Saigon - 2 days

[Jade13]

Our ship is scheduled to dock in Ho Chi Minh City for two days from 9:00am until 4:00pm the next day. What is there to do? I was surprised that the ship shows few excursions considering we are there for 2 days. Any suggestions?

[dino2067]

Our ship is scheduled to dock in Ho Chi Minh City for two days from 9:00am until 4:00pm the next day. What is there to do? I was surprised that the ship shows few excursions considering we are there for 2 days. Any suggestions?

 

Jade-

 

You might try contacting Indochina Travel Company out of SF who have had good recommendations on cc (info@indochinatravel.com) along with having 'in-country" offices/contacts which to me, is important. I was able to setup private day-only tours along with airport transfers with them for a pre-cruise trip to Angkor Wat, along with cruise stops in Bangkok, Ko Samui and several stops in Vietnam (Saigon, Ha Long Bay/Hanoi, Danang). Depending on what your likes/dislikes are, there is a lot that you can experience in Saigon.

 

Kathleen

[Jade13]

Jade-

 

You might try contacting Indochina Travel Company out of SF who have had good recommendations on cc (info@indochinatravel.com) along with having 'in-country" offices/contacts which to me, is important. I was able to setup private day-only tours along with airport transfers with them for a pre-cruise trip to Angkor Wat, along with cruise stops in Bangkok, Ko Samui and several stops in Vietnam (Saigon, Ha Long Bay/Hanoi, Danang). Depending on what your likes/dislikes are, there is a lot that you can experience in Saigon.

 

Kathleen

 

What cruise are you on? It has a lot of ports.

[dino2067]

What cruise are you on? It has a lot of ports.

 

 

Oceania's 24-day Bangkok to Beijing sailing on March 1, 2010:

 

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/asia/nau100301/default.aspx

[Keith1010]

We were in Saigon in 2008. Challenge is the traffic so while it seems like a lot of time it isn't as much as one thinks.

 

Looking over your excursions and assuming this is your first time there you might want to consider the following.

 

The Cu Chi Tunnels which you could likely do the first day in the afternoon or if you wanted to see the Cu Chi Tunnels but also see a number of the other sites associated with the war, etc. you could consider the Good Morning Vietanam Tour.

 

I would also spend a few hours in downtown Saigon either on your own assuming there is a shuttle provided by the cruise line or on some other tour. One you could consider is the tour called Saigon By Pedi-Cab. It will give you a feel of the city.

 

Keith

[Jade13]

We were in Saigon in 2008. Challenge is the traffic so while it seems like a lot of time it isn't as much as one thinks.

 

Looking over your excursions and assuming this is your first time there you might want to consider the following.

 

The Cu Chi Tunnels which you could likely do the first day in the afternoon or if you wanted to see the Cu Chi Tunnels but also see a number of the other sites associated with the war, etc. you could consider the Good Morning Vietanam Tour.

 

I would also spend a few hours in downtown Saigon either on your own assuming there is a shuttle provided by the cruise line or on some other tour. One you could consider is the tour called Saigon By Pedi-Cab. It will give you a feel of the city.

 

Keith

 

Thanks. We want to go to the Chi Chi Tunnels.

[Jade13]

Oceania's 24-day Bangkok to Beijing sailing on March 1, 2010:

 

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/asia/nau100301/default.aspx

 

Hi, nice itinerary. I guess you will be away for over a month with a pre-cruise to Angkor Wat and post for 5 nights in Bejing.

 

 

We also have 2 days in Saigon and 1 day in Da Nang.

[dino2067]

Hi, nice itinerary. I guess you will be away for over a month with a pre-cruise to Angkor Wat and post for 5 nights in Bejing.

 

 

We also have 2 days in Saigon and 1 day in Da Nang.

 

We almost did a B-2-B on Azamara but we really wanted as many stops in Vietnam as possible but it seemed the itinineraries on Azamara were an either/or kind of thing when it came to stops in Saigon and Hanoi/Ha Long Bay. Otherwise, Azamara has some nice itineraries in Asia.

 

Kathleen

[Molliem]

Our ship is scheduled to dock in Ho Chi Minh City for two days from 9:00am until 4:00pm the next day. What is there to do? I was surprised that the ship shows few excursions considering we are there for 2 days. Any suggestions?

 

Hi:

 

We are visiting HCMC and have set up private tours here for our group. if you need ideas, contact molliem@shaw.ca and we'll be glad to share.

