Is Phu My, Vietnam a tender port?

[Denverite]

We just found out that our port for Saigon is now Phu My instead of Vung Tau. I know Vung Tau was a tender port, but does anyone know if Phu My is also a tender port? We are arriving on the Diamond Princess and am assuming since it is a large ship that we will be tendering, not docking. Does anyone know for sure?

[rkacruiser]

On the Amsterdam last winter, we docked at Phu My. Tendering was not needed. The dock area seemed quite ample for a large vessel.

[LizzieBliss]

Hello Rkacruiser and others who have been to Phu My. What else can you tell us about Phu My? What did you do and see there? I came up pretty empty-handed when I did a Google search.

 

Thank you,

LizzieBliss

[rkacruiser]

Phu My was the departure point for tours to Ho Chi Minh City. I did not see much of Phu My itself. I do recall, however, a very polluted harbor. There was a pulp mill off in the distance and the waters near the ship showed the effects of that mill.

 

Ho Chi Minh City was most interesting; traveling through the countryside en route to and from the city was also interesting. And, the people of Vietnam with whom I had any contact were most gracious and friendly. They appear to have put their struggles with the Vietnam war behind them far better than we have, in my opinion.

[greatam]

The Diamond, being about twice the size of the Amsterdam, will have to tender. Vietnam is building a new roadway and bridge from Phu My to Saigon and there has been talk of widening and deepening the channel. But until that is done (which may happen before you arrive), the average channel depth is 9.3 meters, which is too shallow for a ship as large as the Diamond. And Phu My cannot handle ships larger than 60,000 DWT at the dock. The Diamond weighs 131,000 Tons.

[100+]

Denverite,

 

What cruise are you on with the Diamond? Also, how did you find out the port where it docked? Do you have any other information on where the Diamond docks.

 

We are on the 9/19 sailing.

 

Cruiserplus

[rkacruiser]

Thank you, greatam, for your information! That is what is so special about these Boards; the best, the most current information can be shared among all of us!

[hobo1937]

Denverite,

 

What cruise are you on with the Diamond? Also, how did you find out the port where it docked? Do you have any other information on where the Diamond docks.

 

We are on the 9/19 sailing.

 

Cruiserplus

 

Do you mean 9/20/08? If so go over to the "Roll Call" for our cruise..lots of information. It's not just the port in Vietnam that 's been changed...we are no longer going to Nagasaki...dates for Shangai, Taiwan and Okinawa are changed and we are now staying overnight in Hong Kong!

[travelax]

We are on the Diamond Princess on Nov 23 and I called Princess and was told that at Phu My we will dock and not tender.

[greatam]

We are on the Diamond Princess on Nov 23 and I called Princess and was told that at Phu My we will dock and not tender.

 

As posted previously, the channel at Phu My is currently not deep enough to dock a ship as large as the Diamond. Nor is the port CURRENTLY equipped to handle a ship that large. However, the government of Vietnam has a massive construction project going on currently which is building a road and bridge into Saigon and there has been news releases of widening/deepening the channel and adding dockage space. Maybe it will be accomplished by the time you sail. But for a CSR to tell you that you will definitively dock is NOT reliable information.

 

I own an international logistics company, am in Vietnam, Cambodia and China about 3-4 times per year. I am frequently on docks all over Vietnam. The larger container ships (about the size of the Diamond) CANNOT dock in Phu My to use the cranes to unload containers (and you can't tender a container ship). The only very large ships the same tonnage as the Diamond that have been allowed to dock in Phu My the last few months are bulk carriers-those hauling bulk food (grain), fertilizer and fuel. The new tank farm is complete in Phu My (lovely scenery)

 

I am not surprised the CSR told you that you would dock. The CSR's are generally ill informed about anything even vaguely out of the ordinary. You would have to speak to someone in the operations dept to find out the EXACT details of whether you will dock or tender. That is the ONLY dept that is current on ship operations and has complete details.

 

Between the ill informed Princess CSR's and Zierer visa service, I lost my entire deposit in 2005 for a Beijing to Bangkok cruise. They all SWORE I could get a multiple entry visa for China. They would get it for me (due to their cancellation of my 2003 Asia cruise). Less than 6 weeks before the cruise, they decided that they couldn't get a multiple entry visa. Long story about my cruise cancellation, rebooking and no multiple entry visa, but Princess reps, until you work your way OUT of the call center (even at the supervisor level) and begin to deal with middle/upper management, have only VERY standard information.

 

Here is info about the port expansion. It MAY be finished by the time you arrive. But the Princess CSR's would have NO WAY to know whether the port will be large enough to handle the Diamond at this stage of the game. I'm sure everyone is HOPING the construction will be finished. Whether it will be is anyone's GUESS.

