DipBrat

If you have access to a phone you should still be able to call a taxi. That shouldn't be more than 10 Euros or so. I would be surprised if taxis won't wait for the boat. Old Town and surrounding Art Nouveau district is the usual highlight for Riga. Make sure to see the Art Nouveau quarter and not only Old Town.

Lots of good restaurants. Better value and better overall outside of Old Town.

The Beach area (Jurmala) is nice and lined with wooden houses and shopping. It is probably not much further than the city from your dock.

ATMs in Europe actually do not require a chip. They do of course require a pin.I have recently used mine all over Europe. It is possible some banks might require it as I sometimes need to try a second machine but this was also the case well before chips were common. I have no recent experience in Russia, but you probably don't need to withdraw a significant amount of cash anyway.

It is likely to be very hot in June. At tourist site in Kyoto and Tokyo you are likely to see a lot of people( yes tourists) in shorts. Japanese don't really expect foreigners to follow their rules. I think it is fine if you will be more comfortable. It might be more frowned upon for Women but they have better more comfortable options anyway.

The post above has a lot of good advice.11-12 year olds really vary a lot. If she is basically a teenager then shopping will be popular. Take her where she can by cool clothes and not just mittens and trinkets.

Does she like to read? There are a lot of good books set in St. Petersburg.

I tend to do things like Tivoli which has rides and kid focussed activities and also outdoor musuems. Oslo has a good one for example. Kids enjoy seeing horses and the like and you still feel like you are seeing some of the history.

Boat rides are always fun and Copenhagen, Stockholm and St. Petersburg are best seen by boat to some extent.

Finally, frequent ice cream stops go a long way. Literally and figuratively. Don't try and see everything take time to stop.

My general advice for Klaipeda is to go to the Curonian Spit. Beautiful and unique sand dunes and little towns. In downtown Klaipeda you can see some of the old German architecture (I suppose elsewhere as well). If you DIY you could also play it by ear a bit and see what the weather is like. If it is hot and you like beaches you could mix in a bit of beach time or swimming. The beaches are really amazing the water not so much.

I don't think world cup has an impact. Ticket holders don't needs visas at all. If you use a visa company the process has always been straightforward if expensive. Americans actually have better access to visas than many other countries (multiple entry for example is standard) due to a bilateral agreement signed when relations were on the upswing.

I understand as well from my limited research that one can take a subway and then a bus to the Badaling portion of the Wall. Also, rent an audio guide. We will be doing the Great Wall from the Badaling site on our own when we do our Celebrity China cruise in March 2020. Our ship will be spending three days in Bejing so our plan is to cab it to the Tianjian Bullet station and then take that train into Bejing (apparently 40 minute ride) and take a back pack with us with a change of clothes and spend two nights in a downtown Bejing hotel). The first afternoon, we will visit the Forbidden City and Tiamanen Square. The second day in Bejiing from our hotel, we will then get up early the following morning and head to the hills as they say before ten thousand other tourists show up and walk as far up the wall as we can (to try to get shots without too many other people in the pictures). The next day we will take a cab to the Summer Palace and then return to the ship in the afternoon of the third day via bullet train. Works out way cheaper than taking ship tours which price at approximately $1000 USD per person for three days. Bejiing appears to be a do it yourself spot with the correct planning. Of course, we will have our multi entry visas in our passports.

If your goal is to hike and avoid the crowds Badaling is the worst choice of great wall sites. Some of the other sites are more difficult to access with public transport bu with a driver it can be fairly inexpensive even if organized by your hotel.

Another option is Beijing Hikers. It is a company that busses out to various great wall (and other sites) that are less touristy but equally spectacular. You also get a simple but authentic lunch after the hike.

Taxi to Shin-Kobe (train station) then high speed train to Kyoto. You will need another short taxi to get to any sights in Kyoto.

This worrys me when travelling with toddlers . Did you find public restrooms? Maybe your knowledge will save me from frantically hunting for one with a crying toddler .

