Bpos

Wow only $8 princess are quoting us US$56 dollars per person for vietnam. Does anyone know the cost if you arrange the visa yourself? Thanks

Princess has recently upped the price of visas for a number of countries to outrageous prices as a way of getting more money from cruisers.

There are a number of nationalities that are given a 15 day visa free for Vietnam (British for example) but if you need to get one it will cost more that the ship is currently charging. ie for Australians it is $75 Aust (which is close to the ship cost) and you need to organise it before you leave home.

Definately consider going to Vung Tau - Baria is just a small provincial city and nothing there to spend the day.

Suggest you have a look at Vung Tau on Trip Advisor and see what there is to visit, Old Emperor's summer palace, lighthouse, cable cars, beaches etc.

Vung Tau is a great place to have a meal - seafood and all sorts of restaurants to meet all needs.

Beaches are not that great but plenty of pools that can be accessed if need be.

Travel time should be about 35 - 40 minutes so easily accessible from Phu My but probably a good idea to organise transport before you arrive.

If interested in Vietnam War on the 60's you can organise a tour with a Australian group in Vung tau which will tailor a day out for you at very reasonable cost. All profits from the tour go to charities they support in the local area. I have used them in 2014 and they were great. You don't have to visit war sites and they will accommodate whatever you want to do.

If you google longtannuiidattours.com you will find their web site for further information and contact.

We had a great day out with them in 2014 (Diamond Princess - 8 pax on the tour) and most agreed it was the best tour price wise and for sightseeing on the cruise.

"Money changers at the airport open all hours of the day"....Not true...the only money changers we could find in the very early am hours was one outside by the taxi stand....the other's were closed much to our surprise.

There is at least one money changer open 24 hours at each of the Singapore Terminals operated by a major Singapore bank as well as ATMs galore.

Check the Changi airport site for the location of the 24 hour money changers

Plenty of money changers and ATMs at the airport and open all hour of the day - don't sweat about getting Singapore $ irrespective of the time your arrive

I was told, when I cruised with them, that the company planned to come to Australia.

 

Each year, they cruise from South Africa and South America, so already have a pattern for cruising from the Southern Hemisphere, seasonally.

 

There has only been the charter for Gallipoli cruise.

 

I would have thought they would be successful in Australia, with our large Italian heritage population.

If you have a look at the reviews for the Anzac Charter that left from Fremantle in 2015 (MSC Orchestra I think) then perhaps they are best staying away from Australia if the tale of woes told in the majority of reviews for that cruise and the cruise that preceeded that one are to be believed

Some one just got of an RCL (Mariner) cruise and their cost for the visa was USD6 for Vietnam. Princess are just taking advantage of their passengers to up the charges and another way to get extra $$$ from their passengers- go figure

I would think that $5 - $10 per head would be enough

Celebrity will organise your visa if arriving by ship to Vietnam.

Last year they were charging $5 not sure if the rate has changed

The hotel is actually the Imperial Hotel in Vung Tau, a seaside city not far from Phu My.

The hotel is located on the site of the old Australian Army Logistic Base on the back beach at Vung Tau

Vung Tau does provide an alternative for cruisers who do not wish to undertake the trip to Saigon or who have been to Saigon before and are looking for an alternative place to visit.

Quite a lot to see and some good seafood meals to be had.

If you search this forum for the port of calls you will find plenty of advice and recommendations from past cruiser without the need for it all to be repeated

Does anyone know the fares and reliability of taxi services from Phu My to Ho Chi Minh city?

This question has been asked many times - use the search function on this forum to look for taxis for Phu My and you will find lots of information etc about what the situation is.

Each states have different rules on concessions, some will not recognise concessions from other states for example.

Suggest you google concessions for seniors in the states you will be visiting in Australia and you will find your answers there.

No duty free shops at Vietnam ports - they are all industrial ports and no shops of any kind nearby.

Hong Kong will be your best bet, particularly if you are flying in or out of HK

and also Singapore airport.

Bit difficult to advise as we do not know your preferences for ships or budget

Mariner is a big ship so will have to dock in some countries well away from city centres, ie Vietnam Phu My port for Saigon etc.

Smaller ships like Azamara can sail up the river in Saigon and Thailand and so more convenient and often stay for up to two days in port giving more time to look around.