 

Elwin

[Molliem]

Oceania's 24-day Bangkok to Beijing sailing on March 1, 2010:

 

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/asia/nau100301/default.aspx

 

We are on same cruise Mar 1'2010 Nautica. We have also set up private tours in Vietnam with great itinerary at reasonable prices. If interested, contact molliem@shaw.ca for itinerary.

 

Elwin

[Jade13]

We almost did a B-2-B on Azamara but we really wanted as many stops in Vietnam as possible but it seemed the itinineraries on Azamara were an either/or kind of thing when it came to stops in Saigon and Hanoi/Ha Long Bay. Otherwise, Azamara has some nice itineraries in Asia.

 

Kathleen

 

 

The Azamara cruises from Hong Kong to Singapore, or the reverse, all do Saigon (2 days with overnight) , but either Hanoi or Cambodia. We are going from Cambodia to do a land tour to Angkor Wat. This could also be done by flying both ways from Bangkok but you would totally miss Thailand. I basically chose Angkor Wat over Hanoi.

[Jade13]

Here is the proposal that I received for HCMC. I requested one day but the tour operator saw that Azamara Quest was docked for 2 days. I am not sure that we want a guided tour for 2 days or that we want to go on the Mekong. We are scheduled to arrive at 9:00am the first day and depart at 4:00pm the second day. I am waiting to hear back because we would want to be at the port by 2:30pm for the 4:00pm departure the second day and the tour operator did not look closely at our schedule.

 

This Guide is US cash that day which is what I want.

 

Any comments?

=========

 

Proposal

 

Feb 2010 My Tho tour in the Mekong Delta

 

09:30 Pick up the guests inside the Pier at Nha Rong port in

HCMC to transfer to My Tho city in the Mekong Delta. On the way, stop

at the Thien Hau temple and Cho Lon market in China town

 

12:30 Arrival in My Tho located on the Upper branch of the

Mekong river. Enjoy lunch with local specialties (Deep Fried Elephant

ear fish and big legged prawns) (exclusive).

 

13:30 Get on a private boat and cruise through the river, enjoy

a sampan ride through small canals, visit local family workshops of

making coconut candies and fruit orchards to see how the local people

live.

 

16:30 Back to HCMC. Transfer back to the port

 

18:30 Enjoy the unique water puppet show (1 hour)

 

19:30 Transfer back to the cruise

 

Overnight on boat mooring at Nha Rong port

 

Day 2: 2010 – Cu Chi - HCMC Tour

 

07:30 Meet our guide at the pier at Nha Rong port in HCMC to go

to visit the Reunification Hall

 

9:00 Transfer to Cu Chi. Visit Cu Chi Tunnels where human

knowledge has been enriched by experiencing a web-like tunnel system

of more than 200km in length which provide shelters for Vietnamese

guerrillas during the Vietnam War against American troops

 

10:30 Transfer to HCMC

 

12:00 Have lunch at the Pho 2000 noodle soup restaurant where

Bill Clinton had his “PHO” noodle in 2000. Visit the Ben Thanh market.

 

13:30 Continue city tour with visits to the History Museum

 

14:30 Visit the Hundred Years Red Cathedral (Notre Dame

Cathedral), the Old Post Office, driving by the city center where the

Rex hotel, Opera House, City Hall are located.

 

15:00 Transfer back to the port

 

15:30 Back to the cruise

 

End of service

[librarian]

Same company gave us a proposal quite similar except we wanted to go to the war museum which we will. We are on the Nautica in March from 10:00 one day to 6:00 the next day. The tours on the ship are smiliar except does not include water puppet show which we want to do. Wanted to do as much as we could American things and the tunnel while seeing the delta.

[greatam]

The tour is OK, except the trip to My Tho is an endless 10-20MPH parade of traffic. And it was in one of the canals outside My Tho where we saw them killing and BBQ'ing dogs.

 

I personally would spend more time in downtown Saigon. You are missing a lot-most of the the guides won't even take you to where the American Embassy was and the famous scene with the helicopters lifting off from the room. You have to hide behind the trees across the street in the park and take pictures (it is now a Vietnamese military installation and they don't want you taking pictures). You are not supposed to take pictures, but a sharp guide will show you how to do it.

 

The Post Office seems to be on every organized trip. Yes, it is a colonial building-not that interesting IMHO. You will also be taken to a variety lacquer ware and maybe even an embroidery shop because the guides/drivers get commissions. There is a undertone of "hard sell".

