Bushy H.

Hi everyone! We went on th Emerald and did the Imperial Jewel cruise in Sep 2012, excellent cruise and loved the time we chose, the weather was great only sprinkled a couple of days, loved the holiday setting up with flowers etc for 1 Oct we left the day before and traffic jams.

Anyhow the reason I am posting is our great guide Johanna said to only buy from the places Viking recognized so we purchased our terracotta warriors from the museum and had them shipped they were very heavy. We had them shipped to our daughters because we were moving from Germany back to the states and did not have her zip code causing a delay in their arrival but that was totally our fault. Anyhow, they arrived and the general was in perfect condition since they pack them in a plastic bag then fill around them in the box with that spray insulation foam. The second warrior was the archer on bended knee and his hand broke. I could not find a working email for them online and only knew the name of the maker from the mailing slip. I thought I was just going to have to accept the loss when it occurred to me to try Viking. Well they got right on it and luckily I checked my spam folder since their emails went there somehow and after sending a photo of the broken warrior another one is being sent right now to replace it. Johanna stayed right on it and made sure it was taken care of. Wow what customer service! I would only buy expensive items from stores Viking supports it is well worth it ....wish I would of purchased one of the silk paintings so I guess I have to go back. :p THANK YOU VIKING!!!

We haven't been on NCL since 2005. Since so many things have changed in the last few years on all of the lines, and, there are so many positive experiences expressed from recent NCL CCers, we are considering booking a NCL Sun cruise (Caribbean) in Dec 2013. Our preference would be for a balcony, probably BA category. January is generally a good month for cruise fares and I can see various NCL offers through online TAs for either added OBCs, coupon books, or hotel rooms. I understand that booking 9+ months out also means double loyalty points. A few questions:

 

- in your experience is booking early for NCL likely to be a good rate? I know there can be last minute sales if they aren't selling out but you can never count on that

- are double loyalty points awarded whether you book through NCL directly or with a TA?

- are there still no shareholder credit programs?

- what sort of coupons are in those coupon books? I did a search here and it seems that they are not particularly spectacular

- have I missed any other variables?

 

Would really appreciate your opinions!

We use to sail with HAL but their service went down so much we found we were miserable on their cruises and the prices were so high. I nearly quit sailing but hubby got me to try NCL and darlin' I am hooked. We book the family suite for what we were paying HAL for a Deluxe Suite in Europe. NCL treats us like royalty, and we were shocked at how much they gave extra from a gingerbread house on Christmas day in Moracco, to chocolate dipped strawberries delivered to our room. We have sailed with them a lot now and big fans of the HAVEN. It isn't on the smaller ships but boy once you do them it is hard to just go to the suite again. Epic had an outstanding Haven, but the Pearl was excellent too and the staff on all are outstanding.

I did find some prices lower but depends on if it is high season when you go of course. We have booked most times a year or two out and used the pre booking coupons I think we paid $100 not sure but got $250 applied to our pay off, we just used one to book a cruise on the Star in April. Also they have lower prices on very few cabins offered in Feb after those Christmas sales are over.

Come on over to NCL you will not be sorry! Oh and if you do the larger ships like Epic if you book a lower inside cabin I have read it is not so pleasant. Their web page also says they promise the lowest price.

Have fun!

Bushy, is this the charcoal artist you bought from? He is the only vendor that I bargained with only to be polite. We thought his asking price at the time was reasonable enough to begin with and ended up paying almost what he has asked. We should have bought more of them.

Yes it was! Would you happen to have one of his entire body perchance? I usually take a pic of the artist when I buy their art but due to the woman being so angry we just left without taking one.

There was also a young girl who was drawing further down and we got one of hers too.

On the wall there was one man drawing but not as good, and one young man who has small granite squares that he has drawn with a chisle the wall and he will even put your name and the date on it for free while you watch, it is like watching a machine he is so exact.

LET THEM LAUGH!!!!

Ever since my first digital died on day one of 2 weeks in Italy with my studying aboard daughter, we always have at least two cameras. (Don't worry, I had my trusty SLR with me as well and did not miss a shot!)

