Peregrina651

 

A word to the wise: UIA [ukrainian] didn't really seem to know what they were doing when they checked us in at ODS. We had seats together ODS-VIE, but our boarding passes for our continuation the next day were not together. We stopped at the OS [Austrian] counter in Vienna before hopping the train downtown to get seats together, and OS said that because we were not properly checked in at ODS our contination was void and we would have to BUY NEW TICKETS:eek:! Apparently UIA had not checked us in as e-tickets. Okay, so if we have e-tickets can't you [OS] check us in?? We got it all cleared up in a few minutes, but were glad that we had done it the night before, and not while watching the plane board.

 

S-bahn tickets at VIE are sold only at a machine [at least that is all I found]. Unless you have a European style chip enhanced credit card you will need Euros to purchase. Change is given.

 

Thom

Okay!! Now we are cooking. This is just the kind of information we want to know. I'm sure that we will accumulate more and more of these little tips as we go along. Thanks, Thom!

BTW, I'm flying into ODS (Odesa), so I won't be able to report about my check-in experience there. We will have to wait for someone doing the Kiev to Odesa run. ;)

To those more experienced....

 

I was reading somewhere about a hand gesture of tapping the table with 2 fingers as a "thank you" gesture after being served tea. Is this something you witnessed or learned?

 

Thanks,

 

Karl

The mannerism that I was very aware of was how things like business-cards, credit cards, etc. are presented to another person with two hands. To use just one is insulting. Not having been taught to do it from a very early age, I found it hard to achieve. Either I would forget or I could not figure out how to make the gesture quickly enough. It is awkward to do when you are accustomed to doing it differently all the time.

See how we get in trouble going back and forth from one language to another, one culture to another? But we learn something along the way. It's fascinating.

Actually "buxie" is not welcome, it's "you're welcome" after someone said "thank you" (xiexie). It's literally "no thanks" (xie is thanks, buxie is no thanks, short of no need to thank).

 

"Welcome" is a different word.

The problem is that English uses the word 'welcome' as both a greeting and in response to 'thank you.' While the proper response to "Thank you" is "You're welcome," most of the time these days, that lengthy response has been pared down to simply "Welcome." (And what kind of response is 'hello' when someone has just expressed his appreciation? )

Take heart! The native speakers were not confused. We knew Bob was talking about the proper response to xie-xie and not the greeting.

And adding the "please (qing)" behind an order would simply puzzle the hell out of your chinese servant! "Kafei Qing" means "please have some of my coffee"!!!

 

"Chinese do say please, but it's not "qing"...

Fascinating, at nyc. More than we can find in phrasebook--and more helpful, too.

Further proof that things don't translate word for word from one language to the next. And so hard for us to get past those Mommy tapes going off in our heads (What do you say, dear?) How can we be polite and respectful without saying 'please' and 'thank you'? It doesn't feel right.

Unfortunately, majority of western language don't have inflections so a lot of people's brain just don't register the inflection of the the word.

 

Try to think of singing rather than talking. So your brain can register the tones.

If I could only sing!

That's a good warning. There's nothing unusual to physically touch someone, even between men. But it's usually rare to physically touch cross genders though.

 

Chinese are also a lot "closer" physically, which can be a bit of a surprise to Americans who're used to a lot of space around our body.

More interesting stuff!

EMBRACE THE DIFFERENCES!!

 

 

We (my wife Cathy and I) are planning to do a supper at the Black Sesame kitchen on the Friday night (Optional Peking duck night with Viking - we're not really interested in duck), which has had some great reviews. Anyone with firsthand experience? Anyone on our cruise and possibly interested in joining us on this evening?

Ron, remember that this evening is not just about the duck, which is really only one of the many items served that evening, but also about seeing Chinese opera. Don't panic. It is a very abbreviated show aimed at foreign tourists. Some folks decide to attend for the cultural experience (when in Rome?). Even after this explanation, there are many who say, "No, thanks."

If anyone else is on our cruise and reading this, don't be shy to pop on here (or on our 'Viking Emerald July 2012' roll call in the 'All River Cruise Roll Call' section of Cruise Critic) to say "Hi".

 

Ron, check out this post about making sig files; very handy for directing traffic to your roll-call without having to remembering to do it each time you post. Single comments get lost in the thread but anything in a sig file follows you wherever you go. Or if you don't want to follow a link, go to post #459 in this thread.

