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Viking China (Part 2)


BlueDevil75
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Good information mtlycrew1. I have 2 questions:

re outlets # 11...Is the bathroom outlet labeled "shavers only"? I have tried my straightener in these before and it fried my appliance.

re silk/pottery etc # 18.....so, we have a choice to take the daily tours or go off on our own?

Edited by swanny727
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Thanks Ruthlynn...we embrace China warts and all. It's easy to smile in a place where the people treat you like a celebrity if you just take the time to say NiHao. I am so looking forward to traveling as a relative and living in a "soil" house with an actual Chinese family...the ultimate honor in my opinion to create a relationship where you're considered family and not another tourist...now I just have to convince my wife it will be just like camping;-).

 

Hey Mtlycrew1 enjoyed reading your report...we traveled with Jin and sat with Candy and Jacky at the forward stbd table for most meals. Nice to see you explored JinJiang, that place was amazing! Hope you ventured over to the lake and mingled with the locals.

 

A lot of the Chinese will say MeiGuo which is Chinese for the USA when they try to talk to you...pronounced like May then like Guave minus the "ave" and add an "o." Or ChangJiang which is the Chinese name for the river the English speaking people call the Yangtze because they want to know if you're traveling on the river and where you're going.

 

We also think Larry is an incredible guide...he is one of those guides that is always available when you have a question even if he isn't your tour escort.

 

The vendors will not bother you if make it clear it's a waste of their time...no eye contact and a verbal, but polite BuYao...boo yow, rhymes with how, then a little sterner if required and normally you won't see another one. BuYao translates as "don't want or don't need." There are more than enough tourists that will smile and make eye contact for them to pounce on.

 

Another change for those who have traveled before...Lesser 3 Gorges boat tour has been shortened, they now turn around at the hanging coffin.

 

Thanks for the Chinese phrases. I always travel with an index card with useful phrases.

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I went to the travel clinic and received a vacine for polio, flu vacine, Hep A, and typhoid. I also received a prescription for the anti-malaria drug Malarone. We are traveling through areas where malaria is possible, but the doctor recommended calling Viking and asking them what they think. Also, avoidance by wearing long sleeves and repellant with DEED is recommended. I also received a prescription for cipro and doxicyclene. The flu vacine is because of the bird flu. The malaria drugs are started right before the trip, so you wouldn't take them now anyway.

 

I talked with the travel clinic and they recommended the same as yours.

I had Hep A vaccine 10 years ago but I should get the polio and typhoid.

Did you have reactions? I expect some soreness.

(sorry for the 3 posts in a row.....I'm catching up on the last few pages here)

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In 2009, we stayed at the Shangri La in Xian and thought the Xian was just another industrialized polluted city, but this time we were inside the city wall at the Hyatt. The city center is a beautiful place especially at night. We never had an opportunity to walk around and see the city with the hectic schedule, but those staying at the Hyatt are within a few blocks of the wall and there is a Chinese Muslim community just across the street that comes alive at night for some great photo ops.

 

One of our very few regrets about the Imperial Jewels itinerary (May 2011) was that we only had an overnight in Xi'an and no time to see the City Walls. We were at the Kempinski Hotel, pretty far out of town, and it was a really long drive to the Tang Dynasty Show in the city proper. They said they would have taken us by the Walls on the way back, but the traffic was too horrible to do it.

 

As I posted not long ago, the new itinerary that Viking added for 2013 has an additional night in Xi'an, but two more internal flights as well.... It's too bad the timing/schedule doesn't work out for two nights in Xi'an on Imperial Jewels... (which was still an extraordinary trip).

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Another phrase to remember is tai gway (pronounced tie gway). This means "too much." I used this consistently with the vendors when they tried to give me prices that were off the charts for their wares. In addition to making them smile, they realized I was a serious bargain hunter!

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I talked with the travel clinic and they recommended the same as yours.

I had Hep A vaccine 10 years ago but I should get the polio and typhoid.

Did you have reactions? I expect some soreness.

(sorry for the 3 posts in a row.....I'm catching up on the last few pages here)

Yes, there was soreness in the upper arms for about 4 days, but nothing serious. I did not have a temp or fatigue. Of course, since I got 5 shouts, both my arms were sore. I was up to date on the tetanus, but needed the flu and while I was there also got the Shingles vaccine, which I was due for but had nothing to do with the trip. I would recommend the flu shot for H1N1 also, since it is such a danger.

