familytravellers

28 minutes ago, bulldogcruisers said:

We are planning on taking the light rail from the airport into downtown and then taking a cab to pier 91. Can anyone advise which is the best stop to get off at and the approximate cost of a cab from that point to the pier.

We have used Seattle Express for our transfers in the past. They offer service from Sea Tac area hotels and the Airport to and from cruise piers 66 & 91. We were very happy with their service and used them again when we were in Seattle last fall. 

We used Seattle Express for a shared shuttle service from the port to Pike Place Market in October. Although it wasn't a "guided" tour, the shuttle driver was wonderful and provided interesting insight into the history of the city on our short drive. We also used their shuttle service when we were in Seattle many years ago to take us from our hotel to the port. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. Great customer service and very reliable!

45 minutes ago, scottca075 said:

 

There are all kinds of LA tours, but originating from where?

Sunseeker Tours will pick up at the Long Beach or San Pedro Cruise Terminals.

2 hours ago, jvz said:

Besides what is offered through the cruise line, does anyone know if there are any 1 day group or private tours for LA?   

We had a port stop in LA at the beginning of October and used Sunseeker Tours for a group tour. You can book directly through the company or through Get Your Guide or Viator. We booked this tour as our cruise ship was only in port for the day and we thought it would be a great way to see the famous sites around Los Angeles. Our driver, Alberto, arrived early for pick up at the cruise terminal and we all boarded the small, air conditioned bus and left before 9 am. Alberto was an amazing guide/driver. He was very personable, had a great sense of humor and his knowledge of Los Angeles was impressive. It was truly a whirlwind tour of LA, but Alberto managed to show us all the sites in a day - an amazing feat considering how many places we visited in that time period. If you only have a day in LA, then this tour is perfect as it will highlight the important sites, but you'll definitely want to come back another time and spend a few days exploring the city in more depth.

23 minutes ago, Hercules67 said:

I did check with Lyft and was quoted similar charge of CAD38 before tip.

 

Then I tried Yellow Cab app that allows prebooking. The app showing my prebooking but there is no confirmation and so I wonder tomorrow morning will there be a no-show that got me anxious.

There is nothing worse than wondering if your ride is going to show up! I hope whatever mode of transportation you end up choosing shows up on time and doesn't cost you a fortune!

45 minutes ago, Hercules67 said:

I need to arrive Pacific Central Station from Paradox Hotel (West Georgia St) at 5 am. 
 

I tried to prebook Uber and was quoted about  CA$38 for the 10 min ride.

 

I am not sure whether I should go ahead and prebook or can call for Uber tomorrow at 4.30 am? At such early hour, will there be surcharge that still will hit the CA$38 amount?

 

Appreciate urgent advice.

That sounds like a lot of money for a 10 minute ride.  Have you used Lyft? I have both apps on my phone and I have found that Lyft is typically less expensive than Uber. We used Lyft for the first time from the Vancouver airport to a downtown hotel several weeks ago and paid $22 plus GST and tip at 10:45 am. Lyft provided an $8 promo code for our first two rides so that ride would have cost us $30 before the promo. 

3 minutes ago, Northern Aurora said:

A number of years ago we did a Pacific Coastal.  We boarded in Vancouver with the second stop being Naniamo (sp?), British Columbia.  Next port was Seattle.  Very quick immigration procedure with passengers holding our passports near our faces and walking past US Immigration officials.  Multiple lines so it was quick.  

Great information! Thanks for sharing your experience.

We sailed with Emerald (Regensburg to Budapest) last year and they had quite a few tables for two. We never had a problem getting a table for two.

We are taking a Pacific Coast cruise from Vancouver to San Diego. The first stop is in Victoria, B.C. and then our second stop is in Seattle, Washington.  I understand that we have to clear U.S. Customs at the cruise terminal in Vancouver before embarking. I have heard conflicting stories regarding U.S. customs clearance from different people. Someone mentioned they had to clear U.S. customs in their first U.S. port after Victoria while another person said they didn't have to do that.  We're trying to plan an excursion from Seattle and I wanted to know if I should build in extra time to leave the ship if we do indeed have to clear customs in Seattle. I called the cruise line and they couldn't answer that question.  What has been your experience on past cruises?

4 hours ago, 2cruisecats said:

We're taking a Viking Budapest to Amsterdam river this August and thinking of going a week early to Prague,  then taking a train to Budapest. If you have taken the train, I'd be interested in hearing about your experience.  Train class. Luggage on the train  (we will have luggage as away for 4 weeks). How far in advance to book, etc.  Thanks!

