Viking China (Part 2)

[bayerisch]

That's crazy. Why not pick up the phone and call them? They've surely had your flights booked for some time.

 

I called at about 80 days out and was told that I should wait, that they didn't start making reservations until 75 days out and why did I need the information in advance anyway? I booked the trip in November directly from Viking with their air travel arrangements.

[swanny727]

Thanks for the update. I so hope that it will not affect my trip starting on July 20th. I've been watching several dicey situations in the last 6 months, where I was wondering if it would affect me. At any rate, I hope I get to go, the Tibet part of the trip is what enticed me to take this trip.

I will follow more closely, but really if they don't allow foreigners to enter, than I will still have the China portion of the trip.

 

just returned from Imperial Jewels. I will post more later but wanted to say that Tibet is cancelled for now. That group will go to a Panda sanctuary instead. This didn't concern our schedule so no more was mentioned about it.

Diane

[CTGirl]

I called at about 80 days out and was told that I should wait, that they didn't start making reservations until 75 days out and why did I need the information in advance anyway? I booked the trip in November directly from Viking with their air travel arrangements.

Oh my!! That does not sound very business like. I like to know in advance because of the seating. I have a little bit of a problem and if I'm not sitting on an isle on a certain side of the plane I'm miserable. Still it doesn't matter why someone would need the information. If they are asking for it that should be reason enough. And even more still, you are now less than 33 days out. That is well after the 75 days. I would call again. Hopefully you will get someone who is a little more curteous.

[bayerisch]

Oh my!! That does not sound very business like. I like to know in advance because of the seating. I have a little bit of a problem and if I'm not sitting on an isle on a certain side of the plane I'm miserable. Still it doesn't matter why someone would need the information. If they are asking for it that should be reason enough. And even more still, you are now less than 33 days out. That is well after the 75 days. I would call again. Hopefully you will get someone who is a little more curteous.

I sent an e-mail yesterday because I was getting really antsy and received a reply this morning with my airline reservations. They just booked it this morning, but I understand that the situation with Tibet is tenuous right now. The reservations are ok, nothing great. I think next time I will make my own flight reservations, although I am not sure I can do better. I am starting out on July 20th at 8:30 am and I don't arrive in Shanghai until July 21st at 6:40 pm. That means that I won't have any free time to cruise the Bund to go shopping, even though my hotel is right on the Bund. I am sure I'll be exhausted from the trip by the time I get there. I called Viking to inquire on how they are going to handle the Tibet situation and I was told that the June 9th trip was blocked from Tibet, but that for July everything was scheduled as planned and if there were any changes they would let me know.

 

At least I have some idea of what to expect and will move forward with my preparations. By the way, this Viking rep I spoke to this time was very helpful and pleasant.

 

Looking forward to the trip.

[swanny727]

I just returned from Imperial Jewels, Beijing to Shanghai. I am happy to answer any questions. As others have mentoned, Viking does a good job with transfers and logistics. Our trip started out badly though when we found out we were not in the same tour group as our travel companions - we were with Bob while they were with Simon. The Viking rep, with whom we made reservations, is no longer with the company. At the time of reservation, we were assured we were in the same group and even had cabins next to each other.

 

Simon said we could be with his group and he would check with the management. After a few days, Simon reported that Viking was able to change 2 of our flights, to be with our friends, but the flight from Xian to Chongqing could not be changed. This meant we were with Bob's group to see the Terra Cotta Warriors and board the ship. Both guides were excellent. If any of you are traveling with others, I advise calling ahead of time to be sure you are booked in the same group.

 

We stayed at the Ritz-Financial Beijing, Westin Xian and Ritz-Portman Shanghai. All hotels were 5 star and good locations for walking around.

 

Food on the ship was bland. We asked for hot sauce and, since we sat at the same table every meal, by the 2nd day the hot sauce was waiting for us. Lazy Susan meals were not as bad as we expected. Food is subjective of course and some of the items were not what we would have ordered if given a choice. However, food was plentiful. Someone in our group complained about all the Chinese food by the 3rd day. Why in the world would one take a trip to China if they didn't want to eat Chinese food?

 

Weather was hot, in the 90's. On the river it seemd like 100 degrees with 200% humidity. Air quality in Beijing was poor. "Fog" they call it but, we know it as smog. Some days we couldn't see 2 blocks and several travelers had trouble breathing. Great Wall, and river days, were misty / hazy and Shanghai was fairly clear. The day before we docked in Wuhan, there was some "mysterious yellowish cloud" which was explained in the paper as "a farmer burning straw, not a chemical explosion as reported by some".