Also, I download nightly onto either my netbook or a portable drive--or both! (Yes, my electronic gear weighs more than my clothing).

Yes he had left photos from previous days on that stick and kept adding to it so it must of overwhelmed it or something.

Thanks for your review.

 

A couple of comments.

 

An alternative to the expensive dinner buffet at the Shangri-la hotel is in the mall you mention. They have many restaurants there and most are raesonably priced. Two of us had a nice dinner in a sit down restaurant for a total of $10.71 (71 Yuan).

 

Is your comment about eating at certain tables about on the ship or in land restaurants? On the ship we could sit at any table we wanted, but all tables were for eight or so people. On land, each tour group was assigned a section of tables and we had to sit at one of those with, of course, others in our Viking group.

Hey there,

We were directed by our servers to three specific tables by our servers and they tried to "encourage" us to sit with the same people. One couple we had sat with on two previous meals made us want to change tables so this caused a bit of tension with the original group, I am sure they felt we dismissed them. Sadly the other two couples were very nice and we enjoyed eating with them.

I can understand there are some folks who enjoy and even look forward to eating with others and learning about where they came from and how much they have traveled but there are those of us who are not so mmmm social in that it is draining to come up with conversation that is appreciated by all. I just with there was a choice to sit alone or in a large group.

Yes I knew in advance about the sitting arrangements for meals but this was the only way I could find to tour so much of China at one time on a limited time budget.

This is a late review we live in Germany and are now moving to New Orleans (first time there) so now I am in the hotel I can take a moment to tell my tale.

We are in late fifties and early sixties, married 37 years, in pretty good condition. We found Viking very good from beginning to end. They met us at the airport and we waited a little bit for another couple to another Viking group. We went to Shangri-la hotel on the Bund exquisit! Caution if you wish to eat in the buffet the first night it is extremely expensive so ask before you are seated. They are an outstanding buffet so MANY choices from barbque to hand made fresh noodles and you pick from an assortment what you want in the soup and what broth, all made right in front of you, and the staff beyond belief. If in this hotel you will eat breakfast down there each morning and boy it has so much choice. There is the neatest walking area right near the hotel if you go out the side entrance of the hotel you go to a sort of mall and go to the exit and that leads to the stairs to the raised walkway, again prices are high but fun to look at the items. They have beautiful cups with lids in there. We walked the promand and took photos of the amazing buildings. They are all lighted at night but we did not feel safe going out after dark alone and could not find any other couples willing to go with us.

The sky was always overcast during our time there and foggy. The trip to the Pandas was pretty neat and we were first in so not crowded and got to see the Pandas eat.

The internal Chinese flights were pretty organized and you may not be sitting next to your companion but most of the time everyone was. We had colored ribbons on our luggage and placed outside our rooms the morning of and we always carried a set of clothes with us just incase and our toothbrushes. They had no problem with luggage it is all put on one cart and taken in to the airport and weighed then we move on to the security checks. Don't forget your luggage locks. Flights were delayed at one point with us sitting on the tarmac due to storms in Beijing. They provided snacks on the flights and one snack was mushrooms.... needless to say bring something with you all the time just incase.

The buses were all air conditioned and clean we did not have any complaints.

Food there was so much of it served lazy susan and so many varieties, being a picky eater,( no fish, no mushrooms,) I never had any problem having enough to eat. Beverages they also have Coke and it tasted alright. The only problem with the lazy susan is if your seated with some big eaters they tend to take more than one at a time and some folks don't understand waiting till you take your serving before they start spinning the disc.

Loved the wall we took the harder harder side, what a view! Wear shoes with traction and be prepared for very steep and I mean steep inclines on the wall.

Terricotta Warriors we loved again being first in the gate and everyone else has to park a twenty minute walk from the entrance whereas Viking is special and let us off right near the front. There was NO ONE ELSE THERE when we first started and I have seen other photos where it was so crowded you could barely get to the railing. It did eventually fill up and became harder to get photos of things due to people using flash on the other side of the statue. In the Museum store we ordered two small sized statues about a foot or two tall for about $700 dollars including shipping to the US they have not arrived yet and we ordered the last week of September so still waiting. Most things in the museum shop were expensive. Also one of the original farmers who found the soldiers was there to sign books and have his photo taken if you gave him a tip. I gave him a bit extra and he asked me to stand next to him in the photo. woo woo

At the wall there are so many shops but the sales people are very aggressive and put so many shoppers off. The shop where our guide told us to meet and use the western restrooms they were more patient and were also willing to deal. They have lovely bottles that the artist paints thru the small mouth of the jar and they are gorgous! They also will paint your name right there for free if you like on the bottle you purchased.

