mike35

We have gotten OBC after final payment when there was a price drop.

Since you booked with a TA, call right away, you may not be past the "official" final payment date. TAs require final 2 weeks or more before the Princess final date.

Sorry, but as a long-time TA, that statement isn't factual. Each TA/Agency can set their own policies regarding final, as long as it reaches the cruise line by the deadline.

Most of the time your TA can get some consideration should the price drop after final (which is frequently does with Princess).

I noticed a post about tipping and someone mentioned something about never tipping a cruise director. Normally I agree but on the AMA La Marguerite trip we took in February our cruise director/manager was the key to our incredible journey. He took care of everything and I mean everything-from expediting our arrival on Siem Reap through baggage and customs to ensuring that all tours left on time to ensuring that any problem on the boat was dealt with immediately. He was always there and provided us with comfort knowing we could turn to him with any problem or question. He always had an answer or solution and always, always with a smile. He was worth the tip we happily gave him.

 

As for other tipping, we always gave our driver a few dollars and a dollar for the boat captain on our excursions as well as a few dollars per person per day for our tour guides through each segment of the trip? We were so well looked after and when you think about it, you spend so much to take this trip, a few dollars for excellent service to people who are trying to improve their lives in a part of the world that has experienced so much horror is a blessing. If I spent $250-300 on tips over 20 days after spending so many thousands, it was well worth it.

Your post reflected my thoughts 100%. Do you remember your Cruise Director's name? Ours was Vuong (aka Rex). I developed a serious eye infection during the journey. When we arrived in Saigon, Vuong insisted on accompanying me to a modern, well-run clinic staffed by multilingual medical personnel. This gesture was indicative of his dedication to all passengers' well-being throughout the trip.

We purchased a large bag of school supplies in WalMart prior to our departure. Our particular group wasn't afforded the opportunity to shop in Cambodia prior to visiting the orphanage.

 

Mike, what did you mean by the Aussies think we are nuts?? What tipping are you referring to??? Tours?????? Daily tipping????? What exactly are the tips on a river cruise??? This will be our first time on a river boat.

 

Thanks

Australians (like much of the rest of the world) frown on the United States' reliance on tipping to make sure that service folks make a decent wage (there have been numerous past threads on this subject on Cruise Critic). Australians pay their service folks a decent wage, whether they're food servers, cab drivers, hotel porters, etc. In my trips to Australia, I've had service folks refuse tips, saying that they feel it's degrading. That's why many Australians (and Brits and others) are very upset about being asked to provide gratuities on cruise ships that carry mostly Americans. Recommended tips on river cruises are approximately $10 - $12 per person per day, which is split among dining staff, room stewards, etc. The cruise director is generally tipped separately (nominally $5/person/day, but variable). Tour guides and bus drivers are tipped separately - we give $2 to $3 for the guide and $1 for the driver, but again, it's voluntary and variable.

Also,regarding visas,,just says in brochure to contact your consulate,,how did you do this...will contact travel agent before my 7 day hold runs out,,but always like to know details to be sure..

We used a Vietnam "Visa on Demand" service, which is considerably less expensive than going through either the consulate or a visa service such as ZVS. Please e-mail me at mbrill*at*dc*dot*rr*dot*com for details on who I used. I would only recommend going this route if your flight in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city arrives during normal business hours, as you need to present your documents in a separate line at the airport in order to get your actual visa. We flew Cathay Pacific economy class from LAX to Hong Kong (13 hours), and after a 2-hour layover on Dragon Air from Hong Kong to Hanoi (2 hours). Good service and food; seats reclined as in most economy class seats. Hope this helps.