 

Still have jet-lag so I'm sure I will think of more to report later.

[swanny727]

Hi all, I've been off the site for a while, so just finished catching up. Question regarding bringing pencils. I remember a post a while ago where the poster said they gave the kids the pencils directly, which was fun as all the kids gathered around. Now someone posted that they have a box where these things go. Less personal, but perhaps a better idea. Thoughts?

 

I lived in Taiwan for a couple of years, and duck was always served the way someone described it: pancake, hoisin sauce, cucumber and onion. Oh yea, the duck also--lol. I could eat this dish every day of my life and not get bored!! (P.S., In Taiwan in the 60's, this whole meal cost around $1.50 US.) The other thing that was always served with it was a duck egg dish with nuts and cooked exquisitely. Did anyone get that? Anyway, thanks to all posters. We can't wait until we go in October (Same group as cruisingatsea).

 

Last week, at the school, I brought pencils, colored pencils and stickers. I tried to give the bag to the teacher but our guide translated that the donations should go into the box by the front gate. Someone in another group brought a bag of candy and gave them to the kids performing the songs and dances (outside when we entered). That was exciting and well liked by the kids but, that group was all girls so the boys didn't have a chance for candy. I had one piece of candy in my purse and gave it to "my" boy. Our group was not shy about interacting with the students.

 

[caribill]

Someone in another group brought a bag of candy and gave them to the kids performing the songs and dances (outside when we entered). That was exciting and well liked by the kids

 

I never bring candy to a place like this because it is likely the children do not have the greatest dentist care available and the candy, especially if brought by many people over a period of time, can lead to dental problems.

[Peregrina651]

Re: gifts at the school

 

You are specifically asked not to give to individual students because this is unfair to the majority of the school's students who don't get to interact with the visitors.

 

There is a huge container where you should put whatever gifts you have brought. This way, the school administrators can make sure that all of the classes benefit from our visit and not just the three or four classrooms on the ground floor that we actually are invited to visit.

 

Cash donations are also welcome in the same donation container.

 

P.S. I agree with caribill. Candy is not a good idea.

[swanny727]

Re: gifts at the school

 

You are specifically asked not to give to individual students because this is unfair to the majority of the school's students who don't get to interact with the visitors.

 

There is a huge container where you should put whatever gifts you have brought. This way, the school administrators can make sure that all of the classes benefit from our visit and not just the three or four classrooms on the ground floor that we actually are invited to visit.

 

Cash donations are also welcome in the same donation container.

 

P.S. I agree with caribill. Candy is not a good idea.

 

Actually, now the cash donation box is next to the box for school supplies. The cash box looks like plexiglass with a slot for the cash. (Maybe there was a problem with theft?) Both are at the front gate. Our guides told us nothing about donations - I had to ask our guide what to do with my stuff. Others in our group seemed miffed that they did not know about bringing donations for the school. I told them cash was always welcome ;)

[Viking Cruises]

I just returned from Imperial Jewels, Beijing to Shanghai. I am happy to answer any questions. As others have mentoned, Viking does a good job with transfers and logistics. Our trip started out badly though when we found out we were not in the same tour group as our travel companions - we were with Bob while they were with Simon. The Viking rep, with whom we made reservations, is no longer with the company. At the time of reservation, we were assured we were in the same group and even had cabins next to each other.

 

Simon said we could be with his group and he would check with the management. After a few days, Simon reported that Viking was able to change 2 of our flights, to be with our friends, but the flight from Xian to Chongqing could not be changed. This meant we were with Bob's group to see the Terra Cotta Warriors and board the ship. Both guides were excellent. If any of you are traveling with others, I advise calling ahead of time to be sure you are booked in the same group.

 

We stayed at the Ritz-Financial Beijing, Westin Xian and Ritz-Portman Shanghai. All hotels were 5 star and good locations for walking around.

 

Food on the ship was bland. We asked for hot sauce and, since we sat at the same table every meal, by the 2nd day the hot sauce was waiting for us. Lazy Susan meals were not as bad as we expected. Food is subjective of course and some of the items were not what we would have ordered if given a choice. However, food was plentiful. Someone in our group complained about all the Chinese food by the 3rd day. Why in the world would one take a trip to China if they didn't want to eat Chinese food?

