alwayscruisetime

We used them on a December cruise, and found they were very accommodating. We made some changes, they suggested some changes, and we felt that we got the absolute most out of our time in the region. Our ship docked overnight in Bangkok, then went to Sihanoukville as the only stop in Cambodia. We opted to spend the night in Bangkok rather than on the ship because the drive from the port to Bangkok itself ate up a good portion of the day. That provided us 2 full days in Bangkok, flying from there into Siem Reap, which gave us 2 full days there (there was no way to see it from the ship during the time it was in port). We then flew out of Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh City/Saigon where we had a full day, meeting up with the ship again at the Phu My port. Shore Excursions Asia arranged the Siem Reap (Cambodia) and Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) portions of our trip, and it was seamless. We LOVED our guide in Siem Reap, the hotel was very nice, we were able to see the sun rise over Angkor Wat, and we enjoyed dinner and a traditional show. We had a different guide in Vietnam - all arranged by the same point person at Shore Excursions Asia. The best part is that it cost us far less than what the ship's excursion would have cost. Their price was $2999 per person, and we paid less than $2500 total - including flights, hotels, admissions, meals, and tour guides who spoke outstanding English and knew their subject matter well. While that sounds like a lot of money, the cost of tacking Siem Reap onto the cruise at the beginning or end, or having to travel back to that part of the world to see it some other time (flights, hotels, etc.) made this a steal. It was plenty of time to see all that we wanted to see, included 3 full days of touring in 2 countries, and we gave up a sea day and a day in the Sihanoukville port, which - if you read description of the port, it's called "gateway to Siem Reap" - which didn't hold anything for us. My contact at Shore Excursions Asia was Lynn, and she did a great job. I'd definitely recommend her and the company.

We ended our cruise last month in Hong Kong at 7AM with a 10:45 PM flight home and were very pleased with SF Express, an airport baggage check-in and delivery service. Our cruise line apparently was unaware that they would be right there at the port, but we passed their representatives as we were headed to the taxi line. They took our bags from us, stored them at the airport for the day, and we jumped on a city bus (the SF Express representative showed us how to find it) and explored the day on our own. We purchased Octopus cards which made boarding public transportation easy. You have to put a deposit down on the card, and then have what's left refunded to you at the end of the day, but we had plenty of time so that wasn't a problem. Agreed with the poster above who said that it's the type of place you want to have the time to spend when something interests you. We traveled using public transportation - trains and buses, and the cost was minimal. We enjoyed the flower and bird markets, which are sort of off the beaten path, and were glad we had the freedom to stay as long as we wanted. At the end of our day, we took the train to the airport, where the SF Express counter was large and retrieving our luggage was quick and easy. HIGHLY recommend!

My husband and I were on a cruise that ended in Hong Kong at 7AM earlier this month, and our flight home wasn't until after 10PM. We used public transportation (buses and trains) to see everything we wanted during that time, and it was cheap, easy, clean, and safe. I'd hate to see anyone pay $108 (as mentioned previously) for the ship's tour just because they weren't sure they could get around on their own. We took a bus from the cruise terminal to the central station, where we each bought an Octopus Card. It's a prepaid card that allows you access to public transportation, so you buy it at the beginning of your day, and can cash it in at the end of the day to have them refund whatever balance you don't use. While there are machines to top off cards, we found we had to find the customer service center (a round kiosk) and have a human issue our cards. I will say that one of our 2 cards scanned as a senior card, the other did not (we didn't know to ask when we purchased them, so we have no idea what determines a "senior" and are still in disagreement as to which of us they thought was older!) and there was a big discrepancy between what the 2 of us were charged each time, so if you think you're eligible for the senior fare, definitely ask! As someone else mentioned, the fact that the British were present so recently means that all the signs are in English, so navigating is easier than you might expect. Not everyone speaks English (or is willing to admit to it) but they're happy to communicate using Google Translate as necessary. And USD is not accepted most places - we used both credit cards and Hong Kong dollars.

