Luxury cruise ship carries 3,500 international tourists to Vietnam

By Truong Ha February 26, 2023 | 10:54 pm PT

Foreign tourists get off Spectrum of the Seas cruise ship in Phu My Port in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, February 26 2023. Photo by Quang Anh

Spectrum of the Seas, the world's most luxurious cruise ship, docked at Phu My Port in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Sunday, carrying 3,500 foreign tourists.

The tourists from Europe and the United States visited Ho Phap Pagoda, Hoa Long Market and ancient houses in Vung Tau beach town before leaving for Ho Chi Minh City where they joined cooking classes, rode bikes through rubber forests and took an underground tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels.

On Monday, they visited traditional craft villages in the Mekong Delta and enjoyed don ca tai tu, southern folk music.

The ship is expected to leave Phu My Port at 7 p.m. Monday.

Vietnam has witnessed an influx of international cruise ships in recent months, promising a busy year for Vietnam's tourism industry as the country targets eight million arrivals this year.

Currently operated by Royal Caribbean International, Spectrum of the Seas was launched in 2019. It is 347 meters long and can carry a maximum of 4,900 passengers.