How to find out which port!

We are sailing on the Quest Jan 5 for Vietnam and Thailand. I have spent some time looking at various shore excursion options and find that at some locations there are more than one port that the ships dock. For example in Ho Chi Minh City there is Saigon Port or Phu My (which can add an additional 2 hrs each way)

How do I find out exactly where our ship docks and what is the possibility of it changing?

We did this itinerary two years ago and we were docked right in the middle of Ho Chi Minh City. Smaller ships can get much farther up the river. Larger ships dock further away. Same in Bangkok.

In Halong Bay we docked in a different place than we were supposed to but our guide found us easily.

since i know the ship offers a shuttle makes me feel we are close by.I heard we are about 20 minutes away

We are sailing on the Quest Jan 5 for Vietnam and Thailand. I have spent some time looking at various shore excursion options and find that at some locations there are more than one port that the ships dock. For example in Ho Chi Minh City there is Saigon Port or Phu My (which can add an additional 2 hrs each way)

 

How do I find out exactly where our ship docks and what is the possibility of it changing?

Ask your travel agent.

Ask your travel agent.

mine knows nothing these days.. not sure if she even in country.

We are sailing on the Quest Jan 5 for Vietnam and Thailand. I have spent some time looking at various shore excursion options and find that at some locations there are more than one port that the ships dock. For example in Ho Chi Minh City there is Saigon Port or Phu My (which can add an additional 2 hrs each way)

 

How do I find out exactly where our ship docks and what is the possibility of it changing?

I did a virtually identical itinerary--just looked at your 5 January trip--aboard Azamara Journey during February 2014 and have my copies of the dailies at hand... Your sailing--with an overnight in Danang [nice!]--adds a day to the 14 night itinerary I did and, having sailed in reverse order [from Singapore to Hong Kong], our time at some of the Vietnam ports differ as to duration... Both your trip and mine feature[d] a double overnight in Bangkok...

You will tender at Ko Samui and--unless weather, other circumstances, or Harbor Master whim get in the way--you will likely disembark the tender at Nathon Jetty... That's where we were and that's where friends who arrived via Quest during 2013 were... There's not much to see/do in the immediate area--think in terms of a small village with a commercial district geared to locals that is within walking distance [no shuttle/none required to access the immediate area]--but I found the island to be generally worth experiencing... If you want to see more, plan to tour [i prearranged one privately] as--in my opinion--the sights worth seeing aren't nearby...

At Bangkok, we docked at Klong Toey [as did Quest in 2013]--an industrial port across the river from center city [apparently not well served by the purportedly excellent public transport system]--but the traffic is mayhem and was worsened by anti-government demonstrations going on while we were there so as to make the transfer much longer time-wise than the relatively short distance would suggest... I didn't use it [i did excellent private tours for 2.5 days] but the ship provided a complimentary shuttle to center city [their estimate of transit time was 30 minutes; I suspect the reality was longer] at 30 minute intervals with first departure at 8:30 AM and last return from town at 6:00 PM [12:30 PM on our third day for a 2:00 PM sail-away]... Our drop-off/pick-up point was River City Mall next to Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel; don't know if that's the usual as the demonstrations caused authorities to suggest avoidance of some areas [saw some demonstrations but never saw a problem beyond increased traffic] while we were there... Strong advice: Bring mosquito repellent and After Bite; don't know if a month will make a difference but I've never seen anything like the aggressive swarms I saw there [it was particularly bad in the port area while on open deck]!

In Ho Chi Minh City, we were docked right in town [Nha Rong Port; Quest used the same port in 2013]] and the ship provided a courtesy shuttle--at thirty minute intervals--with drop-off and pick-up at The Rex Hotel... Didn't use it but the transit time could not have been more than five or ten minutes [though we were told of the possibility that guests might be required to disembark the buses to pass through Customs to have bags x-rayed before reboarding to complete the transfer]... We arrived at noon on the day of our overnight with the shuttle starting a half hour later; last shuttle back from town was at 7:00 PM [our AzAmazing Evening was held that night]... On our second day, shuttle service started at 8:00 AM with last return at 3:00 PM for our 4:00 PM sail-away...

