Viking China (Part 2)

[Peregrina651]

Caribill' date=' I did call Viking. The person I spoke to didn't seem very knowledgable about the itinerary. The best she could say was that if the Garden wasn't listed on the itinerary on the website, I should assume that it wouldn't be included in the tour.

 

[/quote']

 

 

This is one of those times when I wish that one (or more) of escorts/guides from the China team was following this thread!!!

 

Sadly, everyone who answers the phone cannot be 100% knowledgeable about every cruise. However, IMHO, she still gave you the wrong answer. The answer should have been, "I don't know off the top of my head but I will research it and get back to you."

 

Call back. Ask your question again and if they don't have an answer for you, ask them to contact the office in China for a definitive answer. If the persons says they can't do that, ask to speak to a manager--and keep asking for managers until you get someone who is willing to answer your question with a definitive, "Yes" or "No."

 

 

[Peregrina651]

Got excited for a moment because when I first read your post I thought we were on the same cruise. Our cruise is April 16, 2013, Shanghai to Beijing. Thought I'd post that here in case anyone is reading this long thread and not the roll calls. Looking for fellow cruisers.

 

 

Here's the link to the April 16, 2014 roll call. I've added it to the list of roll calls that I've been keeping (and post here every now and then).

 

Carol (and Sharon), add a link to the roll call to your signature file. That way, it can be seen any time you post in this or any other thread. It helps 'advertise' your roll call.

[caribill]

This is one of those times when I wish that one (or more) of escorts/guides from the China team was following this thread!!!

 

 

 

If our tour guide is still with Viking, maybe he can answer the question.

 

His name is Huang and his e-mail (at least at the time we toured) is huang.wei@mac.com

 

So if "Chloe's mom" E-mails Huang, maybe she can get the definitive answer.

[Carol From California]

I think we're on the same cruise. We get to Shanghai on Apr 16th ( I assume you meant 2014) . We got our hotel assignments a couple of weeks ago. Westin Bund Center in Shanghai.

 

Yes, I meant April 16, 2014. It seems we are on the same cruise. We got our hotel assignments too. I booked an extra night in Shanghai and an extra night in Beijing. I also started a roll call for the cruise if you want to put your names on it. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1891051

Edited November 16, 2013 by Carol From California

[Peregrina651]

Here is a list of Viking China roll calls. If your roll is missing, please post a link here so I can update my list.

 

2014

April 16 Jewels

April 26 Jewels

April 28 Jewels

June 17 Jewels

July 17 Jewels

August 24 Jewels

October 15 Jewels

 

 

2015

May 17 Jewels

[CTGirl]

Got excited for a moment because when I first read your post I thought we were on the same cruise. Our cruise is April 16, 2013, Shanghai to Beijing. Thought I'd post that here in case anyone is reading this long thread and not the roll calls. Looking for fellow cruisers.

Sorry about that, I wish we were on your cruise but we have been there and back for a while now. I would go again in a heartbeat. You will love it.

[Peregrina651]

Here is a list of Viking China roll calls. If your roll is missing, please post a link here so I can update my list.

2014

April 16 Jewels

April 26 Jewels

April 28 Jewels

June 17 Jewels

July 17 Jewels

August 24 Jewels

October 15 Jewels

 

 

2015

May 17 Jewels

 

While we are on the topic of Roll Calls, I want to share this CC Guideline about personal identifying information. CC just added a link to this at the top of the roll calls page, so it must becoming an issue. Thousands of people read these forums daily--and not all of them are looking for cruise information.

 

Guard Your Personal Information Carefully

It is best not to post your real name, address or phone number publicly on the boards. Also, keeping as much information about yourself private should be your first priority. Think carefully before posting too much other personal data on any public message board forum, such as your stateroom number or your real name, city, state and dates of cruising!

 

If we come across a posting that contains too much personal information, we will remove it automatically. It is, however, *your* responsibility to keep your personal information safe. If you see too much information on the boards, please use the Report a Post feature, or write to

boards@cruisecritic.com

with a LINK to the specific posting/thread.