 

Can't wait for the trip to start...:)

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Mtlycew1: thank you so much for your details! I forwarded the whole thing along to my husband (who never reads CC, but will love this!)

 

One question: This is of concern to me as a female. How often did you encounter the non-Western toilets? I am not skilled at the whole-in-the-ground models!

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Good information mtlycrew1. I have 2 questions:

re outlets # 11...Is the bathroom outlet labeled "shavers only"? I have tried my straightener in these before and it fried my appliance.

re silk/pottery etc # 18.....so, we have a choice to take the daily tours or go off on our own?

 

 

As for skipping the tours, you cannot do it on the days when you wake up in one city and go to sleep in another; those days you will have to stay with your escort. You can tour on your own in Shanghai and Beijing. But honestly--and file this under food for thought--one of the things that you are paying premium for is the expertise and knowledge of the Viking escorts, so why blow them off, especially if this is your first time in China.

 

Imperial Jewels only has four stops along river: the morning you visit the school; the Three Gorges Dam observation area (just a few hours); the Lesser Gorges cruise where you don't even leave the dock to board the smaller day cruisers; and finally Shibaozhai Tower (which you can actually do on your own).

 

If you are not planning on staying with your group, let your escort know.

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One question: This is of concern to me as a female. How often did you encounter the non-Western toilets? I am not skilled at the whole-in-the-ground models!

 

On the ship: Western style

In hotels you go for lunch: Western style (some very fancy)

At shops such as carpet factory, jade factory, etc: Western style

At evening venues such as the T'ang Dynasty Show: Western Style

At tourist attractions such as the Forbidden City: A restroom may have one Western style and plenty of oriental style. There may be a very long line at the single Western style.

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Sorry, don't check the site that often. Will try to address several questions in one reply.

 

According to my wife the non Western toilets are not a big issue. Some of the ladies indicated they preferred them as you don't have the sanitation issues of sitting on a seat. Our Tour Escort Larry always warned us when it was not advisable to drink a lot of water in the morning and he did a GREAT job on directing us to the Western toilets. As caribill indicated you won't encounter them that often and if you do just think of it as part of the adventure.

 

The plugs are labeled 110/120v and 220. I charged my camera batteries with no problem in the 110 outlet but my wife's flatiron wouldn't heat up in the 110v outlet. Not sure why as everything else worked. I researched her model flatiron on the internet from the ship and it indicated it was dual voltage. I then sent an email to the company just to be sure and they replied it was only 110v. Go figure. She was desperate so she plugged it into the 220 outlet using an adapter and it worked fine. It got hot really fast and she kept it on the low setting. I initially had a concern about frying it but we never had a problem. In hindsight that may not have been the smartest thing to do so she is going to buy a true dual voltage one for future travel.

 

I agree with Peregrina651 about taking advantage of the tours as it's part of the experience. However, in this case we had absolutely no interest in the ceramics, I had been to facilities like this in the past and most of all didn't want to endure the 4 hr round trip bus ride. The bus rides for other tours were 20-30 minutes which is fine. As it turned out our five hours roaming the city was one of the highlights of the trip.

 

Hope this helps

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Mtlycew1: thank you so much for your details! I forwarded the whole thing along to my husband (who never reads CC, but will love this!)

 

One question: This is of concern to me as a female. How often did you encounter the non-Western toilets? I am not skilled at the whole-in-the-ground models!

 

Just flying back from China tonight. I encountered many squatty toilets during the trip. Most have been pretty clean. In most cases, there was a western toilet, but with a long queue, so I opted for the squatty ones. Just remember to bring tissue with you everywhere you go, some provide them, others do not.

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I agree with Peregrina651 about taking advantage of the tours as it's part of the experience. However, in this case we had absolutely no interest in the ceramics, I had been to facilities like this in the past and most of all didn't want to endure the 4 hr round trip bus ride. The bus rides for other tours were 20-30 minutes which is fine. As it turned out our five hours roaming the city was one of the highlights of the trip.

 

 

Just a clarification, Imperial Jewels does not visit the ceramics/porcelain factory; it is only part of the Cultural Delights itinerary.

