goletans

Will do. Work and practice will be good for my aging brain. 🙃

GREAT advice! Thank you.

Oh, good. I made sense. Yep, research continues. Although not the dates we need, this shows the range of costs - from Chase Travel.

Absolutely, it makes more sense to end the tour in the city where the cruise starts. We could achieve this with PEK to HKG to start the cruise. What I think I'm finding is that a flight from PEK to HKG at the end of the land tour, adding this to a LAX to HKG at the start may dollar-wise be better than LAX to PEK at the start. Does this make sense? I know what I'm saying, but may not be making this clear.

WOW! I knew you all would come through with facts and ideas to ponder. We are looking at Hong Kong and Beijing as starting points for the land tour because we can reverse the order of the cities we want to visit. The cruise is Hong Kong to Tokyo. LAX is easy to start from and end at, and we want to minimize flight time duration. FlyerTalker Although we will accept airline credit we prefer credit back to our form of payment. “One other item of note: IMO, there is a significant service differential between the mainland Chinese carriers and other Asian airlines. By mainland, I mean Air China (NOT China Airlines, which is much different), China Southern, China Eastern, Hainan, and Shenzhen. OTOH, both China Airlines and EVA, from Taipei, are quite good. Same with JAL, ANA, Korean, Cathay and Singapore. So don't just be focused on price.” We are happy to look at all airlines that serve our itinerary. These are helpful suggestions. Are there any airlines you advise against? Do you have favorites? CDNPolar Yes, we are willing to pay a slightly higher fare with the option to cancel. We will consider South Korea. Thank you for that idea. Zach1213 We completely understand the cost of refundable travel and have experienced its value when we had to cancel for a situation that insurance did not cover. It also brings peace of mind that is hard to put a price on. Gardyloo We have considered offers such as "Circle Pacific” but prefer to keep things as simple as possible. CruiserBruce The cruise line is Oceania. While using O flights can be a very good value, I prefer to have control over our flights and lock in said control and choice earlier than O will allow. Globaliser We will only accept cheap for short, direct flights from our local airport. We are looking at reasonable connections. Singapore Airlines to Hong Kong is definitely a consideration.

As we're about a year out from our March cruise, it's time to get serious about flights. We're looking at LAX to either Hong Kong or Beijing to begin a DIY pre cruise tour. At this point refundable, business class air is our preference. Today I found American and United to Beijing at $25,000. This is a firm Nope. Does anyone have suggestions on airlines, one-way tix vrs multi-city flights? It's too early to get good results on the Google Flights matrix. We may consider premium seating but were really spoiled recently by Qatar.

My spouse has tossed "clips" of some of these pax. Is this like a carefully aimed rubberband at the concert-goer who blocks your view at a concert - especially aimed at that the person in the front row that stands for the whole show?? Haven't resorted to this yet, but do think about it.

I checked the pricing on the two cruises we have booked that are now offering a free pre-cruise hotel. The the cost for this free pre-cruise hotel that would include a free transfer to the ship is only $1600 on one cruise and $1401 on the other. Not surprised. It will be interesting to see all the free inclusions that the soon-to-be-released itineraries will have.

OH! I forgot to add that DH is also vegetarian at home. This partly accounts for his happiness in cruising when he eats anything he wants - and does 😃

I am a vegetarian and have been the most happy with Oceania's offerings over Crystal and Silversea. I receive the GDR or specialty restaurant (for current reservations) menu 2 days before dining and have been able to (usually) select my choices. On some occasions, I have requested and received something off-menu when there is nothing I want to eat.

only specific cruises. https://www.silversea.com/best-luxury-cruise-deals/the-essential-fare.html For those able to travel on limited-time selected voyages, this fare features shipboard inclusions only; shore excursions are not included. Deposit non refundable

I received this in an email today from Silversea. This could be an alternative for those who are disappointed by O's Simply More. I see many Alaska itineraries included. However, the cancellation/refund policy is awful. We are excited to announce a new fare designed for freedom-loving travellers: our voyage-only Essential fare will appeal to those who seek last-minute experiences at a great value and who prefer to manage their air, transfers and shore excursions independently. Catering to our guests’ individual travel preferences, Silversea now offers three unique fare options: our industry-leading Door-to-Door All-Inclusive fare; an enhanced Port-to-Port All-Inclusive fare which is now available on all voyages; and the new Essential fare on selected sailings that features all onboard inclusive amenities and services but does not include shore excursions.

