Holly1225

Sorry for not being specific. We'll be on the Expression this Spring.

My sense from reading the entire thread (which took several days of reading off & on) is that there were many things in common with the European Rive cruises. The rooms & amenities are similar; the basic daily schedule (thanks to people downloading them) were similar; the food is similar etc. If I'm wrong, please let me know.

The issues I outlined are things I didn't see in the thread. Thank you for your info Rebel 54 & if any one has any specific information on the Expression, I'd appreciate it.

I have read through this whole thread and it has been very helpful. Daisi showed me where it was. Thank you.

Some family members & I are going on an Avalon cruise & we've never been on Avalon before. We've been on Uniworld & Viking. While you've answered so many questions, I have a few more:

1) Do you have to run into dinner at 7:00? One of the very few things that annoys me about river cruises, is that the port briefing is right before dinner. We like to relax a little & then go into dinner. We could do that Uniworld so I'm wondering if we can on Avalon.

2) How large are the tables in the dining room? Are there tables for 2 or 4? We like meeting new people, but occasionally we like to be by ourselves. I'm particularly concerned about large tables after seeing the discussion on the noise in the dining room. I think the smallest table on the Viking cruise in China was for 8 or ten people & you literally had to shout at the person sitting next to you because the place was so noisy. It was very unpleasant.

3) If buses are used on the tours (either the free ones or the ones you pay for) how crowded are they? Uniworld & Viking filled maybe a third of the buses. Even with family members, its nice to spread out a little & have leg-room.

4) Someone earlier in the thread said that cocktails were "reasonably" priced. I wonder if anyone has any more specific information. On vacation we'll definitely indulge in a fun martini & I'm just wondering what the price would be like.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Perfect. Thanks for the link. This is my first Avalon River Cruise so I'm anxious to learn the "scoop." Cruise Critic participants are always sooooo helpful. Thanks again & thanks for answering so quickly.

Daisi - I am looking for both general information on Avalon & specific info on the Expression. Can you tell me where the "ALL THINGS AVALON" thread is located. Thanks

Thanks Oldgoat for the bar menu. It looks like they have a lot of good stuff. And thanks Cheech for the picture of the waterfront -- it looks beautiful. We'll definitely head ton the Mojito. This sounds like it will be a lovely trip.

Thanks everyone. Based on BirdTravels picture (BTW - great idea) I take it those who responded that the coffee makers use pods mean the "soft" pods. I've looked on Amazon & Walmart & they do sell them.

Thank you. We'll definitely be using the water front.

If anyone else has info on my coffee question, I'd appreciate it. If you're a coffee addict you know what I mean.

I've never been on an NCL cruise & am going on the Getaway next month. I have two questions -- 1) We are in a Standard Balcony room. Am I correct that there is a coffee maker in the room. If so, are the coffee makers the kind that use Keurig coffee pods; some other kind of coffee pod (if so what kind) or do they use the hotel-type coffee in a pre-packaged coffee filter. I'd like to bring my own so it tastes better, so I need to know what to buy.

2) We are looking for quiet, peaceful places to sit, eat or enjoy a drink. A few people have mentioned "the waterfront." What is it & where is it on the ship. I've never been on a ship even half the size of this so I'm a little scared I won't find something like that.

Thanks in advance

Thanks again for everyone who responded. Is there someone out there who can tell me about "the waterfront." It sounds quiet, with beautiful views. I'm afraid I won't find. The largest ship I have previously have been on had 1500 passengers. 40000 is a little daunting. I'll feel like a country person in NY city.

Thank you so much for all the info. It makes me feel a lot better about embarkation, disembarkation & dinner reservations.

What is a "vibe pass." Kfamilycruise mentioned it. Will it help us get on the ship faster? Also Kfamil -- thanks for the Sugar Cane Bar recommendation for a drink & the Taste for breakfast. Hopefully no on else is reading this so they're both really quiet.:)

I am new to NCL & have lots of questions. The threads have been very helpful, but I still need more info. I hope you can help.

1) Boarding - We are boarding in Miami. 1st - what is the earliest time we can get on board & about when can we expect our luggage in our room? 2nd - How long does it take to check-in? I gather it takes a while. Finally, I read in the threads that there is a place you have to drop off your luggage before you check-in. Someone said they missed the drop-off place and had to go back to it. Any info on where the luggage-drop off is?

2) Internet - We are getting the internet package. How well does the internet work? From talking to the NCL folks, you can't stream, but I mainly want to read the paper, look stuff up & keep in touch. Can you use it in your room, in common areas & on the outside decks?

3) Drinks - We are getting the drink package. I know the limit is $15 and if the drink is more expensive, you pay for the difference & they add the 18% gratuity on the additional amount. I don't like rum drinks or drinks with a lot of sugar in them (it gives me a headache). I prefer single malt scotches, cognac and some fancy martinis or a Manhattan. Does anyone know if these type of drinks are within the $15 limit?

4) Quiet spot for a drink - Is there a lounge on the ship with a nice view and some light music where you can enjoy a drink before or after dinner or are they all loud & noisy?

5) Meals - Do you need to make a reservation before you get on the ship for the specialty dining places? Similarly, do you need to make reservations before or after you get on the ship for the included restaurants. Regarding the included restaurants, which is the smaller, more quiet one (more upscale than the others). For lunch & breakfast, are there venues, other than the buffet that have waiter service. Once again, I'm looking for peace & quiet.