We took an Emerald cruise last spring that ended in Budapest.  You could do this itinerary in the reverse if you're interested. We flew from Budapest with Ryanair to Krakow, Poland (1 hour flight). It's a beautiful city and reminded me a lot of Prague. It's also very budget friendly and well-worth the visit if you have the time. We then took a bus from Krakow (2.5 hour bus ride with Lajkonik - lots of buses leaving Krakow daily - about $8 CDN/person) to the quaint city of Cieszyn, Poland. We chose to stay overnight to break up our trip (accommodations are very inexpensive in this city. Check out booking.com) We then caught a direct train with Regiojet to Prague in the morning (we caught the 8:06 am train but there are a few other trains during the day). It's a 5 hour train ride. Book Business Class as it's only about $30/person CDN and you'll have a private compartment with max 4 people. Great, inexpensive food on board the train too! You have to walk across a bridge (no border control) into the Czech Republic and catch the train from Cesky Tesin. It's about a 15 minute walk from the main square in Cieszyn or you could arrange a taxi to take you to the train station if you have a lot of luggage. You'll love Prague although it's likely to be very crowded - especially in August.  Have a wonderful trip!

42 minutes ago, TriMomma said:

Just back from the 17 Day Treasures and Temples of Vietnam and Cambodia trip with Emerald Waterways.  It included 7 nights on the Emerald Harmony Cruising the Mekong Delta.  If you want to ask me specific questions about the land portion, I will be happy to answer, but will just give a review of the Emerald Harmony.  (Don’t want to get in trouble with the Mods).

 

Itinerary:

Day 1-2:  Hanoi

Day 3-4:  Halong Bay on a Junk boat cruise

Day 5-6:  Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)

Day 7-14:  Emerald Harmony Cruise

Day 15-16:  Siem Reap

Day 17:  Bangkok

 

The Harmony holds 80 passengers but there were 60 on this sailing, including 34 from our group of Canadians.  It was built in 2019 and had only had a few sailing before it was halted for the pandemic.  In fact, I believe that we were only the second sailing back.  The staff seemed so happy to be sailing again.  At one point we caught up with the EMPTY sister ship, the Scenic Spirit and my stateroom attendant (Mr. Khim, also wonderful) told me that she wasn’t lucky like the Harmony because she was not full of fun and people.  (I heard that they cancelled its sailing because it only had 8 booked passengers!). 

 

Embarkation was really quite fast and I had my keys and in my stateroom in minutes.  It probably helped that during the Land-portion of the tour we had given our Vaccination certificates to the tour guide and they had everything ready for us.  We had also been given nametags during the land tour and were wearing them when we embarked.  Every single staff member used our names and I think they had them memorized (and knew our drink of choice) by the end of the day.   It was impressive. 

 

We embarked right downtown in Saigon.  Emerald Harmony is one of the few apparently, that actually sail out of Saigon.  My understanding is that most of the ships depart from My Tho and you have to be bused from Saigon.   It was fun sailing away from the big city.  The other cool thing is that once you leave Saigon, you sail down the Cho Gao canal.  Many ships are too big for this canal, including the Harmony’s sister ship, the Scenic Spirit.  Sailing down the canal is really neat as you can truly see the homes and villages up close.  Unfortunately, you will also see garbage…. The Mekong is not quite the prettiest of rivers. 

 

Emerald ships are known for only having the fake balcony.   The window powers down and opens to railing height.  It was actually better than I was expecting.   It was also so freaking hot that it wasn’t like you were sitting around with your window open.   The walls are the regular cruise metal so if you like to hang things, definitely bring extra magnets.   I didn’t and regretted not having extra hooks.  The stateroom is quite lovely.  We were on Deck 4, but I truly don’t think that it matters, this isn’t a cruise with much of a view.  In fact, I think Deck 3 might be the best deck as that is where the lounge is. 

 

This is my first river cruise and first time on a small ship.  I have done lots of ocean cruises on mega ships.   I think I am converted!  The small size means you give up some of the amenities found on a big ship but there is an intimacy that I really enjoyed.   Now, we might have been lucky that we were with a group of 34 so there was always someone to have a drink with at the bar or to start an impromptu dance party.   There wasn’t much happening after 8:00 pm otherwise.  (Although we started a lot of impromptu dance parties!).  The ship has a lovely lounge that has a cappuccino machine and snacks always available.   It also has a nice bar and the best bartender ever…. Leo (he makes a mean martini). 

 

The dining room is the deck below the lounge and also quite lovely and intimate.  Sometimes you are seated with other passengers, so be prepared for that.   Lunches and breakfasts were buffet but also had an “action station” as they called it.   For breakfast it was an egg station, at lunch it varied and could be a noodle station or stir-fry.   The buffet always featured plenty of choice and included wonderful daily soups and homemade ice creams.  You can always order of the limited menu if you wish (eggs benny!)

