decafnights

We took this exact cruise and sailed from Hong Kong on October 17, 2019. Over the years, I have gotten a lot of helpful info from Cruise Critic so I’d like to help future travelers if I can. I don’t have any of the port info or the prices but I kept a journal and just reread my impressions of the ports and excursions.

We had been to Hong Kong before and seen what was on the included tour. So we booked an 8 hour tour of Lantau Island with Viator (at about half the cost of the ship’s tour). The Big Buddha was interesting and it was nice to get out of the city. We thought we would be fine because we didn’t sail until 11pm but we found out we had to be back on board by 5 for a mandatory lifeboat drill at 5:30. Our guide couldn’t guarantee that we would be back. Fortunately, we ran into a couple who were able to help us navigate our way back. The subways are very clean and clearly marked but we didn’t know that until we got there.

We did the included half day tour of Taipei and we were fortunate to have an excellent guide. We have been to Asia before but not to Taipei and we really enjoyed it.

We went on the included tour to the Nagasaki Peace Park because we had been to Nagasaki before. It is definitely worth seeing but the included tour does not include the Atomic Bomb Museum or Deijima.

It didn’t seem like there was much to see in Kagoshima so we did the included tour. We went to a scenic spot and a museum and that’s about it.

We did the included tour of Beppu and it was worth it to see the hot springs but I don’t recall anything else.

We took a private tour of Hiroshima with two other couples and it was excellent. We took a taxi to a train to a ferry to Miyajima Island. Loved seeing 500 deer walking around. The iconic red Torii gate was being restored so we couldn’t see it. We went to a Shinto Shrine and saw a purification ceremony and then we saw lots of stone Buddhas with knit caps. We went to the Peace Park and the museum and learned so much. Definitely a highlight of the trip. We didn’t sail until noon the next day so I took the shuttle to town and walked around looking at the downtown and the gardens.

Kyoto was the highlight of our trip and I wish we could have spent more time there. Six of us were on a private tour and we had a wonderful guide. We loved the rickshaw ride through the Bamboo Forest (touristy but still worth doing), ate in a restaurant where we grabbed our sushi off a conveyor belt, and then we saw the beautiful Golden Pavillion (not to be missed). We went to the Geisha district but it was too early to see any geishas. Then we went to the Inaritaisa (?) Shrine and saw thousands of red Torii gates. We ended a wonderful day with a 10 minute bullet train ride back to Osaka.

We took a private tour of Shimizu and were so fortunate to be in the 10% who were able to view Mt. Fiji from the new observatory. Also went to a green tea farm and Miho Pine Grove which were ok but not outstanding.
We then spent three days in Tokyo partly with a guide and partly on our own.

Congratulations to Bob and Betsey! We enjoyed meeting you during our segment, and we wish you a lifetime of health and happiness.

Lisa, thanks so much for posting these wonderful pictures.

Gail and Alan

Wishing Bob and Betsy much health and Happiness! Congrats!

So sorry to hear this news. Glad he has you and Betsey. Please tell him many of his online friends are pulling for him.

Our cruise ship had an overnight in Safaga. We contacted Haitham Masoud, the Tour Operator for Ramasside Tours.  He proposed a two day itinerary with the option to be flexible.  All the admissions and the hotel were included. We opted for a 5 star hotel and it was still very reasonable. We were very glad we decided to stay overnight. We avoided 6 hours on a bus two days in a row, and we were able to start very early in the morning before it got oppressively hot.

Ibrahim, or guide, was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and explained everything in great detail. He also answered our questions about life in Egypt today.  On the first day, we went to the Karnack Temple, had lunch, and went to the Luxor Temple. That evening we went to the Sound and Light show at the Karnack Temple (offered as an optional extra). The next morning we went to the Valley of the Kings and the Hatshepsut Temple. We opted to skip lunch and head back to the ship.