To answer both questions, let me say that we were there earlier this month and it is a 5-10 minute walk from the furthest berth to the cruise terminal (which has a couple of shops, a restaurant, and wifi) but they did run a golf-cart type shuttle back and forth for free. We were among the first off the ship so we walked in order to meet our guide on time, but rode the shuttle back in the evening when usage was more staggered. In terms of a tour, I felt like we hit the jackpot with this one. In fact, while booking, I wasn't sure that I was being completely understood because it didn't seem possible that I could pay so little to get a completely private day. Private guide, private car (with a driver - not the guide) and a private boat - that's right, no other passengers on the full-sized boat that other tours will fill with 40-60 guests. Just the 2 of us and our guide, plus 3 crew members (the captain, the cook, and someone to handle everything else). I was afraid to believe it until the boat actually pushed off with just us! That meant we always had the best seat in the house, whether inside or outside, upstairs or down, if there was a view to be had, we had front-row seats. It meant that when we stopped to go in the cave or on the beach, we got to decide how long we wanted to stay. It meant that we could choose to have lunch at whatever time we were hungry - and oh, what a lunch it was! The food just kept coming! We didn't eat even 1/3 of what they presented - not because it wasn't good, because it was outstanding, but because they prepared enough for a much bigger group. Drinks were extra, but the lunch itself was included in the price of our tour. The tour guide, Ms. Gam, was the most attentive, most helpful, and most energetic guide we had during our 28-day cruise. She spoke excellent English, and as we were cruising, she made phone calls to different shops when we told her what we were shopping for, to be sure we maximized our time ashore. She arranged a massage at the end of our tour at a quality location (the transportation was included, but not the cost of the massage, just to be clear). What makes her the perfect guide for this particular tour is her knowledge of the area and the people - she used to live on the water, so rather than just telling what "those people" do, she could speak from personal experience. And when we were in the cave, we felt sorry for the other people we saw there because they were just traipsing through, while she had a laser pointer and directed our attention to different formations and told stories associated with them. I will say that I specifically chose a non-ship sponsored tour because someone here on Cruise Critic said that you have to do at least a 4-6 hour tour in order to have enough time to go far enough to see enough of the bay. Anything shorter and you don't get to see enough of the UNESCO-recognized area. The cruise line's excursion was 3.5 hours total, which included the transportation to and from the cruise ship terminal. (Ours was 6+ hours) Their excursion involved a (necessarily) shorter time on the water, with one stop - to tour the cave. (Our tour included the stop at the cave, one at a beach, and a trip into a smaller cove where you could choose to have a bamboo boat (with pilot) row you around, or you could kayak yourself. The highlight was seeing the monkeys). Their excursion touted "drinks and restrooms available on board". (We had a fully catered lunch, served to us at the time and table of our choosing!) And theirs involved a bus ride (as my husband and I like to say, "With 45 of your closest friends"), every seat taken on the boat, and a shared tour guide for 45 people. (We had the car, the boat, and the tour guide to ourselves). The cruise line offered their tour for $100. (I believe we paid $125 each). We would absolutely do our tour again, exactly the same way, with the same guide. You can reach her through WhatsApp at +84 352 403 168 and feel free to say that Donna gave you her info (that way if you'd like to arrange a similar tour, so she'll know what you have in mind - although, of course, it's fully customizable, so you can have her do things differently for you if you'd like!) I haven't yet written up all of our excursions (18-20, all independent, in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia) but I'm happy to share our experience if you're searching at ports in any of those countries - just ask.

Sorry - we had a "deviation plan" - our ship was overnighting in Bangkok, followed by a day at sea, followed by Sihanoukville, followed by Phu My, Vietnam. We left the ship early the first day it was in Bangkok and did 2 days in Bangkok, flew to Siem Reap and did 2 days there, then flew to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) for a day of touring and then meeting back up with the ship. We were really pleased with our decision - we were able to spend more time in the places that required it and not waste time with sea days or industrial ports. I don't know if it was because our ship was the first to call there this season, but at Sihanoukville the Prime Minister came to the dock and gifted every passenger with a local-made scarf as they disembarked. (Since we missed that port, we only learned about it when we saw the photo gallery with the photos.) Sorry we missed that!

