Best Halong Bay Cruises with a Private Balcony, 2026 Prices

Last updated 1 October 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Prices checked the same day on our own booking pages.

The short answer, using Ava Travel’s own prices: the cheapest balcony cabin Ava Travel sells is on Syrena, from $122 per person, but for most travellers the best balcony cruise is Kairos on Lan Ha Bay: every cabin has a private balcony and a bathtub, from $150 per person ($127 from May to September). For the most space pick Celina, where every balcony cabin is 45 sqm, and on a tight budget Amanda Premier puts a balcony on every cabin from $130.

Ava Travel sells 56 ships where every cabin has a private balcony, among them Peony, Paradise Elegance, Indochine Premium, Catherine, Mon Cheri, Orchid, Stellar of the Seas and Diana; the full list by bay, with Ava Travel’s lowest price per person for each, is below the comparison table.

A balcony is the upgrade travellers notice most on an overnight cruise: a door onto the bay at sunrise, before the day boats arrive. It is common but not universal. Of the 96 ships Ava Travel sells, 56 have a balcony on every cabin, and on many others the cheapest cabin has none while the next grade up does. So the useful question is not “does the ship have balconies” but “what is the cheapest cabin with one”. That is the price we give for each ship below.

How to read the prices: “from $X per person” is the lowest price of a balcony cabin for two adults sharing, 2 days 1 night, in high season (October to April), with all meals on board. The May to September price is in the last column. Prices are a snapshot from 1 October 2026. Transfer from Hanoi is extra: $20 per person one way or $35 return by shuttle.

Quick comparison: the cheapest balcony cabin on 10 good ships

Which Halong Bay cruises have a balcony on every cabin?

Of the 96 ships Ava Travel sells, these 56 have a private balcony or terrace on every cabin, so even the cheapest cabin has one. The price is Ava Travel’s lowest price per person, two adults sharing, 2 days 1 night, October to April. Ships are listed from the cheapest up.

• Lan Ha Bay (38 ships): Indochine ($139), Amanda Luxury ($147), Kairos ($150), Metta ($150), Sena ($150), Le Journey Elegance ($152), Aqua Of The Seas ($155), Genesis Luxury Regal ($155), La Casta ($155), La Casta Regal ($155), Mila Grand ($155), Nostalgia Sails ($157), Peony ($159), Amour ($160), Majesty Prime ($160), Halora Nova ($165), La Regina Grand ($165), Rosy ($165), Velar Of the Seas ($165), Ambassador Signature ($167), Indochine Grand ($167), Venus ($167), Paradise Grand ($170), Rita ($170), V’Spirit ($172), Diana ($178), Mon Cheri ($180), Celina ($182), Orchid Trendy ($190), Azura ($205), Heritage Binh Chuan ($210), Orchid ($220), Nostalgia ($224), Harmony Boutique ($235), Orchid Luxury ($240), Stellar of the Seas ($310), Elite of the Seas ($350), Heritage Line Ginger ($430)
• Halong Bay (16 ships): Amanda Premier ($130), Victory Star ($136), Mila Lux ($140), Lily ($145), Athena Luxury ($150), Ambassador ($165), Sea Stars ($167), Paradise Elegance ($170), Hermes ($180), Indochine Premium ($190), Calista ($192), Athena Premium ($195), Paradise Legacy ($205), Catherine ($215), Bhaya Premium ($255), Bhaya Soul ($265)
• Bai Tu Long Bay (2 ships): Athena Royal ($150), Larissa ($197)

Ships that are often described as balcony cruises but where the cheapest cabin has no balcony are listed further down, under Ships where the cheapest cabin has no balcony.

1. Kairos: best balcony cruise overall

Balcony from $150 per person at Ava Travel ($127 May to September). 29 cabins, launched 2025, Lan Ha Bay.

