mocrimlaw

Thanks for the wonderful pictures and commentary, as always, Terry!

Hi Hawkesbay - well I need to wait till tomorrow to call my agent and see what else might be available.  The suite is only important if we can bring our friend to the private dining room, and if we can get off earlier at ports.  Those are the only perks that interest us.  We really did not enjoy the buffet at all on our last Celebrity cruise, so we stuck to the private room for breakfast (and lunch on sea days).

Thanks jelayne - no, I don't think any Aqua Class are available either.  This was such a last minute decision, due to our Asia cruise changing final destinations 3 times so far, it has become a nightmare.  Plus the ship we were supposed to be on there for a March 1 cruise has a spent the last 15 days looking for a port to dock at with no success.  They have had 15 sea days.  We are not interested in traveling all the way to Asia just to be at sea!  So we have scrambled to find an alternative that fit our scheduled vacation time.  I have always enjoyed Celebrity but just realized that trailing with someone in a different cabin class creates some logistical issues.

Thanks Jim_lain - that is very helpful!

Oh yes, we will definitely eat in the specialty restaurants too - good idea.  And in the main dining room.  I was thinking of breakfast and lunch actually for a more regular thing.  They don't have any more suites available - we got the last one - so he can't get one.

We are just booking a South America cruise at the last minute, after having to cancel an Asian cruise.  We are looking at a Sky Suite.  When we were in a suite on Celebrity before, we really enjoyed the private dining room and the ability to get off the ship first at ports.  This time we are traveling with a friend who will not be in a suite.  I wondered if we will be able to have him join us in the private dining room.  I know we had people join us there once on the last cruise for a fee, but I don't know if you can do that every day (for a fee of course)?

Thank you!  I do have Wong Tai Sin Temple on my list as we will be there for 5 days.  I am bummed about the cable car, although our guide was planning to take us by car, but I did want to go one way on the cable car.  I am worried more things we want to see may be closed, but we are not cancelling the cruise unless things get much much worse.  There are cases in the US too so you could get it anywhere.  

I emailed our private guide as we are set to be in Hong Kong after our March 1 cruise from Singapore.  He said the Big Buddha is most definitely NOT closed and sent me a picture of it where he said he is right now!

Thanks Laurence for that helpful link!

Maureen

Great videos - thanks!

Thanks Mulhouse - had not heard of travelfish.  I do massive research on trips but find other people always have so much more to offer!

Not as courteous is an understatement!  When we were in Spain in September I was astonished at the behavior of some of the Chinese tourists.  One woman shoved me three times at Parc Guell and almost pushed me down the stairs - for no reason at all.  It wasn't even that crowded but she was just so rude.  I get that it may be a cultural thing but it was really unsettling.

Thanks unrealHeather - more very helpful things!  Unfortunately we will only be in Bangkok overnight, but we do have a guide so hopefully can see a lot.  I have pretty severe arthritis in my feet, so I always try to have a guide with a car, but some days I am fine.  I just never know day to day.  Humidity tends to make it worse, so I am preparing for that.  Great tip about going into hotels.  

Thank you so much ebsicc for all the helpful information.  You have give me a lot to think about, especially ferry vs bus to Macau.

Thank you Unreal Heather - those are very helpful tips!

Thanks Laurence.  Our itinerary is that Jacky will pick us up at the ship and show us around Hong Kong Island that first day - we have him for 8 hours and then he will take us to the hotel.  The luggage can stay in his car.  I don't think we will have time to do the things on Kowloon that day but he is flexible if we decide that makes more sense.  Did you find the Walled City worthwhile?  I had that on a "maybe" list.  Wong Tai Sin is on my must see list, but I thought we could get there on our own easily on the MTR or with an Uber.  The second day we are on our own in Kowloon, with recommendations from Jacky.  That night he will take us on the food tour of Mongkok, so that should be dinner.  The third day we are going with Jacky to Lantau Island, and then at night going on our own to Happy Valley races.  The 4th day we will go to Macau.  The 5th and last day we fly out at 11:30 pm, so we can see whatever we missed that day.

