Viking China (Part 2)

[bettybc]

We did the 3 week cruise tour with Viking River Cruises in late April/early May of this year. The experience was exhausting but in a good way - it was a good way to see to much of China and Tibet in a very short time.

 

Our group of 66 was divided into to two groups of 34 and 32 people with each group having their own guide throughout the tour as well as having 'local' guides at every stop. We had great access to many of the museums and temples. The highlights for us were the Terra Cotta Soldiers and Tibet. The other highlight was a rural school in China that Viking River cruises supports through donations. The children there were the same as everywhere and as most on the cruise were grandparents, a great time was had by all.

 

Luggage was never an issue - porters took care of all the larger bags and once we arrived in China, our responsibility was to have the larger suitcases packed and outside our hotel rooms by the designated times. Weight was only an issue flying out of Tibet. But be aware that you are not allowed to carry previously opened liquor in your larger suitcase. Dear hubbie had his Crown Royal confiscated and one of our fellow travellers lost his expensive scotch.

 

This is not a tour for the faint of heart - it's go, go, go with very little down time, even when you get on the river cruise part of the trip. There is a lot of walking involved, much on uneven ground and with many steps up and down the various museums as well as to and from the river boat. Personally, I suffered from mild altitude sickness when in Tibet so my participation there was somewhat limited to level ground, slow walking. My husband was able to fully participate and for him, the highlight was the climb up the Potela (the winter palace of the Dali Lama).

 

The positives were the hotels we stayed at, the guides and the staff while on the Emerald. They were great. Once they knew your name and your preferences in the bars and dining room - these were not forgotten while on board the Emerald. Special kudos to "Lois", the bar manager, whose memory for names and preferences astounded us.

 

The down side - the food - we had read some negative comments about this previously but took it with a grain of salt. However, the ongoing 'family style' meals in local 'restaurants' got old very, very fast. This meant round tables with lazy susan delivery of various dishes of unknown origin to be shared - nothing wrong with the concept but the food was not inspired and seemed to be the same at every meal. Considering what was paid for the tour, I would have expected better food and restaurant choices than Viking provided. Our best 'local meal' was on our own in Shanghai where we went into a local establishment and ordered by pointing at the menu. Food was good, service was fast and polite, despite the language barrier.

 

As well, many of the stops involve what we jokingly refer to as the 'jewellery factory' - a compulsory factory shop. While I don't mind shopping, I prefer to shop in the markets and buy from local artisans in the local market places. On the discussion board I had read that the tailor on the Emerald would make anything you asked for if you asked early. I took a pattern with me and asked - No, was the answer. Only willing to make traditional clothes - no variation from what was being displayed.

 

That being said, breakfasts in the hotels were good (we were put up at two Fairmonts, a St Regis in Lhasa and a Hilton in Xi'an). Best supper (other than on the Emerald) had to be the fixed menu supper at the Fairmont Peace in Shanghai. The worst meal - well, we didn't go but stayed back at the hotel and had a very nice supper in the dining room at the St Regis - sorry, but I wasn't feeling well and the last thing I wanted to face was another 'interesting' (our guide's word not mine :-) )meal.

 

Also, word of warning regarding the flight to Lhasa - you have to be up by 4:30 AM to get your breakfast and catch your early morning flight!

 

I did enjoy this tour but think people should made aware that there are things Viking could do to improve things - more free time in the cities visited and less structured time, better restaurant picks and better flight times to Lhasa (0430 wake up call - UGH!!!). And if this is a trip you're considering, start exercising now. Lots of walking, lots of steps (uneven in many parts). Great trip but exhausting.

[bettybc]

If you have any questions my email address is b.downey@shaw.ca :-)

[Peregrina651]

 

But be aware that you are not allowed to carry previously opened liquor in your larger suitcase. Dear hubbie had his Crown Royal confiscated and one of our fellow travellers lost his expensive scotch.

 

 

Good tip. Among other things, unsealed bottle can leak--and they pose a security risk since they can be filled with something other than is stated on the label.