 

The Reunification Palace/Hall (they call it all kinds of different names) is often given short shrift by a lot of tours. You need to get INSIDE-it is a large facility. Standing on the top floor, looking out over the lawn, you can just "see" the Communist tanks rolling in to crush the fledgling South Vietnamese government. In the basement, all the old CIA maps (lots of CIA officers lived there during the war as well as in the Rex hotel), communication equipment, the direct phones between the South Vietnamese/Americans, the kitchen which fed everyone. Very few people I have spoken to have ever seen all the stuff. It is interesting if you are into Vietnam War history or were there.

 

The Rex hotel-a drive by??? This was the building where the American Generals/Colonels and senior CIA officers stayed. More of the war was planned on the roof bar than most other places. You can still see where the "grenade shutters" were on the windows and the front door of the restaurant.

 

If you come out of the front door of the Rex, walk right to the first street and then make a right again, some of the best basketry I have ever seen. Baskets, baskets, baskets of every shape and size and material. Seems like the whole street is devoted to basket sellers. I have purchased 1000's of dollars worth of baskets on that street for export. The sellers all bend over backwards to help-have even taken all my baskets one night on a moto to find boxes so I could ship the next day.

 

If you come out of the front door of the Rex and turn left across the street, you are walking towards the Sheraton and Riverside hotels. A wonderful meal to be had on the top floor of the Sheraton with exceptional views. Lots of weird little shops around the area. Perfectly safe to walk around-just WATCH the traffic. DO NOT stop when you are crossing the street. Make eye contact with the moto drivers-they will drive around you.

 

Be prepared to be po'd/upset at the "War Remnants" Museum if you have any feelings about the War. The Vietnamese do not call it the Vietnam War (except for those whose families were heavily invested with the Americans). It is the "American War". When you first walk in, there is an American helo, tank and other assorted "captured" American stuff. Bldg 1 and 2 is VERY interesting-lots of maps, showing both American camps and VC. Non propoganda pictures-interesting stuff, IMHO. Bldg 3-PROPOGANDA CITY. Prominently displayed is the picture of the little girl hit with napalm. LOTS of picture of napalmed people-"look what they did to us". I walked out the first time after about 2 minutes and have never been back in that bldg again. Bldg 4 is a depiction of the prisons, the tiger cages,the torture. When you see what some of our soldiers went through, think about the "abuse" we heap on others in Gitmo and Abu Gharib-I'll take the pink panties and water boarding ANY day (EVERY US soldier is waterboarded during basic SERE (Search, evasion, rescue, escaper) training. Reality of what torture REALLY is hits you hard.

 

Bldg 5 just p***s you off. PROMINENT pictures of Jane Fonda, anti-war protest posters, and dead smack in the middle-Senator John F Kerry, negotiating with the North Vietnamese. The curator of the museum must have dug long and hard to find all those anti war protest posters from college campuses.

 

The Bin Thanh market can easily consume many hours. Depends on how much you want to shop and mingle with the locals.

 

CuChi takes at least 1/2 day, more if you want to use their shooting range. And if you have a GOOD guide, they will show you more of the war stuff around the area if it is of interest.

 

The Pho restaurant most highly recommended by backpackers and locals alike is Pho Hao, NOT Pho 2000 (which is a tourist trap and was easily secured by the Secret Service, which is why Clinton ate there). Pho Hao is down an alley and is hard to find walking, but most guides and "Americanized" moto drivers and the taxi drivers at the Rex hotel know how to get there. Best pho in Saigon-NO MSG which is prevalent in other pho restaurants.

 

Just a few thoughts-try to find a more "non standardized" tour. You really are missing a lot with that itinerary. I will ask my friend Long if he has any recommendations to REALLY see Saigon in a short time but he got into a real pickle with cruise tourists a couple of years ago, so he is not doing any more cruise tours.

[greatam]

The tour is OK, except the trip to My Tho is an endless 10-20MPH parade of traffic. And it was in one of the canals outside My Tho where we saw them killing and BBQ'ing dogs.

 

I personally would spend more time in downtown Saigon. You are missing a lot-most of the the guides won't even take you to where the American Embassy was and the famous scene with the helicopters lifting off from the room. You have to hide behind the trees across the street in the park and take pictures (it is now a Vietnamese military installation and they don't want you taking pictures). You are not supposed to take pictures, but a sharp guide will show you how to do it.

 

The Post Office seems to be on every organized trip. Yes, it is a colonial building-not that interesting IMHO. You will also be taken to a variety lacquer ware and maybe even an embroidery shop because the guides/drivers get commissions. There is a undertone of "hard sell".

