Bpos

There are quite a lot of similar questions - you can use the search function top right to look for your answers.

For me I would take US $ and change as you go. Even for Singapore if not intending a big buy.

MOney changers are everywhere and in Vietnam, on Princess, the came anboard at ports of call to provide exchange.

All the countries you are visiting will accept your cc cards except for a very low purchase of say street food.

Don.t get left with any Vietnamese dong - only good for wallpapering your dunny if you take it home.

Buying a bit of currency at home befor you leave too me is a expensive exercise and a waste of money

For 16 days in Vietnam, tourists can visit from the north to the south of the country. Besides your company, personally, you should refer to other companies or tour agencies such as https://www.vietnamtourbooking.com/en/ for comparing price and services as well

Ignore this post, it is a tour agency touting for business.

I have reported this poster before but he/she still pops up from tine to time.

Holland America got our visas for $63 and charged it to our onboard account. I think everyone had to get one, except maybe for citizens of a few countries.

About 40 of us Cruise Critic members, split into two groups each with their own bus and guide, did a great tour with Sihanouk Ville Seaside tours. Owner Mr Sothy is a graduate of the Don Bosco school. We had a coffee and cake break there and later lunch with a dancing display.

We were taken to a fishing village, a temple with young monks, the town market, the beach and a waterfall area in a National Park where the locals go for picnics and swimming.

It was a rainy day but everything was well organized and the guide told us a lot about Cambodia. The company is well rated on TripAdvisor.

We saw other ship passengers not getting off the ship shuttle buses at the market because they was overwhelmed by tuktuk drivers trying to bid for business. But a tour guide protects you.

I recommend solid shoes as places maybe muddy or messy but get out there and see how people live. As someone else said, it is no worse and I thought better than some other places in Asia.

We had the same experience when getting of the shuttle bus and quite a few stayed on the bus and went straight back to the ship.

However, do not be put off - just get of the bus, push you way through and walk about 100 metres away when you can easily

book a tuk tuk to take you to where you want to go.

I have been to Cambodia numerous times and love the place.

At this port of call it is probably advisable to book a tour (but not to Phnom Penh - to far) before you arrive or else go to the beach for a couple of hours and perhaps have a look around at the market where the shuttle will drop you off.

You may even see armed guards with AK47's patrolling to keep you safe at the market???

I was surprised how nice the beach was (would swim in it) and although there are many little ramshackle huts that line the beach and serve good food and drink - we had a pleasant couple of hours there and at least the drink is cheap - about $1 per bottle.of beer, spirits perhaps $2 - $3 dollars. (Don't recommend the ladies wandering around selling cooked crayfish - not sure how long ago the crays were cooked and not an icecube to be seen on the trays of crays they are carrying.)

So at least you can have a pleasant day out at the beach and not pay cruise line prices for your drinks.

I would have a look at trip advisor - Cambodia forum - and then the port of call to see what is available and the general going rate for a tuk tuk - probably no more that $5 each way I would think.

We are new to this site although we have done many cruises so we are learning how to use these facilities. Any advice will be helpful.

 

We are travelling in January on the Sapphire Princess and visiting

Penang

Langkawi

Kuala Lumpar (Port kelang)

Kota Kinabalu

Nha Trang

Ho Chi Min City (Phu My)

Sihanoukville

Bangkok (Laem Chabang)

Ko Samui

 

As the cruise company (Princess) tend to be expensive, we do not want to be stranded by not booking their organised trips but if the local companies offer tours ashore here, I would like to have that option. So if anyone has done this trip or visited these ports and can give advice, I would be very very grateful.

Use the "search" facilities on the top right hand side of the "Asia" threads page and type in the name of each port you will be visiting.

You will find a lot of information there on each port - most of you questions will be answered there.

Take a taxi, if you have luggage, you may find using public transport from East Perth will probably require a change or two of buses and the time involved is just not worth the few $ you may save

You also need to swot up on the following thread to enrich and enhance your holiday to the land downunder

https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/showthread.php?t=2362723

Do you do the booking directly on their website?

 

We will need Sydney to Siem Reap, then Siem Reap to Singapore.

If you are in Australia - try Singapore Airways, the legs from Singapore to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Singapore will be serviced by Silk Air (Singapore subsidary) and full service airline - we did the same from Perth and found the airfare very good, and full service and baggage all the way - little more that using low cost airlines although I do use them a lot in travels to Asia from Perth

Skyscanner is a good starting point as it will give you all the options.

Flooding in Hoi An is almost an annual occurrence and the Vietnamese are very quick to get things back to normal so you will encounter no problems by January 2018

I have not contributed to this thread but some of you may recall a post last year about flies and pies.

