Rates by group size, and the two points where cost goes back up
Ranges, not single numbers, because a single number is a guess dressed up as a quote. What follows is what a programme actually costs at each group size, what moves it, and where the curve breaks.
Rates by programme length
Per guest, twin share, VAT included, air tickets excluded. Includes road transfer from Hanoi, all meals in the programme, bay fees, activity equipment and a coordinator on every hull. Excludes gala production, alcohol beyond the welcome service, and photography.
| Group size | Day charter | 2D1N | 3D2N | 4D3N |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 – 29 | 85 – 140 | 175 – 270 | 250 – 385 | 340 – 520 |
| 30 – 49 | 78 – 128 | 158 – 242 | 225 – 347 | 305 – 470 |
| 50 – 69 | 72 – 118 | 147 – 226 | 210 – 323 | 285 – 438 |
| 70 – 119 | 68 – 112 | 140 – 215 | 200 – 308 | 272 – 418 |
| 120 – 199 | 66 – 108 | 137 – 209 | 195 – 299 | 265 – 405 |
| 200 or more | Quoted per project | Quoted per project | Quoted per project | Quoted per project |
It is the same basis we publish for every destination we operate, so a Ha Long figure and a figure for another destination can be compared directly. The shorter columns are derived from it and are specific to this bay.
Where the curve breaks
The table above reads as a smooth decline. It is not. Two headcounts break it, and both are worth building your invitation list around.
| Threshold | What happens | Effect on cost per person |
|---|---|---|
| Guest 45 | A second vessel is required for the whole programme — crew, fuel, galley, clearance. | Rises by roughly 20–30% against guest 44, then falls again as the second hull fills |
| Guest 71 | The group no longer fits on one sun deck. The gala moves ashore or splits. | Adds a shore venue, transfers and production; typically 15–25 USD per person |
| Guest 89 | Three or more hulls. Shore gala becomes the assumption rather than the fallback. | Stabilises, but the programme shape is now fundamentally different |
In total, not just per head. If your list is sitting at 45 to 48 and the two extra people are not essential, cutting back to 44 is the single largest saving available to you anywhere in this programme. Nobody selling you a cruise will volunteer that. The cabin limits page explains the arithmetic.
Seasonal multipliers
| Months | Multiplier | What you get, and what you do not |
|---|---|---|
| October – November | 1.20 – 1.30 | The best sailing window of the year. Dry, clear, 22–28°C, the view you booked. Books out first. |
| April – May | 1.05 – 1.15 | Warm, generally clear, good deck weather. The second-best window and better value. |
| June – August | 1.15 – 1.25 | Hot, 33–36°C. Domestic peak so rates are high anyway. Typhoon season — contingency required. |
| September | 1.00 – 1.10 | Transitional. Late typhoons possible. Good value if you accept the risk in writing. |
| March | 0.90 – 1.00 | Damp northern spring, low cloud and drizzle. Sailable, but the photographs are grey. |
| December – February | 0.75 – 0.85 | Cheapest of the year. 12–18°C, sea mist, limited visibility. A deck gala is realistically unavailable. |
The cheapest months on this bay are not the wet ones. They are the cold ones, and what you lose is not the sailing — it is the view and the outdoor evening. That is a very different trade from the one you make at a beach destination, and it catches out planners who assume northern Vietnam behaves like the south.
What is included, precisely
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Vessel, crew, fuel, harbour dues | Air tickets |
| All cabins on the committed manifest | Gala production: stage, sound, lighting, MC, band |
| Return coach transfer from central Hanoi | Alcohol beyond the welcome service |
| All meals in the programme | Photography and video |
| Bay entry and route fees | Shore accommodation on 3D2N and 4D3N |
| Kayaks and standard activity equipment | Personal expenses and spa treatments |
| One coordinator per hull | Travel insurance |
| Guide at one per 28 guests | Anything added after the manifest locks at D-14 |
Questions we are asked most often
How accurate are these ranges?
We commit to quoting within 15% of the indicative range, provided the brief is accurate and the destination, vessel class and season do not change. If our detailed quote falls outside that, the difference is on us to explain.
Why is there a range at all rather than a price?
Because vessel class, anchorage, menu grade, activity set and how full the hull is all move the number materially. A single figure would be a fiction, and you would find out at quote stage.
Do you offer net rates to agencies?
Trade rates are handled separately and are not published here. Contact us with your company registration and we will route it.
Is the deposit calculated on our expected headcount?
On a guaranteed minimum you commit to, not on your optimistic estimate. A shortfall of 5–10% against that minimum carries no penalty. This matters more on a ship than on land, because the hull is booked whether you fill it or not.
Where to go next
Four fields and you can send
Tell us the basics and we will come back within eight working hours with feasibility — including how many hulls your headcount actually needs — and within three working days with a detailed quote.