Port Charges - Vietnam

[Bottomshelfhockey]

I am reposting this thread from the general forum at the suggestion of Keith1010. Keith has provided me a response (see below) but I am still looking for information.

 

 

Hi,

 

I'm looking for concrete information on the actual port charges for various ports. I have looked at some of the various threads and have been unable to find the info I'm looking for. I understand that various tour companies must pay a fee to access dock inside the terminal otherwise the guide will be outside terminal to pickup passengers. One thread mentions $20 per person for a port and I was just quoted $15 per person for Saigon.

 

We were wondering if it's possible not to pay port charges by walking to the outside terminal gate to meet tour guide.

 

We will be on the Azamara Journey in December travelling from Hong Kong to Singapore.

 

I need port charge information for Halong Bay (could be tender or dock), Danang - Tien Sa terminal and Saigon - downtown terminal.

 

The information I need for each port:

 

• port charge cost - per person charge or flat fee
  
• distance from dock to terminal gate (if allowed to walk to gate)
  
• available transportation options outside terminals i
  

 

Thanks for your help.:)

 

Response from Keith1010

I have been to each of the ports you mentioned. I would have them meet you inside the port. Some of the ports are very difficult to walk on your own, have very little if any room to wait outside and you are far better all around to have the driver/tour guide meet you in the port. We will also be there this spring as well and will have them meet us inside the port and that is for both pick up and drop off. Most guides do not do a breakdown of the cost. Rather they just give you a total cost for the tour as ours have done so I am not sure why yours has chosen to break it down. Nevertheless, make it easier for yourself and have them meet you inside the port.

[davwen81]

Hi we are on the same Azamara cruise as you. I asked Bill Leiber where we were docked in Halong Bay and its about 20 mins from Ha Long city at Chan Mai ?? Others who have docked here said the Azamara shuttles will drop you at the gates to the port if you don't want to go into Halong city. Might also apply to Danang shuttles but not sure if this is so. In Saigon the shuttles drop you at the Rex Hotel normally so you can organise a tuk tuk/taxi or meet a guide there, as we are doing on the second day.

Hope that helps , cheers Wendy and David

[Bottomshelfhockey]

Hi we are on the same Azamara cruise as you. I asked Bill Leiber where we were docked in Halong Bay and its about 20 mins from Ha Long city at Chan Mai ?? Others who have docked here said the Azamara shuttles will drop you at the gates to the port if you don't want to go into Halong city. Might also apply to Danang shuttles but not sure if this is so. In Saigon the shuttles drop you at the Rex Hotel normally so you can organise a tuk tuk/taxi or meet a guide there, as we are doing on the second day.

Hope that helps , cheers Wendy and David

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for the prompt response.

 

Does Azamara shuttles only apply to excursions booked with Azamara or does it also apply to independently booked tours?

 

Any idea on port charges in the various stops and distance to walk from docks to terminal gates?

 

On a side note, I was told by an Azamara agent (via phone call) there is no shuttle in Saigon because we are so close to "downtown" (unless I heard incorrectly).

 

Regards,

 

Harry E.

[SWANOZ]

We are doing a Millenium cruise in December. Best Cruises adds $20.00USD per person per port to their tour quote to pick up and drop off in the port. We are a group of 4. A mum and 4 teenage young adults( mum is paying). This would mean an extra $240.00USD. Therefore we will be walking to the port gates. Some CC members have advised against this but Best Cruises says it is quite acceptable. We are fit enough for a walk and able to fend off the touts. In my opinion worth the saving which can be spent else where. Depends on whether you are up for the walk or prefer the ease of on the dock pick up. Apparently at Halong Bay the walk is only short. Jennifer

[davwen81]

We were on Quest last year and they provided shuttles for everyone into the centre of Saigon to the Rex Hotel, so sure they will do this. Know they have shuttles in Bangkok, Halong Bay to town centres. Not sure about Danang, may be worth a question to Bill Leiber on Azamara board. You could also ask if they will let you off at the port gates, and I have seen this mentioned on Azamara site before as being possible.

All shuttles they provide are free for anybody on board including the crew. Have heard the walk to the gates is long in Danang and we intend asking the shuttle to drop us at the gate so we can get a taxi to Hoi An.

