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Top-down aerial view of a large vessel with a green-covered upper deck, loungers and a small pool, towing or accompanied by a smaller boat on teal water with a churned wake.
Top-down aerial view of a large vessel with a green-covered upper deck, loungers and a small pool, towing or accompanied by a smaller boat on teal water with a churned wake.
A cabin with two large white beds, dark wood ceiling trim and polished wood floor, with windows and a balcony looking out on green limestone karst islands and water, and black-and-white bay photos on the wall.
A cabin with two large white beds, dark wood ceiling trim and polished wood floor, with windows and a balcony looking out on green limestone karst islands and water, and black-and-white bay photos on the wall.
A private balcony on a boat with wicker chairs, a glass table with two cocktails and flowers, a potted plant and a railing, overlooking green water and forested limestone karst islands.
A private balcony on a boat with wicker chairs, a glass table with two cocktails and flowers, a potted plant and a railing, overlooking green water and forested limestone karst islands.
A plated appetizer of two baked oysters with greens and a shrimp cocktail shot glass sits on a place setting with wine glasses, cutlery and a blue branded ceramic bottle on a dark table.
A plated appetizer of two baked oysters with greens and a shrimp cocktail shot glass sits on a place setting with wine glasses, cutlery and a blue branded ceramic bottle on a dark table.
A marble-tiled bathroom with a vessel sink on a dark stone vanity, a round mirror, a wall-mounted hair dryer, a towel rack, a toilet, and a glass-enclosed rain shower.
A marble-tiled bathroom with a vessel sink on a dark stone vanity, a round mirror, a wall-mounted hair dryer, a towel rack, a toilet, and a glass-enclosed rain shower.
A lounge interior with black-and-white patterned tile floor, blue banquette seating, a large orchid and carved-fruit display, framed black-and-white bay photos on the wall, a round porthole-style window and a corridor to the left.
A lounge interior with black-and-white patterned tile floor, blue banquette seating, a large orchid and carved-fruit display, framed black-and-white bay photos on the wall, a round porthole-style window and a corridor to the left.
An aerial view of a multi-deck white cruise ship with 'La Casta Cruise' lettering and registration HP 5558 on the hull, anchored on calm water in front of forested limestone karst islands at sunset.
An aerial view of a multi-deck white cruise ship with 'La Casta Cruise' lettering and registration HP 5558 on the hull, anchored on calm water in front of forested limestone karst islands at sunset.
A cruise cabin with a round white bed decorated with towel swans and rose petals, a blue chaise, dark wood ceiling and red-brown wood floor, and large windows showing calm water and limestone karst islands.
A cruise cabin with a round white bed decorated with towel swans and rose petals, a blue chaise, dark wood ceiling and red-brown wood floor, and large windows showing calm water and limestone karst islands.
A twin-bed cabin with white bedding, dark wood paneling and floor, framed black-and-white coastal photos on the wall, a bedside lamp, and a doorway leading to a small desk area and a porthole-style window.
A twin-bed cabin with white bedding, dark wood paneling and floor, framed black-and-white coastal photos on the wall, a bedside lamp, and a doorway leading to a small desk area and a porthole-style window.
A wooden sun deck with a tiled jacuzzi, a buffet table with a red cloth, blue-cushioned chairs and stools, overlooking calm water and forested limestone islands with distant boats.
A wooden sun deck with a tiled jacuzzi, a buffet table with a red cloth, blue-cushioned chairs and stools, overlooking calm water and forested limestone islands with distant boats.
A dining room with black tables set with red folded napkins, wine glasses and small flower vases, with wall sconces and large windows showing green forested hills outside.
A dining room with black tables set with red folded napkins, wine glasses and small flower vases, with wall sconces and large windows showing green forested hills outside.
An indoor dining room on a boat with dark wood tables, black rattan chairs with blue cushions, and red folded napkins, with large windows showing green limestone karst islands and calm water.
An indoor dining room on a boat with dark wood tables, black rattan chairs with blue cushions, and red folded napkins, with large windows showing green limestone karst islands and calm water.
A small black vase of cream roses and baby's breath sits on a dark bedside table next to a black and gold faceted lamp, with white pillows and bedding behind.
A small black vase of cream roses and baby's breath sits on a dark bedside table next to a black and gold faceted lamp, with white pillows and bedding behind.
Sun deck with artificial grass, wicker loungers with rolled towels and drinks, lamp posts and potted plants, with limestone karst hills and distant boats across the bay.
Sun deck with artificial grass, wicker loungers with rolled towels and drinks, lamp posts and potted plants, with limestone karst hills and distant boats across the bay.
A cabin with two twin beds in white linen, dark wood floor and trim, a bedside lamp, a small round table with fruit and cups, and black-and-white bay photos on the wall.
A cabin with two twin beds in white linen, dark wood floor and trim, a bedside lamp, a small round table with fruit and cups, and black-and-white bay photos on the wall.
A dusk view from an upper deck of a cruise boat showing a lit purple jacuzzi surrounded by wooden decking, bar tables, stools, blue-cushioned seating and potted plants, with other lit boats anchored on the water and dark limestone karst silhouettes behind.
A dusk view from an upper deck of a cruise boat showing a lit purple jacuzzi surrounded by wooden decking, bar tables, stools, blue-cushioned seating and potted plants, with other lit boats anchored on the water and dark limestone karst silhouettes behind.
LH-12 · Lan Ha Bay