We went to a silk embrodery pictures and whoa they looked like they were paintings or photographs so beautiful. Again extremely expensive I just could not justify paying thousands for something on my wall but everyone has different priorties. We went down to the bottom floor and shopped for cheaper items in this big store with various items. Another place had silk rugs I felt over priced they looked just like the ones in Turkey and made the same way but Turkey was cheaper. We waited outside during that event.

During the river cruise we visited the pagoda and I was a bit put off that we felt rushed up the building and didn't have much time to photograph, this as the only local tour guide I did not like. Sadly this place is a bit run down and all the shops you pass going to it seem interesting until you actually look close at the merchandise and see it is very old some of it was actually rotting like paper kites. I did buy a pair of the straw shoes this really old man was selling so I can hang on the wall with the other items we purchased like charcoal drawings of the pagoda and the river. The sellers can be aggressive here and you may find yourself all alone like we did. We had a moment where it got a bit dicey. I wanted to buy this charcoal drawing from a man so this woman just sold one to another passenger for 40, my husband overheard this but the woman wanted 50 from us. My husband said never mind and wanted me to leave with him but the saleswoman actually pushed him about three feet away from me and then came back and grabbed my forearm and said 50 a few inches from my face. I said very quietly, no 40 and she said okay so I paid her. She was afraid the group of neighbors who had gathered would see her back down and lose face. She gave me the picture than called us something that appeared to be rude from the other peoples reaction.

They also sell in the zoo some beautiful items and one is leaves that have been painted on so beautiful.

On the ship they have a tailor make you clothing, very pricey! There is also a shop that makes your name into a seal and you can stamp things with it or a "chop" is what it is called. We purchased a jewelery box made from very old proceline with such a beautiful scene of woman sitting together. We also purchased four silk paintings and they tell a story the young lady will tell you what they mean. They also for free will write your name on the painting so they make great gifts. There are some jade statues but again pricey.

The jade shop had awesome items in there. We purchased a jade dragon with a ball in it's mouth that moves. It cost a good deal but worth it. I could of really went crazy in this place. Even if you don't buy anything just walk around it is like an art exhibit they have them so nicely back lighted just beautiful.

I do not have my papers with me now but the third hotel in Beijing (all the hotels were amazingly beautiful) they had stores on the bottom floor and we thought too expensive so did not even try to shop in them. Another cruiser Pam waved me in one evening and they were having a sale they were moving. OMG the prices were unreal. I purchased five of those bottles just unbelieveably beautiful. We purchased a China doll for eight dollars in ceremonial dress for our granddaughters. They had clothing, rugs so much but I ran out of room with so many things we had purchased and this was throwing away our clothes as we went.

Speaking of clothes we wore mostly shorts it was just too hot for jeans, light cotton pants were alright but shorts much better. I wore sandels like LL Bean type with closed in toes and strong thick leather straps and thick soles. Many people dressed up for the dinners but I was so hot in the dining room I would not be able to tolerate being dressed up even if I had brought the clothing. They have a place at the end of the cruise you can donate all your books, clothing, whatever you want.

YOu are constantly being offered free bottled water so don't worry you will not go without.

Mosquitoes my husband was bitten twice during the cruise portion of the trip and another man who apparently is allergic to bites he became quite swollen at the bite locations. This was around the pagoda area on the river. The water is very brown and in one location the fishermen can no longer work so they now work collecting the garbage off the water. It is massive amounts that come down the river. We did not take malaria meds because there is a side effect of hullucinations. We were recommended by the military doctors to take the meds but we opted not too. Just remember if you get flu like symptoms within a year of your visit you need to mention to your health care provider where you have been.

