Itinerary request China

[pacheco18]

Since I know management reads these board I have a request

 

In feb 2015 Hong Kong to beijing on nautica consider a double overnight in shanghai to give passengers three days there. I would book today!!

 

It's akin to needing three days in st Petersburg

 

Crystal does the double overnight but I really would prefer to be on Oceania.

 

Doesn't hurt to ask

[Paulchili]

Since I know management reads these board I have a request

 

In feb 2015 Hong Kong to beijing on nautica consider a double overnight in shanghai to give passengers three days there. I would book today!!

 

It's akin to needing three days in st Petersburg

 

Crystal does the double overnight but I really would prefer to be on Oceania.

 

Doesn't hurt to ask

 

I hope you have better luck than I've had with my "special itinerary" requests so far :D

Edited May 4, 2013 by Paulchili

[pacheco18]

O is already there overnight so I'm not asking for much lol

[marilynfaye]

I'd like to add my vote for three days in Shanghai, too. Your analogy to St. Petersburg is perfect.

 

Marilyn

[potterhill]

We recently returned from the earlier segment of your cruise. Rather than 3 days in Shanghai I would prefer a stop in Tokyo, maybe with an overnight instead of one of our other stops in Japan. Or a second night in Hong Kong. Shanghai was not a highlight for us.

 

Mo

[orchestrapal]

We recently returned from the earlier segment of your cruise. Rather than 3 days in Shanghai I would prefer a stop in Tokyo, maybe with an overnight instead of one of our other stops in Japan. Or a second night in Hong Kong. Shanghai was not a highlight for us.

 

Mo

 

Proof of why O does not make their itineraries/ request.

Ten cruisers eleven opinions. :rolleyes:

[fjdelrio]

Too funny Orchestrapal!

 

But I do want all to know that we're working harder than usual on coming up with new itineraries. We clearly see how quickly new and unique itineraries sell out, so it's in our best interest too do so.

I'm always eager for input and suggestions, so I am appreciative of the 11 ideas.

 

Itineraries for winter 14/15 will be released in mid-September and I do think Pacheco18 and Potterhill will both be pleased.

 

BTW, Paulchili, tell me again what your preference(s) are for new itineraries. Look forward to hearing all your good ideas.

 

Just remember a couple of key considerations when formulating your ideas and perfect sailing:

1) ship travels at 18 knots Max.

2) fuel is not available at all ports

3) need an airport nearby for embark/debark

 

Thanks for caring.

FDR

[pacheco18]

Too funny Orchestrapal!

 

But I do want all to know that we're working harder than usual on coming up with new itineraries. We clearly see how quickly new and unique itineraries sell out, so it's in our best interest too do so.

I'm always eager for input and suggestions, so I am appreciative of the 11 ideas.

 

Itineraries for winter 14/15 will be released in mid-September and I do think Pacheco18 and Potterhill will both be pleased.

 

BTW, Paulchili, tell me again what your preference(s) are for new itineraries. Look forward to hearing all your good ideas.

 

Just remember a couple of key considerations when formulating your ideas and perfect sailing:

1) ship travels at 18 knots Max.

2) fuel is not available at all ports

3) need an airport nearby for embark/debark

 

Thanks for caring.

FDR

 

Thanks for listening. Just bought a future cruise certificate on Nautica so please give me that perfect itinerary for 2015.

[Paulchili]

Itineraries for winter 14/15 will be released in mid-September and I do think Pacheco18 and Potterhill will both be pleased.

 

BTW, Paulchili, tell me again what your preference(s) are for new itineraries. Look forward to hearing all your good ideas.

 

Just remember a couple of key considerations when formulating your ideas and perfect sailing:

1) ship travels at 18 knots Max.

2) fuel is not available at all ports

3) need an airport nearby for embark/debark

 

Thanks for caring.

FDR

 

FDR,

Thank you for always paying attention to your customers - this is just one of the things that make Oceania so special and different from the competition.

The itinerary that I have booked with Silversea is from Cape Town to Las Palmas (Silver Wind itineraries 2406 and 2407).