La Casta Cruise

2 days · 1 night · 3 days · 2 nights · 22 cabins · launched 2020 · Cross-checked 7 Aug 2026 ↓

from$150per person, two sharingcabin for two from $300, read 6 Aug 2026
Check availability

La Casta is a 22-cabin steel boat on Lan Ha Bay where the cheapest room already has a balcony. That room, the Junior Suite, was $300 a night for two when we read the listing’s rate sheet on 6 August 2026, and the same seller’s staff told a guest that every cabin on La Casta has a bathtub. You board from the La Casta lounge at Lot 17, Tuan Chau Marina, and the aerial photograph on the La Casta website shows HP 5558, the boat’s registration, painted on a white hull.

What does La Casta give you for the money?

Balconies all round. One listing’s cabin sheet gives each of its five classes a balcony, a bathtub, bathrobes, a hair dryer and an in-room safe, and a second site describes every room and bathroom on the boat as facing the sea.

Twenty-two cabins is exactly the median for the 87 boats we publish, so La Casta sits in the middle of the fleet on size. It was launched in 2020, has three decks and a steel hull. A jacuzzi and a spa are both confirmed by four sources, and one source adds a gym. Kayaking is in the fare.

Which La Casta cabin should you book?

The Junior Suite, unless you need the room. The listing whose rate sheet we read on 6 August 2026 prints a floor area against each of its own class names, so the table comes from one page. Prices are per cabin; the two-night column is the whole trip.

Cabin Guests Size 1 night 2 nights
Junior Suite 2 30 m² $300 $600
Senior Suite 2 30 m² $320 $650
VIP Suite Balcony 2 50 m² $340 $700
President VIP Suite Terrace 2 70 m² $390 $800
Family Triple 3 40 m² $480 $980

The Junior Suite has one real drawback, and it is where the cabin sits. Twelve of the 22 cabins are Junior Suites and, on two listings, all of them are on the first deck, the lowest on the boat. The Senior Suite is the same 30 m² on the second deck, where one listing promises a better view of the bay for the extra $20. The bigger jump is the VIP Suite Balcony: another $20 again and the floor area goes from 30 to 50 m² on this sheet. The President VIP Suite Terrace is a single cabin of 70 m² on the third deck. What your cabin gets you explains why sellers quote different sizes for the same boat.

What does the La Casta day look like, hour by hour?

A car from Hanoi’s Old Quarter leaves between 8:00 and 9:00, and it costs extra. At Lot 17 you wait in the La Casta lounge, take a speedboat out and board between 11:30 and noon; one listing gives check-in as 12:30. Lunch is served while the boat sails into Lan Ha. Which harbour you leave from covers Tuan Chau if you are driving yourself.

The afternoon stop is Ba Trai Dao, sold in English as Three Peaches, with around an hour to kayak or swim. If the weather turns, both listings switch it to the Dark and Bright Cave by kayak or rowing boat. Back on board there is a sunset happy hour, a cooking demonstration at 18:00, then a seafood dinner. Evenings are squid fishing, karaoke or board games at the bar.

Day two starts with tai chi on the sundeck at sunrise and breakfast. The boat then anchors at Tra Bau for kayaking or a swim. You check out at 9:30, eat brunch on the sail back, and step off at Tuan Chau between 11:30 and noon. Hanoi is between 2:30 and 3pm. Kayaking in Ha Long covers what a paddle in these lagoons involves.

Is the three-day La Casta trip worth it?

