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A large white multi-deck cruise ship with a flag and deck umbrellas sits on calm water in front of limestone karst islands under a bright sun and blue sky, with a logo and registration text painted on the hull.
A large white multi-deck cruise ship with a flag and deck umbrellas sits on calm water in front of limestone karst islands under a bright sun and blue sky, with a logo and registration text painted on the hull.
A white multi-deck cruise ship sits in calm blue water surrounded by tall limestone karst formations covered in green vegetation.
A white multi-deck cruise ship sits in calm blue water surrounded by tall limestone karst formations covered in green vegetation.
A staff member in traditional dress opens curtains in a cabin with a bed, decorative wave mural, and wooden furnishings.
A staff member in traditional dress opens curtains in a cabin with a bed, decorative wave mural, and wooden furnishings.
Overhead view of a woman in black swimwear relaxing on a blue deck lounger with wooden armrests, surrounded by other empty loungers on a dark wooden deck.
Overhead view of a woman in black swimwear relaxing on a blue deck lounger with wooden armrests, surrounded by other empty loungers on a dark wooden deck.
Aerial view of limestone karst islands covered in vegetation rising from calm turquoise water with a small cruise boat visible in the distance.
Aerial view of limestone karst islands covered in vegetation rising from calm turquoise water with a small cruise boat visible in the distance.
A luxury cruise cabin with two beds, dark wood furniture, and glass doors opening to a view of limestone karsts and water.
A luxury cruise cabin with two beds, dark wood furniture, and glass doors opening to a view of limestone karsts and water.
A white hot tub filled with pink flower petals sits on a wooden deck with limestone karsts and calm water in the background at dusk.
A white hot tub filled with pink flower petals sits on a wooden deck with limestone karsts and calm water in the background at dusk.
Two people in orange life jackets kayaking through a cave opening with limestone karst formations visible through the arch.
Two people in orange life jackets kayaking through a cave opening with limestone karst formations visible through the arch.
A multi-deck white cruise ship with the 'Auco' logo painted on its bow sails on calm water at sunset, with limestone karst islands in the background and a few people on the upper decks.
A multi-deck white cruise ship with the 'Auco' logo painted on its bow sails on calm water at sunset, with limestone karst islands in the background and a few people on the upper decks.
A bright cabin with a white bed, orange cushions and a window seat, with a couple holding drinks on a balcony doorway beside limestone karst hills across the water.
A bright cabin with a white bed, orange cushions and a window seat, with a couple holding drinks on a balcony doorway beside limestone karst hills across the water.
A circular open-air bar on a cruise ship's upper deck with an illuminated 'âuco' neon sign, cocktails on the counter, umbrellas and chairs around, and limestone karst islands over the water at dusk.
A circular open-air bar on a cruise ship's upper deck with an illuminated 'âuco' neon sign, cocktails on the counter, umbrellas and chairs around, and limestone karst islands over the water at dusk.
A couple holds hands and walks along a sandy beach beside green water, with dark limestone rocks and forested hills behind and blurred foliage in the foreground.
A couple holds hands and walks along a sandy beach beside green water, with dark limestone rocks and forested hills behind and blurred foliage in the foreground.
A multi-deck white cruise ship lit up at dusk sits on calm water in front of tall green limestone karst cliffs, with its lights reflected in the water.
A multi-deck white cruise ship lit up at dusk sits on calm water in front of tall green limestone karst cliffs, with its lights reflected in the water.
A cruise ship cabin interior with a large bed, dark wood paneling, white bedding, decorative pillows, and a white nightstand with flowers.
A cruise ship cabin interior with a large bed, dark wood paneling, white bedding, decorative pillows, and a white nightstand with flowers.
A wooden sun deck with brown wicker loungers, white umbrellas and a white railing with life rings, overlooking turquoise water and green limestone karst islands, with a logo printed on a rolled towel on the nearest lounger.
A wooden sun deck with brown wicker loungers, white umbrellas and a white railing with life rings, overlooking turquoise water and green limestone karst islands, with a logo printed on a rolled towel on the nearest lounger.
An elevated aerial view with a tilt-shift effect shows a small white cruise boat on green water among forested limestone karst islands.
An elevated aerial view with a tilt-shift effect shows a small white cruise boat on green water among forested limestone karst islands.
A bright cabin with a white double bed, blue padded headboard panels with white line motifs, a navy window seat with cushions, striped roman blinds, and a wooden floor, with hazy water visible through the windows.
A bright cabin with a white double bed, blue padded headboard panels with white line motifs, a navy window seat with cushions, striped roman blinds, and a wooden floor, with hazy water visible through the windows.
A dark wood boat deck with wicker chairs, a small table holding a champagne bucket and glasses, two loungers and a white railing, overlooking green water and tree-covered limestone karst cliffs.
A dark wood boat deck with wicker chairs, a small table holding a champagne bucket and glasses, two loungers and a white railing, overlooking green water and tree-covered limestone karst cliffs.
Two people in white sit on wooden loungers with towels under a white parasol on a sandy beach beside green water, with limestone cliffs behind and a rock in the foreground.
Two people in white sit on wooden loungers with towels under a white parasol on a sandy beach beside green water, with limestone cliffs behind and a rock in the foreground.
A softly blurred cabin interior with twin white beds, a wall lamp and sheer curtains, while a woman in a yellow ao dai stands at the window with her back to the camera.
A softly blurred cabin interior with twin white beds, a wall lamp and sheer curtains, while a woman in a yellow ao dai stands at the window with her back to the camera.
A smiling man and woman lie on a white bed in a dark-wood cabin with a green padded wall panel, looking at a camera the man holds, with a small plaque and a brass fan on the wall and window blinds on the right.
A smiling man and woman lie on a white bed in a dark-wood cabin with a green padded wall panel, looking at a camera the man holds, with a small plaque and a brass fan on the wall and window blinds on the right.
HL-19 · Ha Long Bay