 

IMHO, it was one of the highlights. The long drive was not arduous and it gave us a chance to see the countryside. Personally, even though I have seen potters at work in other locales, I was fascinated watching. This is not a visit to a ceramics/porcelain factory that is mass producing goods, this is historical re-enactment of the ancient techniques--throwing pots, hand-painting designs, ancient kilns, etc. Further, for those who live close enough or who might be visiting the Boston area, visit the Peabody- Essex Museum in Salem, MA and check out the exhibits dedicated to the Far East porcelain trade. (See my blog for more info)

 

Further reassurance about the bathrooms: though the lines may have been long at times, I never once was faced with choice of foot-prints or nothing. And, ditto, BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper). Also, sometimes if TP is supplied, it is on the bathroom wall, not in the stall. Don't be caught short either buy travel TP or start collecting mostly used rolls from your own house.

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A few suggestions/comments:

TP...simpliest solution is to grab the used roll from that first "luxury" hotel you stay at in China...the airports in China are modern and the TP is in the stall with you for the occasion prior to reaching your hotel. There is also monitor in the WC in case you need something.

 

CD tour: The trip to the birth place of porcelain in Jengdezhen is a folk lore museum, by all means go if you enjoy that activity...in the spring there are beautiful blossoms everywhere and the graves are decorated for the "memorial" festival to provide some beautiful scenery along the way.

 

The alternative is to remain in Jinjiang which sees relatively few tourists so you become the main attraction...young ladies tend to know some English so they are your best bet for communication. There is a market, clothing, and appliance store at the head of the pier and you can enter it thru the backway to save a few steps and to shop as a Chinese would. This city also provides the opportunity to compare those bargain basement prices you received at the various factories with what the Chinese pay for their merchandise. About 2 busy streets straight up from the pier is a lake full of activity...dancing, Chinese board games, music, paddle boats, and curious Chinese. There is also a promenade running the length of the river in the area to walk on.

 

Our tour escort explained the Chinese are taught in grade school that staring at a foreigner beyond 2 minutes is considered rude:-). It may seem a little uncomfortable at first, but a smile and a Nihao...(knee how) will quickly break down the barrier.

 

Having done both the porcelain factory tour and Jinjiang, my favorite was the city because I came to China to be immersed in their culture. The stores around the luxury hotels in Beijing and Shanghai tend to cater to tourists...this is one of the few cities where you see China not wrapped in a tourist's veil. Or you can shop at Walmart in Wuhan;-)

 

If one of the Chinese parrots your Chinese phrase directly back to you they are trying to correct your pronunciation...if they are used to dealing with foreigners anything in the ballpark is acceptable, but in a city like Jinjiang they will not understand a simple phrase like Xiexie, (she drop the "e", yes drop the "s" shye shye quickly) unless you are very close in the pronunciation. If your Chinese is passable, they will begin a conversation much like we do when a Chinese person says Hi...I greet them and add a "how are you" or a "good afternoon" to see if they know some English.

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Sorry, don't check the site that often. Will try to address several questions in one reply.

 

According to my wife the non Western toilets are not a big issue. Some of the ladies indicated they preferred them as you don't have the sanitation issues of sitting on a seat. Our Tour Escort Larry always warned us when it was not advisable to drink a lot of water in the morning and he did a GREAT job on directing us to the Western toilets. As caribill indicated you won't encounter them that often and if you do just think of it as part of the adventure.

 

The plugs are labeled 110/120v and 220. I charged my camera batteries with no problem in the 110 outlet but my wife's flatiron wouldn't heat up in the 110v outlet. Not sure why as everything else worked. I researched her model flatiron on the internet from the ship and it indicated it was dual voltage. I then sent an email to the company just to be sure and they replied it was only 110v. Go figure. She was desperate so she plugged it into the 220 outlet using an adapter and it worked fine. It got hot really fast and she kept it on the low setting. I initially had a concern about frying it but we never had a problem. In hindsight that may not have been the smartest thing to do so she is going to buy a true dual voltage one for future travel.

 

I agree with Peregrina651 about taking advantage of the tours as it's part of the experience. However, in this case we had absolutely no interest in the ceramics, I had been to facilities like this in the past and most of all didn't want to endure the 4 hr round trip bus ride. The bus rides for other tours were 20-30 minutes which is fine. As it turned out our five hours roaming the city was one of the highlights of the trip.

 

Hope this helps

 

Yes this helps, thank you. After a similar experience as your wife, I bought a straightener in UK so it is 220v. Peregrina651 has said the ceramics tour is not part of the Imperial Jewels, which is the one we are taking. 4 hour bus ride did not appeal to me. I was interested in seeing the village, as also described by Kohola.