While we are on the subject, let me add a caveat about using your personal primary e-mail address here. Use an e-mail account from a generic provider like comcast, yahoo, hotmail or anything that is not your personalized domain name. Set up a separate e-mail address for sharing online, one that does not contain your full name anywhere and one that you can discard if it becomes compromised.

 

 

 

 

....

Edited November 21, 2013 by Peregrina651

[caribill]

Guard Your Personal Information Carefully

It is best not to post your real name, address or phone number publicly on the boards. Also, keeping as much information about yourself private should be your first priority. Think carefully before posting too much other personal data on any public message board forum, such as your stateroom number or your real name,

city, state and dates of cruising

!

 

 

Interesting in that the signup for Cruise Critic encourages you to list your city and state and that every roll call is based on the dates of cruising.

[Peregrina651]

Interesting in that the signup for Cruise Critic encourages you to list your city and state and that every roll call is based on the dates of cruising.

 

 

Encourages but not required and even though CC has our full names when we sign up, this information is not included in our online profiles. Unless you hack the CC servers, it is pretty hard to narrow down a passenger to a specific address from merely a sail date and a town. CC urges us to be circumspect with information that can personally identify us.

[Carol From California]

I have read so much in this thread about "Black Sesame Kitchen" in Beijing so I am interested in booking a meal there. I am especially interested in the "Wine N Dine" held there on Wednesday and Friday evenings. It looks very popular and you have to reserve in advance.

 

We are booked on the Imperial Jewels itinerary, Shanghai to Beijing on April 16, 2014. On the itinerary, on Friday April 10 we fly from Xian to Beijing. The itinerary states there is free time to explore Beijing and dinner is included that night. I have two questions. 1. Does anyone know what time of day you leave Xian and what time approximately do you arrive in Beijing? It must be fairly early in the day because the itinerary states there is free time to explore Beijing. 2. Is the dinner that night at the hotel or at a restaurant? I am thinking of skipping this included dinner and booking at the Black Sesame Kitchen that night. It's at 7 PM so I want to be sure we get to Beijing in plenty of time to make that.

 

The following two evenings in Beijing have optional activities. The second night they are offering the Peking Duck Dinner. I have read mixed reviews on this. How has it been lately? I heard they are now using a different restaurant because the previous restaurant was so bad. The following night one of the optional activities is the "Summer Palace Tour". Is that one to see? Following that there is the optional "Peking Opera Highlights". How is that?

[caribill]

We are booked on the Imperial Jewels itinerary, Shanghai to Beijing on April 16, 2014. On the itinerary, on Friday April 10 we fly from Xian to Beijing. The itinerary states there is free time to explore Beijing and dinner is included that night. I have two questions. 1. Does anyone know what time of day you leave Xian and what time approximately do you arrive in Beijing?

 

There are multiple groups of about 35 people on the tour. Not all groups get onto the same flight.

 

When we went from Xian to Beijing, our flight was scheduled to board in Xian at 3:35 PM. Your flight may be earlier, the same, or later.

 

I have a picture taken in the Beijing airport around 6 PM. The bus went directly to dinner at a restaurant and we reached the restaurant around 7:15 PM. We reached the hotel after dinner around 8:20 PM.

 

This was a couple of years ago, so the dinner may or may not be at the hotel with the current tours. (As one example of changes, the Summer Palace tour was included then and was not an optional cost tour.)

 

Of course, those on other flights had different timelines.

 

There is no way to know until you are in Xi'an what time your flight to Beijing will be scheduled. And there is no way of knowing until the time for the flight if it will be on time or not.

Edited November 23, 2013 by caribill

[rahrah50]

While I am not complaining about any of the meals we ate that were provided by Viking, Black Sesame Kitchen is not to be missed. It was one of the highlights of our trip. We did Beijing to Shanghai so I can't help with the time of arrival, but our first night dinner was in the hotel. We did the wine n' dine dinner and should I ever be in Beijing again, I would go to Black Sesame Kitchen in a heartbeat. Be sure to read the directions on how to get to BSK.

