Hanoi

Compared to the cruise line's shuttle service, this carpooling option is much more affordable. However, the downside is that because carpool buses have a large number of passengers, waiting time for others to board and disembark at the pick-up and drop-off points can be quite long. Cruise lines, on the other hand, mostly provide buses with around 10 seats, which can quickly transport all passengers.

Tour was excellent. Tour guide was very nice and informative. Learned a lot about this beautiful country.

I was able to pass through immigration without waiting in the usual lane, so I'm glad I used it. Meeting up with the contractor was also smooth.

I went to Hanoi on July 25th. After finding the guide, I was led to the fast-track customs area in less than a minute (both sides were packed with people using the regular passage). I waited for the person in front of me (about 2 minutes), and then it took me about 5 minutes (I don't know why mine took longer; maybe they were waiting for me to bribe them). I suggest everyone proactively hand their paper visa along with their passport to customs. Then I went to the baggage claim area and waited 35-40 minutes for my luggage, haha. Conclusions: 1. Fast-track customs is great, but the long queues at immigration are annoying. However, the wait for my luggage is extremely long. 2. The staff in charge of the baggage carousel are completely inactive. As long as the carousel is full, new luggage can't get in. And the staff don't even bother to unload the luggage and arrange it in a line, completely wasting the emotional value of my fast-track experience. However, at least I sat down early to wait for my luggage, avoiding the leg pain of standing until my legs ached and then having to go down to the baggage area again after clearing customs.