Are there restrooms om the bus? If not, I will monitor my fluid intake ;)

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Are there restrooms om the bus? If not, I will monitor my fluid intake ;)

 

No restrooms on the buses. But on Imperials Jewels, the longest bus rides (May 2011) were only about 60-90 minutes (to and from airports, the Great Wall, out to the Terra Cotta Warriors)....

 

BTW, the Eastern toilets are no big deal to use (at least they weren't for me. You don't have to squat that far down! :-)) And in at least in one of the airports, I was able to bypass a really long line of women waiting for a Western toilet.

 

These travel size toilet paper rolls were really a must-have in China; perfect size, fits easily in your pocket or whatever you are carrying:

 

Charmin.jpg

Edited by Turtles06
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As for skipping the tours, you cannot do it on the days when you wake up in one city and go to sleep in another; those days you will have to stay with your escort. You can tour on your own in Shanghai and Beijing. But honestly--and file this under food for thought--one of the things that you are paying premium for is the expertise and knowledge of the Viking escorts, so why blow them off, especially if this is your first time in China.

 

Imperial Jewels only has four stops along river: the morning you visit the school; the Three Gorges Dam observation area (just a few hours); the Lesser Gorges cruise where you don't even leave the dock to board the smaller day cruisers; and finally Shibaozhai Tower (which you can actually do on your own).

 

If you are not planning on staying with your group, let your escort know.

 

We have been to China for one day - a train trip from Hong Kong. We did this on our own, 2002, with a stop along the way at 10,000 Buddha temple. We crossed the border, received a 3-day economic visa (which was good for 3 days although we just stayed that one day) and walked around Shenzhen. Dim sum lunch was point and hope it tasted good. No one spoke English. Totally fun, exciting and made us want to come back for more. Side note, we ended up being in Shenzhen, the origination of SARS, the exact week that SARS started. Luckily we did not get sick.

 

 

Sorry, didn't mean to give the impression of blowing off the escorts. I should have paid more attention to the itineraries. With Imperial Jewels, we wont have as many factory/shop tours. My thought was that hanging around that village, for one day, would be a different cultural experience to be enjoyed.

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If one of the Chinese parrots your Chinese phrase directly back to you they are trying to correct your pronunciation....

Quite right! :)

 

And try to pick up the inflection they use. Chinese is a tone language.

 

(actually, they're not correcting your pronounciantion. They're just going through all the different "tones" in their head to find one that makes sense. When they found the one -- like Nihao is for "how are you" -- they just mutter it out! They do that even for other Chinese who speak with dialects or bad accents)

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My thought was that hanging around that village, for one day, would be a different cultural experience to be enjoyed.

It's just a couple of hours. Even if you don't stay with your guide, don't skip the tower; it is really cool, especially when you realize that when it was built centuries ago, it was at the top of a mountain.

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Or you can shop at Walmart in Wuhan;-)

 

 

And there is a COSTCO, as well, and it actually closer to the pier than the Wal-Mart. We didn't go in, but my brother-in-law did. The store is called MAVIN (or is it MAVEN) and that caught his attention. When they walked in and saw the KIRKLAND brand, they realized where they were. They were not allowed to take pictures in the store.

 

Sorry, don't check the site that often.

 

So, if you can't get to the site, let the site come to you--in daily e-mails containing 24 hours worth of posts from threads of interest. It is a very convenient way of keeping up with what is being said and you can do it right from your inbox. No special visits needed. ;)

 

Here's how: above the first post on each page is a drop down menu called THREAD TOOLS. Click on it and then select "Subscribe to this thread." It's been a while since I have subscribed but I think at this point, you are asked how often you want to be notified; choose "Daily" --because instant will drive you crazy and weekly will take forever to read given the current traffic. Also use thread tools to Unsubscribe or manage threads with USER CP at the bottom of the CC header. Mail will be sent to whichever address you provided when you signed up.

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Quite right! :)

 

And try to pick up the inflection they use. Chinese is a tone language.