Every one of the 29 cabins has a balcony and a bathtub, and the entry Junior Suite is 30 sqm, so you are not paying a balcony premium on a small room. It is a 2025 steel ship with a jacuzzi pool on a 350 sqm sundeck, a sky bar and a spa. Above the Junior and Senior Suites there are only two Executive Suites (45 sqm) and two Honeymoon Suites (50 sqm).

Downside: high season adds about 18 percent to the entry cabin, and there is no family room, so four people need two cabins.

2. Syrena: the cheapest balcony cabin we sell

Balcony from $122 per person at Ava Travel ($120 May to September). 17 cabins, wooden junk from 2010, Halong Bay.

Syrena has two cabin types and they are $7 apart in high season: the Deluxe without a balcony at $115 and the Deluxe Balcony at $122. Take the balcony. The trip includes all meals, a cave, kayaking and Tai Chi on a timber boat that has worked Halong Bay for fifteen years. Day two visits Luon Cave.

Downside: no jacuzzi, and the operator does not publish cabin sizes, so we cannot tell you how big the room is before you book. Ask and we will get it in writing.

3. Amanda Premier: a balcony on every cabin, on a budget

Balcony from $130 per person at Ava Travel ($120 May to September). 26 cabins, steel ship from 2015, Halong Bay.

At this price most boats sell a window, not a balcony. Amanda Premier puts one on all three cabin grades, and the ladder is honest: Junior 20 sqm, Senior 25 sqm from $145, Royal 30 sqm from $162. Day two is Sung Sot Cave, the largest in Halong Bay.

Downside: the 20 sqm Junior Suite is small. You are buying the balcony, not the floor, and it sails the busier main Halong route.

4. Victory Star: Victory with a balcony

Balcony from $136 per person at Ava Travel ($130 May to September). 21 cabins, built 2007, Halong Bay.

Victory Star is the sister of Victory on the same route, and the difference is the balcony. Victory sells one 16 sqm cabin with no balcony; Victory Star starts at 24 sqm with a balcony for about $25 more per person. The Suite is 30 sqm and the President Suite 35 sqm. Compare it in Starlight vs Victory Star.

Downside: a 2007 boat, with smaller cabins and older finishes than the 2025 builds on the same route, and only a restaurant, bar and sundeck on board.

5. Indochine: the cheapest 5-star balcony on Lan Ha

Balcony from $139 per person at Ava Travel ($130 May to September). 45 cabins, built 2019, Lan Ha Bay.

Every cabin has a balcony, and each step up buys real floor area: Junior Suite 32 sqm, Suite 42 sqm, Executive Suite 54 sqm. That is a lot of room for the lowest 5-star price on Lan Ha Bay, and the ship also has a halal menu.

Downside: 45 cabins makes it a busy ship, and the Suite jumps from $158 to $189 in high season, so the entry cabin is the better value in December and January.

6. Athena Royal: a balcony on the quietest bay

Balcony from $150 per person at Ava Travel ($140 May to September). 22 cabins, sailing since 2017, Bai Tu Long Bay.

All four cabin grades have a balcony, and Athena Royal sails Bai Tu Long, which sees a fraction of the boat traffic of the main bay. Day two climbs close to 200 steps to Thien Canh Son Cave, with a sandy beach at the bottom. Sizes climb steadily: 25, 28, 30 and 45 sqm.

Downside: the 25 sqm Deluxe is small, and it departs from Halong International Cruise Port rather than Tuan Chau, with a tender out to the ship.

7. Halora Nova: a 2026 ship, balcony and bathtub in every cabin

Balcony from $165 per person at Ava Travel ($153 May to September). 40 cabins, launched 2026, Lan Ha Bay.

All five cabin types have a private balcony and a bathtub, and the entry Deluxe Balcony is 30 sqm. The 45 sqm Suite adds a private sunbed. It has the lowest entry price of the 2026 ships we sell, plus a jacuzzi pool, spa, bar and a lift.

Downside: 40 cabins means more people at each activity, and departures on 24 and 31 December and the first three days of Tet carry a 20 percent holiday surcharge.

