Last updated 1 October 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Prices checked the same day on our own booking pages. Ava Travel is a Hanoi travel agency that sells every cruise in this list, so each price below is Ava Travel’s own price per person.
The short answer, using Ava Travel’s own prices: the best Halong Bay cruise for most couples in 2026 is Kairos on Lan Ha Bay: every cabin has a private balcony and a bathtub, and it costs from $150 per person ($127 from May to September). For the biggest honeymoon suite for the money pick Metta (60 sqm), for a brand-new ship Halora Nova, and for a small, very private boat Orchid Luxury (14 suites, a bathtub facing the bay in every one).
What makes a cruise good for two is not the star rating. It is the cabin: a balcony you can sit on with coffee at sunrise, a bathtub with a view, enough floor space that the room is more than a bed, and a ship small enough that dinner does not feel like a canteen. Here are the ten ships Ava Travel sells that do those things best, each with an honest downside.
How to read the prices: “from $X per person” is the lowest price for two adults sharing one cabin, 2 days 1 night, in high season (October to April), with all meals on board. Where the ship is cheaper from May to September we give that low season price too. Prices are a snapshot from 1 October 2026. Transfer from Hanoi is not included: the shared shuttle is $20 per person one way or $35 return.
Quick comparison: the 10 best cruises for couples
| # | Cruise | Best for | Bay | Cabins | From (Oct-Apr) (Ava Travel) | May-Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kairos | Balcony and bathtub in every cabin | Lan Ha | 29 | $150 | $127 |
| 2 | Metta | Biggest honeymoon suite for the price | Lan Ha | 25 | $150 | $127 |
| 3 | Halora Nova | Newest ship, bathtub in every cabin | Lan Ha | 40 | $165 | $153 |
| 4 | La Casta Regal | Honeymoon suite with a terrace | Lan Ha | 24 | $155 | $150 |
| 5 | Hera Grand | Small ship on Halong Bay | Halong | 11 | $126 | $117 |
| 6 | Erina | Bathtubs as standard, mid budget | Lan Ha | 27 | $155 | $147 |
| 7 | Mon Cheri | Big balcony suites, Cat Ba cave walk | Lan Ha | 18 | $180 | $165 |
| 8 | Orchid Luxury | Bathtub facing the bay, spa with sauna | Lan Ha | 14 | $240 | $240 |
| 9 | Orchid Premium | Most private, butler service | Lan Ha | 5 | $375 | $375 |
| 10 | Heritage Line Ginger | Small wooden ship, top end | Lan Ha | 12 | $430 | $345 |
What to look for as a couple
- A balcony on the cabin you book, not just on the ship. On some ships the cheapest cabin has no balcony while the dearer ones do. We say so below where it applies.
- Bathtubs are rarer than balconies. The ships whose cabin details confirm a bathtub in every cabin are Kairos, Halora Nova, Orchid Luxury and Orchid Premium. Erina has them as standard, and on Hera Grand only the top suite has one.
- A “Honeymoon Suite” is just a cabin name. You do not need to be on honeymoon to book one, and it is not always the best room for two. Compare the square metres.
- Smaller ships feel quieter. A ship with 11 to 20 cabins has 20 to 40 guests at dinner. With 40 to 60 cabins, meals often run in sittings.
- Lan Ha Bay has fewer boats at the anchorages than the main Halong route, which is why nine of our ten picks sail there. See Halong Bay vs Lan Ha Bay.
Planning a honeymoon? Every ship below works for one; the Honeymoon Suites are compared ship by ship. One more worth knowing: Amour on Lan Ha Bay sells a 48 sqm Honeymoon Suite with a balcony at $225 per person, the same price all year. If the cruise is one night of a longer trip, see our Vietnam honeymoon guide for full 11 to 15 day routes with prices.
1. Kairos: best value for couples
From $150 per person at Ava Travel ($127 May to September). 29 cabins, launched 2025, Lan Ha Bay.
Of the ships we can confirm have a private balcony and a bathtub in every single cabin, Kairos is the cheapest. The entry Junior Suite is already 30 sqm. The Honeymoon Suite is 50 sqm, from $215 per person ($180 in low season), and there are only two of them on board, so book it early. On deck there is a jacuzzi pool, a sky bar and a spa.
Downside: its Honeymoon Suite is 10 sqm smaller than the one on Metta for the same price, and high season adds about 18 percent to the entry cabin.