 

(actually, they're not correcting your pronounciantion. They're just going through all the different "tones" in their head to find one that makes sense. When they found the one -- like Nihao is for "how are you" -- they just mutter it out! They do that even for other Chinese who speak with dialects or bad accents)

Just a quick note mention of the various chinese translator apps on the iphone. I had downloaded one and tested it on another language because I am bilingual. One was so bad that reactions such as uncontrollable laughter would be evoked. Roughly translated my app. asked "how to become an airport" and "how do I" with nothing to follow. I suspect the same to be true in the chinese version. Nevertheless I will try to use it because my efforts to learn have not been so successful.

 

Since I am going to the Roof I am not sure where we are stopping along the way, is it the Cultural Delights trip or the Imperial Jewels. Does anyone know?

 

Also as far as toilets go...I remember a trip to interior Turkey where there were only eastern style ones at that time. I found them to be more hygenic and they are not as hard to use one might think. Someone posted that skirts make it more managable. I also bought some of the packaged moist wipes in hopes that they could replace the toilet paper rolls, since they are conveniently packaged in small travel sizes. Not sure if they will work or not.

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Since I am going to the Roof I am not sure where we are stopping along the way, is it the Cultural Delights trip or the Imperial Jewels. Does anyone know?

Roof and Jewels share the cruise portion ( Shibaozhai Tower, Lesser Gorges, 3G Dam and the school) and do Shanghai at the same time but have different timetables on the Chongqing/Xi'an/Beijing end. Delights has the longer cruise and sails alone (and only 6 times times a year).

Edited by Peregrina651
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Just a quick note mention of the various chinese translator apps on the iphone. I had downloaded one and tested it on another language because I am bilingual. One was so bad that reactions such as uncontrollable laughter would be evoked. Roughly translated my app. asked "how to become an airport" and "how do I" with nothing to follow. I suspect the same to be true in the chinese version. Nevertheless I will try to use it because my efforts to learn have not been so successful.

 

Since I am going to the Roof I am not sure where we are stopping along the way, is it the Cultural Delights trip or the Imperial Jewels. Does anyone know?

 

Also as far as toilets go...I remember a trip to interior Turkey where there were only eastern style ones at that time. I found them to be more hygenic and they are not as hard to use one might think. Someone posted that skirts make it more managable. I also bought some of the packaged moist wipes in hopes that they could replace the toilet paper rolls, since they are conveniently packaged in small travel sizes. Not sure if they will work or not.

Hi Bayerisch,

You mentioned the eastern toilets. They scare me I just imagine I lose my balance and too scary to think about it. I did find the disposable hygienic freedom items someone mentioned long ago and they sell them on "P-StandingUp.com" their not cheap the postage is rediculous but they will do the job.

Bushy

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I talked with the travel clinic and they recommended the same as yours.

I had Hep A vaccine 10 years ago but I should get the polio and typhoid.

Did you have reactions? I expect some soreness.

(sorry for the 3 posts in a row.....I'm catching up on the last few pages here)

Just did our shots and they tried to get us to do one called Japenese something for the brain. We skipped it since that is in rural areas but did the MMR booster and thypoid, too long since Egypt when we had our last one. Yes very sore but pain reliever and working it shortens the time. They wanted us to do the malaria meds too but mmmm some have bad side effects like Hallucinations.

 

We are thinking of making some postcards of our home states and handing them out to people who approach us. We won't write anything on them in English incase someone gets upset thinking we are spreading propaganda. Any thoughts on this? Also thinking of taking packaged flower seeds for the school and thoughts on this? So far only items from infected areas for plants are not allowed and these will be packaged.

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We just returned from the Mar 27-Apr 13 China Cultural Delights cruise. We don’t cruise a lot so I registered with CC and gained some wonderful insight from all the postings on this thread. I didn’t want to give a detailed day to day experience but thought a general summary of our experience might be beneficial and a means of returning the favor to other future cruisers. I apologize for the length in advance but hopefully a lot of information in one place will be helpful.

 

1. This was the trip and experience of a lifetime. You’ll see the great, good and not so good. The Chinese and their culture are fascinating. We Americans could learn a lot from them and vice versa. This will be something I’ll remember forever.

 

2. We started our cruise in Shanghai. There's a lot of debate as to whether Shanghai or Beijing is the better starting point. At the end, most of us would have dreaded starting from Beijing. Some specifics:

 

a. The Yangtze River is incredibly polluted. If you’ve cruised in Europe you’ll be shocked. The lower Yangtze is nothing more than thousands of smoke belching ships running on a cargo shipping highway. West of the Three Gorges Dam it all changed to beautiful scenery and the water was a nice emerald green.

