AMA Vietnam

[amyr]

I thought I would bump this back up for anyone looking into a Mekong trip. I was digging around in the thread looking for the visa information and realized it was chock full of good info for anyone beginning their planning, and it had gotten long buried. I think it's mostly about AMA since Uniworld, et al hadn't begun their trips yet, but still a lot of good info.

[alexandra cruiser]

look for my AMAlotus thread,,with more info..only thing about this thread ,,its SO long,,hard to find info.

Had to ask separately re.Cambodian visa,,,and found out that AMA DOES get it for you,,,just pay $20. and have passport photos.Or more if no photos...

Mentioned I go in Dec...and my TA did NOT know this,,,and never heard from AMA YET,,,maybe later.

Did start roll call,,,but no one else YET,,,but common for river cruises since so small .;)

[amyr]

Your thread is great, Alexandra, I was just reading through this whole thread to prepare for my cruise and I remembered that the visas were discussed at great length. I still haven't decided whether to do the visa on arrival or send my passport away for Vietnam. I'll just let the tour guide handle Cambodia like everyone else did.

 

Mainly, though, Denmom should be back by now (I think she was going the first of July) and I was hoping it would ping her and she would report back!

Edited August 2, 2012 by amyr

[alexandra cruiser]

gave me the link of website AMA refers cruisers to...maybe you can get it from yours or AMA direct,,since we cant put them here.

 

Visa on arrival sounds ok,,if getting there early,,but we dont get in till 9 30 at nite and fear office may be closed or long wait. Plus I dont have equipment to send copy of passport photo(no scan)..so will go with just sending visa to company recommended...Have done so for other countries in past and had no problem...

Yes,look forward to some new reviews..hopefully some of the problems of the past cleared up. Think you got the photos from Viv(on Amalotus thread)??They were great and helped get better idea of what to expect.When is your cruise?Mines in Dec.;)

[amyr]

Yeah, we'll probably get the visa ahead. I may even use ZVS (Zierer) since they did a good job with our Chinese visas. We're getting in late also, and when I was reading through this thread, I saw that someone (Freddie?) commented that they had some visa troubles on their cruise - some did the visa on arrival and since they were bleary-eyed, didn't notice that the official didn't stamp them for double entry.

 

I did get the photos from Viv - lovely. I also found some other photos from the maiden voyage, but can't post here because it was a travel agent. I noticed from all the photos that while the ships are nearly identical, the furnishings are much richer looking on La Marguerite. Cabins much nicer looking and the Saigon Lounge as well. I don't think that matters much though. We're going right before you - November 27 (cruise starts on Dec 3). We tried to get the La Marguerite that started a couple of days after that to avoid flying around Thanksgiving, but it was chartered.

[freddie]

amyr - We did not have visa troubles on our cruise last November. We used and would heartily recommend both eVisa for Cambodia and Visa on Arrival for Vietnam. Although we arrived at a late hour into the Hanoi airport, the visa desk was staffed. There was some confusion amongst that staff regarding which forms needed to be completed; but that was quickly sorted out. The small delay we had at the visa desk had no bearing on when we were able to leave the airport, as our luggage had not yet arrived at the carousel by the time we exited Immigration Control.

 

It is also our impression (although solely from photos and comments from passengers) that the quality of room decoration (wood walls, carved ceilings, etc.) may be a bit better on La Marguerite than on AmaLotus.

 

Have a great cruise. Late November/early December is a very good time to cruise the Mekong, in our experience.

 

Cheers, Fred

[amyr]

So is wasn't someone on your cruise? I know I read somebody's report that made mention that others on their ship had visa trouble - not because of the eVisa per se, but because they didn't realize the officials had stamped their double entry visa 'used' when in fact it wasn't. I made a mental note to remember that if we did eVisa.

 

And I agree, it does appear from photos and video that the two ships aren't the same and that the AMALotus is definitely not as attractive. Even some of the public areas - the pictures I saw from the Saigon Lounge made it look like airline interior, circa 1985. I just hope that they work out the odors, a/c problems, and water pressure/temperature issues I've read about that don't seem to be on La Marguerite.

 

Denmom? Calling Denmom!

[Denmom]

I see action has been going on on this thread but didn't have a chance to read it all except the last comment.