Au Co Cruise

2 days · 1 night · 3 days · 2 nights · 32 cabins · launched 2012 · Cross-checked 7 Aug 2026 ↓

from$193per person, two sharingcabin for two from $385, read 6 Aug 2026
Check availability
Older hull than 22 of 29

Au Co crosses two bays in a single night. You board at Tuan Chau at noon, kayak the lagoon at Ho Ba Ham on the Lan Ha side that afternoon, and choose between Tien Ong cave and the floating village at Cua Van the next morning. The ship is steel, 56 m long on one listing’s figures, spread over four decks, and two listings date it to 2012, a third to 2016. Bhaya Cruises, which runs it, says fourteen years of cruising and a crew of 45.

Two ships, one name

Bhaya runs twin Au Co ships of 32 cabins each, renovated in recent years, and the guest stories it publishes name Au Co 1 and Au Co 2. A booking under the Au Co name does not tell you which hull you will sleep on. Our photographs, all from bhayacruises.com, include a round deck bar with “auco” printed on its canopy, which shows the brand and cannot tell the twins apart. The same company also runs Bhaya Classic, Bhaya Legend and Bhaya Soul. Put the ship’s full name and number on the confirmation.

The cabins, all 32

Bhaya describes every grade. Fourteen deluxe cabins fill the main deck at 20 m², each with a balcony of its own and a glass-walled shower, some of them connecting. Twelve executive cabins sit on the upper deck at the same 20 m², also with balconies. The two grand deluxe cabins, aft on the upper deck, trade the balcony for a large panoramic window. One listing reverses the deluxe and executive counts, so if the deck matters to you, name it when you book.

Then the suites. The Long Quan suite sits at the stern with a terrace, sun loungers, a king bed and a bathtub, at 40 m². The two Au Co suites are forward, at 36 m², with a wraparound balcony, a queen bed and a free-standing tub. Bhaya’s pages in five languages give those two sizes, while two listings put the Long Quan at 36 m². The operator writes of the Long Quan in the singular, while a listing counts two, which is what makes the total 32.

On deck there is a shared jacuzzi, the tub the operator photographs full of flower petals at dusk; no cabin description mentions one. The spa and the included kayaking are verified. The gym rests on the operator’s word alone, and no source we checked mentions a pool either way, so ask if it matters.