Hi again Mike,

 

Were these clients of yours that came back with positive comments re AMA's Russian cruise or have you been hearing the hype from AMA's customer service? We returned on September 19th and there were two more sailings before the ship went into drydock to fix the diesel smells, the broken A/C and the SEWERAGE problems. If the ship had been completely remodeled as the President of the line said and was the most luxurious ship on the Volga, why did it have to go into drydock to fix the problems? You know me. I'm not a complainer. When passengers have to go search for toilet paper and are paying $500 PER day PER person for a cabin (not a suite), and are promised a luxurious cruise, we were disappointed. Just want to warn you that most of the Americans on our cruise marked the critique cards that we would NEVER book AMA again. So, where are these positive comments coming from? The Australians aboard received all kind of perks and they did NOT pay what we Americans did.

 

Sheila

Definitely not "AMA Hype", Sheila - actual feedback. The boat was, in fact, taken down to the hull and completely rebuilt, but that doesn't guaranty that everything will work properly. I remember when Avalon launched its brand new Scenery a couple of years ago. I had clients on the South of France itinerary, and they (and their fellow passengers) complained bitterly about diesel fumes as well. I'm really sorry to hear that some passengers said they would never book another AMA cruise, since my experience confirms that they still do the best job on many of the world's river itineraries (ref my recent review of AMA's La Marguerite Mekong River experience). While in Phnom Penh, we met and compared notes with a well-known competing cruise line's passengers, and for a very comparable price, AMA's offering came out way on top (ship, food, shore excursions, hotels). We had about 20 Aussies (ATP cruises, AMA's partner) on board our sailing. The Aussies think we Yanks are nuts with our tipping, and their tips are included (as they are in most Australian restaurants, hotels, taxis, etc). However, their Mekong River cruise bottom line pricing was quite comparable to ours. With so few passengers, inclusive tours, unlimited inclusive alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, 5-star hotels, first-class ground transportation, etc), the per diem cost of a river cruise is necessarily higher than that on a 1000+ passenger ship in order for the river cruise line to remain in business.

Thanks, Sheila. I always make sure my clients know up front, prior to accepting their deposit, the good and sometimes bad of any cruise experience, so that there are no surprises. Those who have recently sailed AMA in Russia have come back with positive comments, having been forewarned and forearmed on what to expect.

You're welcome, "Shorex". I just hope that the negative experiences some have encountered with AMA's Volga River itinerary don't sour them on the outstanding job that they do on their other venues. I've sailed several AMA Europe itineraries with 100% positive results, and this Vietnam/Cambodia trip was truly icing on the cake. I've also had occasion to work closely with AMA's senior management on very special requests of some of my clients, and they have always bent over backwards to accommodate these requests.

We recently completed the September 13, 2011, 15-day AMA Waterways La Marguerite land and cruise package from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam. I had clients on this cruise, and they had asked if we would like to accompany them. Of course the answer was a resounding "Yes!"

Day 1 - We flew from LAX, arriving in Hanoi at 9:30 a.m. (after 17 hours in the air). I had previously obtained "Visa On Arrival" documents, and we breezed through the airport with our multiple-entry visas. A nice air conditioned van was awaiting us, and it whisked us away to the first of our 5-star hotels - the Sofitel Metropole. Service, amenities, and room decor were impeccable. We had previously arranged a private afternoon tour with Hanoi Kids - a group of college students who volunteer their services to show tourists around their city. They absolutely refuse compensation for their services, asking only that the tourist pay for any transportation charges or meals/snacks during the tour. Our guide was a grad student, and she offered us several choices that weren't included on AMA's tour the following day. We opted for the Viet Nam ethnological museum, which I highly recommend. It highlights the 50+ ethnic groups who live in Vietnam, with outdoor re-creations of their dwellings, and indoor displays of their many lifestyle needs. This was followed by coffee in a typical Hanoi coffee house (think Starbucks on a much more primitive scale). The entire cost for the day was less than $15 (300,000 Vietnamese Dong). Speaking of currency, ATM's are everywhere. We initially bought 2 million dong (about $100), which lasted us for the entire trip. Most establishments take Visa and MasterCard. That evening we ate in a large, bustling Vietnamese restaurant - great food and beer for around $20 for two of us.