 

Personally, I suffered from mild altitude sickness when in Tibet so my participation there was somewhat limited to level ground, slow walking. My husband was able to fully participate and for him, the highlight was the climb up the Potela (the winter palace of the Dali Lama).

 

.

 

Did you take the altitude sickness pills that have been mentioned elsewhere on this thread?

[bettybc]

Yes, I took the diamox but think it aggravated my arthritis in my foot (known to aggravate gout so it makes sense). Just found that if I exerted myself at all my pulse went up so thought it best to be fairly inactive - no climb to the top of the Potella for me. But hubbie did the climb and his pics were amazing.

 

I was surprised that I had trouble but as pointed out when I got home we live about 4500 feet above sea level - nowhere's near the 12500 feet of altitude of the trip. Of course, it would have helped if I was fitter and not quite so heavy - LOL :-(

[Peregrina651]

Yes, I took the diamox but think it aggravated my arthritis in my foot (known to aggravate gout so it makes sense). Just found that if I exerted myself at all my pulse went up so thought it best to be fairly inactive - no climb to the top of the Potella for me. But hubbie did the climb and his pics were amazing.

 

I was surprised that I had trouble but as pointed out when I got home we live about 4500 feet above sea level - nowhere's near the 12500 feet of altitude of the trip. Of course, it would have helped if I was fitter and not quite so heavy - LOL :-(

 

Betty, imagine if you hadn't taken the diamox at all. Thank you. Very helpful for those who are considering the trip.

[molymoo]

Betty,

 

Thanks for the awesome information! It has been hard to find a lot of info about the roof of the world itinerary so we will take your information and advice to heart as our departure gets closer (7/17). We are trying to plan and be prepared for every eventuality and know that the pace is likely to be brutal. I will say, however, that both my daughter and I are used to hectic paces ... and of course the fact that she is only 33 helps on her end! I still work and generally put in 10 hour days in an elementary school and get up every day at 4:00 so I can be at my desk by 6:00 (I'm the principal and have lots of paperwork to be done before the students arrive). I am hoping to be able to participate fully in the excursions and have been doing time on the stairmaster so I can try to tackle the steps at Potala Palace!

 

Sorry to hear that the food was less than stellar ... I will admit to being notoriously "not picky" about food and if someone else does the cooking and washes the dishes it is generally "all good" with me but for the sake of variety we may take the opportunity to explore a bit on our own for dinner now and then. We will be doing a bit of that in Shanghai as we opted for the pre-extension there so we can recover a bit from the jet lag before the tour starts in earnest.

 

Again, thanks for the information! It will make the planning more meaningful and help us avoid unecessary suprises along the way! Glad the overall experience was great ... we are looking forward to the trip of a lifetime! :)

Edited June 10, 2013 by molymoo
mispelled word

[bettybc]

Didn't mean to sound overly negative. Just thought I should let people know some of the negatives that don't seem to be mentioned too often on this forum. i too am not a fussy eater and even tried every type of dumpling at the dumpling supper (despite some of my fellow travellers' cringing). Just think Viking (for the price you pay for this trip could have done better with the meal planning on shore - on the Emerald the meals were all good.

Have fun and be prepared by the end to be exhausted - jet lag is always worse for us coming home than going so we plan our extra time at the end of every trip :-)

[Viking Cruises]

We did the 3 week cruise tour with Viking River Cruises in late April/early May of this year. The experience was exhausting but in a good way - it was a good way to see to much of China and Tibet in a very short time.

 

Our group of 66 was divided into to two groups of 34 and 32 people with each group having their own guide throughout the tour as well as having 'local' guides at every stop. We had great access to many of the museums and temples. The highlights for us were the Terra Cotta Soldiers and Tibet. The other highlight was a rural school in China that Viking River cruises supports through donations. The children there were the same as everywhere and as most on the cruise were grandparents, a great time was had by all.