Laurence - thanks for the tips on Macau.  I had heard a podcast from someone who hired a taxi or car at the port which took them around to many sites for about 5 hours for about $60.  It sounded like a good itinerary and included the pandas.  Skipping the show sounds much less stressful.  I appreciate the tips about St Paul's because it doesn't look that far so I will take that into account.

For Hong Kong Island, Jacky's tour is flexible.  I'm sure he will have suggestions.  He will pick us up at the ship and take us to the Peak.  There is a police museum up there that sounds interesting - my friend who is traveling with us is a detective so I thought he might enjoy that.  It discusses the Triads among other things. Then we will go to Aberdeen and Stanley,  I would like to see some of the buildings in the CBD if possible.  There is a place called Tai Kwun that is now an arts/bars/restaurants area that was converted from a police building with jail cells that is supposed to be great.  Not sure if that would make sense to go with Jacky or on our own.  We do have one full day at the end on our own, as well as one day in the middle on our own when we were going to explore Kowloon. I would like to see the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas, which is in the New Territories but will have to see how I feel as it is around 450 steps up.

I am not sure how Jacky will handle the night food tour, which is supposed to be in Mongkok.  It will be on a Tuesday so hopefully no protests that day but you never know.  We also plan to go to the Happy Valley races on Wednesday night on our own if we can.

It was on CNN yesterday.  I am not too worried about it.  Seems confined to mainland China at the moment.  If we worried about everything, we would never travel :)

Thanks Hubofhockey.  I do like good shows, but if it's similar to O and Ka I don't care too much about seeing them.  I had heard Dancing Waters was really good, and probably it is, but there are many other things I want to see in our one day in Macau.  We are on Crystal - also about 700 people I think.  They are supposed to have good entertainment - we haven't been on them before - but that's never one of outmost important things on a cruise.  We mainly like cruises because we can see a lot of places without having to move our stuff (really MY stuff if I'm honest) or drive.  We drove through northern Italy a few years ago and it was way too stressful for our relationship!  We enjoy the food and the service. We were on Regent in September in Spain and really did enjoy the shows there, but I loved the destinations more.

Thanks Hubofhockey - that is helpful info.  I think maybe we will skip the show and concentrate on things we can't see anywhere else.  

Wow, Woldridge - that is extremely helpful information.  I don't suppose you have any similar tips for Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia or Hong Kong?

Ebsicc - wow, such a lot of very helpful information - thank you so much!  I had just thought the ferry would be more pleasant than a bus, but it sounds like the bus might be better.  The money for a taxi or Uber to get there is really not an issue as I have alloted enough for this trip.  I have some mobility issues so I always have to account for that and limit walking whenever possible. Also the time issue is more important to me, to see as much as we can because we will probably never be there again.  Do you think the Dancing Waters show is a good use of our time?  I mean, we can go to Vegas anytime fairly easily from Denver, so if it is similar to shows there, I would rather spend the time seeing other sights in Macau.  It is a pretty big time commitment for only having a day in Macau.  What do you think?

Thank you for that info! I am curious what people do if they check their luggage at the metro though, do you just haul your carryon luggage with you all day or are their lockers at the metro?
 

I was just repeating what someone on this chat had said.  I would also like to know if it is true or not!

Laurence - The guide wanted quite a lot for Macau for the day and I think we can do it on our own.  I understand there are taxis at the port that will take you on short tours so I plan to hire one of them.  I want to see the Old Town area with Senado Square, A-Ma Temple, the panda exhibit near the Venetian, the Taipa Village colored houses, and a few of the casinos for the architecture (MGM, Grand Lisbon) and the free water show at the Wynn.  I'd like to go up the tower for the view, and possible see the House of Dancing Water show at City of Dreams casino.  I am not too interested in seeing the Venetian as we have stayed there in Vegas and it look very similar.