We just returned home today from 28 days in Southeast Asia, and got all our own Visas before leaving home. We were fortunate to have travel to Massachusetts in the month prior to our departure because there's a Cambodian consulate there. I had a hard time reaching them by phone (looks to be a 1 or 2 man office, and I think they're not there 9-5 every day) but we were able to make an appointment the week prior, arrive with the appropriate paperwork (downloaded from the internet and filled out) and $30 cash for each of us. It took less than 15 minutes total. Obtained Vietnam and Indonesia on our own, through the internet, and did our "landing card" for Singapore once we were traveling, as it can't be done before 72 hours prior to entry.

We used Shore Excursions Asia. Left our cruise ship in Bangkok, spent 2 full days in Bangkok, 2 in Siem Reap, and the last day in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), after which our guide took us to re-join the ship in Phu My port. Cheaper than the ship’s alternative and private guides in each place. Highly recommend.

We disembarked this morning. Could not have been any easier. Hong Kong taxis take only Hong Kong cash, but you may find that your driver would agree to take you to the hotel, and the hotel could give you the cash in exchange for whatever currency you have. (That worked for us in Moscow). No personal experience, but Uber does operate in Hong Kong. Cruise director says that technically it’s illegal, but it’s there nonetheless, and it’s the drivers who would get in trouble, not the passengers. We used a baggage delivery system that we discovered as we were walking to the taxi line. They took our bags to their storage in the airport (easily accessed once we arrived to the airport 10 hours later) and helped us find a city bus to take us sight-seeing. Very pleased it’s their service nd how easy it made our day.

Just finished a Halong Bay day cruise organized independently that was outstanding! Highly recommend- tour itself was perfect, and tour guide went out of her way to make sure we squeezed everything we wanted out of our day. Contact Ms. Gam through WhatsApp at +84 352 403 168.

Thanks so much, Copper! Looks like we’ll get to meet Gabriel for a few days, and perhaps his replacement might be either Claire or Faith, whom we enjoyed on the Oosterdam this time last year. And Cathy we’ll get to spend the entire cruise with - thanks again!

Thank you, scooter!

Does anyone know the name of the current Neptune Lounge concierge aboard the Westerdam? Thank you!

How soon can you travel? 28-Day Indonesia, Malaysia & Far East Collector on the Holland America Westerdam departs Singapore on Dec. 9 and finishes up in Hong Kong on Jan. 6. It's actually 2 14-day cruises, and it looks as though the first 14 days only hits Bali in the 3 countries you named, so you could just do the 2nd half, starting in Singapore on Dec. 23. Here are the 2 weeks: Singapore Phuket, Thailand Porto Malai, Langkawi, Malaysia Penang, Malaysia Tanjung Priok, Jakarta, Indonesia Semarang, Java, Indonesia, Surabaya, Indonesia Bali, Indonesia Singapore Beginning Dec. 23- Singapore Nathon (Koh Samui), Thailand Laem Chabang (Bangkok) Thailand (overnight in Bangkok) Sihanoukville, Cambodia (we're going to Siem Reap/Angkor Wat from here) Phu My, Vietnam Nha Trang, Vietnam Da Nang, Vietnam Halong Bay, Vietnam Hong Kong, China Holland America offers a multi-day excursion from Sihanoukville, Cambodia to Siem Reap/Angkor Wat for $3000/person including flights and hotels, rejoining the ship in Phu My, Vietnam (skipping one day at sea). We were able to arrange a private tour (just the 2 of us) including flights, hotels, local transportation, and private tours of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, and Ho Chi Minh City for about $1500 total. We also arranged an overnight in Bangkok at a local hotel, with a private tour that includes a 1/2 day with the elephants, a half day doing the floating and railway markets, and a full day seeing all the sights in Bangkok including a night tour. Holland America's tour is $1399/person and only includes seeing Bangkok - no elephants, no markets, and while it includes a dinner with show, there's no night tour. Ours will cost $1000 total. As you start to research Halong Bay, Vietnam, the thing to do is a Junk Boat cruise - others have said be sure you do a minimum of 4 hours so that you can get to the best parts. We were surprised that for under $200 we could do a private tour (just the 2 of us, including transportation to and from the cruise port pier) when it's $70/person through Holland America on a crowded bus and boat. Hope that helps!