 

The Reunification Palace/Hall (they call it all kinds of different names) is often given short shrift by a lot of tours. You need to get INSIDE-it is a large facility. Standing on the top floor, looking out over the lawn, you can see the Communist tanks rolling in to crush the fledgling South Vietnamese government. In the basement, all the old CIA maps (lots of CIA officers lived there during the war as well as in the Rex hotel), communication equipment, the direct phones between the South Vietnamese/Americans, the kitchen which fed everyone. Very few people I have spoken to have ever seen all the stuff. It is interesting if you are into Vietnam War history or were there.

 

The Rex hotel-a drive by??? This was the building where the American Generals/Colonels and senior CIA officers stayed. More of the war was planned on the roof bar than most other places. You can still see where the "grenade shutters" were on the windows and the front door of the restaurant.

 

If you come out of the front door of the Rex, walk right to the first street and then make a right again, some of the best basketry I have ever seen. Baskets, baskets, baskets of every shape and size and material. Seems like the whole street is devoted to basket sellers. I have purchased 1000's of dollars worth of baskets on that street for export. The sellers all bend over backwards to help-have even taken all my baskets one night on a moto to find boxes so I could ship the next day.

 

If you come out of the front door of the Rex and turn left across the street, you are walking towards the Sheraton and Riverside hotels. A wonderful meal to be had on the top floor of the Sheraton with exceptional views. Lots of weird little shops around the area. Perfectly safe to walk around-just WATCH the traffic. DO NOT stop when you are crossing the street. Make eye contact with the moto drivers-they will drive around you.

 

Be prepared to be po'd/upset at the "War Remnants" Museum if you have any feelings about the War. The Vietnamese do not call it the Vietnam War (except for those whose families were heavily invested with the Americans). It is the "American War". When you first walk in, there is an American helo, tank and other assorted "captured" American stuff. Bldg 1 and 2 is VERY interesting-lots of maps, showing both American camps and VC. Non propoganda pictures-interesting stuff, IMHO. Bldg 3-PROPOGANDA CITY. Prominently displayed is the picture of the little girl hit with napalm. LOTS of picture of napalmed people-"look what they did to us". I walked out the first time after about 2 minutes and have never been back in that bldg again. Bldg 4 is a depiction of the prisons, the tiger cages,the torture. When you see what some of our soldiers went through, think about the "abuse" we heap on others in Gitmo and Abu Gharib-I'll take the pink panties and water boarding ANY day (EVERY US soldier is waterboarded during basic SERE (Search, evasion, rescue, escaper) training. Reality of what torture REALLY is hits you hard.

 

Bldg 5 just p***s you off. PROMINENT pictures of Jane Fonda, anti-war protest posters, and dead smack in the middle-Senator John F Kerry, negotiating with the North Vietnamese. The curator of the museum must have dug long and hard to find all those anti war protest posters from college campuses.

 

The Bin Thanh market can easily consume many hours. Depends on how much you want to shop and mingle with the locals.

 

CuChi takes at least 1/2 day, more if you want to use their shooting range. And if you have a GOOD guide, they will show you more of the war stuff around the area if it is of interest.

 

The Pho restaurant most highly recommended by backpackers and locals alike is Pho Hao, NOT Pho 2000 (which is a tourist trap and was easily secured by the Secret Service, which is why Clinton ate there). Pho Hao is down an alley and is hard to find walking, but most guides and "Americanized" moto drivers and the taxi drivers at the Rex hotel know how to get there. Best pho in Saigon-NO MSG which is prevalent in other pho restaurants.

 

Just a few thoughts-try to find a more "non standardized" tour. You really are missing a lot with that itinerary. I will ask my friend Long if he has any recommendations to REALLY see Saigon in a short time but he got into a real pickle with cruise tourists a couple of years ago, so he is not doing any more cruise tours.

[Jade13]

The tour is OK, except the trip to My Tho is an endless 10-20MPH parade of traffic. And it was in one of the canals outside My Tho where we saw them killing and BBQ'ing dogs.

 

I personally would spend more time in downtown Saigon. You are missing a lot-most of the the guides won't even take you to where the American Embassy was and the famous scene with the helicopters lifting off from the room. You have to hide behind the trees across the street in the park and take pictures (it is now a Vietnamese military installation and they don't want you taking pictures). You are not supposed to take pictures, but a sharp guide will show you how to do it.