6) How well does the iconcierge app work with an Android. Will we be able to communicate with each other if we're on different places in the ship?

7)Disembarkation - How long does it take to get off the ship? Our flights are not until mid-afternoon so we're not overly concerned, but there are some horror stories in these threads of about 2 hours lines to get off. Has anyone used the NCL transfer to the airport? If they are like many other cruise lines, they pack the buses and make you leave much earlier than you need to because people have different times and different airlines. Is NCL like this?

Thanks for your help.

I'm going on the Ganges Voyager II this fall & am hoping someone has more recent information on the ship. I found Intellibite and Baagrad's reviews helpful & scary. I could possibly deal with the TP issue (though it boggles the mind that you have to when you're spending this kind of money), but not being able to adjust your own AC or risking being scalded or freezing in the shower is unbelievable. With my luck we'll be on a floor with elderly people who don't like the AC too high.

I think the cruises ran through March & then stopped for the hot months. Did Uniworld correct any of the problems after these reviews?

My second issue deals with fine print in the information you receive from the cruise. It says that we are only entitled to one bag weighing only 33 lbs on the flight to Kolcata. That really restricts us for a 2 week trip. Its not just the cloths, it's the toiletries and the over-the-counter medicines you have to bring when there is no doctor on board and sickness seems to be rampant on the ship. How was your experience with this?

I also hope Uniworld is monitoring this thread and responds themselves to these issues. Considering they are a luxury cruise line (this is my third Uniworld cruise) they don't seem to care.

Thanks in advance for any help you can be.

Thanks for all your advice & I will follow it. Believe it or not Trip Advisor had forums on this cruise. I was very surprised, because I don't think of looking for cruises on TA. Its an old thread (March 2014), but I posted a detailed question. I'll see what I get. BTW - the couple of people who commented on this cruise, loved it.

I also looked at Fodors, and they didn't have anything on this cruise.

Thanks again

Your probably right. I also posted today on the River Cruise thread a more detailed list of questions and 60 people have viewed it, but no one has responded. I presume that means no one has been on this Uniworld cruise.

I found threads on the Mekong cruise, but, of the ones I've looked at so far, none have been about Uniworld. I've been to Vietnam & Cambodia before (not on a river cruise) so I know the sights will be outstanding. And the hotels they've chosen are spectacular. I'm more interested in the practical issues of any cruise.

Thanks for responding and sending the links.

If anyone out there has been on this cruise, PLEASE respond.

Thank you. I posted a similar question on the River Cruise thread so I'll see if anyone responds

I am taking the Uniworld Vietnam, Cambodia & Mekong River Cruise in a couple of months. I'm looking for any information on the trip -- 1)What's the food & staff like? 2) What is a usual daily schedule - meal & tour times etc. 3) Unlike the European cruises, I gather there is wine included only with dinner & and local beer & wine throughout the day --Is that correct? What are prices at the bar like? 4) How is the ship maintained? --does the AC work well & what's the WiFi like? 5)What are the tours like? - How many passengers are assigned to each guide? Do you keep the same guide for the trip?

These are just some basic questions. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

Can anyone tell me how to find threads on Uniworld River cruises and specifically the River Orchid? It sails the Mekong River and includes Angor Wat. I was able to find Viking Cruises when I took them a few years ago, but can't find Uniworld. Thanks in advance.

I have been away for a few days and am so glad to read the postings on the water level on the Yangtze and the return to normal. Thank you Kohla and Promisekeeper for your insight. And thank you Viking Cruises for responding to the concerns of your guests. We took our first Viking cruise last year in Russia and enjoyed it very much. We are looking very forward to China but were a little frustrated over the lack of information except on this board. Its great that you have rectified that and I can't wait for China.

The Emerald arrived in ChongQing on August 7th local time and should be on its way to Nanjing currently. There is nothing to indicate that the tours would not be proceeding as scheduled.

 

ChongQing is a foggy city which experiences monsoon rains in the summer. In August ChongQing averages almost 7 inches of rain spread across 11 days.

Thank you Kohola!! It makes me feel so much better. Like bnkCC I'm wondering why Viking couldn't have said that. China is a trip of a lifetime and you can't help but worry that you won't get the full experience even if it is because of something you can't control like the weather.

Thanks to all the advice I'll minimze the sunscreen I pack and include a rain poncho. If you get any further updates please post them.

Current plans for the Emerald are to sail between Wuhan and the Three Gorges Dam until August 7. There are a lot of ships sitting waiting for those locks so it will take some time for the gridlock to clear once the locks are reopened. Of course this is unofficial information coming from my sources in management on the Emerald...not from Viking itself. The Emerald is currently docked in Wuhan with passengers on board.

I would love an update on the status of the Emerald and whether it is back to a full cruise and able to go through the lock. I was reading an article on that murder trial in Chongqing and it mentioned the "driving rain" yesturday. My TA called Viking and, as others have reported, they know nothing about the weather or any changes to the schedule. I realize the weather is not Viking's fault and that they will do their best but not providing us with information is really gauling and is treating their passengers like we don't know what's going on.

I'm looking so forward to this trip and I'm going at the end of the month. Does anyone have an update on the status of the cruise. Thanks:confused: