Team Alpha Posted September 30, 2019 #1 Share Posted September 30, 2019 (edited) Hello All, we're on Millennium in January and we stop at Phu My which is about 80km/50miles from Ho Chi Minh. For anyone who has done it, would you recommend an excursion to Ho Chi Minh for the day where you might only get about 4 hours on the ground before having to return to the ship? Or is it just not worth it given the time spent travelling to and from and possible stress of missing the departure? Thanks Edited September 30, 2019 by Team Alpha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Docker123 Posted September 30, 2019 #2 Share Posted September 30, 2019 I did a Cunard ship tour there as few years ago. Not having been to Vietnam previously. It was a long a uninteresting bus ride each way. However, it was quite fascinating in town. I am glad I did it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
possum52 Posted September 30, 2019 #3 Share Posted September 30, 2019 10 minutes ago, Team Alpha said: Hello All, we're on Millennium in January and we stop at Phu My which is about 80km/50miles from Ho Chi Minh. For anyone who has done it, would you recommend an excursion to Ho Chi Minh for the day where you might only get about 4 hours on the ground before having to return to the ship? Or is it just not worth it given the time spent travelling to and from and possible stress of missing the departure? Thanks We did Ho Chi Minh City from Phu My in 2015 on the Diamond Princess. We took a ship's tour and were late getting back but so were hundreds of other passengers as there were a quite a few coaches lined up in front of us. I would recommend a ship's tour if planning to go in to Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as the locals still refer to it). That way the ship will wait for you if you are delayed. We had a fantastic tour there so would recommend doing it. Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aus Traveller Posted September 30, 2019 #4 Share Posted September 30, 2019 22 minutes ago, possum52 said: We did Ho Chi Minh City from Phu My in 2015 on the Diamond Princess. We took a ship's tour and were late getting back but so were hundreds of other passengers as there were a quite a few coaches lined up in front of us. I would recommend a ship's tour if planning to go in to Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon as the locals still refer to it). That way the ship will wait for you if you are delayed. We had a fantastic tour there so would recommend doing it. Leigh I agree with these comments. We really enjoyed our visit to Saigon. The Vietnamese have built a new highway that greatly reduces the travelling time to Saigon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewgood Posted September 30, 2019 #5 Share Posted September 30, 2019 I have done it on a ships tour and there were interesting things to see. We took the tour in which you had 4 hours on your own and I found it very hot walking around the city and trying to cross the roads. Next time I would take a tour thats drops us off at the door of the attractions instead of trying to cross the road. It was fun once. There is not that much to see around the port. There should be a shuttle that drops you off at a supermarket and from here you can bargain for a local tour. Our friends went to a local resort on the river and enjoyed the trip. Last time we went on the War tour to see the tunnels. The bus did not go far too from the ship but the city would be a better option if you have not been there before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mr walker Posted September 30, 2019 #6 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Ah, crossing the roads in HCMC 🙂 My Vietnamese colleagues advice: - pay no attention to the pedestrian crossing markings on the streets, as the cars/trucks/bikes do not stop at them - start walking across the street, continue at the same pace and in a straight line. Do not slow, stop or attempt to dodge the traffic in any manner, just keep going and the vehicles will miss you 😮 I met a westerner on a flight out of Saigon once after his first visit. I asked him about crossing the street and he said he left the hotel & somehow managed to get to the other side of the street but then couldn't get back across. I joked with him that he must have contacted his hotel & have them move his luggage to another hotel on that side of the street! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted September 30, 2019 #7 Share Posted September 30, 2019 We adopted the “herd” instinct....." we would wait until a small crowd gathered and then move with them across the road . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
possum52 Posted September 30, 2019 #8 Share Posted September 30, 2019 3 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said: We adopted the “herd” instinct....." we would wait until a small crowd gathered and then move with them across the road . We did the same David. Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aus Traveller Posted September 30, 2019 #9 Share Posted September 30, 2019 7 minutes ago, Kiwi Kruzer said: We adopted the “herd” instinct....." we would wait until a small crowd gathered and then move with them across the road . Yup. Safety in numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Creekside89 Posted September 30, 2019 #10 Share Posted September 30, 2019 We did a ships tour last year. We had a very informative guide which made the hour and a half bus ride go very quick. We also went with the thought that the city was too far away and with the potential language barrier it was easier to do a ships tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elorac123 Posted September 30, 2019 #11 Share Posted September 30, 2019 1 hour ago, Kiwi Kruzer said: We adopted the “herd” instinct....." we would wait until a small crowd gathered and then move with them across the road . We spent 3 weeks in Vietnam a few years back, soon got the hang of crossing like a local, It would be a shame not to see Saigon while you have the chance but would definitely use the ships tour ,so much traffic Cheers Carole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 1, 2019 #12 Share Posted October 1, 2019 Definitely do a tour, ship's tour preferable due to timings. I found when crossing roads in Vietnam, avoid making eye contact with the drivers, and just cross when you think it is almost safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Alpha Posted October 2, 2019 Author #13 Share Posted October 2, 2019 On 10/1/2019 at 11:34 AM, MicCanberra said: Definitely do a tour, ship's tour preferable due to timings. I found when crossing roads in Vietnam, avoid making eye contact with the drivers, and just cross when you think it is almost safe. Thanks Mic but no ship tours to Ho Chi Minh City. The only ships tours offered at the port of Phy My are local to Vung Tau. So for us to do HCMC it will be a private tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 2, 2019 #14 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I am surprised there is no Ship's tours to the HCMC . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted October 2, 2019 #15 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I am also surprised. We have been 3 times and a trip to HCMC was always on offer as was a shuttle type bus to do your own thing . Try asking on the Celebrity board . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lyndarra Posted October 2, 2019 #16 Share Posted October 2, 2019 On 9/30/2019 at 10:40 AM, Team Alpha said: Hello All, we're on Millennium in January and we stop at Phu My which is about 80km/50miles from Ho Chi Minh. For anyone who has done it, would you recommend an excursion to Ho Chi Minh for the day where you might only get about 4 hours on the ground before having to return to the ship? Or is it just not worth it given the time spent travelling to and from and possible stress of missing the departure? Thanks Having experienced the traffic in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh in particular, I would probably not risk it unless it was a ship's tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lyndarra Posted October 2, 2019 #17 Share Posted October 2, 2019 I once did a HAL tour from Semarang to Borobudur Temple. It was a full day trip. Six or seven coaches in convoy with multiple police escorts for the 200klm round trip. The lead police car drove along the centre of the road getting oncoming traffic to pull over. Another would drive ahead and stop traffic at major or traffic light intersections. Without the escorts we would never have made it back to the ship in time. A very exciting ride it was too. I video recorded a lot of it but neglected to download the footage onto my computer on return to the ship. I lost the camera in Singapore. A private tour with a crazy taxi driver may have made it but the tour left during morning peak hour and returned in time for afternoon peak hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 2, 2019 #18 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Police escorts - must have had some palms greased for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
possum52 Posted October 2, 2019 #19 Share Posted October 2, 2019 Looking at the Celebrity website for excursions for Millennium in January, it seems OP is on the January 18th sailing as it arrives at Phu My at 8 am and sails at 5 pm which is three hours less than the cruises before and after. This is the only sailing without excursions into HCMC. Nine hours is not really long enough to dock and for all that occurs before passengers are allowed to disembark to allow for a trip into HCMC and to be back on board before sailing. Certainly not enough time to do a private tour into HCMC. As Phu My is a working port, you would have to walk to the port gates to meet your guide and transport, only coaches and shuttles for ships excursions are allowed into the port. Leigh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare MicCanberra Posted October 2, 2019 #20 Share Posted October 2, 2019 That explains a lot, but if the times are that tight, I wouldn't want to be going to HCMC. Perhaps going elsewhere would be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Team Alpha Posted October 3, 2019 Author #21 Share Posted October 3, 2019 18 hours ago, possum52 said: Looking at the Celebrity website for excursions for Millennium in January, it seems OP is on the January 18th sailing as it arrives at Phu My at 8 am and sails at 5 pm which is three hours less than the cruises before and after. This is the only sailing without excursions into HCMC. Nine hours is not really long enough to dock and for all that occurs before passengers are allowed to disembark to allow for a trip into HCMC and to be back on board before sailing. Certainly not enough time to do a private tour into HCMC. As Phu My is a working port, you would have to walk to the port gates to meet your guide and transport, only coaches and shuttles for ships excursions are allowed into the port. Leigh Thanks Leigh, yes you are correct - we are on the 18/01/20 cruise on Celebrity Millennium out of Singapore and we arrive at Phu My on Thursday 30th January. Thanks for the info. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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