 

The Post Office seems to be on every organized trip. Yes, it is a colonial building-not that interesting IMHO. You will also be taken to a variety lacquer ware and maybe even an embroidery shop because the guides/drivers get commissions. There is a undertone of "hard sell".

 

The Reunification Palace/Hall (they call it all kinds of different names) is often given short shrift by a lot of tours. You need to get INSIDE-it is a large facility. Standing on the top floor, looking out over the lawn, you can just "see" the Communist tanks rolling in to crush the fledgling South Vietnamese government. In the basement, all the old CIA maps (lots of CIA officers lived there during the war as well as in the Rex hotel), communication equipment, the direct phones between the South Vietnamese/Americans, the kitchen which fed everyone. Very few people I have spoken to have ever seen all the stuff. It is interesting if you are into Vietnam War history or were there.

 

The Rex hotel-a drive by??? This was the building where the American Generals/Colonels and senior CIA officers stayed. More of the war was planned on the roof bar than most other places. You can still see where the "grenade shutters" were on the windows and the front door of the restaurant.

 

If you come out of the front door of the Rex, walk right to the first street and then make a right again, some of the best basketry I have ever seen. Baskets, baskets, baskets of every shape and size and material. Seems like the whole street is devoted to basket sellers. I have purchased 1000's of dollars worth of baskets on that street for export. The sellers all bend over backwards to help-have even taken all my baskets one night on a moto to find boxes so I could ship the next day.

 

If you come out of the front door of the Rex and turn left across the street, you are walking towards the Sheraton and Riverside hotels. A wonderful meal to be had on the top floor of the Sheraton with exceptional views. Lots of weird little shops around the area. Perfectly safe to walk around-just WATCH the traffic. DO NOT stop when you are crossing the street. Make eye contact with the moto drivers-they will drive around you.

 

Be prepared to be po'd/upset at the "War Remnants" Museum if you have any feelings about the War. The Vietnamese do not call it the Vietnam War (except for those whose families were heavily invested with the Americans). It is the "American War". When you first walk in, there is an American helo, tank and other assorted "captured" American stuff. Bldg 1 and 2 is VERY interesting-lots of maps, showing both American camps and VC. Non propoganda pictures-interesting stuff, IMHO. Bldg 3-PROPOGANDA CITY. Prominently displayed is the picture of the little girl hit with napalm. LOTS of picture of napalmed people-"look what they did to us". I walked out the first time after about 2 minutes and have never been back in that bldg again. Bldg 4 is a depiction of the prisons, the tiger cages,the torture. When you see what some of our soldiers went through, think about the "abuse" we heap on others in Gitmo and Abu Gharib-I'll take the pink panties and water boarding ANY day (EVERY US soldier is waterboarded during basic SERE (Search, evasion, rescue, escaper) training. Reality of what torture REALLY is hits you hard.

 

Bldg 5 just p***s you off. PROMINENT pictures of Jane Fonda, anti-war protest posters, and dead smack in the middle-Senator John F Kerry, negotiating with the North Vietnamese. The curator of the museum must have dug long and hard to find all those anti war protest posters from college campuses.

 

The Bin Thanh market can easily consume many hours. Depends on how much you want to shop and mingle with the locals.

 

CuChi takes at least 1/2 day, more if you want to use their shooting range. And if you have a GOOD guide, they will show you more of the war stuff around the area if it is of interest.

 

The Pho restaurant most highly recommended by backpackers and locals alike is Pho Hao, NOT Pho 2000 (which is a tourist trap and was easily secured by the Secret Service, which is why Clinton ate there). Pho Hao is down an alley and is hard to find walking, but most guides and "Americanized" moto drivers and the taxi drivers at the Rex hotel know how to get there. Best pho in Saigon-NO MSG which is prevalent in other pho restaurants.

 

Just a few thoughts-try to find a more "non standardized" tour. You really are missing a lot with that itinerary. I will ask my friend Long if he has any recommendations to REALLY see Saigon in a short time but he got into a real pickle with cruise tourists a couple of years ago, so he is not doing any more cruise tours.

 

Greatam, thanks. Again, I realized right away that this was not what I wanted with little time in HCMC. Plus, I only requested one full day tour but the tour guide realized we would be docked for 2 days. I just spoke to my DH and he only wants one guided day. This tour guide looks pretty good. They have specialized deaf tours with sign language for those with hearing loss so must be a compassionate tour guide. My DH wants to go to the Chu Chi tunnels so I am going to look for something starting at 9:30am for an extended day and ending with the water puppet show. I am going to skip the Mekong and anything we miss in town, well I can go back on my own the next day (or find others on my roll call and go without my DH). This may be a 2 person tour because others I have chatted with do not want to go to the tunnels (one person is a Vietnam Vet).

 

Please let me know what your friend says regarding Saigon (I posted the Danang tour on another thread and I think the itinerary looks good - I gave a lot more details of what I wanted for Danang)? I had little info on HCMC because Azamara has few tours listed.

[librarian]

greatam

 

If you had 2 days what would be the perfect Saigon tour?? Do you know any local person other than smile tours for Saigon. I do want to see the tunnels, war museum, reunification palace, embassy Rex etc. Now that you mentioned about barbecued dogs I am rethinking the delta trip. I know this is the only time I will ever get here. Husband is a historian and wants things pertaining to American history but also culture. My only request is a water puppet show. If any suggestions please email me phil_reyburn_24@comcast.net

Thanks. Our proposal by smile tours was essentially the same but a little longer time in reunification palace.

[Jade13]

Here is our revised one day tour. It was suggested that we visit the war museum on our own the second day since there is no time on this schedule. Our ship is scheduled to dock at 9:00am and we have an overnight.

 

Feb 2010 – Cu Chi – HCMC Tour

• 09:30 Meet our guide at the pier at Nha Rong port in HCMC to go to visit the Thien Hau temple and Cho Lon market in China town
  

 

• 11:00 Go to visit the Reunification Hall (inside)
  

 

• 12:00 Stop at the Notre Dam Cathedral and old Post Office for photos, the former US Embassy
  

 

• 12:30 Lunch at Pho Hoa restaurant (exclusive)
  

 

• 13:30 Transfer to visit theCu Chi Tunnels where human knowledge has been enriched by experiencing a web-like tunnel system of more than 200km in length which provide shelters for Vietnamese guerrillas during the Vietnam War against American troops
  

 

• 15:00 Visit the tunnels
  

 

• 16:30 Transfer back to HCMC
  

 

• 18:30 Enjoy the unique water puppet show
  

 

• 19:30 Transfer back to the ship
  

 

• Overnight aboard
   
  

[Jade13]

The tour is OK, except the trip to My Tho is an endless 10-20MPH parade of traffic. And it was in one of the canals outside I will ask my friend Long if he has any recommendations to REALLY see Saigon in a short time but he got into a real pickle with cruise tourists a couple of years ago, so he is not doing any more cruise tours.

 

What happened? It must have been bad if he stopped dealing with cruisers.

[greatam]

What happened? It must have been bad if he stopped dealing with cruisers.

 

He booked 2 couples who got the recommendation from me-both US Vietnam war vets that wanted to see more war history than architecture, etc. And they wanted to spend the time on history, NOT shopping. Long's father was an interpreter for the Americans during the war. His Dad was sent to a "re-education camp" after the Communists took over. Spent 7 years getting rid of his "American ways". Long is VERY American.

 

The couples emailed from the ship-could he take 4 more couples? He didn't really want to but instead of making a big stink about it, he said OK, got a larger van (which are sort of hard to find) and picked everyone up in Vung Tau. He figured the original couples has at least told the 4 extra couples what they had planned for the day.

 

The first stop was to the battlefield of Long Tan, which was a huge battle for the Australians (the Americans backed them up from Saigon with air power/helos). And the complaining started from the "extra" couples. They didn't want to see battle stuff, they wanted to go shopping/see sights. So Long told them he would drop the "shoppers" off at the Ben Thanh market, they could wander around and he would pick them up AFTER he took the original couples to Cu Chi and all the battle sights up there.

 

Dropped the shoppers off (with maps of where to shop, what to see walking around, how to get a moto taxi, etc.) They were to meet him at the Rex hotel in 4 hours and he would take EVERYONE to see the Post Office, the Embassy grounds, etc. They were NOT at their appointed pick up place. The original group wasted a lot of time looking for these people-Long told me over an hour. They finally found 2 of the 3 couples, but not the fourth.

 

Three of the four "extra" couples refused to pay his fee, saying he "dumped" them off and they didn't get any kind of "tour" (they got what they asked for-shopping). The fourth couple evidently made it back to the ship on their own and REALLY caused a stink.

 

Long was to meet the original two couples in DaNang to take the Vietnam Vets to more battlefields and military stuff-Chu Lai, Khe Sanh, Hue and all the stuff on the Ho Chi Minh trail. They were actually staying off the ship for a day and flying to Hanoi to rejoin the cruise.

 

Long was barred from picking up the two couples by the cruise line at the port. He was told he had "ripped off" the tourists in Saigon. It was a BIG fiasco. The original couples did not get to see what they wanted and Long was stuck with airline tickets he had purchased for himself to DaNang and also the couples' airline tickets to Hanoi. After that, he said NO MORE cruise tourists. He lost a lot of money. IF he can't pick you up at a hotel and discuss BEFORE you leave on a tour EXACTLY what you want to see, he just won't do it anymore.

 

He will be picking me up at Tan Son Nhat airport on Friday (hopefully-military transport has a way to get me to Doha, Qatar by then to make the plane to Saigon). I will ask him if he has any other suggestions, but I KNOW he won't do a tour from a ship.

[Jade13]

He booked 2 couples who got the recommendation from me-both US Vietnam war vets that wanted to see more war history than architecture, etc. And they wanted to spend the time on history, NOT shopping. Long's father was an interpreter for the Americans during the war. His Dad was sent to a "re-education camp" after the Communists took over. Spent 7 years getting rid of his "American ways". Long is VERY American.

 

The couples emailed from the ship-could he take 4 more couples? He didn't really want to but instead of making a big stink about it, he said OK, got a larger van (which are sort of hard to find) and picked everyone up in Vung Tau. He figured the original couples has at least told the 4 extra couples what they had planned for the day.

 

The first stop was to the battlefield of Long Tan, which was a huge battle for the Australians (the Americans backed them up from Saigon with air power/helos). And the complaining started from the "extra" couples. They didn't want to see battle stuff, they wanted to go shopping/see sights. So Long told them he would drop the "shoppers" off at the Ben Thanh market, they could wander around and he would pick them up AFTER he took the original couples to Cu Chi and all the battle sights up there.

 

Dropped the shoppers off (with maps of where to shop, what to see walking around, how to get a moto taxi, etc.) They were to meet him at the Rex hotel in 4 hours and he would take EVERYONE to see the Post Office, the Embassy grounds, etc. They were NOT at their appointed pick up place. The original group wasted a lot of time looking for these people-Long told me over an hour. They finally found 2 of the 3 couples, but not the fourth.

 

Three of the four "extra" couples refused to pay his fee, saying he "dumped" them off and they didn't get any kind of "tour" (they got what they asked for-shopping). The fourth couple evidently made it back to the ship on their own and REALLY caused a stink.

 

Long was to meet the original two couples in DaNang to take the Vietnam Vets to more battlefields and military stuff-Chu Lai, Khe Sanh, Hue and all the stuff on the Ho Chi Minh trail. They were actually staying off the ship for a day and flying to Hanoi to rejoin the cruise.

 

Long was barred from picking up the two couples by the cruise line at the port. He was told he had "ripped off" the tourists in Saigon. It was a BIG fiasco. The original couples did not get to see what they wanted and Long was stuck with airline tickets he had purchased for himself to DaNang and also the couples' airline tickets to Hanoi. After that, he said NO MORE cruise tourists. He lost a lot of money. IF he can't pick you up at a hotel and discuss BEFORE you leave on a tour EXACTLY what you want to see, he just won't do it anymore.

 

He will be picking me up at Tan Son Nhat airport on Friday (hopefully-military transport has a way to get me to Doha, Qatar by then to make the plane to Saigon). I will ask him if he has any other suggestions, but I KNOW he won't do a tour from a ship.

 

Wow. I'd blame the original 2 couples, as they didn't explain the tour or give a written itinerary to the additional 8, or they talked to half of the couples and spouses didn't understand the tour. I have never heard of a cruise ship banning a guest from going with a tour operator of their choice so it sounds like the original couples did not show up in Danang. Your friend was too trusting in not getting upfront payment to cover all of those airline tickets. Btw, I have ordered 12-26 passengers vans/buses but at a flat rate and always assummed I'd be responsible for full payment if others on our cruise did not show up. I haven't had a problem yet, and all were cash that day.

 

I have a new plan for Saigon and my Dh only wants one day of organized sightseeing. I would (maybe) consider going to the Mekong the second morning if it could be arranged as a half day. I emailed this guide and he said he has done over 100 trips there and has never seen anyone eating dogs and he hopes I am not getting the wrong impression of his beautiful country (I told him the main reason I wanted a revised schedule was because we had asked and only wanted a one day tour, which is true). Btw, on the one day tour with the Chu Chi tunnels there is no time for the war museum which was suggested we could go back and do on our own the second day.

