Docking in Ho Chi Minh

[Maddc0pr]

We will be on the Orion in March and docking in Saigon. Has anyone docked with Viking here. I am trying to find out the exact Port and distance to the city. Will Viking offer shuttles  to city centre, or are taxis available. 

[MarkTapley]

 On Orion in 2018, we docked at Phu My Port.  We had a private guide, who drove us to the port.  Pretty sure Viking was running a shuttle from the central market, Ben Thanh, back to the ship.  Things may be different now.

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, Maddc0pr said:

We will be on the Orion in March and docking in Saigon. Has anyone docked with Viking here. I am trying to find out the exact Port and distance to the city. Will Viking offer shuttles  to city centre, or are taxis available. 

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

The Viking ships are of a size that probably can reach up river to Saigon, but I recall my son advising that when he worked SE Asia with Princess, he mentioned the river charts were poor. Hopefully that has been addressed since then.

 

Most cruise ships use the commercial berths at Phu My or even one of the docks a little further up river. The exact berth is assigned by the Harbourmaster, subject to operational conditions. Unfortunately, when using a commercial berth, there are no guarantees, as those ships often experience delays.

 

Probably best to allow aout 90 mins to/from Saigon, any less is a bonus.

[Maddc0pr]

6 hours ago, MarkTapley said:

 On Orion in 2018, we docked at Phu My Port.  We had a private guide, who drove us to the port.  Pretty sure Viking was running a shuttle from the central market, Ben Thanh, back to the ship.  Things may be different now.

Thank you for your reply, I am looking at a private tour,but it has only one review,so I am a little cautious.

 

 

 

 

[Maddc0pr]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

The Viking ships are of a size that probably can reach up river to Saigon, but I recall my son advising that when he worked SE Asia with Princess, he mentioned the river charts were poor. Hopefully that has been addressed since then.

 

Most cruise ships use the commercial berths at Phu My or even one of the docks a little further up river. The exact berth is assigned by the Harbourmaster, subject to operational conditions. Unfortunately, when using a commercial berth, there are no guarantees, as those ships often experience delays.

 

Probably best to allow aout 90 mins to/from Saigon, any less is a bonus.

Thank you

[Carol UK]

On 1/20/2023 at 12:01 PM, Maddc0pr said:

We will be on the Orion in March and docking in Saigon. Has anyone docked with Viking here. I am trying to find out the exact Port and distance to the city. Will Viking offer shuttles  to city centre, or are taxis available. 

We are on this cruise too. 

I have just called viking and they tell me the Orion will dock at Phu My Port noon on the 31st March.

you have to allow 90 minutes travel time. 

i have booked transport to pick me up for a tour in Ho Chi Minh 

[Goosebear Mum]

1 minute ago, Carol UK said:

We are on this cruise too. 

I have just called viking and they tell me the Orion will dock at Phu My Port noon on the 31st March.

you have to allow 90 minutes travel time. 

i have booked transport to pick me up for a tour in Ho Chi Minh 

This is a thread a year old, I imagine the OP meant March 2023! 🙂  Enjoy HCM though 

[Redtravel]

You will be quite a distance from the city.  Take a ship excursion. 

[Jim Avery]

90 minutes away, or so I am told.😳

[Heidi13]

17 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

90 minutes away, or so I am told.😳

 

Jim - If you're docking at one of the many berths in Phu My, unless the roads have improved significantly since our last visit, affirmative, it is 90 mins + into downtown Saigon.

[Mich3554]

4 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Jim - If you're docking at one of the many berths in Phu My, unless the roads have improved significantly since our last visit, affirmative, it is 90 mins + into downtown Saigon.

As I remember from last year, roads exiting the port were……rustic.  It was a good haul into the city.