AMA Vietnam

[Denmom]

Oops, found it using "Advanced Search"; but it was too late to edit my post. The peculiar review appeared in posts on the "Other Cruise Lines" and "All River Cruise Roll Calls" boards.

 

StarJade - As you become more accustomed to CruiseCritic, you will note that there are sometimes dramatic extremes in reviews or comments regarding cruising experiences. Many of us discount the radical extremes, whether negative or positive. In this case, Visaview has only made three posts on CruiseCritic, two of which were the same rant that you quoted. A number of posters on the thread on the Roll Calls board made good responses to the clearly disgruntled poster, who never responded to any of the later comments or questions. It appears that some people are not remotely suited for travel anywhere other than in North America or Western Europe. One might be well advised to give this rant little consideration.

 

As for my partner & me, we are eagerly anticipating our 3-week adventure in Vietnam and Cambodia in November, a highlight of which will be the Mekong River cruise on La Marguerite. Frankly, we do not think it likely that we will meet any fellow passengers who are so ill-traveled or prejudiced that they do not understand the nature of the countries we will be visiting, since the sort of savvy travelers who choose destinations such as this normally go into the adventure with their eyes (and minds) open. In the unfortunate event that we do indeed come across any such persons, we will waste little of our precious travel time with them.

 

Cheers, Fred

 

 

 

Fred, I wish there was a "like" button and I would just like you. But I agree 100%. The person giving that review obviously doesn't realize it IS a third world country. And you have to expect some things to be different. But overall, I think it will be an unbelievable experience that I can't wait to do. We are going in July 2012 and will be gone a total of 19 or 20 days. (we still have to grab miles for the return so we will see) lol

 

I am more excited about this trip than any I have been on.

[doreen22]

We are on the Nov 15 Amalotus, only 3 months to go:D.

 

I just finished a novel set in contemporary Vietnam. As one review says

"essential reading for anyone mulling a trip to Hanoi". It is a really good read as well as enlightening re Vietnam.

The book is "The Beauty of Humanity Movement" by Camilla Gibb.

 

Susan

[sdianem]

P.S. sorry, did not realize you and I had already communicated ! I am still a bit of a novice on this board and how to navigate the "THREADS/POSTS" ... hope I can find you again once I sign out, have a great day, Leslie P.

 

Leslie,

Check out this board for my July 20th reply to yours (I don't want to reptype it!).

We have been out of country for past few weeks and am now recovering and emailed Vietnam embassy for Visa prices. No response yet. Am going to do what 2FL Travlers did and get that one on my own. Will check with AMA on Cambodian situation and may also get electronic version.

Am also revisiting my wardrobe as to what to bring for a hot, humid, dusty climate (after Hanoi). We were in just such a place for a few days and I wish I had tops with long sleeves as the sun nearly killed me even with sunscreen.

Sylvia

[mike35]

We leave four weeks from today for the 9/13 La Marguerite Hanoi to HCM. This will be our second time to Saigon, having previously visited during an Oceania cruise that allowed us two days in port. We absolutely loved that experience, and we are SO anxious to now be able to see Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, and the ports and experiences in Cambodia. I've searched roll calls but haven't found anyone else on this sailing who has signed in to Cruise Critic.

[ReturnCruiser]

We leave four weeks from today for the 9/13 La Marguerite Hanoi to HCM. This will be our second time to Saigon, having previously visited during an Oceania cruise that allowed us two days in port. We absolutely loved that experience, and we are SO anxious to now be able to see Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, and the ports and experiences in Cambodia. I've searched roll calls but haven't found anyone else on this sailing who has signed in to Cruise Critic.

 

We're on the Lotus, departing 11/1. Have a great trip. Looking forward to hearing about your experiences.

 

Bob

[2Fltravelers]

Sorry all for taking time away from this thread. I see there are many of you booked on this trip so I will try to answer questions.

 

I found our HCM City guide through these boards. He has been highly recommended on every thread I read. He is Zoom and I will provide his contact information if you ask as I know that it is a no-no to provide it unsolicited. We booked a full day tour with him and he met us with a driver at our hotel at 8AM and dropped us back at 5PM. We worked with him by email narrowing down our day which was a big help.

 

As for Halong Bay, our weather was chilly, foggy and drizzling which provided a very surreal experience. Certainly not at all like the clear pictures in the tourist brochures with the blue skies! There was an optional cave tour offered which my husband did and I stayed on the junk. The entire tour was about 1.5 hours and not very strenuous. AMA has a joint venture partner that handles all of the water craft called Indochina Sails. They had. 3 junks exclusively for us on the bay. The evening we were on the bay another junk actually sunk (not an Indochina Sails but one that takes tourists on overnights). we heard about it the next day as we were traveling to the airport. The Vietnamese government halted all junk trips for a couple of days to investigate. Apparently, this was the first such incident but I never independently confirmed that. The ships are well-appointed with private cabins and bathroom facilities en-suite. The service was excellent and the food very good. I recall reading that there is another junk with the word Ginger in the name that is highly rated. We saw her on the bay and she looked as nice as our junk. We were told to just bring an overnight bag for the trip as it was only one night. I can't imagine that you would want to spend more than a couple of nights at the most on the junk. We did not have the opportunity to kayak or anything like that which I heard was a nice activity.

