Victoria Queen Review

[lindberg]

Check out my Victoria Queen review on the Yangtze at this link.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=5972

 

Let me know if you have any questions. Great ship, great cruise!

 

Laura

[cmthomas]

Laura, thanks for a delightful review and insight to a Yangtze cruise! Now, hwere are you going to post a review of "the rest of the story?" Clarence

[mmaskaly]

Great review Laura!

 

A couple of questions. You said you were on the starboard side of the ship, I am assuming from the map that it is the side primarily facing north?

 

Did you have a cabin option when you arrived?

 

How many passengers were on your trip?

 

You mentioned some drinks were expensive. What were the prices of the local beers and soft drinks, such as coke & sprite?

 

Do you have a ship board account or pay as you go. Credit cards work for this purpose or did you need local currency?

 

Besides travel lightly with clothing, bring a camera with lots of film, is there anything you thing would have been useful during your trip?

 

Any and all info greatly appreciated. A week & 1/2 to go.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[lindberg]

Great review Laura!

 

A couple of questions. You said you were on the starboard side of the ship, I am assuming from the map that it is the side primarily facing north?

 

o If you travel in the summer, and if you have a choice, try to get on the north side of the ship (facing the north side of the river). You will be in the shade and can sit on your balcony during the day and watch the scenery.

 

Did you have a cabin option when you arrived?

 

o We weren't asked. But our ship was not full, so we probably could have changed. I didn't know ahead of time that the preferred side was facing north. Everyone in a south facing cabin didn't sit on their balcony during the day because it was too hot. Everyone on the north side was sitting in the shade reading and having happy hour.

 

How many passengers were on your trip?

 

The ship help about 150 and there were only 43 on our cruise. We were outnumber by crew 2.5 to 1!

 

You mentioned some drinks were expensive. What were the prices of the local beers and soft drinks, such as coke & sprite?

 

Beer and Coke was about $3.00 to $3.50 a can. But off the ship 25-60 cents. There were cold drinks availble for purchase on most of the day trips. Also you may want to pick up some drinks before getting on the ship. If you like diet coke or diet anything, you will have a very difficult time finding it in China.

 

Do you have a ship board account or pay as you go. Credit cards work for this purpose or did you need local currency?

 

o Yes, You have a ship board account like on an ocean cruise. Everything gets charged. You pay at the end with credit card, dollars, yuen, travelers checks.

 

Besides travel lightly with clothing, bring a camera with lots of film, is there anything you thing would have been useful during your trip?

 

o Bring less clothes then you think you need. I took 6 outfits for a 22 day trip. There is excellent laundry service available on the ship and at all the hotels. Clothes are returned clean the same day, as long as you turn them in before 10:00 am. Prices are quite reasonable on the ship and at most of the hotels.

 

Any and all info greatly appreciated. A week & 1/2 to go.

 

Thanks

 

Mike

 

Laura

 

Any more questions?

[mmaskaly]

Just two and I will go pack.....

 

I assume that you used an inter-china airline while in country. Looking at theie carry-on dimensions, they appear smaller than what is allowed in the US. But many other reports in this forum give the impression that if you can carry it on the aircraft it will be considered carry on. What was your experience and would you take a US size carry on with you?

 

As you were an internet expert on this ship, do the computers there have a usb port to allow someone to send pictures over the net?

 

I guess thats all I can think of, the clocks a ticking....

 

Thanks

 

Mike

[gardencat]

lindberg

Thank you so much for that review. It answered a lot of my questions. I am wondering about a couple of things, though.

 

Did you feel rushed or pushed on the excursions? I noticed your mention of the 300 steps to climb. I'm sure I could do those at my own pace but might find it less pleasant if I am being rushed up them at a quick pace.

What was the average age group of the people on this cruise?

[lindberg]

Just two and I will go pack.....

 

I assume that you used an inter-china airline while in country. Looking at theie carry-on dimensions, they appear smaller than what is allowed in the US. But many other reports in this forum give the impression that if you can carry it on the aircraft it will be considered carry on. What was your experience and would you take a US size carry on with you?

 

o I did use several inter-china airlines. They carefully weighed and measured the checked luggage but no one seemed to look at the carryons. There were people who brought on small roll on suitcases, fairly large duffle bags and like me a large daypack. No one had any issues with the carryons. In fact, our luggage was weighed as a group to meet the 44 pounds and we had no problem meeting that. Our group leader did tell us that if we thought our bags were heavy, to transfer the small heavy stuff to our carryon.

 

As you were an internet expert on this ship, do the computers there have a usb port to allow someone to send pictures over the net?

 

o Oh Oh, I didn't look for a USB port. But they were Chinese IBM compatible laptops with a mouse. They were running Windows 98, I believe. I would think they have a USB port but it would be so slow. They worked fine for email, but even for surfing the net, sometimes it would take minutes for a page, like a Cruise Critic page to open.

 

I guess thats all I can think of, the clocks a ticking....

 

Thanks

 

Mike

 

Hope this helps, Have a great time on your trip!

Laura

[lindberg]

Gardencat,

 

lindberg

Thank you so much for that review. It answered a lot of my questions. I am wondering about a couple of things, though.

 

Did you feel rushed or pushed on the excursions? I noticed your mention of the 300 steps to climb. I'm sure I could do those at my own pace but might find it less pleasant if I am being rushed up them at a quick pace.

 

o Actually there was only one stop with 300 steps, another with about 50 and the excursion that involved taking a boat involved no steps. No one will rush you, take your time. No one sails up the 300 steps without resting. There will be people following you, trying to sell you something, so you may feel compelled to keep going.

 

What was the average age group of the people on this cruise?

 

o I would estimate that the average age on the ship would have been in the 55-60 year range. On our group of 15 people the ages ranged from 49-72. No one had any problem keeping up with the group. Just be careful. The steps in China are not a standard size as we have in the US. The heights range all over from 1 inch to 12 inches tall. The width can be from 4 inches (you can't get your whole foot on the step) to several feet wide. Many times the steps aren't flat and lean forward or back. Watch your feet when going up steps and use the handrail. Always look where you are walking they seem to throw in single 1 inch steps where you don't expect them and they can really throw you off.

 

Have a great time,

Laura

[gardencat]

lindberg

Thanks again. I heard something similar from someone about the great wall of China. He said the steps were all uneven heights and required concentration to climb or descend. Maybe I should start that fitness program now to prepare for this trip.:D