Ho Chi Min

Hi

Does anyone know if the Celebrity constellation 8th Feb 2018 runs a shuttle service from the port into Ho Chi Min City? approx. prices anyone?

We are on 2/10 sailing and the Cruise Planner has a Saigon On Your Own excursion- price at $55.75 per adult. Check your Cruise Planner it may be what you are looking for.

Celebrity has a tour from Phu My to HCMC, 10 hours for €47,39 adults and €30,39 for children, called Saigon on your Own.

As others have said, check your rollcall to find others who may have space on a tour.

Hi

Does anyone know if the Celebrity constellation 8th Feb 2018 runs a shuttle service from the port into Ho Chi Min City? approx. prices anyone?

No they don’t. Saigon is almost a 2 hour drive away from Phu My port. Try Anntours. We had a great tour with them.

No they don’t. Saigon is almost a 2 hour drive away from Phu My port. Try Anntours. We had a great tour with them.

Also have nothing but kudos for Ann's Tours. Be sure and read the story of her company, now run by her son.

Joe

No they don’t. Saigon is almost a 2 hour drive away from Phu My port. Try Anntours. We had a great tour with them.

With the new highway it takes less than your quoted 2 hours now. X should (as does RCI)offer a shuttle service from Phu My to usually the area of the main post office and then with a return time to get back on the shuttle bus.

With the new highway it takes less than your quoted 2 hours now. X should (as does RCI)offer a shuttle service from Phu My to usually the area of the main post office and then with a return time to get back on the shuttle bus.

Agree - Millennium ran a shuttle service last fall and the one-way trip was about 90 minutes on the new road

With the new highway it takes less than your quoted 2 hours now. X should (as does RCI)offer a shuttle service from Phu My to usually the area of the main post office and then with a return time to get back on the shuttle bus.

Well, our experience was in March 2017 on Constellation. Even with the highway it took close to two hours (traffic). Which is what a local operator called normal, would consider and plan the itinerary accordingly.

There was no shuttle offered by Celebrity. The only thing offered was a „Saigon on your own“ excursion which ran 1 time only. Same on Millennium end of September 2017.

To me that is a difference to a shuttle - it‘s an excursion.

Well, our experience was in March 2017 on Constellation. Even with the highway it took close to two hours (traffic). Which is what a local operator called normal, would consider and plan the itinerary accordingly.

 

There was no shuttle offered by Celebrity. The only thing offered was a „Saigon on your own“ excursion which ran 1 time only. Same on Millennium end of September 2017.

 

To me that is a difference to a shuttle - it‘s an excursion.

My experience has been when they quote "Saigon On Your Own" it's a DIY that is actually transportation provided by the cruiseline.

They provide a shuttle bus transportation to and from the city center but once there you're on your own...and need to make sure you're back to the designated meeting place on time to return to the ship. And of course it would only run once per port. It is usually booked pre-cruise under excursions but can also be booked once onboard.

You were actually on a private tour with Ann's Tours and perhaps misunderstood what "Saigon On Your Own" booking with the cruiseline was offering.

Glad you enjoyed your tour...we have also enjoyed a private tour on one trip and the "Saigon On Your Own" during another visit.

My experience has been when they quote "Saigon On Your Own" it's a DIY that is actually transportation provided by the cruiseline.

They provide a shuttle bus transportation to and from the city center but once there you're on your own...and need to make sure you're back to the designated meeting place on time to return to the ship. And of course it would only run once per port. It is usually booked pre-cruise under excursions but can also be booked once onboard.

Exactly!!! That is the "Saigon on your own" EXCURSION :D

I did not misunderstand anything. I just think you are using different terms.

"Saigon on your own" is, as you and I described it, a BUS by Celebrity driving to Saigon ONE time and driving back ONE time. In the time in between you are on your own as the name says. This is an excursion and you book it online in the Cruise Planner" or at the shore excursions desk. It is never free of charge.

When people refer to a SHUTTLE they usually refer to a service provided in many ports running bach and forth between ship and town on a regular basis - most of the time for free. And such a shuttle-service is NOT provided in Phu My.

Exactly!!! That is the "Saigon on your own" EXCURSION :D

 

I did not misunderstand anything. I just think you are using different terms.

 

"Saigon on your own" is, as you and I described it, a BUS by Celebrity driving to Saigon ONE time and driving back ONE time. In the time in between you are on your own as the name says. This is an excursion and you book it online in the Cruise Planner" or at the shore excursions desk. It is never free of charge.

 

When people refer to a SHUTTLE they usually refer to a service provided in many ports running to and from the ship to town on a regular basis - most of the time for free. And such a service is NOT provided in Phu My.

Our experience is slightly different that yours in that majority of our cruises on Celebrity when there has been a shuttle to take people to the town there was a charge. Some times we purchase tickets at the shore excursion desk and the charge is applied to our onboard account others times we have paid cash at the bus. The only times we have had free shuttles was when it was provided by the port because walking from the ship to the gate or terminal was prohibited.

With the new highway depending on time of day the drive can be as little as one hour.

Consider doing a private tour and with just a few guests from your roll call you can do it at a reasonable price.

Keith

Our experience is slightly different that yours in that majority of our cruises on Celebrity when there has been a shuttle to take people to the town there was a charge. Some times we purchase tickets at the shore excursion desk and the charge is applied to our onboard account others times we have paid cash at the bus. The only times we have had free shuttles was when it was provided by the port because walking from the ship to the gate or terminal was prohibited.

