Last updated 10 October 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Availability figures are from the live booking systems of the cruises Ava Travel sells, read on 9 October 2026; price comparisons from 24 September 2026. Ava Travel is a Hanoi travel agency that sells Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay cruises online.
The short answer, using Ava Travel’s own prices: book online, 4 to 8 weeks ahead for October to April, weekends and holidays, and closer to the date in summer. You can book with the cruise line, a large booking site or a local agency; compare the same boat, the same cabin and the same date, and check whether the transfer from Hanoi is included. Before you pay anyone, check that the company has a registered name and tax number, a street address, independent reviews and a card checkout, and that your confirmation names the boat and the cabin.
Where to book: your options
| Where | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| The cruise line’s own website | You deal with the boat directly | One boat only, so no comparison; transfer and payment terms vary by company |
| A large booking site | Familiar checkout, many reviews | Cabin names and what is included are often simplified; questions go through a call centre |
| A local agency in Hanoi | Comparing many boats, help with pickup, dates and changes in one chat | Quality varies a lot; use the checks below |
| Hotel desk or a shop in the Old Quarter | Last-minute trips | “Or similar” boats, cash payment, little in writing |
Ava Travel is the third kind: a registered agency in Hanoi that sells 96 overnight boats on Halong, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long Bay, each with its own page, cabins and price for your date.
Is it cheaper to book once you are in Vietnam?
Not reliably. The cruise lines set their prices by date and season, so the same cabin on the same night costs about the same wherever you buy it. A cheaper offer in Hanoi is usually a cheaper boat, a smaller cabin or a price without the transfer. On 24 September 2026 we compared our 2 day 1 night prices for every cabin type on 59 of the boats Ava Travel sells with a leading Halong cruise booking site: ours were the same or lower for every cabin, in both seasons. If you find the same boat, cabin and dates cheaper elsewhere, send us the link before you pay and we match it.
When you compare, check three things: whether the transfer from Hanoi is included (with us it is optional, $35 per person return by shared shuttle), whether the price is per person or per cabin, and which cabin it is. We also checked the cruise lines’ own websites cabin by cabin: see is it cheaper to book direct or through an agency. See how much a Halong Bay cruise costs.
How far ahead should I book?
Earlier than most people think, for the better cabins. On 9 October 2026, 51 of the 75 boats whose live availability we read every morning had at least one cabin type already full on at least one date in the next two weeks. The cheaper cabins on a boat usually still had space; balcony suites and family rooms, of which a boat may have only two or three, go first.
- October to April, weekends, Christmas, New Year and Tet (Tet 2027 falls around 6 February): book 4 to 8 weeks ahead, longer for a family room.
- May to September: 2 to 4 weeks is usually enough, but keep a spare day in your plan for storms.
- Last minute: often possible on mid-range boats, with less choice of cabin.
Booking early carries little risk with us: if you cancel more than 30 days before check-in, nothing is charged. From 30 to 11 days it is 15% of the total, from 10 to 7 days 30%, and inside 7 days 100%.
How payment works
- You pay the full price when you book, on our secure online checkout, by card, PayPal, or Apple Pay where your device offers it. There is no cash payment on arrival for cruises.
- Prices are in US dollars, taxes included. If your card is in another currency, your bank converts it at its own rate on the day.
- The transfer is chosen at checkout, so the total you see is the total you pay, with nothing to pay the driver.
- We confirm your cabin and pickup in writing within one hour, by email or WhatsApp. The booking is only confirmed once you have that message.
6 checks before you pay any Halong cruise company
- A registered company name and tax number. Vietnamese companies can be looked up on the National Business Registration Portal. Ours: AVA TRAVEL AGENCY CO.,LTD, tax ID 0111323415.
- A street address and a phone number that answer. Ours: 37 Nguyen Kha Trac, Phu Dien, Hanoi; +84 904 251 545 on WhatsApp.
- Reviews on independent sites, not only on the company’s own page. You can read ours on Tripadvisor and Google Maps.
- A card checkout on the company’s own website, rather than only a bank transfer to a personal account.
- A confirmation that names the boat, the cabin type, the date and the pickup point. “Or similar” means you may get a different boat.
- The boat exists and you can see its cabins, with photos of the real cabin type and the programme for each day.
What happens after you book
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Within 1 hour | Written confirmation of your cabin, with the pickup time and meeting point if you added the transfer, or the pier if you make your own way |
| Day 1, about 08:00 | Shuttle pickup in the Old Quarter; boarding at about 12:00 |
| If a storm closes the bay | A new date free of charge, or a full refund if we cannot reschedule |
Frequently asked questions
Can I book a Halong Bay cruise when I arrive in Hanoi?
Often yes, for a cruise a few days later, but with less choice of boat and cabin, especially at weekends and from October to April. Booking online before you travel lets you choose the cabin and gives you a written confirmation.
Do I need my passport?
Yes. Every boat registers each guest with the port authority before departure, so bring your passport on the day.
Can I change my date after booking?
Yes, but a change of date counts as a cancellation and a new booking, so the same scale applies: free more than 30 days before check-in. If the cruise is cancelled by the operator or for severe weather, the change is free.
Can I pay in cash?
Not for cruises: the full price is paid online when you book. On board you pay for drinks and extras yourself, so carry some Vietnamese dong; ask us whether your boat takes cards.
Is the price per person or per cabin?
Our “from” prices are per person with two sharing a cabin. The booking table on each boat page shows the total for your cabin and your date before you pay. One adult alone in a double cabin pays 85% of the cabin price.
Book your cruise
Compare every boat with its 2026 price or start with the 10 best Halong Bay cruises for 2026. Not sure the boat is right? Message us on WhatsApp (+84 904 251 545) with your dates and we will tell you honestly. If the cruise is part of a longer trip, we can book it inside a tailor-made Vietnam tour so the transfers and hotels line up.