2. Metta: the biggest honeymoon suite for the money
From $150 per person at Ava Travel ($127 May to September). 25 cabins, built 2022, Lan Ha Bay.
Metta’s Honeymoon Suite is 60 sqm, from $215 per person ($180 in low season), the largest cabin in this price band that we sell. Even the entry Junior Suite is 35 sqm, and every cabin has a balcony. Compare it side by side in Indochine vs Metta.
Downside: it is three years older than its sister Kairos at the same entry price, and the Senior Suite rises from $135 to $165 per person in high season.
3. Halora Nova: a brand-new ship with a bathtub in every cabin
From $165 per person at Ava Travel ($153 May to September). 40 cabins, launched 2026, Lan Ha Bay.
Halora Nova has the lowest entry price of the 2026 ships we sell, and every cabin has a private balcony and a bathtub. For couples the cabin to look at is the 45 sqm Suite with its own private sunbed, from $203 per person ($187 in low season).
Downside: 40 cabins is a big ship, and departures on 24 and 31 December and the first three days of Tet carry a 20 percent holiday surcharge, which matters if you are planning a New Year trip. A 2026 ship also has almost no independent review history yet.
4. La Casta Regal: a honeymoon suite with a terrace
From $155 per person at Ava Travel ($150 May to September). 24 cabins, built 2020, Lan Ha Bay.
La Casta Regal has two Honeymoon Suites, and the choice between them is the reason to book. The Balcony version is 50 sqm from $185 per person; the Terrace version is 60 sqm from $195, so ten dollars more each buys ten extra square metres and a terrace instead of a balcony. Prices barely move between seasons.
Downside: the Junior and Senior Suites are only 28 sqm, smaller than the entry cabins on Kairos or Metta for about the same price, so this ship only makes sense if you book a Honeymoon Suite.
5. Hera Grand: a small ship on Halong Bay
From $126 per person at Ava Travel ($117 May to September). 11 cabins, all suites, launched 2017, Halong Bay.
Eleven cabins means roughly 20 to 30 guests, so the sundeck does not fill up and the kayak launch does not queue. Cabins are large for the price: the Junior Suite is 35 sqm and the Ocean Suite 45 sqm. The couple’s room is the 60 sqm Heaven Suite, double bed only, with a bathtub facing the bay, from $265 per person ($190 in low season). It is the only pick here on the main Halong Bay route rather than Lan Ha.
Downside: the cheapest cabin, the Junior Suite, has no balcony (balconies start with the Ocean Suite at $167), and the Heaven Suite swings the most between seasons, from $190 to $265.
6. Erina: bathtubs as standard on a mid-budget ship
From $155 per person at Ava Travel ($147 May to September). 27 cabins, launched 2023, Lan Ha Bay.
On Erina the bathtub comes with the cabin, not as a suite-only upgrade, and the entry Junior Suite is 36 sqm with a balcony. There is an outdoor jacuzzi pool on the sundeck. For a big room, the 70 sqm President Suite is from $240 per person.
Downside: the 50 sqm Honeymoon Suite is the one cabin on board with no balcony. If sitting outside matters more than floor area, the 36 sqm Senior Suite at $160 is the better room for two.
7. Mon Cheri: big balcony suites and a walk on Cat Ba
From $180 per person at Ava Travel ($165 May to September). 18 cabins, built 2018, Lan Ha Bay.
Every cabin has a balcony and the smallest is 35 sqm. For two people the ladder is clear: Ocean Suite 35 sqm, Elegance Suite 45 sqm from $200, Mon Cheri Suite 50 sqm from $270, and the President Suite at 70 sqm from $355 per person. The second morning puts you ashore on Cat Ba Island to walk Trung Trang Cave instead of only paddling, which makes it a good second cruise. See Mon Cheri vs Peony.
Downside: the hull is from 2018, older than the 2025 and 2026 ships at similar prices, and the Mon Cheri Suite rises from $235 to $270 per person in high season.
8. Orchid Luxury: a bathtub facing the bay in every suite
From $240 per person at Ava Travel, the same price all year. 14 cabins, all suites, Lan Ha Bay.
The newest Orchid boat has 14 suites, each with a private balcony and a bathtub facing the bay, plus a spa with a sauna and a jacuzzi. The entry suite is 36 sqm. For a special trip, the 45 sqm Exclusive Suite with a round king bed is from $405 per person.
Downside: it costs well above a typical 5-star Lan Ha ship (around $170), and the $45 between the Suite and Premium Suite buys only the upper deck, not more space.
