terry&mike

11 hours ago, lfplenore said:

As for Vietnam, you are correct. I misread the information on the website. Some countries count from the day you receive your visa, and the Vietnam e-visa website was not clear. You can apply 6 months ahead of time.

 

From the NCL website: 

Please note that electronic visas “e-visas” obtained online are only valid to enter Cambodia by air or land. These visas cannot be used to enter Cambodia by sea onboard cruise ships.

 

 

Additionally, from the Cambodian website: 

 

Good point on Cambodia. We flew from Cat Bi in Vietnam into Siem Reap, Cambodia, so the eVisas worked on our itinerary. Several days later we boarded a ship in Cambodia, which sailed on to Vietnam. 

On 4/18/2023 at 6:01 PM, lfplenore said:

I believe your best bet would be the government site for Vietnam visas. Tbe application process is simple and only costs $25pp per visa, so a huge cost savings. You will need to time out when you apply because they are only valid for 30 days and require 3 days to process. We will apply 30 days before we dock in Vietnam.

 

You can also do the Cambodian visa on your own but it requires mailing in your passports to the Cambodian Embassy up to 90 days before you arrive in Cambodia. Very doable (we've done it twice before). 

 

Good luck! 

The Vietnam eVisa is good for 30 days from your date of entry, not from your date of approval, so you can apply earlier than 30 days in advance if you would like to. 
If you are a US citizen, you can also obtain a Cambodian eVisa without mailing in your passport. It’s easy and inexpensive through the government website. 

On 4/18/2023 at 5:04 AM, 999andretired said:

Terry & Mike, what an absolutely amazing 'live' review of the ship and experiences along the Mekong. It has most certainly whet our appetite and provided excellent advice regarding trips etc. We are booked on for January 2025 from Siam Reap to Saigon. We have previously done Saigon with Silversea. It was an amazing 2 days. So looking forward to this trip; by the time we go it will be our second Scenic adventure as we are booked onto Scenic Eclipse 2 for March 2024 in Tahiti . Fingers crossed it equals your clear enjoyment of Scenics ship and excursions. One question...if there was one thing that you wished you had done but didn't, what would that be and why?

I can’t think of anything we would have done differently. My husband may have liked a bit more nap time, lol, but other than that we were super happy with the trip, excursions, etc. 

In January, we did a river cruise in Cambodia and Vietnam. We started in Vietnam, then went to Cambodia, then went to Vietnam again towards the end. In our case, hubby and I each obtained 2 single entry e-Visas from Vietnam through the official government website, at $25 each (total $100). 

I don't know if a river cruise ports and restrictions are different from an ocean cruise ports and restrictions, but that was our scenario. 

You may find some information on our time in Hanoi in this posting of our trip -

Hubby and I just spent several days in Hanoi in late December. We stayed at the lovely Sinfonia del Rey Hotel, with a view over the park. It is bookable on major hotel booking sites, but we found the best deal by booking direct and booking far in advance. For one of the nights we booked a stay with dinner included in their restaurant, and that was a wonderful experience. 

We loved Hanoi. I did a posting on cruisecritic of our trip, I'll try to find the link in case you are interested. 

On 4/4/2023 at 3:38 PM, californiagirl said:

I stumbled on your amazing and comprehensive trip report.  I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed it.    We are in the beginning stages of a South East Asia trip planned for January of 2025.  Your first person experience has been incredibly helpful so thank you!  I have a few questions about the ship that are not covered by your report or anywhere else on cruise critic or on you-tube for that matter.  I’m hoping you drop by the river cruise board periodically and can answer them.  If not then hopefully anyone who has been on Scenic Spirit can reply.  These questions may seem insignificant to most travelers but they would help us make an informed choice.  Managing expectations can make the difference in travel enjoyment.

