Lynne Ryan told the Lao Dong Newspaper on July 6 that at the VNAT invitation, she will return to Vietnam in July next year. During the trip, besides Ha Long Bay, she will come to many other landscapes in Vietnam and the trip will be totally funded by the VNAT.
The cruise ship which transported Lynne Ryan and her friends during her trip to Ha Long Bay in May
Earlier in May this year, Lynne Ryan and five friends booked a cruise ship at Ha Long Bay through a Hanoi travel agent. She was shown a glossy brochure with a beautiful boat with lovely rooms and a dining room. Each of them had to pay USD100 for the trip.
But what they were met with on cruise ship Hoang Phuong HP 4686 was a “crummy boat” that was far from the experience promised. They experienced filthy rooms, rat droppings, blocked and broken toilets, and cockroaches on the deck.
They bought the tour from Hanoi-based Spring Travel Agency which promised to take them to Cat Ba before sightseeing Ha Long Bay. However, the cruise ship did not transport them to the bay as she could recognise some familiar caves like those in her trip there five years ago and showed many photos as well.
Authorities launched the investigation into the case, finding that what Lynne Ryan complained was true.
Owner of the cruise ship was fined VND15 million (USD660) for the violation, while the fine for Spring Travel Agency was VND8 million (USD363.63).
Head of the VNAT Nguyen Van Tuan sent a letter to apologise Lynne Ryan for the trip and then invited her to visit Vietnam again.
