aharris0614

Thank you!

Has anyone ever been successful upgrading two cabins to YC?  Is there anyway to guaranty its both or nothing?  

Traveling with the in-laws this fall and would love to put in bids but we wouldn't want to have one in YC and one not.  Cabins are currently linked as traveling together with MSC (Fantastica).

Thanks!

CDavis5110 - any chance you would be willing to stop by guest services for me if they have no line?  We left something onboard (got off when you got on) and hoping it may still be in lost and found.  Submitted an online report but haven't heard back yet.  Feel free to DM me.  Thanks so much!

Can anyone guesstimate the shower base dimensions in a standard balcony cabin?  My family will be travelling with a toddler and wants to take an inflateable bathtub.  Hoping it might fit inside the shower.

Thanks.

mayabee - old post I know but I am curious...

Did you end up going to NZ with the children?  How was it?  We are considering an 11 night AUS to NZ  in Feb on Celebrity.  Going with the family which includes our (then) 1 year old grandchild.  

Is it a crazy idea?  lol  

BTW, coming from the east coast so there is a looooong flight involved.  Would love to hear your thoughts on your experience!

Thanks.

If you get a chance before you get off the ship to snap a couple photos of an accessible balcony cabin, I would love to see them! They are on deck 6 and 7, on either side of the midship elevators.

Thanks!  And great photos so far.  Looking forward to the rest of your week.

I sometimes get apprehensive, too, but my love of visiting new places is greater than my worries about experiencing problems. I think the key is being prepared. Learn as much as possible about the places you will be visiting. Study information about local travel options. Find out about the currency exchange rates for those places that don't take US dollars so you will know how much to expect to be charged and not get over charged. Learn how to say some important words in the language of the countries you will be visiting. I have done two extremely long flights in my life to catch cruises in Japan and Australia. It is long, but you get through it. Bring a book you are really excited about reading to help pass the time. Wear comfortable clothes so hopefully you can get some sleep. And on those long flights, they usually bring around meals and snacks, so that also helps to pass the time.

Just got my Bangkok Top 10 and Vietnam/Angkor guides in the mail today!

I am a nervous wreck when I can't read the street signs. But we found that our hotels offered day and half day excursions or had a small travel agency in their lobby. We used this service in Bangkok, but also saw it in Luang Prabang. That was a good option in addition to pre-booking excursions. One afternoon, we walked around in Hanoi and in Saigon, both hotels were smack downtown. Good advice to have some downtime. In Hanoi, at the hotel pool and at a lake to watch people.

Our hotel is in the Old Quarter in Hanoi, but in a quiet area (if there is such a thing). Also very near the lake, so I am looking forward to that. Where did you stay in HCMC?

Yeah, that first super long flight is difficult! I had been working in China (and traveling there from the east coast of the US in coach...) and finally managed to drag my husband there on one of my work trips and we had a great time - he was really anxious ahead of time but enjoyed himself. Not the flying. That still sux. When I flew with him, we booked an extra seat, and when we did our Azamara cruise, we used airline miles to book business class. So that helped him (I can sleep on a plane plus deal with jet lag better than my husband - I usually would prefer to save the money on the seat and get a nicer hotel or a massage - that's one of our constant travel arguments ;-)

Using miles for our trip, too :)

We find travel in SE Asia to be very easy. We spent four of the last five winters in Thailand and/or Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia etc. Our first trip was done on a whim. Thailand was on our bucket list. Another trip fell through so we booked a flight and left ten days later.

 

We spent a month in Vietnam. Independent travel from Phu Quak in the south to Hanoi in the north. People were great. No issue with understanding currency etc. Cambodia is less developed but a snap for currency. They use USD-this is what their ATM's spit out. Once we are in SE Asia we typically only make plans three or four days in advance. Air, land, and ferry travel is inexpensive. Food is wonderful. Just go with the flow and don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. We liked Thailand so much on the first visit that we keep on returning.

 

We are biased.....our advice would be to go for it. As for english speakers. No issue. Internet.....Vietnam and Thailand had better, more publicly accessible internet than in the US. As one Vietnamese guide told us....if they don't have good internet they will not be able to remain in business.

Thanks iancal - very reassuring. I enjoy reading your posts Asia posts, too, they are always full of great information.

Ann Marie

Alcohol?

YES!!! I knew I was missing something! Thanks for the great advice - all of it. Down time is an absolute necessity when we travel too, otherwise we just get overloaded on all the new sites and sounds and so on. Plus its exhausting! This trip seems different for some reason though...maybe because its so far. I catch myself trying to add in more and more because who know's if we will ever get back to that part of the world again? I'll stop adding things to my never-ending spreadsheet NOW haha

Oh gosh. All of a sudden I am having second thoughts on our upcoming (Nov) travel. Sort of. :')

We put off a SE Asia trip last year and re-scheduled for this year. Doing Hanoi and Halong Bay on our own, then an Azamara cruise from Singapore (Thailand, BKK and HCMC), then Siem Reap on our own.