Thank you! I'd never heard of them until recently, but I saw what joy it brought kids and adults alike when they found them on a recent cruise on another line, that I decided I'd try it on HAL regardless. I now have all my ducks in a row, having found 2 different Facebook pages (one public, one private) that all HAL cruisers can use to post regarding them. We'll be on a 28 day cruise and I plan to hide 20 a day - hoping it brings a smile to that those who find them, and that those it doesn't, they can just leave them where they find them so that perhaps someone else can enjoy them. Thanks to all for weighing in!

You said it - we fly enough to earn the Companion Pass and A+ Preferred. The only reason we're having to work it so hard for 2024 is that we also achieved 1K on United this year, so we've upped the challenge! We also don't get new cards - so no sign-on bonuses. It's all flights and a single credit card for each airline. I'd never even heard the term "churning".

As relatively new Holland America people, I can't speak to what HAL may or may not do, but as someone who's had a Companion Pass with Southwest for 20 years, I have good news for you. Check the date that your statement closes on your Southwest credit card. For us, the statement closes every month on the 8th, meaning last week, on November 8th, anything we'd charged to the card in the month prior became the "new balance" that must be paid by December 8th (or thereabouts - I'm thinking if the statement closes on the 9th, the payment is due on the 5th, but you get the gist). Here's how December works. Our statement ends on Dec. 8. Everything that's been charged onto our SWVisa card by Dec. 8 has to be paid for by Jan. 5. But starting on Dec. 9, everything that we charge to that card is a part of the NEXT statement - the statement that closes on Jan. 8 and has to be paid on Feb. 5. Every charge that happens AFTER OUR DECEMBER CLOSING DATE (the 8th in our case, you'll need to check for yours) counts toward the 2024 Companion Pass. So like you, we're timing our big expenditures. If we have something we can charge later rather than sooner, we're making the charge happen after Dec. 9. So if you want your big payment that's due on Dec. 23 to count towards your 2024 Companion Pass, all you need to do is make sure that your card's statement closing date happens prior to Dec. 23. (If I were you, with that big payment, I'd shoot for the 20th, or even the 15th, but technically you just need it to be before the 23rd. If it's currently earlier in the month, you're already set. If not, you are allowed to change your credit card's statement closing date. It can be done on the Chase website by changing the date you want to make payment (and the closing date adjusts accordingly), or you can call and have customer service help you with it. You need to start this month, in November, so that come December it's automatic. Be careful that if the date changes you don't go over 28 or 30 days between payments as a result of that change, or you'll end up with finance charges. We just did this. We now have the 2nd of each month as our closing date, so that beginning Dec. 3 (we allowed a few days just in case) everything we charge helps us towards our 2024 Companion Pass. (As a side note, depending on your card, you may have a promotion being offered - we do. Ours is a Priority card, so if that's not the one you have, you may have to upgrade to that card for the offer - I don't know.) From the Southwest website: "When you register and make purchases on your Rapid Rewards® Credit Card between 10/1/23-1/31/24, you'll earn 25% more points as a bonus on purchases made on your Rapid Rewards® Credit Card during the Promotion Period (up to 20,000 bonus points)." "The 25% bonus points will count towards Companion Pass® qualification, but will not count toward A-List or A-List Preferred qualification. Please allow up to 8 weeks after the end of the Promotion Period for the 25% bonus points to post to your Southwest Rapid Rewards account. Bonus points will post to your account in 2024." Hope that helps! You could already be earning towards your 2024 Companion Pass with the bonus points (although not the base points - they start the day after your December statement).