 

"Phu My Port expanded

 

The Infrastructure Development Investment Company (IDI) under the Saigon Construction Corporation has started construction on an expansion project for the deep-water Phu My Port

 

The port, also known as Ba Ria Serece Port, is in Tan Thanh district of the southern coastal province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau.

 

Ba Ria Serece is a deep-water port able to accommodate ships ranging between 40,000 and 60,000dwt. For the first phase of the port�"s expansion project, IDI levels the ground, hardens it to enable it to reach a carrying capacity of five tones per square metre and prepares a two-hectare site for a tank farm with a total capacity of 20,000 cubic metres of fuel. Construction work has been scheduled to be completed in three months.

 

For the second phase of the project, IDI will bulldoze 50,000 cubic metres of dirt and stones in the downstream area of the port in the direction of Vung Tau City for more storage space.

 

An additional 150 metres of pier will be constructed, adding to the Port's cargo handling capacity.

 

According to port officials, the total cost of the port's expansion project is about $10 million"

[track2traveler]

We sailed on the Sapphire Princess in SE Asia last December and we did dock in Phu My for Ho Chi Minh City. There was no tendering. Although this was an industrial area, we had to dodge a lot of fishing boats in the middle of the channel when we sailed in. According to the ship's log, we sailed 22 miles up the Mekong River to the docks. However, looking on a map of that area, that seems a little hard to believe, as the river is some distance from Phu My and Saigon. But the Mekong has a large delta, so this could be one of its branches. The Diamond is the same size as the Sapphire, so you will not have to tender.

 

The port is several hours from downtown Saigon, and you can expect heavy traffic, especially motorcycles and bikes, and a lot of congestion. There is one roundabout that is a real experience - thank heavens we were in a large motorcoach!

[greatam]

We sailed on the Sapphire Princess in SE Asia last December and we did dock in Phu My for Ho Chi Minh City. There was no tendering. Although this was an industrial area, we had to dodge a lot of fishing boats in the middle of the channel when we sailed in. According to the ship's log, we sailed 22 miles up the Mekong River to the docks. However, looking on a map of that area, that seems a little hard to believe, as the river is some distance from Phu My and Saigon. But the Mekong has a large delta, so this could be one of its branches. The Diamond is the same size as the Sapphire, so you will not have to tender.

 

The port is several hours from downtown Saigon, and you can expect heavy traffic, especially motorcycles and bikes, and a lot of congestion. There is one roundabout that is a real experience - thank heavens we were in a large motorcoach!

 

Last year, besides Vung Tau port, the cruise ships were using Ba Tai Ratoi, which is in the Tan Thanh district, but is also called Phu My and closer to Vung Tau, but not actually the port of Phu My Hung (which is the name of the district-also called Skyscraper City) that is going to be used this year. Confusing, huh!!!

 

The river you were on is the Saigon River. There is a dock directly behind the Riverside hotel in Saigon, where the smaller Mekong River cruisers leave from and some of the smaller cruise ships arrive (I have seen a Silversea ship in there). http://www.marriott.com/hotels/photo-tours.mi?marshaCode=sgnbr&pageID=HWHOM&imageID=0

 

As posted previously, the actual port of Phu My is called Ba Ria Serece Port, which is being expanded. There is also a TOWN named Phu My, which is NORTH of Cam Rahn Bay and Nha Trang.

 

It is VERY confusing with names of places in Vietnam. There are districts and cities and river tributaries which are all named the same-except they add something else in Vietnamese. And the name Saigon is so confusing- HCMC to foreigners and government types, still Saigon to the locals.

 

I have no idea why the cruise ships don't dock in Cam Ranh/Nha Trang. Deep water port used by all our Navy ships during the War. Spend a couple of nights-one day, go South to Saigon. The next, spend time between Saigon and Nha Trang. Would save fuel and actually give people a chance to see something, rather than the hectic 2+ hour trip each way to Saigon.

 

Wherever you dock, enjoy Vietnam. One of my favorite places in the world.

[Girl from Oz]

The river you were on is the Saigon River. There is a dock directly behind the Riverside hotel in Saigon, where the smaller Mekong River cruisers leave from and some of the smaller cruise ships arrive (I have seen a Silversea ship in there). http://www.marriott.com/hotels/photo-tours.mi?marshaCode=sgnbr&pageID=HWHOM&imageID=0

 

Wherever you dock, enjoy Vietnam. One of my favorite places in the world.

 

My Mum & Dad (not CC members) are on RSSC Mariner in October and would love to know where their ship is ACTUALLY going to dock. I think it will be up the river near the Riverside Hotel. Like Greatam, I also saw a cruise ship there when I visited the city in April this year, but didn't get close enough to see which ship it was. I don't think they'll be docked out of town on the Mariner. Any info gladly accepted.