[PhillyGirl2]

Thanks to all of the great advice and review from 2Fltravelers, my husband and I just returned from the Hanoi to Saigon trip. While our experience may have been a little different due to the time of the year, the advice and review were spot on. We did not encounter bad weather--just humid, Halong Bay had gorgeous weather--could swim on the beach and use the sun deck on the junk--we did get to see Ho Chi Minh's body--creepy but interesting and I asked the guide why some people were unable to see it on earlier trips and was told that this portion of the mausoleum closes for a few months each year. Anyway, if anyone has any questions about our recent experiences or needs any advice, please feel free to ask. I may not be as thorough as 2Fltravelers, but I may be able to give you some feedback that you can use. AMA took care of our Cambodia visas at the Siem Reap airport--collected passports, took $20 and in the morning our guide returned them to us. Again, thanks for all of the advice 2Fltravlers and as they stated--it "is the trip of a lifetime"--educational, eye opening , and your perception of these countries will change with this visit. AMA did a great job!!

[Denmom]

Thanks to all of the great advice and review from 2Fltravelers, my husband and I just returned from the Hanoi to Saigon trip. While our experience may have been a little different due to the time of the year, the advice and review were spot on. We did not encounter bad weather--just humid, Halong Bay had gorgeous weather--could swim on the beach and use the sun deck on the junk--we did get to see Ho Chi Minh's body--creepy but interesting and I asked the guide why some people were unable to see it on earlier trips and was told that this portion of the mausoleum closes for a few months each year. Anyway, if anyone has any questions about our recent experiences or needs any advice, please feel free to ask. I may not be as thorough as 2Fltravelers, but I may be able to give you some feedback that you can use. AMA took care of our Cambodia visas at the Siem Reap airport--collected passports, took $20 and in the morning our guide returned them to us. Again, thanks for all of the advice 2Fltravlers and as they stated--it "is the trip of a lifetime"--educational, eye opening , and your perception of these countries will change with this visit. AMA did a great job!!

 

 

So how was the weather? We will be doing the Cambodia to Saigon next July and wondered about weather (rain) and if there was any problem with the river being low.

 

Also, did you do the river cruise and land combo??? We are doing land on our own so wondering how that will work for visa. We fly into Hanoi for 6 days prior to going to Cambodia though. Did you get your Vietnam visa prior to the cruise?

 

We will be on the AMALotus ship so I know you were on a different river boat but wondered if it had a pool and was it ever used? What about bikes - was there any time to ride the bikes the river cruise offered for free? I have so many questions but my mind is blank right now. This is our first river cruise so we are unclear of anything.

[PhillyGirl2]

The weather at the end of July through mid-August was supposed to be the rainy season but we saw little in the way of rain. It seemed to rain at convenient times--after we finished the tour of Angkor Wat, after we boarded the ship, after we checked into our hotels, etc. It was hot, but no hotter than we are used to during Philadelphia summers, however, it was very humid. I think that your ship is the sister ship and newer than the one that we were on. We did get our VISAs directly through the Vietnam Embassy in Washington. You need a multiple entry one for Vietnam and it cost $120 per person, quite a bit cheaper than going through AMA or another service. You do need to mail it a certain way and enclose a self-addressed, stamped return envelope. This process was a little pricey but still made it worthwhile. The passports with the Vietnam VISAs took about a week to get back. We got the Cambodia VISA when we flew to Siem Reap. The AMA representative collected them when we landed, asked for the $20 fee and then took care of getting the required VISA. I went back and read the poor review by someone on this cruise. I must say that we have nothing but positive things to say about it. If you want to call Cambodia and Vietnam third world countries, in a way you would be right but if I want to see McDonald's and Starbucks, I will stay in the US. There was poverty and yes, the river was muddy but we got to go into the villages, see the people, interact with them, see things that we only read about in history class and got to meet people whose lives were altered due to the war but who continue to try and make the best of things and strive to improve what they have. Hanoi and Saigon are huge cities, Saigon much more modern and upscale than Hanoi but throughout the trip whether it was visiting a Buddhist monastary or the Killing Fields, every day was a learning experience that left a lasting impression. I'm grateful for having the opportunity to visit these countries. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

[harveyheron]

We are scheduled to be on the Viking Mekong Vietnam and Cambodia trip in january 2012. Can't wait to hear about your trip when you return! Have a wonderful time.....and take lots of notes.

p.s. we are going backwards and starting our trip with the extension to Ha Long bay!

 

:)Looking forward to cruise/land tour in Vietnam and Cambodia with the Viking Cruiselines in September 2011. At the end of 15 days we are extending 3 days in Ha Long Bay.

[freddie]

I thought that I'd posted this question previously; but I can't find it. (Lordie, these little memory lapses are getting annoying - I hope that I remember what boat we'll be boarding in Siem Reap...) In any event, I would request that 2FLT and anyone else who has been on this cruise or is booked on it to weigh in on the issue of anti-malarials.

 

It appears that both on certain portions of the river cruise and on certain portions of the land tour we will be in areas considered high risk for malaria. Did you or your compatriots take anti-malarial drugs for this adventure?

 

We are going to see our travel doc next week to determine what we need for the trip.

 

It's my impression that one is not usually on land at night during the river cruise. Did you experience mosquitos on the boat while it was moored at night? If the malaria risk is moderate, it is often adequate to simply use reasonable efforts to avoid mosquitos.

 

And thoughts or experiences would be most welcome.

 

Cheers, Fred

[rosiefinch]

I'm excited about going on the AMA Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City land/river trip starting October 25 2011, boarding La Marguerite on October 31 for the Mekong cruise, and have been doing my homework re safety precautions as I've not been to a third world country before. I've read and been told that it's wise to avoid salads, raw vegetables, fruit which doesn't have to be peeled and any meat that hasn't been well cooked (as well as ice and tap water). I found some menus and pictures of the meals served on La Marguerite, and they look delicious, but quite a number of the items I was warned about seem to be included. Also, one poster mentions being given iced juice when returning from an excursion. I don't want to get sick during this wonderful vacation, but am puzzled. Is the kitchen hygiene on the ship better than on land, and are people able to enjoy these culinary delights without worrying about nasty after effects? I have Dukoral to take before I leave. Thanks for any advice!

Edited September 4, 2011 by rosiefinch

[J_M_F]

All fresh fruits and vegetables are washed in bottled water. The ice is made from bottled water and bottled water is provided in the rooms. I wouldn't be concerned about what you eat or drink on the ship. The village markets - that's another matter.

 

We didn't use malaria pills on our trip because we weren't really in the jungle (as opposed to our upper Amazon trip), but you should consult with a travel doctor.

Jeff

[PhillyGirl2]

We did not take any anti-malarial drugs and were told by AMA that we would not be traveling anywhere where it should be an issue. We were also advised that some people become sick from taking these drugs. In fact, one person on the Mekong River cruise said that she started taking the drugs and then stopped because it caused her stomach distress. As far as food, as was stated in another message, all of the food, salads, ice cubes, vegetables are washed and made with filtered water--it was never an issue and we ate lots of sald and had iced drinks. Even in the hotels, we were given bottled water and told that they use filtered water, it stands to reason. Why would any hotel or river cruise risk making people sick? You will see that you will be given a new toothbrush every day on the ship and in the hotels and junk just to keep you safe. While Vietnam and Cambodia can qualify as 3rd world countries (I guess eventhough they have malls and KFC and many other luxurious amenities), we never had to deal with some of the things we dealt with in China (like absence of western style toilets). Do take insect repellent (40%) deet. We only used it once and that was when we went to see the Cambodian stronghold which I guess qualified as a jungle. I would assume that since we were there in August, the bug issue would have been at its worst, but we had no problem. Let me know if you need any other advice.

[rosiefinch]

I'm doing the AMA land/cruise, starting Oct. 26 2011, and have been working on my packing list and buying moisture-wicking, quick-dry clothing. Your packing list was interesting and close to what I have, but I read that the smaller planes we'll be using to get from place to place impose a limit of one 40 lb. checked in bag each, so am wondering how you managed to keep to that with everything on your list? (Perhaps you have a kind spouse who lets you overflow into his suitcase, as my late husband did!).

 

Another question, re the Cambodia visa: I gather we can get these at the airport at Siem Reap for $20 US (I am Canadian!) but have read that one can get an "e-visa" online, at a cost of $25. I thought this might cut down on wait time on the trip, and wondered if anyone has done this and if it was OK? The website says they are accepted at Siem Reap, but one never knows.

 

I'm also wondering if it's safe to eat salads, iced drinks, fresh herbs, raw veggies, fruit etc. on the cruise ship, as I've been warned keep away from these items while over there, but see they are part of the menus offered. I'm really looking forward to enjoying the local cuisine, but don't want to get sick!

[lindainmex]

My friend and I are booked on this trip that begins in Hanoi on Dec6,2011. We will be arriving in Hanoi on Dec.3, so we can hang out there for a few days on our own.