Only if Viet Hai is the point. On the same listing, read on 6 August 2026, the Junior Suite costs $600 for two nights against $300 for one, and the President VIP Suite Terrace $800 against $390. Across all five classes two nights cost 2.00 to 2.06 times one night, so the second night is never cheaper than the first and in four classes it costs slightly more. On that one listing we hold both sheets for 65 boats, read between 6 August and 8 October 2026, and the median ratio by boat is 1.94.

The middle day is also spent off the boat. A day boat takes you to Viet Hai, a village on Cat Ba where you cycle or ride an electric cart between the paddy fields, then serves lunch and takes you kayaking at the Dark and Bright Cave. One listing’s policy says you have no access to La Casta or your cabin until later in the afternoon. Its own staff, asked by a guest, suggested staying on board instead with the jacuzzi and sundeck, warning that the menu would be repeated. Get whichever you want in writing, and pack a day bag if you go. Viet Hai village and two days or three set out when the extra night earns its price.

What is included on La Casta, and what goes on your bill?

The fare covers a welcome drink, kayaking, a pair of water bottles in each cabin, the bamboo boat, entrance and sightseeing fees and the gear for squid fishing. Drinks are extra, which the buy-two-get-one happy hour makes plain, and so are spa treatments, tips and the Hanoi transfer.

One listing adds a gala dinner charge of $40 a person a night on 24 and 31 December, and $15 a person on 30 April, 1 May, 2 September and over Lunar New Year. What is not included covers the rest of a typical bill.

Who is La Casta for?

Couples who want a balcony in Lan Ha for about the middle of the market: the Junior Suite’s $300 is $10 under the $310 median for the cheapest cabin across the 77 boats with a one-night cabin sheet, read on different dates. Families with a small child also do well, since one listing lets a child under four sail free with two adults, charges an extra 75% of the adult rate from four to ten (ask how that is worked out), and full fare from eleven. The best-value boats collect other cabins priced around here.

Who should look elsewhere?

Three guests hoping the triple saves money. The Family Triple’s $480 is $160 a head against $150 each in a Junior Suite, so what the extra buys is 40 m² on the third deck. Look elsewhere too if you want to swim on board: the “Jacuzzi pool” two listings mention is the jacuzzi on the third deck, and none describes a swimming pool. The Lan Ha Bay page and the Lan Ha Bay cruises list the other Lan Ha boats we cover.

What nobody publishes about La Casta

Its length and passenger capacity: no source we read gives either. We have not yet collected guest reviews for La Casta, so nothing on this page comes from a guest.

Other sellers do not always match the table. One puts the VIP suite at 45 m², and one counts three family triples on the third deck where another counts two. The prices are the highest the listing showed when we read it, before any holiday surcharge, and a quote can come in lower. Split two ways, the $300 Junior Suite is $150 each for two sharing.

The inclusion lists we read disagree on meals, an English-speaking guide and travel insurance, so get those three confirmed in writing. One listing gives check-out as 11:30 while both itineraries say 9:30. La Casta Regal is a separate boat sold on the same La Casta website, and none of its figures are used here.

Why people book La Casta

Book it if

  • You want a balcony and a bathtub in the cheapest cabin; the Junior Suite was $300 a night for two on 6 August 2026
  • You would pay $40 more for 50 m², the size the rate-sheet listing gives the VIP Suite Balcony
  • You are two adults with a child under four, who sails free on one listing's terms

The decisions either side of it

Venus Cruisethe cheaper option−$0
Hull 2023 against 2020
29 cabins against 22
La Casta Regal Cruisethe cheaper option−$0
24 cabins against 22

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: the Junior Suite at $300 for two is the booking unless you want space. The Senior Suite is the same 30 m² one deck up for $20 more, and the VIP Suite Balcony is 50 m² for $340. Take the two-day trip unless Viet Hai village is the reason you are going.

Choose your cabin

Senior Suite5 of 22 cabins

30 m², double or twin beds, ocean view, private balcony.

30 m²Double/twinOcean viewBalcony ✓
In the room
Air ConditioningTelephoneBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathtubBathrobesBalcony
$3202D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $650 · per cabin, whole trip1 sourceEnquire
Family Triple Suite2 of 22 cabins

40 m², double or twin beds, ocean view, private balcony.

40 m²Double/twinOcean viewBalcony ✓
In the room
Air ConditioningMini BarTelephoneBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathtubBathrobesBalcony
no published ratewe will get you a numberunknownAsk for a quote
Honeymoon VIP Suite3 of 22 cabins

50 m², double bed, ocean view, private balcony.

