nirmd01

Since they aren't going there until late next year you may be waiting a long time for any info on an Asian cruise.

Never thought of that, thanks.

Yes, I checked with my Three account and I can use my Data allowance at: Martinique, Guadaloupe, Sint Martin, US Virgin Islands & Puerto Rico, I think that's all?

**Always remember to turn data roaming off once the ship leaves the port**

Keith (Southend)

Make sure you get a message saying you can when you arrive in port before turning your roaming back on. We got a confirming message in

Guadaloupe but not in Martinique- ended up costing us a fortune for using data there.

Don't go with high expectations & you won't be dissappointed. We cruised the Quest on 2 Dec this year for 10 nights & were a little dissappointed that what we experienced didn't quite meet the hype about this ship & cruiseline. We have cruised with several cruiselines, even on some smaller ships than the Quest, & had much better experiences. We thought the food was bland, of average quality & menus not really balanced nutritionally. The staff were lovely but no more attentive than we've experienced on other ships. The AI drinks package was ok but limited- my OH had to pay for port & I was unable to enjoy my usual tipple as there was no bitter lemon as a mixer. Actually, Thomson's (TUI) have a much greater choice in their AI package.

Azamara market themselves as a 5* cruiseline, which it may have been in the past, but I do not believe it is now. If we hadn't been expecting a 5* cruise, we would have been more satisfied with our cruise. We weren't the only ones on the cruise of this opinion.

Yes I do believe that the misunderstanding as to dates is probably down to language differences too. Since my last post I have received an email from Tommy with further info more to what I requested. His quote & itinerary was quite reasonable if we could get more people to join us but unfortunately at this late stage, everyone on our roll call has already made arrangements & we didn't want to try drum up other people onboard. We have now joined one of the groups via our roll call.

Have just been quoted for similar tour by Tommy & his price is now $125 pp (pick-up outside port) for 2 people. That's very close to cruiseship's price. I have asked twice for the tour to be on the second day of my visit but he keeps quoting for the first day, when I want to do something else.

P&O have this on their site:

Although you may only be visiting India once on your cruise, Multiple Entry Tourist visas for India are now issued as standard in the UK and are the same cost as a Single Entry Tourist visa. In the unlikely event that you apply for a Multiple Entry Tourist visa and receive a Single Entry Tourist Visa this will suffice as long as you are only visiting India once on your cruise and the visa is valid for the duration of your visit to India.

Also just found some info about the e-visa that UK citizens can now apply for. Unfortunately this is only valid for certain airports so cruise passengers still have to apply via the VFS website.

You have to fill the form in online then book an appointment once application completed. You each need an separate appointment, see below:

The new online appointment system will be applicable from 16th March 2015.

With effect from 16th March 2015, all Visa , Passport, OCI, Consular Services at VFS Application Centres in London (Goswell Road, Paddinton and Hounslow), Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford, Newcastle, Belfast, Cardiff, Bristol, Glasgow and Leicester will be granted on the basis of appointments only.

Applicants must book an online appointment for all Services (Visa, Passport, OCI, and Consular Services) before visiting VFS Application Centres.

Only one person/applicant is allowed per appointment. For family applications each applicant will be required to book a separate appointment.

Appointment can be booked by visiting after completion of the Online Form via VFS website: http://in.vfsglobal.co.uk/

All applicants will be required to bring the printout of the appointment letter along with the application form at the time of submission. No applications will be accepted without appointment after 16th March 2015.

All applicants must reach at the above VFS Application centres 15 minutes prior to their scheduled appointment.

No applications will be accepted by post.

Info found on following link: http://www.hcilondon.in/pages.php?id=28 then click on link http://www.cgiedinburgh.org/pages.php?id=17

Hope this helps

It seems a while since anyone has posted here but if anyone is out there and knows anything please reply.

I have a UK passport and I have been told that as I am entering Vietnam 3 times within 15 days, twice from the cruise ship and once having exited to fly to Siem Reap for 2 nights, I will need a visa. I have read on a government page that UK passports don't need a visa for Vietnam. Does anyone know about the 3rd exit/entry situation?