:rolleyes::D As I said: MOST of the time (I did not say always) - and that is our experience over the past 15 cruises. Sometimes there is a charge, most of the times not. I guess it depends more on ports.

However, that is not the subject here. A shuttle (free or not) is a regular service driving back and forth and the "XYZ on your own" are excursions and not the same. And in Phu My, which is what the OP wanted to know, there is an excursion but no shuttle service.

We did Saigon On Your Own last March from Constellation-DH and I had been before but our friends had not. Traffic is horrendous in the city 4/5 people on 1 motorbike, cars and bikes driving on sidewalks. BUT we had a good time, went for a coffee they didn't take dollars but found Hard Rock had a beer & lunch using dollars.

DH has just added it is easy to do all the tourist spots in the centre and the bus drops you by the Bitexco Sky Tower. Lots of vendors crowding the bus area on return.

Liz

:rolleyes::D As I said: MOST of the time (I did not say always) - and that is our experience over the past 15 cruises. Sometimes there is a charge, most of the times not. I guess it depends more on ports.

 

However, that is not the subject here. A shuttle (free or not) is a regular service driving back and forth and the "XYZ on your own" are excursions and not the same. And in Phu My, which is what the OP wanted to know, there is an excursion but no shuttle service.

I totally agree with Miaminice. A shuttle service is a continuous service usually over a short distance running in a loop from ship to drop off point at regular intervals. People can arrive and depart as they wish. This would not be practical for the 1.5 hour trip in to Saigon and is therefore not offered.

The Saigon on Your Own is a tour organised through Celebrity shore excursions even though it is basically return transport only. There will be a guide on board who will advise what attractions Saigon has to offer prior to the drop off. This tour/excursion will have one only departure time and one only pick up time.

If you are not on this ships excursion or any other you will have to make your own private arrangements to get to Saigon. Bear in mind most private operators will not have direct access to the ship and you may have to meet them at the Port entry gates.

You can do private tours with transportation and a guide to Saigon at a very reasonable price. We used Saigon Private Tour. A very nice tour. :)

Well, our experience was in March 2017 on Constellation. Even with the highway it took close to two hours (traffic). Which is what a local operator called normal, would consider and plan the itinerary accordingly.

 

There was no shuttle offered by Celebrity. The only thing offered was a „Saigon on your own“ excursion which ran 1 time only. Same on Millennium end of September 2017.

 

To me that is a difference to a shuttle - it‘s an excursion.

semantically the same - you pay to be shuttled into the city center and back but you are on your own while there

Just that the shuttle-service in ports, if there is a charge at all, costs arond 10$ and the excursion (with a guide on the ride) would be 4 times the price and more...

Plus the shuttle has a continuous service vs the one time only excursion.

To some that might be an interesting difference. Hence the explanation.

I totally agree with Miaminice. A shuttle service is a continuous service usually over a short distance running in a loop from ship to drop off point at regular intervals. People can arrive and depart as they wish. This would not be practical for the 1.5 hour trip in to Saigon and is therefore not offered.

The Saigon on Your Own is a tour organised through Celebrity shore excursions even though it is basically return transport only. There will be a guide on board who will advise what attractions Saigon has to offer prior to the drop off. This tour/excursion will have one only departure time and one only pick up time.

 

If you are not on this ships excursion or any other you will have to make your own private arrangements to get to Saigon. Bear in mind most private operators will not have direct access to the ship and you may have to meet them at the Port entry gates.

Some private tour operator's will file the paper work to gain direct entrance to the port but will charge you more. This is absolutely not necessary with Phu My...you can see the port gate from the ship and it's a quick easy walk to reach the gate where most tour's will meet you. When returning both times after walking through the gate there were a few golf cart type shuttles that were giving rides back to the gangplank.

Celebrity has a tour from Phu My to HCMC, 10 hours for €47,39 adults and €30,39 for children, called Saigon on your Own.

 

As others have said, check your rollcall to find others who may have space on tour

Hi you are looking at price for a guided tour the On Your Own is £42.37p

There are 2 tour prices

Liz

Hi

Does anyone know if the Celebrity constellation 8th Feb 2018 runs a shuttle service from the port into Ho Chi Min City? approx. prices anyone?

We are also on the cruise and from I understand there are taxis that will be you into the city. If you go to the Rex Hotel that is a good starting point to walk around the city.

Some private tour operator's will file the paper work to gain direct entrance to the port but will charge you more. This is absolutely not necessary with Phu My...you can see the port gate from the ship and it's a quick easy walk to reach the gate where most tour's will meet you. When returning both times after walking through the gate there were a few golf cart type shuttles that were giving rides back to the gangplank.

Checking Phu My Tripadvisor forum that it is 100 Metres from ship to port gate. 6 tenths of a mile. I have read a number of conflicting distances including that in the heat and humidity, seniors should not try to walk it.

Anyone ad more clarity to the real walking distance and time to do so.???????

The traffic is horrendous in Ho Chi Minh City, like nothing I have ever seen. And it's not just like that in the city but for over an hour outside the city. Even with the new highway it is about 80 miles from the port to the city (I think) and will take every bit of 1.5 hours (if not more) depending on where you are going. The traffic is slightly less on the weekend.