Just back from Diamond/Grand Asia

It was a great trip. Ask anything and I will help if I can:)

What's the price for the Izumi Spa and do you think it's worth it?

Did you do the trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand?

Do they have shuttle buses at all the ports?

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What's the price for the Izumi Spa and do you think it's worth it?

I'm sorry, I did not do the spa because I did not think it was worth it.I rarely saw anyone up there.

Did you do the trip to Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand?

Do they have shuttle buses at all the ports?

 

 

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I did the ship shuttle/on-your-own excursion to Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok, there were shuttles available to the local port area. I did not do the Cambodia over-land tour.

Local/free shuttles were available in the other ports. The shuttles took you to a shopping mall where you could access other transportation. They were nice buses and they ran often, like every 20-30 minutes, but if the ship wanted everyone on board by 4:30, the last shuttle would leave at 3 or 3:30 so your day was shortened. Lines could be long.

The ship docked farther from city than I expected in Hong Kong and especially Shanghai. It took over 45 minutes on the shuttle in Shanghai to reach the city.

Did you eat at Sabatini's, Sterling Steakhouse, or Kai Sushi?

If so, did you make reservations? How was the service?

Thanks!

Were there ports you visited that required a visa?

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Did you eat at Sabatini's' date=' Sterling Steakhouse, or Kai Sushi?

 

If so, did you make reservations? How was the service?

 

Thanks![/quote']

 

Wish I could be more helpful, but I did not eat at any of those. Great food was available inexpensively on shore, and that was how we treated ourselves.

Were there ports you visited that required a visa?

 

 

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We had to get the China visa before leaving home. The Vietnam visa was handled on the ship - we didn't have to do anything and they charged our on board account about $30 pp for the visa. Nothing was done in the other ports(nothing that involved us or money anyway).

We are both US citizens

Thanks for your reply re: Izumi Spa/Bath. Two more questions:

1. I haven't been on the Diamond since she was 'Japanified'. I love the tiered, aft, public deck areas - being able to go outside from my room on Aloha Deck by the Terrace Pool and up to: Lido, Sun, Sports & Star/Sky Decks on the series of outside stairs. Now the Izumi Bath has taken up much of the former public deck space on Sun Deck (where the stairs down to Lido and up to Sports Decks were) have they reconfigured the stairs to go (up or down) past the Izumu on Sun Deck between Lido and Sports Decks? (I can't tell from any pictures I've seen, and it's difficult to make sense of the stairs on the deck plans). In other words, can you get 'past' the Izumi on outside stairs?

2. Do the have a 'happy hour' everyday? If so, what time, and is it 'buy one, get another for a dollar'?

2. Do the have a 'happy hour' everyday? If so, what time, and is it 'buy one, get another for a dollar'?

Every day @ 15:00 and 21:00 in the Wheelhouse bar... Buy one, get another for a dollar is correct!

Thanks for your reply re: Izumi Spa/Bath. Two more questions:

 

1. I haven't been on the Diamond since she was 'Japanified'. I love the tiered, aft, public deck areas - being able to go outside from my room on Aloha Deck by the Terrace Pool and up to: Lido, Sun, Sports & Star/Sky Decks on the series of outside stairs. Now the Izumi Bath has taken up much of the former public deck space on Sun Deck (where the stairs down to Lido and up to Sports Decks were) have they reconfigured the stairs to go (up or down) past the Izumu on Sun Deck between Lido and Sports Decks? (I can't tell from any pictures I've seen, and it's difficult to make sense of the stairs on the deck plans). In other words, can you get 'past' the Izumi on outside stairs?

 

2. Do the have a 'happy hour' everyday? If so, what time, and is it 'buy one, get another for a dollar'?

We were also on the Aloha deck and used the Terrace Pool. The stairs up to Izumi were blocked on both sides(gated) from Lido. I had to go inside to another staircase/door to go up.

No one seemed to find the Terrace pool until late in the second week so it was uncrowded most of the time(then it got too cold anyway).

Happy hour was great - 3 to 4 and 9 to 10 each evening. Live music and nuts/rice cracker-type snacks and service was great. That was another thing that didn't 'catch on' until late in the cruise. We went often ;)

Did you eat at Sabatini's' date=' Sterling Steakhouse, or Kai Sushi?

 

If so, did you make reservations? How was the service?

 

Thanks![/quote']

we ate in sterling steakhouse, it was fabulous and worth every penny, it was 30 dollars each and a choise of any cut of steak and 4 courses. you can book on the day we ate on a sea day.

we didnt eat in sabatinis and from what i heard that was fab aswell.

kai sushi was expensive and i didnt hear of anyone who ate in there

hope this helps

bimbojet

What's the price for the Izumi Spa and do you think it's worth it?

the price was 15 dollars for 2 hours and it looked lovely, we found it to late and if we were on the cruise again we would definatwly book it

you can have a free walk around before you book .

i hope this helps

we ate in sterling steakhouse, it was fabulous and worth every penny, it was 30 dollars each and a choise of any cut of steak and 4 courses. you can book on the day we ate on a sea day.

we didnt eat in sabatinis and from what i heard that was fab aswell.

kai sushi was expensive and i didnt hear of anyone who ate in there

hope this helps

bimbojet

Thanks so much! Sounds wonderful:)

Wish I could be more helpful, but I did not eat at any of those. Great food was available inexpensively on shore, and that was how we treated ourselves.

