Viking China (Part 2)

[kbert92069]

My friend, Jenny, and I just went on the April 21 - May 3 Imperial Jewels trip, Shanghai to Beijing. It was all we had hoped and much more than we had imagined it would be.

 

Thank you so much for sharing so soon upon your return. I loved your quick review. Having appropriate expectations seems to make a lot of difference in people's experiences and reading helps us set ours.

[Peregrina651]

 

I cannot even begin to imagine a 12 day trip with only a carry on. Good luck.

 

It can be done.

 

We will be here in Ukraine (with Viking) for 2 weeks. We use regulation sized rolling suitcases (ours come from LLBean) and we use the ship's laundry service. DH has packed 2 pairs of pants (dockers) 4 polo shirts and 3 button-down, 3 boxers, 3 pairs of socks (not even the quick drying nylon stuff), 1 light weight windbreaker, 1 gore-tex rain coat and one pair of shoes. I packed 2 skirts, 1 pr. jeans, 5 sleeveless/short-sleeved black cotton knit shirts of varying weights plus 2colored tanks, a raincoat, a very lightweight polartec, a very thin wool cardigan, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops. Plus we each wore an outfit (mine included yet another sweater). I prefer skirts to capris and at the last minute, I added the jeans in case I needed a pair of pants. We still had room for assorted accessories, a bag full of chargers and other electronic gear, dop kits and other items that could be checked at the gate if necessary. We each also had one 'personal item' where we carried meds, liquids, computers and anything else that we would not want to check at the gate if it were necessary. We also have another zip-flat personal side bag for the trip home.

 

(We did similar for our China trip; the only problem was that over-shopped and had to buy and check and other bag in order to get home. )

[caribill]

My longest trip carry on only is 3 weeks, combo work vacation.

 

How do you handle liquid/gel needs which are greatly restricted for airline travel. from toothpaste to sunscreen to hand sanitizer?

 

Not every destination offers shops with the items that you need.

[Kohola]

My friend, Jenny, and I just went on the April 21 - May 3 Imperial Jewels trip, Shanghai to Beijing. It was all we had hoped and much more than we had imagined it would be.

 

Enjoyed reading your enthusiastic post! We found the food to be delicious and varied this year also. The reason your reality is much different than your expectations of the food prior to your trip is the variety and quality of the food is much improved over previous years. For example, in 2009, we were served the whole sweet and sour fish at almost every restaurant family style meal, but this year we only saw it once. A sample menu this year: Stir-fried shrimp w/veggies, Deep fried chicken leg, braised spare ribs, Chinese mushrooms w/bok choy along with the usual fare of soup, rice, and watermelon.

 

The Emerald's menu has changed greatly too...now you can have french fries at almost every meal; in 2009 they were served once on the CD tour.

 

Viking is very quick to adapt to the preferences of its clientele.

 

Glad you interacted with the "other" tourists on the wall. It is truly an amazing experience to watch their faces light up when you acknowledge their presence. Hopefully more people will take advantage of this unique experience. The Old Market and Museum grounds in Shanghai are another couple of great places to interact with Chinese tourists.

[Kohola]

We leave on Friday for Shanghai, and I am very excited.

 

Enjoy your trip! Say Hi to Candy,Jacky, and Bella in the dining room from Bob and Debbie...I'm letting them know that someone will tell them hi from us so they will be expecting it;-). Get to know Lois(XiaoLing)(pronounced she-ow and ling), the bar manager if you enjoy a refreshment in the afternoon or evening...ask her for the pistachios instead of just peanuts as a treat from Bob and Deb. You can really impress her by calling her by her Chinese name and asking about her son before she introduces herself. She's a lot of fun to be around! If Jin or Terry are TE with your group tell them Debbie and Debbie's husband say "Hi!" Captain Morgan the Asst Hotel Manager is another person to always greet...in case you ever need something.

