The country, located on a bustling maritime trade route, connecting to many major cruise tourism markets such as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Singapore, is showing many positive signs for a boom in this high-end tourism segment.
According to statistics from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), in January, the country welcomed nearly 2.1 million international visitors, of whom nearly 45,000 arrived by sea. Many coastal localities such as Da Nang, Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), and Ho Chi Minh City continuously received luxury cruise ships in the early months of 2025.
Recently, the vessel Celebrity Solstice brought over 3,000 European and American tourists to Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta provinces.
In just one week of February, three five-star cruise ships brought nearly 3,300 international guests to Phu Quoc island city in the southern province of Kien Giang.
At the same time, Adora Cruise docked at Tien Sa Port in the central city of Da Nang, bringing 2,400 international tourists from China’s Guangzhou.
In 2024, Da Nang’s cruise tourism sector posted an impressive growth with 35 ships and 42,500 passengers, 2.3 times higher than 2023. Tien Sa Port is expected to welcome about 76 ships, with over 70,000 passengers in 2025, a 64% increase compared to 2024.
Late last month, the international cruise ship Norwegian Spirit arrived at Cam Ranh International Port in central Khanh Hoa province, bringing 1,900 tourists from various countries. In the first two months of the year, Khanh Hoa welcomed seven international cruise ships with over 12,500 tourists.
Meanwhile, Ha Long in the northern province of Quang Ninh expects to receive 60 cruise ships with about 90,000 tourists in 2025.
Cruise tourism is forecasted to be even more bustling as the January-April period is its peak season. Cruise tourism not only diversifies Vietnam's tourism products, but also helps the country to attract high-spending tourists.
Limitations in infrastructure, policies
However, to become an ideal destination for international cruise ships, Vietnam still needs to overcome limitations regarding infrastructure, services, and policies.
Dr. Pham Ha, CEO and Founder of Lux Group, said that although Vietnam has nearly 30 coastal provinces and cities with huge potential to welcome cruise tourists, only a few localities have begun to tap into this market. The country still lacks ports specifically designated for cruise tourism.
In some localities, tourists must walk quite a long distance to reach the area where transport for sightseeing is available. In many cases, passenger ships are unable to dock due to having to make way for cargo ships. This significantly affects the ability to attract and enhance visitors' experiences.
Ha noted that after days at sea, tourists arriving at port are eager for entertainment, shopping, and learning about local culture. However, Vietnam currently lacks accompanying onshore products and services, which means it cannot keep tourists stay longer or encourage them to spend more. Most visitors only participate in simple day tours and then return to their ships.
Ha said that a comprehensive strategy is needed to boost Vietnam's cruise tourism with focus on developing dedicated ports to welcome cruise ships, along with modern infrastructure, entertainment areas, and shopping centres to meet the diverse needs of tourists.
Cruise tourism can bring a large number of tourists with long stay and high spending, he said, suggesting that it is necessary to research and develop tourism products with unique highlights and cultural experiences to enhance Vietnam's competitiveness compared to other regional destinations on the same itinerary.
It is also necessary to simplify and reduce entry and exit procedures. Instead of addressing each individual case, collective visas for entire ships could be issued, or even visa exemptions, as some countries do, to encourage tourists to extend their onshore stay and increase their spending, Ha recommended./.