Final payment is in October.

[cbb]

and i'd love to go from Buenos Aires to Santiago via the Panama Canal (or reverse!) Mr Wonderful does not want to try the Cape. Thanks for your consideration!

[marilynfaye]

We recently returned from the earlier segment of your cruise. Rather than 3 days in Shanghai I would prefer a stop in Tokyo, maybe with an overnight instead of one of our other stops in Japan. Or a second night in Hong Kong. Shanghai was not a highlight for us.

 

Mo

 

The reason I would like to see an extra day in Shanghai is that Suzhou is on my bucket list and it's an easy day trip by train.

 

Marilyn

[joysav]

We recently returned from the earlier segment of your cruise. Rather than 3 days in Shanghai I would prefer a stop in Tokyo, maybe with an overnight instead of one of our other stops in Japan. Or a second night in Hong Kong. Shanghai was not a highlight for us.

Having been there a couple of times I could not agree with you more in regards to Shanghai.

 

Two good full days should be fine, and comparing it to St Petersburg is plainly ridiculous even if you were not a culture vulture and love Chinese Tucker.

[ksps cruise fan]

The reason I would like to see an extra day in Shanghai is that Suzhou is on my bucket list and it's an easy day trip by train. Marilyn

 

I hope you get your wish. Suzhou is quite wonderful, especially the gardens. Two of the top five gardens in China -- who knew gardens had ratings? -- are located in Suzhou. And what makes them so amazing is that the concept of a beautiful garden is so radically different from a Western garden.

 

I normally don't like to visit factories, but our visit to the silk factory that makes silk quilts in Suzhou yielded one of my best souvenir purchases ever. We bought both a light-weight and a medium-weight silk quilt, something I use daily in the spring and summer. The factory has a machine that sucks the air out of the quilt and packaging for transport. Obviously, the weight remains the same, but the volume shrinks dramatically.

[pacheco18]

Having been there a couple of times I could not agree with you more in regards to Shanghai.

 

Two good full days should be fine, and comparing it to St Petersburg is plainly ridiculous even if you were not a culture vulture and love Chinese Tucker.

 

I was not implying that the sites in shanghai parallel or compare to st Petersburg. My point was it's a major city wi th many things to see and possible side trips so two days is insufficient.

 

I hope I am getting my wish

[CintiPam]

I was hoping to see some IM Pei designed buildings there. I asked the guide to point them out if she saw some, but the one time she did, it was already out of view by the time I turned around.

 

So, maybe this is more for me than for you, what did I miss in Suzhou

 

The Suzhou Museum, designed by I.M. Pei, is a terrific museum and is adjacent to the Humble Administrator's Garden, probably the most famous of the Suzhou gardens.

 

(However, IMO Shanghai does not rate a three-day stay comparable to St. Petersburg.)

 

Note for FDR: I would love more itineraries that include more Turkish ports; also, it would be wonderful if more cruises embarked or disembarked in magical Istanbul rather than Athens.

Edited May 7, 2013 by CintiPam

[pacheco18]

 

Note for FDR: I would love more itineraries that include more Turkish ports; also, it would be wonderful if more cruises embarked or disembarked in magical Istanbul rather than Athens.

 

Pam, totally agree. the ONLY reason we are doing the Black Sea on Azamara and no o is that Azamara is rt Istanbul. No Athens. That enables us to explore turkey on both ends including a trip to cappadoccia and that fabulous balloon ride

 

I would also love to see some unique Mediterranean ports and perhaps an Indonesia cruise. Thanks again fdr for really trying to find these new itineraries. It' s a win win

[Floridiana]

I am with you on an Indonesian islands cruise. I saw that on a Hapag Lloyd cruise ship's itinerary. And then, Myanmar's Yangon is a brandnew port with Holland America. Obviously, other lines are also exploring new possibilities.

Edited May 7, 2013 by Floridiana

[moggyhill]

Paul and I would love to do the west coast of Africa.