[Mark_T]

We've just booked our flights out to Peking in October next year so it begins to feel a bit more 'real' :)

 

Not quite got the perfect date for the flights yet, but I have a good few months to refine the booking and get exactly what we want as award inventory is released.

 

We are aiming to arrive a couple of days ahead of time but right now we will be arriving on the same day as everyone else. Not a problem if it stays that way, but I'll be surprised if I can't improve on that at some point in the months ahead ...

[Carol From California]

There are multiple groups of about 35 people on the tour. Not all groups get onto the same flight.

 

When we went from Xian to Beijing, our flight was scheduled to board in Xian at 3:35 PM. Your flight may be earlier, the same, or later.

 

I have a picture taken in the Beijing airport around 6 PM. The bus went directly to dinner at a restaurant and we reached the restaurant around 7:15 PM. We reached the hotel after dinner around 8:20 PM.

 

This was a couple of years ago, so the dinner may or may not be at the hotel with the current tours. (As one example of changes, the Summer Palace tour was included then and was not an optional cost tour.)

 

Of course, those on other flights had different timelines.

 

There is no way to know until you are in Xi'an what time your flight to Beijing will be scheduled. And there is no way of knowing until the time for the flight if it will be on time or not.

 

The schedule for that Friday says "Fly to Beijing; hotel check-in. Free time to explore Beijing". That makes it seem that we would leave Xian earlier in the day if they are giving us time to explore Beijing. I hope that's the case because I want to book Black Sesame Kitchen for 7 PM. Maybe I will ask Viking if they have changed the schedule. Or if anyone else has been on this itinerary more recently please let me know what time you left Xian

[caribill]

The schedule for that Friday says "Fly to Beijing; hotel check-in. Free time to explore Beijing".

 

Don't put your faith in any of the days where it says "free time."

 

When we went, the itinerary said for day 3 "Free time. Fly to Wuhan." Reality was the morning was spent at a silk carpet factory and then straight to the airport. After several of us reported to HQ that there was no free time that morning, the brochures and web site were changed.

 

Likewise, day 2 says free time after the Shanghai Museum. Based on times on my pictures, there was less than 2.5 hours from when we were on the bus back to the hotel from the Museum and when we were seated for dinner at a restaurant after leaving the hotel. As I remember it, we barely had time at the hotel to refresh and get ready to go to dinner.

 

Also, on the day we reached Xi'an, it indicates free-time, but there was about an hour from when we first were checked into our hotel room until we were at the Tang Dynasty show for dinner. But groups on our tour that flew at an earlier time that day may have had some free-time in Xi'an, but less time seeing the zoo in Chongqing.

 

One thing in your favor is that when we did the trip, we flew to Beijing the same day we saw the Terra Cotta Army whereas the 2014 itinerary says you see the Terra Cotta Army one day and for the next day when you fly to Beijing "free time; fly to Beijing......", so maybe you will fly earlier than we did. This might be new for 2014 as the 2013 brochure has the same itinerary we had, Terra Cotta and then fly to Beijing. If this is new, there will be no past experience to get info on.

Edited November 23, 2013 by caribill

[Carol From California]

Don't put your faith in any of the days where it says "free time."

 

When we went, the itinerary said for day 3 "Free time. Fly to Wuhan." Reality was the morning was spent at a silk carpet factory and then straight to the airport. After several of us reported to HQ that there was no free time that morning, the brochures and web site were changed.

 

Likewise, day 2 says free time after the Shanghai Museum. Based on times on my pictures, there was less than 2.5 hours from when we were on the bus back to the hotel from the Museum and when we were seated for dinner at a restaurant after leaving the hotel. As I remember it, we barely had time at the hotel to refresh and get ready to go to dinner.

 

Also, on the day we reached Xi'an, it indicates free-time, but there was about an hour from when we first were checked into our hotel room until we were at the Tang Dynasty show for dinner. But groups on our tour that flew at an earlier time that day may have had some free-time in Xi'an, but less time seeing the zoo in Chongqing.