 

b. Everyone was suffering from serious jet lag and the three days in Beijing are the by far the most physically demanding. The Great Wall is a strenuous climb. As tired as we were the first couple of days I would have hated to start in Beijing.

 

c. For most of us the highlights of the trip are in Xian and Beijing so the scenery and experiences gradually got better each day and it was good to end the trip on a high.

 

3. To say Viking is organized is an incredible understatement. After going through Chinese customs (quick and easy) it was the last time we would have to physically move our luggage. Viking collected our luggage and it was waiting for us at the hotel. Viking pre-checks you in at each hotel and gives you your room key while on the bus from the airport. When flying from city to city, they pick up your luggage from your room, take it to the airport, and put it through security. They take it off the carousel once we land and transport it to the next hotel. It was incredible.

 

4. On the bus from the Shanghai airport we were given our guide assignments. This person will be your “mother” for the entire trip and they are wonderful. Consider yourself VERY lucky if you get Larry.

 

5. The excursion to the school was touching. Don’t miss it.

 

6. Take a small bottle of hand sanitizer everywhere you go and wash your hands frequently.

 

7. Take some toilet paper with you every time you leave the ship. There’s not a Western sit down toilet everywhere you go and toilet paper is a luxury. Also be prepared for no paper towels at sink and the hand blowers are useless. It was comical to see everyone leaving the toilet shaking their hands or wiping them on their jeans.

 

8. We went to the both the Tang Dynasty Dinner in Xian and the Peking Opera and were glad we did. It was a beautiful experience.

 

9. I used Google Translator on my iPhone and it came in very handy. Type it in and show them the Chinese translation.

 

10. Ignore the Viking instructions about the 44 lb luggage limit and 11 lb carryon limit. It’s not enforced. They stated they can’t change their literature as these limits are China law but it’s never enforced. While on the planes we saw Chinese passengers bringing on carryon luggage so big it would have never been allowed in the States.

 

11. Leave the converters and adapters at home. The hotels and the ship have plenty of them and most outlets now are “adapters” and accept multiple types of plugs. The bathroom on the ship and every hotel has a 110v plug.

 

12. The ship and all hotels have umbrellas. We should have left ours home. We were VERY lucky as it only rained one day. My poncho came in very handy as I didn’t have to hold an umbrella and take pictures.

 

13. The air pollution is staggering. I had expected it but never anticipated it would be as bad as it is. If you have any type of breathing issues be sure to bring your meds. Visine is also a must.

 

14. Bring every type of over the counter medication you can think of…heartburn, nausea, diarrhea (bring an entire bottle of Imodium), constipation, allergies etc. We had Cipro which I would encourage you to do. On our 4th day on the cruise about 20 guests, including myself, came down with diarrhea. Nothing real serious for anyone. My wife was fine but I spent the day in the room. 36 hrs later most of us were about 75% and getting better.

 

15. Unlike in Europe, Viking doesn’t own the ship rather they lease it from New Century. The “Officer” level staff and Tour Escorts work for Viking but the food servers, room attendants etc are employed by New Century. From the outside, the ship is not overly exciting but the inside is beautiful and the crew keeps it spotless.

 

16. The food on the ship is good but not great. We did the Viking Grand European Tour two years ago and the food was significantly better. You’ll eat several meals in Chinese restaurants and again, some were good, but most were ok…just like in the U.S. Real Chinese food is not like what you get at your local place. It’s new dishes, flavors and textures we’re not used. Go with an open mind and try it. The ship wait staff is an entirely different story. They are the hardest working people on the ship and they will do anything to help you. Again, consider yourself lucky if you get Maggie or May as your server. They are sweet hearts.

 

17. The street food is beautiful. Photograph it but don’t eat it…ever. I read that some posters have but Larry strongly advised against it.

 

18. A number of the excursions are nothing more than getting you into a sales room (silk, jade or pottery and rugs to buy something. You’ll go on a 10-15 min tour of the factor then spend the next 30-45 min in the showroom. While some liked to shop I thought the tour portion was interesting but the shopping was a huge waste of time and would have preferred to go walking and exploring. We skipped the ceramic tour not wanting to endure a 4 hour round trip bus ride.