 

Luggage was never an issue - porters took care of all the larger bags and once we arrived in China, our responsibility was to have the larger suitcases packed and outside our hotel rooms by the designated times. Weight was only an issue flying out of Tibet. But be aware that you are not allowed to carry previously opened liquor in your larger suitcase. Dear hubbie had his Crown Royal confiscated and one of our fellow travellers lost his expensive scotch.

 

This is not a tour for the faint of heart - it's go, go, go with very little down time, even when you get on the river cruise part of the trip. There is a lot of walking involved, much on uneven ground and with many steps up and down the various museums as well as to and from the river boat. Personally, I suffered from mild altitude sickness when in Tibet so my participation there was somewhat limited to level ground, slow walking. My husband was able to fully participate and for him, the highlight was the climb up the Potela (the winter palace of the Dali Lama).

 

The positives were the hotels we stayed at, the guides and the staff while on the Emerald. They were great. Once they knew your name and your preferences in the bars and dining room - these were not forgotten while on board the Emerald. Special kudos to "Lois", the bar manager, whose memory for names and preferences astounded us.

 

The down side - the food - we had read some negative comments about this previously but took it with a grain of salt. However, the ongoing 'family style' meals in local 'restaurants' got old very, very fast. This meant round tables with lazy susan delivery of various dishes of unknown origin to be shared - nothing wrong with the concept but the food was not inspired and seemed to be the same at every meal. Considering what was paid for the tour, I would have expected better food and restaurant choices than Viking provided. Our best 'local meal' was on our own in Shanghai where we went into a local establishment and ordered by pointing at the menu. Food was good, service was fast and polite, despite the language barrier.

 

As well, many of the stops involve what we jokingly refer to as the 'jewellery factory' - a compulsory factory shop. While I don't mind shopping, I prefer to shop in the markets and buy from local artisans in the local market places. On the discussion board I had read that the tailor on the Emerald would make anything you asked for if you asked early. I took a pattern with me and asked - No, was the answer. Only willing to make traditional clothes - no variation from what was being displayed.

 

That being said, breakfasts in the hotels were good (we were put up at two Fairmonts, a St Regis in Lhasa and a Hilton in Xi'an). Best supper (other than on the Emerald) had to be the fixed menu supper at the Fairmont Peace in Shanghai. The worst meal - well, we didn't go but stayed back at the hotel and had a very nice supper in the dining room at the St Regis - sorry, but I wasn't feeling well and the last thing I wanted to face was another 'interesting' (our guide's word not mine :-) )meal.

 

Also, word of warning regarding the flight to Lhasa - you have to be up by 4:30 AM to get your breakfast and catch your early morning flight!

 

I did enjoy this tour but think people should made aware that there are things Viking could do to improve things - more free time in the cities visited and less structured time, better restaurant picks and better flight times to Lhasa (0430 wake up call - UGH!!!). And if this is a trip you're considering, start exercising now. Lots of walking, lots of steps (uneven in many parts). Great trip but exhausting.

 

Dear bettybc,

 

Welcome home from your cruise. We appreciate your candid feedback regarding your trip and are so happy to learn that overall you had a great time. You mentioned a few items that you feel we can improve on and we’d like to speak with you directly to learn more. If you’re open to it, please send an e-mail to TellUS@vikingcruises.com so we can put you in touch with a member of our Customer Relations team. Thank you!

 

Sincerely,

Viking Cruises

[cruisealw]

I also am not sure what a packing cube is.

We leave July 7th from Newark NJ and are flying air canada to Vancouver then on to Beijing. I will let you know how it is. We couldn't get a direct United flight so we took a star alliance member and used vikings' air option as it was the least expensive. We also booked late and couldn't use miles.

[B's Gramma]

Going to book with Air Canada executive first, about 3K cheaper than Viking could do, and we pick the flights. Going to go 2 days early to Shanghai, staying at The Kerry in Pudong, before moving to the Viking's selection of the Portman Ritz Carlton in Puxi. Will stay an extra day at the Westin Chaoyang in Beijing. Add a little relax time into a very busy itinerary. Dinner at the Black Sesame booked for November 28th! 160 days till we leave (not that I am counting....)