[lindainmex]

Thank you, PhillyGirl2,

I live in Mexico so I thought I would check with the Vietnam Embassy in Mexico City to see if I could get my VISA through them. What I got back was a direct link to the vietnamvisa on line service. Oh dear----what to do.

Cheers,

Lorna

 

 

Lorna, I am also going on Dec.6 trip. I live at Lake Chapala. Where are you?

[exsausd]

Hi,

 

My wife and I are also booked on the same trip in December. Look forward to meeting you.

 

Armand and Doris

[snorkling lady]

Lorna, I am also going on Dec.6 trip. I live at Lake Chapala. Where are you?

Hi Linda,

I am in El Parque in San Antonio Tlay. And you?

Cheers,

Lorna

[snorkling lady]

Hi Linda,

I am in El Parque in San Antonio Tlay. And you?

Cheers,

Lorna

PS: I also posted on the roll call - for some odd reason, I had a hard time finding this post initially.

[Denmom]

Anyone want to tell about getting their visas? How they got them, cost of them, single or multiple entry for Vietnam? Just wondering. We are in July 2012 but I have never been so excited about a trip. ;)

[PhillyGirl2]

We went through the Vietnam Embassy to get our VISAS. You can download the forms from their website. We needed a multiple entry VISA because we entered in Hanoi, then went to Cambodia and then re-entered Vietnam. The cost was $120 per person (cheaper than cruise line offers). The cost of mailing it properly, with a return envelope was not cheap, but it still cost less than getting it through the cruise company. It took about 6 days to get our passports back with the Vietnam VISA. As far as Cambodia, you can get one at the airport in Cambodia but we had someone from our cruise company collect our passports after we landed in Siem Reap and they were returned to us the next morning with the Cambodian VISA attached. The VISA cost $20 per person.

Hope this helps

[rosiefinch]

I am pretty excited too!! I used an international visa service, just to be on the safe side. They charge a fee, but it was a good move as they check that everything is correct and saw that I needed a multiple entry visa for the land/cruise trip, which I hadn't realized. Including the fee, it cost me $265 Canadian (as I am Canadian) but we are close to par with the $US. The Cambodian visa can be done at the airport at Siem Reap - I believe it costs $20, and I'm taking along a passport photo for this purpose. I've read that you can apply online and print off a Cambodian "e-visa" for $25, which it says is accepted in Siem Reap, but I figure that if the rest of the group are getting theirs at the airport anyway there would be no advantage, plus it costs another $5.

 

On the AMAwaterways website, if you click on Reservations, then Travel Resources, then Mekong trip, there is a lot of information to be found.

[Denmom]

We went through the Vietnam Embassy to get our VISAS. You can download the forms from their website. We needed a multiple entry VISA because we entered in Hanoi, then went to Cambodia and then re-entered Vietnam. The cost was $120 per person (cheaper than cruise line offers). The cost of mailing it properly, with a return envelope was not cheap, but it still cost less than getting it through the cruise company. It took about 6 days to get our passports back with the Vietnam VISA. As far as Cambodia, you can get one at the airport in Cambodia but we had someone from our cruise company collect our passports after we landed in Siem Reap and they were returned to us the next morning with the Cambodian VISA attached. The VISA cost $20 per person.

Hope this helps

 

 

Thanks both of you.

 

Another question - you said the cost of mailing it properly???? How long did it take from filling out form and mailing it to returning it? And when did you mail it to??? Did you need photos for the application.

 

I ask because we have so much booked I am trying to decide when I will be getting our visas. Plus, someone told me it is like China and you can't get them before 90 days before traveling there. We also need a multible entry as we will go to Hanoi, then Cambodia and cruise to Vietnam. So we really have to figure this out.

 

Aruba - Jan 7 - 14

Cruise FEb 4 - 11

Cruise Mar 4 - 11

Arizona April (not booked yet)

Cruise May (can't remember dates but have to check if we need visa in Dubai or Singapore or the ports we stop in on that cruise)

 

My hubby just had to renew his passport and it cost a bit more as he had to express mail it off and express mail it back. Still was about 2 weeks.

 

So, I think I have a valid worry here. ;)

[sdianem]

You need one photo for Visa application plus you need one for Cambodia Visa and one for temple entrance at Angor Wat (per AMA).

The cost I paid at our local post office was about $13 for the envelope to the embassy, mailing costs (which included certfied mail), and the envelope with the passports returned to us. The application states specifically what tye of mail to use

We live in Arizona and it took about 7 calendar days from the time we mailed the application off to the embassy in Washington DC to the time we received it at home.

As to the time frame, I do not recall seeing any mention of how far in advance you can apply. I applied the end of august for a mid December trip. You can always call the embassy.

This was our second time getting their Visa on our own and it was flawless.