The route

Bhaya’s own terminal inside Tuan Chau International Marina is where you board, and the ship leaves at noon. Our note on which harbour you leave from sets the three piers side by side.

On the two-day trip the first afternoon goes to Ho Ba Ham, the lake-like lagoon where the kayaks come out, followed by happy hour, a cooking competition, rice-wine tasting and squid fishing. Next morning you pick Tien Ong cave or the floating culture centre at Cua Van, reached by kayak or rowing boat, and the ship is back at the marina by ten. The operator puts you in central Hanoi or at the airport between 13:30 and 14:30.

The three-day programme adds Trinh Nu beach and cave and the pearl farm at Tung Sau, with Ba Ham, Tien Ong and Cua Van still on it. A four-day version reaches into Bai Tu Long for Viet Hai, Vung Vieng, Thien Canh Son, Sung Sot and Luon. The caves and islands guide shows how often each of those stops turns up across the fleet, and Ha Long Bay covers the water the ship starts from.

Price and offers

One reseller, read on 6 August 2026, prices the two-day trip at $385 for a deluxe or grand deluxe cabin, $427 for an executive and $685 for the Long Quan suite. For the three-day trip the same grades are $731, $835 and $1,301. It states that its prices assume two adults in a cabin, so we read them as cabin prices for two; confirm that when you ask. It does not price the Au Co suites. Halved, the cheapest one-night cabin is about $193 each for two sharing.

Bhaya’s own pages print “From” and “All taxes & fees included” beside each trip, and the number itself was missing from every page we captured. Ask the operator for a quote for your dates, and compare it with the reseller’s figures.

Two offers were running when we read the operator’s pages on 6 August 2026. The two-day trip carried a “Kids Sail Free” tag, with no terms beside it in what we captured. Executive, Long Quan and Au Co suite bookings came with a free night in a Hanoi hotel for sailings until September 2026, so check whether it has been renewed.

Bhaya’s two-day page lists a round-trip Hanoi transfer among the inclusions, then describes the transfer as something you add, and one listing excludes the shuttle. Drinks and spa treatments are extra on two sources. Get the transfer in writing, and check what is not included before comparing totals.

Who it suits

Couples and families who want a balcony cabin and a single night that reaches the Lan Ha side, booked through someone who will name the hull. Groups too: the operator’s wedding page allows up to 76 guests a ship overnight. The rest of the luxury list is where to compare it.

No guest record yet

We have not yet collected guest reviews for this ship, so this page carries no score, and nobody’s stay confirms the specification on this page. That is the gap to weigh. Add the twin hulls and the transfer that one page both includes and sells, and the booking needs more questions than most. If you are choosing between waters first, the bays differ.

Why people book Au Co

Book it if

  • Two bays in one night: kayaking at Ho Ba Ham on the Lan Ha side, then Tien Ong cave or Cua Van the next morning
  • Every standard cabin is 20 m², and 26 of the 28 come with a balcony of their own
  • A 56 m steel ship on four decks, with a spa, a deck jacuzzi and a crew the operator puts at 45

The decisions either side of it

Athena Premium Cruisethe step up+$2
41 cabins against 32
Paradise Legacy Cruisethe cheaper option−$8
42 cabins against 32

Chosen by price proximity within the same bay, computed from our dataset — not by commission. We add no booking fee to any of them.

Our read

Our view is that Au Co's strength is its route: one night that reaches the Lan Ha side from Tuan Chau, on a large steel ship with a balcony on almost every cabin. There are twin hulls under one name, so ask which you are booking and get the transfer terms in writing.

Choose your cabin

Deluxe Cabin14 of 32 cabins

20 m², private balcony.

20 m²Balcony ✓
In the room
Air ConditioningBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathrobesBalcony
$3852D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $731 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Grand Deluxe Cabin2 of 32 cabins

20 m².

20 m²No balcony
In the room
Air ConditioningBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathrobes
$3852D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $731 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Executive Cabin12 of 32 cabins

20 m², private balcony.

