Should I cruise or do a land trip? What would you do?

[wlee]

The only cruise that goes to Asia when my kids are on spring break from school next year is Rhapsody (RCI). It goes to Singapore China, Fukuoka Japan and Pusan S. Korea. I love crusing, and feel good about having a clean, safe faliliar place to sleep and eat at each night. The cruise departs from Singapore, so I would arrive a couple days early and see the city. Because of the kids being in school (they are 12 & 15) I only have a a couple extra days to spare.

However, I feel like, if I go to China, I should go to Beijing and see the Great Wall or Hong Kong, because it seems like there's more to see there.

So, for those who have traveled to these places before should I:

1) Spend 2 days in Shanghai and then go on the cruise. Save Beijing and HongKong for another time in the future (the flight time and expense is the only thing that bothers me about this). Plus I know the kids will love cruising - I hope they have a kids group for this intiniery.

2) Forget the cruise and take a land tour in Beijing that also goes to other cities in China (but I am not thrilled with all the packing and unpacking, and traveling with 2 kids this way).

I have never been to Asia before. What would you do, if you were me?

[Spikesgirl]

Why don't you take a Viking river cruise? That combines the Yangtze with various spots along the way. our friends took one last summer that also included Xi'an, Shanghai and Beijing. They saw everything we did on our Princess cruise/land tour and paid less than half of what we did. By taking a Viking package tour, you are assured of good hotels, safe travel conditions and somene else having to speak the language.

 

It might be something to consider.

 

Charlie

[greatam]

I agree with Charlie about taking a package tour-Yangtze, Beijing, etc. or maybe even Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand. If you need a great tour operator in Vietnam, let me know.

 

The itinerary you are proposing is pretty boring. Your kids would probably be horribly bored. There is NOTHING in Pusan S Korea and Fukuokoa is OK, but certainly not seeing much of Japan (Tokyo/Kyoto is a long way).

 

Take the land trip if that is the only cruise itinerary you can do.

[wlee]

Why don't you take a Viking river cruise? That combines the Yangtze with various spots along the way. our friends took one last summer that also included Xi'an, Shanghai and Beijing. They saw everything we did on our Princess cruise/land tour and paid less than half of what we did. By taking a Viking package tour, you are assured of good hotels, safe travel conditions and somene else having to speak the language.

 

It might be something to consider.

 

Charlie

 

Thanks, I looked up their web site and it sounds really good, but they don't have the 2008 dates published yet, so I'll have to keep checking to see if it'll fit into my schedule.

[CruiseKidz]

We are booked on the Raphsody cruise 23 April out of Shanghai. AS we have school holidays here in Oz in April and our kids are 8 & 9 we are flying to Hong Kong for a few days, the kids want to go back to Disney & my husband want to see the sights as it is his first trip there. Then we plan to fly to Beijing to see the great wall and the fobidden palace and hopefully then take the overnight train back to Shanghai and join the cruise.

We chose this cruise for the itinery as it gives us the options of seeing other parts of asia that we haven't been to before and we are planning it as an adventure, plus the bonus that we don't have to fly too far from Western Australia and the kids only paid taxes no actual fare!!

:) CruiseKidz

[CruiseKidz]

Has the OP looked at Star cruises they sail out of Singapore (the Superstar Virgo) and Hong Kong (The Gemini). They are both lovely ships and have good itineries.

CruiseKidz

[wlee]

Has the OP looked at Star cruises they sail out of Singapore (the Superstar Virgo) and Hong Kong (The Gemini). They are both lovely ships and have good itineries.

CruiseKidz

 

Thanks, I checked out the intinieries. I'm not familiar wtih Star cruises. The Hong Kong intinierary seems good, but they don't have the 2008 dates listed,so I'll check back again later.

[wlee]

We are booked on the Raphsody cruise 23 April out of Shanghai. AS we have school holidays here in Oz in April and our kids are 8 & 9 we are flying to Hong Kong for a few days, the kids want to go back to Disney & my husband want to see the sights as it is his first trip there. Then we plan to fly to Beijing to see the great wall and the fobidden palace and hopefully then take the overnight train back to Shanghai and join the cruise.

We chose this cruise for the itinery as it gives us the options of seeing other parts of asia that we haven't been to before and we are planning it as an adventure, plus the bonus that we don't have to fly too far from Western Australia and the kids only paid taxes no actual fare!!

:) CruiseKidz

 

I am looking at the March 24th cruise. Flying into Beijing and taking the train to Shanghai sounds like a great idea... where did you find info on the train, and how long is the ride? I would be interested in pursuing this...I didn't want to fly from Beijing to Shanghai, because that sounded like a lot of hassle, with double visas and luggage and all that. But a train might be fun.

