Asian Capitals and Vietnam II - Jan30 2010

[wripro]

Kathy16,

 

Like Chairsin I too recommend Exotissimo for tours in Asia. You can use them in Viet Nam as well. Go to their website, exotissimo.com I believe, and check out what they offer. There's an email address there and the guy in the U.S. is named Gary. He can arrange whatever you want.

 

IN Bangkok make sure your tour includes the floating market, the train market (where they train comes through and all the vendors pull their wares out of the way....you have to leave early for that as it happens at 8:30AM and perhaps an elephant ride. This is besides all the usual temples and museums.

 

This is a great cruise. You will love it.

[jagi]

Hi Kathy,

I posted on your other thread. I did this itineraary last January--and highly recommend your decision to fly to Angkor Wat from Singapore. We did that a few years ago--on a Singapore to Dubai itinerary--and Siem Riep is well worth spending a few days. The town itself is somewhat quaint with lots of backpackers--but there are amazing ruin sites beyond Angkor Wat. Our guide took us there the day after.and it is worth the stay to see both.

[cands]

Thanks, Steve for the link. We are interested in any info Wripro or anyone else can send us about guides, excursions, activities or hotels - (both pre- and post cruise and for the overnights in Bangkok and Vietnam). My e-mail is kathyspooner at hotmail dot com.

 

Steve, I found out yesterday that the day we arrive in Singapore is the Chinese New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, I heard that most businesses in Chinatown will be closed starting Feb 13 afternoon thru the 14th. I had wanted to spend a few days in Singapore, then fly to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat for 2-3 days, then back home to the US.

Kathy

 

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for the heads up about Chinese New Year. It promped me to hurry up and make hotel bookings for Hong Kong and Singapore.

We have just booked the Langham Place Hotel in Hong Kong and the Grand Hyatt in Singapore.

 

It should be exciting being in Singapore for Chinese New Year, with the added bonus that Feb 13th is my birthday! If it all gets too hectic at least we can have a nice meal in the hotel.

 

Cheers,

Steve.

[csto]

Partner and I, as well as another couple are also looking forward to this cruise. We booked at the Langham in HKG and St. Regis Singapore. Rates for this sailing were quite a bit better than club rates. Look forward to meeting all the CC members

 

Chris

[P&W]

Very usefull information I found in this thread.

One question I still have. Visa for Vietnam can of course be obtained at the embassies in our homecountries, however I saw on the Seabourn website that they offer the facilities to arrange this onboard at arrivel in the first port in Vietnam at an addtional cost of $50. Has anybody arranged it this way and is this amount the total cost or is this on top of the usual visacharges by the local authorities ?

Thank you for your reply.

[cands]

Very usefull information I found in this thread.

One question I still have. Visa for Vietnam can of course be obtained at the embassies in our homecountries, however I saw on the Seabourn website that they offer the facilities to arrange this onboard at arrivel in the first port in Vietnam at an addtional cost of $50. Has anybody arranged it this way and is this amount the total cost or is this on top of the usual visacharges by the local authorities ?

Thank you for your reply.

 

I have been to Vietnam before by ship and the Visa was organised on board in the manner described above. It's convenient and relatively cheap, so why not? I believe that would be the total cost.

 

Cheers,

Steve.

[Chairsin]

We just used Seabourn to secure our Vietnamese visa as well. It was just less of a hassle.

[glopa]

Would be really interested in the private tours you took in Bangkok and Vietnam. We're going on the Seaborn in Feb. and want to compare the ship tours with private ones, regarding cost, etc.

[Chairsin]

The privaate tour we took on that trip was our precruise trip from Singapore to Siem Reap -- that was the one where we used Exotissimo. I can only tell you that on that trip we stayed in a nicer hotel, had a private tour,and did not have to give up two days in Bangkok(Seabourn's trip was mid cruise) and spent less than half of what Seabourn charged. Our excursions to Hanoi and Hue were with Seabourn.

[kathy16]

I am realizing that this cruise is getting closer- and I have done nothing to prepare for it

Anyone else on this cruise interested in sharing excursions, or recommending worthwhile ship excursions? I notice on this cruise, the ship spends day 3 "cruising Halong Bay". Would that take the place of a private excursion for that same purpose?

Thanks,

Kathy

[kathy16]

Anyone take one of these excursions while on this cruise?

Thanks,

Kathy

[kathy16]

Hi! Now that final payment is just a month or so away, I was hoping to have more activity on this board. I noticed that the cruise before ours has now listed availability on it's lower cost cabins, and all the higher moderate cost cabins now show waitlist only. I'm assuming that SB moved passengers "up", to resell the cheaper cabins. No such activity seems to be happening on our cruise, so I'm assuming it's not selling as well. (I would love to be moved up to a balcony :)

Anyway- I would really appreciate hearing from other passengers- since I still don't know what we're going to do for excursions on this cruise- and it's not as far away as I thought- especially with the holidays coming...

[cands]

Hi Kathy,

I get the feeling the Hong Kong to Singapore and vv cruises still have lots of availability. The cruise immediately following ours (Feb13) is being advertised here in package form including airfares from Australia, pre stay at Raffles and post stay at The Peninsula for AUD6299 (USD5500) pp, which is a pretty good deal in anyone's language.

 

So I expect you will be sharing your cruise with a fair few Australians!

 

One of the nice things about the small Seabourn ships is it really doesn't matter which cabin you're in. They're all the same size (except for a few suites) and the level of service is great for any grade. We booked at A1 grade and will be in cabin 121. Last cruise we were in 137 which was just fine, also.

