How much does a Halong Bay cruise cost, and what's extra?

The short answer

How much does a Halong Bay cruise cost? On our five ships, two days and one night starts from $155 to $210 per guest, sharing a cabin. That buys the entry cabin and meals on board, plus entrance fees on four ships and a paddle or bamboo boat on four. Drinks, tips and the Hanoi transfer are extra on all five, and spa is extra on four. Rates are set in dong, so we confirm today's price for your date.

We are the family behind Rustic House on Cat Ba, and we sell places on these ships. This guide is built from our own records of each ship and from what travel writers say, not from a trip with guests.

Every 'from' price here is the entry cabin, per guest, sharing a cabin, 2 days 1 night. The top-cabin column is the highest cabin price on each ship.

How much does a Halong Bay cruise cost on our five ships?

The "from" price is the entry cabin only. Within one ship, cabin prices run higher than it. Here is the span for each ship.

All figures are per guest, sharing a cabin, 2 days 1 night.

On some ships the price follows the deck. Celina's three 45 m² balcony grades cost $165, $185 and $200, and Ambassador's two 30 m² grades $170 and $180. On others, size and position set the price, as with Tulip's terrace suites or Catherine's Royal and Grand suites. Our guide to cabins on Ha Long and Lan Ha cruises goes through what each step buys. Not sure which ship suits you? Our side-by-side look at the five ships covers that, or tell us your dates and group.

What the price includes

Inclusions differ by ship. This is what our records list for the 2 days 1 night program.

Meals are the easy part to compare. Tulip, Celina and Catherine list the same four meals, while Ambassador and Grand Pioneers list a different mix. Paddling: four ships include it, and Ambassador charges for the kayak.

Whether the bay fee sits inside the price depends on the operator. One blogger says the cave entry fee was in the cruise ticket, while another source lists boat charters without the sightseeing ticket. We give no fee amounts here. For Grand Pioneers, ask us what the price covers.

What you pay on top

These are the lines our records list as not included. Writers say the same thing in general: drinks are billed separately on the boats they describe, and tips and some optional services may cost extra.

A simple way to budget: start from the "from" price, then add each line below that applies to you. We have no amounts for most of them, so ask us for each one on your date.

• Drinks, on all five ships.
• Tips, on all five ships.
• The Hanoi transfer, on all five. We do not have a price in our data, so ask us for your date. Ambassador boards at Bai Chay, a different pier from the Tuan Chau ships.
• Spa or massage, on Celina, Catherine, Grand Pioneers and Ambassador. Tulip does not list it either way.
• Ambassador's kayak at Luon Cave, about 460,000 dong per two-person kayak. The ship's own site gives two answers on the bamboo boat, so we ask the ship for your date.
• On Grand Pioneers, karaoke, the wine and cigar lounge, 3D golf and the cinema.
• Bringing your own drinks: we have no policy in our data, so ask us.

When the price moves: holidays, November, travelling alone

Rates are set in dong, so we confirm the price for your date. These are the rules in our records, without amounts, because we do not have them.

• Tulip adds a surcharge on 24 and 31 December. A guest alone pays 85% of a double cabin.
• Celina costs a little more in November, and holidays add a surcharge per guest. A guest alone pays a single rate that we quote for your date.
• Ambassador adds a surcharge on New Year's Eve and lists a single cabin supplement as extra.
• Catherine and Grand Pioneers add holiday surcharges. Our records say nothing on single guests there, so ask us.

Every ship lists a 3 days 2 nights program, but our data has no itinerary or price for it. Ask us for your date. Going between December and February? Our guide to swimming in Ha Long Bay in winter covers that season.

Tips on board

Our tipping guide says tips are appreciated almost everywhere and required almost nowhere, and that our cruises list tips as not included. We print no tip table on purpose. The advice is a small note, handed over yourself at the end, in dong, if the day earned it. For the wider picture, read our guide to tipping and cash in Northern Vietnam.

Questions to send any operator before you pay

Writers advise comparing what a price includes rather than the headline price, because inclusions vary by operator. One blogger warns that lower headline prices can end up costing more once extras are added. Another says to check how much kayaking time is included, not just whether it is offered. Copy these into an email:

• Which cabin does the headline price buy, and what does the next cabin cost?
• How many meals are included, and which ones?
• Are entrance and bay fees inside the price?
• Is kayaking included, and for how long?
• What do drinks cost on board, and can I bring my own?
• Is the Hanoi transfer included, and what does it cost?
• What does a spa treatment cost?
• Is there a holiday surcharge on my date?
• Is there a single supplement if I travel alone?
• Are tips expected, and how are they handed over?

How we quote

We charge the ship's own price, never higher. We confirm the ship, cabin and today's price in writing before you pay. We have no price for our small-boat overnight in Lan Ha Bay in our data, so ask us for a quote for your date. If you are weighing a day trip against a night on the water, our guide to a Ha Long Bay day trip or an overnight covers it, and so does how to choose a small cruise in Lan Ha Bay. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and group size: +84 961 737 103.

What we read for this guide

Our own records for each ship, and travel blogs that compare inclusions. Rules, fees and prices change quickly, so check again close to your dates, or message us.