ssawjo

We will be in Melaka on the Oceania Riviera on Jan. 23, 2024.  This is a replacement port for Yangon, Myanmar.  To date, I cannot find anything interesting to do there.  Our times there are 11 AM to 6 PM.  Does anyone who has been there know of anything interesting to do there?  Thanks, Bill

Thank you for the live review.  We will be on the Star Pride on Nov. 18-Dec.2 (Caribbean) of this year.  I am sure, or someone can correct me, that the menus are basically the same for both ships.  The wine list is interesting.  The beer selection, not so much.  I may have to bring my own beer on board.

4 hours ago, DrKoob said:

 

 

That about covers one of the MOST STRESSFUL DAYS of travel I have ever not had the pleasure to experience. Loved the lunch, liked the plantation, and I will NEVER rent from Enterprise Rental Cars again. The idea that they never told me that location closed or that they are still showing it open on their website is just WRONG!

 

If, and you should, get a survey email from Enterprise Rental, tell them in detail what happened.  A CSR will most likely call you and give you a pretty good credit for the cost of the rental.  It happened to me and I was quiet pleased.

Was the fire at the Damneon Saduak, the largest and most colorful floating market in the Kingdom of Siam?  We have a tour that is supposed to go there in February 2024. 

Thanks. 

On 8/30/2023 at 9:13 PM, terry&mike said:

Yesterday, we received a similar email for our April 2025 sailing on Oceania Nautica, cancelling Myanmar. The new itinerary is a very good one, so it works for us. 

Well, at least they cancelled way before final payment for your cruise.  The O Riviera cruise this Jan. 2024, Myanmar was not cancelled until last week, after final payment.  Now, folks are hustling to get new excursions as some new ports were added, dates at ports changed, and, like Phuket, it is now an overnight.  O could have done this months ago.  Personally, disappointed we are not stopping in Yangon but the new ports are interesting.

18 hours ago, pmatawan said:

The Transit Electronic Travel Authority for Sri Lanka that Oceania says we should apply  for is only good for up to two days. With the recent port changes, we are staying 3 days, not two. I am awaiting a response from O if we need a different type visa or ETA.

That is interesting.  Please let us know what you find out.  We are on the same cruise.

Today, Oceania Riviera canceled its' port call to Yangon.

2 hours ago, LadyBerard said:

When going to Bugaloe, as the taxi driver to take you to DePalm Pier.  This is our go-to when visiting Aruba!

 

Not staying at the Rui Hotel.  Is there parking nearby or would a taxi be our best opinion?  Looks like a lot of fun!

12 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

 

We will be in HVM City next spring and based on recommendations here and elsewhere are in discussions with Xuan or one of his folks as he is already booked for two of our days to be our guide.
 

We just finished watching several

YouTube videos of various folks doing Mekong Delta tours. While none appeared to be with Xuan the description of his tour seems to correspond with all three of the videos we watched.  Bus to boat, boat to island, have some fruit while listening to some Viet music, ride a canoe (along with what appeared to be hundreds of others) through coconut palms, have some honey tea, ride the boat to a different island and have lunch, ride a bike (Xian's is on a tuk tuk) around the island. It seem very touristy and seemed like there were folks hawking something everywhere. 
 

Generally the vloggers said they were glad they had done it but most mentioned the boat traffic jams at the coconut palms and how touristy it seemed but for the $20-$30 they paid, they thought it was worth it. 
 

All that is background for asking what does Xuan's company (since it won't be him) do that makes his Delta tour worth $90 per person IF I find 8 to join us?  (Up to $160pp if I don't)

 

I have similar reservations about his other tours-I don't mind paying a little more for a smaller or better tour but all of his prices seem to be about four times what I find from other highly rated by Trip Advisor companies.

 

TIA!

Clay, 

I guess I can only answer your concerns after we take his tours.  We are also doing tours with Xuan in Nha Trang and Chan May (Hue) in February 2024.  Four tours in total, small groups.  I do not find his prices to be more expensive than others.  We decided on Xuan based on the high praise from others on Cruise Critic.  He has been very responsive to my emails.