I'll add it below, might appeal to our overseas visitors:

"interestingly, talking about flies, on my last visit the the USA, I visited a town called Bird in the Hand (yes its true - imagine if we had a town in Australia with the same name???) I could have some fun with that???

It's in the heart of the Amish communities and all the restaurants were selling "Shoo Fly pies" - well this got me really excited.

I ordered the pie and looked for the flies - in the pie - well there were none, so I asked for a refund and told the server, in a very nice Australian way, what he could do with his pie, (Aussies will know what I mean).

.

What a letdown.

At least we always advertise our food properly here in Australia - particularly what fish variety you will be served.

I can assure you, it is not our custom to make pies with flies down under although if in the very unlikely event you do find one in your pie - do not make a fuss - as others will want to experience the same experience as you (which will not be nice for you or people around you as well - think about that - you may have to then swallow a spider - you know what I mean)!"

Do not, under any circumstances, get into a cyclo on the street ad hoc. If you want to have a ride, organise it through your hotel, tour agency etc and have it prepaid.

The drivers (particularly in Saigon) are very agressive and most people who ignore this advice end up with a very sorry experience and a big hole in their wallet.

Just have a look at Trip Advisor, Vietnam Forum and search cyclo to be forwarned about the dangers of using them in Vietnam.

Search Phu My on this thread (see box at top right) . The answer to this question has been provided numerous times and you will find the answer there.

As can be seen from previous threads, peoples memories of the free shuttle etc are varied and because the port is quite remote from any facilities - one needs to put a few things into perspective.

Firstly, while there may be free shuttles from port side (as was our experience anyway on two recent trips to Phu My) that is not to say there will be a shuttle when you visit (things change rapidly in Vietnam, there today gone tomorrow) so it is a risk to assume it will be there for your cruise.

Taxis - a major source of irritation and scams for countless visitor to Vietnam (have a look at Trip Advisor), on both our cruises people we know got seriously done over by using the wrong cabs etc in Vietnam, held to extortion, taken to areas where no one was around and more monies demanded etc.

In other words unless you have researched taxis in Vietnam and know the ins and outs, you are probably headed for trouble.

Some strike it lucky but a lot do not.

Phu My is one port. in my opinion. where you need to decide in advance what you want to do and then make prior arrangements to put that in place. ie, have transport organised before you get there if not using the ships tours.

After all you have spent a lot of money to get there and to see Vietnam, even for a day,so the cost of say up to $100 is very much worth it for piece of mind etc and there are a lot of operators or tour agents that can make this happen for you.

To attempt to do it yourself, ie visit Saigon or Vung Tau once you arrive in port in fraught will the possibity of failure, will cause a lot of anxiety, and the saving to yourself maybe $25 per head if you get lucky.

Food for thought?

The free shuttle is provided by the City of Baria, not the cruise lines, at least that was the case in our two trips there with Princess and RCL.

You can walk safely to the port gate, and save yourself each about $25 - this is an unofficial charge imposed by the Port Staff as a means of extracting "tea money" from foreigners.

Thanks. A bit of research showed me there are ATMs as well as a currency exchange bank at the Singapore cruise terminal. Are there ATMs also right inside all other cruise terminals in Vietnam and Thailand?

 

Betty

There are no ATMs in the cruise terminals in Vietnam as the ships mainly tie up at industrial ports with no or very few facilities.

In Halong Bay city you will find ATMs that you can use but if it was me, I would bring along some clean, good condition Canadian dollars and change a little for Vietnamese currency as you go along. Not hard to find money changers and they will accept a lot of the more common currencies so no real need to convert to US.

Really same would apply for Thailand although some of the cruise terminals are more developed so you may find the occasional ATM nearby - but certainly again, money changers everywhere.

Singapore is always hot and humid, ok if you are young but not good to walk around if not in that category.

Public transport in Singapore is efficient and cheap - indeed there is very few attractions that are not near a metro station so use the train, cheap as chips.

The Federal Government withdrew it's concessions for the Indian Pacific and the Ghan some couple of years ago - I remember Tim Fischer (Ex Deputy PM at one time) being quoted as saying the Government should not be in the business of giving pensioners etc concessions to travel on the train but he probably got a "Gold Pass" for the train for his lifetime being an ex member of the Federal Parliament (and a ticket for his wife) - what a sham?

I know I travelled on Gold Class some years ago on the train Perth to Adelaide and got a good concession at that time as a TPI veteran of the Vietnam War - but we had to paid a supplement for our meals. We sat with an ex Politician from the WA Government at meal times and guess what - free unlimited Gold Class travel on the train (ie He could take as many trips as they liked including the wife) and everything paid for, no supplement for the food etc.

I think the perk for WA politicians (well probably for those now in Parliament) has now being withdrawn as there was a public outcry a couple of years ago when the "perk" became public knowledge.

