about us

Our mission is to truly delight travelers with a memorable luxury cruising experience with butler service, blending Vietnamese traditions with historic royal links to create the highest standards of hospitality and unequalled customer service.

We are developing a fleet of 10 stylish, boutique all-inclusive cruises ships in Nha Trang Bay, Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Phu Quoc Archipelago for day tours, sunset cocktail and dinner tours, and overnight cruises ranging 10 -100 en-suite cabins with king- and queen-sized beds and butler service. The fleet will increase to 30 cruises and yachts in total across the country and we will become the only boutique cruise operator providing top-notch services for private charters for small groups, FITs, and Incentive groups.

The Emperor Cruises brand will not only cruise around Nha Trang Bay initially, but we extend its operation to world-famous Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Phu Quoc Archipelago, before becoming the first cruise operator to set sail from north to south in Vietnamese waters as well as expanding its fleet into the Southeast Asia River and Ocean.

We put our customers first in everything we do. Our own people are always our top priority, creating a cohesive team, and as a result they always exceed the expectations of our customers. Education and continuous innovation are the lifeblood of Emperor Cruises, supporting each team member to achieve the highest standards.

We respect each other and welcome individual differences so that each person can contribute their unique ideas and skills to the organization. Emperor Cruises is a company filled with honesty, dedication, friendship, pride, and peak professional performance in a dynamic and rewarding work environment.

We work together to achieve our goals and lead the luxury cruise industry in Vietnam and the region. We create ongoing win-win partnerships with our suppliers and through hard work we create profits and growth for all.

Logo

Inspired by the simplicity and sophistication of Emperor Bao Dai’s rule during the heyday of the Vietnamese empire in the province of Nha Trang, the logo symbolises the shape of the emperor’s head dress which denotes power, authority, and dominance.

The red dot on top of the emperor’s logo symbolizes contemporary Vietnamese culture as a whole, which is derived from its ancient traditions and popular beliefs and Vietnam’s courage and strength throughout the imperial era.

Vietnamese believe that the Emperor is the son of Mr. SKY and the color red refers to the Emperor. The red dot is the SUN, the black of the logo is strong, clear, and chic. The logo is symmetrical in shape, big and small, black and white, elegant and simple, all associated with the King’s image and the EMPEROR brand – high quality, limited, finest, best of the best.

The meaning behind the logo also symbolizes that our customers are king. We put our staff first and they take pride in treating our customers as KING and QUEEN. The shape of the logo is powerful and seductive, its fluid shape is simple, timeless, and nostalgic. Our logo is easy to remember and understand. The “wow” is when people discover that the letter E means the Emperor brand.

Brand Story

Emperor Cruises

Experience Every Moment

Inspired by Emperor Bao Dai, rooted in royal heritage, arts, culture, and history
Extraordinary travel destinations for year-round operations
Each made-in-Vietnam built cruise ship is a masterpiece
Every design, every detail
Every atmosphere, every smile
Every moment counts
Every stay is one-of-a-kind: authentic and unique
A journey of discovery for your mind, body, and spirit
Discover – Dream – Explore – Indulge – Relax – Immerse
Moments make memories
Experience Every Moment!

The brand Emperor Cruises, a lovely example of creating a brand idea and then bringing it to life to create truly distinctive customer experience. It’s a rare example of a service brand where you could quickly spot the brand, even if all the signage was removed.

As we continue to be honoured with awards, we express our immense gratitude to those who support us. These awards represent an incredible team dedicated to providing outstanding experiences to each and every one of our guests.

Our mission is to bring heritage alive, to create memories and we claim the guest’s rights with 100% customer satisfaction. Below, you will find some of our most recent awards and each one reflects a multitude of people who have made that milestone possible. Thank you everyone and here’s to the next one round the corner!

