Halong Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly or luxury cruise, there are many places where you can book a Halong Bay cruise. In this post, we’ll discuss the best places to book a Halong Bay cruise, as well as some factors to consider when making your booking.
Where to book Halong Bay cruises
When it comes to the question where to book Halong Bay cruise, there are 3 popular places: booking your cruise online with a travel agency, booking directly with the cruise operator, or booking on arrival. Let’s take a closer look at each of these options.
Book your Halong Bay cruise online with a travel agency
Booking online through a Halong Bay travel agency can be a convenient choice for people who prefer to leave the planning to the pros. Cruise agencies in Halong Bay, such as CruiseInHalongBay.com, offer a variety of cruise options .It gives travelers access to hundreds of different cruise features without tying them down to just one special cruise. It also means that travelers would find it easier even if they didn’t know about the bay at first.
The cruises on these sites are categorized, making it easier for travelers to choose whether their top priority is budget, routes, activities, or the length of the trip. These cruises are also carefully chosen among thousands of cruises, based solely on their own customer experiences or through other trustworthy review sites such as Tripadvisor.
Another advantage of booking online through a travel agency is that they frequently have access to special deals and discounts that the general public does not. Since most of their customers are people going to Halong Bay, they have a better relationship with cruise companies and get better rates and quotas than others.
People may be concerned about the flexibility of online booking because most agencies requested a deposit for the cruise, but this should not be the case. A good agency will have a clear cancellation/amendment policy in place with a flexible time frame.
Last but not least, the trustworthy Travel Agency has extensive knowledge in Halong Bay. They can provide you with useful information and advise on the ideal time to visit Halong Bay, the most popular cruise itineraries, and all must-see attractions in addition to a standard cruise booking.
You might refer to: https://cruiseinhalongbay.com – One of the most trusted Halong Bay Travel Agencies, with 10 years of experience serving thousands of customers to Halong Bay each year.
Book directly with Halong cruise operators
The second place is the cruise operators. Typically, cruises focus on operations and consumer experiences on board. The most common sales channel for them is through a travel agency or a hotel. However, some cruise offer an online booking department that accepts reservations online.
The main advantage of booking directly with a Halong Bay cruise operator is that you may be able to receive a better rate because neither you nor the cruise ship must pay a third-party fee. However, this is not always the case in Halong Bay. As previously stated, most cruise lines provided special rates to travel agencies. As a result, it’s not surprising that a cruise line may offer a higher price or claim no availability while a travel agency does.
Another advantage is that your request goes directly to the cruise operators, reducing the possibility of miscommunication. However, before contacting any cruise lines, thoroughly read the web reviews. Some scammers create fake websites, pretending to be officials, with no good intentions.
Book on arrival with hotel or locals
Booking on arrival is a fantastic choice for people who are flexible with their travel plans and prefer to make their arrangements once they are in Halong Bay. These locations may include a hotel or a locals. Hotels typically offer a nice cruise because it affects their reputation and they don’t want to damage their customers’ satisfaction.
Booking when you get there could sometimes save you money because it’s a last-minute booking, and cruises and hotels like to sell rooms at the last-minute rate. You might be able to get a deal of the day or something similar.
However, with reputable cruises , it may be the other way around. These cruises are typically fully booked in advance by travel agencies, so you may not be able to book the desired cruises or itineraries.
It also doesn’t give you time to complete your research, so going on some random cruises that you only learned about a few days ago may feel like gambling.
So, you have all the reliable places to book Halong Bay. But where to book Ha Long Bay cruises that the most suitable for you? Let’s take a look a pros & cons of these places.
Tips to decide where to book your Halong Bay Cruise
Availability of Halong Bay Cruises
The boats in Halong Bay are all quite small in size, with each having between 15 and 25 cabins. As a result, decent cruise availability is fairly limited, and they are quickly fully booked in advance.
If you’re only interested in a specific cruise, don’t wait until you arrive; instead, contact a reputable travel agent or the cruise line directly to ensure you don’t have to adjust your travel plans. Booking in advance with a travel agency or cruise operator allows you to get an idea of the availability of your desired cruise and plan your trip accordingly.
If you don’t know which cruises to book yet, a Halong Bay travel agency or your hotel should be a better place to start. Both of them provide a variety of cruises with detailed itineraries, cruise facilities, and attraction options. While hotels may offer lower rates for last-minute bookings, a travel agency allows you to complete your research ahead of time so that you can easily determine what cruises best suit your needs.
Summary: If you want a wide selection of options or to assure you have a place on your selected cruise, a trustworthy Halong Bay travel agency should be your first choice.
Prices & Rates
Aside from availability, prices and rates are crucial factors when deciding where to book your Halong Bay Cruise. You don’t want to have a great day cruising around Halong Bay and then discover your wallet empty, do you?
So, where can you get the best deals on a Halong Bay cruise? The answer is that it depends on when you book.
For example, if you wait until you arrive, or 2 or 3 days before departing, to book your cruise, your hotels and local travel agency should be the best places to look. Despite their limited availability at the time, they could provide very good last-minute rates.
No cruise line wants to leave a room empty overnight, so they’ll try to give an appealing pricing to its hotel partners 1 or 2 days in advance to attract additional bookings. So you’re more likely to get a decent rate if you book with the hotel at the last minute.
In contrast, Halong travel agencies and cruise operators generally provide competitive rates all the time. Because they work closely together, they know which days the cruise has a lot of availability, and they decide to offer attractive prices during that period to ensure the cruise’s occupancy. Furthermore, travel agencies offer additional discounts for early bird booking, which means that the earlier you book, the more likely you will get a more affordable price.