The gorges were beautiful but I expected to see more hanging coffins we only saw one.

Loved the Forbidden City and highly recommend a book that was sold at the great wall shop it shows what was inside the rooms we saw people peering into dirty windows trying to see what they looked like.

We were there the last week of September and got to see the beautiful and amazing flower arrangements in the square and on various locations. I highly recommend this week to go it adds a bit of extra to the trip.

Cameras, people thought we were odd because we both have large cameras taking photos of the same things from various angles. Sure enough my husband was using a rather large memory stick and after hours of photographs it messed up and he lost a good portion the square, forbidden city, summer gardens. Thank goodness I was taking pictures with mine and our pic together was on mine. If you go to someplace that is this far away and a once in a lifetime event do you really want to chance not having photos of it? Even a quick shot is better than nothing.

Enjoyed the Dynasty Dinner but did not like how a late group (due to late flight) was seated in front of us instead of putting us in front and they would not interrupt a whole section when being seated during the show. The meal was quick paced and okay nothing to rave about. The show was very colorful but we were exhausted from such a long day the men at the table all fell asleep at one point or other. I may of too not sure ha.

The funniest sight I saw while on this trip was in a crowd of scooters, a woman was driving her small child on the back, the child was wearing what looked like a toaster cover with clear plastic parts for the child to see out of, there were no holes for arms and it was shaped to a point.

All the staff on the ship were great and very helpful from keeping our room clean to serving us at dinnertime. They put together really great shows the costumes were beautiful.

We were always told what the day held for us and how each step was to be done and it was repeated thru out the day so if you forgot or didn't hear you needed worry. Joann our main guide who stayed with us through out the trip, made sure we all were taken care of and spoke very clearly and directly. Be sure to have cash on hand after you leave the cruise so you can tip the main guide.

We arranged for Viking to handle our transport to the airport and they did an outstanding job. I thought they were taking us too early to the airport but it was the start of a holiday and proved they knew just what they were doing. I saw in the news that the roads were gridlock the next day in China. whew I do not suggest you go the first week of October it sounds like a nightmare.

Negatives:

I do think the tipping suggestion is too high since Holland America doesn't even charge that much and they include room service.

I don't like having to eat at certain tables and never alone with my husband. I don't recommend this to newly weds or couples wishing to spend some alone time together. For this reason I am not sure I will do anymore river cruising it caused so much tension each meal time trying to find the right mix of people. We did eventually find a small group who were the best conversationalist. I would like the option of room service.

I felt the room for Tai chi was too small it was rediculously crowded. Also the same area used for informational talks too small not enough seats. I did not like how the speaker at one point said some comment about we thought the Chinese all looked alike to us, and they have piggy eyes. People laughed nervously and I think they feel we do think that not realizing we were made to feel uncomfortable.

Viking does everything to make this an outstanding experience and we highly recommend this company. If we do the Amazon it will be with them.

First so very sorry to hear of so much loss of life and property for the Chinese people and wish them the very best.

Went back to Frankfurt and picked up the Visas no problem. I don't know if all the Consulates have web pages that give you the ability to type in the information then print it out so no filling out by hand is needed.

I did want to mention when we went to take our applications for Chinese visas we took EVERYTHING, a copy of health insurance, the hotel info that Viking sent via email, our trip confirmation from Viking. They took it all and kept it, only thing I failed to make a copy of was our permit to live in Germany and they provided a copier to make one, also our passports of course. I even had our shot cards if needed but was not asked. We forgot to answer one question on the form about how long we would be living in Germany upon our return and I was so freaking out they would not give our visas to us but low and behold we got them so final total to get our visas in Germany and being American's $800 because of taking the train from Stuttgart and the cost of the visas themselves, wow that was a lot.:eek:

We are on the 18 Sep 2012 cruise and can't wait!

Our trip is in September and August is holiday in Europe so everything cost more and more crowded, so hubby and I thought better get hot on getting our visa. We booked our cruise with the UK Viking so their suggested company could not do our visa since we are not Brits.