At Da Nang, Journey docked at Tien Sa Port [as did Quest during 2013]... A complimentary shuttle was provided at 30 minute intervals to/from Trung Vuong Theater Square [i'm sure I must have passed it on tour but don't recall it and can only assume it was center city/not too far] starting at 8:00 AM [an hour after our arrival] with last return at 5:00 PM for our 6:00 PM sail-away [again, we were only there one day]... To my mind, there's not enough in Da Nang to fill a day if you are serious about touring [i spent a few hours in town before heading to Hoi An; for me, it was a choice between Hoi An or Hue; looks like you can do both if so inclined]... If venturing out of Da Nang to Hoi An or Hue, plan on taking a tour; both are a bit of a drive...

At Halong Bay, we docked at Cai Lan [we had expected to tender; don't know what Quest did in 2013]--a few miles from where one boards the junks [bumper boats!] that do the scenic sailings around Halong Bay... Azamara provided courtesy shuttles to Thanh Nien Market on Bai Chay Street [downtown; I believe--but am not sure--that it was adjacent to where my tour dropped us off to board the junks] at 30 minute intervals... Our first day was our short day with shuttles starting at 1:30 PM relative to a 1:00 PM arrival with last return to the ship at 9:00 PM [our overnight]... On our second day, the first shuttle departed the ship at 8:00 AM with last return to the ship from downtown at 5:30 PM for our 7:00 PM sail-away... You'll have the advantage of having a long day for your overnight; visit Hanoi that day if so inclined--I found my time there to be very worthwhile/memorable right down to our round-trip rest stops at The Center For Humanity [Google it!]--but know that it's a 12+ hour day... And if going, save the sail around Halong Bay [with a stop at the caves] for your short day; to my mind--and I enjoyed it--that 3.5 or 4 hours was sufficient...

When in port, be vigilant if riding in a tuk-tuk [and I recommend doing so; it was fun/different/"must do" to the area]... Two women from Journey were doing so in Hanoi and the tuk-tuk was stopped, along with other traffic, for a red light... Two guys--riding on a motor scooter--were stopped right next to them... The guy on the back hopped off, grabbed one woman's purse [she shouldn't have been holding it to the outside of the tuk-tuk but rather should have held it to the interior/between her and her tour mate], and the two guys sped off!

Several months ago, I responded to a post inquiring about touring in Vietnam [that person's itinerary isn't visiting Thailand]... If interested in my comments, you'll find them here...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2071563

I thoroughly enjoyed--and was fulfilled by--every moment of my visit to Thailand and Vietnam [this was my first trip to Asia]; I saw/learned much... Hope you enjoy it too; it is memorable!

XPort:

Thank you so much for the detailed response to my question. You have given so much information which will be of great help to me, as well as many other travellers on the same or similar cruises.

This will be our first time in Asia and it can be a bit overwhelming visiting a new region, but with people like you to share their experience, it makes the planning much easier.

Thank you again,

Susan and Gary.

XPort:

 

Thank you so much for the detailed response to my question. You have given so much information which will be of great help to me, as well as many other travellers on the same or similar cruises.

 

This will be our first time in Asia and it can be a bit overwhelming visiting a new region, but with people like you to share their experience, it makes the planning much easier.

 

Thank you again,

 

Susan and Gary.

You are very welcome; glad that you find my comments and insights to be helpful...

My February 2014 trip was my first to Asia too and I recall all too well how daunting the planning--and sometimes, the execution--could be! Know that I found my research and meticulous planning very worthwhile in terms of getting the destination immersive experience I wanted... And since I didn't and don't know if I'll ever have opportunity to return, I wanted to experience as much as was feasible--covering a range of perspectives--in the time available to me...

It was exhausting and I was on historical, cultural, societal, religious overload for weeks... But clearly, it was all--as they say--AzAmazing!

Enjoy!

--Mike

Before my recent cruise, I tried to find where the ship would dock. I checked the port pages. Some ports posted berth locations. Some did not. Some of the posted places changed. Regardless of the location of the docking, the ship shuttle will take you to a central location. Each port had local tourist information guides that provided good maps and information. In many ports the shuttle left us in excellent locations that were close to the places we wanted to visit.