We did decide to stay overnight in HCMC after our Mekong Delta tour.  It is a slight logistical hassle to get to our hotel but we should be able to work it out.  Xuan will pick us up the next day at our hotel for our city tour before returning to the ship (Oceania Riviera).  We decided to stay at the Silverland Jolie Hotel in District 1.  We were thinking of staying at the Rex Hotel due to the historical significance of the place but the recent reviews were not very complimentary.  We will be seeing the Rex Hotel anyway on the tour.

I am sure you will make the right decision for yourself.  I will try to remember to post something about our experiences with Xuan and his company.

Bill

1 hour ago, Globaliser said:

 

I bet that the fact that you thought of, and asked, the question will guarantee that you won't need the answers! I hope that all the travel goes well.

Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.  Thank you for your answers and advice.  Actually, I will let you know how my journey went.  We leave on Sept. 3 on AA194 (PHX-LHR) if you want to track us on FlightAware.

Bill

All great advice everyone.  I will print out your advice and take it with me JUST IN CASE.  I also have travel insurance and that should alleviate some of the extra expenses incurred.

Bill

13 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

This really is worst case scenario stuff.

 

In the unlikely event of a flight cancellation or severe delay, assuming @ssawjo is flying in from the US or Canada there are likely to be any number of rerouting options that would get them into Heathrow later the same day or possibly early the next day, still in plenty of time to make the ship at Southampton.

 

So my advice is - chill!

 

The reason I am asking is because the flight we are on, AA0194 from Phoenix to LHR nonstop, was cancelled at 9:30 PM, which is 3.5 hours after scheduled departure.  There were no other flights out that evening that would put us into LHR on 4 September.  The BA flight from Phoenix that evening had already departed.  What we could possibly do is get a flight to Dallas (DFW) and get an earlier flight to LHR from there, or another gateway city AA uses.  There are flights that leave early on 4 September to LHR with one stop and arrive very early on 5 September.  Same airline, American. They might work in a pinch if there is space.

Yes, it is a worst-case scenario.  But I like to have options.  Just in case!

I like the suggestion Sleepingcat has.  

Bill

We are on the Regal Princess out of Southampton on 5 September, leaving at 5:00 PM.  We are arriving into LHR at @12:10 PM on 4 September.  We are booked on the National Express Bus to Southampton leaving LHR at 1345 hours.  I believe that we will be able to make the bus if we arrive in time or earlier. We do have "Change & Go" for the bus, just in case.

My real concern is if our flight is severely delayed, canceled, etc. and we cannot get to Southampton in time to meet the ship, that is, get to London on 5 or 6 September.  In that case, how do I get to Portland, UK, our first port of call, to meet the ship?  There is a bus to Portland, but it does not run very regularly.  

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Bill

17 hours ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

I'm not the original poster, but I will be overnighting on my cruise in Bangkok (Laem Chabang).  I would like to leave the first day with my luggage and stay in a hotel in Bangkok, then fly out the next evening.  But after doing a little initial looking, I'm having trouble finding someone who will do this. Do you have any particular tour group you recommend - Tours by Local, Viator, or whatever?  Also, are there taxis at Laem Chabang port who can take us and our luggage to Bangkok?  We get in at 10 AM on a Sunday, which doesn't sound ideal for doing what I hope to do. 

 

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate hearing them!  I'm feeling a bit intimidated at this point.

 

I gave you an answer on the other Oceania Riviera board.  I found the tour company website I was thinking of using but went in a different direction.  

It is:  Bangkok Shore Excursions (travelbangkoktours.com)

They appear to be reasonably priced but you can check it out on your own.  

In Arizona anyway, it is National Code Talkers Day, to celebrate the Navajo Code Talkers.  There are only a handful of Code Talkers left.  

On our last O cruise last summer, the regular coffee in the Terrace and the GDR was absolutely undrinkable.  My DW always ordered a cappuccino in either dining venue and no problem.  So I am sure you can get a double espresso if you wish.