The Best All Inclusive Cruise in Vietnam
The Guide Awards
and Golden Dragon Awards 2017, 2018, 2019
Vietnam Economic Times

The Best Waterway Company in Vietnam
VITA/VNAT 2019
Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

The Best Luxury Cruise in Vietnam: “all-inclusive luxury cruising experiences”
Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2020

TripAdvisor’s Traveler Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

The Best of The Best
TripAdvisor’s Traveler Choice Awards 2022

Environmental and Sustainable Cruising
ISO 9001 and 14001

One of The Most Luxurious Cruise Lines in Vietnam
Forbes Vietnam

Asia’s Best Boutique Cruise Line
Nomination for World Travel Awards 2022

Escape on a holiday where luxury is experiential and personal. Luxury cruising is all about our guests. We have built special vessels in a special place for special people and we create special memories for you in Nha Trang Bay, then Halong Bay, a must-see on the list of all travelers to Vietnam, then we’ll expand our brand to Phu Quoc Archipelago.

For experienced travelers, the cruise masterpiece is a discovery in itself. Emperor Cruises and its stylish interiors are inspired by original designs dating from the 1930s, Each suite has a specific design with a story to tell, maximizing comfort and the use of daylight. You relish spending time on our floating classic luxury hotel, using it as a base to escape to nature, the sea, beaches, and islands and take part in activities on board and on the water as they cruise around the bay.

The Emperor Cruises fleet is designed to be a sanctuary to ensure that every moment counts for you with limo and butler services. Emperor Cruises’ fleet of vessels combines classic elegance with modern comfort and promises an extraordinary all-inclusive experience. The benefit of a luxury cruise with Emperor Cruises is that, apart from being small boats with personalized service and outstanding facilities on an all-inclusive basis, often there is no bill to pay at the end whether on a day or overnight cruise.

Emperor Cruises is the perfect blend of a modern 5-star luxurious experience with soft adventure. Exclusive, intimate cruising, ultimate luxury, and unique encounters for the most discerning travellers ensuring they can enjoy every precious moment in Vietnam’s best bays, beaches, and islands. Our staff have been highly trained to attend to your every need and desire and we take great pride in providing a personal service that really sets us apart. Our goal is to provide exemplary personal service day and night, ensuring that guests’ wishes are satisfied completely.

With us, we understand our customers’ needs and we care for them. Our guests are discerning travellers and VIPs who can expect complete privacy and confidentiality with options such as a private romantic dinner on the beach, or on the balcony of their suite, if desired. With little touches such as Swiss chocolates, special tea and coffee, and favourite movies in their suite, everything will be done to make sure every moment counts. In the King and Queen suites, butler service is included. It is the ultimate prerequisite for individualized attention. Highly trained and profoundly committed to fulfilling your wishes, butlers are the ultimate indulgence, usually reserved for the privileged few.

Inspiration for Emperor Cruises came from the recreational activities of Emperor Bao Dai when he used to stay in his villas in Nha Trang. He took great pleasure in sailing in Nha Trang Bay to go fishing around the offshore islands.

Almost a half century later, Emperor Cruises has recreated his vessel, using inspirational designs, and still fit for an emperor in both Nha Trang and Halong Bay. The project was started in 2014 and the first sail was in the summer of 2015. The overnight Emperor Cruises started sailing in 2017 with 10 all suite cabins.

The new cruise fleet in Phu Quoc Archipelago will accommodate up to 150 guests in 10 unique cruise ships within 10 years in the initial stage and then our company will develop a fleet of 30 cruises and yachts carrying from 3000 to 5000 passengers cruising on a daily basis in Vietnam’s best rivers, lakes, bays and archipelagos.

• We run daily set departure and guaranteed departure day cruises and two day/one night  cruises
• Design customized travel services for leisure and business travelers, as well as group tours in Halong bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Phu Quoc Archipelago.
• Individually designed cruising programs and activities for special interest travelers, honeymooners, sophisticated families, foodies, spa and yoga enthusiasts, scuba divers, and many others
• Special Gala Dinner
• Service meetings, incentive programs, conferences and exhibitions
• Operate our own fleet of air-conditioned vehicles ranging from standard cars to 16-seat Mercedes Benz luxury vans and full-sized coaches
• Provide access to luxury trains, private yachts, jets, helicopters, and seaplanes.

