Coastaljen

Hmmm I am seriously having doubts. I may ask if I have to ride the elephant. haha I don't like horseback riding, and I have done it a few times. That is a great photo.... :-)

For those of you who did the elephant rides, how were they? Scary?? ;) I hate heights, and I have booked an elephant ride. ...hmmm I think right now I would rather walk the elephant maybe. ha ha Did you feel safe up there?

I just saw someone on this board that said they didn't do the elephant ride because someone in Thailand had been trampled by an elephant shortly before their visit years ago. Obviously that is rare, but I wanted to see what you all thought of the elephant ride.

Half of me is dying to do it, and the other half wonders if I am nuts. :-) (oh.. and I know all about living life, taking risks, and experiencing things. so you don't have to tell me about that... obviously people aren't falling off elephants left and right over there.)

Bangkok Day Tours ae picking us up at the same port, Klong Tuey.

I added on two couples from cruise critic roll call to the Thailand tour. Originally there were just three of us, so the owner set up secure website links so that the couple and I could pay half the deposit (I thought we should each pay 50% of the deposit) each. Then we added the other couple. We are just going to subtract the deposit that the one woman and I paid from the amount we owe that day.

For Vietnam, I found two couples to join me on a six day tour. We split the deposit three ways (including the bank fee for the wiring). I then wired the money to the company, and the other two couples sent me checks for their third. It was only about $100usd per person, and I would not have been willing to pay it all ahead of time.

I did charter a boat which holds 54 in Stavanger for the September cruise. It was about $l,800usd. I took the first 39 other people that wanted to join on the roll call, and they each sent me a check. I also kept a waiting list (which was never needed). The checks from roll call members in Australia and Canada were still sent to me usd. I then called the company in Norway and put the boat on my credit card. If I remember correctly, it ended up being approximately 45 usd, and Princess charges $ll9usd with the same company for the fjord tour on a MUCH larger boat. Therefore, I think we really got a deal. That was entirely paid in full ahead of time. It really wasn't due until the end of August, but I wanted it to be taken care of ahead of time, and the others agreed with me. They sent me a receipt, etc. The biggest risk was probably the others trusting what I would do with their check. However, nobody seemed to have a problem, and I was active on the roll call.

I like to create private tours and get others to join me. Yes, there is a risk when you pay ahead, but I try to be careful of which companies I do that with, and I haven't done it much except NZ a couple of years ago. Also, except for the chartered boat, they normally only get a small part of the total amount ahead of time. We had the opportunity to pay in full for the Bangkok tour, but I opted for just a deposit. Also, I always go on cc and make sure there haven't been scams reported for these companies by others on this board.

I would ask bangkokdaytours about the Tiger Temple time, etc. Dennis is great about answering questions. My main desire was the 45 min. elephant ride, bathing the elephant, etc.

I have given credit card info in New Zealand before for tours. Normally I don't do it, but I know a number did pay for tours on the transatlantic this Fall ahead of time. I felt fine with paying Bangkokdaytours a deposit and the tour company in Vietnam. The amount was not huge, and both have been in business (and very positively reviewed).

You can always write to them and ask your questions and decide for yourself if they are giving you what you want for your time there.

Yes, I am very pumped about the itinerary. I can't wait for the bicycling. They said January should be wonderful. If it does rain, I will be prepared. :)

I have heard great things about the tailors, but I never dress up, so it probably wouldn't get much wear.

Here is the plan. The company was highly recommended to me by a ccer. I am really excited. Thi has promptly emailed me and explained whenever she had a suggestion.

Day 1: 30 Dec, 2009: My Tho tour in the Mekong Delta

11:00 Pick up the guests inside the Pier at Tan Thuan 2 port in HCMC to transfer to My Tho city in the Mekong Delta.

12:30 Arrival in My Tho located on the Upper branch of the Mekong river. Enjoy lunch with local specialties (Deep Fried Elephant ear fish and big legged prawns) (exclusive).

14:00 Get on a private boat and cruise through the river and small canals, visit local family workshops of making coconut candies and fruit orchards to see how the local people live.

17:00 Back to HCMC

18:30 Enjoy the unique water puppet show for 1 hour

20:00 Back to the cruise

Overnight on the cruise mooring at Tan Thuan 2 port

Day 2: 31 Dec, 2009: HCMC Tour

08:00 Meet our guide at the pier and start to enjoy city tour in HCMC, a dynamic and charming city in Southern Vietnam, with visits to China town, the Big market (Cho Lon) and Thien Hau temple (Sea Goddess temple)

10:00 Continue city tour with visits to the Reunification Palace, the Hundred Years Red Cathedral (Notre Dame Cathedral), the Old Post Office, the Opera House, the People’s Committee Hall, Rex hotel in the city center.

11:30 Have lunch at the Pho 2000 noodle soup restaurant where Bill Clinton had his “PHO” noodle in 2000.

13:00 Finally “shop till you drop” at the Ben Thanh market.

15:00 Transfer back to the port

15:30 Drop off at the pier

Overnight on the cruise

Day 3: 2 Jan, 2010: Tien Sa port in Danang – Tour to Hue

07:30 Pick-up from the Tien Sa port in Danang, transfer to Hue, the last Royal city of Vietnam, a World Cultural Heritage site since 1993

10:00 Explore the interesting cultures through the architecture of the two most outstanding tombs of King Tu Duc and King Khai Dinh, visit the Thien Mu Pagoda – the symbol of Hue, the Royal Forbidden Palace, and the interesting Dong Ba Market . Lunch with Hue specialties at a local restaurant (optional)

17:00 Transfer back to the port

19:00 Drop-off at the port

Day 4: 3 Jan, 2010: Tien Sa port in Danang – Tour to Hoian

07:30 Pick-up from inside Tien Sa port, transfer to HOI AN, the pleasant ancient town of Vietnam, a World Cultural Heritage site since 1999.

9:00 Arrival in Hoian. Enjoy pleasant city walk to the Hoian history museum, Fujien Chinese temple, Tan Ky ancient house, the famous Japanese pagoda bridge, Hoi An Market and great shopping

12:00 Enjoy lunch of local specialties (“cao lau” noodle, fried wontons, white roses etc.) at Cargo Bar (exclusive).

Then enjoy more shopping in Hoian

15:00 Transfer back to the port, visit the traditional stone carving village at the bottom of the Marble Mountains (not climbing up the mountains) on the way.

17:00 Drop-off at the Chan May port

Overnight on the cruise

Day 5: 4 Jan 2010: Halong Bay Cruise Tour – Overnight in Hanoi

13:30 Pick-up from inside Cai Lan port in Halong and transfer to Halong harbour for a private cruise in the beautiful bay

14:00 Start the cruise around the bay for 4 hours, visiting Thien Cung grotto, admiring the gorgeous scenery, enjoying beautiful seafood dinner on boat

18:00 Return to the harbor and transfer on to Hanoi (3 hours)

21:00 Check in Hoa Binh Palace boutique hotel in the Old Quarter and free time on your own

Overnight in Hanoi

Day 6: 5 Jan 2010 : Cycling tour in Duong Lam ancient village and Tour of Highlights Of Hanoi –

Back to the ship

8:00 check out the hotel and transfer to Duong Lam ancient village

9:00 start visiting this interesting traditional village. Visit some ancient houses of the local people to learn how they live there generation after generation. Then cycle around the village, seeing rice fields, lotus ponds, vegetable gardens, visiting Mia pagoda (Sugar cane pagoda), Ngo Quyen temple, black smith’s, carpenter’s, sweet makers’ house, etc. The whole tour takes a bout 2 hours including cycling and sightseeing. The longest distance is about 2km on flat land and good village roads.

11:00 Transfer back to Hanoi

12:00 Enjoylunch with local specialties

13:00 enjoy a fantastic rickshaw ride through the Old Quarter of 36 guilds streets of Hanoi

14:00 Visit the Temple of Literature (The 1st University of Vietnam) (30 minutes).

15:30 Visit the beautiful cultural Ethnology Museum

16:30 Transfer back to the ship in Halong. Stop at Hong Ngoc handicraft shopping center on the way

20:00 Drop off at the pier of Halong harbour

Chipmaster,

I double checked with our tour company.

We are not going to Saiyok Elephant Park. (yeah!)

The elephant ride is 45 minutes, and we definitely get wet. There are clips of it on a facebook account.

Also, the temple has changed since March. Only about 50% of the people visiting there were wanting to pay another 1000BAHT to have a pic with a tiger's head in their lap. (I wouldn't pay for that myself.) After reading this thread, I talked to the couple joining me, and they said they didn't want a bunch of pics with the tigers, but I asked Bangkok Day Tours about it anyway.

The nice thing about any private tour company is that you can move at your own pace. There are only five of us so we won't have to worry what the other 75 passengers (if we had a bus from the ship) want to see or have to stop for huge restroom stops all the time. :-)

It actually looks like the six days in Vietnam will just be three of us because nobody on the roll call wants the itinerary... bicycling through the countryside, etc.

If you go to Vietnam, be sure to get a quote from Smile Tours. I received quotes from a number of cc recommended groups, Smile Tours had a much better itinerary. Also, I received it in seven hours.. even though I could tell it was specific to my requests. Our ship is there a total of six days, so I wanted to make sure I saw as much as possible. Thi gave me additional ideas and told me why I would or wouldn't want to do them. I am actually dying to get to Vietnam now.

I feel pretty good about it. I am just really glad I stayed with this cruise. The death railway, museum, temple, I can skip. This itinerary was just designed based on ideas of things I wanted to see. Even the elephant show wouldn't be on my list unless it is part of the plan already.

Be sure if you get quotes, be sure to get a number of them. I was surprised at the difference in itineraries and prices.. especially for Vietnam.

Of course I am the one who took the Christmas cruise out of Santiago despite numerous warnings about it being a zoo, and it is my favorite cruise of all time.

I just booked tours in Bangkok for two days with Bangkok Day Tours. We get to go see the tigers, see the Damnoen floating market, and ride and BATHE elephants. :-) The price was really reasonable. I had two couples join me.

I wrote and told them some of the highlights I wanted to see there, and they sent me the itinerary.

I don't know how long you are there, but here is what we are doing. Seriously I have emailed and read the itinerary to everyone I am so excited. I almost have it memorized.

Day 1- Bangkok Temples and Canal

From Klong Toey we'll go to Wat Pho with its Reclining Buddha. The Grand Palace is next door and within is Wat Phra Kaeo which is the Kingdom's most revered temple. After a Thai lunch we'll take a long-tail boat trip to Wat Arun and then return to port.

Departs: 08:00

08:00 Pick up dockside Klong Toey Port

We'll be waiting for you when you get off the ship. Your guide will have a sign with your name on it. The sooner you get off the sooner we can leave.

09:30 Grand Palace Wat Phra Kaeo

The Grand Palace incorporates Wat Phra Kaeo or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha which is Thailand's most revered temple. Please dress accordingly.

12:00 Lunch in Thai Restaurant

Lunch will be in a Thai restaurant beside the Chao Phraya River

13:00 Long-tail Boat Trip

Enjoy the long-tail boat trip on the river and into the canal system on the Thonburi side. You can stop at either Wat Arun or the Royal Barge Museum. The Taling Chan Floating Market can be visited during your boat trip, but only on Saturday and Sunday.

15:00 Wat Po Reclining Buddha

Wat Po is considered Thailand's first university and houses the famous Reclining Buddha.

16:00 Depart for Klong Toey

You can relax in air conditioned comfort while the driver returns you to your ship at Klong Toey

17:30 Arrive back at your ship

You can expect to be back on board by 5:30pm

Day 2- Floating Market Tigers Elephants Day Trip

For those lucky enough to be in port over a three day period, the second day allows for an early start and a full day’s activity. This tour includes the original floating market in Damnoen Saduak and the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi. Riding & bathing elephants will round out the day nicely.

Departs: 07:00

07:00 Pick up dockside Klong Toey Port

We'll be waiting for you when you get off the ship. Your guide will have a sign with your name on it. Please don't be late or we'll miss the floating market.

08:30 Floating Market Damnoen Saduak

You can take the boat on the canal through the floating market. Please keep your hands inside the boat as there are many boats and we don't want you to jam your fingers.

11:30 Lunch in a Thai Restaurant

We'll have an early lunch in a Thai restaurant so that we are at the Tiger Temple when they open the gates.

12:30 Tiger Temple Wat Pha Luang

We'll get you to the Tiger Temple nice and early so you'll have maximum time there. They'll bring out the younger tigers first and then lead the adult tigers down to the canyon for their afternoon swim and play.

