Beijing-hong Kong 2006

[ARTGRL]

wE HAVE JUST BOOKED THIS VOYAGE.......WHO IS GOING ALSO?

[shoshona2]

Hi,

Welcome! We are going also. If you put "Asia 2006" in the search mode above, you will find some posts from other people on the previous page who are also booked. There are posts on the Oceania Yahoo Board also. I'm sure this sailing will be sold out soon since it is a shorter cruise than most of the others posted for 2006.

Sheila

[ARTGRL]

Thank you for your welcome! We tried to fly to Beijing from LA (we wanted to visit our son on the way out), but too complicated when going from NY- so it goes. Looking forward to this itinerary!

[Rickey 88]

There are verious threads on this particular cruise (3/16 Beijing to Hong Kong) in both Yahoo and Cruise Critic - sort of like find a needle in a haystack! However, I'll add to this one by saying that we booked 12/2 just after the listing came out - actually, we're on TWO (back to back) and will stay on after Hong Kong going to Athens.

ARTGRL - can't you simply arrange a stop-over in L.A. for a visit and then continue on to Beijing. There are several options from here - both Cathay Pacific and Air China.

Sheila - Are you taking Oceania air? Too soon to tell what airline they will use - but I booked it anyway. Other options from S.F. too. We will be going several days early to do some sightseeing....

Dick & Vivian

[digby]

We booked this cruise too just to hold a particular cabin we want. It seems so far in the future. We'll be doing our own air reservations. United has nonstop flights from SFO to both cities.

[shoshona2]

Hi Dick and Vivian, Digby and Artgrl,

We are doing our own air -- we will probably go in a day earlier to Beijing -- we were there 15 years ago and just want to see the changes. The ship is docked about 2 and one half hours away (depending on the traffic). We will have to see about Oceania's shuttle or a private one. We now have six friends who have booked this cruise, also.

Sheila

[NYDee]

Hi everyone,

We just booked this cruise yesterday after an email from Shiela. We met Sheila and Irwin on a Celebrity South America cruise and had a great time with them. We are really looking forward to this cruise.

[ARTGRL]

We are working on the NY/LA/Beijing route........we'll see- otherwise, we'll make another trip out to the coast for our visit----we plan to spend a few days in Beijing as well as afterwards in Hong Kong.........if we are so psyched now, can you imagine what will happen when it gets closer to the voyage? :o Nice to know so many are booked.

[shoshona2]

Hi Artgrl,

Read that you are going to give up going to Beijing via L.A. We live in L.A. and our son is in Florida, so we used to go to S.A. by way of Miami so we could see him. We will have to fly to S.F. next year to get a plane to Beijing. Fifteen years ago, we went L.A. to S.F. to Narita to Shanghai to Beijing. Talk about a looooooonnnnnnnnggggg travel time!!! We just went to Asia in October and it was a little easier. Our return from Bangkok was via Narita and then non-stop to LA.

Sheila

[ARTGRL]

Hi Sheila,
We both have to travel across the country to see the SONS!!! i HATE IT, don't you? Have decided to make a separate trip to LA and do our own air for the mar.16th trip- enjoyed Cathay Pacific last trip, so will do that again as well.
So much planning, vey! Blu

[shoshona2]

Hi Artgrl,

We liked Cathay Pacific the two times we took them to the Orient. Since, our mileage is with United, we have to tough it out and go with them. Cathay has shorter routing because they have the good routes to the Orient. Going by way of Japan is tough on me. Where does your son live in the L.A. area? Our son was born in L.A., but wanted to move to Florida. He left us six years ago and so we just keep putting on the mileage. Have you posted on the Yahoo board as well. I'll give you the link if you don't have it.

Sheila

[ARTGRL]

Yes, please give the site on the yahoo board. you can contact me at artgrl346@aol.com

[narob]

Artgrl,

We are looking forward to the trip, also! We were on the Insignia in September doing the Black Sea and really enjoyed it! We're hoping to have accrued enought frequent flier miles to go biz or first class by 2006. If not we may look for a consolidator, because having been to the Orient in economy many years ago and then in First Class to Thailand by way of Cathay Pacific this past February, I don't think we can do it again in coach. I'm not trying to sound like a snob, it's just totally exhausting to do it as a sardine, especially from Florida.