50 m²DoubleOcean viewBalcony ✓
In the room
Air ConditioningTelephoneBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathtubBathrobesBalcony
no published ratewe will get you a numberunknownAsk for a quote
President VIP Suite1 of 22 cabins

70 m², double bed, sea view, private balcony, on the third deck.

70 m²DoubleSea viewBalcony ✓Third Deck
In the room
Air ConditioningTelephoneBottled WaterIn Room SafeHair DryerBathtubBathrobesBalcony
no published ratewe will get you a numberunknownAsk for a quote
Junior Suite
$3002D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $600 · per cabin, whole tripEnquire
VIP Suite Balcony
$3402D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $700 · per cabin, whole tripEnquire
President Vip Suite Terrace
$3902D1N · per cabin · 2 guests
highest published rate3D2N $800 · per cabin, whole tripEnquire
Family Triple
$4802D1N · per cabin · up to 3
highest published rate3D2N $980 · per cabin, whole tripEnquire
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 bathroom3 sources“Luxury accommodation with shower & bathtub”
  • Welcome drink3 sources“Welcome drink”
  • Entrance & sightseeing fees2 sources“Entrance fees, sightseeing fee, kayaking, bamboo boat”
  • Squid fishing2 sources“Fishing equipment”
  • Bottled water in cabin1 source“02 complimentary bottles of water in the cabin.”
  • Kayaking1 source“Activities: Kayaking and swimming,…”

Not in the fare

  • Drinks & beverages3 sources“Beverages”
  • Hanoi transfer3 sources“Transfer”
  • Spa & massage3 sources“Spa treatment services”
  • Personal expenses2 sources“Personal expenses”
  • Airfare1 source“Air Fare if any”
  • 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!”

Described differently across sources — read both

These items appear 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.

English-speaking guide
Listed as included · 3 sources

“English-speaking Tour Guide”

Listed as extra · 2 sources

“Tips for tour guide and driver”

Meals on board
Listed as included · 3 sources

“Meals onboard”

Listed as extra · 1 source

“Meals not mentioned in the program”

Travel insurance
Listed as included · 1 source

“Insurance on-board”

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
  • Guest reviews are what you decide on; we have not collected any for this boat yet
  • You hope a third day will lower the nightly cost; on this rate sheet two nights cost twice one night or more
  • A three-day trip only appeals if the middle day is on board: one listing's policy has you off the boat until late afternoon, though its staff told one guest they could stay
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 Marina.
Named by one source only. 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
12:30 PM
Cabin checkout
11:30 AM
Back in Hanoi
3:00 PM

Published by one listing and not corroborated elsewhere1 source. Road transfers vary with traffic — treat the last leg as approximate and do not book a flight out of Hanoi tight against it.

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 La Casta 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 — 5 published stops
  1. Halong Bay
  2. Lan Ha Bay
  3. Three Peaches Beach
  4. Bright Cave
  5. Tra Bau Area

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.

Which pier does La Casta Cruise leave from?

Tuan Chau Marina, according to one of the sources we read — we could not corroborate it. 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: capacity, length m, pool. A further 2 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 LH-12
Corroborated · 9 figuresTwo or more of the sources we read publish it
Cabins
22
Launched ⓘ
2020
Hull ⓘ
Steel
Bay
Lan Ha Bay
Decks ⓘ
3
Jacuzzi
Yes
Spa
Yes
Kayaking
Yes
Balcony on cabins
Yes
Single source · 2 figuresOnly one of the sources says so — confirm before you rely on it
Departs from
Tuan Chau Marina
Gym
Yes
Unknown · 3 figuresNobody publishes these, and we would rather say so than guess
Guests at capacity ⓘ
Not published
Length overall ⓘ
Not published
Pool ⓘ
Not published

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

Where this price sits in the bay

From$150
half the cheapest cabin for two, read 6 Aug 2026
$100$200$300$400this boat
This boat · #13 of 38 priced on Lan Ha BayThe other 37 priced boats · median $155

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.

Other boats on Lan Ha Bay

LH-18 · Lan Ha Bay

La Casta Regal Cruise

Cabins 24
Launched 2020

From$150per person, two sharingread 6 Aug 2026A guide, not a quote — we confirm the live rate when you enquire.

Details →
LH-37 · Lan Ha Bay

V'Spirit Cruise

Cabins 18
Launched 2012

From$150per person, two sharingread 6 Aug 2026A guide, not a quote — we confirm the live rate when you enquire.

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LH-20 · Lan Ha Bay

Venus Cruise

Cabins 29
Launched 2023

From$150per person, two sharingread 6 Aug 2026A guide, not a quote — we confirm the live rate when you enquire.

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