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PlanBooking guide

How to book a Lan Ha Bay cruise without overpaying

For most travelers the best way to book a Lan Ha Bay cruise is a platform listing that names the ship and offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Booking direct can make sense for luxury ships, but direct cancellation terms start 7 to 45 days out.

Where to book
GetYourGuide, Klook, Trip.com, agencies or the operator
Free cancellation
often up to 24 h before on platforms
Direct cancellation
fees from 7–45 days out, 100% close to sailing
Card fees direct
3–4.5%
Drinks
almost never included
Passport details
usually needed 24 h before check-in
Storm cancellations
ordered by the authorities, not the cruise line

Updated October 16, 2026Facts checked against official sourcesContains affiliate links

How to book: what you can book

9 options · Prices checked on October 16, 2026

Length

Platform

See everything on GetYourGuide →See everything on Klook →

Lan Ha Bay cruise booking looks simple until you try to compare two listings. The same ship can appear at $104 on one site and $171 on another, a "5-Star Cruise with Balcony" may not name its ship at all, and the cheapest price may not include the bus from Hanoi. This guide walks through where to book, how to compare like with like, and what to check before you pay.

The short version: book through a platform when the listing names the ship and gives free cancellation, because the weather on this coast can cancel any sailing. Book direct only when you want a specific cabin on a luxury ship and you are sure of your dates.

Where to book a Lan Ha Bay cruise: three channels

Platforms (GetYourGuide, Klook, Trip.com) Local agencies Cruise line direct
Price shown "from" price per person, lowest cabin "from" price per person, often without transfer price per cabin or per person, varies
Cancellation set per listing, often free up to 24 h fees set by each ship fees from 7–45 days out
Payment card at booking, some "reserve now, pay later" full payment or 30–50% deposit deposit, card fees 3–4.5%
Ship named? sometimes hidden behind a generic title yes yes
Best for most travelers, flexible plans comparing many ships, special requests a specific cabin, fixed dates

GetYourGuide sells the largest number of Lan Ha cruise listings, many of them from agencies under generic titles such as "2 Days Ha Long, Lan Ha Bay 5-Star Cruise with Balcony". Most listings allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before, and some offer "reserve now, pay later". It is also strong on Cat Ba activities and day boats.

Klook sells most cruise brands under their own names (La Pandora, Aspira, Azura, Peony, Capella, Mon Chéri and others) and shows how many people have booked each one. Its cancellation rules differ per activity, so read the terms on each listing. Its loyalty currency is now called KlookCash.

Trip.com lists some ships the others do not sell in English, but with fewer reviews so far. Treat it as the third place to check for price.

For a side-by-side of the two main platforms, see GetYourGuide vs Klook. For the biggest English-language agency, see our HalongBayTours.com review.

See everything on GetYourGuide →See everything on Klook →Prices checked on October 16, 2026

Compare the same ship across platforms

Prices for one ship differ a lot by channel, and the difference is not always a saving. Compare the cabin type, the date, the unit (per person or per cabin) and whether the Hanoi transfer is included.

La Pandora is a good example. Today Klook sells it from $104 and GetYourGuide from $171. The operator's own site lists the 2D1N (2 days, 1 night) from USD 285 per person from Ha Long and USD 295 from Hanoi. The platform prices are the lowest cabin on the cheapest date; the direct price is the standard "from" fare. Klook is cheaper today, but check that the cabin and the bus match what you want. See the La Pandora review.

Price check La Pandora Cruise on more than one platform Difference: $67
PlatformListingRatingPriceWhere
Klook 2D1N Ha Long & Lan Ha Bay Cruise Tour by La Pandora Cruise · 2D1N 4.8 (939) $104 Lowest See on Klook
GetYourGuide From Hanoi: 2-Day Halong and Lan Ha Bay La Pandora Cruise · 2D1N 4.7 (49) $171 See on GetYourGuide

Lowest adult price per person in USD, checked on October 16, 2026. Cabin type, dates and what is included differ between listings: open each one before you pay.

Aspira sells on Klook from $146 and on Trip.com from $180. Aspira's own page shows "180 $ / slot" without saying whether that is per person, and its fare excludes the Hanoi transfer and VAT. Klook is the cheaper option today. More in the Aspira review.

Price check Aspira Cruise on more than one platform Difference: $34
PlatformListingRatingPriceWhere
Klook 2D1N Halong & Lan Ha Bay Cruise Tour by Aspira Cruise · 2D1N 4.9 (824) $146 Lowest See on Klook
Trip.com Aspira Overnight Cruise: Discover Ha Long Bay & Lan Ha Bay · 2D1N — $180 See on Trip.com

Lowest adult price per person in USD, checked on October 16, 2026. Cabin type, dates and what is included differ between listings: open each one before you pay.