[marilynfaye]

marilynfaye, I went to Suzhou in April, on a cruise tour, from an itinerary where we had one overnight in Shanghai. It was nice (for China, which on the whole to me is seriously lacking in charm), but unremarkable. I'm curious as to your expectations, it being on your bucket list.

e.

 

The gardens.

[Mura]

And the Art Museum.

 

We were there with Viking and had approximately one and a half days -- arrived in the evening on Day 1, had a full Day 2, and then left relatively early on Day 3. We felt it wasn't enough.

 

But I wouldn't wanted to have taken time away from Beijing in order to give us some more time in Shanghai.

 

Mura

[pacheco18]

Paul and I would love to do the west coast of Africa.

 

I second that. I think that itinerary would sell out quickly

[NC Garden Traveler]

I agree with the comments made about adding more time in Shanghai and Istanbul.

 

We are on the 2014 Nautica cruise from Beijing to Bangkok. With high-speed rail in China (200 mph+), you can get from Shanghai to Suzhou in 30 minutes and from Shanghai to Hangzhou in an hour. If you don't think there is much to do in Shanghai, you haven't done your homework!

 

Two other comments on the Beijing to Bangkok itinerary. Advertizing a 7-hr port stop in Halong Bay as Hanoi is crazy. It's a 3-hr drive each way! To have time to visit Hanoi, you either need an additional day or a port stop of at least 12 hours. On the other hand, my current reaction is who came up with the idea of spending 8 hours in Dalian, China? Maybe I'll be surprised, but at this point it looks like a wasted day that would have been better used as a day at sea combined with a later departure from Beijing and earlier arrival in Seoul.

 

Istanbul is one of the great cities of the world. We sailed from Venice to Instanbul on Insignia several years ago. We spent a couple of post-cruise days in Istanbul after the cruise and had a great time. We'd love to do another cruise out of Istanbul, but have no desire to go back to Athens.

 

NC Garden Traveler

[CintiPam]

Istanbul is one of the great cities of the world. We sailed from Venice to Instanbul on Insignia several years ago. We spent a couple of post-cruise days in Istanbul after the cruise and had a great time. We'd love to do another cruise out of Istanbul, but have no desire to go back to Athens.

 

NC Garden Traveler

 

I assume that Athens has great port fees because it seems like any cruise in the Eastern Med either starts or ends there. And certainly one exhausts its delights by the second or third visit. Istanbul has so much more to offer that I wish more cruises began or ended there.

[Paulchili]

I agree with the comments made about adding more time in Shanghai and Istanbul.

 

We are on the 2014 Nautica cruise from Beijing to Bangkok. With high-speed rail in China (200 mph+), you can get from Shanghai to Suzhou in 30 minutes and from Shanghai to Hangzhou in an hour. If you don't think there is much to do in Shanghai, you haven't done your homework!

 

Two other comments on the Beijing to Bangkok itinerary. Advertizing a 7-hr port stop in Halong Bay as Hanoi is crazy. It's a 3-hr drive each way! To have time to visit Hanoi, you either need an additional day or a port stop of at least 12 hours. On the other hand, my current reaction is who came up with the idea of spending 8 hours in Dalian, China? Maybe I'll be surprised, but at this point it looks like a wasted day that would have been better used as a day at sea combined with a later departure from Beijing and earlier arrival in Seoul.

 

Istanbul is one of the great cities of the world. We sailed from Venice to Instanbul on Insignia several years ago. We spent a couple of post-cruise days in Istanbul after the cruise and had a great time. We'd love to do another cruise out of Istanbul, but have no desire to go back to Athens.

 

NC Garden Traveler

 

I agree that both Suzhou and Hanghzou warrant a visit but perhaps a cruise is not the best way to do it. Shanghai is a very interesting city with lots to do and see as well as several nice day trips to the nearby "water villages"

Dalian was a pleasant surprise but I would not trade it for an extra day in Halong Bay/Hanoi.

[Paulchili]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moggyhill

Paul and I would love to do the west coast of Africa.

 

I second that. I think that itinerary would sell out quickly

 

As we haven't heard from FDR about this option, I am afraid that West Africa itinerary is not in our near future. :(

Perhaps at some point later. ;)