Day 2 - AMA's morning tour took us to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, one-pillar pagoda, and the Temple of Literature. Our guide was exceptionally fluent in English. There were around 30 people on the tour. The afternoon tour saw us riding in rickshaws through the intricate maze of the old quarter - an experience not to be forgotten. This was followed by a unique water puppet show in an indoor theater. Fascinating and most enjoyable! After this tour, our friend and I went on our own to the infamous "Hanoi Hilton", now a museum that displays the many years that this prison was used for both the French and then the American prisoners of war. Of course the propaganda emphasized how wonderfully our downed flight crew members were treated. On display were many of Senator John McCain's personal effects, including the flight suit he was wearing when he was shot down. Dinner was on our own, and we again found a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant at rock-bottom prices.

Day 3 - After breakfast in the hotel and hotel check-out, we boarded a bus for a 2-hour ride to Ha Long Bay. We boarded a beautiful junk (Asian sailing vessel), which was our home for the next 1 1/2 days. Sailing Ha Long Bay provided one of the most exotically beautiful experiences of our lives! It is truly an "8th wonder of the world". We explored a large cave in the afternoon - similar to what one would see in Carlsbad Caverns.

Day 4 - After more Ha Long Bay sailing, we disembarked the junk, rode a bus to the Hanoi airport, and boarded our 2-hour flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I'll interject here by saying that our cruise director, Vuong (aka "Rex") stayed with us from our arrival in Hanoi until our departure in Saigon. Vuong was, quite simply, one of the best and most organized cruise directors we've ever encountered! Upon arrival in Siem Reap we were transported to the Sofitel Angkor hotel - 5+ stars in every respect. A lavish buffet dinner was awaiting us, and it was followed by a performance of Cambodian dancers and musicians.

Day 5 - We spent the day visiting the major temples of the Angkor complex - Angkor Wat, Angkor Tom, Banyan, and several others. Plan on LOTS of walking and even more photos! EVERYWHERE is a photo op!! These ancient temples from the 11th and 12th centuries feature engineering feats that seem incomprehensible, considering the lack of technological factors that seem so commonplace today.

Day 6 - After breakfast we visited another gorgeous temple. We then visited an orphanage that is sponsored by AMA Waterways. We're talking primitive here - no electricity, phones, indoor plumbing, etc. AMA has, however, installed solar panels which power the ceiling fans in the classroom. My wife and several others had carried large packages of school supplies from the States, and we gave these to the teachers for distribution. In the afternoon we visited the famous temple that was featured in the movie "Tomb Raiders", with huge tree roots that entwine the ruins. Dinner was on our own, so we rode one of the infamous "Tuk Tuk's" to a recommended restaurant and dined on some great Cambodian cuisine. Cost for a 10-minute ride - USD $2.00! By the way, the major currency used in Cambodia is the US Dollar - it's used everywhere, rather than the Cambodian riel. Siem Reap has a wonderful, bustling, hectic central market, where bargaining is a true art form. If the price starts at $15, offer $5, and go from there!

Day 7 - Three of us took a tuk-tuk into the old town and participated in a one-on-one cooking class. This 2 1/2 hour class was in the same restaurant where we had dined the evening before. We prepared numerous Cambodian dishes from scratch and then dined on our creations. Cost? $20 per person, which included the lessons, lunch, and cooking school t-shirt! We departed Siem Reap by bus at noon and drove 45 minutes to our beautiful La Marguerite, docked at the southern end of Tonle Sap lake (the largest lake in Asia). NOTE: Those who only took the 7-day river portion of this trip joined us at this point. These were about 50% of the passengers. The ship is beautiful and the rooms large and very well appointed. NOTE: -- internet on the ship is VERY spotty and is only reliable when tied up near a major city on the Mekong (such as Phnom Penh). Food on board was varied and deliciously prepared - except for desserts, which left a lot to be desired. Vietnamese red and white wines, spirits, and beer are complementary throughout the day; call brands are charged accordingly. Amazing, from a wine snob such as me, that after a couple of days I learned to actually enjoy the Vietnamese wine! And Vietnamese gin and tonic was quite good as well. Breakfast and lunch were buffet style with both western and Asian choices, many cooked to order. Dinner was from a set menu and was also delicious. Service was wonderful. We sailed south to join the Mekong, and we moored overnight at Kampong Chhnang (no, that's not a typo).

