A 14-day example quote, read line by line · map not to scale
At a glance
- Nights
- 13 nights, 14 days
- Budget
- From 140 USD per person per day at 4★ (2 travellers): from 1,960 USD per person, confirmed in your private quote
- Deposit
- 30% (588 USD per person in this example), balance 45 days before arrival
- Holding fee
- 100 USD per traveller, non-refundable, separate from the deposit
- Flights
- Domestic flights quoted separately
The short answer
Read a private tour quote from the top down: the hotel for every night, the room type, meals per day, guide and driver days, domestic flights, exclusions, then the per-day price, deposit and balance date. On a 14-day trip at 140 USD per person per day, that is from 1,960 USD per person before domestic flights, confirmed in your private quote.
A private tour quote can run to several pages, and the important lines are not always at the top. When I check a quote before it goes to a traveller, I read it in a fixed order. This post walks through that order using a simple 14-day example at our starting level, so you can apply it to any quote, including ours.
Private tour quote explained: the order I read it in
- The route and the hotel for every night.
- Room types and any connecting rooms or family suites.
- Meals, marked day by day.
- Guide and driver days.
- Transport between places: road, train, domestic flights.
- What is excluded.
- The price per person per day and the total.
- Deposit, fees and balance date.
I read the price near the end on purpose. Until the first six lines are clear, the price cannot be compared with anything. A quote that is cheaper by a few dollars a day but drops two guided days or three dinners is not cheaper; it is a different trip. Reading in this order also shows quickly whether the route itself makes sense: too many one-night stops, or a long drive on the day you land, are easier to spot before the numbers distract you.
The example: a 14-day route
The example is a north-to-south route of 13 nights, similar in shape to Metta Voyage’s 14-day north-to-south tour. It is simplified for the table; a real quote has a full day-by-day.
| Days | Where | What the quote should show | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–3 | Hanoi | Airport pick-up, check-in time, guide on days 2–3 | Named central hotel, e.g. Fairmont Hanoi |
| 4–5 | Lan Ha Bay | Private car to the port, cruise meals on board | Named ship and cabin category |
| 6 | Fly to Da Nang, drive to Hoi An | Domestic flight, shown separately | Named Hoi An hotel |
| 7–9 | Hoi An | Guide days and one rest day marked | Same hotel |
| 10 | Fly to Ho Chi Minh City | Domestic flight, shown separately | Named central hotel |
| 11–12 | Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta | Guide and driver, meals marked | Same hotel |
| 13–14 | Ho Chi Minh City | Free morning, transfer to the airport | Departure |
Lines one and two: hotels and rooms
Every night should have a hotel name. For the example: in Hanoi, Fairmont Hanoi, open since February 2026 a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake; on the bay, a ship such as Paradise Grand, where all 39 cabins have a balcony or terrace; in Hoi An, Hotel Royal Hoi An – MGallery on the Thu Bon River, a short walk from the old town. In Ho Chi Minh City we choose a central 4–5★ hotel and name it in your quote.
Room type comes next. For a couple, the category and bed type are enough. For a family, look for connecting rooms or a family suite named on the line. If a quote says “standard room” for a family of four, ask what that means.
Lines three to six: meals, guides, transport, exclusions
Meals are usually shown as B, L or D after each day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Count them; two quotes with the same hotels can differ by ten meals over two weeks.
Guide and driver days should match the plan. In the example, the guide works on touring days in Hanoi, Hoi An and the south, the driver handles transfers, and the bay day is run by the ship’s own team. A rest day in Hoi An may have a car on call but no guided touring; that is normal, but it should be stated.
Transport: our quotes list domestic flights separately, with routes, because fares depend on the date. In the example there are two: Hanoi to Da Nang and Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City.
Exclusions should be a written list: international flights, travel insurance, early check-in (standard check-in is usually 2 pm) and personal extras.