I know, huh!🙂 The squishables for sleeping. LOVE the the high fidelity ones for concerts!!!

HA! Our amusing observation that (perhaps) people should pay more attention to their partners. This did not interfere at all with our enjoyment of the cruise at all. We were on Riviera in January and never heard any noise from our neighbors. This being said, we did find that Vista's walls were somewhat 'thin.' Helpful Hint: Eargasm earplugs are GREAT!

I posted this on Nov. 20: We just returned from Vista. We could hear neighbors talking on both sides and anyone in the hall as well as TVs on both sides and neighbors when they were on their balconies. We used our Eargasms but could still hear them. One morning the woman on one side was loudly telling her partner that she has already told him "NO!" while the woman on the other side was loudly telling her partner that she has already told him "YES!" We could usually hear and understand most words. I hope Allura doesn't have this problem.

Not really, but it shows as included on several 2025 itineraries.

Looks like Israel will not be included.

One will be able to select seats once the flight is ticketed, and this will be after final payment is made. If final payment is not due, but one wants to select seats sooner, our TA told us that O would ticket the flight as soon as we made final payment. One need not wait to male final payment until the due date.

Just off Riviera and observed that folks on some O excursions went first, and DIYers were sandwiched between excursion groups as space allowed. I doubt you'll be first but doubt you'll be last. My suggestion is to get to the lounge early and get your tender ticket right away for best results.

With just a week to go before our MUMBAI TO SINGAPORE cruise, we are doing a final review of our plans - especially looking at two ship's excursions. Both include shopping. Does anyone know the names of the shops that O will take us to? I also posted this on the roll call. Here are the ones we're wondering about: Phuket Landmarks Shop for luxury goods such as Thai silk, cultured pearls and porcelain. Free time will also be allotted for shopping at a high-end store that carries exquisite jewelry, Thai silk clothing and fine porcelain. The Treasure Hunt- a Shopping Opportunity Port: Colombo Shop in three different stores, each with its own unique merchandise. Find items ranging from exquisite jewelry to colorful sarongs to fine handbags. Purchase designer fashions at reduced prices, as they are manufactured in Sri Lanka. Shop at three of Colombo’s finest stores, each with its own specialties that reflect the local culture and craftsmanship. One of the stores will offer a huge selection of handicrafts made using traditional techniques handed down from generation to generation. You might find woven mats, terracotta pottery, fine silverware, aromatic spices and beautiful sarongs made with vibrant batik fabrics. Precious and semi-precious gems have been hallmarks of Sri Lanka since antiquity, and you will have the opportunity to browse a store with exquisite jewelry, many of it studded with brilliant sapphires, star rubies, moonstones and garnets. We know that the department store Odel is included. We also appreciate any advice or insights you may have.

We were recently on Vista and had the beds separated. We moved the nightstand ourselves to between the beds. If I remember correctly, we have always had the nightstand between the beds on any of O's ships.

I must add that I've been watching reruns of The Real McCoys lately and am happy that I grew up when so many TV shows taught honesty, values, hard work, independence, and kindness. Walter Brennan's album, Old Rivers, is a treasure, especially at Christmas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwuHxJrrf0Y

Correct. We kept looking for any information about an evaluation - nothing.

We concur. We felt badly for those with the Simply package. We rarely saw more than one refill in the Grand Dining Room at lunch or dinner. That being said, we are not looking forward to the choice of wines offered on our upcoming Simply cruises.