 

I was suppose to be on the Amalotus on July 2nd but on April 27th I received a bad head concussion and now suffer post concussion syndrome. So all trips have been canceled. Our first trip since the concussion will be to Hawaii on Aug 15 to see if I can fly and travel. That what an American hospital if needed. And believe me, i have spent lots of time at the hospital. This can last up to a year and even though in the beginning it was all physical, it is now all psychological. Which hasn't been great and has put me on alot of medicine that I am still taking. So if Hawaii goes great we will do our Nassau trip in Sept, and our Transatlantic cruise in Oct. They let us reschedule the Mekong River Cruise for April 22nd, 2013. We had no Insurance on the July cruise so we lost some money but if we booked to do the same cruise on the same ship by April 2013 they would apply the rest. So we upgraded to balcony and got the insurance and will go for it again hopefully.

 

So I can't help anyone.

 

Luckily, the doctor let me know two weeks before the river cruise that I couldn't travel so we never got the visas. He had told me when i got the concussion that I probably wouldn't be able to go.

 

We will be doing a multiple entry though since we will fly to Hanoi for a few days on our own, then to Cambodia for the cruise then a day or two in Saigon. We did cut the trip from 18 days to 15 days just because I was getting anxiety attacks thinking About it. But it will be right at a year since the head injury so hopefully I will be fully recovered far before that.

 

Sorry I can't help but anyone going between theirs and April 2013, give me some updates.

Edited August 6, 2012 by Denmom

[amyr]

Oh no, Denmom, ouch, ouch, ouch. I'm sorry to hear you've been struggling. I should have known when you didn't come back to give us a report. And, that reminds me, our final payment is due next month and I have to buy some insurance. We usually weigh the cost of the trip and the situations at home (two elderly mothers) and decide whether to buy or not, but we will on this one for sure.

 

I do have a couple of questions about some of the included AMA tours in Hanoi and HCMC for anyone who's been. I'm trying to work out my private tours with HanoiKids, et al, and I don't want to double up. All the reviews I've seen as well as the brochure have stated visits 'to' some places but not whether you've gone 'in' and how much time spent. Specifically:

 

Hanoi - how much time at the Temple of Literature?

HCMC - did you go inside Reunification Palace and up to the roof, and did you go inside the Post Office or Notre Dame Cathedral?

[ReturnCruiser]

When we went on this trip in late 2011, the AMA tour group spent about an hour at the Temple of Literature and perhaps about the same time at Reunification Palace. At the palace, the time did not permit going up to the roof - but we did view all the interior rooms on the first and second floors. We did a cathedral and post office stop on our own with a local guide. The AMA tour, as I recall, did not stop at either the cathedral or post office.

[EKML]

When we went on this trip in late 2011, the AMA tour group spent about an hour at the Temple of Literature and perhaps about the same time at Reunification Palace. At the palace, the time did not permit going up to the roof - but we did view all the interior rooms on the first and second floors. We did a cathedral and post office stop on our own with a local guide. The AMA tour, as I recall, did not stop at either the cathedral or post office.

 

We were also on an AMA tour last year, and we did stop at both the cathedral and post office-both beautiful buildings. The cathedral was closed and we did not get to go inside, but we did go into the post office.

[amyr]

Thanks guys, that helps. I was mainly concerned about the temple and the palace - seems like we can get back there on our own if need be. It's getting close to final payment for us - we've convinced two friends to join us and have two more mulling it over. So excited!

[mlk58]

Alexandra, when are you going? We will be on MS Marguerite on December 4!

[amyr]

I tried to book on La Marguerite for December 4, but they told my travel agent it was chartered! Are you part of a charter group? We ended up on the November 27 trip on AMALotus, the cruise portion of which starts on December 3. I think Alexandra is going a week or so later than you are.

[alexandra cruiser]

Alexandra, when are you going? We will be on MS Marguerite on December 4!

 

leaving US on Dec 24,,,yes,,over xmas,,but that s when DH has off,,,will just celebrate day before we leave...funny,,since my son is a firefighter and I m a nurse,we always seem to have to work that day (so no problem) with date.:)

[shoshona2]

Hi,

 

I've been all around the World and to Vietnam several times. I'm always so surprised to hear that some people do NOT take out insurance when visiting foreign countries, especially ones without good medical facilities. I, for one, would not like to be left behind if I tripped and fell and broke a leg. It has happened to people on our travels. I have insurance which includes evacuation and just add it to the cost of travel.

 

Sheila

[amyr]

Right you are, Sheila! That's another reason we need to buy insurance for this one. As an airline employee, my company insurance always included extraction and evacuation as well as world-wide medical coverage. I retired in June, though, and now we're on my husband's insurance. Before we always just weighed the cost of losing the trip vs. the insurance, but now we need the whole enchilada.