Chinese dress rather formally when attention any sort of function. So whatever you wear, it'll be pretty obvious you're with a tour group. ;)

 

That said, there's no dress code as long as you're dressed. :D

at nyc, I think that one look at my face was a dead give-away that I was a tourist. They didn't even have to look at what I was wearing.

The truth of the matter is that the venues we are taken to are all set up for the tourists (of all nationalities including Chinese) so that however you dress for the evening (if you even have a chance to get back to your hotel at all before the event) is not an issue. It is highly unlikely that you will be in the same place as anyone who is dressing up for a formal night out so you really don't have to worry about this. And yes, there were even people who where wearing shorts because that is what they had put on that morning and where not taken back to the hotel change.

I'm pointing this out so that you can relax about the what to wear issue and dress for the day in clothing that is weather appropriate--that is to say, there is no need to sweat to death in the hot and humid because you are afraid you won't get back to the hotel that night.

In light of the favorable response to my last reading suggestion, I will point out the March/April 2012 Saudi Aramco Magazine pp 2-11 article “The Palace and the Poet”. http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/201202/ This is about Bakhchisaray Palace of the Crimean Tartar Khan. At least last year this palace was an included excursion from Sevastopol. My magazine subscriptions include both Saudi Aramco Magazine and Physics Today, and I assume these are not on everyone’s standard reading list. Okay, I have somewhat eclectic reading tastes.

 

Thom

I just printed it out to read at leisure (that rhymes with pleasure) and at the same time have to thank you the link I found to a virtual tour of my favorite place on earth, the Alhambra. Looking forward to watching that at my leisure. ;)

We used the same adapters as we used in any other country without an issue. A little extra caution is required because the outlet is recessed about 1/2 inch so it's a little more difficult to pull the plug so to speak. Someone on the tour had a converter that was not compatible with the outlets so they borrowed one of our adapters since they were only charging camera batteries that didn't require a converter to begin with. Our kit contains about 6 varieties of adapters, but we used the ones which have a 19mm center to center separation, that are 4mm wide (not long as the link states) and 19mm in length...3/4" between prongs, prongs are 1/8" wide and 3/4" deep.

Bob, thanks. All I have are the Europlug adapters (I call them snake-eyes) and I sure do hope they work because its all I have. Ha! I'll know soon enough.

Thanks Peregrina. By the way, what does it mean?

It is very punny you should ask. Peregrino is the Spanish word for 'pilgrim', which is the name of the street I live on near Boston. Seems like every town around here has its Pilgrim St/Dr/Rd. The English word peregrinate, which means to wander from place to place, comes from the same Latin root. I was already using the screen name when I joined CC but now it has added meaning.

I noticed when I logged in this evening that this thread, which is not even a year old has had over 31,000 views. That is great! Lots of people are reading and being helped Can't ask for much more!

.

 

For those familiar with the pet market as you left the ship in Wuhan…it was washed away and has yet to be restored.

 

When we first docked in Wuhan, I thought it was a tent city. I learned with mixed emotions that it was a pet market -- glad to hear that it was not housing but sad to learn that they sold animals. I couldn't go in--and it wasn't just the snakes. I know I missed out on another cultural experience but I just couldn't do it.

Now, while we are talking about docking in Wuhan, did you notice that the cruise terminal building looks like just like a river cruise ship?

Well, it seems we have a problem since my response from Viking says Europlug. Here is the link that I was given: http://electricaloutlet.org/type-c. Ukraine isn't in the list of countries but if you go back to the home page and look at the list of countries, you will see that for Ukraine they list only Type-C.

I've just written back to Viking asking for a clarification and will share it just as soon as I can.

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlist.htm

 

Only thing missing was a shami (sp?) some folks pack one to wring the water out of their clothes if they wash in their room to help in speeding up the drying time.

Since I always forget to pack it, I just use a towel from the bathroom. It works just as well for me and it is one less thing in my suitcase.

I think, if there is anything Viking is falling short on is preparation for such a trip and what to expect. I understand that I booked a luxury trip with unparalled service, but so far I haven't received any information from Viking. I feel like I am on my own to figure this thing out and if it hadn't been for you I would be.