Days 8 - 10. We sailed the Mekong River and visited several villages along the way to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. These visits included fish farms, floating markets, small villages, temples, and monasteries. The Cambodian people are EXTREMELY friendly, and everywhere we went, the children would wave, smile, and shout, "hello"!

Day 10 - 11. We visited many of Phnom Penh's highlights - the presidential palace, silver pagoda, and many others. But the most chilling and memorable visits of our entire trip were to the infamous killing fields, followed by S21 - one of the most brutal torture prisons in history. Suffice it to say that between 1975 and 1979, the brutal dictator Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge troops managed to kill 2 million of Cambodia's 7 million population. Who did they kill? Anyone with any type of education at all, including their families. This left Cambodia devoid of any sort of infrastructure, and as our guide (who lost his family in the killings) told us, Cambodia literally started at square zero in 1979! This experience will be burned forever in my memory. Other horrors of Cambodia center around the millions of land mines that were distributed by the Khmer Rouge. Everywhere one looks, one can see men, women and children of all ages with missing limbs, resulting from these instruments of maiming.

That evening several of us elected to dine on our own, so we boarded tuk-tuks and ate in a famous "hot pot" restaurant. On Day 11 we departed Phnom Penh and crossed the Mekong "border" into Vietnam (with a 3-hour delay while Vietnamese border officials made sure our passports, visas, and documents were in order). That evening we moored in Tan Chau.

Day 12 - 13. Cruising down the Mekong Delta, we visited several villages, exploring fish farms, handicraft shops (mats, candy, etc), temples, and floating markets. One of the most interesting visits was to Xeo Quyt, a thriving Viet Cong base during the war. All of the bunkers, meeting rooms, headquarters huts, and trails have been maintained, and one can easily envision the horrendous conditions that American troops were faced with when attempting to ferret out the "enemy".

Day 14. Our wonderful seven days on the La Marguerite came to an end. We disembarked about 60 miles from Saigon, boarded a bus, and were treated to a tour of an ancient Chinese temple, followed by a lacquer ware factory (great place for purchasing final quality souvenirs). We toured the Presidential Palace (aka Reunification Palace), Notre Dame Cathedral, and the French architectural gem post office. We were then taken to a fabulous Vietnamese restaurant (Indochine) for lunch, followed by check-in at the Sofitel hotel. Although quite nice, I would rate this hotel more in the 4-star category (compared with the Sofitels in Hanoi and Siem Reap). Unless you have recently won the lottery, I wouldn't suggest eating dinner in the hotel's buffet dining room, since it costs $44 per person. Compared with all of our other dining experiences in southeast Asia, this seemed exorbitant! We opted instead to walk two blocks to a great pho restaurant (Pho 24), where Carol and I enjoyed fresh spring rolls, large bowls of pho and a beer apiece - total cost $11 including tip!

Day 15. Breakfast was included at the hotel, but the day's exploring was on our own. AMA offers a tour to the Cu Chi tunnels, used by the Viet Cong, but we passed. We instead visited the War Museum, which I HIGHLY recommend. We spent at least 3 hours there, and it was incredibly interesting. The many rooms focus on both the French occupation and the American war. The most chilling of all was the room dedicated to the effects of Agent Orange - on both the Vietnamese and our own American forces. Ugly!! We also visited the central market, where we purchased many last-minute souvenirs. NOTE: Many items in Siem Reap's central market, such as silver jewelry, are NOT sold in Saigon's market. Prices on other items are comparable between the two markets. So I would recommend buying what you like in Siem Reap, without thinking that maybe it will be cheaper in Saigon.

Day 16. Depart for home.