Hope that helps cheers Wendy

[Bottomshelfhockey]

Hi we are on the same Azamara cruise as you. I asked Bill Leiber where we were docked in Halong Bay and its about 20 mins from Ha Long city at Chan Mai ?? Others who have docked here said the Azamara shuttles will drop you at the gates to the port if you don't want to go into Halong city. Might also apply to Danang shuttles but not sure if this is so. In Saigon the shuttles drop you at the Rex Hotel normally so you can organise a tuk tuk/taxi or meet a guide there, as we are doing on the second day.

Hope that helps , cheers Wendy and David

 

Re: Halong Bay

It would appear from post below we are docking/tendering at Cai Lan.

 

From the following thread: Where does Journey tender ashore in Halong Bay

 

Originally Posted by Bill Leiber June 9th, 2013, 06:35 PM

Hello Tracey and Wendy & David -

 

Here is an update:

We will likely dock at Cai Lan Port (Halong Bay), a 20 minute drive from the city:

01 Cai Lan Street Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City.

Final port confirmation usually happens 48 hours prior.

 

If there is more information forthcoming then I will share it with you on this thread.

 

We look forward to welcoming all of you onboard!

 

Best regards,

 

Bill Leiber

__________________

Chief Blogging Officer*

Azamara Club Cruises

(*CBO is an authorized and compensated representative of ACC)

[davwen81]

Bottomshelfhockey, yes thank you it is Cai LAN, getting my cities mixed up, lol!

[Bottomshelfhockey]

We were on Quest last year and they provided shuttles for everyone into the centre of Saigon to the Rex Hotel, so sure they will do this. Know they have shuttles in Bangkok, Halong Bay to town centres. Not sure about Danang, may be worth a question to Bill Leiber on Azamara board. You could also ask if they will let you off at the port gates, and I have seen this mentioned on Azamara site before as being possible.

All shuttles they provide are free for anybody on board including the crew. Have heard the walk to the gates is long in Danang and we intend asking the shuttle to drop us at the gate so we can get a taxi to Hoi An.

Hope that helps cheers Wendy

 

Hi Wendy,

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Hope you're right about the Saigon shuttle and shuttles in other ports.

 

May I ask what are your plans for Hoi An - do your own thing or private guide?

 

Have you decided in a reputable taxi cab company? Which one?

 

If you don't mind can you please provide details as to your itinerary. We are still trying to figure out what we are going do but it will most likely a tour company. We're trying to plan for 8 people and at this time probably a tour to Hoi An and all stops in between.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Harry E. (Ken & Sandy's outlaw):D

[davwen81]

Hi Harry we have already booked a private tour in Halong Bay and two in Bangkok (Bangkok Private Guides max of 8 pax) with fellow cruisers. Got all the companies we are using from Trip Advisor recommendations. If you google these companies you should find good guides for the tours you might like. We are doing a day trip around Bangkok and a afternoon/ night tour to the train market and night time floating markets. But you can go to River Kwai, tiger temple there is a huge variety of tours. In HK doing our own thing as been there lots. In Saigon have a private 1/2 day walking tour day 2, day one we are doing our own thing with the Azamazing night to follow. DAnang we intend finding a taxi with another couple we are doing tours with to Hoi An. Don't have taxi info on me right now but have googled and used CC port boards to get info on ones to use.

There is a very good review of tours in all our stops from Little Britain who did this same cruise last year. Look for that one either by her posts or on Azamara Boards.

Cheers, Wendy

[3littlepigs]

We are doing a Millenium cruise in December. Best Cruises adds $20.00USD per person per port to their tour quote to pick up and drop off in the port. We are a group of 4. A mum and 4 teenage young adults( mum is paying). This would mean an extra $240.00USD. Therefore we will be walking to the port gates. Some CC members have advised against this but Best Cruises says it is quite acceptable. We are fit enough for a walk and able to fend off the touts. In my opinion worth the saving which can be spent else where. Depends on whether you are up for the walk or prefer the ease of on the dock pick up. Apparently at Halong Bay the walk is only short. Jennifer

 

Not sure which port you are referring to when you say you will walk to the gate. If its Laem Chabang I would strongly recommend against it, apart from the fact that its a very long hot walk which is wasting a lot of your shore time, friends of ours had an extremely nasty experience with the Taxi Drivers who congregate there taking offence at the tour guide picking them up outside the gate. It was very distressing for them and so bad their tour company refused to come within a kilometre of the gate on their return so they had that extra distance to walk as well.

 

At Halong Bay our tender dropped us not far from the bridge...its a LONG walk to where the day boats go but only a 10 to 15 minute walk to the little night market they have there. You can easy catch a taxi to the day boat jetty if the walk is too long.