Many travel agencies and international shipping companies are expressing concern over the news that ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area (Ho Chi Minh City) will temporarily stop receiving international passenger ships from October 2025.
According to Royal Caribbean Group (RCG), one of the world's leading cruise companies, they have sent a document to authorities reporting that ports in Phu My ward (Ho Chi Minh City) have stopped accepting international cruise ships. This sudden decision forced the Ovation of the Seas, carrying over 4,000 passengers and scheduled to dock at TCCT port on October 18th, to cancel its itinerary, causing significant losses for the company and tourists.
The Star Voyager cruise ship docked at Phu My port, Ho Chi Minh City, last June.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
According to an RCG representative, the Ovation of the Seas departed from Hong Kong on October 16th and could only dock at one of the major ports in the Thi Vai - Phu My area.
Sharing the same concern, Saigontourist Travel Company has sent a document to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism proposing that container ports or general cargo ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area be allowed to pilot receiving international cruise ships, ensuring the operation of receiving and departing cruise ship passengers during the peak season of 2025-2026.
According to Saigontourist, for many years, international cruises docking in this area have been safe and smooth, averaging 60-80 trips per year, bringing significant revenue to local tourism and services. Passengers on international cruises typically spend 4-8 hours visiting destinations in Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding areas.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Luu, General Director of Saigontourist, said that from now until April 2026, there are still about 15 international cruise ships with 40,000 passengers waiting to dock. "If a solution is not found soon, a series of cruises risk being canceled, causing significant losses for businesses and negatively impacting the image of Vietnamese tourism," Mr. Luu said.
Ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area (Ho Chi Minh City) will temporarily suspend receiving international passenger ships from October 2025.
PHOTO: NGUYEN LONG
This unit also recommended that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism report and propose to the Vietnam Maritime Administration and relevant agencies to allow a pilot program for receiving international cruise ships at Cai Mep - Thi Vai until the end of 2026, in order to maintain cruise tourism activities and ensure the reputation of the destination.
On October 14th, in a written response to SP-PSA International Port Company Limited, the Vietnam Maritime Administration (Ministry of Construction) stated that, according to the port system development plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Thi Vai port area is designated for cargo, containers, bulk cargo, and liquid/gaseous cargo, and does not include the function of receiving international tourists. Therefore, the Administration does not yet have the legal basis to approve the request to operate passenger ships in this area.
Adjusting the functionality of existing container ports to accommodate international tourists is a time-consuming procedure, while international shipping schedules are usually set months in advance.
Lack of dedicated ports for maritime tourism.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Currently, Vietnam does not have any dedicated ports for cruise tourism, except for Ha Long Bay which has an international pier. The majority of cruise ship tourists visiting Vietnam follow itineraries lasting 4-9 days, with large numbers but short sightseeing times (averaging 4-8 hours).
It is estimated that each cruise ship passenger spends approximately US$100 to US$200 per day in Vietnam (around VND 2.4 to VND 4.8 million per day), without staying overnight as they spend their time on board. However, due to a lack of specialized port infrastructure, Vietnam is still struggling to capitalize on this high-spending, long-staying tourist segment, while cruise tourism is experiencing strong growth in the Asia-Pacific region.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doanh-nghiep-du-lich-tphcm-lo-dut-tour-tau-bien-quoc-te-185251016162017526.htm
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