Elite of the Seas shows the gap at its widest: from $125 per person on GetYourGuide, while the operator's rate table starts at USD 803 for a double Junior Suite. Those two numbers measure different things (one person in the cheapest cabin on a chosen date versus a full cabin at rack rate), so never compare a headline price without the date and the unit. Our Elite of the Seas review covers the ship.

How to find the real ship behind a generic listing

Many of the best-reviewed Lan Ha listings on GetYourGuide are sold by agencies under titles like "5-Star Cruise with Balcony" or "Luxury Cruise w/ Balcony & Bathtub". They can be good value, but you should know which ship you are booking before you pay. Ships are sometimes renamed, and an old name can carry reviews from before the change.

How to check the real ship

  1. Read the "activity provider" name on the GetYourGuide listing; it tells you who runs the trip.
  2. Look at the meeting point. Most Lan Ha lines have a numbered lounge at Tuan Chau Marina: Peony and Mon Chéri No. 34, Capella 20B, Orchid Lot 32, Aspira and Azura Lot 38, Celina 41A, Scarlet Pearl 41B.
  3. Look for the ship's name on the hull or life rings in the photos, and in recent reviews.
  4. Compare the cabin size and cabin count in the description with the ship's own website.
  5. If the listing says "or similar", the ship can change. Message the supplier through the platform and ask for the ship name in writing.
  6. Check that the ship name on your voucher matches what you were promised.

The cruise finder lists every ship with its pier, class and lowest price on each platform, which makes the last two checks quicker.

Cancellation, storms and refunds

This is the main reason to book through a platform. Platform listings often allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure. Cruise lines selling direct are much stricter:

  • Elite of the Seas: free until 7 days before, then 100%; 50% deposit; 3% card fee that is not refunded (cruise policy).
  • Orchid Cruises: free 30+ days out, 50% at 15–29 days, 70% at 7–14 days, 100% in the last week; 4.5% card fee (terms).
  • Heritage Line: full payment at booking; free 45+ days out, 100% within 15 days (terms).
  • Peony and Mon Chéri: their own pages give different schedules (for Mon Chéri, 100% inside 14 days plus a 4.5% bank fee on refunds), so read the terms on your booking.

Storms change the picture. Between June and November the authorities can stop all departures at short notice. In Quang Ninh, where most Lan Ha ships board, the port authority halts departure permits; on the Hai Phong side the city issues a sea ban (cấm biển) and the Cat Ba ferries stop. The cruise line does not decide. Operator rules then apply: Peony and Mon Chéri refund 100% if the cruise is cancelled before departure; Orchid refunds in full if cancelled before you leave Hanoi; Elite refunds 100% if cancelled on the check-in date. Mon Chéri even publishes a fixed compensation scale of USD 25 to 120 per guest for cruises the authorities cancel. Once you have sailed, you usually pay for the services used.

On a platform, a storm cancellation follows the listing's own terms. If your trip falls between June and November, prefer a listing with free cancellation and leave a free day before your flight. Our best time to visit guide explains the storm and fog months.

What the price includes, and what it does not

A typical Lan Ha 2D1N fare includes the cabin, four meals (lunch, dinner, a light breakfast and brunch), the sightseeing fees, an English-speaking guide and the onboard activities such as tai chi, a cooking demonstration and squid fishing. Check these extras before you compare totals:

