A ship carrying 4,000 international passengers cannot dock in Ho Chi Minh City. What does the tourism industry say?

The cruise ship Ovation of the Seas carrying more than 4,000 tourists was diverted to Chan May port, Hue instead of Cai Mep - Thi Vai port to visit Ho Chi Minh City as planned.

Regarding the fact that the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas carrying more than 4,000 tourists diverted to Chan May port, Hue instead of Cai Mep - Thi Vai port to visit Ho Chi Minh City as planned, a representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism said that the number of international passenger ships arriving in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area has recorded an increasing trend recently.

Currently, Phu My and Vung Tau areas do not have specialized ports to serve tourism and receive international ships.

In order to ensure the safe, convenient and effective reception of international passenger ships to Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Tourism has sent a document to the City People's Committee, and sent it to the City Maritime Port Authority and the Department of Construction, requesting coordination and support for travel agencies in organizing the reception and return of international tourists at ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area.

A group of international tourists arrived at Phu My port by ship to visit Ho Chi Minh City before the temporary suspension. (Photo: Bich Chi)

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the number of international passenger ships arriving in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area has recorded an increasing trend, affirming the increasingly clear position of Ho Chi Minh City on the map of cruise tourism destinations in the region.

The document of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism also requested the Ho Chi Minh City Maritime Port Authority to report to the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration to consider and approve the policy of allowing a pilot program to receive international passenger ships at ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area, from now until the end of December 2026, while waiting for the completion of additional function procedures according to regulations.

According to this Department, the number of international passenger ships arriving at Cai Mep - Thi Vai area has been increasing until the end of 2026 with about 118 ships registered to dock, with a total of more than 260,000 international passengers.

In 2025, there are expected to be 48 trips with about 180,000 passengers, mainly large-scale luxury ships with long schedules.

Previously, in 2024, the area welcomed 65 trains with about 287,000 passengers.

"Based on the synthesis of recommendations from international travel agencies and shipping agents regarding difficulties in the process of carrying out procedures to receive ships, the Department of Tourism has reported to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on the proposal to pilot receiving international passenger ships in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area until the end of December 2026," said the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism.

The number of cruise ships carrying international tourists to visit Ho Chi Minh City has recorded an increasing trend recently. (Photo: Saigontourist )

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism also proposed that the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee direct the City Maritime Port Authority, the Department of Construction and relevant units to proactively coordinate to remove difficulties for businesses and consider and approve the policy of allowing a pilot program to receive international passenger ships at ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area, from now until the end of December 2026.

On the afternoon of October 16, a representative of Saigontourist Travel Company said that the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas, carrying more than 4,000 tourists, had changed course to Chan May port, Hue, instead of docking at Cai Mep - Thi Vai port to visit Ho Chi Minh City as planned.

According to schedule, the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship departed from Hong Kong (China) on October 16. The ship will pick up passengers in Hong Kong, then dock at Cai Mep - Thi Vai port on October 18, allowing passengers to visit Ho Chi Minh City.

However, ports in Phu My ward - Ho Chi Minh City have temporarily stopped receiving international passenger ships since October 2025.

The reason is that these units are waiting to complete the procedure to add the function of receiving tourist ships to their operating licenses as required by the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration. Because according to the planning, the port clusters in this area only have the function of loading and unloading goods, not the function of receiving tourist ships.

Previously, international cruise ships could still dock at Cai Mep - Thi Vai port area, as Ba Ria - Vung Tau province (old) had made efforts to propose, support, and request suitable berths to receive passengers. However, before the new decision of the Vietnam Maritime and Waterways Administration, cruise tourism activities, specifically docking at Cai Mep - Thi Vai port area, are not allowed.

Also according to Saigontourist Travel, Royal Caribbean Group (RCG) - the world's leading cruise ship group (headquartered in Miami - USA) has also sent a document to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and relevant agencies, reflecting the disruption in receiving cruise ships in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area. This unit is concerned about the disruption of cruise tourism activities.

Royal Caribbean said the abrupt stop forced the cancellation of the Ovation of the Seas cruise, which was scheduled to arrive on October 18 with more than 4,000 passengers, causing great damage to tourists and businesses.

Quang Huy

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tau-cho-4-000-khach-quoc-te-khong-the-cap-cang-o-tp-hcm-nganh-du-lich-noi-gi-ar971623.html