 

We have been doing a bit of research for the ports but since we have been to all of the countries before, we are probably not going to stray too far from the ship. We will do a couple of short ship's tours and maybe one or two days of self touring.

 

It will be great to be right in the thick of things in Saigon and Bangkok. The last time we cruised to these cities we were hours away by bus!

 

Mostly we want to rest and enjoy everything that Seabourn has to offer.

 

Cheers,

Steve. (and Chris)

[kathy16]

Steve,

I would love to have a package like that. Just the cost of the cruise itself approximates the package cost- and does not include airfare or hotel.

You mentioned we dock close to Bangkok and Saigon- how far is it to those cities from the ship. How about Hanoi? That will make a difference in touring.

So- will not need to find an overnight hotel for Bangkok and Saigon?

Thanks,

Kathy

[P&W]

Kathy,

May I reply to your question regarding Bangkok.

In another thread I read that Seabourn Pride is not docking in Laem Chabang, where all the big cruiseships use to go to but sailing up the river Chao Phraya to Klong Toey.

This dock is close to the citycentre and there is a shuttleservice to the Central Department store. Half an hour drive but of course depending on the traffic congestion !

I know the place rather well as I have been living and working in Thailand

and our main office ( Thai Shell ) is based in Klong Toey.

Vietnam is new for us and I follow this thread with interest for any further info.

Pieter

[wripro]

In Saigon you will be docking right in city center. For Hanoi, however, the dock is a three hour ride away. My suggestion is if you dock the in the evening, ride in that night and spend the night at the Metropolitan Hotel. That way you will wake up there and be ready to start sightseeing instead of wasting all that time driving the next morning.

[kathy16]

In our itinerary, we seem to be in Hanoi from 7a- 8p, then we are spending the next day "cruising Halong Bay", then the following day in DaNang. In contrast, the Feb 13 cruise spends from 6p- 7p the following day at Hanoi.

 

I am excited about docking right in Saigon- and spending the night there (on the ship, then).

Now- all I have to do is figure out the best way to spend my time there.

Kathy

[jagi]

In Saigon, you're close to town with a shuttle service to the center. If you miss the shuttle and don't want to wait another hour, don't take the taxis at the gate. Check their price and then walk a little way down the road and stop a passing one. Check their price. I'm sure it will be MUCH cheaper. It's not the money, but I hate to be taken for a dumb tourist. Also, make sure they turn on the meter when you start.

[cands]

In our itinerary, we seem to be in Hanoi from 7a- 8p, then we are spending the next day "cruising Halong Bay", then the following day in DaNang. In contrast, the Feb 13 cruise spends from 6p- 7p the following day at Hanoi.

 

I am excited about docking right in Saigon- and spending the night there (on the ship, then).

Now- all I have to do is figure out the best way to spend my time there.

Kathy

 

Hi Kathy,

I see you already have the answers on the location of the ports. We are in the port that serves Hanoi from 7am to 8am (the next day). I guess this because once we leave we cruise Halong bay the same day. (The reverse itinerary does seem to be convenient for travelling to Hanoi at night and then being able to get an early start).

 

We are going to save Hanoi for another trip due to the long drive. Instead we plan to take a day trip to Halong Bay and get 'up close and personal' with this beautiful area.

 

Saigon is a real blast. Travelling all the way up to the city on the ship is a real bonus. Last time we travelled by Hydrofoil from Vung Tau in a harrowing 90 minute journey!

 

We started out at the Rex Hotel. We then succumbed to one of the tour touts offering half day tours on the street. It turned out to be a really good choice. He helped tailor a really interesting tour. We visited the large produce market, a lacquer factory (suprisingly interesting and we bought a few pieces), the so called 'American War' museum (very confronting but fascinating) and then the main museum.

We also went to a local restaurant for lunch, which was very good.

The total cost for four including lunch was about USD70. (2004 prices).

 

This time Chris wants to absorb some of Saigon's French Colonial past, so we intend to visit and photograph some old buildings including the Opera House.

[kathy16]

Steve,

Do you think the "cruising Halong Bay" day of the cruise will be a good way to see Halong Bay or is it just a way to get to the next port?

Kathy

[wripro]

Cruising through Halong Bay is absolutely spectacular. Since the ship is so small the captain can take you through narrow parts where larger ships cannot go (He will probably claim that he had to bribe the pilot with a few bottles of booze.) The port is very close.

 

Steve,

I think it makes great sense to use the day to explore Halong Bay from up close. We did drive into Hanoi and it was a very long, tiring day, although in retrospect, worth it. Once again, I highly recommend private tours for this area. For those on the reverse itinerary I repeat that it's smarter to drive in the night before and get a full day of sightseeing in before driving back.

[cands]

Thanks Henry,

Gotta love the small Seabourn ships, getting into out of the way places!

 

Steve.

[wripro]

Steve,

 

That's one of the best parts about SB.

[wripro]

Steve,

 

I know this is OP but a favor to ask, if you don't mind. We'll be in Melbourne for one day during the world cruise, If I give you my email address would you mind giving a few suggestions as to how to best spend the day? Thanks.

[Chairsin]

Kathy,

Yes, one of the many nice things about Seabourn is that you can bypass all of the large cruise ships and sail much further up the river to dock. But even with that the traffic in Bangkok is fierce -- it took us over 45 minutes one day to shuttle from the ships to the shopping center where you are dropped.

 

In Saigon you are only about 5 minutes from the Rex Hotel downtown (this is where the shuttle drops you.)

 

Regarding your question about Halong Bay -- next time I do this cruise I would definitely take a junk boat cruise. Halong Bay is immense and Seabourn does not have the time to wander around -- they pretty much go directly to Cai Lan -- but you see enough to wet your appetite.