Doing our visa online forms etc has been quite the experience. With one residence address and one work address where we get our mail which do we use? Then how long in Germany..left or from the very beginning? Which passport to use and oops my SOFA (residence permit) expires the day we return! Realized this on Tuesday the ONLY day they take walk-ins. Had to run to base to get it renewed all on foot (3 miles round trip) to find not the wrong passport was attached to the SOFA so had to go all the way home to get the right passport, I found it expired this month and takes 28 weeks to receive the new one (insert scream here) requested hubby come home to make the printer work with form printing (too long to explain) then drive me back to find since we return to the US in Nov I don't need the expired passport, so she makes the SOFA and puts it with the tourist passport. <sigh> It is more difficult to get this done in Europe than the states.

We live in Stuttgart so had to take the train to Frankfurt, first class (second class proved a nightmare with shortage of seats) on ICE so nearly 100 Euros each round trip. We had to catch the 5:30 am bus to the S bahn station in our village, then from Stuttgart main station catch the ICE train at 7:30 am to arrive in Frankfurt at 9:00 am when the Chinese consulate opened, seemed perfect right! I was unaware of there being two stations called "Frankfurt Main Airport" and one just "Frankfurt Main" in downtown so I got us off at the wrong stop. Luckily the ticket man gave us another ticket to the next station for no added cost. Then we get off and using my Google map fast walked fifteen minutes or more to the consulate....hmmm not seeing it. Go into the lobby of this huge building and the nice German woman gave us written directions to the train stop to the consulate that moved...errr not mentioned on the web page. So out we go with instructions to take the S bahn train but we opt for a Taxi since time is critical, the consulate does not take visa applications after 11:30 am, it is now 9:30 am. We lucked out find a cab near this hotel, the driver doesn't have a clue about the consulate but home base does and it is just over the bridge. We get inside to take number 0084! It is now 10:00 am. There are seven windows but only one is for individuals getting visas. The window clerk was amazing moving the customers along and letting them make copies of pages for some reason. Then the line stalled something was wrong, the woman needed to have her photo taken but she is arguing, they even had a machine for that in the lobby! Finally the line is moving, it is now 11:00 am we are dreading the thought of doing this drill again if we can't get the visa forms in. The line is moving... moving.. and boom with fifteen minutes to spare, our number is called, we only had to make copies of our SOFAS or resident permit for Germany and we are done!!!! They require we come in person to get the visa and sadly come in person to pick it up. <sigh> Well that will be the last step to getting to China and I would do it again and again because we are determined to go. ha I envy everyone the states who gets to just mail it in or use a company, what a great deal! Wooohooo China here we come!!!

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.

Hey there Bayerisch,

I am too far out to have received the final information but being antsy started looking things up myself online about China. Here is a link to a web page with some information I found interesting.

http://www.chinatourstailor.com/faq/faq.htm

http://www.chinatravel.com/facts/chinese-culture-and-history/traditions-and-custom/traditional-etiquette-and-taboos/

I found them interesting. I am trying to use the earlobe pull to show I agree, and to cover my mouth when I laugh.

I also recorded on my Ipod touch under Notes, from Google translate short phrases like, "Thank you." or "How much is that item?" in Chinese since you can hit the speaker on the web site and it says the phrase.

Also on the backpack I know your using your daughters, but I thought I would post my newest find. I was looking for a legal sized backpack with wheels since we are going to be buying four sets of warriors and splitting them between us in the backpacks. We just purchased two Swiss "Sierre II" backpacks with wheels and telescoping handle. Those statues are very heavy so something that will keep it's form on the corners and strong handle to me will be needed. It weighs 6.5lbs and the shoulder straps are located in the back in a zipper compartment.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Swiss-Gear-Sierre-II-Orange-21-Rolling-Backpack-Carry-luggage-721427573747-/230776273456?pt=Luggage&hash=item35bb567a30

They have them on Ebay for $80 and I paid $115 in the Exchange over here. Don't know if the shipping would of killed us but that is a great price.

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/china.htm

This is the web site about what vaccinations you should get.

On Cameras I finally got DH to buy what might be his last camera, the DL800, it takes stills but also video, still waiting for it to get here it's on back order. I get his old D80 so I am happy. On the camera vest we just got that in the mail and it weighs a good bit itself. I still want to use it, I feel more secure with my hands free and the camera secured to my body and not swinging around. Also I become occupied with making sure I have not left the camera on a shelf when we go shopping.