The GDR and specialty menus are on the TV for that particular day.  We check the GDR menu, if we don't have a specialty reservation (the menus for them rarely change).  If we don't see something interesting, we go to the Terrace for dinner.  On some sail away evenings we go to the Terrace, hopefully grab a nice table, and just, sit, drink, eat, and watch.  Sailing out of St. Petersburg in the evening on the Terrace was fascinating.  Same with Stockholm.  Enjoy!

18 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

 

 

thank you hubofhockey.  My niece and her husband (Boston) are huge Bruin Fans.  Honestly I'm trying to figure this out.  My cruise stops in Bangkok (Laem), Ho Chi Ming City, Chang May & Ha Long Bay.  I've read that the Bangkok (2 days) and Mo Chi Ming (3 days) are 2 - 2 1/2 hour rides.  Not sure about the other two.  We will be taking the basic cruise line tours, they are included.  I am an aging male and the thought of going 2 1/2 hours w/o a  bathroom break is frightening.  Also we are going in Feb so would want AC in the bus.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks again.

 

My suggestion would be, if the cruise overnights in, e.g., Bangkok, then get a private tour from the port and stay overnight in the city.  That eliminates at least five hours (to/from) on the road in a crowded tour bus.  We have done that several times in the past at different ports.  I would do the same for Saigon.  A good opportunity to experience the city at night.  Just a humble suggestion.  Have fun!

14 minutes ago, tonit964 said:

You can do whatever you want with your allotted 15 alcoholic drinks. Sometimes I order something I don’t care for. I leave it at the bar and order something else. 
 

 

Agree.  Good way to try a particular cocktail that you heard about.  If you don't like it, leave it and get something you like.  

We were in Honfleur twice.  The first time was an excursion off of a river cruise and the second was part of a private tour that included two other French towns.  You can take a taxi if you wish but look at the other posts here or in the British Isles/Northern Europe board.  The market was very easy to find.  It is in the town square.  There are several bakeries if I recall for your daughter.  Nice town, enjoy if you go.  Your boys will love Normandy, also.

Last summer we were in LeHarve and visited Honfleur on a Sunday, a beautiful day.  It was our second visit there.  Our Sunday visit was not enjoyable due to the crowds.  You could not get a seat at any of the restaurants in the harbor area and the shops were packed.  We were the only cruise ship in LeHarve that day.  So, it was all local folks.  Our first visit was on a Saturday.  It was from a river cruise ship.  Much better experience.  The local outdoor market was thriving and not many tourists.  

We love Honfleur and highly recommend going.  But it may be crowded, so be forewarned.  

Enjoy your day there.

1 hour ago, PinonNoir said:

I filed a claim with my credit card, and their initial response was "no".  I plan on filing an appeal, just haven't had time to do so yet. Thanks though!

If you have travel insurance, try making a claim for "trip interruption".  No harm in asking.

15 hours ago, Wayfairers said:

We are on the HAL World cruise.  We had fun just walking around Mumbai last time we were there. 

I'm afraid I would get lost if I just decided to walk around.  LOL  Enjoy your cruise!

15 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

Thanks.  We did Dharavi last time we were in Mumbai - I agree it was worth seeing.  I thought it was great how they are doing a job no one else wants to do and doing it well.

Well, I have no other suggestions.  Are you on the Oceania Riviera in January 2024?  We are flying into Mumbai on Jan. 4/5, resting the fifth, nothing on the 6th at this time, doing the Elephanta Caves on the 7th, and boarding on the 8th.  We will be staying at the Taj Mahal Hotel. 

If you think of something to do, let me know.  Can you provide details of the public transportation/train tour?  Thanks

Bill

7 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

The tour we are taking while there is to Kanheri Caves - one set of caves is enough in one visit for us.  I remember how hot it was there.  We like taking the train in Mumbai - publish transportation tour should have been public transportation tour. 

 

I’ll check out Stanley market - don’t remember that from our other visit.  Any other ideas?

I'm sorry, it was the Crawford Market, not Stanley.  

I suggest a tour of Dharavi, the "largest slum in Asia".  I was very leery at first, but we were so happy we went there.  It was fascinating.  It may be a slum but everyone is working hard to make a living.

Bill