You can usually ask to use a restaurant restroom without any issue if you have a toddler.In Central and Eastern Europe especially.

Make sure you are clear about what you mean by a teen tour. I think that would vary a lot. I would have liked a lot of historical stuff as a teen especially the years I was studying Russian revolution or WW2. a 15 year old girl who is into clothes/fashion might want to do more shopping and people watching on the main street (Nevsky).A 15 year old buy might consider that torture. Boat rides and active touring should appeal to most teens. The medical museum has two headed fetuses and the like which are interesting. They might be more interested in the Egyptian parts of the hermitage rather than renaissance art. Private tour is the easiest way to have the perfect itinerary for your family.

Just to clarify Systembolaget is the state run liquor store. They do vary in selection but not in price. Prices are high so cost wise you might not save much if anything over ship prices. The ports on the eastern side of the baltic will have lower prices and better selection. There is often a store right next to the port though they focus more on cheap hard liquor rather than wine.

Just to be sure, its the same website that puts Denmark in level 2. :)

 

 

I know that this comment will likely come back and bite me in the a... but come on, level 2?

 

 

The website could just say, its a dangerous place out there, just stay at home.

So by this logic this would mean the US itself, or at least most states, should be a 3?

Would like to know if anyone has been to the Great Wall at Huangyaguan Pass? How would it compare to the Great Wall at Jinshanling? Viewpoints, scenery, walking the wall, etc?

It is one of my favorite Great Wall spots(and I have been to most if not all the major ones in Beijing). It has a nice renovated section with nice views too. If you hike a bit it also peters out and you can see less renovated sections. Most importantly much less crowded than Badaling Mutianyu and others.

No, they wouldn't be offended. Our Japanese tour leader collected spare cash from us (we volunteered), not a set amount like in China. He put it in a pretty envelope and gave it to the local guides with a bow and with both hands.

We asked our tour company in Laos and in Vietnam what the acceptable amount would be. Tour guides who frequently work with Western tourists, accept US$

I agree anyone who regularly works with tourists won't be offended anymore. Will the Walmart greeter they won't be offended? It is about as necessary.

We are fortunate to live just 2 hours from Richmond, Virginia and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts which contains the largest collection of Faberge and Russian decorative arts in the US. (There are 5 Imperial eggs alone!). And what makes it even better—entry to the museum is free. So, we were not interested in seeing the Faberge Museum in place of other attractions.

 

Having said that, if you have a keen interest in Faberge, it might be worth it to you to skip those 3 listed attractions. Yusopof Palace is only interesting if you are fascinated by Rasputin (as I am). St.Issac’s Cathedral is not significantly different from many other ornate European cathedrals. And at the Fortress of St. Peter and St. Paul, you will just see the crypts of the tsars—which I enjoyed, but when you’ve seen one crypt, you’ve seen them all.

 

If you decide to skip the Faberge Museum, plan a trip to Richmond (or Richmond, Washington, DC and Williamsburg.)

Agree with all this except maybe the Fortress which is also interesting for history buffs and the views are also worthwhile.

Thank you to all who have responded. We'll fly back to HK a day earlier. We'll also begin our vacation a day earlier to get two full days in Angkor.

 

Our biggest problem now on Saturday going to Siem Reap will be a 12-hour layover in HK in between flights. I see HK airport has great lounges with showers, lounge chairs, televisions, wifi, etc. We're playing this one safe and doing that. We'll get into Siem Reap at 7 pm on Saturday and fly out Tuesday at noon back to HK.

Don't waste 12 hours in the airport. You can take the train into the city and see a lot.

Saving the fjords for a separate trip is a great option! :)

 

But if you think this will be your only trip to Norway, I would spend one night in Oslo, do the Nutshell trip, and then spend one night in Bergen. I love Oslo (obviously, since I decided to live here), but Bergen and the fjords are both well worth seeing and a bit more unique.

I strongly second this. Oslo is pleasant enough but the rest is spectacular.

This is not entirely true: those who have tickets AND a FAN-ID (a separate document you apply for once you obtain your tickets or ticket confirmation) do not need a visa.

According to FIFA,

Such fans will be able to enter and remain in the country during the period that starts ten (10) days before the first match and ends ten (10) days after the last match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

So, logically, any cruise passenger with a valid FAN-ID will be able to disembark visa-free at any date falling into the above range and do pretty much whatever they want (within the boundaries of law and subject to certain time constraints - after all, you wouldn't want to miss your ship, right?)

Yes you are correct but this FAN-ID is a formality. Notice the rule says enter and remain in the country. A 3 day stop in St. Petersburg would in effect require 3 entries. This is where I wonder if you would have a problem. In other words do they cancel the FAN-ID on entry or is it good for multiple entries?

From what I know of Royal Caribbean that is the hard part. They are always the last to figure things out. :rolleyes:

This has also been my experience. Not with Royal Caribbean specifically but cruise lines more generally. They always seem to leaf through visas on boarding. Others seem to say cruise lines leave it up to passengers to sort out visas but not sure I would count on that.

Thanks.

I have actually pre booked my tours with the ship ( last time we went with SPB, but wanted to do an inside visit to Peterhof, which was advertised by the ship)

I was wondering if I could fit in an evening theatre performance , so wondered if I could book independently, but I guess it’s another tour!

I also wanted to avoid the football crowds, so thought it best to have an organised tour that left fairly early- last year I read that the independent tours were not allowed to pick up until the ship’s tours had left.

I have also read that at least one cruise line is telling their passengers that they have to obtain their own football tickets and visa , so the person posting thought they would have to obtain a visa themselves, but from what you say that will also be linked to the football ticket.

Many thanks.

 

 

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Those who have tickets do not need a visa. It is not clear how this would be treated for cruise passengers. Logically they shouldn't need a tour or a visa though for a two day stopover this might only be for the day of the match. All that to say logic and Russian customs don't always go together so do your research but even the best laid plans can go astray.

If you need a visa to Japan than your itinerary sounds like it requires a double or multiple entry visa. Most nationalities who post here don't need visas for Japan or South Korea so you are better off asking for advice from a local agent or source.

I can't find any official information on the Chinese Visa situation. I have checked the Chinese Embassy web site and the UK Foreign travel advice service about any change in regulations for UK travellers (which usually means most other countries as well!) and there is no mention of not needing a visa. Does anyone have any official information about it? I think you are allowed to transit to the airport visa free but if you are wanting to stay in Beijing for a few days as we are then it looks to me as though you still need a visa. Visa fees are very very expensive so would be thrilled not to have to pay these!

You can certainly use it outside the airport. Outside of the US you almost never need a visa for airport only transfers. Your exact itinerary will determine your eligibility for this visa exemption for example you cant return to your origin as it is meant as a stopover visa. See the thread (below/above on a specific tricky exception).

Yes in Ko Samui you can walk. A bit less crowded and cleaner beaches are a short Taxi ride away. The next bay south Lipa Noi is an easy close choice with nice hotels and also little bungalows selling drinks and food.

The rides to Saigon and Bangkok are long and slow. Bangkok certainly has more spectacular can't miss sights. Pattaya is an option for a beach day. It pales in comparison to Ko Samui beaches but could be a good second day option if you opt for the grueling one day Bangkok tour on your first day.

Have you thought about starting a tour in Berlin? If you are taking the train it isn't really necessary to have someone escort you the whole way. In fact you could organize your own tour with guides at key museums. Some of the Berlin Wall and historical sights would usefully be seen with a guide but otherwise taxis or even Berlin's excellent public transport system would work between sights.

If you are located in Asia you might want to try local travel agents seem to have access to packages that are sometimes cheaper (but sometimes much more expensive) than booking directly with the cruise lines or with a US/European based travel agent.