20 m²Balcony ✓
In the room
Air ConditioningBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathrobesBalcony
$4272D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $835 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Lac Long Quan Suite2 of 32 cabins

40 m², king bed, ocean view, private balcony.

40 m²KingOcean viewBalcony ✓
In the room
Air ConditioningBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathtubBathrobesBalcony
$6852D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $1301 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Au Co Suite2 of 32 cabins

36 m², queen bed, ocean view, private balcony.

36 m²QueenOcean viewBalcony ✓
In the room
Air ConditioningBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathtubBathrobesBalcony
no published ratewe will get you a numberunknownAsk for a quote
Rates are the highest published fare per cabin we found (rack rate, double occupancy unless marked) — treat them as the ceiling, not the floor. Seen on one listing only; the operator publishes no rate card we can cite.

What's in the fare — and what isn't

In the fare

  • En-suite bathroom2 sources“Spacious air-con Cabins and en-suite Bathrooms”
  • Kayaking2 sources“Kayak and snorkeling equipment”
  • Bottled water in cabin1 source“02 complimentary bottles of water in the cabin.”
  • English-speaking guide1 source“English-speaking Tour Guide”
  • Entrance & sightseeing fees1 source“Welcome cocktail, Entrance fees and sightseeing fees”
  • Welcome drink1 source“Welcome Drink”

Not in the fare

  • Airfare2 sources“Air Fare if any”
  • Drinks & beverages2 sources“Other beverages, tips and personal expenses”
  • Spa & massage2 sources“Beauty spa services”
  • Hanoi transfer1 source“Shuttle bus Hanoi – Halong – Hanoi”
  • Meals on board1 source“Meals not mentioned in the program”
  • Peak-season surcharge1 source“Surcharges will be applied during the Christmas and New Year’s Eve periods and over the Vietnamese Tet Lunar New Year”
  • Tips & gratuities1 source“Tips are welcomed!”
  • Vietnam visa1 source“Visa arrangements”

Described differently across sources — read both

These item appears on both lists. Sometimes that is a real disagreement; sometimes the two sources are describing different things. We show what each actually said rather than pick one.

Travel insurance
Listed as included · 1 source

“Onboard insurance”

Listed as extra · 1 source

“Travel Insurance”

Assembled from the 4 sources we read for this boat, grouped by what each line is about and counted by how many sources list it. Quotes are the sources' own wording. Nothing here replaces the confirmation you get in writing when you book.

Good to know

Who should look at something else
  • You read reviews before booking anything; we have not yet collected any for this ship
  • You want a bathtub; on the operator's own descriptions only the four suites have one
  • You want a firm price before you enquire; the cabin rates we hold come from a single reseller and the operator prints none
What to ask before you pay
8
8 questions, each one tied to something this boat does not publish. Almost none of the cruise pages we surveyed tells you what to ask. Take this list to whoever quotes you.

The moneyWhere the spread hides

How much is the Hanoi transfer, and is it shared or private?
Our sources agree it is not in the fare, but none of them publishes the price. Ask for both options — the gap between a seat on a shared van and a private car is usually the biggest single add-on.
What is the single-occupancy supplement?
Not published by any source we read. Common on this coast and often +50% or more.
Child and infant rates?
Not published for this boat by any source we read — the child tables we found are the sellers’ own, identical across every boat they list. Ask for the age bands, not just the discount.

The logisticsThe mistakes that cost a morning

Confirm it is Tuan Chau International Marina.
The piers serving these bays are roughly twenty minutes apart and drivers do occasionally go to the wrong one.
Which stops does the 3 days · 2 nights add?
The route list we publish is the union across itineraries; no source says which legs the longer trip reaches. This is usually the reason to take it.

If it goes wrongNobody publishes this — get it in writing

What happens if the port closes for weather?
The provincial authority closes the port and every boat stays in. No source publishes this operator’s policy. Ask whether it is a refund or a date change, in writing.
Which cancellation ladder applies to your booking, and what deposit?
We found 7 different ladders across our sources for boats on this coast — free cancellation ends anywhere from 15 to 30 days out. It depends on who you book through, not on this boat. Get yours in writing before the deposit.
Is a cave closure refunded or substituted?
Caves close at short notice here. Substitution is normal; a refund is not. Worth knowing which you are agreeing to.
We do not host guest reviews yet, and we will not reprint a score we cannot audit. This list is what we would want in their place — take it to whoever quotes you, us included.
Boarding times and the cancellation ladder

The boat's own timings

Check in on board
12:20pm
Cabin checkout
10:45am

Published by one listing and not corroborated elsewhere1 source.

Cancellation — not a property of this boat

We checked every cancellation ladder in our sources. They differ by who you book through, not by which boat you sail: the same boat carries different terms on different listings. So we will not print one and call it Au Co Cruise's policy.

Across the 7 distinct ladders we found, free cancellation ends somewhere between 15 and 30 days before check-in. After that the fee climbs to 100%.

See the 7 ladders we found
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%30-11 days ahead 15%10-7 days ahead 30%Under 7 days 100%
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%29-15 days ahead 25%14-7 days ahead 50%6-3 days ahead 75%
  • More than 15 days ahead 0%15-10 days ahead 50%9-3 days ahead 75%
  • More than 15 days ahead 0%14-10 days ahead 50%9-4 days ahead 70%
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%30-7 days ahead 20%6-3 days ahead 50%Under 3 days 100%
  • More than 21 days ahead 0%7-20 days ahead 30%3-7 days ahead 50%
  • More than 30 days ahead 0%30-7 days ahead 10%6-3 days ahead 50%Under 3 days 100%

Get the ladder in writing from whoever quotes you, before you pay a deposit.

Where it goes — 7 published stops
  1. Halong Bay
  2. Lan Ha Bay
  3. Ba Ham Lake
  4. Tien Ong Cave
  5. Cua Van Floating Village
  6. Trinh Nu Beach
  7. Tung Sau Pearl Farm

Stops as published across the sources we track. Operators reorder them with the tide and the weather, and the provincial authority can close a cave at short notice.

How many guests does Au Co Cruise take?

The operator allows up to 76 guests per ship overnight for events. One listing gives 64 on one page and 66 on another. We show the most widely reported figure and recommend confirming it with the operator before you pay.

Which pier does Au Co Cruise leave from?

Tuan Chau International Marina. The piers serving these bays are roughly twenty minutes apart and drivers do occasionally go to the wrong one, so name it when you arrange your own transfer.

What do you not know about this boat?

No source we checked publishes: pool. A further 4 figures rest on a single source. We would rather say that than fill the gap with a guess. If the operator sends us the figures we will publish them and date them.

Specifications · cross-checked 7 Aug 2026

Sheet HL-19
Corroborated · 8 figuresTwo or more of the sources we read publish it
Cabins ⓘ
32
Launched ⓘ
2012
Hull ⓘ
Steel
Departs from ⓘ
Tuan Chau International Marina
Jacuzzi ⓘ
Yes
Spa
Yes
Kayaking
Yes
Balcony on cabins ⓘ
Yes
Single source · 4 figuresOnly one of the sources says so — confirm before you rely on it
Bay ⓘ
Ha Long Bay
Decks ⓘ
4
Length overall ⓘ
56
Gym
Yes
More than one figure published · 1We show every value we found rather than pick one — hover the ⓘ
Guests at capacity ⓘ
76varies
Unknown · 1 figureNobody publishes these, and we would rather say so than guess
Pool ⓘ
Not published

Read for this boat: operator, source-1, source-2, source-3 — one dot per source, filled when that many publish the figure. 4 figures rest on a single source — confirm before relying on them. 1 figure has more than one published value — hover the ⓘ. How we verify

Where this price sits in the bay

From$193
half the cheapest cabin for two, read 6 Aug 2026
$100$150$200$250$300this boat
This boat · #20 of 24 priced on Ha Long BayThe other 23 priced boats · median $163

We add no booking fee. The figure we show is half the cheapest cabin for two on the rate table we read, dated the day we read it.

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