Bayerisch, while we are happy to be here for you, I must humbly disagree with you on this point because I believe that in this area Viking has done its job. Viking has given us the basics on their website (as do other mass-market cruise providers) and the rest is really up to us, the travelers. As caribill said, you will be receiving detailed information about the cruise itself along with your travel documents three weeks before your departure. For those of us who can't wait that long, there is CruiseCritic. ;)

As far as pictures at the Terra Cotta warrior sight, the only place we could not take pictures was of the people who were working on restoring more of the warriors.

And even then there was no one standing there stopping you from taking pictures, so we just took them.

Just heard back from Viking re: use of personal electronic devices on ship and they are recommending a specific type of adapter/converter. If you plan to bring any chargers, etc., you should be aware of a possible problem with prongs that are too short.

That is good to know. Can you share with us the specifics of what kind of adapter they are recommending or give us a link to the information? Thanks.

The catacombs was an optional tour last year so I don't have any info. The caveat about whether the hotel may be included is with the dates/pricing. The submarine base tunnels are very large...the entire tour group could almost walk side by side. The cousins have all the pictures that they were in...downloaded from laptop.

Ha! The picture is for me, so I can recognize the cousins and make sure we sit at their tables. I was looking at your pictures last night. I am so ready to be traveling already. There is no price listed with catacombs tour, so I'm assuming that it is included now. Viking is forever tweaking. ;)

On our second morning, they are taking us to the Odessa Catacombs. I freak out in small places (yes, I am a flaming neurotic). I can do the cool caves with stalagtites and stalagmites because while enclosed they are general spacious and have some moving air, so underground tunnels aren't completely off the agenda. My question is... What else is there on this adventure for me to see? Can I avoid the catacombs part of the tour if we decide it is just not for me? Whatever you can tell me in advance will be helpful. Pictures?? Bob, I'm off to check yours now; I hope you have some. :eek:

I suppose I should ask the same questions about the submarine tunnels in Sevastopol.

Peregrina, if you live in the Boston area, you are lucky. I am in Jacksonville Florida and there isn't much at all in the way of museums, which I miss.

I post all this stuff because I figure that other folks may be interested in seeing it when they come to Boston (or if they live in the area). The Peabody-Essex Museum may be of special interest to those who are doing Cultural Delights, because you see the Chinese porcelain trade industry from an entirely different perspective.

Peregrina, the The Warrior Emperor and China's Terracotta Army's exhibit were actually at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts last year from Feb. 11 until June 26 and I went evidently. It was fascinating !

The best part of that exhibit was how close you were able to get to the warriors without a glass display cabinet--within arms reach. It was just a darned shame that we could not take pictures of the exhibit. However, there was no way that this small exhibit could recreate the impact of the seeing the vast array of warriors in the Tomb in Xi'an.

Andrea, this is from the Viking Website concerning Ukraine...

Based on available air schedules, a forced overnight or long layover may be required. In this case, you may need to depart the U.S. one day earlier. The cost of your forced overnight/transit hotel may be covered when you purchase all-inclusive roundtrip international air from Viking. This is only available to passengers whose flights arrive or depart on ship check-in or check-out day; may not be combined with custom air, stopovers, deviations and/or extensions.

I went looking on the website but I must not have looked in the right place. Look at all the caveats in that paragraph. You may still have to ask if your hotel is covered, just to clarify.

Please tell the three young ladies Katya, Nastya, and Alyona hi from Bob and Debbie. They are 3 cousins that worked on the ship last year that we had a lot of fun with, but we haven't heard from them since February to know if they are working again. Sitting at Alyona's table is a lot of fun...great sense of humor.

I just copied the thumbnail and will eventually figure out how to get it onto my telephone so that I have it to show the cousins. If the picture doesn't show up well on my phone, I'll get back to you and ask you to send the original file.

Our hotel was included.

Do you have your suitcases packed as don't you leave soon.

We are looking forward to your review when you return.If we do not hear from you before you leave have a wonderful trip!

I haven't even begun to pack. First I have to worry about a little weekend jaunt and then I can start packing for real. But how difficult can it be to grab a couple of shirts and some clean underwear? And if I stay up all night packing, then maybe I will sleep on the plane without any artificial aids.

Glad to hear that the forced overnight in Vienna is paid for and I am sorry for any confusion I might have caused.

