Is It Better to Book Halong Bay Cruise Online or On Arrival?

Most travelers must have ever been accustomed to booking accommodation and transportation independently while traveling to Vietnam. However, it’s more complicated in terms of Halong Bay cruise booking since you have to choose the most suitable boats, itineraries, cabin categories, and more. Most inbound tourists are increasingly questioning how to book a cruise. As a consequence, there is always a struggle between online booking in advance and on-arrival booking through a local travel agent.

Depending on the availability, transparency, and budget, some people are interested in booking online either via a travel agent or on their own, while others feel more reliable with booking on arrival as they can meet the travel consultant in person.

If you are planning a Ha Long Bay boat trip, it is important to understand the benefits of early online booking to secure the best options.

The following guide will lay out the advantages and disadvantages of these two booking methods to suggest to you the how to book a cruise in Halong Bay.

Comparison between Halong Bay cruise booking online and on arrival

The reputation of Halong Bay booking

One of the key factors to consider when you find a travel company is its reputation and transparency. To find a trustworthy and professional one, you need to research carefully and view clients’ feedback to check their reputation. Be aware of unscrupulous companies and travel scams in Vietnam if you don’t want to waste time listening to bad advice or trying to track the agent down when you’re in trouble.

Booking Halong Cruise online

Online sources offer the best approach to see how trustworthy a travel agency is. At first, the internet is a great source to find feedback and reviews from previous clients. There are numerous review sites and forums where you can get travel experiences of how to book a Halong Bay cruise. In most cases, TripAdvisor ratings can help a lot.

For a comprehensive guide on how to handle unexpected situations, you may also refer to advice such as what to do if your Halong Bay cruise is canceled to prepare for contingencies.

After considering several reputable names, you better check out their official websites. Go with the sites listing the price, basic information, activities, itinerary, and what is included in the package. In terms of the cancellation and refund policies, a reliable company will publish the cases of cancellation and refund rates.

You can refer website of BestPrice Travel - one of the trusted online agent to book a Halong bay cruise online

A reliable website publishes contact information, price, itinerary, and so on

Booking your cruise Halong on arrival

It might be confusing to check the reputation of a travel agent while booking on arrival. Word spreads fast if a business is unscrupulous. So, take a recommendation from your hotel as no hotel wants their customers to get terrible experiences on the vacation. Make sure you don’t be cheated by fraudulent travel agents without any research. Sometimes you might be unlucky to meet an agent who ends the customer services once they get your purchase.

You may also like: Avoiding Scams for Halong Bay Cruises

Availability of Halong Bay cruise booking

Available online booking

It goes without saying that online cruise booking brings you much more convenience with a great diversity of choices. Along with the remarkable development of online services, you can easily do online research and make a purchase with only a few clicks whenever you find the most appropriate Halong tour booking.

When considering the best options, check out overnight cruises departing from Halong Bay overnight cruise from Hanoi to ensure a comfortable and seamless experience.

With regard to the availability, online booking gives you various selections, from budget to luxury cruise, as well as your specific requirements of cabin size, amenities, special diet, etc. Hence, you will have plenty of time to pick up the best fit for your Halong cruise trip without any concerns about availability. If you plan ahead one or two months before your trip, you can even make changes to other options that weren’t available from the initial. On your arrival in Halong Bay, all you need to do is head for the boat and embark on the cruise.

You can check the top 10 Halong Cruise for online booking here

Booking online gives you various choices to choose the most suitable cruise

Available for booking on arrival

Above all, it is quite struggling to start seeking a cruise when you arrive in Vietnam due to most cruises having been full or booked in advance. Despite some cruise deals available at the last minute, you should keep in mind that there are scanty options of Halong tours booking to opt for in the nick of time.

On the other hand, Halong Bay cruise booking on arrival with a travel agency can work best for you thanks to the personalized advice from a knowledgeable source. A Halong Bay travel agent will discuss further your preferences, budget, and specific demands to recommend which Halong Bay boats will suit you best. As a result, if you have plenty of time in Vietnam, it will be acceptable to book on arrival before a couple of days.