[Jade13]

Wow. I'd blame the original 2 couples, as they didn't explain the tour or give a written itinerary to the additional 8, or they talked to half of the couples and spouses didn't understand the tour. I have never heard of a cruise ship banning a guest from going with a tour operator of their choice so it sounds like the original couples did not show up in Danang. Your friend was too trusting in not getting upfront payment to cover all of those airline tickets. Btw, I have ordered 12-26 passengers vans/buses but at a flat rate and always assummed I'd be responsible for full payment if others on our cruise did not show up. I haven't had a problem yet, and all were cash that day.

 

I have a new plan for Saigon and my Dh only wants one day of organized sightseeing. I would (maybe) consider going to the Mekong the second morning if it could be arranged as a half day. I emailed this guide and he said he has done over 100 trips there and has never seen anyone eating dogs and he hopes I am not getting the wrong impression of his beautiful country (I told him the main reason I wanted a revised schedule was because we had asked and only wanted a one day tour, which is true). Btw, on the one day tour with the Chu Chi tunnels there is no time for the war museum which was suggested we could go back and do on our own the second day.

 

One more thing. I noticed in Vietnam (and also in Bangkok/Thailand) that the tours are priced by the person even though they are private. I bring this up because in Europe (mainly Italy but also Monte Carlo/France) and Tunesia, Africa, I ordered a van at a flat rate. It was to my benefit to get others to join, but I always assumed I was responsible for the total cost. The operator in Tunesia was smart because I told him I didn't more than 9 - 12 (I had 9 confirmed) but he said he was sending a 24 passenger bus so we all had a lot of room and our price was x for 9 persons but if we wanted to fill up it would be x for up to 18 and so on (also additional x to cover entrance fees). In Naples our driver and van was 250 Euros for the 9 hours and I could bring up to 8 persons (we had 3).

 

So, I need to clarify for Vietnam that we are ordering a van that can hold up to 7 passengers but prices are x for 2 clients, x for 3-4 and so on as I understand. The 2 couples you mentioned invited 8 more people (larger vehicle) but didn't have a clear understanding what would happen if they changed their mind that day, which is essentially what happened. I always arrange tours that are cash that day but understand their are exceptions where pre-payment is needed because it is required venue (ex. morning at the Tiger temple or river dinner cruise in Bangkok).

[Jade13]

The tour is OK,

 

The Pho restaurant most highly recommended by backpackers and locals alike is Pho Hao, NOT Pho 2000 (which is a tourist trap and was easily secured by the Secret Service, which is why Clinton ate there). Pho Hao is down an alley and is hard to find walking, but most guides and "Americanized" moto drivers and the taxi drivers at the Rex hotel know how to get there. Best pho in Saigon-NO MSG which is prevalent in other pho restaurants.

 

 

This is the restaurant, correct? I was told it is on the way to the Chu Chi tunnels. It has been rescheduled on our tour.

 

http://superfinefeline.blogspot.com/2008/03/pho-hoa-ho-chi-minh-aka-saigon.html

[librarian]

So did you stay with smile tours?

 

Also, if there are only 2 of you you still pay only the 2 person prices each correct? Is that how you read it. It only gets cheaper per person with the more people you get? This makes it nice if you cannot find 8 people who agree.

[Jade13]

So did you stay with smile tours?

 

Also, if there are only 2 of you you still pay only the 2 person prices each correct? Is that how you read it. It only gets cheaper per person with the more people you get? This makes it nice if you cannot find 8 people who agree.

 

Yes, that is the way we read it. We have confirmed Danang and have a group of 4. We can fit up to 7 in the van but probably would only accept two more persons. The difference in price US is not enough to worry about if someone got sick, etc.

 

I think the key and issue in Greatams post is that the original clients ordered a larger vehicle that could hold 12 people (added 4 couples). Besides the fact that the "extras" did some touring before going off shopping on their own for 4 hours (or more) was that prepaid plane tickets were also involved. I'd also like to know the original clients version of why they didn't think they owed this tour guide monies for pre-paid non-refundable plane tickets or whether they even responded to his emails after the fact (which I assume were sent). I am not that type of person and after getting scanned copies of the non-refundable plane tickets would have been reimbursing for at least those (even if I refused to pay for others I just met on the cruise who showed up, went out for an hour or so, got dropped off and than refused payment later - were there for a part of the day).

 

I plan to confirm HCMC for one full day but have to review the itinerary. That will likely be just the 2 of us because others on our role call are not interested in the Chu Chi tunnels for different reasons.