 

We also use backpacks for our trips which weigh about 20 pounds loaded for a 3 week trip. Thank goodness for people like us that keep that "group" weight under the limit;-)

 

Have a great time! Yilu shunfeng phonetically ee-loo-shun-fun (Bon Voyage!)

[Peregrina651]

How do you handle liquid/gel needs which are greatly restricted for airline travel. from toothpaste to sunscreen to hand sanitizer?

 

Not every destination offers shops with the items that you need.

 

 

I'm sure we all have our own 3oz secrets :D

I pack liquid/gel/ointment meds in 3oz containers in a separate bag--and don't count it towards my limit. (Yes, that is stretching it a bit)

Maximize the space: use the smallest possible container for the amount needed.

I use whatever the hotel/ship supplies for soap and shampoo.

I use hotel shampoos as laundry detergent.

I have a short list of bare essentials.

All of my bottles hold less than 3oz/100ml

[bayerisch]

So I am about to receive my passport back from the Chinese Embassy, I assume. It took 3 weeks and I really feel "naked" with not having my passport in my possession. But now it is on the way back! Peregrina, I finally took the time to look at some of your links and I must say, your photos and documentaries are really enjoyable. I too am planning on traveling light because hauling heavy suitcases for 17 days is not my cup of tea :). But I intend to drink some. I will be in China for 17 days and while checking on the temps, I noticed that Lhasa is a lot cooler than China, so there will be more layers needed for that time. Someone told me that there is a brand of travel clothing, (I don't want to mention it here) where pants rinse out over night and will be dry in the morning. They only took 1 pair of pants for the trip and were happy. So, I purchased a pair and tested them in our 90 degree and humid Florida climate in the "wilderness". Yes, I got nasty and sand and mud got on me, but that night they rinsed easily and the next morning, they were ready to go.

My question is how dressed up do women get for the dinners, the captain dinner and the big city entertainment? My first night in China I will be alone in Shanghai and I really want to go to the pearl market to purchase some nice things for my girls and have a nice dinner. Also the Captain's dinner on the ship, did anyone take fancy shoes and such? I am the kind of person that likes to wear skirts and capris and light pants during the day. So I would have a couple of casual skirts, but nothing like you would wear in the US at night out, correct?

[caribill]

My question is how dressed up do women get for the dinners, the captain dinner and the big city entertainment? My first night in China I will be alone in Shanghai and I really want to go to the pearl market to purchase some nice things for my girls and have a nice dinner. Also the Captain's dinner on the ship, did anyone take fancy shoes and such? I am the kind of person that likes to wear skirts and capris and light pants during the day. So I would have a couple of casual skirts, but nothing like you would wear in the US at night out, correct?

 

What you say you are wearing during the day is perfectly acceptable in the evening. There is no need to dress up either on the boat or on the land in the evening although I would not suggest shorts for either men or women in the evening.

 

There will always be a few that feel they must dress up some more for the evening or feel more comfortable doing so, but it is not necessary.

[j-9]

Thanks everyone for your well wishes. Meddykay, thanks for your quick update though I have to say your update did nothing to quiet my excitement!

Kohola, I'll look for the people you mentioned and say hi, and thanks for the language lessons. Every little bit helps.

As to managing the liquids, I, like Peregrina, probably stretch the rules a bit, but don't find this part too difficult. I have learnt through experience that very small stuff doesn't need to be in the baggie. Mostly because I get home and realize I have lotion in my backpack or something like that.

Toothpaste comes in 100ml or smaller tubes, hand sanitizer I have a very small spray type which I don't even put in my liquids baggie. Sunscreen is my trouble item. Ombrelle comes in 100ml, which is great for the high SPF stuff, but I'm a tanner, so I usually end up buying some if on a beach vacation. For china, the ombrelle and a 3oz bottle filled with copper tone will do.

Bayerisch, if you were on the cruise with me, there would be at least 2 of us dressed like that :)

[caribill]

I pack liquid/gel/ointment meds in 3oz containers in a separate bag--and don't count it towards my limit. (Yes, that is stretching it a bit)

 

As to managing the liquids, I, like Peregrina, probably stretch the rules a bit, but don't find this part too difficult. I have learnt through experience that very small stuff doesn't need to be in the baggie. Mostly because I get home and realize I have lotion in my backpack or something like that.

 

What both of you prove is that the TSA rules are useless. If you can get by their inspections, then so can the those who wish to harm us.

 

We are mainly being kept safe from sealed pint bottles of water.

[Peregrina651]

What you say you are wearing during the day is perfectly acceptable in the evening. There is no need to dress up either on the boat or on the land in the evening although I would not suggest shorts for either men or women in the evening.

 

There will always be a few that feel they must dress up some more for the evening or feel more comfortable doing so, but it is not necessary.

 

Agreed. Casual and comfortable is perfectly acceptable.

[bayerisch]

I've had a tube of lipstick pulled out of my purse with the stern question if I had anything that someone could be hurt with. I replied that I wasn't aware of anything and he held up the lipstick. LOL. I might put on a huge fake smile and have the pilot die laughing? I've also been pulled out of the line and questioned of why I had 2 pairs of eye glasses in my purse. Perhaps I could magnify the sunrays with my readers and start a fire? It is comical at best and to the contrary, we are not safe from water bottles. I saw a woman in front of me put her quart size bottle in her carry on and went right through the xray machine and they did not stop her. Oh well, we try.

[kbert92069]

We are mainly being kept safe from sealed pint bottles of water.

 

And Coke too. Don't forget the damage Coke and Mentos can do. :)

 

The inspections serve to "discourage the timid" much like door locks on cars. That and to make us feel safer are the purposes. Fortunately for us terrorists since 9/11 have been sloppy and not the brighest and our security in other effective ways has gotten better too.

[caribill]

And Coke too. Don't forget the damage Coke and Mentos can do. :)

 

 

That's Diet Coke and Mentos. Regular Coke will not do it.

[Kohola]

Kohola, I'll look for the people you mentioned and say hi, and thanks for the language lessons. Every little bit helps.

 

J-9 since you commented about the language lessons...if you provide an e-mail address to rebdjb@aol.com I'll send you a spreadsheet which contains the English phrase, Chinese characters, and Chinese pronunciation of a lot of words to show good manners and the like. We find it very useful at the school to communicate with the children. The spreadsheet consists of 2 pages. Make sure to plant yourself in one of their desks and have some fun! The staff on the ship or your TE can help you with pronunciation.

 

I built a day by day itinerary with all the lessons learned we've gathered from two trips as well as those from insightful posts I've read. The itinerary is geared toward the CD tour. I always provide it to those people interested enough in China to make the effort to contact me privately for more information.

 

We live just north of Seattle, so we're practically neighbors;-)

[diveduo]

Hi j-9,

 

We returned last week from this cruise trip, Shanghai to Beijing. I also wondered about the Crown Plaza in Xian. It is fairly new and beautiful. The rooms had high-tech window/curtain pulls but nothing difficult. Temperature was no problem. I only wish we would have more time to stay in each place we went to as there is little time to explore independently. Of course, then the trip would be a month or more in length. :-) Have a wonderful time!

Edited May 10, 2012 by diveduo

[mmwc]

J-9 since you commented about the language lessons...if you provide an e-mail address to rebdjb@aol.com I'll send you a spreadsheet which contains the English phrase, Chinese characters, and Chinese pronunciation of a lot of words to show good manners and the like. We find it very useful at the school to communicate with the children. The spreadsheet consists of 2 pages. Make sure to plant yourself in one of their desks and have some fun! The staff on the ship or your TE can help you with pronunciation.

