canuck.qc

For those visiting Montreal, we have a similar Atelier des Lumieres, fantastic! 

https://imagine-vangogh.ca/en/

Northern Aurora,

We are booked on a B2B september 10th sailing 2020.

How was the overall weather for your cruise.

I am prone to seasickness, was it smooth or choppy waters?

Thanks

I just started up again on CC after several years of land travels and

I can't believe how much the site has changed! 

It is reassuring to see the regulars are still here sharing their advice & comments.

We recently booked a B2B cruise thinking we'd go onto the RollCall, as in the past, and share tours but there is no Roll Call! 

We have met so many lovely people through tours arranged on the RCalls and have had many great experiences, I am disappointed in the change.

The people you talk to on the phone are not always knowledgeable. I was trying to get last minute availability on a boat and was treated very dismissively. Until I reached the one person who said there was an opening and I had no single occupancy upcharge. The other agents who I spoke to never even called me back when the spot opened,

 

I am looking to cruise in 2019 and will not be “loyal” to Viking. I want a more upscale experience and all the prices seem to be close.

Am looking at Scenic or Uniworld.

Take a look at the SSSudan, luxurious.

Not much about it on CC or TA but youtube has some good videos. I will post my reviews.

I am booked for this Dec 3rd sailing

BonVoyage

Thanks.

Thanks for sharing the blog link. I left you a comment there, but I’ll post here as well.

 

“Looking forward to following along. We hope to do a DIY overland trip and combine it with a river cruise next January. We were in Luxor for an overnight this year in May ... the temp was 102-104F ... not fun. If you have a chance to do a hot air balloon ride, do it ... we really enjoyed ours, which went over many of the main sites on the West Bank.”

We are sailing onboard the SSSudan this November. I would like some recommendations on a reputable company for a Hot Air Balloon excursion in Luxor.

Thanks

Your travel plans sound great.

I will stay tuned.

It is so nice to see this thread is still alive.

I haven't been on CC for quite awhile, I have been taking extended land vacations. I will be travelling 1 month around China in Sept. so I will look back at your travel log to see what you posted about your visit there. I really enjoyed reading both CBB & Wayntor's RTW posts, so beautifully written and informative.

I look forward to read about your next adventures.

Rather than the Li river, it is better to go to the Yulong river, less busy and more quiet (no motors). On the Li river, boats are zooming down at high speed. Look and HEAR the difference on the 2 YouTube videos:

Li River:

Yulong river:

About my 50 places, some are easier to get to than others. Maybe some are already on your list. Typical places includes the following examples: the old town of Pingyao (http://shanxi.chinadaily.com.cn/pingyao/2013-06/01/content_16486008.htm), Datong ( ), Luoyang (http://www.jacekphoto.com/china/china75.htm), Chengde (http://www.china-tour.cn/China-Pictures/Chengde-Pictures.htm), Huangshan (http://www.absolutechinatours.com/Huangshan-attractions/Huangshan-Mountain-A-World-Heritage-in-China-251.html), Zhangjiajie (http://www.mostbeautifulspots.com/2016/10/03/zhangjiajie-national-forest-park-china/), Xiamen particularly the Gulangyu island (http://iheartchina.com/location/Xiamen-Gulangyu-Scenic-Tourist-Attractions), the Tulou near Xiamen (http://www.oddcities.com/fujian-tulou-china/), any of the many small villages in the province of Guizhou such as this one: (one of my favorites) http://sarajaaksola.com/langde-miao-village/, and then you can head west to places like Dunhuang (http://sarajaaksola.com/langde-miao-village/) or Kashgar (https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/en_GB/community/blog/post/exploring-kashgar), Xiahe (https://mirincondelabahia.wordpress.com/2011/06/02/artista-invitada-ana-perez-estampas-tibetanas/), etc...... You get my point...

Wonderful list, this will help form my itinerary

I am aware of the national holiday. I will be flying out of HongKong on the 30th.

I am sorting out the main itinerary starting in Beijing and it will include the must sees, several UNESCO sights etc.. I thought the cruise would be a respite at the halfway point. The Li river area is also somewhere I am reading up on. I will look into using some domestic flights, can these be booked last minute?

Thanks folks

I will be touring China by rail, 30 days this Sept. . I am considering taking a 4 night Yangtze cruise mid-trip ( Chongoing-Jingzhou). Is it worth it and are there other short river cruises to recommend.

Hi Lottie

I highly recommend the cabin. As you can see we had loungers.

We asked for the loungers the day we boarded and spent many days napping in private. No one can see you when positioned closer to the doors.

You are lucky the cabin is available.

You won't regret your choice.

Bon Voyage

L

As you, I was booked on Sirena but cancelled before final payment, the falling CDN dollar and dreadful news helped me make up my mind. I've booked a month long land tour from Frankfurt to Milan, seems like a safer alternative. Also looking at a land trip to China in the spring. We've put cruising on hold for awhile..I'm too much of a control nut to have that happen to me!:eek:

Cynthia,

We also will be grieving a month from now:(:(:( We so enjoy your journal.

