SpokaneDan

thanks Big M

HI, a follow up question - are there plenty of Taxi available on a Sunday am at Portside terminal?

Thank you both for your input

I have to look up CDC's website on malaria just to make sure. I think it's down right irresponsible for the travel clinic to recommend Malaria prophylaxis given the itinerary. Malaria only recommended for rural Vietnam, not for HCM. In Bangkok, it's mentioned as rare to few cases, the whole of China is listed as very low, not to mention in the bustling Xiamen and Shanghai.

Malaria prophylaxis is extremely crucial when called for, but most anti-malarial have potential side effects, b/c travelers sometimes have to take for up 28 days after they finish their trip. They are not your over counter multivitamins, and have to be used in correct setting. The most well tol. malarial pills (eg, Malaron) tend to be very expensive (in US anyway).

I am all for prophylaxis, but benefit has to clearly outweight risks. My typhoid pills has clearly stated potential side effects, and only 50% effectiveness. The decision to take it was not a simple one. One poster above mentioned it's ultimately up to the individual making informed decision.

Thank you for all of your comments and advice.

I will be in Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Xiamen- China, Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Osaka, Icheon and Shanghai.

Health professionals want to sell me:

Hep A and B

Yellow fever

Typhoid

Malaria

Outside of Malaria - Malaria, really? The others vaccine are the maximum protection you could ask for, but do you need them all? I just completed a similar cruise itin. as yours, and read CDC's guidelines. I got typhoid (oral type), and my Hep A is up to date, b/c I enjoy eating street, local food - both infections are foodborne. Looking back, I am not even sure if typhoid is really necessary.

Singarpore, Japan, Korea, HK and Taiwan have very high standard of public health.

While CDC mentioned Yellow Fever (really depend on the exposure to mosquitos), cruising and visiting big cities really put it at very low risk.

Hep B is a blood born/body fluid transmitted infection, most Americans are up to date (part of childhood immunization), but only in health care working settings would we demand verification of immunization. Cruise pax getting that on a regular tour? Very low risk.

No country asked for immunization record during my travel (did not visit Japan/Korea), and Celebrity for sure did not require any such thing.

I don't want to down play the risk of infection, but I agree with your suspicion that the travel clinic's recommendation is a bit overkill.

Hi, I am booking air tickets departing BNE (for MEL) on a July Sunday after disembarking P&O's Aria in Brisbane. The ship is scheduled to be in port by 6:00am. Would a 10am flight out of BNE be reasonable? Thanks

Thank you all, I actually changed my cruise prior to reading your replies already.:) I booked GBR cruise from Brisbane one week later. It cost about 120 AUD more per person - P&O would not budge on waiving that off (did not expect them to, but had to try). Though this wholesale change of itinerary has never happened to us before. We have the 2+ weeks in Oz., so could not use the other options P&O provided. Looks like your rugby fans will get along with our ice hockey fans! :rolleyes: Looking forward being Down Under for the first time, cheers!

Thank you for your intriguing and detailed photo report!

Singapore is the most Westerner friendly port in Asia IMO. It rivals Japan in its modernity, cleanliness and organization plus English is the official language. However, only 90 miles from the equator, it has only 2 seasons - hot and hotter. If you can stand the heat and humidity, it's a great start/end port.

Thanks everyone for your help........looks like we will give the walk a try!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

the walk is about 600meter on a flat paved road, shared with cars. The port set up is very simple, one of the smallest none tender port I visited. Getting lost is not on the port menu. $25 charge is a shocking rip off once you see the port. The restriction only apply to pickup, on return, guides could miraculously drop you off ship side without any permit.

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Unless the ship is arriving on a weekend or HK public holiday, the ferry & its schedule is just not convenient nor practical, in my opinion, visitor's friendly ... fluency in locally spoken Chinese (Cantonese) would be very helpful to brave this new option. You will need first to have local currency - bills & coins; and, to get the Octopus Card to make it easy to travel MTR, tram, Peak Tram and Star Ferry, and for those using HKIA (airport) and possibly the Airport Express with free in-town luggage check-in & boarding pass assignment (up to 24 hours ahead of scheduled flight departure, available with most major airlines participating)

 

Much easier to skip the money exchange stop completely at Kai Tak, take the bus/PMB or free mall shuttles or cruiseline transfer to town, find a major bank ATM to withdraw local money to use & to buy things later - Octopus Card can be purchased with credit card (be sure to alert your "home" bank first of use while traveling abroad ... we do this every time with Citibank & Chase before going overseas). Then, explore & sightsee - don't forget to take advantage of the city's free WiFi networks, very good availability overall & clearly marked ... including MTR station's concourse level.

 

Weekend, might find plenty of local families on the crowded ferries, assuming everyone in your party can get on. Not good use of time especially if ship is not overnighting.

 

SpokaneDan - did you try (this week ?) and update.