 

We had the best meal of a 5 week trip in Asia at Black Sesame. Truly wonderful food, service, and experience.

[rahrah50]

I received the confirmation of our reservation for 10 at Black Sesame Kitchen. There have been numerous mentions of how difficult it is to get to Black Sesame Kitchen. Has anyone done a prearranged shuttle or anything like that??? Was the hotel any help with transportation? With 10 of us I have concerns about getting there and back to the hotel.

[caribill]

The down side - the food - we had read some negative comments about this previously but took it with a grain of salt. However, the ongoing 'family style' meals in local 'restaurants' got old very, very fast. This meant round tables with lazy susan delivery of various dishes of unknown origin to be shared - nothing wrong with the concept but the food was not inspired and seemed to be the same at every meal. Considering what was paid for the tour, I would have expected better food and restaurant choices than Viking provided.

 

I agree that the round tables with the lazy Susan delivery and dishes that seemed similar at lunch at the land restaurants did get "old very, very fast."

 

However, the food was always of good quality and either the restaurant staff or our Viking guide was able to identify what each item was.

 

We did welcome our final land lunch which was a buffet instead of the lazy Susan service.

 

In a way, the lazy Susan experience over multiple days was similar to shore excursions we were on during a non-Viking cruise among the Greek Islands. For several days in a row, the shore excursions included a "typical Greek lunch" which ended up being the same every day.

[Turtles06]

I received the confirmation of our reservation for 10 at Black Sesame Kitchen. There have been numerous mentions of how difficult it is to get to Black Sesame Kitchen. Has anyone done a prearranged shuttle or anything like that??? Was the hotel any help with transportation? With 10 of us I have concerns about getting there and back to the hotel.

 

First, congrats on getting that reservation. BSK is phenomenal.

 

It should not be difficult to get to BSK, which is in the hutongs, but it can be a little hard to find the side street (alley) that it's on, which is well off the main road. From your hotel, you should not have a problem getting cabs --- the hotel should be able to help you with that. I'd be more concerned with getting back to the hotel, as you will have to find several cabs. (The only problem we encountered was getting a cab willing to take us back to our hotel. After a couple of cab drivers waved us off when we showed them the address card, we finally figured out we needed to jump in a cab, close the door, and only then show the driver the card with the address. This was two years go; it was a busy Friday night; YMMV.)

 

One thing you could do is send an email to the hotel concierge in advance and inquire about booking private cars for the evening, or a huge limo if they can get you that. (The hotel web site itself may even have a private car service listed.) It will be pricier than taking cabs, but you will have total piece of mind. But do make use of the concierge. They are they to help.

[Peregrina651]

Since I was looking it up for someone else, I thought I would post the link here as well.

 

CDC travelers' health information page.

 

This information is valid for all travelers, not just US residents.

[molymoo]

I also am not sure what a packing cube is.

We leave July 7th from Newark NJ and are flying air canada to Vancouver then on to Beijing. I will let you know how it is. We couldn't get a direct United flight so we took a star alliance member and used vikings' air option as it was the least expensive. We also booked late and couldn't use miles.

 

Cruiser,

 

Take a look at Amazon.com. Search "ebags packing cubes" and there will be lots to peruse. My daughter and I ordered several and this is the first time we will be using them. They will help keep your bag(s) organized which is really helpful when moving from hotel to hotel to ship to hotel, etc. We also have "folders" which can handle (and keep neat) the larger folded items (shirts, slacks, etc.). I will also have one smaller one in my carryon which will have the "emergency" clothing in the unlikely (I hope) event that my suitcase takes a detour and is delayed getting to Shanghai with me! It will hold some PJ's, underwear, a clean shirt and pants easily and keep it neat in the carryon should I need it.

 

I already have some of the cubes and one folder packed already (yes, I'm excited and a bit obsessive compulsive) and they look like they will be great!

