DETAILS
Join us on an exploration of this proud country’s diverse heritage and the Japanese, Chinese, French, and American influences that helped shape its past and present. Special guest speaker Phan Thi Kim Phuc will be on board to reflect on her experiences as a child during the Vietnam War and the work she’s doing today to help heal and change the future.
Complimentary alcoholic & nonalcoholic beverages are included throughout the cruise!
- Pricing from
- $7,195
Reserve early & SAVE up to $3,560 per Cabin!
- Trip Type
- Group Travel Tour, International Ocean & Sea Voyages
- Departure Dates
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Feb 22, 2024 - Mar 6, 2024
Pre-Program Option Siem Reap, Cambodia
February 19 to 24, 2024 (Tour begins February 21)
This three-night pre-tour extension in Siem Reap immerses you in the rich culture and traditions of Cambodia and the Siem Reap province with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enjoy a private dinner at Kravan Temple in UNESCO World Heritage‑designated Angkor Wat. Begin your exploration of this storied region with a visit to the royal walled city of Angkor Thom, the last capital of the Khmer Empire. Tour the area surrounding its UNESCO-designated complex, including the Terrace of the Elephants, Terrace of the Leper King, and Royal Palace. Nearby, visit UNESCO-inscribed Ta Prohm, a 12th-century Buddhist temple that remains largely untouched
by man. Here, the dynamic life cycle between nature and humanity provides the basis for Ta Prohm’s legendary “lost city” tales. Continue your discovery with a tour of the 12th‑century Temple of Angkor Wat, the largest religious structure in the world which stands in testament to the centuries-long grandeur of the prosperous Khmer Empire. As darkness falls later that evening, you will head back into the temple complex for a dinner to remember. After being greeted by a traditional Chayam dance, you will dine under the stars with full table service among its famous temples with entertainment into the night. Enjoy luxury accommodations at the 5-star Sofitel Angkor Wat.
Price per person, based on double occupancy: $1,535
Price per person, based on single occupancy: $1,975
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Jim Laurie
Jim Laurie is a distinguished international broadcaster, writer, and media consultant who has witnessed many defining moments in Asia’s history over the last 50 years. He began covering Indochina for NBC News in 1972 and became the only American network correspondent to witness the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese in 1975. Laurie recently published a memoir of his early days in Vietnam and Cambodia: The Last Helicopter: Two Lives in Indochina. He is the recipient of a Peabody Award, two Emmy Awards, and an Amnesty International Award and has also co‑produced, written, and directed several television documentaries.
Final payment due at least 120 days prior to departure. Cancellation fees and penalties apply as follows:
| PRIOR TO DEPARTURE
> 120 days prior 120-91 days prior 90-61 days prior 60-31 days prior 30-0 days prior |
FEE
$300 per person admin fee after 7-day grace period from booking 25% of full invoice fare 50% of full invoice fare 75% of full invoice fare 100% full invoice fare |
TOUR MAP
ITINERARY
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day 1 & 2
Depart the U.S./ Cross the International Date Line
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day 3
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, a vibrant convergence of Vietnamese heritage and French panache. Check into the 5-star Park Hyatt Saigon hotel for an evening at leisure.
