Celebrity Millenium - Atlantis SE Asia Cruise

[relo]

We cancelled the Baltic cruise this year and booked the Asia cruise instead. This will be our 3rd cruise (previous 2 were Atlantis Mediterranean cruises), but for the first time an inside cabin instead of an aft verandah cabin.

We are just back from our 2.5 week SF to SF roundtrip in south-west USA, so I now can start planning private shore excursion for this cruise. Already decided that we won't overnight in Bangkok. Also we don't want to do the 3 hour drive to Hanoi, but will instead do a cruise on a junk in Halong Bay. Only problem is that it isn't easy yet to find a tour that accommodates our arrival time there.

We haven't booked our flights yet (we don't have miles). We probably arrive in Singapore on thursday, March 28 after a nonstop flight from Amsterdam with KLM and stay at the Marina Bay Sands hotel. We stay for 2 nights in Hong Kong (no hotel yet) and fly nonstop back to Amsterdam on saturday, April 13.

[ORDPLATAA]

Relo - thinking the same thing on Hanoi - would love to see it but 7-8 hours of travel time to just have a few short hours there doesn't seem to be worthwhile. Sailing on a junk through Halong Bay would be our 1st choice - perhaps we can get a group together & charter our own to fit the ship's schedule? We did this in St. Petersburg on our Baltic cruise (hired our own guide) and it worked out well.

We may do an overnight in BKK. Again, hate the idea of shuttling back & forth between the port & the city (plus hotels in BKK are relatively cheap compared to Singapore). Trying to figure out the best way to maximise our time & experience there.

[almostavirgin]

Highly interested, strongly inclined! It's still a long way to go, and there are only a few cabins booked, so I'll wait and see, until I find my cruise BF!

[ferg]

Considering Celebrity Milleneum cruise leaving Singapore Dec 9/2012 to Bangkok/phu my/danang/hanoi ending in HK but the long trips from the port to the cities is discouragingis it bad ? Has anyone explored these ?

thanks

[ORDPLATAA]

Went on the Celebrity website and was able to pull down a listing of shore excursions for this cruise. I hope that there will be more added - seemed to be slim pickings and pretty pricey (avg $100/pp per trip). Will need to start up some heavy duty research!

[ORDPLATAA]

Well, working on hotels now. Found some "orphaned" IHG points so we will be staying at the Holiday Inn Golden Mile. Great use of 25,000 points, very good location and, since we are only in HK for one night post cruise, puts us in the heart of Nathan Road. Still working on options for Singapore - we have the Fullerton booked through a consolidator but we may cancel that and use some hotel points. Not enough to do three nights at one hotel so will do (2) at one hotel (either Grand Hyatt or Fairmont) and then one night at possibly the Conrad or Marriott.

[Navybt]

We just booked our air travel using the Delta Vacations. We are spoiled and wanted business class. We had to call because the web will not let you book two different cities or have a break in the hotels.

We got the business class flights AND a 5 star hotel in Hong Kong for 5 nights for less than the airfares quoted on the Delta site!!! Crazy! We did not have to book hotels for all the nights, we didn't even have to book a hotel in Singapore with them.

We are using hotel points for the Singapore hotels. I suppose as long as you book at least one night hotel in either city you can get the "Vacations" pricing!!!

It appears all the air line "vacation" websites offer similar deals as the interface was virtually identical.

Check this our for a cheaper way to get air and hotel! Neither is cheap in Asia!!!

[gaillaw]

My husband and I are so excited for this trip. Still have to book hotels in Singapore and Hong Kong and figure out the shore excursions.

In the past we've organized our own and have been very happy with the results ( Greece, Turkey). It may be trickier in Asia but I'd love to explore the possibilities.

I'll be doing some research of my own, but welcome input from others on the board. Would love to get to Angor Wat, or some lesser known temple sites.

Will post here with results.

[gaillaw]

Love your idea about Halong Bay. Looking into it.

[sfgoguy]

Was just on the Seabourn Quest cruise and Rich said that the pre- and post-cruise hotels/excursions for this cruise would be announced later in September. (Don't hold your breath, though.)

Among these will be a pre-cruise excursion to Cambodia's Angkor Wat. I'm very anxious to see that since it's not likely I'll be back in this part of the world, again, soon. And friends tell me it surpasses Machu Picchu. So, you may want to wait just a bit before booking your SIN hotels if you think this is something you'd want to do.

Cabin mate and I are considering 2 days SIN (plus the Angkor Wat excursion) and 2 days HKG.

~ 6 months and counting, guys.

[ORDPLATAA]

Well, a little change in plans re: hotels pre/post cruise. Managed to come up with some Hyatt points so we are staying three nights at Grand Hyatt Singapore and one at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. We can use the $$'s that we had budgeted to stay at The Fullerton to now cover shore excursions.

[CruisinMaterial]

Originally Posted by sfgoguy

Was just on the Seabourn Quest cruise and Rich said that the pre- and post-cruise hotels/excursions for this cruise would be announced later in September. (Don't hold your breath, though.)

~ 6 months and counting, guys.