• We organize the whole experience from airport to airport.
• We can arrange pick-up and drop-off services from arrival to departure day.
• Upon request, we arrange VIP meet and greet at the airport with our luxury limousine service.
• We provide butler service on board to ensure 100% satisfaction for our guests, so no tour guides are needed on board, unless particularly requested.
• We can make hotel and resort reservations pre and post cruise.
• We offer private city tours, sightseeing and excursions with experienced tour guides in a variety of languages.
• We can arrange animators, MC, or lecturers upon request.
• We provide quotations and confirm all bookings within 24 hours.
• All clients have 24/7 support on the ground and a dedicated staff member from arrival to departure in Hanoi and Halong
• We have a 24-hour dedicated hotline for our clients in the country.
• Our team speaks English and Vietnamese on board and the sales and marketing team speaks English, Chinese, French, German, Russian and Spanish.
• We attend most of the major trade shows around the world in order to meet you. We have representative offices in California, London, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Sao Paolo, Barcelona, and Brisbane.

As a teenager, Pham Ha, the co-founder of Emperor Cruises, took a cruise from Hai Phong 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 a plan 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, in Halong Bay.

He was fortunate enough to meet Bui Duc Long, the owner of the first luxury junk cruise company in Halong Bay, and together they share a passion for luxurious, quality cruises.

As a result they established a joint venture to promote ultra-luxurious cruising in Nha Trang Bay and Halong Bay initially and later longer trips from north to south.

The partnership is ideal as Long is a local expert in cruising on Halong Bay and travel guru, Pham Ha, is recognized internationally in the tourism business and knows the market well. In 2019 Long sold all his shares to Pham Ha and Lux Croup has now bought the remaining stake to gain full ownership of the business, and “will expand its portfolio of luxury small ship and expedition cruises to new cruising destinations” following the acquisition.

To choose a name to reflect the style of the ships, Pham Ha undertook some research and found that the last Emperor Bao Dai of the Imperial Nguyen Dynasty had villas in Nha Trang and sailed the waters of the bay in the best available boats, fishing and enjoying beach holidays with his family.

Almost a century later your clients can embark on a voyage through time on an Emperor Cruises ship – a vessel recreated from inspired interior designs and with impeccable service fit for a great emperor.

And all because of Pham Ha’s childhood dream.

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.

Halong Bay is one of the New Wonders of the World and tourists flock to sail its karst-dotted waters. However, a few miles away there’s another scenic bay – just as beautiful but minus the crowds.

The Emperor Cruise was inspired by the lavish lifestyle of Emperor Bao Dai, Vietnam’s last monarch. Built in the style of the 1930s, each suite features interesting stories of his life. There are 10 en-suite cabins with a private balcony, ocean views, a butler service, and a limousine.

Cruising artfully, Emperor Cruises aims to bring a truly cruising experience, enjoying every single moment on board, where you are treated like kings and queens with exquisite cuisine, 24-hour room service and an interesting itinerary featuring many fun activities.

• We run daily set departures and guaranteed departure day cruises and two day/one night all-inclusive cruises
• Design customized travel services for leisure and business travelers, as well as group tours in Halong.
• Individually design cruising programs and activities for special interest travelers, honeymooners, sophisticated families, foodies, spa and yoga enthusiasts, scuba divers, and many others
• Special Gala Dinner
• Service meetings, incentive programs, conferences and exhibitions
• Operate our own fleet of air-conditioned vehicles ranging from standard cars to 16-seat Mercedes Benz luxury vans and full-sized coaches
• Provide access to luxury trains, private yachts, jets, helicopters, and seaplanes.

“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.”

Cruise expert

Lux Cruises

(Emperor Cruises and Heritage Cruises)

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

Enjoy a unique and authentic experience with the most impeccable and memorable service.
Enjoy luxury service from our hearts (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 Emperor Cruises, our passionate team serves heartily for the worthy experience. Our biggest goal is to go beyond expectation and ensure customer satisfaction.

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.