Others have given detailed descriptions of the sights and posted beautiful pictures. I highly recommend Ramasside Tours. We appreciated the opportunity to be flexible and go at our own pace.  We were there in mid May and it was oppressively hot. In the afternoon, it "felt like 112".  The restaurant we went to the first day was not air conditioned where we were initially seated, and on the second day, the air conditioning was not working in the restaurant. They offered to try someplace else but we opted to return early. I mention this because it would be helpful to check in advance.  I also suggest checking in advance about whether the hotel has USB ports or adapters, or being sure you bring the correct one with you if you want to charge devices. Despite the heat, this was an amzing once in a lifetime experience for us.

Bob, we were on the Dubai to Rome segment. I recognized you from your posts and introduced myself. I lived in Flushing many years ago. I am so glad to hear that you are doing so well. We wish you a quick and easy recovery and look forward t seeing your posts again soon.

Gail and Alan

Assif and Tali, I am so very sorry this happened to you. I can't locate your original post to reply to. We are in Dubai sightseeing for a few days before we embark on Monday. Today, we went to Abu Dhabi and there were signs all over saying "Year of Tolerance". I asked our guide what that referred to and he said last year was a celebration year related to welcoming mosques and temples. I kept thinking of your experience. I think you said that you are going to reboard in Haifa. I hope to meet you in person. And Bob, I was thinking of your post and I didn't buy a thing. I applaud your effort to make an impact. Gail

7 minutes ago, Go-Bucks! said:

Go-Bucks!, what an amazing adventure you are having. A lifetime of memories and great stories to tell. We are enjoying following along with you. 

Lisa, we board in May and thanks to you, Bob, and others, I feel like I "know" some of you.  I am enjoying seeing pictures of where I have been as well as places I hope to go. Thanks for all your effort and for providing lots of good information. Gail

On 4/2/2019 at 3:23 AM, ilsun said:

Hi all, if anyone is interested in looking at my photographs from this ATW cruise, look at my 

FB page Assaf Shilo & my profile photo is of me on a Harley with angel wings. In future I will not be posting photos on this board.

Assaf, your photos are amazing! I looked on your FB page and saw that you are a photographer. I particularly enjoyed these as we will be in Japan in October.  A basic question- to follow you on FB, do I send a friend request or is there another way to do it? Thanks.

And thanks to all of you who are posting. I've been wondering what you do with so many great photos. Do you make albums when you get home or do they sit on your computer?

Does anyone have experience entering Dubai from a flight with prescription medication? There are lists of what is controlled and prohibited. I have read that there must be a prescription and a note from someone in authority, but I'm not clear who that is. Is medicine in the bottle and a note from a doctor sufficient? We tried contacting the AEU consulate but did get our questions answered. Thanks.

34 minutes ago, BabySis said:

I just don’t think Bob sleeps at all...  he stays awake 24 seven so he doesn’t miss one single photo. We board in Singapore and I know I will recognize him. Thank you, Bob for all the gorgeous photos 

Yes, thank you Bob, Lisa, and others for all the gorgeous photos. I am enjoying traveling with you and feel like I will recognize several of you when we board in Rome.

On 2/14/2019 at 12:17 PM, rigs32 said:

 

Trastevere!  It’s a beautiful cobblestone neighborhood filled with shops, bars, and restaurants.  If I ever go back, I’ll stay in that area.

 

Have dinner at an aperitivo joint.  You pay for a drink and get access to the buffet for free.  We went to Frenie e Frizzioni in Trastevere.  The buffet is from 7 to 10.  I believe I paid 6 euro for a glass of wine and my boyfriend paid 5 euro for a beer. Cocktails were slightly more.  The food was mostly vegetarian and the salads were delicious.  It can be a little tough to find as it was up a few stairs from the street, but we heard people talking above us and found it.

 

We also went to Momart for aperitivo in the NE part of the city. 10 euro got us a cocktail and a massive spread of food,

including fresh wood fired pizza, lots of veggies, and a build your own brownie sundae station.

 

if I go back to Rome, dinner will likely be at an aperitivo place every night.

Thanks so much for this great suggestion!

11 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Perhaps boring might have been the wrong choice of words - disappointing or surprising may be more appropriate. The lights at night help as you don’t see so much of the sand dunes. Again, the city explored on the ground level is very exciting, IMO.