Wow! You are adventurous! Was it scary, or have you done this in Asia, before?

Thanks:)

Wow! You are adventurous! Was it scary' date=' or have you done this in Asia, before?

 

Thanks:)[/quote']

 

LOL - some of it was SCARY

I have been to Asia before a looong time ago and I love the food, especially from the street vendors. My husband is not quite so brave.

 

The first time I bought dumplings and handed him one, he asked me what was in it. I told him, it was food(I don't read Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, etc. any better than he does) and just eat it! And he did. And by the end, he was buying and eating all sorts of random things :D

 

But not the (live or fried)scorpions on a stick that we saw in Beijing:eek:

 

We had zero stomach problems - but drank only bottled water we brought from the ship.

What were the shows, entertainment and movies like?

We go 16th dec so not sure if we will have the same as what they showed for you?

Never been on a cruise before.

We are on Aloha deck and it says our boarding isn't until 3pm. I think I read you were on this deck. Could you board earlier?

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What was the approx ages on board?

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What was the approx ages on board?

 

 

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I saw 3 children in 17 days.

Otherwise, all ages- but most seemed to be in their mid to late 40s to mid to late 60s.

I saw 3 children in 17 days.

 

 

 

Otherwise, all ages- but most seemed to be in their mid to late 40s to mid to late 60s.

Thanks so much for all your help.

I got over excited and posted two lots one after another.

Not sure if you saw my first one about entertainment, etc

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Sorry one more question;

Who was the cruise director?

Can you tell I'm getting excited! [emoji12]

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What were the shows, entertainment and movies like?

We go 16th dec so not sure if we will have the same as what they showed for you?

Never been on a cruise before.

 

We are on Aloha deck and it says our boarding isn't until 3pm. I think I read you were on this deck. Could you board earlier?

 

 

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There were cultural folkloric shows brought on in several of the ports -Vietnam,Hong Kong and Shanghai I think - and we enjoyed those.

I really enjoyed watching Grease and Mamma Mia on MUTS on sunny sea days.

Sea days had movies like Bridge of Spies, Cinderella, Independence Day and The Martian - either on MUTS or in the Princess Theater or both. There were a lot of movies.

Sea days also had interesting art lectures that I went to and shopping, which I mostly skipped. And of course, trivia.

The regular production shows were very popular but we never went. There were no comedians(I'm sure it's impossible to book someone who would appeal to such a diverse crowd of cultures).

In our case jet-lag, and the port-intensive nature of this cruise, made for very early nights anyway.They did have a lot of fairly current movies for free on the TV (and it's a large flatscreen). I am rarely able to see movies at home so I enjoyed relaxing in the cabin.

We boarded in Singapore and were given zone boarding based on when we got to the terminal. We got there at 11 and were in the first group after elites. I think we were on by noon, mostly due to delays with Singapore immigration.

Not entertainment but I wanted to mention:

Princess put up a tropical fruit buffet the sea day after Hong Kong that must've cost them a fortune. It was fantastic and VERY popular with the passengers. It was on the pool deck.

You picked a great first cruise. The service, people and ports were incredible.

The last I read, Izumi was $20 for 90 minutes... and I'd decided that was a little too much for a 'hot bath'. It seems they've reduced the price by $5 and added 30 minutes (I guess they weren't getting enough 'takers'). Perhaps I'll reconsider.

Are they still selling buckets of beer (5 for the price of 4) at deck bars? Wait!...I've just realised it would be less expensive to 'stock up' with unopened beer during happy hour.

There were cultural folkloric shows brought on in several of the ports -Vietnam,Hong Kong and Shanghai I think - and we enjoyed those.

 

 

 

I really enjoyed watching Grease and Mamma Mia on MUTS on sunny sea days.

 

 

 

Sea days had movies like Bridge of Spies, Cinderella, Independence Day and The Martian - either on MUTS or in the Princess Theater or both. There were a lot of movies.

 

 

 

Sea days also had interesting art lectures that I went to and shopping, which I mostly skipped. And of course, trivia.

 

 

 

The regular production shows were very popular but we never went. There were no comedians(I'm sure it's impossible to book someone who would appeal to such a diverse crowd of cultures).

 

 

 

In our case jet-lag, and the port-intensive nature of this cruise, made for very early nights anyway.They did have a lot of fairly current movies for free on the TV (and it's a large flatscreen). I am rarely able to see movies at home so I enjoyed relaxing in the cabin.

 

 

 

We boarded in Singapore and were given zone boarding based on when we got to the terminal. We got there at 11 and were in the first group after elites. I think we were on by noon, mostly due to delays with Singapore immigration.

 

 

 

Not entertainment but I wanted to mention:

 

 

 

Princess put up a tropical fruit buffet the sea day after Hong Kong that must've cost them a fortune. It was fantastic and VERY popular with the passengers. It was on the pool deck.

 

 

 

You picked a great first cruise. The service, people and ports were incredible.

This is really great information. Thank you

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