Celebrity Solstice brings 2,500 foreign visitors to Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: nld.com.vn)
Saigontourist Travel Service Company hosted the visitors and provided day-trip itineraries.
Of more than 1,400 passengers who disembarked, about 75 per cent chose to explore destinations within Ho Chi Minh City, while others joined groups visiting the Mekong Delta or the city’s eastern region, including Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
Popular stops included the Reunification Hall, Central Post Office and Ben Thanh Market; cultural river tours in My Tho-Tien Giang; and trips to Vung Tau featuring the Christ the King statue, Niet Ban Tinh Xa Pagoda, Thang Tam Temple and Bach Dinh.
Some tourists chose countryside excursions, visiting traditional craft villages such as rice paper making and local distilleries, as well as exploring Hoa Long Market and Long Dien Ancient House to learn about local life and culture. Tours to Cu Chi tunnels also drew major interest.
In 2025, Celebrity Solstice has repeatedly brought international visitors to Vietnam. It was the first international cruise ship to dock in Ho Chi Minh City after the Lunar New Year festival in 2025 and most recently visited in mid-November.
Operated by Celebrity Cruises, part of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., Celebrity Solstice can accommodate about 2,850 guests. The ship is known for its innovative design, featuring a real grass lawn on deck, a glassblowing studio for live demonstrations and a central atrium that creates an open, airy space for passengers.
