Saigon

[marshas123]

We will have 2 days in Saigon/HCMC on the Riviera starting 2/18/24 and 2 days in Saigon/HCMC on the Riviera starting 4/25/24.  (We fly home between for a month.)   

Where will we dock?

Will there be an Oceania shuttle from the dock to the city?

thanks,

Marsha

[clo]

3 hours ago, marshas123 said:

We will have 2 days in Saigon/HCMC on the Riviera starting 2/18/24 and 2 days in Saigon/HCMC on the Riviera starting 4/25/24.  (We fly home between for a month.)   

Where will we dock?

Will there be an Oceania shuttle from the dock to the city?

thanks,

Marsha

Not at all what you're asking but I'll toss it in just in case. No one - outside of government I suppose - calls it anything other than Saigon. Have a great time.

[Tranquility Base]

6 hours ago, marshas123 said:

Where will we dock?

I have not docked in Saigon on a ship the size of Riviera.

I have docked on a larger ship at Phu My which is about 70 minutes drive.

Also I have docked on Nautica at Nah Rong which is walkable to town or a 15 minute shuttle.

I believe Riviera is too large for the Nah Rong docking.

 

Having said that, I understand Regent recently docked at container port at Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc.

About 30km out.

Of course the kms have no real correlation as to what the drive time may be. 

I have no direct knowledge on this however.

 

Apart from Phu My dock, in my experience the actual final dock may not be announced till about 24-48 hours prior.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited January 7 by Tranquility Base

[cruiseaholic78]

This might help.

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-ho-chi-minh-city-vietnam.html

but as Tranquility Base said it can all be changed any time.

I also (think) this is the first time a Riviera size does this port.

happy planning 

[Tranquility Base]

21 hours ago, marshas123 said:

We will have 2 days in Saigon/HCMC on the Riviera starting 2/18/24

The cruise before yours (Singapore - Bangkok) visits on the 7th Feb.

You could:

1. Ask on their roll call to post any updates they may have;

2. On that day, check marinetraffic or vesselfinder and see where Riviera actually is docked.

This may give a good clue as to where you may dock.

[FlyerTalker]

If at Nah Rong, don't bother with a shuttle.  Taxis in Saigon are plentiful and cheap.  Mai Linh and Vinasun are the best companies, with very professional drivers, good cars and fair pricing.

 

 

[Queen of DaNile]

We are on Riviera due to arrive HCMC on February 7. 

This was the corporate response to my question:

The port we intend to use is :

SPCT Hiep Phuoc Port, however this is subject to change at port authority discretion.

 

[Redtravel]

 Best to take a ship tour.  We did.  Traffic is outrageous. Be careful crossing streets. Motor scooters are everywhere.  Had a fabulous time in HCMC. 

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

 Best to take a ship tour.  We did.  Traffic is outrageous. Be careful crossing streets. Motor scooters are everywhere.  Had a fabulous time in HCMC. 

Do we want to be in Saigon as a part of a group of 50+?  Nope.  Some of us prefer DIY and this is even more true in a large, congested, city.  Love getting around Saigon on foot, in the pedicabs, etc.  DW and I had an absolute riot when we hired two pedicabs (at the Rex Hotel) and had them race each other to the Chinese Market.  

 

Traffic in town is absolutely nutz, but in the past 20 years the government has made some improvements on the major avenues by adding center dividers (which can be a resting place for pedestrians But crossing a busy street is quite a feat...and somehow, most live to tell about it :).

 

As to docking positions, we echo what has been said that docking plans can change at the whim of local authorities.  Most private tour operators somehow keep up with changes but everything about Vietnam is a challenge (and also quite wonderful).

 

Hank

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

I’m curious as to why Oceania refers to this cruise stop as Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) when other cruise lines correctly call it Ho Chi Minh City, a name it has been officially known by since 1976. Why would they disrespect the official name of a city? Even Oceania’s parent company, NCL, refers to this city as Ho Chi Minh City. I’m sure that after 48 years the majority of people know this city’s official name. 

[FlyerTalker]

It may be the "official" name, but EVERYONE calls it Saigon. 

 

Let me pose a challenge to you.  Go there and try to find a t-shirt, cap or other souvenir that says "Ho Chi Minh City".  Everything says "Saigon", even the beer.

 

Go ahead and you can personally choose to be "correct".  The rest of us will call it Saigon, like the locals do.

 

 

[clo]

On 1/12/2024 at 6:16 AM, Redtravel said:

HCMC

Known by the locals as Saigon. And yes, to all the traffic descriptions. When crossing an insane intersection I'd stand shoulder to to shoulder with a local 🙂

[clo]

On 1/12/2024 at 10:10 AM, FlyerTalker said:

It may be the "official" name, but EVERYONE calls it Saigon. 

 

Let me pose a challenge to you.  Go there and try to find a t-shirt, cap or other souvenir that says "Ho Chi Minh City".  Everything says "Saigon", even the beer.

 

Go ahead and you can personally choose to be "correct".  The rest of us will call it Saigon, like the locals do.

 

 

100 % CORRECT.

[clo]

On 1/12/2024 at 10:10 AM, FlyerTalker said:

It may be the "official" name, but EVERYONE calls it Saigon. 

 

Let me pose a challenge to you.  Go there and try to find a t-shirt, cap or other souvenir that says "Ho Chi Minh City".  Everything says "Saigon", even the beer.

 

Go ahead and you can personally choose to be "correct".  The rest of us will call it Saigon, like the locals do.

 

 

And to tag on:

"its name changed from Saigon to Ho Chi Minh, the name of the communist revolutionary leader"

 

Not a warm and fuzzy name, eh? Imagine it it in countries around the world. And, truly, I heard not a soul say anything but Saigon.

 

[Tranquility Base]

See post # 7.

Guess what the S in SPCT stands for.

[Redtravel]

When we first got to Saigon, our guide gave us a lesson in how to cross a street. Wait at curb until you gather at least 15 people who also want to cross. Form a wall or mass together and walk as a group. Traffic is crazy. They don’t stop or stay in lane. It’s a free for all. Motor scooters carry entire families and their stuff.  Good luck in Vietnam. It’s an amazing place.

[JRIH]

42 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

When we first got to Saigon, our guide gave us a lesson in how to cross a street. Wait at curb until you gather at least 15 people who also want to cross. Form a wall or mass together and walk as a group. Traffic is crazy. They don’t stop or stay in lane. It’s a free for all. Motor scooters carry entire families and their stuff.  Good luck in Vietnam. It’s an amazing place.

I was there in 1970.  Sounds like nothing has changed.

[Redtravel]

16 minutes ago, JRIH said:

I was there in 1970.  Sounds like nothing has changed.

Nam is an amazing place. It’s mainly a young country with hard working, polite people who are thrilled to have the tourist business. There is very little talk about the American War.  We call it the Vietnam war. 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, JRIH said:

I was there in 1970.  Sounds like nothing has changed.

Also there in 70-71.  We have twice returned and there is one major change in Saigon,  You no longer hear the sound of helicopters in the distance :).  I kid you not.  The first time we returned (on the old Marco Polo) I took DW up to the rooftop bar of the Rex Hotel (reliving some memories) where we enjoyed lunch and a few drinks.  At the time I kept thinking so much was the same, but something was very different.  And then it hit me....no helicopters.  Just a million motor scooters.

 

Hank

[Brentwood Bay]

I also asked our TA to find out which port we would dock at.  Same answer. Port Hiep Phuoc.  this is apparently downriver from the city port.  We have booked a private Delta tour, I think it was with get your guide, and it is one hour shorter each way to drive so fine with us!  We have visited before too, and loved it all! We will be there Feb 7 as well!  We are disembarking in Bangkok and then going south to the islands until we get on again in Seoul!

Does anybody know who will be the artist on board?

[ldubs]

6 hours ago, Redtravel said:

When we first got to Saigon, our guide gave us a lesson in how to cross a street. Wait at curb until you gather at least 15 people who also want to cross. Form a wall or mass together and walk as a group. Traffic is crazy. They don’t stop or stay in lane. It’s a free for all. Motor scooters carry entire families and their stuff.  Good luck in Vietnam. It’s an amazing place.

 

Ours said whatever we do don't stop walking because the cars/scooters will anticipate that you keep moving.   Yikes!   

 

I enjoyed watching all the scooters at intersections.   But all that incomplete two stroke combustion not so much.  

[clo]

16 minutes ago, ldubs said:

I enjoyed watching all the scooters at intersections.

I can't remember if our guide said that one or two died from scooter accidents per day. We saw one body 😞 

[Vallesan]

Tipping.

Which is the best currency for tipping drivers/guides?

[Redtravel]

5 hours ago, Vallesan said:

Tipping.

Which is the best currency for tipping drivers/guides?

Us dollars

[Vallesan]

Just now, Redtravel said:

Us dollars

Thanks!