 

-Do any of the lower end suites have true balconies?  It looks like they have french balconies with top windows that lower.  I realize that the weather is warm and humid and not much time is spent in the cabin on this kind of cruise but did the windows seem large enough to experience the essence of traveling on the river?  

-Regarding the bathroom, what is the door like from the room to the bathroom?  One of us is bathroom shy so this is an important detail.  

-Do they serve Diet Coke?  If so is it canned or fountain?  Neither of us drink coffee or alcohol but we love our Diet Coke!  

Thank you in advance for your help.

 

Hello, I’m happy you enjoyed my review of the trip. 
 

As isnowman said, the lower end rooms have sliders that drop down on the windows opening the top half. We only lowered them for taking a few photos. There may be proper balconies in the larger suites, but we didn’t check. Our room was just above the entry level category and was very spacious, with both a living area and bedroom area. The windows are very large, and there were 2. 
 

I never shut the bathroom door, and can’t remember what style it was. 
 

Hubby says that there was Diet Coke onboard. 
 

I’m sure you will love your trip - it was one of our favorites. 

We are currently on a 12 day NCL Jewel sailing, disembarking today in San Diego. As you can see from my signature, we have sailed mass market, luxury light, and luxury ships. Usually, we are itinerary driven when selecting sailings. 
Although I’m not familiar with Explora, as it’s such a new product, I am familiar with many upmarket products such as Azamara,  Oceania, Cunard, Ponant, Sea Dream (also Scenic and AMA in the river cruise market).  
In my opinion, you cannot beat the service, ambience and excellence of an upmarket line. No question. My husband and I have remarked many times on this sailing that “it’s been a great itinerary, and the staff are very kind” as a way of looking beyond the things that are of a lesser standard than we’d like. 
The more we sail on upmarket lines, the harder it is to sail on mass market lines, as the differences in service, ambience, fellow travelers, food, decor, and so on becoming glaringly obvious. 
While on this trip, we’ve decided to amp it up another notch and sail an Indian Ocean itinerary on Silversea. 

8 hours ago, phillipahain said:

Out of interest have you sailed on Regent Seven Seas ?

 

I agree some Silversea Itineries attract especially Japan because it includes more ports than other lines .....we did do one Silversea some years ago but can  honestly say generally Regent appeals more 

I am aware of Regent, but have not sailed them. I’m interested in Indian Ocean, and cruises off the African coast (Madagascar, Seychelles, Mozambique), Regent doesn’t seem to focus much on this area. 

New to Silversea, still learning about the product. I see dinner reservations mentioned in this thread - can someone break down dinner reservations for me? Are they needed, when do they open up for booking, any other details?

Disapointing. 

53 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Be sure to read up on the attire recommendations on the website.  Some people are put off by it and others embrace it.  Also, proceed with caution on SSAir.  Not sure what airport you fly from but sometimes that can cause some undesirable routings and possible air deviation charges that could impact the value.
 

As for booking excursions, if you’re organized and ready to make selections when the booking window opens you should be fine.  

I will read up on the recommended attire, thank you for that suggestion. We do appreciate a bit of elegance at dinner. We very much enjoyed this on the Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossing last year, and booked her again for this year. We enjoyed it so much that hubby had some tuxedos made, and I some dresses, when we were in Vietnam in December. 

Thank you all so much for these answers. They are what I was hoping to hear, and further support my leaning towards a booking.  

If there is anything that you think a newbie should know, feel free to share. I will try to read through some threads on this board. 

Hello all, 

My husband and I are frequent travelers, and we very much enjoy cruising. We have sailed several different lines, as you can see in my signature, but not Silversea, as I've previously balked at the pricing. Lately, I've been looking at some of their interesting itineraries, and am thinking I may be ready to give them a try. As it does represent a step up in pricing, I have a few questions that I'm hoping you can assist me with. 

Based on things we've enjoyed on other lines, I am feeling that Silversea may be a good fit for us. We enjoy the elegance of Cunard ships (but find them too large), we enjoy the size (about 680 passengers) of Azamara ships, and we enjoy the all inclusive approach of Scenic River Cruises (haven't tried their ocean product yet) and the ability to have a cocktail delivered to our room while getting ready for dinner. Do you think this is good reasoning?

Is their "class" set up onboard? If so, what is it? Likely we will booking an Oceanview cabin for our first sailing, and I know that some cruise lines have a "class" set up based on what cabin type you board. For example, on Cunard there are separate dining rooms for different cabin classes. 

Finally, I see that excursions are included on Silversea. What is the reality of being able to book into included excursions when reservations open up? I am aware that on some lines that include excursions (like Viking Ocean), it is difficult to book onto the included excursions as space is very limited and fills fast. 

Any thoughts or opinions are welcome. 

32 minutes ago, uktog said:

We were told this benefit was not available on Onward in November/December so it is possibly not a fleet wide offering

Ahhh, okay. We are on Onward in September, but will be on Quest in November. We'll see how it goes. Either way, no bother, but a fun occasional perk if it happens. 

21 hours ago, laurieb said:

The beer and wine in the mini fridge are not included, you will be charged if you consume them.  You can have drinks brought to your stateroom if you have purchased the ultimate beverage package, not sure if you haven’t.  

Oh nice! I was not aware that we could have cocktails brought to our stateroom if we purchase the Ultimate Beverage Package. We upgraded to this package last time we sailed, but weren't aware of this benefit. We are back on in early September, and may give it a go. Usually, we prefer to have drinks out in the social areas, but on occasion it is nice to have a little something to sip on while getting ready for the evening. 

We were in Petra in January 2022, and hubby's Apple watch had us at just over 12 miles walking for our day in Petra. You cover a lot of ground. 

We visited both Petra and Wadi Rum in January 2022, but on separate days. We spent quite a few hours covering Petra, and when we were done were exhausted. The day was hot and sunny, and it's very dry there, plus there is a ton of walking if you want to see the main sites, which you definately do. We are big walkers in our everyday life, walking 5-6 miles per day - at Petra we walked 12 miles! All we felt up for was a return to the hotel for a shower and dinner. The next day we went to Wadi Rum, along with another site, and were able to walk to the top of a large sand hill, ride through the desert, and enjoy the experience. They are both wonderful, but Petra is the better option, and I think trying to do both in one day will short Petra. 

29 minutes ago, hallux said:

Actually, that's probably referring to special rates that TA's get for their own travel.

Yes, that is what it is referring to. 

You'll likely be porting in San Antonio, Chile, the airport in Santiago is about 1 hour and 15 minutes away from the port, if there is no traffic. For an international flight from Chile, the recommended arrival time at the airport is usually 2.5-3 hours, although I do think you could do it with 2 hours. 

So, in backing up your time, be at the airport no later than 9a for sure, depart the port no later than 7:30a. You'll need to allow some time to process through port Customs and Immigration, so maybe off ship by 7a, maybe even 6:30a? You'll need to do self disembark (carry your own luggage), and have private transfers ready and waiting.

What time are you scheduled to arrive in port? You should be able to disembark approximately an hour after that time. 

And finally, South America generally runs at a slower pace, so some extra time and patience may be needed for the different lines of departing the pier, and checking in at the airport. 

8 hours ago, catweazlecat said:

Thanks a lot for your advise!

We will indeed stop overnight and we have to think about what to do and see over there.
Had been informed by vietnamese people at a restaurant that Hanoi would be much poorer than Ho Chi Min City and lots more crime.
Did you feel safe in Hanoi?

Wishing you a nice weekend from Germany
Silke

My husband and I spent 3 days in Hanoi at the end of December, staying at the lovely Sinfonia del Rey Hotel. We were traveling independently, and we walked for miles through different areas of town, went to a water puppet show, shopped, went to a holiday market, visited a park, and ate in several different restaurants. We felt very safe. 