Your description of Nuku Hiva is as I remember, the island is beautiful. I have a photo of the Marina in Taiohae Bay.

Thanks

L

I haven't used travellers cheques when travelling for a long time now because of difficulties getting them cashed. Does anyone know if Oceania would cash a $US travellers cheque without charge? I need cash to pay for tours and don't like carrying large amounts of cash around.

 

Thanks

 

Mia

We use ATMs. Take out cash as we go. Most ports have plenty available.

I prepare envelopes with the name of the tour company and amount.

We ask the guide to stop at a safe ATM at the end of the tour and sometimes take out enough for the following tour. Easy and no large amounts of cash.

I think you missed the panicked North American passengers who cancelled anything and everything with the word "Europe" in it because of the terror attack in Brussels.

Add: Canadians cancelling because of low dollar:(

Just returned from a 10-day cruise on Oceania's Marina. So excited to finally sail French Polynesia. When our plane landed at Papeete at 5am everyone on board was quite excited. We were bused to City Hall where we were warehoused on the second floor of the building. Cheap folding chairs were set around the room where we were given drinks (coffee, water, juice, soft drinks), NOTHING to eat and only one working bathroom in the building. We sat there for FIVE AND A HALF HOURS!!!!! Having just flown for 8 hours (some for 11) to be deposited in a bare room with no place to lay down, barely working air conditioning, no food since we ate on the plane around 3:30am and nothing to do, we were ANGRY. Buses picked us up around 11:45am to take us to the ship where we were able to board. After check-in, we were told our cabins were not ready and would not be for an hour or so but that we could go to the Terrace Café for lunch. By 1pm we were done with lunch and ready to go take a nap or a shower and unpack. When I went to inquire about my room I was brusquely spoken to by a gentleman in Reception who said it would be a while. I then asked about how to get Wi-Fi, he told me to go to see the IT guy ten floors away. I mentioned I was tired and hot and not carrying my bags up ten floors, could he please call him. No he could not and he could not assist me, effectively dismissing me. Unfortunately, my cabin (on a Concierge level) was not ready until 2pm. So, the first seven hours of my vacation left a VERY bad taste in my mouth. I paid a LOT of money for an upscale cruise experience and as of now, I had been treated poorly by everyone connected with the cruise. Not a good way to start off and a horrible first impression of Oceania. The rest of the cruise was great but if this is the way Oceania treats its guests, I am quite hesitant to ever sail this line again.

You should have joined in on CC before you left. There is a wealth of info on FP. plus great info on your RollCall. For some reason you found this board after the cruise, to voice your complaints. Your TA is also responsible for underlining the challenges of FP & the early flights & should have offered solutions. O also offered packages for hotels, transfers etc...when we sailed a few years ago. You are also informed of all embarkation & cabin info before the cruise. The outcome of your cruise could have been far different with proper preparation before leaving home.

As Paul mentioned I also think it has to do with filling the ship. When we were in FP Marina had many business, medical and alumni groups certainly at a discount, an incentive to fill the ship. There were several tender ports so I think the smaller R ship would help make the tender process quicker & more efficient.

WOW X2

RJB: you are vocal against all of us:eek:

Indeed. Our upcoming Tauck cruise we're almost certain to cancel. Although right now as you say the rate is a bit higher. If I paid for the trip now it would be only $5K more--a few days ago it was over $6K.

 

 

 

So sorry, that's too bad, but I know how you feel. We're also waiting although I think we've pretty well decided to cancel. We're out our cancellation insurance, but that protects us from further penalties.

Sorry. We cancelled our June Sirena cruise before the penalty. I noticed some cruise lines are offering incentives to CDNs. Tough call but we'll do land tours

the way we did before the we caught the cruise bug:o

I would imagine that first timers or infrequent cruisers expected the full experience of the ship. Most would want the elegant experience and use of all the amenities...

I think it is not a question of whether you are a glass half full or empty type person. I believe that it is more difficult to stay positive for those who don't have the good fortune to cruise on a regular basis and spend a large amount of cash on a yearly or special cruise. A Code Red experience is very unpleasant. People who cruise frequently can afford to have a better outlook simply because they know they have several trips planned. Also, it is easier to have a better outlook when you've sailed regularly with O and know what the experience is normally like.

Your posts and Blog (wonderful pictures) are a pleasure to read. Cruising vicariously thru you. We've even had our own 'code red' here at home, noro-type germs passed on to us by our grand kids.

I too have not had problems as an independent. Arrive as soon as the lounge doors open, make it known to the ticket person you are indep. and you will get on the 1st or 2nd tender.

Also, most reliable tour operators know about delays regarding tenders and will wait for you (there has been a few exceptions). They also keep informed of any ship delays.

VERY CURIOUS:confused::confused: