Last updated 14 October 2026 by the Ava Travel team in Hanoi. Prices checked the same day on our own booking pages; launch years checked against each operator’s listing.
The short answer, using Ava Travel’s own prices: ten new ships started sailing on Halong Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay in 2026, and Ava Travel sells all ten. The newest of all are Orchid Luxury and Larissa, both taking their first guests from October 2026. For the most cabin for your money pick Mila Grand (from $155, every cabin 45 sqm or more with a balcony). For the biggest new ship pick Celina. For quiet water pick Larissa, the only 2026 ship on Bai Tu Long Bay. For the classic Halong caves on a new ship pick Victorious or Athena Premium.
A new ship is not automatically a better trip. The bay, the route and the cabin decide most of it, and a ship in its first season has no long run of reviews behind it. What a 2026 ship does give you: newer bathrooms and air conditioning, larger standard cabins, and on 8 of these 10 a private balcony in every cabin. Below is each one with its real price and its downside, then the ships launched in 2025 that are now past their first season.
Quick comparison: the 10 new Halong Bay cruises of 2026
Lowest price per person, two adults sharing, 2 days 1 night, all meals on board included. October to April is high season.
| # | Cruise | Best for | Bay | Cabins | Oct to Apr (Ava Travel) | May to Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mila Grand | Most cabin space for the money | Lan Ha | 27 | $155 | $130 |
| 2 | Celina | Biggest new ship, 45 sqm balcony cabins | Lan Ha | 62 | $182 | $170 |
| 3 | Nostalgia Sails | One price all year, Cat Ba cave | Lan Ha | 26 | $157 | $157 |
| 4 | Halora Nova | Balcony cabin for three | Lan Ha | 40 | $165 | $153 |
| 5 | Larissa | Only new ship on Bai Tu Long Bay | Bai Tu Long | 28 | $197 | $197 |
| 6 | Victorious | Families on the classic Halong route | Halong | 36 | $195 | $170 |
| 7 | Athena Premium | Halong Bay with a balcony in every cabin | Halong | 41 | $195 | $195 |
| 8 | Orient Legacy | Largest choice of suites on Lan Ha | Lan Ha | 43 | $182 | $160 |
| 9 | Harmony Boutique | Speedboat boarding, smaller ship | Lan Ha | 28 | $235 | $215 |
| 10 | Orchid Luxury | 14 suites, spa and sauna | Lan Ha | 14 | $240 | $240 |
Are the new 2026 cruises worth the extra money?
They cost a little more, but not much. Across the ten 2026 ships the middle price is $188 per person in high season, against $165 for every ship we sell. The cheapest new ship, Mila Grand at $155, is below that overall middle price; the dearest, Orchid Luxury at $240, is a 14-suite boutique boat. Seven of the ten sail Lan Ha Bay, two sail Halong Bay and one sails Bai Tu Long Bay, so most new ships take you to the quieter water south of the main route.
Where a new ship is clearly worth it: the standard cabin. On Mila Grand and Celina the cheapest cabin is 45 sqm with a balcony. On many older ships, the same money buys a 25 to 30 sqm cabin, sometimes without a balcony. Where it is not: if your priority is a famous cave or a small group, an older ship on the right route can do that better and for less. Our 10 best Halong Bay cruises for 2026 mixes old and new ships for that reason.
1. Mila Grand: the most cabin space for the money
From $155 per person (October to April), $130 (May to September). 27 cabins, Lan Ha Bay, launched 2026.
The Junior Suite is 45 sqm with a balcony, at $155 per person in high season. That is the largest entry cabin on any 2026 ship at this price. Every cabin has a balcony, and there is a Senior Triple Suite for three people in one room. On the first afternoon you visit Dark and Bright Cave by bamboo boat with a local rower; the second morning goes to Trung Trang Cave on Cat Ba Island.
Downside: Trung Trang Cave means about 30 minutes by road from Gia Luan pier each way, so the second morning is partly a bus ride.
2. Celina: the biggest new ship
From $182 per person (October to April), $170 (May to September). 62 cabins, Lan Ha Bay, launched 2026.