[CruiseKidz]

I found the info on train here on the boards somewhere here in the asia threads (I think!!) There are alot of trains leaving Beijing everyday for Shanghai, the evening train (7,30-8.00ish) with a number prefixed with Z is the sleeper train. It arrives into Shanghai at 7.00am There are different categories the best being a two berth deluxe this has bathroom facilities and it wasn't terribly expensive. There was also a 4 berth no bathroom, We plan to get a chinese friend of ours to help with the booking as we will look at booking 2x2 and want them as close together as possible. I'm sorry my info isn't great at the minute but when I look into it again I will report back. I found mixed reports on the train, there are even some photo's of the sleepers on here if I remember correctly.We just think it would be a great adventure and the kids will love it.

I have travelled a bit in asia with the kids, Thailand ,Vietnam and Mayalsia as well as Hong Kong. There is so much to see and do and I find the aisan people extremely kiddy friendly.

CruiseKidz

[montelco]

Has the OP looked at Star cruises they sail out of Singapore (the Superstar Virgo) and Hong Kong (The Gemini). They are both lovely ships and have good itineries.

CruiseKidz

We have been on both and they have great kids clubs. If they take you where you want to go, it would be a good option. We got on in Singapore and loved visiting Singapore as a new experience for first timers in the Asian region. The Virgo is larger than the Gemini which means that sometimes you have to do a tender transfer, but the Gemini, being smaller, can get closer into the main ports and actually got withing 15 minutes of Ho Chi Minh City. It will be a great experience whatever!

[tamadig2001]

Thanks, I checked out the intinieries. I'm not familiar wtih Star cruises. The Hong Kong intinierary seems good, but they don't have the 2008 dates listed,so I'll check back again later.

 

Star Cruises is the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, and is the world's third largest cruise line, behind Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

[greatam]

I am looking at the March 24th cruise. Flying into Beijing and taking the train to Shanghai sounds like a great idea... where did you find info on the train, and how long is the ride? I would be interested in pursuing this...I didn't want to fly from Beijing to Shanghai, because that sounded like a lot of hassle, with double visas and luggage and all that. But a train might be fun.

 

If you take the March 24 cruise, you will still have to get a double entry visa. In fact, even if you fly directly into Shanghai from the USA, you will have to get a double entry visa if you take the cruise. Once you leave China and go to another country (like Korea/Japan), you automatically need a double entry visa.

 

I just looked at the itinerary. As a frequent Asia business traveler, I sure wouldn't take that cruise. Your kids will be bored to tears. Spends more time around Korea than any place. Korea is NOT a great tourist destination.

 

Don't know how long you have for vacation, but if it was my trip (and you can get the itinerary on the day you need it), if you really want to see some of China, fly into Beijing, sightsee there for a couple of days. Then fly to Hong Kong and board SuperStar Gemini "South to Singapore". 11 nights-HKG, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore. And don't worry about the kids out of school, please. Unless they are really poor students, they will learn more about geography, history and humanities in a trip like you are planning than they will learn in the entire semester.

 

It is a LOOOOONG flight and an expensive one. Make the most of it.

[wlee]

We have been on both and they have great kids clubs. If they take you where you want to go, it would be a good option. We got on in Singapore and loved visiting Singapore as a new experience for first timers in the Asian region. The Virgo is larger than the Gemini which means that sometimes you have to do a tender transfer, but the Gemini, being smaller, can get closer into the main ports and actually got withing 15 minutes of Ho Chi Minh City. It will be a great experience whatever!

 

Thanks for letting me know they have a kids club. Will my 12 & 15 yr olds enjoy it... meaning, do they have video games? They love the RCI and Princess kids club, I am wondering how they compare.

[wlee]

If you take the March 24 cruise, you will still have to get a double entry visa. In fact, even if you fly directly into Shanghai from the USA, you will have to get a double entry visa if you take the cruise. Once you leave China and go to another country (like Korea/Japan), you automatically need a double entry visa.

 

I just looked at the itinerary. As a frequent Asia business traveler, I sure wouldn't take that cruise. Your kids will be bored to tears. Spends more time around Korea than any place. Korea is NOT a great tourist destination.

 

Don't know how long you have for vacation, but if it was my trip (and you can get the itinerary on the day you need it), if you really want to see some of China, fly into Beijing, sightsee there for a couple of days. Then fly to Hong Kong and board SuperStar Gemini "South to Singapore". 11 nights-HKG, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore. And don't worry about the kids out of school, please. Unless they are really poor students, they will learn more about geography, history and humanities in a trip like you are planning than they will learn in the entire semester.

 

It is a LOOOOONG flight and an expensive one. Make the most of it.