Summary: Hotels or local agents usually provide a better last-minute prices. In general, Halong Travel agencies or cruise operators offer reasonable prices and give you more time to do your research.
Flexibility
When planning travel plans, we believe that flexibility is extremely important. Weather, cancelled flights, or even immigration issues could all have an impact on your journey. And, given the high cost of a Halong Bay Cruise, it’s preferable to have maximum flexibility.
Booking arrival at your hotel, while offering exceptional last-minute discounts, is the least flexible of the 3 common ways to book Halong Bay. You can’t do much because the policy for favorable rates is really solid and the travel date is near.
If flexibility is important to you, we recommend booking the cruise through a Halong Bay travel agency. It provides the most flexibility of the three options.
Trusted companies, such as CruiseInHalongBay.com, have a clear and flexible amendment/cancellation policy that is nearly free or charges a minimal fee. They also have a dedicated customer service section that ensures contact is continuous throughout your trip. It keeps both customers and travel agency up to date on the most recent information and situations.
Summary: A travel agency tend to give the best flexibility.
How to book a Halong Bay Cruise ?
So, now that you’ve decided where you would like to book a Halong Bay Cruise, let’s figure out how to do it.
Choose the cruise type
The first step in booking Halong Bay Cruises is deciding which cruise type you’d want to take. Because Halong Bay is a popular tourist attraction, there are numerous cruises operating in the area. It’s similar to a hotel, with different “stars” ranging from 3 to 5.
Budget Cruises (3 stars): 105USD – 120USD/person
These excursions are often junk boat-style, wooden-built, and relatively old, with basic facilities. However, the number of cabins is limited, so you will not feel crowded on board. It’s the best option for those who want to focus on the scenery and have no need for expensive facilities.
Mid-Range Cruises (4 starts): 120USD – 160USD/person
The facilities and size of mid-range cruises are generally better. These cruises are made of iron, ensuring a smooth travel throughout the bay. Some cruise lines even offer extra facilities such as a spa or a private balcony in each cabin. This is the choice for those who want to find a balance between sightseeing and a comfortable stay on board.
Luxury Cruises (5 stars): 160 USD/person and up
This is the most high-end class. They’re all made of iron, brand new, and of high quality. All of the rooms include a private balcony and modern amenities. You can find a touch of luxury in almost every part of the cruise ship, from the fine-dining meals to the extra services like mini golf or even a seasonal swimming pool.
These cruises frequently go a little bit longer and deeper into Halong Bay, ensuring that you don’t miss any of the area’s splendor. This is a great option for visitors who want to make the most of their time in Halong Bay.
You could consider all types of cruises in Halong Bay here: https://cruiseinhalongbay.com/cruises/
Choose the length of the cruise
After choosing on the type of cruise you want to take, the next step is to decide how long you want to spend on board. There are two standard schedules: 2 days 1 night or 3 days 2 nights.
While many people are satisfied with 2 days 1 night, others prefer 3 days 2 nights cruise. The 2 day itinerary will take you on a quick tour of the most iconic sites in Halong Bay. However, if you want to explore a more remote and untouched part of Halong, 3 days should be an excellent choice.
Keep in mind that the length of the cruise also affect your budget. A 3 days 2 nights will cost doubled comparing to the others.
If you book with CruiseInHalongBay.com, simply select the duration in the Cabin & Rates sections of each cruise, and the system will display the exact pricing that the cruise has to offer.
Check itinerary
People often think that you’ll only go to one Halong Bay. No, Halong Bay is much larger and is divided into three routes: Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Bai Tu Long Bay.
- Halong Bay main routes: This is one of the most well-known routes, and it allows you to see well-known locations such as Sung Sot Cave, Ti Top Island, and Luon Cave. It’s also the most busiest routes.
- Halong – Lan Ha Bay routes: It’s a new rising route in Halong Bay. It would travel to a less touristic part of the bay while still providing the same magnificent view as the main one. It includes renowned attractions like as Cat Ba Island, Dark & Bright Cave, and Viet Hai Village. Furthermore, this routes only allow 4 or 5 star cruises to operate, ensuring that the guests’ experiences are at their best.
- Bai Tu Long Bay routes: An extension of Halong Bay that includes sites like as Thien Canh Son Cave and Cong Do.
All of these routes are stunning and cannot be compared to one another. However, if you want to venture off the main path, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long should be good choices. One point to mention is that, while taking various itineraries, all of the cruises provide the same activities on board, such as kayaking, bamboo boating, swimming, and cooking classes.
When booking with CruiseInHalongBay.com, simply click the drop-down menu and select the cruise routes that best suit you.
Check inclusion
Finally, don’t forget to double-check the inclusion. Typically, all cruise rates include most of everything: meals on board, activities, tickets, cabins,…during the schedules. However, certain services are not included, such as as drinks, tips, and transportation between the hotel and the cruises. So, to avoid confusion later on, making sure to double-check the included in each pricing and offer.
In the “Inclusion & Exclusion” sections of the CruiseInHalongBay.com cruise information pages, we have mentioned clearly what is and is not included. We’re also providing booking options for the transportation between Hanoi/Ninh Binh and Halong Bay in the next step.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there’s many places to book Halong Bay Cruises. A trusted online travel agency like CruiseInHalongBay.com might be a good option with great deals, flexible policy and 24/7 support. However, you’re also could book it on arrival at your hotel if you’re looking for a good last minute deal or trying contact a cruise operator to avoid paying extra fee.
Despite where you choose to book Halong Bay cruise, you are sure would to have an amazing experience time in Halong Bay, Vietnam !