 

One thing in your favor is that when we did the trip, we flew to Beijing the same day we saw the Terra Cotta Army whereas the 2014 itinerary says you see the Terra Cotta Army one day and for the next day when you fly to Beijing "free time; fly to Beijing......", so maybe you will fly earlier than we did. This might be new for 2014 as the 2013 brochure has the same itinerary we had, Terra Cotta and then fly to Beijing. If this is new, there will be no past experience to get info on.

 

There seems to be some differences in the 2014 Itinerary. I just compared it to the 2013 Itinerary. First I noticed that the trip is 13 days in 2014 instead of 2013's itinerary which was 12 days. You spend 2 nights in Xian instead of 1 night. It does show that in 2013 you flew to Beijing after seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors. For 2014 you visit the Terra Cotta Warriors one day and fly to Beijing the following day. On that day you have the entire time to spend in Beijing (Free Time), so it looks like we will not have a problem with the Black Sesame Kitchen reservation as we should be in Beijing in plenty of time to get there for dinner. I also noticed the Summer Palace Tour in Beijing is now optional. Did you see that? Worth seeing?

Edited November 24, 2013 by Carol From California

[Turtles06]

I also noticed the Summer Palace Tour in Beijing is now optional. Did you see that? Worth seeing?

 

In 2011, we did Imperial Jewels from Beijing to Shanghai, and the Summer Palace was part of our Beijing tour. I think it's well worth seeing. It's not a "palace" as you would think of it (that is, a big building). It's lakes and gardens and buildings; we took a boat across a beautiful lake to a beautiful pavilion, where we had time to explore on our own before heading back to the boat and our bus.

 

I know you are trying to fit in dinner at Black Sesame Kitchen, and it's well worth it. (I'm the person who started the BSK trend, and I am so happy that people are still coming back raving about it.) I do hope you arrive in Beijing early enough from Xi'an to eat at BSK.

[caribill]

For 2014 you visit the Terra Cotta Warriors one day and fly to Beijing the following day. On that day you have the entire time to spend in Beijing (Free Time), so it looks like we will not have a problem with the Black Sesame Kitchen reservation as we should be in Beijing in plenty of time to get there for dinner.

 

Note that first there is free time in Xi'an then the flight to Beijing and then the free-time in Beijing. So it depends on when the flight to Beijing is whether or not you will have the time you need. Maybe HQ can give tell you more about the anticipated flight times (which will differ by group) on your tour.

 

 

I also noticed the Summer Palace Tour in Beijing is now optional. Did you see that? Worth seeing?

 

Yes, the Summer Palace is worth seeing.

[Carol From California]

We are staying an extra day in Beijing so if we don't see the Summer Palace with Viking we may see it on our own.

[Chloe's mom]

There seems to be some differences in the 2014 Itinerary. I just compared it to the 2013 Itinerary. First I noticed that the trip is 13 days in 2014 instead of 2013's itinerary which was 12 days. You spend 2 nights in Xian instead of 1 night. It does show that in 2013 you flew to Beijing after seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors. For 2014 you visit the Terra Cotta Warriors one day and fly to Beijing the following day. On that day you have the entire time to spend in Beijing (Free Time), so it looks like we will not have a problem with the Black Sesame Kitchen reservation as we should be in Beijing in plenty of time to get there for dinner.

[Chloe's mom]

Sorry about the previous message, I didn't mean to hit Send.

 

I actually wrote to Viking about the day in Beijing, because the posted itinerary was unclear. It reads:

 

Today, fly to Beijing, China’s imperial capital, whose rich history dates back more than 3,000 years. Check in to your hotel and dine there; free time this evening.

 

I was trying to find out whether there would be free time in Xian before the flight to Beijing, and just free time in Beijing in the evening, or whether the flight to Beijing would be earlier in the day, so that there would be substantial free time in Beijing that day. As noted, the posted itinerary only says that there is free time in the evening.

 

I was told that, as of early November, Viking didn't yet know which flights would be available for each departure, since not all cruise passengers are on the same plane.