Not exactly true. Viking isn't offering a Kiev extension when we sail--as much I would have liked to do it since there isn't enough time in Kiev. The extension is offered as a pre-tour only when you start in Kiev or a post-tour only when you end in Kiev.

 

Let me update this. When we booked in November, Viking told us that there was no Kiev extension available on our cruise. However, in March I decided to ask my TA to double check to see if maybe it was now available. I am so glad that I did because we are now booked for the Kiev post-cruise and we were able to do so without incurring any change of air reservation fees.

Thanks so much as that is the info we wanted as it sounds similar to our schedule.

What hotel did they put you up in Vienna?Was it airport or city?

I'd rather be wrong than not say anything at all (and correct me if I am): Please ask your TA/Viking but I think that you are responsible for making and paying for your hotel reservation on the stop-over.

I am trying to figure out my wardrobe. I usually do take 2 jeans and just wash the, how to say politely..., well the crotch area. Denim takes forever to dry. Cotton pants will be all wrinkled when they dry, if washed in your room, right? Or, is there an iron that can be used? .

Yes, denim will not dry. Even in May, it took Julie's jeans a couple of days to dry when she washed them in the sink. But on the other hand, a smaller area can be helped along with a hair dryer.

Clothing that has already been dried in a machine should not shrink any more than it already has. We used the ship's laundry and did not have any shrinkage problems with our cottons. Not my dresses and tank tops and DH's Dockers or cotton polos.

I believe ironing service is available from the laundry but I don't remember if irons were available to to pax. Check the price list on the Viking website.

Couple thoughts...

 

We too were limited to the Imperial Jewels by time off, not desire.

 

My guess is that vacation time and cost are the main determinants for most people. From the Viking point of view, they can do twice as many 5 day cruises in a season thereby accommodating twice as many passengers. With the new China Explorer (based on the five day cruise) in the line up, I hope they don't eliminate Cultural Delights completely. It is good that we have choices. :D

From bayerisch: great pic of the wedding headdress, that thing is gorgeous.

Thanks. I like finding things in local museums and then sharing them. For me, it is like an extension of the trip--and a chance to learn something more. In the Boston area, both the MFA and the Peabody-Essex Museum (Salem, MA) have beautiful collections of Chinese art and objects. In fact, the P-E-M, has a whole Chinese house. If you keep your eyes open, you can find all sorts of exhibits. The Xi'an Warriors were in Montreal a few years back (no, not all of them) and P-E-M hosted an exhibition of restored objects from the Forbidden City on their only visit to the US. Maybe there are more people like me who like checking out this stuff in museums.

Thanks, at nyc and Kohola. I'm beginning to understand. :D

WiFi is available throughout the ship with a password. It appears people with Smartphones get better results with connecting to the internet. I was Video chatting yesterday with someone on the Emerald via their iPhone as the ship navigated the 3 gorges locks...beautiful reception! There is free WiFi in the lobbies of all the hotels we stayed at...Ritz Carlton, Shanghai; Hyatt, Xian, and Westin Chaoyang in Beijing, but it runs about $.50/min in your room, capped around $15/use or there are some plans available.

 

( My iPhone worked great for messages and the like in China...I didn't need a data plan so I can't speak to its internet capability.

See, this is what I don't understand. My provider says I need an international plan if I want to use my phone overseas for data. Am I missing something here? Can I just use the wi-fi and therefore circumvent the mobile data charges? I don't want to make phone calls but if I can send messages home via wi-fi, that would be all I need. I don't want to experiment while I am traveling because coming home and finding out that I've racked up hundreds in data charges would simply cause me to blow a gasket. Oh, and the other question is whether I would have to do something to my sim card for it to work overseas even if just on wi-fi. Then, if I can use just the wi-fi, can I set up Skype? (Heck, why didn't I ask these questions when I was in the phone store the other day??)

BTW, ethernet connection for my notebook was free in our hotel rooms (Shangri-La Pudong and China World, can't remember Xi'an). I keep a little retractable ethernet cord in my travel kit; very handy.

Bayerisch, I carried a notebook as well as a 320GB portable expansion drive. Between us, we shot close to 30GB. There was time most days to download pictures and back them up to the portable drive (yes, I'm a belt and suspenders kind of gal). Don't forget to format the memory cards every now and then.

Thank you for the bon voyage wishes.