 

Weather was hot, in the 90's. On the river it seemd like 100 degrees with 200% humidity. Air quality in Beijing was poor. "Fog" they call it but, we know it as smog. Some days we couldn't see 2 blocks and several travelers had trouble breathing. Great Wall, and river days, were misty / hazy and Shanghai was fairly clear. The day before we docked in Wuhan, there was some "mysterious yellowish cloud" which was explained in the paper as "a farmer burning straw, not a chemical explosion as reported by some".

 

Still have jet-lag so I'm sure I will think of more to report later.

 

Dear Diane,

 

Welcome home from China. We hope that overall you had a great trip. We apologize for the mistake that led to you and your travel companions not initially being in the same group, but we are happy to hear that it was resolved quickly. You’re right when you say that food is subjective, but we are still disappointed that you were disappointed. We’ve asked our Customer Relations team to contact you regarding the concerns you’ve mentioned. In the meantime, you can also contact us directly at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com.

 

We look forward to speaking with you and learning more about your Imperial Jewels of China cruisetour.

 

Best,

Viking River Cruises

[swanny727]

Dear Diane,

 

Welcome home from China. We hope that overall you had a great trip. We apologize for the mistake that led to you and your travel companions not initially being in the same group, but we are happy to hear that it was resolved quickly. You’re right when you say that food is subjective, but we are still disappointed that you were disappointed. We’ve asked our Customer Relations team to contact you regarding the concerns you’ve mentioned. In the meantime, you can also contact us directly at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com.

 

We look forward to speaking with you and learning more about your Imperial Jewels of China cruisetour.

 

Best,

Viking River Cruises

 

Hello Viking,

Thanks for the phone call. I'm sorry I gave the impression of disappointment. I understand that food served to 250 people cannot be tailored to specific tastes. Personally, I do not care for eggplant, or tofu, which seem to be served frequently in China. This is not Vikings fault and, as I said, food was plentiful and I did not go hungry. In fact, I tried the pig ear, pig tail, jellyfish salad, chicken feet and 1,000 year old eggs on the ship buffet.

 

The local guides are informed and friendly. The ship crew is fantastic, helpful and friendly. I don't know if this was intentional but, I noticed that several groups had a wide age range. Half appearred to be under 65 and the rest over 65. This is a nice mix for both the passengers and the tour escorts.

 

Thanks again for your interest and quick follow-up.

[Peregrina651]

Actually, now the cash donation box is next to the box for school supplies. The cash box looks like plexiglass with a slot for the cash. (Maybe there was a problem with theft?) Both are at the front gate. Our guides told us nothing about donations - I had to ask our guide what to do with my stuff. Others in our group seemed miffed that they did not know about bringing donations for the school. I told them cash was always welcome ;)

 

Viking supports three different schools and they may all be laid out differently with the donation boxes in different locations. Swanny describes boxes at the front gate at the school. I remember boxes (or was it just one box) in the main courtyard--but of course, that may have changed in the two years since I was there. Ask your guide.

 

To my recollection, Viking does not say anything about bringing gifts for the school in its materials. I heard about it here but where folks who do not follow these boards learn about it, I have no idea--and there were more folks with school supplies and stickers than were posting here.

 

The slit design for the donation box also keeps the weather out and prevents paper money from flying around in the breeze.

[meddykay]

Before going on the Imperial Jewels trip in April. I read quite a few comments about the food being bland, the same thing over and over, Etc. I packed some protein bars just in case.

 

I found the food on the ship and on land, as well, to be a pleasant surprise. Everything I had was fresh and well prepared. As I don't care much for sauces and lots of condiments, the quality of the food is important to me and the quality was very good. I never got tired of it. It wasn't the same as Chinese food in the restaurants here, and it was very good. My traveling companion and I both agreed.

 

So, yes, enjoying the food served is subjective.

 

***********************************

Edited June 20, 2012 by meddykay

[CTGirl]

Personally, I do not care for eggplant, or tofu, which seem to be served frequently in China. This is not Vikings fault and, as I said, food was plentiful and I did not go hungry. In fact, I tried the pig ear, pig tail, jellyfish salad, chicken feet and 1,000 year old eggs on the ship buffet.

I'm not fond of any of these things. Did they serve any chicken, shrip, pork or beef?

[caribill]

I'm not fond of any of these things. Did they serve any chicken, shrimp, pork or beef?