I didn't use the ferry service this am. Took a taxi due to time limit. The free shuttle was waiting there already as well. Sorry, no Intel on the location and stuff. Yes, very impressed with how widely available Wi-Fi is in HK.

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Want to clarify: Celebrity stays o/n in Kai Tak, agree with mking that this ferry service is not ideal for disembarkation, but it provides an option for shorex.. I want to visit the Peak tram, and suspect it's easier getting there from Northpoint than from Kai Tak. However, I will be there on a Wed., not sure if limited schedule will work for me.

Thanks for posting, I will be there on Celebrity Millen. next week. This maybe an option. I found the link to Fortune Ferry:

http://www.fortuneferry.com.hk/timetable.php

While it helps to read Chinese:

- For Weekdays, Kai Tak to Northpoint, the schedule is very limited only at 8:45am, and 17:15. Northpoint to Kai Tak - also only 2 ferry per day; the every 30min. ferry is b/w Kwun Tong and NP - do not stop at Kai Tak.

- Sa, Su, and holidays - KT-Northpoint ferry runs one per hour each way

Japan is 14 hours ahead of EST, in your scenario and under usual circumstances, leaving Georgia on Tues, you will arrive Japan on Wed. Delta has a direct 14+ hour flight from Atlanta to Narita

Viv, thanks, would you mind sharing the cost of taxi hire?

Will be tendering at this port late Dec. on Celeb. Millennium. We are a party of 4. Will we be able to sign up for tours or hire a taxi for a day tour right at the dock? Appreciate if you could share your experience, thanks.

Thank you very much!

Hi, I wanted to take Star Ferry touring Victoria Habour in HKG, but schedule is very tight. Millenium will dock at Kai Tak, does anyone know will it cruise through the harbor? Thanks

Hi fellow cruisers, family of 3 (16 yo DD) are planning our first Australian trip for June 2017 and booked for P&O's GBR (Cairnes, Hamilton Is, and Willis Island) cruise departing Brisbane on June 18. We were just informed that this was changed to Sydney/Newcastle/Moreton Is as the State of Origin Cruise. We are disappointed. However, visiting Syd is on our agenda anyway, and we could arrange a trip to Cairnes on our own.

My questions/concerns are:

--None of us are rugby fans, and travelling with sports fans - what is the atmosphere like (worrying about too much drinking/rowdiness)? My apology to Rubgy fans - just drawing from my limited experience with US sports fans.

-- missing Hamilton and Willis (anchor drop only)) Is., are those big losses?

We could transfer our booking to the same cruise itin. one week later, but at a $400 cost, and a redo of our planned itin. Should we transfer?

Appreciate your insights and opinions,

Eden Rock - 5 minutes walk from Cruise Terminal. It has a public access (no beach), with a restaurant (Paradise) on site, and snorkel gear rental ($18/set). We were impressed by the large tarpons hanging out in the area, that alone made it an exceptional snorkel experience. It also had a water trampoline.

flew EVA about one dozen times over past 10 years - West Coast to Taipei. Excellent Airline, never had a delay, good services, I also read somewhere it ranks highly on safety records with newer airplanes. The only complaints are that their website was a little wonky, and their US freq. flier partner is United.:rolleyes:

Below are photos/description of our full transit excursion about one week ago. The weather was 80's with humidity, but the ship had A/C'd compartments and shades. The most annoying thing for me was the occasional diesel fume from our own boat. Our boat was stocked with plenty of cold drinks and food. Our excursion was under 7 hours, but warned could take up to 10. After the trip, my wife thought she'd be content doing Gatun Locks on Coral Princess only, while I thought it was worthwhile. This was by far the most popular excursion on our cruise - it was sold out prior to embarkation.

https://whazarook.wordpress.com/panama-canal-2015/panama-canal/

Tortuguero Wildlife Tour (William). I also got quotes from Morales and Greenway. William was the most accommodating and competitive. I met fellow cruisers who were happy with Greenway as well. We did Cahuita National Park in addition to Tortugueros. I personally like Cahuita better. The section of the canal (closest to Limon) was not very pristine with shoreline private residences, a refinery, and public structures. While wildlife was still abundant, I wish we ventured deeper into canal (say a 90min. tour instead of one hour). Have a good trip!

Tortugeros

https://whazarook.wordpress.com/panama-canal-2015/limon-costa-rica/

Cahuita

https://danieltcyang.wordpress.com/unique-trails/cahuita-np/

Just visited Limon last week, I skipped Veragua Rainforest due to its high admission fee (but it may very well worth it). Here's the link on its admission fees:

http://www.veraguarainforest.com/tours-rates.html

Tortuguero Canal's price will vary b/c there are many different vendors. My guide included the boat tour in the total price. I was quoted by another company at $25 per.

Limon was the toughest port for me to pin down a reliable, well reviewed guide, yet I was overall happy with my tour.

I rented from Royal - an agent met me at Cruise Terminal bright and early delivering me the car, then met me at terminal to pick it up. An excellent and professional outfit.