Quang Ninh on November 14 welcomes the China-flagged Blue Dream Melody with over 1,100 passengers on board. (Photo: Quang Ninh Media Group)
This is the first cruise of the 2025 tourism season on the international sea route linking Beihai (China) and Ha Long (Vietnam).
Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism organised a dragon and lion dance performance and presented flowers to the tourists. Afterward, the visitors made a city tour of Ha Long and Bai Chay, and explored Ha Long Bay.
Beginning November 2025, the route is expected to operate three times per week.
On November 13, Malta’s Celebrity ship docked at Ha Long International Cruise Port, carrying 2,800 European and American tourists to Quang Ninh Province.
During the 2025-2026 season which lasts from October 2025 to April 2026, nine cruise ships will operate on the Beihai-Ha Long route, bringing international visitors to Quang Ninh.
So far this year, Ha Long International Cruise Port has received 44 cruise ships with total 56,647 arrivals, marking a year-on-year increase of 9 per cent. Tourists mainly come from Europe, the United States and China, showing a strong recovery in the luxury cruise tourism segment.
Ha Long Port is expected to welcome 10 international cruise ships in November, raising the total number of cruise ships arriving at the port this year to 23, with around 90,000 passengers.
During November-December period, Quang Ninh’s tourism industry strives to attract 2.77 million visitors, earning over VND 8 trillion to complete the annual target of welcoming 21.2 million visitors and generating total revenue of VND 58 trillion.