 

I just might do that! I went back to RCI's website to look up the cruiseI was interested in Mar. 24, and it says that it's no longer available. Perhaps a company booked the entire ship or something, because previously only the balcony and suites were available (which is what I would take anyways, I just found it odd to have the other rooms completely blocked out.) So at this point, I am going to look at Star cruises, but I definitely want to hit Beijing.

[Philip217]

Mr. Lee,

Last time I checked, Fukuoka was in Japan, and Pusan was in South Korea. But Singapore is definitely not in China - although many Singaporean citizens do speak Hokkien (a Chinese Dialect).

You may want to consult an Atlas before planning your trip any further.

 

From personal experience (I previously lived there), Singapore is extremely clean, rather boring, and very expensive. My friends living there call it "Disneyland with the Death Penalty".

Fukuoka is not the most exciting port in Japan either. There are far more interesting places to visit in Japan.

As previously posted, there is really nothing to see or do in Pusan - but there are many other interesting places to visit in South Korea.

 

If you really do want to visit China, overland is generally the best way to do it - although this is also the most challenging and most expensive way as well.

[wlee]

Mr. Lee,

Last time I checked, Fukuoka was in Japan, and Pusan was in South Korea. But Singapore is definitely not in China - although many Singaporean citizens do speak Hokkien (a Chinese Dialect).

You may want to consult an Atlas before planning your trip any further.

 

From personal experience (I previously lived there), Singapore is extremely clean, rather boring, and very expensive. My friends living there call it "Disneyland with the Death Penalty".

Fukuoka is not the most exciting port in Japan either. There are far more interesting places to visit in Japan.

As previously posted, there is really nothing to see or do in Pusan - but there are many other interesting places to visit in South Korea.

 

If you really do want to visit China, overland is generally the best way to do it - although this is also the most challenging and most expensive way as well.

 

Sorry, I meant to say the cruise leaves out of Shanghai. My mistake!:)

[mollyeilis]

My hubby, who is half-Korean and who has lived in Korea (while a teenager, too!), thinks most of you must be missing quite a bit while visiting Korea!

 

If you only have one day in Busan (how he and his Korean family spell it b/c that's how they say it, and I believe maps are slowly being changed to reflect the B rather than the P), he says shopping is the thing to do. Fabulous shopping, cheap shopping. Athletic shoes (Nike has a plant there), clothes (though if your kids are bigger you might have to look harder for their sizes, although if you're there for enough time you can get things altered by expert tailors), open markets, trying Korean cuisine at the open markets...

 

For teens...coffee houses, karaoke rooms (like in Lost in Translation, though of course that's Tokyo), complicated robot models (gundam?) for relatively inexpensive, motorized tank models (that might be questionable to get back home since they have motors, though!), baseball gloves for cheap...

 

He reminds us that there aren't any historical monuments there b/c Busan was an industrial center, and therefore was bombed quite a bit during the Korean War (and by Japanese occupation before that).

 

But if you go OUT of Busan a bit, you can find mountain temples (there are those actually IN Busan if you go up the hills)...DH's family used to climb to the temples every day as an activity (and we have the pictures of him and his teenaged cousins to prove it, and they are all smiling, having a great time).

 

 

I don't know anything about Fukuoka, but I bet you could find great things about the city, if you look hard, and maybe talk to people who aren't businesspeople, and have the time to look around.

 

 

Quite a bit of how you and your teens will like it depends on what your kids are like. If they just want fun-fun-fun, maybe it's not good for them. But if they are interested in seeing other countries and learning, and meeting people (if they are open and respectful, and willing to help people practice their English...DH says there's a university in Busan so you'll have students around), then it will be really great.

 

 

I bet you could look on lonely planet's message boards to find some GREAT info on the cities!

 

I personally, and DH especially (since he's been all over Asia!), would jump at that cruise in a heartbeat, if we had the money. :) And take our son along (he's only 3 now, but someday he'll be a teen).

 

Whatever you choose, have a great trip!

[Nancyquilts]

We have been in Busan, and very much enjoyed the trip on the subway (metro, whatever) to one of the temples (with a short taxi ride from the station). The people of the area are very courteous; teenagers even stood up to give us their seats on the train. The fish market was also interesting, but the pig heads were a bit off-putting.

Our favorite Asian city is Hong Kong - we like to take a cruise that begins or ends there so we can have several days to visit our favorite places - and stay at the YMCA (right next door to the Peninsula). Nancy

[cb at sea]

If you're spending the time and money to go so far away, I'd do a land-vacation--and save the cruise dollars for later! You'll have more time to spend exploring this far-a-way place--that you may never visit again! Why waste that time on a ship? You can do any number of cruises at a later date!