[pacmom]

Just heard from our friend, Janos, the hotel manager on the Emerald---he is staying until 2015 to bring out the new ship---450 pax, movies theter and pool. He says it will be 5 star plus. This year the Emerald is sailing just about full--11,000 pax for the season. Hope the new ship brings the longer cruises back. We really enjoyed our 11 days on the river. Pat

[Turtles06]

Just heard from our friend, Janos, the hotel manager on the Emerald---he is staying until 2015 to bring out the new ship---450 pax, movies theter and pool. He says it will be 5 star plus. This year the Emerald is sailing just about full--11,000 pax for the season. Hope the new ship brings the longer cruises back. We really enjoyed our 11 days on the river. Pat

 

What new ship?

 

Half full -- that's rather sad.

[caribill]

Half full -- that's rather sad.

 

 

 

???

 

Poster said "just about full."

[Carol From California]

Just heard from our friend, Janos, the hotel manager on the Emerald---he is staying until 2015 to bring out the new ship---450 pax, movies theter and pool. He says it will be 5 star plus. This year the Emerald is sailing just about full--11,000 pax for the season. Hope the new ship brings the longer cruises back. We really enjoyed our 11 days on the river. Pat

 

Are you saying that they will be replacing the Emerald with a new ship in 2015? We are booked on the Emerald in 2014. What is a hotel manager on the ship?

[Turtles06]

???

 

Poster said "just about full."

 

Yes, total brain fart on my end; sorry! :o

[pacmom]

Janos did not say it was a replacement for the Emerald--there was talk in Oct when we were there about addind another ship.

 

The hotel mamager is in charge of the part of the ship that interfaces with the pax, housekeeping, dining,crew--like the GM in a land hotel. He is not in charge of engineering or "running" the ship.

[Peregrina651]

Just heard from our friend, Janos, the hotel manager on the Emerald---he is staying until 2015 to bring out the new ship---450 pax, movies theter and pool. He says it will be 5 star plus. This year the Emerald is sailing just about full--11,000 pax for the season. Hope the new ship brings the longer cruises back. We really enjoyed our 11 days on the river. Pat

 

Clarification: Viking is still doing the longer China's Cultural Delight's cruise in 2014. However, Viking is not repeating the longer itinerary China Explorer, which is based on the 5 day cruise, for 2014.

 

Also a question about new ship. Will it be a brand-new built especially for Viking ship or simply another refurbished ship like Emerald? Wow! 450 passengers! That will be the largest in the Viking fleet.

 

Someone asked what a hotel manager is. There are two key operations on a cruise vessel (any cruise vessel): the sailing of the ship and the tending to the people who are cruising. The Captain of the vessel is responsible for the sailing operation and for keeping the ship functional. The hotel manager is responsible for tending to the people so running the floating hotel, the food operations, the tour operations and anything else that affects the passengers.

 

 

 

.

[Peregrina651]

Janos did not say it was a replacement for the Emerald--there was talk in Oct when we were there about addind another ship.

 

The hotel mamager is in charge of the part of the ship that interfaces with the pax, housekeeping, dining,crew--like the GM in a land hotel. He is not in charge of engineering or "running" the ship.

 

Opps, sorry, pacman. Didn't see your response to house manager question before posting mine.

Edited June 18, 2013 by Peregrina651

[Quincy126]

We have received our travel documents today and in them it mentions the restrictions for carry on luggage on the internal flights. This is 5 kg and 21 x 15 x 7 inch. The carry on we were planning on taking is 8 inch wide because of pockets on the outside, I was wondering how strict they were and how they measure items.

 

Looks like I might have to do a rethink on our packing.

 

Pam

[CTGirl]

We have received our travel documents today and in them it mentions the restrictions for carry on luggage on the internal flights. This is 5 kg and 21 x 15 x 7 inch. The carry on we were planning on taking is 8 inch wide because of pockets on the outside, I was wondering how strict they were and how they measure items.

 

Looks like I might have to do a rethink on our packing.

 

Pam

Our carryon was thicker than 8 inches and we had no problems. No one checked our luggage as we boarded. The overhead bin space was very similar to planes we have been on in the states. The planes were all very nice and many were very new. I was very impressed with the planes, the crew and the airports.