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

As a matter of principle you should only be charged  gratuities at the rate quoted when you booked. 

 

Increases should only apply to future bookings.

 

We are getting on ship in April and haven't been told any thing. I will pay what was quoted when we booked.

Generally, when a cruise line increases their Service Fees, if you have paid for them at time of booking, or before the rate increase, you will be grandfathered in to the lower rate. If you have not paid for them, you will pay the higher rate. For most lines, they will make an announcement that "service fees are increasing to $xx.xx on X date" and to avoid this increase in cost, you are able to pay your service fee at the lower rate before that announced date. 

10 minutes ago, Mary loves to travel said:

@terry&mike

 

I, too, love Merrill Moabs!

Wore a pair through Norway, a week in Rome, and all the Med ports last fall.   They were great on all surfaces and went well enough with shorts, pants, and even sundresses 😀

 

Do you understand the difference between the “Waterproof” and the Gore-tex versions?

I now realize mine are Ventilator model, but kept my feet dry through showers in Tromso ( the rain pants likely helped there).  
Trying to decide if I need official waterproof version of Moabs for Iceland in June (and S America/Antarctica later).  
 

thanks!

Mary

A person of excellent taste! 
 

My understanding of the difference between the Waterproof and GoreTex versions is that the waterproof version is coated with a waterproofing product that seals the shoe in a way that is not as breathable. Conversely, the GoreTex repels water (but may be slightly less waterproof), but allows your feet to breath, making them more comfortable for long walks, and so on. 

Hello, we are big hikers/walkers when we travel, and have been to Antarctica (boots on the ground), the Artic region, and have hiked from icy Greenland, to damp Victoria Falls, to jungly Costa Rica, among others. For me, my favorite hikers are hands down the Merrell Women's Moab 3 (I currently have the Moab 2, but the 3 is out now), in the low version (not the higher ankle "mid" version), in Gore Tex (they also come in Regular with no coating, and in Waterproof versions). As you said you like trainers, you will possibly like the look of these, as they have a somewhat trainer appearance but with a hiking traction bottom. I will try to post a link or photo below. They are expensive but last forever and are comfortable right out of the box. 

They come in several colors, so you have options on what you like. My first pair I had for over 10 years, and had bought them in the dark brown. The next pair I bought, the ones I have now for a couple of years, I bought in a pale gray. I like the gray better, as I can wear it with leggings as well and have it look more like a trainer, or with travel material pants, or with shorts; I feel it coordinates with more things. 

I'm a light packer so I generally try to wear one pair of shoes and bring a second pair of shoes, but for certain itineraries I'll wear one pair of shoes and bring 2 other pairs of shoes. For what you mentioned, I'd probably have my Merrell Moabs with me, and then also a simple black (or natural color) flat like those made by Rothy's, and finally a comfortable walking sandal that is cute as well, like the Taos Trophy 2 sandal in pewter. I own all of those shoes and travel with them regularly, and can recommend them. 

https://www.merrell.com/US/en/moab-3-gore-tex/52985W.html?dwvar_52985W_color=J036318#cgid=women-footwear-hiking&start=1

The last time we flew in to BA, it was on a flight from Miami, and was before Covid. I remember the walk to Immigration was a bit of a hike, but more than that I remember the lines at Immigration to take a very long time. This is a difficult decision for you, but honestly, I think you are best to order the chair as this is a large and bustling airport. 

I know the bind you are in, because for many years I traveled with my Mom who also has Parkinson's (she is 83 now and no longer able to travel), and she would become hurt or angry if I suggested a device that may assist her. I still remember the first time, it was on a cruise, and we passed someone in a corridor with a walker device with 4 legs with wheels on them and I suggested that may be something that would help her get around better, and boy did that ever go over poorly. She was very insulted and hurt, and said she did not want to look old, and remained in a dark cloud for the rest of the evening. 

Wishing you the best of luck on this.