9. Orchid Premium: the most private cruise we sell
From $375 per person at Ava Travel, the same price all year. 5 cabins, all suites, Lan Ha Bay.
Five suites means about ten guests on board, with a 24-hour butler. Every suite has a private terrace and a bathtub facing the bay, and the smallest is 45 sqm. The crew cooks for ten people, not eighty, and the sundeck is rarely shared.
Downside: more than double the price of a typical 5-star ship, the route is the same as the cheaper Orchid boats, and with five suites it fills early for October to April.
10. Heritage Line Ginger: a small wooden ship at the top end
From $430 per person at Ava Travel ($345 May to September). 12 cabins, wooden ship built 2006, Lan Ha Bay.
Twelve cabins on a timber hull, each with a balcony, and the smallest is 37 sqm. Meals are cooked to order rather than plated in batches, and the second morning goes to Ao Ech instead of the caves every other boat queues at.
Downside: the most expensive ship we sell on Lan Ha, and the Signature Suite is the same 37 sqm as the Junior Suite, so its extra $75 per person buys deck position only.
Also good for couples
Four more romantic cruises Ava Travel sells, often recommended to couples, that did not make the top ten above on value. Prices are per person, two sharing, 2 days 1 night, October to April.
- Paradise Elegance on Halong Bay: the classic Halong Bay route (Ti Top Island, Luon Cave), 31 cabins all with a balcony, live acoustic music on the sundeck and a piano lounge. From $170 per person at Ava Travel, $144 from May to September.
- Orchid Trendy on Lan Ha Bay: 20 cabins, all with a balcony, the same price all year. From $190 per person at Ava Travel.
- Heritage Binh Chuan on Lan Ha Bay: 20 cabins, every one with a balcony, 33 to 46 sqm, afternoon tea on deck at sunset and a quieter Lan Ha route. From $210 per person at Ava Travel, $180 from May to September.
- Bhaya Soul on Halong Bay: an ultra-luxury ship of 20 cabins, all with a balcony and up to 80 sqm, sailing to Ba Ham Lake. From $265 per person at Ava Travel.
Frequently asked questions
Which Halong Bay cruise is best for a honeymoon?
For value, Kairos or Metta: both have a 50 to 60 sqm Honeymoon Suite from $215 per person at Ava Travel in high season, and every cabin has a balcony. For privacy, Orchid Premium (5 suites, butler) or Orchid Luxury (14 suites, bathtub facing the bay). Tell us it is your honeymoon when you book and we pass it to the ship. Planning the whole trip? See Vietnam honeymoon itineraries with prices.
Which Halong Bay cruises have a bathtub with a bay view?
Orchid Luxury and Orchid Premium have a bathtub facing the bay in every suite, and on Hera Grand the Heaven Suite has one. Kairos, Halora Nova and Erina have bathtubs in their cabins too; ask us if you need the bath itself to face the window.
Is there an adults-only Halong Bay cruise?
None of the ships in this guide sells itself as adults-only, so we will not promise a child-free boat. Kairos, Metta, La Casta Regal, Hera Grand and Heritage Line Ginger have no family rooms, and the small ships (Orchid Premium, Hera Grand, Heritage Line Ginger) carry few guests of any age.
How much is a romantic Halong Bay cruise for two?
A balcony cabin for two on a good Lan Ha ship costs about $300 in total for 2 days 1 night in high season (Kairos or Metta at $150 per person at Ava Travel), or about $254 from May to September. A honeymoon suite on the same ships is about $430 for the cabin. Add $35 per person if you need the return shuttle from Hanoi. More in the Halong Bay cruise cost guide.
Should a couple book 2 days or 3 days?
Two days is enough for most short trips. For slow time on board, Kairos and Metta sell 3 days 2 nights from $295 per person at Ava Travel ($245 May to September), with a full middle day further out in Lan Ha Bay.
Book a cruise for two with Ava Travel
Choose your date and cabin on the cruise page and pay securely online, and we confirm your cabin and Hanoi pickup within one hour. Transfer from Hanoi is added at checkout if you need it. Not sure which suite to pick? Message us on WhatsApp (+84 904 251 545) with your dates and budget, and we will suggest two options. For other travel styles see the 10 best Halong Bay cruises for 2026, the best Lan Ha Bay cruises, the best cruises with a private balcony or the best 3 day 2 night cruises.
