I’ve seen people get confused here. They expect it to be like a normal cruise terminal, but it’s not.
You usually have to walk or take a shuttle out to the gate first, then meet your driver there. And it's not Cai Lan. It's Halong now

Best way to avoid stress:

* Confirm exact meeting point before arrival
* Share your ship name + docking time
* Ask for driver contact (WhatsApp works best)

If not arranged properly, it can be a bit chaotic on arrival

In the past, large cruise ships used Cai Lan port but now most of them are handled at Halong International Cruise Port instead.

The confusing part is that many cruise itineraries or agents still list Cai Lan even though the actual docking and passenger flow have changed.

After you get off the ship, you’ll typically need to take an electric buggy or walk about 1.1 km to reach the main lobby area where pickups happen.

Some operators can arrange pickup closer to the ship, but access inside the port is restricted and the fee can be quite high (often around $30 per person or more).

For most travelers, it’s simpler and more cost-effective to just go to the main lobby and meet the driver there.

thank you for your useful info. I will need to check again with our agent