Hop off to some of the islands and explore the caves, visit floating villages and kayak. Other folks went to Hanoi, which was about four hours away.

Hong Kong- We ended our trip with a few nights in this vibrant, dynamic, multicultural city. We had so much delicious food, including dim sum and the best Chinese food I've ever had. We rode the Star Ferry, saw the Big Buddha and spent time in Tai O fishing village. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Tsim Sha Tsui, which was a perfect choice on the Kowloon side, and spent a couple of nights perusing the Temple Street Night Market.

The dry season in Southeast Asia is from November to April. It has better weather, with less rain and lower temperatures; however, this is peak season, so you'll be dealing with crowds. The rainy season, from May to October, will bring rain and rougher seas. I recommend traveling in shoulder season to try to have the best of both worlds.

For this itinerary on a large cruise ship, the ports tended to be far away from the major sites of interest. We spent a lot of time in cars- 2.5 hours each way to Bangkok and Saigon, 1.5 to Hue or Hoi An and 4 hours to Hanoi or Ninh Binh for the Ha Long Bay port. You could choose itineraries closer to the port or choose smaller ships that can get closer in, as they have access to smaller waterways.

I highly recommend spending a couple of nights before and after the cruise. Not only does this give you some cushion in case of flight delays, but it gives you time to acclimatize to the area and may help you get over jet lag.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Cruises page.