 

I've started my reading for the trip. I just finished The Lotus Eaters by Tatjana Soli. It's a novel set in-country from about 1965 until the fall of Saigon following two photographers. Very well researched, well written - highly recommend. It's $3.99 on Kindle for the Month of August only. Next up: Under the Banyan Tree, a Khmer Rouge novel of Cambodia.

[mlk58]

What? I hadn't heard about MS La Marguerite being chartered for the Dec. 4 sailing! I will have to look into that because the last thing I want is for us to be the odd people out in a charter group!

[amyr]

Hmm, when did you book it? It must not be chartered if they gave you a cabin. I'm trying to remember when we booked - it was probably September or October, because we were way ahead of when you can book mileage air (331 days). My t/a came back and said that date on La Marguerite was chartered and I was really disappointed because I would prefer that ship and the dates were a little easier with Thanksgiving and all. As it is now we have to leave the Friday after Turkey Day to get there for this one.

[Denmom]

I do understand that many people do buy Insurance and feel people that don't are uneducated on traveling. We have completed 56 cruises and have been lucky to never have a problem. Since we fly free, that is never in the situation as far as refunded. As far as this river cruise, we planned to buy insurance but since it was almost $800 for the two of us (versus around 30 to 80 pp on regular cruises) we thought it was somewhat crazy to pay 800 to get back 3000. (we had booked the port hole cabin). Of course, as our parents get more elderly, we knew the day was coming very soon to start paying insurance and matter fact, had bought insurance on our Oct cruise due to this. And we had always been very healthy. So, even though we will probably start buying insurance, our loss wasn't even enough to pay the insurance and we now upgraded to a balcony on the rescheduled cruise. We know each cruise we go on we could very clearly lose money on the cruise if we have to cancel for any reason. But we don't only cruise, we travel all over the country and we would run into the same situation with medical rather it is by cruise and/or by land. Plus, we have seen so many people on cruises that have to pay alot of their medical because the doctor isn't in and has to be called in and/ or they just send you to the local hospital. One guy on our last fall TA got a nose bleed and it wouldn't stop. He paid 250 out of pocket because it wasn't scheduled hours for the doctor and they had insurance.

 

Anyway, we have saved a lot of money in the 56 cruises we have done - now, we will rethink our future in cruising regarding insurance. Thinking about going outside the cruises and get travel Insurane to cover us for all medical no matter where we travel to. That will probably be worth it for us since we enjoy both cruises and land trips outside the US.

 

As far as the Mekong cruise, after spending a lot of time with my doctor in the last 4 months, I will be taking the malaria pills or shots also. Those going in the. Ext few months, please let us know your experience in getting multiple entry visas and if you have any problems as the one person did. Thanks in advance.

[mlk58]

Amy, I asked my travel agent about your comment and she explained that AMA doesn't own the ship, but it is owned by a Vietnamese company, and AMA "charters" it, in a sense. Perhaps your TA was confused. She promised me that it is not "chartered" in the sense of "booked by a large group who are all together."

[amyr]

Yeah, we knew that the whole ship is chartered by AMA from Indochina Sails, but it was AMA that wouldn't let her book your date for us (and put us on the AMALotus four days ahead) telling her a group had booked it. We had wondered since APT owns part of AMA, and there was a definite difference in how the Australians and Americans are handled on board with tipping and tour group assignments, if APT had the whole ship reserved for a large Australian group. Obviously not since you're booked - perhaps it was initially chartered and whoever booked it let it go, or perhaps she had a rep on the phone that wasn't very good.

 

I'm trying to remember how long ago we booked - I know AMALotus wasn't up and running yet. Our main goal was to get away from Thanksgiving. No matter now, we were able to get our airplane seats with mileage, and we've worked it all out. I really would have preferred the other ship though, now that the reviews are streaming in.

[mlk58]

Crazy. Hopefully we won't be in the midst of a gigantic convention! ;)

[amyr]

I think you'll be fine. I'm guessing that whoever had the cabins booked let them go. I wish I had had my t/a check one more time before we booked our flights, but no matter now. It's going to be here before you know it! Our cruise starts December 3, but the tour itself begins in Hanoi on November 27. What are your dates again? I think there's only a couple of days difference.

[mlk58]

Our start date in Hanoi is December 4. (Arrive Dec 4, first actual activities start Dec 5.) We just firmed up all our air arrangements this past week, and made our final payment to AMA, so we are super excited!!

 

Our son is stationed with the Marines in Japan, and we figured out a way to do a quick 4-day visit with him on the way home, so we are SUPER DUPER excited about that, too!

 

Question: Are you getting the "visa on arrival" letters for Vietnam from one of the online services? If so, which one?