I have taken Azamara and Princess through Asia and our preference would certainly be Azamara if your budget can go there.

We will be arriving at Phu My in April. We have already been to Saigon. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what we can do while there?

Any help is appreciated.

 

Thank you

You could go to Vung Tau for the day - is less travel time and a nice beachside city to visit although the beaches are not up to scratch still plenty to see and do. Leave time for a seafood lunch - check trip advisor for recommendations.

If you google Longtannuidattours.com they can put an itinerary together for you. I have used them in 2014 - group of 8 was $50 per head each for the full day, air con van, and Australian Vietnam Vet will accompany you on the trip and they can customise the day to what you want to do and see.

You do not have to visit war sites, tunnels etc unless you want to as there is a lot to see in Vung Tau (old emperors summer palace, shopping, Big Budda, Chair lift etc).

Any profits from their tours go to local charitable causes they support in the local area.

I don't think Singapore cabs take a US credit card. If they do, it is hit or miss. How are you getting to the ship next day? How far are you staying from the ship? I would take about 100 SGD out and use any change for tips to the crew. They can cash anything in.

 

Hope this helps!

If they take Australian credit cards then why would they not take US issued cards?

Just hope that it is not a Public Holiday. If so you will be in for a treat as the whole population of the city seems to converge on the Bund and you cannot more or do any thing.

we are staying a day before our cruise and 3 days after at fragrance riverside hotel in hongkong street, can anyone suggest places to eat near this hotel

Be handy if you could tell us what city the hotel is in?

I just spotted elsewhere that Princess has started charging a processing fee for the visas required for port stops in Indonesia and Vietnam.

 

The Indonesian visa has gone up from US $35 to US $60, and increas of $25.

 

The Vietnamese visa has gone up from US $31 to US $46.

 

I checked online and the visa-on-arrival fee for Indonesia is still US $35.

 

Apparently a Princess rep stated that the increase was a processing fee. :eek:

 

Princess has always charged a fee for a visa in Vietnam at least it did so on our last two trips there in 2014. Cannot remember now what the fee was but certainly not near what has been quoted here

 

Interesting to note that some cruise lines charge as little as $5 for a Vietnamese visa so I suspect that Princess has found a way to extract some more $$$ from their passengers

Really enjoyed the Ben Thanh market...you'll have no problems using US$'s and the key is to "negotiate" and be prepared to walk away worked well for us last March 2015...loved this market !!!

Ben Thanh market is nice to visit but the vendors will hound you to death to buy from them. Actually I visit here but generally buy elsewhere as their pricing is certainly pitched at the tourists. Stalls around the edge of the market (still inside the main building) are fixed price and they sell the same things so get an idea of the price here then go for it with the other vendors. These fixed prices vendors are not so pushy as the others.

Again if you look at Trip Advisor and search markets in Saigon you will find alternatives.

We will be arriving Singapore airport after midnight on the same day as our cruise. Do cabs take credit cards, US dollars or is it necessary to visit an atm machine before departing airport for hotel? With only 12 hours to spend in Singapore, would like not to have to exchange money.

 

We will be visiting Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam during the cruise. Do cabs take credit cards in these countries? How well accepted is the dollar in these countries? Will we need to exchange money for each of these countries? We will be visiting the weekend market in Bangkok and Ben Thanh market in Saigon. Do the take US dollars there or is it better to negotiate in their currency? With several countries and currencies, would much rather keep it simple.

 

Thoughts on how best to handle the different countries and currencies?

On my last visit to Vietnam 12 months ago cabs did not accept credit card (and most trips in Saigon were just a couple of dollars anyway). If spending a day in Saigon or visiting a couple of stops in Vietnam I would get a small amount from the money changers who come on board the ship at Phu My or visit an ATM and get some Dong. ATM's are everywhere have even seen one in a rice paddy field?

Just make sure you get rid of your Dong before you leave Vietnam, only good for wallpapering the toilet if you take it home.

With taxis look at Trip Advisor Vietnam for taxis to use etc. Lots of scams with taxi and only two companies recommended and there are even fakes of those around to. Drivers of the recommended taxi companies wear either a red or green tie. If no tie, do not get in the cab. Insist on the meter and pay in Dong.

You can have a great time if you do a little research before going, ie markets, cost of things to buy, tourist attractions etc.

Any suggestion on how we can exchange money for Thai Baht (THB) before arriving at our first port in Thailand. We leave Singapore two days earlier. Our tour requests payment in Thai Baht.

 

Comments appreciated.

Where are you from? If Australia you should be able to get it at any of the foreign currency booths located at major shopping centers.

Other alternatives is to get it in Singapore before your depart, get it off the ship who provide an exchange service or google the port in Thailand as they have money changers there or get your guide to take you to an ATM - there are plenty around and draw out the money you need to pay for the tour. Choices are endless.

Well if you search threads on this forum you should find a lot of information and recommendations for tours, things to see, pitfalls etc.

If on the Voyager and going to Saigon you will dock at Phu My, a good one hour out of Saigon and too far for one day visit to the Mekong and any floating markets that are in the delta (they start early and finish early in the day).

Saigon is well worth a day visit but for much less travel etc consider Vung Tau, nice seaside city (beaches are not flash) but quite a lot to see and leave time for a nice seafood lunch somewhere.

This group who I have used (longtannuidattour.com) can arrange a tour to meet any of your needs, will have an Australian Vietnam Vet come along with you and will meet you outside the port gate to avoid the $25 per head charge the port authorities will extort from you to let the van pick you up shipside.

We used them in 2014 for a group of 8 - $50 USD per head for a full day which included aircon van, water, entrance fees. Lunch was $12 per head including beers and soft drinks and food to die for.

Prices may have gone up a little since then but all monies from the tours go to charities the group supports in the local area.

If you go to your roll call on Cruise Critics you may also find others organising private tours that you can join or perhaps you can organise one and ask other to join you to defray the costs.

Am never sure how explicit to be on these forums! We took an Azamara ship tender to a wharf( don't know the name) and as instructed by the tour company approached 3 waiting taxis(there were 10 of us). A woman ( obviously working with a group we realised later) approached us and offered her mini van at a good price to Bai Chay wharf where we were to meet our guide.We discovered ( via this woman by now joined by her 'friends') not long after our arrival at Bai Chay that our guide was delayed on his bus trip from Hanoi. Much phone discussion ensued between us, this woman, our tour guide and the tour company. They wanted us to pay more but we refused.We had all paid in full upfront but did offer to arrange refunds with our credit card companies which was refused!! So another tour was not an option.When our guide arrived he disappeared by car and returned with the apparent appropriate Halong Bay tickets and we departed. Other passengers had walked off the tender, bought a tour from the touts and were long gone.-guess the ' fee 'was included in their ticket?? The woman (and her 'friends') was waiting for us on return to do a transfer. I have contacted the tour company and they said they had to pay the 'tour ' company involved so we could leave and sadly it was taken out of the sales person's pay. Maybe we were just unlucky - a lot of Azamara passengers complained about these fees but figured they had no choice but to pay. It is still way cheaper than a ship excursion!

We were on Azamara Quest a few years ago in Halong Bay and did not have the trouble you experienced. Unfortunately you were taken advantage of in accepting the ride in the Van - had you used the taxi it should not have been a problem.

It seems also that the tour company you engaged also let you down on the occasion as well.

The fee charged for picking up/dropping off passengers ship side (inside the port) is not an authorised charge, rather a way of the port staff (probably the senior staff) getting extra money out of what the perceive is "rich " people.

Unfortunately because it was such a poor country a lot of ways to extort monies from visitors in so many ways became an art. Just ask a Viet Kieu (Vietnamese person living overseas) who had to put money inside their passport on arrival in Vietnam just to get processed through. Still hear of the occasional request for payment in this way

I had a long argument about this same matter on this forum some time ago with a person who worked for a cruise line in Asia and heshe defended the charge because, in his opinion Sydney was more expensive for a ship to dock??? Could not get his logic on that one

I suspect the cruise companies do not pay the fee $25USD per head, and they probably give the scam their tacit support as it might encourage more to use their tours.

Certainly in Phu My you can walk out to the port gates (in safety too, despite what others might say). In the other ports we used the ships shuttle to get into town and when from there.

Vietnam is changing so fast and becoming more sophisticated so I believe that in a few years time the fee will go. Until it does try and get yourself and your party to the outside gate and save the money for something else