Do Thanh Long, director of the Hai Dang Nha Trang Shipping Agency, on Wednesday said 13 international cruise trips scheduled through January 2024, with 32,000 tourists, were canceled. These included large vessels such as Quantum of the Seas, Celebrity and Noordam, which can carry up to 4,000 passengers each.
Long noted that only three cruises will still proceed to Nha Trang in the last quarter of this year, with one expected to dock at Cam Ranh International Port in October. “We expect around 31 cruise trips in 2025, but if the port closure continues, it will result in significant losses for both our company and the provincial tourism sector,” he said.
The port’s closure late last year was due to severe degradation, posing risks of accidents. Authorities have yet to confirm a reopening date.
Nha Trang had been expecting 44 cruise visits this year, but so far, only 27 ships with 55,000 passengers have docked, according to the Department of Tourism.
In a recent meeting by the Nha Trang Maritime Administration, one proposal is to use Cam Ranh International Port, managed by Tan Cang company and located within a military zone, as an alternative. The port can handle large cruise ships and operates year-round, unaffected by strong winds.
However, cruise operators expressed concerns over the 60 km distance between Cam Ranh Port and Nha Trang City, which would increase costs and lengthen travel times. Additionally, accessing the military-managed port involves complex procedures that could inconvenience tourists, and Cam Ranh’s infrastructure is currently insufficient to meet the demands of large-scale international cruises.
Long pointed out that cruise companies plan itineraries 2-3 years in advance, meaning rerouting to Cam Ranh would disrupt established schedules of trips to Nha Trang for 2024 and 2025.
Nguyen Thi Le Minh, director of Thien Y Transport Maritime Service, said her company expects a cruise ship with 2,000 tourists in early January 2025, but that trip may also be canceled unless Nha Trang Port reopens.
Minh, whose company has surveyed Khanh Hoa’s seaports for 30 years, maintains that Nha Trang remains the best docking option despite not being as modern as Cam Ranh. Docking at Nha Trang Port allows passengers to quickly access the city center, she said.
Senior Colonel Nguyen Tuan Anh, chairman of the Cam Ranh International Port’s member council, stated the port would streamline procedures to accommodate tourists.
Nguyen Thi Le Thanh, director of the Khanh Hoa Tourism Department, said they are requesting clearer guidelines from Cam Ranh Port on regulations and procedures to assist cruise operators. She also suggested that the port offer discounts to cruise lines that choose Cam Ranh as an alternative docking site.
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