 

I don't know whether you will be able to find out from Viking in advance about what time your particular flight will be, so that you will have more certainty in making private dinner arrangements.

[Carol From California]

Sorry about the previous message' date=' I didn't mean to hit Send.

 

I actually wrote to Viking about the day in Beijing, because the posted itinerary was unclear. It reads:

 

Today, fly to Beijing, China’s imperial capital, whose rich history dates back more than 3,000 years. Check in to your hotel and dine there; free time this evening.

 

I was trying to find out whether there would be free time in Xian before the flight to Beijing, and just free time in Beijing in the evening, or whether the flight to Beijing would be earlier in the day, so that there would be substantial free time in Beijing that day. As noted, the posted itinerary only says that there is free time in the evening.

 

I was told that, as of early November, Viking didn't yet know which flights would be available for each departure, since not all cruise passengers are on the same plane.

 

I don't know whether you will be able to find out from Viking in advance about what time your particular flight will be, so that you will have more certainty in making private dinner arrangements.[/quote']

 

Actually I have a pdf itinerary and for for Day 10 it states: Fly to Beijing; Hotel check-in. Free time to explore Beijing. If you go to http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/about-your-trip/at-a-glance.aspx you will find the pdf which has a more detailed itinerary. That is what it states there. Please let me know what Viking says if you hear back from them. It seems pretty clear from this detailed itinerary that there will be time to spend in Beijing during the day but it would be good to confirm this with Viking. Thanks! One error I noted on this itinerary is that it refers to it being a 12 day trip, but it is now a 13 day trip (12 nights), when in 2013 it was a 12 day itinerary with 11 nights.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Carol From California

[caribill]

Viking web site:

"Today, fly to Beijing, China’s imperial capital, whose rich history dates back more than 3,000 years. Check in to your hotel and dine there; free time this evening. (B, L, D)"

 

That does not mention arriving early enough to have free time in the afternoon. Nor does it say anything about free time in Xi'an before the flight. All that is obvious to me is that after dinner at the hotel, you are on your own, but that you do get to the hotel in time for dinner.

 

 

Viking brochure:

"Free time; Fly to Beijing. Hotel check-in & free-time"

 

No hints at all about what time of day the flight to Beijing will be. The different groups could be flying anytime from morning to afternoon.

[Carol From California]

Viking web site:

"Today, fly to Beijing, China’s imperial capital, whose rich history dates back more than 3,000 years. Check in to your hotel and dine there; free time this evening. (B, L, D)"

 

That does not mention arriving early enough to have free time in the afternoon. Nor does it say anything about free time in Xi'an before the flight. All that is obvious to me is that after dinner at the hotel, you are on your own, but that you do get to the hotel in time for dinner.

 

 

Viking brochure:

"Free time; Fly to Beijing. Hotel check-in & free-time"

 

No hints at all about what time of day the flight to Beijing will be. The different groups could be flying anytime from morning to afternoon.

 

Did you read what it says in the detailed itinerary? I provided the link to the page on Viking's website where you can open it. It states something different: Fly to Beijing; Hotel check-in. Free time to explore Beijing.

 

It would be good to get a clarification from Viking because it is not clear. The way I read it, you fly to Beijing early enough to have some free time there. Also, the itinerary is changing for 2014. In 2013 there was only one night in Xian, and that day was spent visiting the Terra Cotta Warriors, flying out afterwards. Now that they have added a second night in Xian, you leave the following day for Beijing...so you get to Beijing early enough to spend some time there.

Edited November 24, 2013 by Carol From California

[caribill]

Did you read what it says in the detailed itinerary? I provided the link to the page on Viking's website where you can open it. It states something different: Fly to Beijing; Hotel check-in. Free time to explore Beijing.

 

 

Yes, I read that.

 

The problem is that Viking says three different things in three different places:

 

a) The link you provided

b) at http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/rivercruises/china-yangtze-shanghai-beijing-2015/itinerary.aspx

c) Multiple mailed brochures

 

Of these three, only one meets 100% what you hope will happen.

 

Since all three are from Viking, it is tough to know what the correct one is.