8. Mon Cheri: 35 sqm balcony cabins and above

Balcony 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, bigger than the entry cabin on most ships at this price. The top is the 70 sqm President Suite. Day two goes ashore on Cat Ba Island to walk Trung Trang Cave.

Downside: the Ocean Suite triple (35 sqm with an extra bed) costs more than the 50 sqm Mon Cheri Suite, so only book it if you truly need three beds.

9. Celina: the biggest standard balcony cabin

Balcony from $182 per person at Ava Travel ($170 May to September). 62 cabins, built 2026, Lan Ha Bay.

All three balcony suite grades on Celina are 45 sqm, so the cheapest Ocean Balcony Suite is the same room as the dearest; the $32 to $40 difference is deck height. High season adds only 7 to 12 percent, less than on many Lan Ha boats. On board there is a restaurant, bar, spa, sundeck and a halal set menu.

Downside: 62 cabins is the largest ship we sell on Lan Ha, so meals run in sittings and the sundeck gets busy.

10. Orchid Luxury: a balcony and a bathtub facing the bay

Balcony from $240 per person at Ava Travel, the same price all year. 14 cabins, all suites, Lan Ha Bay.

Every suite has a private balcony and a bathtub facing the bay, and the smallest is 36 sqm. It is a small ship with a spa, sauna and jacuzzi, and it runs its own route through Tien Ong Cave and Cua Van fishing village.

Downside: it costs well above a typical 5-star Lan Ha ship (around $170). For a terrace and a butler on only five suites, its sister Orchid Premium starts at $375.

Ships where the cheapest cabin has no balcony

Check the cabin, not the ship. On these ships we sell, the entry cabin has no balcony and you need the next grade up:

• Hera Grand: the 35 sqm Junior Suite has no balcony. The 45 sqm Ocean Suite does, from $152 ($142 May to September).
• Hera Classic: the Deluxe has none. The 25 sqm Executive Balcony is from $137 ($125).
• Cycad: the Deluxe Seaview has none. The Junior Balcony is from $195 ($185).
• Erina: the opposite case. Every cabin has a balcony except the 50 sqm Honeymoon Suite.

A few boats have no balcony cabins at all, including Annam Junk, Dragon Pearl Junks and Victory. They are good value for other reasons; see our best budget cruises.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest Halong Bay cruise with a balcony?

Syrena’s Deluxe Balcony, from $122 per person at Ava Travel in high season and $120 from May to September. If you want a balcony on every cabin of the ship, Amanda Premier starts at $130 and Victory Star at $136.

Is a balcony worth paying extra for?

Usually yes. On the ships above the gap is often $5 to $30 per person at Ava Travel, and you get private outdoor space at sunrise and sunset without going up to a shared sundeck. It matters less in very hot or rainy months, when most people stay inside.

Which Halong Bay cruise has the biggest balcony cabin for the price?

Celina: every balcony suite is 45 sqm, from $182 per person at Ava Travel ($170 May to September). Indochine’s 32 sqm Junior Suite at $139 and Mon Cheri’s 35 sqm Ocean Suite are also large for their price.

Do all Lan Ha Bay cruises have balconies?

Most of the newer Lan Ha ships we sell do, on every cabin. Not all: Erina’s Honeymoon Suite has none, and some ships keep a cheaper window cabin. Each cruise page marks which cabins are “Room with balcony”. Compare them on our Lan Ha Bay cruises page.

Is a balcony cabin on a 3 day cruise worth it?

More than on a 2 day trip, because you get two sunrises on board. Kairos sells 3 days 2 nights from $295 per person at Ava Travel ($245 in low season), and Athena Royal from $285 ($280). See the best 3 day 2 night cruises.

Book a balcony cabin with Ava Travel

Choose your date and cabin on the cruise page, check it says “Room with balcony”, and pay securely online. We confirm your cabin and Hanoi pickup within one hour. Transfer from Hanoi is added at checkout if you need it. Questions? Message us on WhatsApp (+84 904 251 545). For couples see the best cruises for couples, and for every ship with prices, our Halong Bay cruise page.