Someone mentioned when you take a photo, take it and move so others can have a turn. We are the back of the pack kind of people, I listen to the tour guide and DH hangs at the back (if another tour group isn't close behind), or goes ahead of the group to get pics with no one in them and then trots to the next area. I tell him what the guide said about each item when we view the photos afterwards. We just sent one of those picture frames that you put the memory stick into and it slide shows all our travel pics for my m-i-l which we loves it. There is even a timer to turn it on when she wakes up and turns off when she goes to bed.

Peregina: While Bob and I are encouraging everyone to do Cultural Delights, I guess our entreaties are falling on deaf ears because they have actually cut back the number of CD cruises. Viking used to have two ships on the Yangtze; now they only have one. There were 8 CD cruises when we went in 2010 and now they are only doing 6 per year (March, August and October/November). CD cruises are always done in pairs because once they send the ship down to Nanjing, they have to sail it back up river, and they aren't going to sail empty.

I wanted to do this one but hubby can only get so much time off at once and this was just too long. I don't think it is the actual cruise it is time restrictions Also great pic of the wedding headdress, that thing is gorgeous.

Thank you for the tips. I have 2 batteries, charging now. Several flash cards, maybe I'll purchase more. I thought of uploading to my Kindle Fire during the trip, although I am sure there will be plenty of nights when I'll be too tired. I could also take a small notebook computer, but wasn't really planning on taking it unless it is more convenient than the Kindle. I'll need to check that out. The Kindle would require WI-Fi though. The canon was my husband's and I fell in love with it when I started using it; I can't even remember what I used before then. I will need to check out the Sony, the panoramic feature sounds attractive. Photoblog is not available right now, but I'll try to sign on. I second Pacmom's sentiments, have a lovely trip.

Hey there Bayerisch

We always download our photos after each day incase the camera goes wacky (we had this happen after photographing 250+ headstones) and if something happens to the camera we won't lose all our photos. It also helps to keep the photos seperated incase we forget where we were when one was taken. I use the Canon point & shoot it also takes movies and is great for when you need to be fast to get a photo. We have not found yet a small camera that takes movies and allows you to zoom in while filming and keep the shot clear. Ruth Ann in an older post suggested a harness type holster that the larger cameras just attache to between shots making it easier to carry, we have ordered one to try it out before going in Sep then if it works for us we'll get another one.

I agree on not wearing jeans if hot they chaf, I wear the light cotton pants that will dry out if I sweat or get wet. I don't do skirts but skorts might be a good choice if they can be found.

I got the MMR they are having an outbreak in China right now it is on the State page and recommended you get a booster if born before 1957. If I was going to the open market where they have chickens I would be concerned about SARS but then again I have been told I should work for the government doing safety checks in restaurants.

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.

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.

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

I have been putting off writing this for the last few weeks as we had many negative comments of our China Cultural Delights trip to China. There were also many positives so I'll start there:

1. Hotel accommodations: all outstanding' date=' we stayed in Westin Bund in Shanghai, Westin in Beijing, Shangri la in all other locations. Everyone we talked to from the other hotels were equally satisfied.

 

2. major sites visited were also wonderful ie; Great Wall, Forbidden City, Bell Museum (outstanding), Terra Cotta Warriors (outstanding)

 

3. Chinese people were charming and as interested in us as we were in them. Small children trying out their "hello" on us.

 

4. Inter China airports and planes were very modern and efficient. The planes had larger seats than most of ours.

 

5. Viking's logistical efforts were outstanding. Everything was planned and executed with fine precision.

 

6. The guide you are appointed from Viking is knowledgeable about eastern and western cultures and will answer any question intelligently and philosophically. Our guide was Simon and he was the best guide I've ever experienced but everyone said the same thing of their guide.