Keep in touch!

Nancy and Dave Roberts

[ARTGRL]

No, you are not being a snob........just looking for comfort, as most of us do!

[spindrift]

Hi folks. We, too, are booked on this trip. We, however, are waitlisted for a specific stateroom. Just booked after we got back from South America, and we thought we were booking ahead. Wow, did I learn fast.

If you find a consolidator for the air, please let me know who. I dread that long of a flight, but Oceania is quoting $2,995 pp for Bus. Class upgrade. Wish we could all get a better rate for first or business.

Love the hotels--Shangri La in both Hong Kong and Beijing. Anyone stayed there before?

I stayed at the former "Hong Kong Hotel" overlooking the harbour many years ago, and it was magnificent.

[meow!]

We have not been to communist China, but we had been to (then British) Hong Kong some ten years ago. There were actually two Shangri La's in Hong Kong, one called the Island Shangri La on Hong Kong Island, while the other was called Kowloon Shangri La on the Kowloon peninsula. We stayed in the former for a week and it was very nice. Rooms facing the habour cost roughly $250 (on American Express special) at that time, while rooms facing the hill cost around $200 per night (we heard that prices didn't rise much after the "Asian economic crisis"). This hotel was joined to the Admiralty Centre (a large modern local mall) which also included a Conrad Hotel and a Marriott Hotel. Taxis queue up right outside the hotels and you can go anywhere on a taxi. Not far away, there is a Ritz Carlton and a Mandarin Oriental also at the Central financial district. If you like to be in the tourist district, close to the cruise ship terminal on the peninsula side, try the Peninsula Hotel or the Regent Hotel (its name had been changed to something else, so we heard). Hope this helps.

[shoshona2]

Hi Meow,

We just returned from Hong Kong and Asia in November. We spent two wonderful nights at the InterContinental in Hong Kong. I believe it was the old Regent. The view was incredible.

Just saw photos of the Shangri La in Beijing and Hong Kong in a travel mag, and they look like beautiful hotels. We just stayed at the Shangri La in Bangkok and noted to the manager that it needed refurbishment. I guess it's next on the list.

Sheila

[lahore]

Hi, we just paid our deposit. We are Aussies and travel to Asia quite often, but have not been to Japan, or Korea for that matter. The prices on this cruise at the moment are very good so we thought why not? It's a great itinerary. I second the recommendation for the Intercontinental in Hong Kong (was the Regent) - stunning harbour views and very close to the cruise ship departure point. I know Hong Kong quite well so if you have any questions I'll see what I can do to answer them.

[spindrift]

About 10 years or more ago, we stayed at the "Hong Kong" hotel, and we overlooked the harbour. The ship on which we were sailing, the Vistafjord, was docked right outside our window. We had a fantastic view. Anyone recognize the hotel name and what it might now be?

We loved the shopping mall (Ocean mall, I believe). Mother had a cocktail suit made in about 6 hours, and it was absolutely gorgeous--silk with pearls. Delivered to us on the ship.

[lahore]

I believe it may still be called the Hong Kong, or it could be the Marco Polo Hong Kong. In any case there are now several hotels there near Ocean Mall, and I am sure (well as of a year or so ago) that the Marco Polo is one of them.

[Rickey 88]

The location used by most cruise ships in Hong Kong is called Ocean Terminal, a rather long pier with countless fine ships running its entire length and on two levels! Access to Kowloon and its shopping is just steps away.

There are two hotels on either side of Ocean Terminal, The Marco Polo Hong Kong Hotel and the Marco Polo Gateway Hotel. We have never stayed at either, but they both look quite attractive. Check out their web-site:
www.marcopolohotels.com

Hope this information helps,
Dick

[meow!]

That two-storeyed "Ocean Terminal" mall is very long. You can spend a whole day shopping in there and not see half of it. But do get out and see the crowded streets, such as Nathan Road, which is interesting. Go to the tip of Kowloon and look across the harbour at Hong Kong Island, it is quite a sight, kind of like Monte Carlo but ten times bigger!