Well, I still want to get up there. Just not sure how far up and what time of day it will happen. Thanks.

2 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Agree about the height. You really cannot tell the difference in the view from the 90th vs the 100th floor.

As spectacular as Dubai is at the ground level (imaginative architecture) it is that boring from the air - nothing but sands as far as the eye can see (more or less). It's not like the view from the Empire State in that sense.

That said, as it is the tallest building in the world (for now), I would not miss the opportunity to go up.

That's interesting about the boring view- not what I was expecting.

3 hours ago, Go-Bucks! said:

True, but the higher ones were more than I want to spend. High is high to me...I don't need to go to the top.  😂

I understand. I haven't made any decisions yet. Also, wasn't implying that anyone should go to the top- just trying to give people info for their decisions.

17 hours ago, Go-Bucks! said:

Our ship leaves at 6pm and we're just there one day.  I'd like to take the HOHO bus and have the combo tour with 3 course lunch in Burj Khalifa for $68.  We'll just have to get an outside photo of the hotel.

Sounds like a good plan. One thing I found in my research is that the more expensive tickets give you access to the higher floors, in addition to skipping the lines.

22 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Just to set the record straight - you gave me credit for this advice when it was Damicom who posted this - I just agreed with it 

Sorry, Damicon. I'm trying hard to thank the right people and give credit where credit is due. Thanks, Paulchili, for pointing that out. I'm relatively new to CC. 😀

On 2/8/2019 at 1:24 PM, babysteps said:

s it possible you are seeing ticket info for the Burj Khalifa (the skyscraper) and confusing that with the Burj al Arab (the hotel)?  

Yes, babysteps, that's exactly what I did. Thanks.

On 2/8/2019 at 1:23 PM, Senior Citizen said:

Sounds like the description is for the Burj Khalifa skyscraper?  They sell tickets online and we used to be able to book for a certain time and skip the lines.  The last time we were in Dubai, the only way to get into the Burj Al Arab was, at a minimum, to buy very expensive tickets for tea.

Yes, I confused them. Thanks.

15 hours ago, Paulchili said:

I think you mean the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.  It’s beautiful and worth seeing. When you buy the fast track tickets, not only do you bypass the very long lines, you go to a higher floor. You’re also served some treats.  I would suggest trying to do this just before sunset so you can watch the lights come on. It’s also an amazing place to watch the Dancing Fountains. The ticket is expensive but it’s a once in a lifetime event. Why waste an hour (or more)standing in line? The Dubai mall is pretty fabulous too. A great place for people watching. 

Thank you Paulchili and everyone else who responded to my question about the fast track being worth it.  You are absolutely correct that I was confusing Burj Khalifa and the Burj Al Arab Hotel when I posted.  We are looking into both as we will be spending several days in Dubai before we embark. I'm pretty sure we will choose a fast track/ avoid the line ticket to the Burj Khalifa. We will try to go at sunset, or at least watch the fountains from the mall if that doesn't work. We are also planning a half day city tour and a day trip to Abu Dhabi.

20 hours ago, Go-Bucks! said:

On 2/8/2019 at 8:27 AM, decafnights said:

We will be spending a few days in Dubai before boarding and we have most of our time planned. We would like to see the Burj Al Arab Hotel. There are tickets sold online for a reasonable price and other, more expensive "fast track/ avoid the line" tickets for more money. Does anyone have any experience with whether it makes sense to book this in advance , how long the line is, and whether the fast track ticket is the way to go.

 

This might not be accurate, but when I researched this place (to stop by when we'll be on the HOHO bus), it said that you had to either have a reservation for a meal in their restaurant or to stay in a room in order to be let inside. Their meal prices are outrageous so we just plan to see the outside. 

 

If there's another way to go inside I'd like to know. 

Hi Go-Bucks!,

I did find one tour on Viator called Cocktails at Burj Al Arab. It is at 7:30pm but you can arrive 30 minutes early. It allows you to go to the 27th floor and you get two complimentary cocktails. You can see the public areas of the hotel on your own. It is listed as a 2 hour tour and the price for one adult is $175.  The dress code for ladies is "elegant, no sports or beach wear".  I don't know if your time off the ship would allow for this.