In summary, this trip rates among the highlights of all trips we have ever taken. Passengers were about 60% American, 25% Canadian, 10% Australian, and 5% British and Russian. We didn't hear one "whine" during the entire adventure! Weather in southeast Asia is hot and hotter, with very high humidity. There are no laundry facilities aboard the ship, but laundry service is available. Smoking is strictly limited to the sun deck, so those who enjoy a smoke-free environment will be pleased. AMA just launched its brand new, slightly larger AMA Lotus, which will sail the identical itinerary. AMA is to be commended for having everything so well organized, and for providing a gorgeous boat, first class land accommodations, and experienced, friendly English-speaking tour guides.

We leave four weeks from today for the 9/13 La Marguerite Hanoi to HCM. This will be our second time to Saigon, having previously visited during an Oceania cruise that allowed us two days in port. We absolutely loved that experience, and we are SO anxious to now be able to see Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, and the ports and experiences in Cambodia. I've searched roll calls but haven't found anyone else on this sailing who has signed in to Cruise Critic.

Was it possible to pay cash for those tips if you wanted to avoid the credit card foreign exchange fees that the cruise booklet says will be imposed for credit card transactions on the ship?

If you do much traveling outside of the United States, I suggest that you get a Capital One credit card (honest, I'm not a "shill" for them). Capital One is the only card that does not charge a foreign service transaction fee. I've had their card for years, and I only use it when I travel abroad since "rewards" are better on other cards that I carry.

Thanks for the links to the docking area! We are staying in Nuremberg for a few days before our Christmas cruise - in the Old Town. We will need our own transfers to the ship in Nuremberg, do you know know the best method to get there, like how much would a cab be?

Karen NY,

 

Yes, a cab would be the best way to get there. There´s no public transportation close to the docking area (I think there´s a bus running over the bridge but it´ll be too far to walk with luggage).

 

steamboats

According to AMA's documents, their dock is approximately 40 miles from the Nuremberg airport, at the Nuremberg Harbor at km71 of the Main-Danube canal. We'll be flying in same-day, so I guess a cab would be our only option. Sounds like I'd better have lots of Euros:p

We used Alla Tours in St. Petersburg for a 2 day tour. It was great.

She obtained visas for us.

They're the absolute best! Alla and her guides are incredibly knowledgeable, and they will personalize your touring experience to your own interests rather than the large companies that have "fixed itineraries".

Hmmm - maybe I should bring my 3 walnut shells and a pea.....:cool:

Mike

Rotflmao!!:D :D

You're so right, Juliejoe - I was thinking of Puerto Madryn's excursion, not the one from Punta Arenas. We took a private tour in Punta Arenas - arrived at the penguin reserve well in advance of the ship excursion. We walked about 3/4 mile on a wooden plank path and arrived at many penguin burroughs. We were able to get very close to them, and I got tons of "up close and personal" photos. We also climbed two observation platforms that allowed us to see even more. The only area where we were separated was between our viewing site and the water; I would estimate that we were no more than 20 yards away at that point. Still a great tour, although a bit tiring due to the walking distance.

Mike

Apparently Celebrity does a completely different penguin tour from Puerto Arenas to Punta Tombo than the one we took privately (middle of January) (and also the ones taken by those on our Oceania Insignia's tour). After the drive, we walked less than five minutes and were absolutely surrounded by over 500,000 penguins - UP CLOSE AND VERY PERSONAL! No "knot holes" or fences at all!

Mike

A little less than 2 hours, from what I'm told.

Mike

Thanks, Julie. We're arriving on Jan 15. I just e-mailed your contact to inquire about a tour to Punta Tombo.

Mike

Thanks, John. I should have done a search prior to my OP - it appears unanimous that this is a great excursion. I only hope that we arrive in Puerto Madryn on time so that we can see Punta Tombo. We will want to do the tour with a private operator rather than use the ship's excursion. I've requested info from Port Compass tours.

Mike

We will arrive in Puerto Madryn in January, and we would like to know if anyone on this board has taken the Punta Tombo shore excursion. It's rather lengthy (about 100 miles each way), which would take the whole day that we're in port.

Thanks

Mike