Thank you for reading this far! 17 ports of call in Indonesia, Malaysia, Far East, and I've found something to do in each. Maybe I'm just worn out, but there seems to be very little to do in Surabaya - as evidenced by the cruise line offering only 2 options - a (poorly reviewed) city tour by bus, and a car rental. I'm thinking we'll just jump in a cab and ask to see the flower/farmer's market or a beach. Anyone have any input? At Halong Bay the thing to do is the junk cruise, but it's hard to differentiate between all the different vendors offering them, so I hoped someone had some personal experience (either good or bad!) to help me discern. Hard to tell, too, if I need transportation to get to their office only to be bussed to a different dock where the cruise starts? Thanks so much

We are doing a cruise later this year in which we will be disembarking at one port (in one country) and re-boarding at a different port (in a different country). I called the Holland America line to request a "deviation", and a few days later got an email giving permission. The letter sent by email states what many here have shared - any additional costs are yours. The cruise itinerary could change, in which case you assume any additional costs. Deviations from the published itinerary may result in additional Covid-19 testing requirements - depending on the country of travel, there may be isolation requirements that keep you from re-boarding as scheduled or flying home until the isolation period ends. Again, you're responsible for any additional costs "associated with isolation, including hotels, transportation, flights, food etc." Lastly, they state that they are "unable" (we didn't ask) to adjust the cruise fare given that you're onboard for fewer days. Also that they won't have porters available so if you're taking luggage, you have to handle that on your own. All that being said, we feel as you do. There are "touring hours" to be had while the ship is docked overnight or at sea, heading from one port to the next, and we had a lot we wanted to see that wouldn't be possible without an "alternate disembark and embark" (another term used in HAL's letter). We've arranged tours with local guides/companies, booked hotels, and booked flights to make the most of our time and money. We'll get to sights that weren't possible through the ship's tours, and we'll save ourselves money on some that were. For the money spent to get halfway around the world (in our case) it's much cheaper to see those places while we're in the area, rather than arranging a 2nd trip back to see them at a later date. I hope it works out for you. We visited Machu Pichu with a land-based tour several years ago and encourage everyone we know to go earlier rather than later. We had no problems, but the older members of our group struggled. Enjoy!

We were just introduced to this phenomenon on a Royal Caribbean ship, and while I see lots of posts on the official Facebook from guests on RCI and Carnival cruises, I’m wondering if it’s a thing on Holland America? While i understand that it may only be the cruise lines that have more kids that tend to participate, the adults were really enjoying it on board this cruise, too. We’ll be on a month-long cruise over Christmas and New Years and wonder if we should bring some ducks to hide? Thanks in advance for sharing your experience!

Thank you all! As you promised, we were able to book on the app once we boarded. We got reservations for the shows we wanted to see, and at the 2 we’ve already attended, yes, there were lots of empty seats that were eventually filled by those with no reservations. Thanks for letting me know there was nothing to worry about!

Well said! And seconded!

Thank you all. Yes, Oasis class - Allure of the Seas. Cruised big ships on other lines, but never realized just how many people this one holds, so I never thought about the shows "selling out". And glad to hear about the dinners, too. We're early to bed early to rise folks, so the 6:45 start time for MTD seemed late to us. Glad to know it might not be set in stone.

Thank you all. Happy to avoid the guest services line!

Called Royal Caribbean and was told that they only offer a "limited number" of the shows (aqua, skating, comedy, etc.) online prior to the sailing, and that we'll have the "opportunity" to try to get them once we board. She said check with guest services - is that where it would happen? I'd hate to wait in what's sure to be a long line (embarkation? the longest!) only to find out I should have been waiting in a long line elsewhere. Appreciate anything you can tell me. Thanks. Also told that with My Time Dining we could show up to a dining room at 5:15 and possibly get seated, but others on these boards have said if you're My Time, that time pretty much starts at 6:45. Again, without any personal experience on Royal Caribbean, I'm hoping to glean from your experience. Thank you!

Thank you in advance. First timers on Royal Caribbean, and we visit both of these places (realize Labadee is not actually an island.) Is there snorkeling accessible right from the beach? Is access to the water rocky? Debating on bringing full-face snorkel masks and whether to choose hard-soled water shoes or more flexible.