holidayhelen

Hello

We are sailing on the NCL Jewel in March 2018 so we are starting to look for tour ideas. We are a group of 6 - our cruise calls are

Ko Samui- 8-5

Bangkok (overnight) - Not sure if we want to go to Bangkok

Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam 7-9

Hue/Da Nang (Chan May), Vietnam 8-5

Hanoi (Ha Long Bay), Vietnam -9-8

We are looking for private tours - we are not sure if we want to go to Bangkok - as its a very long trek I believe. What other options would be good?

We are also not sure we want to go to HCMC - for the same reason - we don't want to spend hours on a bus each way.

We would love a boat trip at Ha Long Bay

Anyone got any good recommendations?

Thanks in advance

H

We were on the last Alaska sailing of the season - NCL Sun - leaving Vancouver 25th Sept 2017. What an amazing cruise. The weather in Vancouver was good. We did leave on the 25th and it was a little cloudy - we had a day at sea then arrived in Juneau in the rain - we did the cable car to the top of the mountain then spent the rest of the afternoon in the red dog saloon. When we woke the following day in Skagway the sun was shining - the sky was blue. We had booked the Chilkoot tour train then bus back - I can highly recommend the tour - excellent driver Mike - wonderful weather - made it a wonderful day. As we were the last Ship of the season as we left the pier in the evening all the locals came out and lined the pier to 'moon' at the ship.

We saw the northern lights for 3 nights running. We woke up to fog in Glacier Bay - but within minutes the fog cleared and we had the most magnificent day. As we left there were a few areas of fog but literally for seconds - about 5pm we were lucky enough to see whales 'bubble netting' - an amazing sight.

We did a whale watching tour in Victoria- just rocked up at the first one we saw at the Fishermans Wharf area - we got the last 4 seats on a tour that was leaving immediately and we saw so much. We stopped in Astoria just before the bridge - we had a couple of hours onboard waiting for immigration to come and check all the passports - but they extended the time in port by 2 hours. We only had a mooch along the prom - the weather was amazingly hot - locals told us it usually rains in Oct.

Our last sea day was spent out on the deck sunbathing - the BBQ was on on the deck - there was live music and games in the pool. A wonderful end to a wonderful cruise.

We sailed into San Fran through a little fog around the bridge but a red hot weekend lay ahead. We enjoyed the Fleet week there before returning to the UK.

Please do not hesitate to book a late season cruise - weather is so unpredictable.

Thank you for the info. I have a ship question - is there a covered pool? We are on the last cruise of the season -25th Sept. I wondered if I would be able to swim. We also have a Chilkoot tour in Skagway. You have given us some ideas for Juneau and Ketchikan - thank you. We fly over to Vancouver on Thursday for 4 night pre cruse and the cruise drops us off in San Fran - so a few nights there to finish off. So looking forward to this holiday - shame you did not have any photos

We do not have an overnight stay - ours is just a day stop - 9am - 8pm. We were looking for a 6-8 hour tour

Hello - we only have a day in Halong Bay - in March 2018 - 9am - 8pm

We would love to do a boat tour of Halong Bay - can anyone recommend anyone for this kind of tour - there are 6 in our group

Thank you

As early as midnight? Yippee. We're on the Jewel the last week of September and thought we might need to keep setting alarms to go up to check but our roll call is going to try to get a wake up call if it happens.

 

 

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We are on the Sun last week in Sept and we have fingers crossed - that would be a tick on my bucket list

Whats the chances of seeing them late in Sept???

How did you get in contact with him?

We are doing Alaska this Sept. NCL cruise. We are flying Manchester to Heathrow - Vancouver. We have planned 4 days in Vancouver - 10 night cruise from Vancouver finishing in San Fran - 3 nights San Fran and home via Heathrow again.

There is a lot to see and do in Vancouver - make sure you plan enough days.

If you have't already done so try the NCL Board http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=107

Probably get more responses there

Tried that -no response - so tried here because its currently in Alaska and thats where we are taking it to.

Thanks

Anyone on the Sun just now - how is the food? Looking at booking the Speciality resturants but want to know how they are first.

Thanks very much

Helen

Anyone been on the Sun recently? How is the food? Our cruise on POA did not have the best food and the waiters were happy to tell you it was not that good.

We are debating whether to get the meal package - Cagneys is a must - hopefully Teppenyaki and we are not sure whether to give the

Moderno Churrascaria a go.

Any opinions?

What is the Las Ramblas like too?

Thank you

Bit naughty advertising it is going through then isn't it!!!

http://www.pocruises.com/r722/?search=true

Hello - we are cruising on Aurora R722 - 6 Dec - on the P & O website the map of the route clearly shows the ship going through the Kiel Canal. I have asked the question if this is correct and someone said that Aurora was too big to go through the canal. I emailed P & O and they said 'subject to change'.

Does anyone know if it can in fact use the canal? It would be smoother sailing than the north sea!!

We used Rich with Aurora Tours Birds and Bears. He doesn't have a web page as he is just starting out, but you can find him and his phone number on Facebook. Search for him under his tour name on Facebook. Really nice guy and price was pretty good. I felt good helping out a guy just starting out his own tour company.

Thank you I have messaged him - We only arrive on 30th Sept - it may be too late in the season for a tour

Who did you do the tour in Kitchekin with?

Do you have to go both ways over the bridge? or is there another way round? I really want to do it - but I know I will be sooooo scared - maybe if it was only one way I could do it

Hello - when we have cruised previously with companies with 'set dining' -our waiter was made aware of our friend with an allergy to onion and he was able to pre order his dinner the day before.

How is best to go about the Freestyle dining - would we be best to call into the dining room of choice earlier in the day and speak to the Maitre de?

We have a couple of meals booked in Cagneys but generally there would be no onions there as its steak. Its the other nights where we may try the buffet or the MDR

Thank you

Hello - if anyone is currently on the Sun in Alaska could they please post a copy of the Cagneys menu.

Thank you very much

Helen

I think this is a different menu to the one on POA earlier in the year - there was a 'tomahawk' steak on there. It is - as you say - mainly to give an idea to our friends of the sort of menu they can expect.

THANK YOU SOOOOOO much for your quick response

Hello - has anyone got a copy of the current Cagneys menu? I have booked a couple of meals in there for our cruise in Sept but our friends are not big steak eaters and we were wondering if there is an alternative

Go to your NCL log in and then the dining option - you should be able to book. You pick your date, table size and time. The sooner you book the more choice of times. I have just been on to book Cagneys for our Sept cruise. The teppenyaki is 'unable to book' - so whether you have to take a chance once you board I am not sure - I will keep looking at it.

We are on the last cruise of the season in Sept and we are looking for ideas and recommendations for Ketchikan. We will be there on Sat 30th Sept. Anyone help??

Thanks