 

Each night at 6:30 there would be a port talk in the lounge by the wonderful cruise director Tanya.  Following this we would all traipse downstairs for dinner.  Dinners consisted of a three choice a la carte menu and were typically Asian themed.   However, there was always the standard chicken, steak or salmon on the menu as a back up for those who wished something simple.   There was also a daily red and white wine.   There was only one night that I didn’t like the red choice and they went to fetch a different bottle for me.  Don’t be afraid to ask for a different wine if you don’t like what they are serving.   The portions are not large, but when you are having five course you don’t need large. 

 

Most days there would be an excursion in the morning and one in the afternoon.   They usually lasted about two hours.  The cool thing about the Harmony is that it anchors at each stop and only docks at Saigon and Phnom Penh.  Excursions are to local villages, and you are taken there by a junk tender.  (They were certainly much nicer junk boats than you see sailing normally, lol).  The one thing that surprised me was how strict they were on dress code for the excursion.   As you are often going to a village temple, they insist that you wear shorts or skirts to the knee and tops with at least a short sleeve.  I thought some of sleeveless tops would be okay since they were closed at the shoulder, but no.  It meant that I was sweating my butt off in capris and t-shirts… did I mention it was hotter than hades!   That leads me to one of my favourite things on the ship though…. Self Laundry!   There were washer and dryers AND laundry soap available at your disposal.  It was wonderful since it seemed we where changing several times a day. 

 

The other amenities were quite good too.  I loved the little pool.  Nothing like jumping in it and getting a cold beer from the pool bar after an excursion.  I went to the spa twice!   I found the services to be excellent and the prices to be reasonable for a cruise ship (the 120 minute Harmony treatment was incredible!).  We also used the gym several times.  It is small, but sufficient, with fresh towels and lemon water.  

 

My highlights were the evening tuk tuk ride in Phnom Pehn, the disco party on the pool deck, the service (Oossa, Mom, Min Zaw, Leo) was exceptional, the drinks and food were wonderful and the ship\cabin itself was lovely.  There are two shows onboard by local children's groups that are good but won’t knock your socks off.   

 

We added two Discover More options.  “One Night in Saigon” which toured around to local restaurants and breweries, was very good.   “Dinner in the Rice Fields” in Siem Reap was exceptional, although slightly different than advertised (it’s better!).  Wear good footwear, you walk up a goat path.  I would highly recommend both.   Friends of our who did not do the Rice Field excursion chose the “Cambodian Street Food” and were disappointed. 

 

Finally the Mekong Delta itself….. it ain’t pretty.  I loved the cruise, but if the Mekong was the only thing I was seeing of Vietnam\Cambodia I think I would be pretty disappointed.  It’s pretty dirty water and is a hub of activity and shipping.   Occasionally you will pass a beautiful farm, but that is the exception, not the rule.  If you choose this cruise, it is to experience the culture, people and the food (yum), not the scenery.  I also do believe that this is one cruise where at least some added land portion is a must (ie. Siem Reap to see Ankgor Wat).   Overall, I am thrilled with our experience and would recommend the Emerald Harmony.

Thanks for your great review! It's a river cruise that we've considered taking. Just not looking forward to the very long plane ride from Toronto and stifling heat. 

1 hour ago, morgan5 said:

I have just started researching, and my head is spinning. My daughter (22yo) and I (50+yo) are looking at doing a river cruise next summer (2023). My daughter wants something active as she enjoys hiking and walking. I have read a bit about Avalon Active and Discovery cruises as well as U by Uniworld. We really are just looking at something that would appeal to both of us with lots of active excursions available but also cultural and history ones too, maybe geared to a slightly younger crowd than the typical 60's and 70's.

 

Are these the 2 cruise categories we should be looking at? Is there anything else that I should look into. Also, once we settle on the cruise line, is there a particular river or route that would be better for active travelers looking for beautiful scenery as well?

 

Thanks so much for any suggestions! Just as  a note, we will probably endcap the cruise with a diy hiking and scenery week by train in either Switzerland Germany or Austria.

We just took the Danube Delights cruise with Emerald (Regensburg, Germany to Budapest, Hungary). It was a fantastic river cruise with lots of options for active excursions like hiking or biking. All of the towns/cities we visited were lovely. I'd suggest you stay an extra few days in Budapest as it's a larger city and you'll need extra time to fully explore it. If you have a chance to add Prague onto your itinerary, definitely consider it. It's a beautiful city and very walkable.

5 minutes ago, kiarmuid said:

That's great information, thanks so much.  Where in Vienna was the shuttle back to the ship?