  • Drinks: almost never included. Only water is free on most ships; you settle the bar bill on Day 2. Ask about corkage before bringing wine.
  • VAT: excluded by some lines, including Era, Aspira and Venezia (8%).
  • The Lan Ha fee: included by most cruises, but Heritage Line excludes it. The overnight fee is 400,000 VND per adult for one night and 600,000 VND for two.
  • Card fees: 3–4.5% when you pay direct.
  • Holiday surcharges: gala dinners on 24 and 31 December and at Tet cost about USD 40–60 per person, or +20% at Tet on Elite.
  • The transfer: see the tip above.
Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba fees
FeePriceWho pays
Lan Ha Bay sightseeing fee (day visit, Cat Ba bays route)Child = 6 years and over or taller than 1.2 m; under-6s free. A cheap Cat Ba day tour sold 'excl. tickets' adds this per adult. Collected by the Cat Ba Bays Management Board.120,000 VND (child 60,000)Included in most cruise and day-boat fares; check the listing
Lan Ha Bay overnight fee (on board)Figures of 300,000 / 500,000 VND seen online are the child rates or the pre-2024 table.1 night 400,000 VND (child 300,000); 2 nights 600,000 (500,000); 3 nights 650,000 (550,000)Usually in the cruise price (Heritage Line lists the Lan Ha admission fee as excluded)
Cat Ba National Park — whole parkOpen 07:00–17:00. Child = 6–14 or taller than 1.2 m; under 6 / under 1.2 m free; 50% off for Vietnamese citizens 60+.160,000 VND (child 80,000)Pay at the park gate unless your tour includes it
Cat Ba National Park — central route (Kim Giao forest – Ngu Lam peak – Trung Trang cave)The usual ticket for Ngu Lam peak. Older 40,000 / 80,000 VND figures are outdated.120,000 VND (child 60,000)Hikers; cruises that stop at Trung Trang cave normally include it
Cat Ba National Park — Ninh Tiep field – Tien Duc cave (incl. Hai Quan peak)80,000 VND (child 40,000)Pay at the park
Cat Ba National Park — Phu Long – mangroves – Thien Long cave80,000 VND (child 40,000)Pay at the park
Viet Hai village — bicycle or electric car from the wharfVillage service prices reported by VietnamNet (May 2026), not an official tariff. No separate village entry fee found.Bicycle about 50,000 VND per person per day; electric car about 150,000 VND one wayIncluded on most 3D2N cruises and Viet Hai day boats
Cat Hai – Phu Long cable car (Sun World)Fixed time slots; closed on some weekdays. Operator fare, not a state fee.Reported 50,000–150,000 VND one way (sources conflict)Independent travellers to Cat Ba
Cannon Fort (Cat Ba town)VnExpress guide, updated 16 Apr 2026 (not a primary source).80,000 VND; electric car +50,000 VNDPay at the gate
Hospital Cave (Hang Quan Y)VnExpress guide, updated 16 Apr 2026; some guides still say 40,000 VND.80,000 VNDPay at the gate
Monkey Island (Cat Dua)Removed from Hai Phong's fee list in 2024 (no landing pier or visitor facilities). Any 'entrance fee' quoted is outdated or a private charge.No state sightseeing feeBoat trip charged by the operator
Ha Long Bay routes (Quang Ninh) — for comparisonQuang Ninh Resolution 51/2025/NQ-HĐND; VHL6–8 from 1 May 2025 (halongbay.com.vn). How the two provinces' fees combine on the 2026 inter-bay routes is not published.Day: VHL1, VHL2, VHL5 250,000 VND; VHL3, VHL4 200,000; VHL6 150,000; VHL7 600,000; VHL8 70,000. Overnight: route 2 550,000 (1 night) / 750,000 (2 nights); routes 3–4 500,000 / 650,000Cruises boarding at Tuan Chau that sightsee on the Ha Long side

Official fees checked on October 16, 2026. Hai Phong People's Council Resolution 47/2025/NQ-HĐND of 10 Dec 2025 (32nd session, XVI Council), in force from 1 Jan 2026; bay rates unchanged from 1 Aug 2024 ↗

Children. The usual rule is under 4 free (one per cabin), 4–11 at 75% and 12 and over as adults, but every ship sets its own bands. Heritage Line does not accept children under 5; Scarlet Pearl and Jade Sails charge full fare from 10; Hera and La Pandora from 9.

Kayaking. Kayaking in the Cat Ba bays, which include Lan Ha, has been under an official suspension since November 2024, re-confirmed in late 2025. Some ships offer it only in a designated area or replace it with a bamboo boat, tender ride or swim. If kayaking matters to you, ask the operator in writing before you book. More in our kayaking guide.

Red flags in Lan Ha cruise listings

  • "6-star". Vietnam's rating for accommodation vessels is voluntary and runs from 1 to 5 stars only (Law on Tourism). "6-star" is a sales label, and no ship has been confirmed to hold an official 4- or 5-star decision. Judge the ship by its cabins and reviews, not the stars.
  • "Official website" agencies. Some sites titled "Official Website of Halong Bay Cruises" are private agencies. They can be fine to book with, but they are not an official body.
  • Pooled reviews. A single review count shared across sister ships tells you about the brand, not your ship.
  • "3-day" that is really one night. Many "3 Days Ninh Binh, Ha Long & Lan Ha" listings are one day in Ninh Binh plus a 1-night cruise. A true 3D2N spends two nights aboard and Day 2 on a separate day boat. See 3 days, 2 nights.
  • "Ha Long" titles on a Lan Ha page. Some ships sold as Lan Ha sail Ha Long only on their 2D1N. Look for named Lan Ha stops: the Dark and Bright Cave, Tra Bau, Ao Ech, Ba Trai Dao or Viet Hai.
  • Very cheap boats with no details. Wooden hulls are still legal, and the two recent boat incidents in Ha Long and Lan Ha both involved wooden boats. Ask three questions: steel or wooden hull, year built, ship name on the voucher.

