Just back from Diamond/Grand Asia

[ukbecky]

I wanted to mention:

 

I suggest getting a little local currency before leaving home, especially if you plan on doing any of the ports on your own.

 

I got $50 US in each of the currencies available from AAA(ordered online and delivered to my home, easy peasy)

 

I could not get Vietnamese currency, but there was a currency exchange on board the morning of. They only exchanged US currency(or other, I guess) for Vietnamese - it could not be charged to your ship board account.

 

Local currency was necessary for public transportation(including cabs) and avoided the mad rush to the currency exchange or ATM on shore. Plus you need a passport(or copy I think) in order to exchange currency on shore.

 

BTW our ATM cards did not always work. We ended up having to use only ATMs that were physically in banks. Freestanding ones gave us trouble.

[alltan]

It's not the price that would turn me away, but the *requirement* that you be naked! I'm just not comfortable being naked around strangers.

 

To those who took the cruise, what was the mix of passenger nationalities? Which ones did you see most represented?

 

Thanks for the recent info UKBecky

 

Helenb . . An Onsen is for naked people . . it is what it is . . nobody cares about your nakedness but you . . pity it's not mixed as it should be. Go on girl you'll love it. Or try the Rasul package in the Spa forward . . great for couples.

 

Took this cruise a year or so back and loved it and the ship . . some ports are remote as Asia has river cities so a good deal of time is spent getting there and back (presenting a risk for non princess tours as the ship won't wait long) We had a major traffic incident resulting in a nearly two hour delay for a couple of coaches . . if it was a private tour they would have had a problem.

 

This is a great tour of Asia although packing is problematic . . we had 37C (104F for the metrically challenged) in Singapore to 1C (bloody cold for an Aussie) in Beijing.

Edited November 22, 2016 by alltan

[alltan]

I wanted to mention:

 

I suggest getting a little local currency before leaving home, especially if you plan on doing any of the ports on your own.

 

I got $50 US in each of the currencies available from AAA(ordered online and delivered to my home, easy peasy)

 

I could not get Vietnamese currency, but there was a currency exchange on board the morning of. They only exchanged US currency(or other, I guess) for Vietnamese - it could not be charged to your ship board account.

 

Local currency was necessary for public transportation(including cabs) and avoided the mad rush to the currency exchange or ATM on shore. Plus you need a passport(or copy I think) in order to exchange currency on shore.

 

BTW our ATM cards did not always work. We ended up having to use only ATMs that were physically in banks. Freestanding ones gave us trouble.

 

Don't get stuck with Vietnamese Dong . . . you'll have thousands and nobody else in Asia will exchange it back we found.

[uc828]

We were also on the Aloha deck and used the Terrace Pool. The stairs up to Izumi were blocked on both sides(gated) from Lido. I had to go inside to another staircase/door to go up.

 

No one seemed to find the Terrace pool until late in the second week so it was uncrowded most of the time(then it got too cold anyway).

 

Happy hour was great - 3 to 4 and 9 to 10 each evening. Live music and nuts/rice cracker-type snacks and service was great. That was another thing that didn't 'catch on' until late in the cruise. We went often ;)

 

How is the Aloha deck for you? I am afraid that it might be too high and might cause seasickness? Did you feel anything at all or you are not prone to it? What cabin were you in? Thanks!

[ukbecky]

How is the Aloha deck for you? I am afraid that it might be too high and might cause seasickness? Did you feel anything at all or you are not prone to it? What cabin were you in? Thanks!

 

We were in A343, an inside.

 

This was one of the smoothest rides I've had on a ship. The two days before Hong Kong were rough, but even that was manageable without meds. I did not feel anything at all the rest of the time.

 

I am not as susceptible to seasickness as I once was, but I still have to be prepared. This ship was no problem at all.

[tazza]

We were in A343, an inside.

 

This was one of the smoothest rides I've had on a ship. The two days before Hong Kong were rough, but even that was manageable without meds. I did not feel anything at all the rest of the time.

 

I am not as susceptible to seasickness as I once was, but I still have to be prepared. This ship was no problem at all.

 

Hi. We are also in an inside cabin on Aloha deck and I wanted to ask you if you noticed a hairdryer in the cabin or should we bring our own?

[easyboy]

Hi. We are also in an inside cabin on Aloha deck and I wanted to ask you if you noticed a hairdryer in the cabin or should we bring our own?

It has a hairdryer. But you are also allowed to bring your own.

[catgap]

Has the Izumi spa taken the place of the haven ?