Over 4,000 foreign tourists arrive by cruise vessels

By Hoang Phong March 2, 2023 | 10:27 pm PT

Azamara Quest cruise ship docks at Saigon Port in HCMC, March 1 2023. Photo courtesy of Saigontourist

Two cruise ships carrying 700 tourists have docked at Vietnamese ports and two others with 3,500 passengers are set to arrive soon, heralding a busy year of cruise tourism.

On Wednesday the Malta-flagged Azamara Quest arrived in Saigon Port with 300 tourists from the U.K., the U.S., Germany, and Australia, who will visit the city and the Mekong Delta.

The vessel will go on at Tien Sa Port in Da Nang City on Sunday for the passengers to visit hotspots such as Hoi An and Hue before leaving Vietnam the same day.

On Friday another Malta-flagged vessel, the Europa 2, with 400 German tourists docked at Hiep Phuoc port in HCMC. Its next ports of call are Da Nang on March 6 and Ha Long on March 8.

Bahamas-flagged Resort World One with 1,500 passengers will arrive at Phu My Port in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau on Sunday.

The visitors will make brief tours of HCMC and the Mekong Delta town of My Tho, famous for its traditional craft villages.

A day later the Malta-flagged Mein Schiff 5 will bring 2,000 German tourists to Ha Long in northern Vietnam.

Vietnam has received a number of international cruise ships in recent months, presaging a busy year for its tourism industry, which targets eight million arrivals.