Ovation of the Seas skips Vietnam port amid ongoing itinerary changes

Ovation of the Seas docked in Los Angeles, California

Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas is facing another round of itinerary changes during its current Asia voyage, following last week’s delay caused by Typhoon Halong.

After departing Japan two days later than planned, the ship has now been forced to skip its scheduled stop in Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam, due to local port restrictions. Instead, Ovation of the Seas will visit Hue/Danang (Chan May), Vietnam, later this week before continuing to Singapore.

This is the second itinerary change in less than a week for Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas.

Anthem of the Seas docked in Phu My, Vietnam

The ship was originally scheduled to sail an 11-night itinerary from Yokohama, Japan, to Singapore beginning October 9, 2025, with stops in Nagasaki, Jeju Island, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City.

However, after Typhoon Halong caused Yokohama port Bay to close, Ovation of the Seas’ previous transpacific voyage from Los Angeles arrived two days behind schedule. That delay pushed back the next sailing’s departure to October 11, 2025, shortening it to nine nights and removing both Nagasaki and Jeju Island from the schedule.

Now, a week later, the ship has seen another significant change, this time replacing one of its key ports of call in Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City call replaced with Hue/Danang

Reunification palace in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Royal Caribbean cruise excursion

In a letter distributed to guests onboard and dated October 9, Royal Caribbean informed passengers that local authorities in Phu My were not allowing cruise ships to dock. As a result, the ship will no longer visit Ho Chi Minh City.

The letter, which was shared on the Ovation of the Seas’ Facebook page, reads:

“As previously announced by our Captain, local authorities have notified us that the port of Phu My is currently not allowing cruise ships into the port.

As a result, we’ll have to skip our visit to Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam, and we will now visit Hue/Danang (Chan May), Vietnam instead on Friday, October 17th and enjoy a Sea Day on Saturday, October 18th.

We’re terribly sorry for any inconvenience caused by this last-minute change, and we appreciate your patience and understanding.”

Instead, Ovation of the Seas will now stop in Hue/Danang (Chan May) on Friday, October 17, offering travelers a chance to explore central Vietnam. The ship will then spend two days at sea before concluding the cruise in Singapore on October 20, as scheduled.

Potential issues with Vietnam visa requirements

Scooters and traffic in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam

Some guests have stated there was initially onboard confusion with the required Vietnam visas. Royal Caribbean requires all guests to have proper documentation for itineraries. Currently, Vietnam requires many nationalities, including Americans, to have a visa to visiting the country.

If some passengers only had the Vietnam Visa for the planned arrival day in Ho Chi Minh City, which was supposed to be October 18, this could create entry issues for passengers. Ovation of the Seas is now scheduled to enter the country on Friday, October 17 instead.

However, one guest onboard provided the following update,”Vietnam Visa Update: Vietnam’s authorities are already on the ship and have approved date of transfer and port.”

Compensation and refund policy for guests

Ben Thanh market in Vietnam.

Guests who booked Royal Caribbean shore excursions for Ho Chi Minh City will automatically receive a refund in the form of onboard credit applied to their SeaPass accounts. Any unused balance will be refunded to the original form of payment within approximately two weeks after disembarkation.

Royal Caribbean’s letter also stated that guests could use the onboard credits toward other purchases or shore excursions during the call in Hue/Danang.

A challenging start to the Asia season

Ovation of the Seas in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

This sailing marks the start of Ovation of the Seas’ Asia deployment for the 2025–2026 season, which includes routes between Japan, Singapore, and Australia. The Quantum-class ship had just completed a 16-night transpacific crossing from Los Angeles to Yokohama when Typhoon Halong disrupted port operations in Japan.

Although the season has gotten off to a challenging start, Ovation of the Seas continues to operate safely and with adjusted itineraries that prioritize passenger and crew well-being.

As the ship makes its way toward Singapore, guests can expect additional communication from Royal Caribbean should further changes occur—but for now, the modified schedule stands as the most current plan.

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Allie Hubers is a seasoned freelance writer based in Niceville, Florida. With a passion for international travel, she has traveled to over 60 countries across six continents and sailed on more than 50 cruises. Allie specializes in sharing authentic, experience-driven travel stories that inspire and inform.

Her writing, storytelling, and expert travel insights have been featured in publications such as Business Insider, U.S. News & World Report, Travel Lemming, Cruise Passenger Australia, The Daily Express U.S., The Sun, Middle East Cruise News, Cruise.Blog, and Royal Caribbean Blog.

Allie has an MBA in Data Analytics and works as a senior strategy analyst. She also teaches statistics and analytics at Penn State, blending her analytical expertise with her storytelling skills.