 

Gai

Sydney OZ

[seapenarth]

My Mum & Dad (not CC members) are on RSSC Mariner in October and would love to know where their ship is ACTUALLY going to dock. I think it will be up the river near the Riverside Hotel. Like Greatam, I also saw a cruise ship there when I visited the city in April this year, but didn't get close enough to see which ship it was. I don't think they'll be docked out of town on the Mariner. Any info gladly accepted.

 

Gai

Sydney OZ

 

the Mariner is 140,000 tons. The problem people who choose to travel in these gigantic ships is many ports can`t handle them and others because of infrastructure will not want them :(

[FLACRUISER99]

Wow I did not know the Seven Seas Mariner was that large.:rolleyes:

[greatam]

Wow I did not know the Seven Seas Mariner was that large.:rolleyes:

 

Confusions between RSSC's Mariner and Mariner of the Seas (RCCL).

 

RSSC's Mariner is the size to dock IN Saigon behind the Riverside hotel. Whether it will or not?????

 

http://www.rssc.com/ships/detail.jsp?code=MAR&type=stats

[CAcruiser95814]

We just found out that our port for Saigon is now Phu My instead of Vung Tau. I know Vung Tau was a tender port, but does anyone know if Phu My is also a tender port? We are arriving on the Diamond Princess and am assuming since it is a large ship that we will be tendering, not docking. Does anyone know for sure?

 

As I am a Travel Agent I was able to talk directly to Princess Cruise today. They have confirmed a tender will take passengers to Phu My.

[greatam]

As I am a Travel Agent I was able to talk directly to Princess Cruise today. They have confirmed a tender will take passengers to Phu My.

 

As I posted. They don't have the new docks finished nor the channel dredged. Tender will make it rather difficult to see much in Saigon. Sorry, folks.

[macro duck]

My letter from Princess regarding the change says "Ho Chi Minh City will now be visited from Phy My, where we have been able to secure a berth alongside the Quay, removing the need for a tender call in Vung Tau".

[greatam]

My letter from Princess regarding the change says "Ho Chi Minh City will now be visited from Phy My, where we have been able to secure a berth alongside the Quay, removing the need for a tender call in Vung Tau".

 

Please reread through this thread. Princess is telling people they will dock. The dock, as of today, September 29, is NOT finished to allow docking of a ship as large as the Diamond or Sapphire. The Vietnamese government is trying VERY hard to finish dredging the channel, as they have PROMISED Cosco (China Overseas Shipping Co) that they would have space for their new container ships by October 25. But the work is NOT finished yet.

 

As posted previously, there are really three places called Phu My. One very close to Vung Tau ( Ba Tai Ratoi), one the port of Phu My Hung (Sky Scraper City-Saigon South- Ba Ria Serece) where the construction is going on and one about 150 miles NORTH of Saigon. They won't be using the one NORTH of Saigon, but the other two are both called Phu My. One is under construction-the one the cruise ships HOPE to use this year. Princess is somewhat correct in saying you will dock-IF and only IF they are docking at Ba Tai Ratoi (which is really Vung Tau, but not in the Vung Tau district). I am confused by the names and I am in Vietnam, ON THE DOCKS, about 4 times per year (it's my business-international shipping). No wonder Princess is giving somewhat wishy-washy advice.

 

Plan on a tender. If you dock, consider it a blessing.

[Denverite]

Thanks to all for your responses, and especially to Greatam for explaining the differences between the Phu My ports. It appears from the Princess web site where they list their excursions that we will be docking at Ba Tai Ratoi near Vung Tau since the excursions indicate it will be 2 or more hours into Saigon and I think the other Phu My port is closer to Saigon. Our private guide indicates we will not have to tender based on his previous experience, but then again.... We'll just wait and see and be prepared and who knows where they might dock/tender in April 2009. Thanks again to everyone.

[trishascott29]

We are on the Diamond Princess on Nov 23 and I called Princess and was told that at Phu My we will dock and not tender.

 

 

Hello there.

 

Is this the repositioning cruise from Bangkok to Sydney(must be surely)? If it is, then we will also be on board.

 

We are from Leicester, England and love to cruise "Princess", especially to the Far East.

 

Happy cruising.

[paul929207]

We stopped in Phu My on the Pacific Princess in 2005. We docked there.

[greatam]

We stopped in Phu My on the Pacific Princess in 2005. We docked there.

 

The Pacific Princess is about the size of the Seabourn/Silversea ships. They have room to dock. No comparison to the Diamond/Sapphire.

[Sea-FAB]

Hell-o Denverite I will be doing the same princess curise in Sept 2009. Could you please tell me about private tour guides that you have used in any of the ports, My E-mail is fb35850@aol.com-----Thanks Sea/FAB