Celina is the largest ship launched this year. The three standard grades, Ocean, Senior and Executive Balcony Suite, are all 45 sqm with a balcony; the price difference between them is deck height and position, not floor area. The route is a good one: Viet Hai village on Cat Ba Island by bicycle or electric car on day one, kayaking and swimming at Van Boi, then Dark and Bright Cave the next morning.
Downside: 62 cabins is a big ship. Meals run in sittings and the sundeck gets busy at sunset.
3. Nostalgia Sails: one price all year
From $157 per person, the same price all year. 26 cabins, Lan Ha Bay, launched 2026.
Every cabin has a balcony, from the 30 sqm Heritage Cabin up to a 70 sqm Prestige Suite. Day one is Ao Ech (Frog Pond), a quiet lagoon ringed by cliffs, then an overnight at Tra Bau. Day two crosses Cat Ba Island to Trung Trang Cave. Because the price does not change by season, it is good value from October to April.
Downside: no low-season discount. From May to September, Mila Grand and Halora Nova are cheaper for a similar or larger cabin.
4. Halora Nova: a balcony cabin for three
From $165 per person (October to April), $153 (May to September). 40 cabins, Lan Ha Bay, launched 2026.
A steel ship from the Halora fleet (which also runs Kairos), with a balcony on all 40 cabins. The Premium Triple is a 30 sqm balcony cabin sold for three people, which is rare on a new ship and saves a family of three booking two rooms. Above it sit a 45 sqm Suite and a 60 sqm Grand Suite.
Downside: the standard cabin is 30 sqm, so for a few dollars more Mila Grand and Celina give you 45 sqm.
5. Larissa: the only new ship on Bai Tu Long Bay
From $197 per person, the same price all year. 28 cabins, Bai Tu Long Bay, launched 2026.
Bai Tu Long takes the fewest boats of the three bays, and until recently the ships there were older ones. Larissa puts a 2026 hull on that water. Every cabin has a balcony. The route is Cap La by kayak on day one and Thien Canh Son Cave on day two. The top cabin, the Panorama Jacuzzi Suite, is 42 sqm with its own jacuzzi, from $355 per person.
Downside: its first departures are from mid-October 2026, so there are no guest reviews yet. The operator has not published the floor area of the two cheaper cabins.
6. Victorious: families on the classic Halong route
From $195 per person (October to April), $170 (May to September). 36 cabins, Halong Bay, launched 2026.
Victorious runs the route most first-time visitors picture: Luon Cave by kayak or bamboo boat, Titop Island, then Sung Sot Cave, one of the largest caves in Halong Bay, the next morning. It has seven cabin types, the widest choice of any new ship. The Family Grand is 83 sqm with a balcony and sleeps four. The Senior Balcony, 35 sqm, costs $202 per person in high season.
Downside: the cheapest cabin, the Junior Ocean, has no balcony. And the Halong route is the busiest of the three bays.
7. Athena Premium: Halong Bay with a balcony in every cabin
From $195 per person, the same price all year. 41 cabins, Halong Bay, launched 2026.
Every cabin has a balcony and the smallest is 43 sqm, which is large for Halong Bay. Day one stops at Bo Nau Cave and Sung Sot Cave, then Titop Island; day two is Luon Cave by kayak or bamboo boat. At the top is the Imperial Athena Suite, 400 sqm, the largest cabin on the bay, from $1,750 per person.
Downside: one price all year, so no saving in low season, and it shares the main Halong route with the most boats.
8. Orient Legacy: the most suite choice on Lan Ha
From $182 per person (October to April), $160 (May to September). 43 cabins, Lan Ha Bay, launched 2026.
The cabins are named after Vietnamese cities: Halong, Faifo (old Hoi An) and Saigon, in seven grades up to a 68 sqm Legend Suite. Day one is Dark and Bright Cave by local bamboo boat; day two is kayaking and swimming at Tra Bau.
Downside: the two cheapest cabins, Halong Deluxe and Faifo Deluxe, are the same 35 sqm room with no balcony. If you want a balcony, the first one is the Faifo Suite at $195 per person.