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day 4
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Enjoy a scenic tour of Ho Chi Minh City that begins at the imposing Reunification Hall Palace and includes stops at the neo-Romanesque‑style Notre Dame Cathedral and the City Opera House, a stunning counterpart to the Petit Palais in Paris that recalls the city’s 19th-century French-colonial history. Visit the Saigon Central Post Office, a stunning piece of 19th-century French architecture from the city’s Indochina period. See Ho Chi Minh City Hall, Ho Chi Minh Square, and the Rex Hotel, famously used during the war for briefings. Spend the afternoon exploring the city’s culinary traditions with a choice of several included excursions. (b,r)
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day 5
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Explore the parts of the city you are most interested in with an included excursion of your choice. You may board a river boat to visit the astonishing Cu Chi Tunnels—a 75‑mile underground complex built by Viet Cong that stretches from Saigon to the Cambodian border. Another option will be to embark on the “Ho Chi Minh City Past & Present” bus tour, which will take you to Chinatown, the Thien Hau pagoda, Cha Tam church, the Fine Arts Museum, and New Thu Thiem Bridge. You will also see the Marou Chocolate house and popular Thao Dien District. Board the ship this evening and enjoy traditional folklore and instrument performances. (b,d)
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day 6
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
Begin your day with the “Good Morning Saigon” excursion to see locals doing their exercises in Tao Dan park, the Su Thien Chieu monument, and local markets. Sip a Vietnamese coffee or try Pho noodles before embarking the ship. Enjoy lunch on board and then cruise the coast of Vietnam. Special guest speaker Phan Thi Kim Phuc will present a “Lessons of Life” lecture and discuss the iconic “Napalm Girl” photo that was taken of her in 1972. Jim Laurie, an acclaimed journalist who saw the fall of Saigon when covering the Vietnam War, will also speak on board this evening. (b,l,r,d)
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day 7
Cruising the South China Sea
Savor a day at sea as Vietnam’s natural landscapes unfold. (b,l,d)
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day 8
Da Nang/Hoi An
Surrounded by the Marble Mountains and clear-blue waters, coastal Da Nang is known for its sandy beaches, forested hillsides, and food culture. Prior to the 14th century, nearby Hoi An was the commercial capital of the Cham Empire and a strategic global port. This captivating UNESCO World Heritage Site preserves more than 800 buildings from the 15th to 19th century that emanate a timeless, mystical aura. You may opt to take an included excursion or enjoy time at leisure. (b,d)
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day 9
Chan May
See breathtaking views of the coastline as you cruise from Da Nang to Chan May. The countryside awaits in Chan May as you experience a small boat cruise down the Perfume River and a scenic drive to the 19th-century Tomb of Tu Duc—one of the most impressive of the royal mausoleums, designed by Emperor Tu Duc himself during the Nguyen dynasty. (b,l,d)
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day 10
Chan May/Huê
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Huê, located on the banks of the Perfume River, was the Imperial City of the Nguyen kings from 1601 to 1945. Drive from Chan May to explore its Imperial Citadel, the Noon Gate, and Thai Hoa Palace. See the Imperial Enclosure of the emperor’s residence, palaces, temples, and state buildings and the Purple Forbidden City, a citadel within a citadel formerly reserved for the royalty of the Nguyen Dynasty. Visit the 17th-century Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the holiest in Vietnam. (b,l,d)
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day 11
Cruising the South China Sea
Enjoy a day at sea, surrounded by majestic scenery, and attend lectures featuring Phuc and Laurie. (b,l,r,d)
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day 12
Ha Long Bay/Hanoi
Board a traditional Vietnamese junk for a private cruise and experience the ethereal beauty of Ha Long Bay, the “Bay of the Descending Dragon.” This UNESCO World Heritage Site is characterized by a seascape of over 1,600 emerald green pinnacles that soar from the bay’s tranquil waters. Cruise between limestone islands with wave-eroded caves and walk among the tapering stalactites and stalagmites in the natural grottoes of Thien Cung, the Heavenly Palace Cave. This evening, check into the 5-star Sofitel Legend Metropole. (b,l)
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day 13
Hanoi
The undeniable charm of this enigmatic capital city resides in its time-honored rituals and compelling fusion of Vietnamese, Chinese, and French-colonial influences. A morning tour takes you past Hoan Kiem Lake—the mythical Lake of the Restored Sword—where a red wooden bridge leads to the jewel box Ngoc Son Pagoda. Walk among the 36 streets of the 13th‑century Old Quarter, named after guilds formed in the Middle Ages. Visit the Hoa Lo Prison Museum, or “Hanoi Hilton,” where American pilots, including late Senator John McCain, were held as prisoners during the Vietnam War. Enjoy lunch on your own before joining an afternoon tour of the UNESCO‑designated Central Sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long—built in the 11th century by the Ly Viet Dynasty. Proceed to Ba Dinh Square, where the revered father of the nation lies in state in the granite Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Starkly juxtaposed against the Beaux Arts‑style Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s modest two-room stilt house where he lived from 1958 until 1969, was built to reinforce the revolutionary leader’s image as a “man of the people.” Walk past this landmark to the 11th‑century One Pillar Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples. Visit the Temple of Literature, a Confucian sanctuary and paradigm of traditional Vietnamese
architecture. Attend a special event this evening. (b,r,d) -
day 14
Hanoi/Depart for home city
Transfer to the airport for your flight to your home city, crossing the International Date Line. (b)
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