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Need help overnight in Bangkok on the Millie


Wendylet
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I am hoping some experienced cruisers will have a suggestion for me here. We are on the Millie with Celebrity and have an overnight in Bangkok. We are taking the cruise ship transportation there and back over the two days. My question is regarding hotels. Should we stay someplace close to the drop off area? Not sure what most do regarding a small overnight bag or backpack when sightseeing over the two days. I thought maybe we could drop it off at the hotel valet if it was close to the shuttle drop off but what would we have to do the next day? We would have to pack it around with us then? Advice on a hotel recommendation to make this work or other suggestions regarding overnight bag? All input is welcome!

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Have you actually fixed up ship's transfers ?

I ask because most cruise lines only provide transport from port to Bangkok and back on the same day, which of course is no use to those overniting in a hotel. So do check with Celebrity.

 

If into Bangkok on Day 1 and back to Laem Chabang on Day 2 isn't possible with ship's transfers, you'll need to pre-book private transfers.

There are recommendations if you use the search facility on this forum or use google - do look for independent reviews, some are excellent but some are second-rate wannabe's. Or if you book a good well-reviewed hotel they might book or suggest a transfer for you.

Don't rely on picking up a taxi at the port - it's not like the Caribbean, taxis at the port are controlled by a cartel will screw those who've not got transportation arranged (no big deal if you're going somewhere local like Pattaya, but they charge many hundreds of baht more than a pre-booked car to go to Bangkok).

Cheapest & probably most-reliable one-way transport back to Laem Chabang will be to ask your hotel to book that transfer, you can do that when you get there. But most car services will offer a discount for booking both ways, and I'm guessing that'll be about the same total cost of an internet-booked to Bangkok and hotel-booked back to Laem Chabang.

The cartel at the port has no control over pre-booked cars or cars returning folk to the port.

 

Because of luggage, even overnite luggage, yes with ship's transfers I guess a hotel handy to ship's drop point makes most sense - do you know where that drop-point is?

You should have no problem leaving your overnite bags in the safe hands of the hotel reception for a few hours when you check-out - another good reason for it to be handy to the pick-up.

Mebbe double-check that before confirming a booking, but most hotels world-wide provide that service.

 

JB :)

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Pretty sure that Millie, like Connie, offers the overnight bus transfer to and from Bangkok and Laem Chabang, so that's not a problem. And most hotels, especially those catering to tourists, will provide luggage storage for a few hours.

 

The trick is getting easily back to your hotel to retrieve your bags and get to the pick up point easily. I think they use more than one spot, though, depending on traffic conditions (?). One solution may be to pick a hotel very close to a Skytrain station, since I'm pretty sure the drop off points are also close to them. You might be able to filter for something like that on a booking site like TripAdvisor or booking.com. At least you can check the proximity on Google Maps. We're staying at the Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn which is right AT a Skytrain station.

 

Another alternative is to check your Roll Call to see if anyone has organized a private 2 day excursion that might include transfers. I've seen that on previous Millie cruise reviews.

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Thanks so much for the input. Definitely the challenge is where the pickup point would be on day 2. I know they mention the drop off point but not the return. Probably not the wisest to assume. I had not thought of staying somewhere with easy access to transportation. Is there some way I can find out the names of the hotels within close proximity?

 

Mom says you mention you are doing this also. Are you just taking a small bag with you and then a small travel bag when you are out and about?

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Mom says you mention you are doing this also. Are you just taking a small bag with you and then a small travel bag when you are out and about?

 

Yes, that's exactly what we do. I have what is essentially a small gym bag that holds a change of clothes and toiletries for the 2 of us. Plus we each have a day bag that has what we each need while out and about. We also wear either a money belt or neck wallet on trips like this for our extra cash, credit/debit cards, and passport.

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Hello.

