The 'golden age' of cruise tourism

Vietnam is witnessing an unprecedented boom in cruise tourism. Numerous luxury cruise ships are docking, bringing in thousands of international tourists. Will Vietnam's tourism industry be able to attract and retain this large influx of international visitors?

Cruise tourism offers many exciting experiences for travelers - Photo: TG

Recently, for the first time at Phu My port ( Ba Ria - Vung Tau province), the Star Voyager cruise ship brought 1,000 international tourists on its first round-trip cruise from Singapore to Vietnam, further demonstrating the attractiveness of Vietnamese cruise tourism on the international cruise tourism map.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), cruise tourism generates approximately 40% more revenue than air or land tourism. To attract and retain international tourists, tourism experts believe Vietnam's cruise industry needs to do much more.

Bustling cruise tours

Choosing a luxury cruise tour, relaxing in hotel rooms on the ocean, enjoying diverse cuisine, and experiencing exciting entertainment technologies such as music, dancing, and duty-free shopping are the choices of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tu (Hanoi) and his group of Malaysian friends for their upcoming trip.

Anh Tú said that instead of traveling to Vietnam with his friends, he chose to book a 5-day, 4-night all-inclusive cruise tour package from a 5-star cruise company from the US, costing nearly 27 million VND per person; the group consisted of 4 people.

"We're departing on June 21st. This is my first time experiencing a cruise tour, but I find the tour prices very reasonable and there are many travel companies selling tours at competitive prices, so I feel reassured and look forward to an enjoyable sea trip," said Mr. Tú.

According to reports, since the beginning of 2025, a series of luxury yachts have continuously docked in Vietnam, bringing thousands of international tourists to explore the beauty of the country.

Many coastal localities such as Da Nang, Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), Ho Chi Minh City… have continuously welcomed numerous luxury cruise ships.

For example, the Celebrity Solstice cruise ship has brought more than 3,000 European and American tourists to visit Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta provinces;

For example, the Adora Cruise ship docked at Tien Sa port (Da Nang), carrying 2,400 international tourists on a journey from Guangzhou (China); and the international cruise ship Norwegian Spirit docked at Cam Ranh International Port (Khanh Hoa), bringing 1,900 tourists from many countries.

According to the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, in the first five months of 2025, Quang Ninh province received nearly 30,000 international tourists from various markets including Europe, America, Oceania, and Northeast Asia. It is projected that in 2025, the province will welcome approximately 70 cruise ships, bringing nearly 90,000 international tourists.

Khánh Hòa is equally attractive, with more than 10 international cruise ships expected to bring nearly 20,000 tourists ashore for sightseeing and experiences.

On June 17th, in an interview with Tuoi Tre Online , Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh, a member of the Nha Trang Tourism Association (Khanh Hoa), noted that the cruise tourism market is very vibrant and bustling, especially during the peak season from January to April.

"Foreign cruise lines are docking in Vietnam and choosing it as a destination in their itineraries, diversifying tourism products and opening up opportunities for our country to attract high-end tourists with large spending power. This will elevate the country's tourism position on the international cruise tourism map," Ms. Hanh said.

High revenue , but tourists never return?

According to travel businesses, the potential for coastal tourism is enormous, but attracting and retaining cruise ship tourists in particular is not an easy task.

Also speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Nguyen Anh Phong (a cruise tour sales employee in Ho Chi Minh City) said that international tourists coming to Vietnam often complain about having to walk quite a distance to reach the area where vehicles are available to pick them up for sightseeing;

When tourists arrive at the port, they want to enjoy entertainment and shop for local products, but there is a lack of accompanying services on shore…; or in many cases, passenger ships cannot dock because space has to be given to cargo ships.

Besides the rich cuisine and entertainment experiences such as music and dancing, duty-free shopping on luxury cruise ships also attracts tourists - Photo: TG

"This greatly impacts the ability to attract and enhance the tourist experience, making it difficult to retain tourists for longer stays and higher spending levels if Vietnam's tourism, especially cruise tourism, doesn't have solutions," Phong said.

According to Mr. Phong, it is necessary to invest in developing a separate seaport system to welcome cruise ship passengers, specifically in infrastructure, entertainment centers, and modern shopping facilities… to make the experience enjoyable for tourists.

Meanwhile, speaking at the event marking the first time Phu My port welcomed 1,000 international tourists from Singapore to Vietnam aboard the Star Voyager cruise ship, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Luu, General Director of Saigontourist, assessed that international cruise and river tourism in Vietnam is recovering strongly.

According to Mr. Luu, in the first nearly six months of 2025, Saigontourist welcomed more than 48,000 international cruise ship passengers from Anthem of the Sea, Spectrum of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, etc., with diverse long-duration itineraries across Vietnam, calling at many ports in Ha Long, Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City…

Mr. Luu assessed that the arrival of cruise ships in Vietnam enriches vacation options for domestic tourists and increases the potential for the development of cruise tourism.

"Cruise tourists visiting Vietnam have high spending power, so this type of tourism needs to be identified as one of the strategic products; building infrastructure standards for cruise ship docking, revising visa policies to be more open, improving entry and exit procedures to minimize administrative procedures, establishing a chain of high-class products and services, and extending the length of stay and spending of tourists," Mr. Luu said.

Meanwhile, tourism experts agree that localities should broaden the concept of beach tourism products to encompass sustainable development; businesses need to develop exclusive tourism products; develop high-end shopping centers; and upgrade accommodation facilities to 5-6 star standards…

Cruise tourism is projected to thrive in Asia by 2030.

According to the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, in the first quarter of 2025 (the first five months of 2025), the total number of international visitors to Vietnam reached 9.2 million, an increase of more than 21% compared to the same period last year; of which over 600,000 arrived by sea.

The fastest-growing markets via waterways include Russia, the Philippines, and India. Vietnam is also attracting attention from emerging markets such as Hungary, Türkiye, and Poland.

According to forecasts by the World Tourism Organization, cruise tourism is expected to shift and develop strongly in the Asian region by 2030.

In Vietnam's Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Marine Economy to 2030, with a vision to 2045, marine tourism and services have been identified as a top priority sector for successful and breakthrough development.

THAO THUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thoi-vang-cua-du-lich-tau-bien-20250617154106845.htm