Also, does anyone have information about a visa for Cambodia from the cruise ship?

I am on Oceania, Singapore to Shanghai. Does anyone know about UK visas for Shanghai and Xiamen?

Thanks

Jennifer

Jennifer

Yes, it's correct that UK passport holders currently have a visa exemption for Vietnam BUT only for single visits. Visiting more than 1 port counts as a single visit only as long as you stay in Vietnamese waters, but if the ship visits another country in-between Vietnamese ports (and this includes your planned trip flying to Cambodia from Vietnam & returning to Vietnam 2 days later) then you will have to get a multi-entry visa from the embassy & have to send your passports to get them. When you leave Vietnam, you cannot return within 30 days without having the multi-entry visa.

Your cruiseline should issue a single entry visa for Sihanoukville, Cambodia. You can then get another single entry visa at Siam Reap Airport or apply online at http://www.evisa.gov.kh.

You may be able to get Chinese visas issued on board your ship as these visits will count as a single entry.

Hope you get sorted out, there's a lot of confusion over the Vietnamese visa situation at the moment

Les

Hi

Am arriving next month on a cruise & want to do some snorkelling but do not want to do Stingray city etc. Have done some research & think Cemetery Beach may be good. Can anyone tell me how to get there from the cruise terminal & rough costs? If anyone knows of somewhere else that doesn't involve too much effort to get there I would appreciate suggestions.

Thanks

Has anyone does a day pass to Sandals Mo Bay or Ocho Rios? Any details appreciated.

 

Angie

Yes we did the day pass to Sandals Ocho Rios 4 years ago- total rip-off. Drinks were watered down & food bad quality. I believe Montego Bay is a lot better.

"Sheepish question...... I've always snorkeled off a tour boat, and didn't worry about my wallet and camera. What do you folks do with your "stuff" if you snorkel at the Baths, or at one of the beaches?"

I have a small underwater bag which we put our money, cruise cards etc into then hang around my neck when snorkelling. Brewers Bay didn't have any locker facilities 2 years ago so we just used the bag & left only our towels & clothes on the beach. There were other people from our cruise on the beach also & we just kept an eye on each others stuff.

Brewer's Bay is quite good for snorkelling but didn't have a lot of facilities 18 months ago. Think it cost us $15 return in a minibus- sure it's a bit dearer now. There is a small food/bar (with a dire toilet) & some loungers for hire. We just plonked our towels down on the sand & went straight in to snorkel (left side of the bay is best). If you want more of a party atmosphere, then Cane Garden is better, but if you want snorkelling then Brewers Bay is the one for you.

I'm curious as to how often and what time of year the ships have trouble tendering in Georgetown. We were told it doesn't happen often. Is that true? Does it usually happen at certain times of the year? Thanks.

We were on a cruise in Jan 2009 & were unable to tender in to Grand Cayman due to heavy swells- meant an extra seaday.

Certainly the most incomprehensible was an enormously overweight guy complaining to the Purser that he wasn't getting enough to eat (& yes there was 24hr dining!!)

The grossest has to be on a minicruise to Egypt. The sea was very rough & on a table opposite to mine, there was a woman eating spaghetti carbanara, then puking into a sickbag, then eating again. Had to get up & leave the dining room or I would have had to borrow her bag!

We want to swim with dolphins more than anything else in the world, but we won't do it with captured ones. Captive dolphins have a very short life compared to wild ones- you wouldn't treat a dog like this. They shouldn't be kept in a resticted area as they need the open ocean to roam & thrive in. They are a glorious sight in the wild.

I don't have a cruise basket but I do have a holiday drawer & a holiday wardrobe in the guest bedroom. The wardrobe contains all our holiday clothes/shoes and the drawer contains stuff like toiletries, medicines, sunscreen, travel adapters, towels etc. So if we see a last-minute good deal on a cruise or other holiday, everything is to hand & I don't have to rush around buying or gathering stuff together. Once we get home, I replace anything that was used up & we're ready for the next one