Gail

21 hours ago, grmmybtty said:

We stayed at the Rome Hilton Airport after leaving our ship about 2 years ago. We didn’t want to go into Rome because Trump was in town for the G10 (or something) and there were demonstrations. We took the local bus from the airport to the town of Fiumicimo. It’s a nice fishing village with some cute shops and restaurants. We walked around a bit, then had an early dinner before taking the bus back to the airport. No major sights to see, just a pleasant afternoon by the sea.

Thanks grmmybtty. This might be just what we need for a nice change.

21 hours ago, h2so4 said:

Like you, we’ve spent a lot of time in Rome ... most recently a week last year.  Look into a tour of the Quirinale Palace.  This is the presidential palace and can only be visited with an official tour ... pre-booked on the website.  The shorter tour is free (except for a nominal reservation fee), but the longer €10 tour takes in a lot more.  Quirinale Palace was a highlight of our time in Rome.

 

Another option ... is D’Arte Antica museum at Palazzo Bernini ... or even better, the Etruscan Museum at Villa Giulia.

Thanks you h2so4,  for these helpful suggestions. We haven't seen any of them and I will definitely check into these options.

Thank you all for these beautiful pictures. I am enjoying traveling with you and happy that I will be able to recognize some of you when we board in Dubai.

I have two unrelated questions that I would love some feedback on:

1) We will be spending a few days in Dubai before boarding and we have most of our time planned. We would like to see the Burj Al Arab Hotel. There are tickets sold online for a reasonable price and other, more expensive "fast track/ avoid the line" tickets for more money. Does anyone have any experience with whether it makes sense to book this in advance , how long the line is, and whether the fast track ticket is the way to go.

2) We disembark in Rome and due to our travel arrangements, we will be spending one night in the airport hotel. The hotel has a free shuttle to the city. We have been to Rome several times, most recently in December. Does anyone have any suggestions for something different do (we've seen the major sights) or interesting places to eat or shop? Pretty sure we will be toured out.

Thanks,

Gail

I am trying to plan a small group (6-16 people) Jewish tour of northern Israel while we are in Haifa on May 26.  Details are below but please note the following:

-My husband Alan and I will not be taking this tour unless we get at least 6 people.

-We have a ship tour booked as a backup

-If you are interested, please contact Leo J at www.GuidedToursIsrael.com

Jewish Shore Excursion to Northern Israel

www.GuidedToursIsrael.com 

Price: $99 per person

In our small-group tour of 6-16 persons (private tours also available)

• Any group size welcome - sign up and join others from ship

• Personal pick-up and drop-off - 100% on time guarantee

• Full day excursion covering Haifa's Baha'i Gardens, Acre, Safed, Sea of Galilee, Tiberius (subject to time)

• English speaking expert guide for the day

• Great excursion or money back policy!

We will meet you at the Haifa port with a sign that has your name on it.  From here we start an excursion into the Galilee that covers some of the places of interest from a Jewish perspective.

We start this tour excursion by meeting you at port with a sign as you arrive.  Our first stop is the top of Mount Carmel in Haifa to view the Baha'i Gardens and the Haifa Bay (take a photo of your cruise ship from the top of the mountain).  Next we drive to the old Crusader port town of Acre for a visit to the Crusader Fortress (adamission extra).  We will then head to Safed, the worldwide center to Kabalah to walk the narrow streets and visit the art colony.  There are great views of the Sea of Galilee and the old synagogues make for a fascinating visit.  We will also stop in Tiberius subject to time. 

This excursion is tailored to our Jewish guests who wish to hear and learn of the Jewish roots in northern Eretz Israel.

Our Guarantee

We will do everything possible to ensure you have an enjoyable time!  If for any reason you are not pleased with our service we will offer you up to 50% refund if you contact us directly after the tour.  We offer exceptional customer service in Israel and we are pleased to backup our commitment with this money-back promise!