 

The drop off/pick up area was at Schwedenplatz (google it and you'll see where it is). It is a transit area where trams and buses are located near the water. It's a short walk from St. Stephen's Cathedral and the main shopping area. The bus will have an Emerald sign in the window so you can identify it. There is no dedicated stop for Emerald so you'll need to keep an eye on the buses as they drive in. You'll likely recognize other passenger from the ship waiting for the bus so that is very helpful. The other river cruise companies appear to use this area as well to pick up/drop off their passengers.

58 minutes ago, kiarmuid said:

First river cruise coming up: Emerald's Danube Delights on the Emerald Destiny.  We want to see Vienna on our own and are wondering when ships typically dock and passengers can get off so we can make plans for timed tickets, etc.  The previous day will be at Durnstein; can I assume the ship will get to Vienna overnight and we can go ashore first thing in the morning?

 

Thanks for your help.

We just did the exact same trip on the Emerald Destiny a few weeks ago. The ship sails overnight and will dock very early morning in Vienna. There were tour buses waiting for us at 9 am to take us into Vienna and provide us with a 1 hour panoramic bus ride around the city followed by a 1 hour guided walking tour. You could then return to the ship or spend time on your own in the city. A complimentary bus shuttle ran throughout the afternoon from the ship to Vienna and back every half hour starting at 14:00 from the ship. The last shuttle from the city back to the ship was at 17:30. There were also optional paid excursions available to a Viennese Evening Concert and a Tastes of Vienna tour (14:00-17:00).

3 hours ago, mlbcruiser said:

Can someone doing a Danube cruise with Viking or Emerald please post what the requirements are considering these cruises usually visit several countries such as Germany, Austria & Hungary?  I know about the common. general vaccine & test requirements such as being vaccinated & tested before entering your embarkation country and tested within 24 hours of boarding your river cruise ship. However I’m not sure if more testing is required or what other certification is necessary to get off of your ship at each port. I am predominately interested in Viking and Emerald cruises. I could only find general river cruising Covid testing requirements in their sites but nothing for individual itineraries. Thanks for any information.

This is a great website to access information about vaccine/testing requirements for countries around the world. https://apply.joinsherpa.com/travel-restrictions?affiliateId=sherpa&language=en-US

Thanks for the information! Given how the Covid situation keeps changing, we're probably just going to book flights for the day of disembarkation. It's definitely a challenge to plan a trip in these times!

Has anyone taken a river cruise with Emerald recently? We have booked an Emerald cruise next Spring from Regensburg to Budapest. We are currently trying to arrange our flights with the thought that a PCR test will still be required by our Canadian government "within 72 hours of the scheduled departure time." I understand that Emerald offers complimentary PCR tests two days prior to disembarkation day (Saturday disembarkation for us). If we wanted to stay an extra day and fly out on the Sunday afternoon (1 pm flight) our test might not fall within that 72 hour window depending on when Emerald does the testing on the Thursday. Do you know if the ship offers passengers some flexibility with regards to when we can have that test performed on the Thursday? If it's a set time during the morning, for example, then we would not qualify for the 72 hour window required by our Government.

3 hours ago, searaider said:

We had another great experience with Martin Taxi.  They were waiting for us when we exited the port, and we actually exited about 20 minutes before the booked time, as we got off the ship fast and no wait for the shuttle to take us to the port entrance. Meant great picture taking in Bruges before the crowds showed up.

It can take a good 1/2 hour to get to or from the ship to Bruges but discuss the best time to go back to your ship with the driver before he/she drops you off in Bruges.  The port shuttle from ship to port entrance takes no more than 5 minutes if you do not have to wait in line.

Our group does not like to leave it to the last minute, so picked a time about an hour before final boarding to be picked up.  We were dropped off right next to the central square which is a bonus, as the buses cannot get that close.  Our taxi driver arrived early to pick us up as he said he would be there 15 minutes before the agreed time. 

By the way, the ship transfer bus drops and picks up people about 15 minute walk from the center.

 

Thank you so much for the great information. I'm happy to hear that you were pleased with the taxi service. That definitely makes us feel more comfortable about using their services. 

On 9/17/2018 at 11:39 PM, searaider said:

 

I have just booked Martin Taxi for May of 2019 and Lou quoted me 100 euros, 50 euros going and 50 euros for the return trip. This is the same amount that we paid in fall of 2017. I expect that the service will be as good as the last time we used them.

Hello!

We have booked with Martin Taxi for our upcoming cruise and I wanted to find out if you had a good experience with them again. Lou also quoted us 100 Euros roundtrip. Our ship is scheduled to depart at 5:00 pm. Would a 2:45 pm pick up in Brugge provide us with enough time to get back to the ship (including the port shuttle bus)?