9. Harmony Boutique: speedboat boarding
From $235 per person (October to April), $215 (May to September). 28 cabins, Lan Ha Bay, launched 2026.
Check-in is in the Harmony lounge at Tuan Chau, and you go out to the ship by high-speed tender rather than a slow transfer boat, which saves time at both ends. Every cabin has a balcony and the smallest is 38 sqm. Dark and Bright Cave by bamboo boat on day one, a night at Tra Bau, and a Vietnamese egg coffee demonstration on the second morning.
Downside: at $235 it is the second most expensive new ship, and the entry cabin is smaller than on Mila Grand or Celina.
10. Orchid Luxury: 14 suites, spa and sauna
From $240 per person, the same price all year. 14 cabins, Lan Ha Bay, launched 2026.
The newest of the four Orchid boats. All 14 cabins are suites with a balcony and a bathtub facing the bay, and there is a spa with a sauna and a jacuzzi. It runs its own route: Tien Ong Cave and Cua Van fishing village on day one, kayaking at Ao Ech the next morning. Two 72 sqm family suites sleep four.
Downside: it is the most expensive of the ten and the newest, so it has the shortest track record. For a smaller and even more private boat, the same company’s Orchid Premium has only 5 suites.
Ships launched in 2025: past their first season
These ships are a year old, so the early problems are sorted and there are real reviews to read, while the cabins are still nearly new. Several are cheaper than the 2026 ships.
| Cruise | Bay | Cabins | Oct to Apr (Ava Travel) | May to Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kairos | Lan Ha | 29 | $150 | $127 |
| Le Journey Elegance | Lan Ha | 22 | $152 | $142 |
| Majesty Prime | Lan Ha | 24 | $160 | $140 |
| Velar of the Seas | Lan Ha | 29 | $165 | $155 |
| Du Yen | Halong | 26 | $165 | $165 |
| Aimee | Halong | 29 | $167 | $162 |
| Indochine Grand | Lan Ha | 32 | $167 | $152 |
| Cycad | Bai Tu Long | 24 | $175 | $160 |
| Diana | Lan Ha | 56 | $178 | $178 |
| L’amour | Halong | 33 | $190 | $190 |
| Calista | Halong | 38 | $192 | $170 |
| Paradise Legacy | Halong | 42 | $205 | $185 |
| Azura | Lan Ha | 30 | $205 | $170 |
| Lyra Grandeur | Lan Ha | 33 | $245 | $195 |
| Bhaya Soul | Halong | 20 | $265 | $265 |
Three we recommend often: Lyra Grandeur for families (four kinds of family cabin, a jacuzzi, spa and sauna), Diana for one price all year with 56 balcony cabins, and Cycad, the newest ship on Bai Tu Long Bay before Larissa.
Frequently asked questions
What is the newest Halong Bay cruise?
Ten ships launched in 2026 on Halong, Lan Ha and Bai Tu Long bays. Among them, Orchid Luxury and Larissa are the most recent, both taking their first guests from October 2026. The largest new ship is Celina, with 62 cabins.
How much does a new Halong Bay cruise cost?
A 2 day 1 night cruise on a 2026 ship costs from $155 to $240 per person in high season (October to April), with a middle price of about $188. Several are cheaper from May to September. Transfer from Hanoi is extra. See the full Halong Bay cruise cost guide.
Is a new cruise ship better than an older one?
It usually has larger standard cabins, newer bathrooms and more balconies. It does not have a better bay: the route and the cave stops matter more than the year the ship was built. A ship in its first season also has fewer reviews, and crews take a season to settle.
Which new cruise is best for families?
Victorious, for its 83 sqm Family Grand that sleeps four, and Halora Nova if you are three. From 2025, Lyra Grandeur has the widest choice of family cabins. Our family cruise guide compares all of them.
Book a new Halong Bay cruise 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 ship fits? Message us on WhatsApp (+84 904 251 545) with your dates, group and budget, and we will suggest two options. Compare every ship we sell on our Halong Bay cruises page.