 

7. Hotel buffet breakfasts were extremely good with great variety. If you don't like your breakfast it's your own fault.

 

And now for the negatives:

1. China is horribly polluted. They will call it fog but the US embassy has it's own monitoring equipment and on a day Beijing reported the air particulate level as "fair" the US embassy monitored "hazardous"

 

2. We went in cooler November when the temperature is a lot more moderate and the humidity is a killer. We didn't have a problem with the boat but hotels in China can't cool and heat at the same time so if your hotel has the heat on you can't effectively aircondition your room. It wasn't too crazy hot in November but the rooms in 2 hotels were uncomfortable (82 which we attempted to reduce to 65) and when we called the concierge the best they could manage was about 72.

 

3. Filth everywhere except the main attractions.

 

4. food on the boat (except the buffet breakfast) was only just passable, and for many meals just edible. Food in local restaurants with the exception of a very good dim sum in the silk carpet factory was not good. Two meals offered, my husband and I chose not to eat and instead ate some granola bars I had in my purse. One lunch was in a restaurant/hotel where the carpets were so filthy you could barely make out the design on it.[/quote']

Kodi's Mom,

Thank you for your imput. I like to hear both angles of places. I can be mentally prepared if the place isn't pristine.

 

For example while in Morocco we were supposed to go to a "mall" type shopping center on this excursion which happen to be closed that day so the guide took us (without asking) way out of town to this really nasty scary market. The roof was a patchwork of ripped plastic material dripping filthy water on our heads, the walkway was a worn uneven dirt surface with rotting veg & fruit and donkey waste. I would not of complained except we were not allowed to stop and shop, the people had very hostile behavior, and I wore those sandles with openings in the soles for using on the beach. Yes I felt all that lovely stuff oozing up onto my feet...gross. Not to mention the cows head stuck on a stick with a pile of goat heads piled up at the bottom of it. Glad we didn't have our granddaughter with us thinking we were going to stores and ended up here.

 

With your input I know to bring allergy meds if the air quality affects me so you may of saved my vacation from ruin. I have already determined when I see such a wide range of like/dislike of food to take some protein bars.

 

I have been to Egypt and other countries that might be offensive to many tourist. I can handle traveling thru the areas if secure so China should be quite enjoyable and we are looking forward to going.

 

Is there not one other person going on the Imperial Jewels trip on 18 Sep 2012 starting in Shanghai? I am hope to find a few adventurous souls who would not mind going out at night possibly with a guide to get night shots. It would be nice to find at least six so if someone it too tired from the days travels and does not wish to go there is no pressure. We did this in Moscow with a couple from Canada and saw so many more sights than just in the daytime with the guide who knocked off at 4:00 pm each day due to their laws.

 

Thanks again Kodi's Mom.

I agree with those of you who recommend test driving and thinking long and hard about cameras before buying one. I also agree that many people, actually probably most people, don't need a million mega pixels.

 

One thing I used quite a bit in China that I loved was the "Cotton Carrier" - and no, I have no association with them! It's basically a holster that you wear on your chest and slide the camera into. It keeps the camera out for use all the time, and you can pull it up quite quickly if need be. There's also a tether in case something happens. The holster keeps the camera from bobbing around, which was especially helpful in China when we did a lot of walking. It looks a little funny, especially for a woman, but I love it. I think there's a picture of me in Tiananmen Square wearing it in my gallery. The thing wasn't cheap, but it wasn't outrageous, either, and it's really well made and lightweight, too. You can also attach a second body if you want, and maybe a second lens. I just carried my second lens separately, though.

Thank you thank you thank you!!! Mike uses a big Nikon 80 and he gets headaches from lugging it around on our trips especially if we are walking a good bit. I noticed the holster but wasn't sure if it was for the camera of if for a medical problem so was afraid to ask. Mike is getting a newer camera and I am inheriting his old one so we will get a holster for both of us. Thanks again Ruth!

Mike & Bushy

It's finally here! Tomorrow we leave for Shanghai. We're both so excited I doubt whether either of us will sleep a wink. Thankyou everyone for all the helpful information posted here' date=' we've used most of it to plan our China adventure.[/quote']

I pictured you sitting in front of your computer arms waving wildly in the air..haha

Leave April 21 for Shanghai and the start of our Imperial Jewels trip. I am totally excited.