 

I built a day by day itinerary with all the lessons learned we've gathered from two trips as well as those from insightful posts I've read. The itinerary is geared toward the CD tour. I always provide it to those people interested enough in China to make the effort to contact me privately for more information.

 

We live just north of Seattle, so we're practically neighbors;-)

 

Kohola,

 

We sent you an email requesting the spreadsheet. We are doing this trip in April 2013.

 

Thankyou

 

Michael and Midge

(MMWC)

[bayerisch]

I am glad you had a great trip. I have a hard time trying to read how the chinese should be pronounced and then try to remember it. I believe I need to hear it, I guess I am an auditory person. I will be staying at the Fairmont Peace in Shanghai and Fairmont in Beijing and at the Hilton in Xian, St. Regis in Lhasa. I think the Fairmont Peace may be close to the Bund? I googled it, but its hard to tell. Anyway, I haven't seen anyone mention any Fairmonts. Does anyone have any experiences with those?

Edited May 10, 2012 by bayerisch
I received my passport today and applied for my visa to Tibet, which Viking now handles.

[swanny727]

J-9 since you commented about the language lessons...if you provide an e-mail address to rebdjb@aol.com I'll send you a spreadsheet which contains the English phrase, Chinese characters, and Chinese pronunciation of a lot of words to show good manners and the like. We find it very useful at the school to communicate with the children. The spreadsheet consists of 2 pages. Make sure to plant yourself in one of their desks and have some fun! The staff on the ship or your TE can help you with pronunciation.

 

I would like to jump in and get the Chinese phrases as well. And for the school visit, I was thinking of crayons and coloring books or do you have a better (more useful) suggestion.

[j-9]

Hi j-9,

 

We returned last week from this cruise trip, Shanghai to Beijing. I also wondered about the Crown Plaza in Xian. It is fairly new and beautiful. The rooms had high-tech window/curtain pulls but nothing difficult. Temperature was no problem. I only wish we would have more time to stay in each place we went to as there is little time to explore independently. Of course, then the trip would be a month or more in length. :-) Have a wonderful time!

 

Diveduo, welcome to cruisecritic and thanks for the update on the Crowne plaza. Hopefully temperature won't be a problem for us either. I'm all ready to go!

[seanf]

... I think the Fairmont Peace may be close to the Bund? I googled it, but its hard to tell

The Fairmont Peace Hotel (is this the one?) is right on the Bund and very close to Nanjing Road if you want to go shopping. I have never stopped in this hotel, but I believe it is supposed to be excellent. I have been to Shanghai a number of times and stop very close to the Peace Hotel because the area is an excellent base to explore from

 

Sean :)

[bayerisch]

The Fairmont Peace Hotel (is this the one?) is right on the Bund and very close to Nanjing Road if you want to go shopping. I have never stopped in this hotel, but I believe it is supposed to be excellent. I have been to Shanghai a number of times and stop very close to the Peace Hotel because the area is an excellent base to explore from

 

Sean :)

 

Thank you so much Sean. Now I am even more excited, if that is possible. It is the Fairmont Peace Hotel. :D

[Kohola]

One of my friends on the Emerald told me they met J-9 last night and the couple reminded him of us:)

[j-9]

One of my friends on the Emerald told me they met J-9 last night and the couple reminded him of us:)

Yes, we met Jackie and Bella last night and met Candi and Eddie today. Very friendly, and Bob, quite excited that we knew you. We met Lois last night too, but I couldn't remember if that was the person you had mentioned, so I didn't mention you. I will tonight.

 

It is nice to be on the ship - I like ships more than buses, and there were a lot of buses the first couple of days. The staff is amazingly welcoming. And for those wondering, the food so far on board has been excellent :)

 

it is not raining today, and we had some sunshine. The view along the riverbanks is wonderful. I didn't realize we would be so close to shore.

Need to go taker more pictures, TTYL

[bayerisch]

J-9

Did you take binoculars along or do you think one would need them?