15:00 Elephant Riding & Bathing

The elephant camp is not far from the Tiger temple and here you'll be able to experience the unique sway of an elephant ride. After, you can bathe it in the clear waters of the Kwai river.

16:45 Bridge over the River Kwai

We'll stop at the bridge on the way back to Bangkok. You'll have time to walk on the bridge and take some photos.

17:15 Depart for Bangkok

You can relax in air conditioned comfort while the driver returns you to your hotel in Bangkok.

18:30 Arrive back at the ship

You can expect to be back at the ship by 7:30pm

I have read really good reviews on this board about the company. We did put down 4,000 BAHT deposit per day. However, I am putting 30% of the Vietnam tour down ahead of time also.

ACKK. I want to start packing, but I have to wait because I don't leave until Christmas.

Yes, the in room safe is another thing to think about. With the roommate I was assigned in Europe, I ended up carrying any valuables with me.. So I had to take my money, jewelery, etc with me into the bathroom in the morning and all. If you don't know the person, and it doesn't turn out good, you start wondering if it is ok to leave things in the safe (you share).

It was a pretty cheap flight. That is why I bought it. It was about $l,200 for a ticket SFO to Singapore and then Hong Kong back to SFO. I used free delta miles to get to and from SFO. I did notice the price has gone up. The ticket is for Dec-Jan.

Sorry. I got up at 3 a.m. yesterday to get ready for my 6 a.m. flight, and I read it wrong. Glad you let me know. :-)

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat... and I just got off Delta in Minneapolis. I prefer not to think about it. :-)

Sa was just my way of typing fast. :-)

That is great Azamara offered it. I hope they provide a lot of time there because then I could just do that tour instead of trying to line up transportation.

I have always heard rave reviews of Air NZ compared to Qantas. I just meant that I felt safe with Qantas. I would do Air NZ too, but it is $$$$.

My neighbor is a pilot, and he said Singapore Airlines is great.

Thanks for the clothing advice. I don't have a lot of light clothing except shorts, and I know that you really aren't suppose to wear shorts except in Hong Kong, so I will shop for some extremely light casual dresses that go below the knee.

I am soooo excited. I ordered six books on Asia from the library? I am ready to pack but I have to wait until Christmas. ........

Thanks! I kind of wondered about that. It is just people tend to be comfortable with the familiar. Delta is a common name in the U.S. Singapore Airlines... I heard one person mention them, and that is all I knew.

I am excited to leave... but I have awhile to wait. :)

Thanks a ton.

I just started worrying that they were a poor airline with inadequately trained pilots. Of course anyone can say anything on the internet and on websites, so I just need to remember that.

That website consisted of people arguing for and against SA.

I hate to sound like a wimp, and flying doesn't normally bother me, but I knew nothing about SA before I booked them yesterday for my flights at Christmas.

Today I started thinking I really should look into their safety record. I happened to "wander" onto a website (not a safety website) where people were discussing how SA doesn't have adequate training, have a poor record of safety, etc. They mentioned some fatal crashes, etc...

Now I normally love, love, love flying, but I go with airlines I know which make me feel safe... Delta and Qantas.

Do you feel like SA is safe? I honestly don't know the difference between any of the airlines in Asia..and I "thought" I recognized the name of this one, as opposed to some with China and Korea in the title, so I booked it.

Thoughts?!!!

walkingba@gmail.com is the one for Mariana. She gave me the day long walking tour. I would definitely use her. I recommended her to someone else, and they also enjoyed their tour.

I don't have the email for Sentir handy, and I am leaving on a two week trip tomorrow. They have a website on the internet in Spanish. However, if you email them, they will reply in excellent English.

http://www.sentir-patagonia.com.ar/

I had the same experience in December. :-)

Mariana was WONDERFUL. I was there on a Sunday, so there was no traffic. Other than a brief bus ride, we power walked from 9-6 p.m. The ends of my toes almost fell off by the end of the day. She would have been willing to do a car or taxi or whatever, but I said I wanted to walk.

The night before we got to Buenos Aires an English couple asked for her contact info. They called her the morning we went on a tour, and they booked her for the next day. They said she was absolutely wonderful, and they both were able to sleep all the way on the plane ride home. ;)