I was booked with Atlantis for this trip but I should have known better. Rich said August he would have the tour info up. It didn't happen. Coupled with the fact that he doesn't overnight anywhere and again lied blatantly on his website (as usual) I cancelled and went with a group cruise operator and overall not spending too much more to get a room on my own.

I really hope Rich comes through for you guys who want pre-cruise options.

[sfgoguy]

Originally Posted by CruisinMaterial

I was booked with Atlantis for this trip but I should have known better. Rich said August he would have the tour info up. It didn't happen. Coupled with the fact that he doesn't overnight anywhere and again lied blatantly on his website (as usual) I cancelled and went with a group cruise operator and overall not spending too much more to get a room on my own.

I really hope Rich comes through for you guys who want pre-cruise options.

Just sent in my confirmation for the August '13 Atlantis Med cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette - Venice to Rome - and asked when we might expect the pre-cruise option announcement. No word back, yet...as expected.

You'd think some young entrepreneur (like Rich was 20 years ago) would come up with a competing company that's more post-sale/pre-cruise service oriented. Wishful thinking, I suppose.

[geekguy75]

Originally Posted by sfgoguy

Just sent in my confirmation for the August '13 Atlantis Med cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette - Venice to Rome - and asked when we might expect the pre-cruise option announcement. No word back, yet...as expected.

You'd think some young entrepreneur (like Rich was 20 years ago) would come up with a competing company that's more post-sale/pre-cruise service oriented. Wishful thinking, I suppose.

Any chance you have a link to this cruise?

[CruisinMaterial]

Originally Posted by sfgoguy

You'd think some young entrepreneur (like Rich was 20 years ago) would come up with a competing company that's more post-sale/pre-cruise service oriented. Wishful thinking, I suppose.

I would think someone young with tons of money would want to start up a cruise charter company and one that keeps the promises they make. It's unreal that he can get away with it but unfortunately due to the sheer size of the ships nowadays to do a full ship charter costs millions. Unless you have a nice nest egg there is NO way you're going to get that much and your first cruise would most certainly sail at a loss until you get your brand image out there. The capital needed to start a venture such as that is insane!

I hope you have fun on your cruise!

[sfgoguy]

Originally Posted by geekguy75

Any chance you have a link to this cruise?

The Venice/Rome cruise in Aug '13 is only open to Atlantis Alums now. I booked it while onboard last month's Istanbul/Athens cruise. I expect Atlantis will be sending out the blast email to all Alums in a month or so with the usual tiered booking schedule. Afterwards it'll be open to the public.

If you are an Alum and don't want to wait for the email blast, you might contact Atlantis (email or phone) to see if you can get a cabin.

Should be a fun cruise. I've not been on the Shilouette (but have been on the Equinox and Eclipse) and understand she's the best of her class.

Good luck!

[sfgoguy]

Just heard from the Atlantis staff that they are not sure whether this will be offered as a Pre-Cruise option. No info on when they may make a "go/no go" decision. So, I'm not going to wait and will go ahead and book SIN hotels and air itinerary.

For those who have traveled to Angkor Wat from SIN, any tips on travel agents/tour guides to research if I decide to do it independent of Atlantis and before our cruise departs? How many days should I allow for this side trip - 2? 3?

Thanks, guys.

[sfgoguy]

If you're not anxious to wait for Atlantis to decide on whether to offer an Angkor Wat pre-cruise excursion, check out www.asia-adventures.com. In particular, Craig Dodge there comes highly recommended.

Cabin mate and I are thinking of arranging our excursion through them and flying directly from the USA to Siem Reap for that. Then, after the Angkor Wat visit, flying to SIN for 2 days or so before boarding the Millenium.

Six months and counting, guys.

[ORDPLATAA]

Have tried to play around with flight schedules and it just doesn't look like we will be able to make it work out. Getting from Siem Reap to Singapore in time to get on the ship Sunday is tough and we just don't want to chance it and leaving the US earlier than we have already booked isn't an option. I have to keep telling myself that this is a vacation afterall and I don't need to run us ragged in the process. There will be ample opportunity to see some amazing World Heritage sites on this trip + this means we'll just have to plan another trip back to this corner of the world.

[sfgoguy]

Originally Posted by ORDPLATAA

Have tried to play around with flight schedules and it just doesn't look like we will be able to make it work out. Getting from Siem Reap to Singapore in time to get on the ship Sunday is tough and we just don't want to chance it and leaving the US earlier than we have already booked isn't an option. I have to keep telling myself that this is a vacation afterall and I don't need to run us ragged in the process. There will be ample opportunity to see some amazing World Heritage sites on this trip + this means we'll just have to plan another trip back to this corner of the world.

Yeah, if you've already booked your outbound air it will be difficult to work-in an Angkor Wat visit. Luckily for the two of us, we haven't yet booked air dates, so we're more flexible. This particular tour company will do tours with as few as 4 individuals (depending on the tour), so we're hopeful that we can make the arrangements for this. It will mean a rather long pre-cruise period (2 or 3 days at Angkor Wat and 2 days in SIN), but I doubt I'll get back to this part of the world, again, so....

Look forward to seeing you and everyone in ~ 6 months.