Cruise Passenger Gives Warning After Only Just Making It Back To Her Ship

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A packed day of sightseeing and shopping almost ended in disaster for two cruise passengers who found themselves racing against the clock to avoid missing their ship in Vietnam.

Cruise influencer shares story of almost missing the ship

TikTok creator Ali Smith (@alismithhhh) shared a two-minute video with her 413,400 followers on 22nd April 2025, capturing the frantic moments she and her friend Sam scrambled to return to Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas before it departed.

The clip, which has now been viewed over 234,000 times, begins with the pair running frantically and Ali exclaiming, “Oh, we might not make it back to the port!”

In a recap, Ali explained how their day took a turn for the stressful. Sailing aboard the 4,905-passenger ship, the pair had docked in Ho Chi Minh City on 15th April 2025.

With the ship scheduled to leave at 8 pm – and passengers required to be back aboard by around 7:15 pm to 7:30 pm – they assumed they had plenty of time for an excursion into the city.

After a 90-minute car journey inland, they spent the day exploring, shopping, and sampling local cuisine. However, when 4:30 p.m. rolled around, instead of beginning their return trip, Ali and Sam opted to continue shopping.

@alismithhhh Replying to @Yuna I always said I would NEVER be a pier runner!! 🤡🤡 #royalcaribbean #cruiseship #vietnam #hochiminh #travelvlog #cruisetips #cruisehack #cruisevlogs #cruisevlog #cruisetok #royalcaribbeanaunz #anthemoftheseas #pierrunner ♬ original sound – Ali Smith

This decision quickly led to panic. Their GPS soon showed that, due to heavy traffic and an accident blocking a key road, the journey back to the port would now take almost two hours – far longer than they could afford.

Thinking quickly, Ali found an alternative route for their driver to bypass the worst of the congestion. They managed to board a shuttle bus back to the port and arrived just in time, alongside other late-running passengers.

Reflecting on the experience, Ali admitted, “In hindsight, this was a very bad decision… we will never cut it that close again.”

Responses to the video were mixed, with some commenters warning that relying on private transport instead of official cruise excursions carries significant risk.

Anthem of the Seas: Wrapping Up an Era in Asia

Ali’s near miss came during a particularly notable voyage: one of the last times Anthem of the Seas would sail in Asia before repositioning to North America.

The 168,666-gross-ton ship set off from Singapore on 13th April 2025 for a 12-night itinerary, visiting Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Keelung in China, and Jeju Island in South Korea, before finishing in Tokyo on 25th April.

Following disembarkation in Tokyo, the ship will immediately begin a repositioning cruise, calling at three more Japanese ports before crossing the Pacific Ocean to Seattle, Washington.

There, Anthem of the Seas will operate cruises through the Pacific Northwest until September 2025, after which it will reposition once again to Australia for the 2025–26 summer season.

Unknowingly, Ali’s adventure took place during a historic moment, marking the ship’s farewell to Asia for the foreseeable future – making the experience even more memorable despite the last-minute stress.

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Cruise Mummy

Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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