 

19. Pick pockets are everywhere. It won’t take you long to recognize the likely culprits. Leave your wallet and documents in the safe. I put money in my front pocket. I carried a fanny pack and kept it in front of me. If you wear it in the back it’s too easy for them to unzip it and take something.

 

20. The internet is hit or miss but MUCH better than the European cruise. A number of people complained about no or slow access but it wasn’t a big inconvenience.

 

21. Our time in Xian was just too short. Viking, if you read this, many of the passengers would have gladly given up one of the other days (especially one of the shopping excursions) to have an extra time in Xian. It’s a fascinating city and we didn’t have much time to go explore.

 

22. The hotels were a surprise. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Shanghai. It’s quite a way from the Bund and we would have preferred to stay in the Shangri-La with another group right in the middle of the city. In Xian we stayed at the Hilton and in Beijing the Westin. The last two were new 5 star hotels. You will not be disappointed.

 

23. The Chinese people are so friendly. When we skipped the ceramic tour a group of us took off to explore the local city. I would strongly encourage you to do this. Be brave and adventurous. My iPhone GPS worked like a charm but you really don’t need it. Chinese stopped to stare at us and wanted their picture taken with us. We learned later that very few Viking guests do this so we were likely the first live Westerners they had ever seen. It was one of the most memorable experiences of the cruise. The Chinese are very proud of their children. We took hard candy from the ship and gave it out which was a huge it. Always “ask” if it’s ok to take their picture. Just point to your camera. They get it. I would suggest getting a short set of phrases like “May I take your picture”. Also on your first or second day learn to say “Please”, “Thank You” and “You’re welcome” in Chinese. (The ship has a basic Chinese class but it’s not till about a week into the cruise.) The Chinese are really surprised and appreciative when you extend these basic courtesies in their language. They are taught English starting in the first grade so don’t be surprised to run across some that speak very good English.

 

24. Dress on the ship and daily excursions is informal. You did see a couple of sports coats but it was the exception. Jeans were the norm and many wore shorts daily. Don’t try to pack for all 17 days. We used the ship laundry several times and it’s reasonable.

 

25. You’ll be provided an unlimited supply of bottled drinking water every day. On the ship, they serve water from pitchers but it’s from bottles. We had no concerns about the ice on the ship or in the hotels and were assured it was very safe and we had it every day with our water and drinks. The bus has plenty of bottled water for the excursions. In the local restaurants you are provided bottled water but stay away from the ice.

 

26. My debit card worked fine everywhere. Just be sure to use the ATM in the hotels or the big international banks like Bank of China. Bank of China ATMs have an English option. The ATMs in smaller local banks won’t work and you may not get your card out of the machine. The money is all RMD. On the ship they can't exchange money but can give your change for larger RMB bills.

 

27. Money. We read several posts about taking $150 in $1.00 bills for tips. I think $100 is more than enough. On our excursions we gave the local guide $3.00 and the bus driver $2.00.

 

28. Local venders. You love them or hate them. Some just won’t leave you alone. If you’re going to return to the same place after an excursion NEVER say “later” because they have a great memory and when you get back they will just not leave you alone. We were advised not to make eye contact with them. If you start talking to them saying you’re not interested then they don’t understand a lot of English so they think you’re bartering with them and they persist. Some of you may not agree with what I’m about to say here but so be it. It was fun bartering. It’s amazing how far they will come down in price. It’s a game and always smile. But don’t take it to an extreme. These people are poor beyond your imagination. Sure I could have worked them even more to get the price even lower but I might only save $1-$2 more. We’ll spend $6-$10 on a glass a wine and not give it a second thought. These people are trying to scrape out a meager living and if I give them a couple of dollars more then I was ok.

 

In closing be prepared for the experience of a lifetime. Be flexible and and you’ll be warmly welcomed by the Chinese. We are hooked on Viking and hope to go back to Europe next year.

Mtlycrew1 Thanks so much for posting your write up, excellent! This sounds like it is going to be a super experience like Moscow was.

 

On the luggage maybe I am being a bit thick here, sorry. They don't care about the weight of your larger bag but do they care about the number of larger bags you have? We are allowed two large suitcases on our to and from China flights so it would be fantastic if Viking allowed us (this is for you Viking ;>)) two big bags instead of one. Also I should pack backpacks with wheels and bring a roll carry-on?

Thanks again and super to hear you had such a great trip many of your ideas and tips are how we travel and helped confirm it is needed.

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