Before you board: passport, pier, life jackets

Passport. Cruise lines register every passenger with the authorities. Most ask for your full name, date of birth, nationality and passport number at least 24 hours ahead, and want the original passport at check-in. Celina charges a fee for late changes on the day.

Pier. Most big Lan Ha lines check in at Tuan Chau in Ha Long; a few boats and most Cat Ba day trips start on the Hai Phong side. Your voucher names the pier and lounge number. Our piers guide lists every departure point.

Tuan Chau International Marina1Halong International Cruise Port2Gia Luan ferry pier3Dong Bai ferry pier (Cat Hai)4Cai Vieng ferry pier5Phu Long cable car station6Ben Beo pier7Cat Ba town8

Overnight cruise track from Tuan Chau

Day-boat loop from Ben Beo (Cat Ba)

Tuan Chau – Gia Luan ferry

Dong Bai – Cai Vieng car ferry

  1. 1Tuan Chau International MarinaPierDirections ↗
  2. 2Halong International Cruise PortPierDirections ↗
  3. 3Gia Luan ferry pierPierDirections ↗
  4. 4Dong Bai ferry pier (Cat Hai)PierDirections ↗
  5. 5Cai Vieng ferry pierPierDirections ↗
  6. 6Phu Long cable car stationPierDirections ↗
  7. 7Ben Beo pierPierDirections ↗
  8. 8Cat Ba townTownDirections ↗
Routes drawn schematically: every ship sails its own licensed itinerary. · Chart: © OpenStreetMap contributors

Life jackets. After a fatal collision between two day boats at Van Boi on 14 June 2026, the Cat Hai Special Zone requires every passenger to wear a certified life jacket from boarding and throughout the trip, with a safety briefing by the crew (Tien Phong report). Expect this on tenders and day boats.

Our picks: easy listings to book

Named ships with clear terms

1

Best value luxury

Elite of the Seas sold under its own name: 35 cabins, and the operator offers a free shared limousine minivan from Hanoi.

2

Mid-range on Klook

La Pandora, cheaper on Klook than on GetYourGuide today, with guests reporting bamboo-boat trips in the Dark and Bright Cave area.

3

All-balcony suites

Aspira's 22 suites all have a balcony or terrace; the Klook fare is lower than Trip.com's today.

4

Small boats from Cat Ba

Venezia's small Lan Ha boats board at Ben Beo on Cat Ba, not at Tuan Chau.

Check Elite of the Seas datesfrom $125Affiliate link: if you book, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Still choosing a ship? Start with 2 days, 1 night cruises, or compare classes in luxury and budget. You can also browse every Lan Ha cruise on GetYourGuide, Klook or Trip.com.

Lan Ha Bay cruise booking FAQ

Is it cheaper to book a Lan Ha Bay cruise direct or on GetYourGuide?

Platform "from" prices are often lower than the cruise line's published fares, because they show the cheapest cabin on a chosen date. Elite of the Seas is from $125 per person on GetYourGuide, while its direct table starts at USD 803 for a double cabin. Always compare the same cabin, date and transfer.

Should I book my Ha Long or Lan Ha cruise in advance?

Book a few weeks ahead for holidays (30 April–1 May, summer weekends, Christmas, New Year and Tet). Otherwise, a platform booking with free cancellation lets you book early without risk.

What happens if my cruise is cancelled because of a storm?

The authorities stop sailings, not the cruise line. Most operators refund in full if the cruise is cancelled before departure; on a platform the listing's terms apply.

Is Klook or GetYourGuide better for Lan Ha Bay cruises?

Klook sells more cruise brands under their own names and is often cheaper for those ships. GetYourGuide has more listings overall and usually free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Compare both for your ship.

Do I need my passport for a Lan Ha Bay cruise?

Yes. Most cruise lines need your passport details 24 hours before check-in and the original passport on the day.

Are drinks included on Lan Ha Bay cruises?

Almost never. Water is free, and you pay for other drinks at the end of the cruise.

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