 

I won't be doing the Peking Duck as I'm a vegetarian. Someone suggested Made in China as a substitute restaurant. Any other suggestions for restaurants? We will be staying an extra night in Beijing.

Hi there,

I am using my Ipod to record in the voice messages, various phrases, one is "I do not eat seafood" since the first night we will be on our own it will prove useful. Also "How much does that cost?", "Thank you so much", "Have a nice day." I recorded the phrases from "Google Translator" in Mandarin I think that is the language north of the Yangtze. I'll see if this works. I'll also carry a pad and pen to have the vendors write down the price of things.

http://www.shangri-la.com/shanghai/pudongshangrila/rooms-suites/

Is this the hotel that Viking uses? :confused:

I just got the XP software loaded in order to print and see Chinese Characters on my computer and would like to print off their home page with address in Chinese like one person suggested in case something goes wrong and I need to find my own way to the hotel.

Thanks so much

Mike & Bushy Hartman

18 Sep 2012 Imperial Jewels of China tour

Bushy, not street legal so much as just not having to remember to include the link each time you post. It is just there automatically, wherever you go, whatever else you say.

 

No need to try to copy the Chinese characters, just print out the portion of the webpage with the name of the hotel (saves any copying errors).

 

As for food you don't eat, just ask your Viking escort to point them out to you, especially if it something easily hidden in a sauce. They are very good about dietary issues and your escort and the dining room staff are your first line of defense. Also, there are choices at every meal no matter where you are eating.

I tried to print it off the hotel but when I went to preview to print it the page no longer had any Chinese characters on it just English. I will have to download I think it is Acrobat from their web page to be able to print Chinese. The hotel offered a link but I prefer to go to the Acrobat web page myself for security reasons.

It is not a buzz kill. The info on the CDC website is very helpful and it is good to have the current link where it can easily be found.

 

The best tip on food and beverage handling, however, is to stick to the food supplied by Viking and in venues chosen by Viking (that is to say the hotels and catering halls) or the few places named here on CC that people have used with no problems. Stay away from street vendors no matter how cast-iron you claim your stomach is and especially do not buy water from street vendors who have been known to refill used bottles with local water and sell them. Viking will give you all the bottle water you want so there is little need to buy it. IMHO, you paid a premium for this vacation, why miss a day of it unable to stray far from your cabin?

 

 

 

 

 

Finding folks sailing with you on a river cruise is harder than finding folks on an ocean-liner. You have to be more pro-active. Put a link to the roll call in your signature file and then continue to post here on a regular basis. The link will help the one or two people who might be sailing with you to find you more easily and you won't have to keep repeating where to find the roll call each time you post here. Also, Viking has an FB page with discussions like these where you might be able to find people as well.

 

 

 

 

They are coming!! The first cruises of the year have not yet sailed but in a month the reports should start coming in and by the time you sail in September, this place will be jumping with folks who have returned from this year's sailings with current information, if prior years are any indication of how things will go this year. The Viking China staff is always tweaking things, trying to provided the best experience it can (although there are some things that just can't be changed and we have to live with them the best we can).

Thank you so much for the point by point instructions on making the link to the 18 Sep 2012 roll call, my husband created it so now we are "street legal" in spreading the word. ;>) Really appreciate all your input and guidance it is priceless! Super suggestion on copying the Chinese characters off the hotel web site. Still need to find where to find Chinese characters that say, "no fish" not allergic but I never eat it.

Have a great day!

Mike & Bushy

Hi all,

Don't mean to be a buzz kill here but thought I would post this link to the CDC about China having a Polio outbreak and they suggest adults get a booster vac. They also have great tips on food/drink handling, one new one for me was to use an antibacterial wipe on any cans before opening since they could be stored in contaminated ice.

http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/...olio-china.htm

Going in 18 Sept 2012, Imperial Jewels starting in Shanghai. Started a roll call so those on that cruise can get to know each other. We fly in around 10:00 am so would like to find a good resturant for that night if anyone is interested in joining us. We like to go in a small group if we can find people who are like minded, it just seems more secure.

Hope to see more recent post on this route.

Thanks so all for sharing,

Mike & Bushy