 

We have travelled to Bangkok on a number of occasions passing through and also we have sailed on the trip with Celebrity staying overnight. In fact we are sailing on the same cruise again in 2019 it was so goo

 

Celebrity have an overnight on your own. You book the transfer with them and they drop you at a central point in Bangkok. This was previously Central World shopping mall. The traffic in Bangkok can be horrendous! We always stay through choice at the Royal Orchid Sheraton on the Chao Phraya river. From Central World, it is easy to come out of the shopping mall (obviously choosing the correct exist) and walking up to walkway above the busy main road. From here you can walk to Siam BTS sky station. You can take the sky train down to the river, the stop is Saphan Taksin. You then walk down a good number of steps, and out onto the river stop with the tourist river boats etc. If you have chosen one of the main hotels on the river (Royal Sheraton included, also the Mandarin and many others), they have courtesy boats which will take you from the pier to the your hotel. You can either deposit your bag with the hotel or hopefully check in and leave your bag. The Royal Orchid Sheraton is right next door to a river boat stop and you can take the tourist boat (orange if I remember) up the river to the Palace, reclining Buddha and numerous other attractions. If you wish to book a private tour, they may well recommend meeting you at the hotel or indeed depositing you with your bag later in the day. We are travelling with friends who have never been to Bangkok and therefore we will be taking the trip up the river ourselves!

 

The next day you need to meet back at the meeting point. I can't remember the time, I think around lunchtime or just after. The trip back to the port is around a couple of hours depending upon traffic. We feel this is preferable to organising our own and not arranging our own transfer and missing the sail time!

 

Have a great time. We love Bangkok. You do need to have your wits about you as there are many scams. However, Thai people are lovely and will always help you (the land of smiles). Generally if they approach you, be careful!

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The Royal Orchid Sheraton is right next door to a river boat stop and you can take the tourist boat (orange if I remember) up the river to the Palace, reclining Buddha and numerous other attractions. quote]

 

We've stayed at the Royal Orchid Sheraton - yes the location is brilliant.

The boat pier alongside is Si Pha Ya pier (aka River City pier - the River City mall is opposite the hotel)

Frequent express ferries up & down the river call at the pier, it's also used by excursion boats, dinner boats, converted rice barges, long-tail boats etc.

Our cruise down from Ayutthaya ended there, and at that pier we picked up a long-tail boat to take us around the klongs (canals).

The hotel is waterfront - small (but big enough for overnite) river-view rooms in the tower aren't too expensive - I could sit there all-day (or all-week) watching the river traffic.

Yes, Bangkok's traffic can be awful and from a river-front hotel it's much quicker, cheaper & more fun to use the ferries for places like Wat Arun or the Royal Palace.

 

JB ;)

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Thanks so much for the input. Definitely the challenge is where the pickup point would be on day 2. I know they mention the drop off point but not the return. Probably not the wisest to assume. I had not thought of staying somewhere with easy access to transportation. Is there some way I can find out the names of the hotels within close proximity?

 

Mom says you mention you are doing this also. Are you just taking a small bag with you and then a small travel bag when you are out and about?

 

All the cruise ships which overnight in Laem Chabang will offer a transport service to Bangkok returning the next day. It is transport only and you will have to organise your own accommodation and activites. I have used it twice on Celebrity and Princess and both times the pick up and return was from the Asia Hotel although that may now have changed. We opted to stay at the Asia Hotel which was affordable and well located within walking distance to Bangkok's best shopping centre at MBK. The Asia also has a mono rail station right outside which is cheap and convenient and takes you anywhere in Bangkok.

The shuttle returned to the ship around 2 pm and you can easily leave the small amount of required luggage at the hotel after checking out if desired.

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We've booked a private transfer (with others from our roll call) to BK via Oriental Escape/Mekhe. For 10 persons we'll pay 24$ pp RETURN.

Drop off and pick up at MBK, next to Siam square.

Other roll callers from different cruises recommended this transfer.

We've chosen to book the Chatrium on the river, since it offers free early check in. Hopefully, we'll get there no later than 11AM.

It is my understanding that it is better to be on the river for visiting, in the short time we'll have there, the main attractions, like Wat Arun, Wat Puo and the Royal Palace.

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