Just take some of your own currency and change and spend it as you go. Money changers are everywhere in Asia and happy to take your USD or Pounds etc. If you need to make larger purchases then use your cards.

Don"t change to much (your can also get more if need be) and best to get rid of it before you get back on the ship as some currencies like the Cambodia riel are only good for wallpapering your toilet if take outside the country.

We have been to most places mentioned on this thread and with most larger expenses already paid we normally changed about $50 Australia at each port which got us through most of the time.

Question

 

Were the flu like symptoms like a stomach virus or the real flu?

 

Have heard that the flu has been really bad in Australia this year so wondering if that was the issue since you had so many Aussies on board.

Many on our cruise had travelled in a group throughout Vietnam before the cruise.

Some had been to the Dr prior to boarding the ship

Many had persistent caught, sweats, no energy, and loss of appetite. We used anti biotics which we always carry with us but they took a long time to kick in.

Been home over a week now and still not feeling 100 percent yet.

Just completed the Mekong from Saigon to Siem Reap with RV La Marguerite and had a great time except for being sick with fever and flu like symptons for 3/4 days of the trip. A lot of this on this ship unfortunately.

The staff, food and organised excursions were great and the ship, while very comfortable and nice could best be categorised as 3 1/2 stars.

Majority of the 90 odd passengers were Aussies and NZ residents with a couple from Greece making up the rest.

We got a good short minute deal which included airfares, hotel accommodation for 4 nights, transfers etc so felt it was good value for what we paid. Would have been somewhat disappointed if we had paid the full asking price advertised some months earlier.

Fortunately we were able to sall all the way to Siem Reap - up the river and across the lake due to water levels but beware - most of the cruises cannot do this except for a small window around September so most will have to endure a long bus ride from near Phnom Penh to Siem Reap for most of the ship's sailings during the year.

Vietnam is an amazing country in Southeast Asia. How long do you spend to visit Vietnam? If you have time for traveling, you should visit from the north to the south with the package tour. You can refer to the tour of Vietnam Tour Booking. If you book soon, perhaps you will get more promotion for traveling

IGNORE this post - it is a travel agency touting for business.

Norwegian Cruise Line in Australia and their gratuities, service charges in Australia need to catch up with Princess etc who have none when Australia based.

Apparently you have to ask to have gratuities or as they say service charges removed at the Guest Relations department on board other wise you will have a surprise add on at the end of your cruise.

Below is part of an email answer I received to why it is even added in Australia.

 

Please be advised that gratuities are always optional services and guests are required to discuss the removal of these service charges on board with our Guest Relations department.

Our ships are still culturally American on board which is why gratuities are not exempt to the Australian market.

I hope you are not implying that we should all ask for the gratuities to be removed and stiff the crew of part of their wages which, although abhorrent to the Australia Way, it unfortunately a practice on many cruise lines outside (and some inside) Australian waters.

Yes some cruise lines have now decided to include the gratuities in the fare you pay (so you are still paying it).

What size fish are you trying to catch?

That will help us advise you as to what size you should buy

Many years ago before Coeliac got me, we were in W.A. and I sampled an Emu pie, very nice. Had a crocodile pie up in NT too. Amazing what sort of meat they put in pies, some of it an absolute mystery. Hence 'Mystery Bag' is another name for a meat pie.:')

Oh Uncle Les, I always thought that a "mystery bag" was a sausage?

Why is a sausage called a mystery bag you may well ask?

Well we would like to know the answer to that too!!!

But is it generally believed that the contents of a sausage could be anything (hence the Mystery). indeed some years ago it was reported that sawdust - yes sawdust of all things, was a important ingredient of the sausage.

And to my knowledge sawdust is not even meat!

But I would have to agree, a meat pie could certainly fit into the same category.

I have had a few in my time where the contents of the pie certainly was of a very dubious source (yes source, not sauce).

has anyone done a private tour of the area and not gone into Saigon? We were there last fall and would rather not go into the city but explore the region.

Consider going to Vung Tau - old French beach city but now not much remaining of the French times and the city is getting quite large and a bit to see there as well - have a look on Trip Advisor or search here for Vung Tau.

About 3/4 hr drive each way from Phu My.

Actually, I'm not concerned about the "port fee." After all, it's included in the agreed upon shore excursion charge and we prefer to be picked up at the ship. I'm only concerned about the risk of sharing passport information with an unknown foreign company.

Well I certainly know of travellers who have prebooked a private tour from the port including shipside pick up who did not provide passport details so I would be telling your agent you do not want to provide the passport numbers if this is a concern for you.

(Personally I would not be concerned, everyone in Vietnam, including all hotels insist on taking your passport numbers for the police check)

I think to get your business they will go along with it.