I'm worried its going to be too much crammed into three weeks. I'm worried about missing work (even though its over Thanksgiving so its not 'really' three weeks out of the office, right?!) I'm worried about dongs and bahts and taxi scams (I've been doing my research). I'm worried about flying 16+ hours non-stop. Non-stop, people. That's a long time in one place. :o I think I am mostly worried about the city stays on our own...my husband wanted to visit Hanoi and spend extra time in HCMC (we are disembarking there), but he hates even going to NYC haha So even though I am planning some tours and day trips that still leaves a lot of DIY time. I mean, they don't make tours to take you to dinner and hold your hand to cross the street. Well, I guess technically they do...but you know what I mean.

I am having anxiety... Any hints on how to travel outside of your comfort zone?

I recently looked for the same info - if you click on the link and scroll down the page it talks about reciprocal benefits. For example, if you are Diamond with RCCL or Elite with Celebrity, then you are Discoverer with Azamara. Hope this helps.

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/le-club-voyage/le-club-voyage-program/member-benefits

Assuming that your ship has a port stop for Hanoi and one for Saigon: Both cities are far from port unless you are on a small cruise ship that sails closer to Saigon than the large ships. But at your northern port, an excursion in Halong Bay makes more sense. It is a unique area well worth visiting.

Thanks Floridiana. We are actually visiting Halong and Hanoi before the cruise. HCMC is a stop while we are on the cruise, and I think we will be docked near town (Azamara Quest) so hopefully we do not have to travel far.

Great! Thank you everyone, this is perfect info! It is part of an organized tour with a reputable company - so no worries there.

For those of you that have been, would you recommend a rickshaw/cyclo ride in Hanoi or HCMC? Not as a DIY, but as part of a city tour. Both offer them, but I only want to do this in one city I think.

Thanks.

Ann Marie

A little more digging and I think I found my own answer haha. As long as 1st arrival is by air - the subsequent arrivals can be air, land or sea. All are covered by getting the Visa On Arrival...

Can't quite find the answer to this...

I am arriving to Hanoi by air (HAN).

Leaving Hanoi and flying to Singapore for a cruise. Entering Saigon/HCMC by cruise then flying out of HCMC to visit Seim Reap.

Can I use the VOA (multiple entry)? Or do I have to visit the embassy? My thought is that this counts as a multi-entry and since I am arriving initially by air I could possibly do the VOA (e-visa)? Can anyone confirm?

Thank you.

I would do it in a heartbeat! We are a little biased, this is out fourth year of spending winters in SE Asia. The flight to SiemReap and HK flights are a doddle.

 

Go for it.

Thanks iancal for the reassurance! ;)

Phuket and Siem Reap are both great places. Angkor Wat is mind blowing. We actually like to have some r&r before a cruise....so that we are fit enough to battle the buffet crowds! In fact, we are staying at Karon Beach in June....just before our cruise back to Australia from Singapore...so I say go for it !

Thanks Vozzie - where are you staying in Karon? I am still looking.

Considering disembarking a cruise in HCMC in order to visit Hanoi/Halong Bay, then fly home from HKG. I believe I will already have a visa provided by the cruiseline to stop/visit HCMC - but will I need more than that to stay? I won't be entering Vietnam through an airport, so I won't be able to get the VOA. Should I just get a single entry visa ahead of time anyway? The cost is minimal...

Oh, and the the cruiseline has pre-approved the early disembarkation saying there are no regulatory restrictions preventing me from getting off in HCMC.

Any ideas on who to contact to find out for sure?

How about doing that Phuket and Siem Reap at the end of the cruise when you disembark in Singapore? Personally, I think it's just too much traveling from NY to HK to Southeast Asia then back to HK for the cruise which sails back to Southeast Asia again.

Thanks ROCruiser - you are probably right, buy my schedule only permits adding on time before the cruise, and not after. And no matter where I go I'd have to go through HKG first because I am flying on miles (Cathay Pacific).

Cruising next year HKG to SIN (14 nights). Looking at flying from NYC to Phuket (connects in HKG) for 3 nights, then to Siem Reap for 3 nights before going back to HKG for the cruise. Too much moving around do you think? Phuket (Karon Beach area) mainly for some down time before Siem Reap and then the cruise.

Has anyone done Chefs Table on Harmony recently? Wondering where it was held (if it was held)... My cruise planner says it will be in Chops, so is it in a separate section?

Thanks!

To all:

My mom (a very active and friendly 77yo) is thinking about doing the 120 day world cruise - but has never cruised solo before. She has always cruised as part of a group, or with a friend or family.

For those of you who have done the longer, extended itineraries in the past, do you think she would feel out of place? Is it mostly couples onboard? Are there any activities geared towards meeting fellow single cruisers? What is the evening entertainment like? She loves to dance.

Thanks so much!

Ann Marie