 

I do not remember from our trip if there was shrimp, but, yes, there was chicken, beef, and pork in recognizible forms.

 

The pictures below show food displays for some of the onboard meals and some menus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 20, 2012 by caribill

[Kohola]

I'm not fond of any of these things. Did they serve any chicken, shrip, pork or beef?

 

The last lunch prior to disembarkation from the Emerald they serve Westernized street food on one side of the buffet line...unfortunately if you enjoy authentic Chinese street food this doesn't not have the same richness of taste. They even served bull frogs. Notice everyone is on the other side where the chicken, shrimp, pork or beef are.

 

The noodle maker in the background was taught to make the noodles at the hole in the wall noodle shop in Shibaozhai where we ate during the stop to visit the pagoda. The place makes some amazing noodles!

[swanny727]

I'm not fond of any of these things. Did they serve any chicken, shrip, pork or beef?

 

haha, yes, I was referring to the special meal where the Chinese local food is served as shown by Kohola. I don't recall if shrimp was ever offered but, there are alternative choices every night and salmon was on that list along with chicken breast. The Lazy Susan restaurant meals always included fish, chicken or pork. However, be aware that the Chinese chicken, and fish, often included bones.

[CTGirl]

Thank you all for the comments and the pictures. It's midnight here and you guys are making me hungry. Where's the midnight buffet? :D

[kbert92069]

The pictures below show food displays for some of the onboard meals and some menus.

 

Thank you so much for posting menus as well as photos. A picture is worth a 1000 words it seems. I was beginning to worry just a bit with the occasional complaint but now am looking forward to the food as well as the other aspects of the trip now less than 4 months away for us.

 

Karl

[swanny727]

Thank you so much for posting menus as well as photos. A picture is worth a 1000 words it seems. I was beginning to worry just a bit with the occasional complaint but now am looking forward to the food as well as the other aspects of the trip now less than 4 months away for us.

 

Karl

 

Desserts were excellent and you can order more than one! Some people ordered 2 appetizers as well.

[cruiseco]

Great thread!

 

A couple of questions:

 

My friend has some balance problems. Do the bathrooms on the ship have grab rails near the toilet? Is a shower seat available? Anybody have a photo of the bathrooms?

 

Also, are the tickets for the in-country flights included in the pre-departure packet or are those distributed as needed during the trip?

 

Thanks again for all the great info! I think I've finished this thread. Time to start on the first one.

Edited June 21, 2012 by cruiseco

[Turtles06]

Great thread!

 

. . . are the tickets for the in-country flights included in the pre-departure packet or are those distributed as needed during the trip?

 

 

Your Viking escort will give you your boarding pass for your internal flights at each airport along the way.

 

As for reading the first threadzilla, there's no need to go back to the very beginning, which was many years ago. Some of the info is out of date, and much is repeated. (I did read it all before our trip in May 2011.) I would go back to the beginning of 2010, which will give you the last couple of seasons...

Edited June 21, 2012 by Turtles06

[caribill]

Great thread!

 

A couple of questions:

 

My friend has some balance problems. Do the bathrooms on the ship have grab rails near the toilet? Is a shower seat available? Anybody have a photo of the bathrooms? Below are the two photos I have of the bathroom when we were on the cruise on the previous ship. I think the new one looks much like this, but maybe someone can confirm this.

 

Also, are the tickets for the in-country flights included in the pre-departure packet or are those distributed as needed during the trip? Tickets for the in-country flights are handed out at each airport by the group guide. They come with rather random seat assignments and you may not be seated next to your traveling companion, but once on board the plane you can trade seats with others in your group.

 

Thanks again for all the great info! I think I've finished this thread. Time to start on the first one.

 

 

See above in red and pictures below.

[cruiseco]

See above in red and pictures below.

 

Thanks for the photos! It looks like the counter is close enough to the toilet to serve as a grab rail/support and the rail + handheld shower head will be perfect if we can get a seat in there.

[Kohola]

Thanks for the photos! It looks like the counter is close enough to the toilet to serve as a grab rail/support and the rail + handheld shower head will be perfect if we can get a seat in there.

 

Keep in mind that Caribill noted the photos are of the Century Sun and not the Emerald...our cabin on the Emerald did not have any type of hand rails in the area around the toilet or in the shower. I will ask Captain Morgan, the Assistant Hotel Manager about a shower seat.