You may concern: Halong Bay Cruise Port & Terminal: Guide to Arrange Proper Transfer 

The flexibility of Halong Bay booking

• Flexible of Booking online

To begin with, the online process can provide you with some essential information including deck plans, cabin layouts, cruise ship amenities, and in-port activities before your Halong tours booking. You can find out plenty of combos apart from Halong cruises, then booking online can open up more opportunities to arrange flights, pre-or post-cruise stays, in-port excursions, and special arrangements such as celebrations onboard or arrangements for dietary and medical concerns. As far as we are concerned, planning ahead matters.

In addition, those who book online through a Halong Bay travel agent can get numerous advantages with respect to possible contingencies. If you’re confused about the weather, culture shock, exchange rate, travel visa procedure, necessary vaccinations, and so on, a travel consultant can act as the vacation advocate that gives you a brief on what to know before your Halong cruise booking.

A travel agency will give you a heads-up about what's coming next while traveling to Halong Bay

Flexible for booking on arrival

The first inconvenience of booking on arrival is that you don’t have much time to do research on cruise recommendations. Unless you have made up your mind about a specific cruise, you will be overwhelmed with an abundance of choices. Be careful before making a decision.

If you are arriving at the port, it is essential to familiarize yourself with facilities like the Halong Cruise Port, which serves as the main departure point for many popular cruises.

Additionally, last-minute bookings can’t be flexible if there are any chances of canceled deals or missed connections due to bad weather in the Halong typhoon season. In this case, we highly recommend you to book with a Halong Bay travel agent who will update the booking frequently, remind you of considering factors, and head off other travel predicaments of some cruises. At last, they will help clean up the mess, if something bad happens.

For further details: What should you do if Halong Bay Cruise is canceled?

Price of Halong tours booking

Price for Booking online

When you book a Halong Bay tour online, it makes you better compare the fares and special deals across multiple sites. Also, you can follow the email subscription to inform you of the last-minute deals, special offers, as well as limited-time promotions. There is always a way to check the updated prices frequently and be the first to get a Halong cruise booking as soon as the prices drop.

Price for Booking on arrival

In the first place, booking on arrival can cost higher as you have no time to do research then miss out on specific promotions that could get you some extra perks and savings. In different circumstances, you can be deceived by the low-cost deals which are half the price compared with the costs on the internet. Not to mention, Halong Bay booking on arrival becomes more obscured as the last-time minute deals must cloud your judgment. One thing to remember, you get what you pay for.

How to book a Halong Bay cruise?

All things considered, booking online services greatly outweigh on-arrival booking with a handful of advantages. However, every coin has two sides; hence, either booking a cruise online or on arrival gives you a worth-trying experience. If you know Ha Long cruise like the back of your hand or you’re eager to plan a long vacation in Vietnam, you should consider booking on arrival. In case you are a first-time cruiser and have a lot of special requests, you’d better book a cruise online.

Best of all, it is recommended to book online with a Halong Bay travel agent who saves you both money and time struggling for the best cruise deals. All you need to do is provide essential information about your trip; travel consultants will offer you the best fits. In fact, travel agents have access to a variety of special discount codes and promotions through suppliers. They often save an additional amount or provide clients with free transportation and all-inclusive fees of services on cruises.

Apart from saving money, you’ll save a large amount of time planning your own vacation, checking the booking site, and searching for hot deals every day. Don’t worry! A professional travel advisor will create the best Halong Bay itinerary for your booking, including transportations, accommodations, tours, meals, and exclusive visits based on your preferences.

BestPrice Travel offers a great diversity of Halong Bay Cruise deals

Read also: 3 Easy Steps to Choose The Best Halong Bay Cruise

In conclusion, we highly recommend that first-time cruisers book Halong Bay cruises through a travel agent instead of booking directly by themselves. If you see eye to eye with us, you might want to check out the latest Halong cruise deals at BestPrice Travel. As a highly reputable and excellent travel agent rated on TripAdvisor, we always give you the best experiences of Halong Bay cruise booking. We are specialists who understand your interests and insight into every specific segment of travel, including Vegans, Muslims, or LGBT. We’re flexible about alternative options whenever something wrong happens. And, we’re always available to follow up on your booking process and respond as soon as possible.

Hong Nhung

(Image sources: Internet)