What it costs: the price lines in the example
Only now do I read the price. Our private trips start from 140 USD per person per day, confirmed in your private quote, for two travellers sharing 4★ hotels with a private guide and driver.
| Line | Example figure | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Per person per day | from 140 USD | Basis: two sharing, 4★, private guide and driver |
| Trip, per person (14 days) | from 1,960 USD | Excludes domestic flights |
| Group of 4 (−5%) | from 133 USD per day, 1,862 USD per person | Applies when four travel together |
| Group of 6 (−8%) | from 128.8 USD per day, 1,803.20 USD per person | Applies when six travel together |
| Domestic flights | Quoted separately | Routes and times listed |
| Deposit (30%) | 588 USD per person | Balance due 45 days before arrival |
| Holding fee | 100 USD per traveller | Non-refundable, separate from the deposit |
| Card fee | 3.5% | Only when paying by card |
To put the payment lines in one sentence: we ask for a 30% deposit and a non-refundable 100 USD per traveller holding fee (kept even if you cancel early), separate from the 30% deposit; your quote shows how it is applied to the final invoice. Upgrading part of the trip to the top tier of 5★ resorts and ships starts from 350 USD per person per day and is quoted individually. More worked examples are in how I price 10, 14 and 21 days and, for groups, in how group pricing works for four or six.
Where to stay: reading the hotel line at the top tier
If you ask for one top-tier stop, the quote should show it as a separate line. On this route, the natural candidates are the bay night on Capella Cruise, which has 30 suites with a balcony or terrace, or the Hoi An nights at Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, an all-villa resort on a kilometre of Ha My beach. Both are quoted individually.
Private tour quote explained: mistakes I see most often
- Comparing totals first. Read the hotel, meal and guide lines before the price.
- Missing the flights line. In the example it is two flights; on longer routes it can be three or four.
- Assuming early check-in. After a night flight, ask for it to be added.
- Not asking about rest days. In our experience, a rest day without a guide is welcome, but you should know it is coming.
- Ignoring the card fee. At 3.5%, it is worth knowing before you choose how to pay the deposit and the balance.
Our team sends every quote with these lines laid out, and we recommend asking any operator for the same layout. If a line is missing, the questions in twelve questions before paying a deposit will fill it, and the red flags I look for covers what to question.
Sample itinerary, price from and a quote
If you want to see this advice turned into a bookable plan, start with a private Vietnam tour: Private Vietnam Tours: How I Plan Long, Luxury Trips (10 to 21 Days). It has a day-by-day sample itinerary, the hotels I would use and the price logic.
As a guide, a private trip of 14 days starts from 1,960 USD per person (14 days × 140 USD, 2 travellers sharing, 4★ hotels, private guide and driver), about 1,862 USD per person for a group of four and 1,803 USD for a group of six, confirmed in your written quote. Domestic flights are not included and are quoted separately; 5★ and luxury stays are quoted individually.
Request a quote for this route
Sources
Travel insurance advice: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism – Health and safety; US CDC – Travelers’ Health: Vietnam. Hotel and ship details: Metta Voyage luxury collection pages linked above and the hotel announcements they cite. Prices and payment terms: Metta Voyage private tour pricing as of November 2026.
Questions we are often asked
What should a private tour quote include?
The hotel for every night, room types, meals per day, guide and driver days, transport between places, a list of exclusions, the price per person per day, and the payment schedule.
How much is a 14-day private trip at 140 USD per day?
From 1,960 USD per person for two travellers sharing 4★ hotels with a private guide and driver, before domestic flights, confirmed in your private quote.
How is the deposit calculated?
It is 30% of the trip price; in the 14-day example that is 588 USD per person, with the balance due 45 days before arrival.
Is the holding fee part of the deposit?
No. It is a non-refundable 100 USD per traveller holding fee, kept even if you cancel early and separate from the 30% deposit. Your quote shows how it is applied to the final invoice.
Are domestic flights in the per-day price?
No. Domestic flights are quoted separately, with routes and times, because fares depend on the date and how early we book.
David — for The Metta Voyage team. Checked against our itineraries and the sources above on 11 November 2026.