[CruiseKidz]

wlee,

 

If you decide on a land tour and you have not visited Asia before it is worthwhile doing a bit of research. Singapore is very westernised ( my personal opinion) most people speak excellent english, signs are in english, it is not very heavily populated and the prices, hotels restaurants, are steep for Asia. Hong Kong has the feel of Asia, it is really busy with alot of crowds on every street but it is relatively cheaper for food etc and has quite a few markets, Like Singapore it is the norm to haggle at the markets and english is spoken in quite a few places, particularly hotels and tourist outlets. Venturing further afield to Vietnam it is not as well prepared for tourists but there are alot of cheap hotels and everything, food, clothes, gifts and tours are really cheap the us$ is widely accepted there. The volume of people and traffic in cities such as Saigon is Phenomenal and an experience in itself. Vietnam has some great unspoilt beaches such as Nha Trang. Other Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailand offer their own experiences and many parts of these countries are tourist orientated. In my opinion Asia is a great place to visit, cheap to travel in, full of alot of unexpected palces of interest but it would be worthwhile investing in Lonely Planet Guide To Southeast Asia or another guide book of similar caliper

CruiseKidz

[slotl]

Last year we were in the same position. We had investigated the "land" only option and did loads of research. We found the Viking 9 day tour/river boat to be the Best option. It does Beijing, Xian (Terra Cotta Warriors) and a FANTASTIC cruise down the Yangzee to the 3 Gorges Dam).

 

Then I said to my husband: "going to China for only 9 days seemed like such a "wasted effort" to go that far". We started looking at cruises to back-to-back with the river cruise.

 

We found a wonderful 17 day cruise from Beijing to Bangkok on the Pacific Princess. Stops included Puson (S. Korea), Nagaski (Japan), Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghi, two stops in Viet Nam, Malaysia and ended in Bangkok.

 

With a little more research (and a flyer from Princess), we discovered that Princess was offering a 9 day pre-cruise tour which was EXACTLY the same as the Viking tour. The best part was that it was "seamless" to get to the ship from the conclusion of the river boat tour. The port in Beijing is not easy to get to. There were 39 people on the pre-cruise tour and we had developed "ready made" friends when we boarded the ship.

 

It was, by far, one of the best cruise experiences I remember.

[slotl]

Has the OP looked at Star cruises they sail out of Singapore (the Superstar Virgo) and Hong Kong (The Gemini). They are both lovely ships and have good itineries.

CruiseKidz

 

When the Pacific Princess was in Singapore, it was "turnaround" day for the Virgo. There were VERY FEW AMERICANS on that ship. Most of the passengers we saw, seemed to come from Muslim, Buddest, or Hindu lands and dressed in their "native" garb.

 

The ship is beautiful and during the embarkation process, there were ship's entertainers dressed in costume welcoming the new guests. The dinner menu must have been very extensive in order to feed such a variety of ethnic backgrounds and dietary requirements.

[CruiseKidz]

slotl

 

The whole point of travel is to broaden ones mind and venture into other lands and experience diverse cultures. Remembering cruising is all about having a good time. Living in Australia we travel in asia quite alot I personally do not expect to meet fellow Aussies in say Malaysia or Vietnam. I have cruised on the Virgo and it was a wonderful experience. Like the OP, with kids we look for a good deal when travelling I feel travelling independantly in Asia is achievable with a bit of research,it is also exciting to plan and very satisfying when you get to your destination. I personally believe if I only visit a place for one day or two and love it, then I will return sometime.

[greatam]

slotl

 

Living in Australia we travel in asia quite alot I personally do not expect to meet fellow Aussies in say Malaysia or Vietnam.

 

Laughing at your response. As a frequent Vietnam business traveler (and tourist), Aussies are the most frequent group I run into. In fact, the Aussie investment in Vietnam is staggering. All the new condos, hotels, etc. in Vung Tau are primarily Aussie joint ventures with the Vietnamese. And if I'm not mistaken, the VERY popular Sailing Club in Nha Trang is Aussie owned.

 

One of my most pleasant side trips in Vietnam EVER was my first "Mama Hahn" boat trip out of Nha Trang. 30 Aussie backpackers, 10 German backpackers and a group of about 25 Vietnamese-some left Vietnam during the war, some stayed. They had not been together for about 30 years.

 

The trip left Nha Trang playing the soundtrack to "Good Morning Vietnam" VERY LOUDLY. With all the Vietnamese wine, the great music and the curiosity of the Vietnamese who stayed in Vietnam about America and Australia, it was simply one of the best days of my life. But not for the faint of heart-1968 Vietnam reincarnated.

[CruiseKidz]

It's a small world, I did the same boat trip out of Nha Trang last July and even danced with the skipper!! Lonely Planet discourages travellers from doing it but I thought it was a laugh. I'm Irish and find it's the Irish who I bump into in the weirdest of places, yes even on the Mama Hahn boat trip off Nha Trang. My son teaches english in Saigon and my trip to Nha Trang was the highlight of my visit, the great unspoilt beach.