Review of Sun Princess Cruise - Japan and South Korea with post Hong Kong stop

[alwayslost]

This is a write-up of our June 5-14th Sun Princess Japan/South Korea cruise, with a post-cruise stop in Hong Kong. I hope this will be helpful. (Note, this will be in installments.)

 

Haneda Airport: (Haneda to Tokyo and Shibuya)

 

Took a night owl direct flight from LAX (1:10 am) to Haneda via ANA. I thought taking the night owl flight was great considering it made it easier for us to sleep. Even my husband who barely sleeps on a flight was able to catch a few hours of zzzsss.

 

The downside of this is we arrived just a little bit before 6 am in Haneda. Not wanting to stay at the airport to kill time, we decided to take a jaunt to Tokyo -- approx. 20 minutes by train. This is easily done. Once you get out of customs, you will see an information desk. They can assist you in where to buy train tickets as well as provide you information where to get off. Note, we don't speak any Japanese but were able to converse in English with someone at the information desk. I did ask then to write down the name of where we should get off – since the Japanese names were a bit too hard to memorize and to play it safe.

 

The train ticket counters (if facing the tourist information) is to the right of the tourist information. It is a few yards away. The ticket counter immediately to the right of the tourist information is where you purchase the YCAT tickets but not the train tickets to Tokyo. (YCAT further explained below.) Just remember which terminal you are departing (for us, it is the International Terminal), because coming back from the train, you need to know what terminal to get off.

 

If you have a number of luggage, which we did -- facing the tourist information - go left. There's a counter where you can temporarily check in your luggage. A big luggage cost around 500Y or $5 USD, a small luggage 300Y ($3 USD). This way, you don't have to lug your luggage around.

 

Because of our early arrival time in Haneda, we were also in Tokyo very early (like around 6:30). So pretty much everything is closed. We wanted to go to the famous castle in Tokyo, but it does not open till 9:00 am. So we explored Tokyo while the city is still at rest. Note, we wanted to have breakfast in Tokyo, but because of the time, it was difficult to find an open shop. We managed when a shopkeeper kindly let us in, before his opening time. We had coffee and several pastries. (Note, Tokyo is closer to the Haneda Airport as compared to the Narita Airport.)

 

Instead of waiting for the castle in Tokyo to open (I believe it's the house of the emperor), we decided to go to Shibuya instead (Shibuya is like NY Times Square.) Even without speaking any Japanese, it is very easy to take the trains in Japan. We managed to take the train with just the train map to guide us. Note, always keeps your train ticket, since you may need that same ticket to exit out of the turnstile.

 

So we managed to do Tokyo and Shibuya and were back in the airport at a little bit after 11:30, ready to take the YCAT to the cruise port.

 

* Okay - one thing you need to check out in this airport, or pretty much in many places in Japan, is their restroom. Try their toilets with bidets, warm air blowers, etc. It's an interesting experience if you are coming from the US. Note, there is the STOP button, so just in case you hit something accidentally.... I think this is worth a definite try!

 

From Haneda Airport to Yokohama Cruise Port:

 

The YCAT was a great way to get from Haneda Airport to the Yokohama port. YCAT tickets as mentioned above are available at the counter immediately next to the Information Desk. See: See: http://www.ycat.co.jp/en/ (in particular http://www.ycat.co.jp/en/haneda.html). Adult 560Y (around $5.60 USD), there is a discount for kids. The YCAT bus is accessible from the airport. Very convenient and easy. YCAT uses a big tourist bus, air-conditioned. (We also used the YCAT from Yokohama to Narita Airport.)

 

From there you need to hop on into a taxi to go to the Osanbashi International Terminal in Yokohama. Please remember this port name, since just by saying cruise ship or Sun Princess, the taxi driver and the person assisting us in getting the taxi didn’t know where to bring us. Only when we said Osanbashi – did it clicked. Taxi will cost around $1400 to $1700 Y ($14-17 USD). Approximately 10 to 15 minutes, depending on traffic.

 

 

KOCHI:

 

When you docked, there will be tables providing tourist information. Make sure you drop by to pick up a map (English available) and other travel guides. You can even ask where Kochi Castle is or other places you want to visit. They will then mark such places in your map.

 

* Kochi Castle:

From where we docked, it was very walkable to the Kochi Castle. Once we disembarked, there is a tourist information desk. You can easily ask questions. (I thought that I needed to take a bus to the Kochi castle, but was informed that it was very walkable. And it is.) Note, it seems that when a cruise ship in on port, a lot of Kochi guides are made available all over the city. You can easily spot one of them, and they can easily direct you to the Kochi Castle or where ever you want to go. One advantage of walking is that you will pass by a lot of shops so you can browse as you make your way to the castle.

 

For a first-timer like me, I thought the Kochi Castle was a great introduction. It's not laden with museum pieces like European museums, but enough to make it interesting. Note, however, there are steps to go to the castle. Some pretty steep. Furthermore, there are a number of flights to reach the top of the castle to get a 360 degree view of the surrounding areas. So for those with mobility problems, this may be a problem.

 

The admission fee, if I remember correctly, is 400Y ($4 USD). Note, my son who is 12 got a discount. (Child discount seems to be applicable to a lot of Japanese museums.) Note, need to take off your shoes before entering the castle.

 

We enjoyed this castle and the surrounding area. Nice garden, some statues, etc. Glad we did it.

 

* Harimaya Bridge:

Also, on the way to the castle, you'll see the Harimaya bridge. This bridge is famous since there is a story associated with it -- a love story between a monk and a lady. It's really more of an ornamental bridge and is a small bridge. You can cross the entire span of the bridge, I think, in 12 steps. From an internet search: "In the middle of the 19th century, the monk Junshin, from Chikurin-ji Temple, fell in love with a woman named Ouma. Being a monk, this was entirely inappropriate, but Junshin was not deterred. As a token of his affection, he bought Ouma a hair-pin from a store beside Harimaya-bashi. Rumour soon spread, and Junshin was sent away."

 

If you are taking the time just to see the Harimaya Bridge, I don't think it's worth the trip. But if you are in the area, which we were, while walking on our way to the Kochi Castle, then please do take a few minutes to look at it and snap some pictures. This bridge is very close to a shopping area in Kochi, so you can do two things --- shop and see the bridge. It's free, so nothing to lose.

 

* Hirome Market:

Note, on the way back, we decided to eat at the Hirome Ichiba Market. This market gathers under one roof a number of food vendors. Think of it as a food court (in the US), but definitely more interesting and with a lot of traditional Japanese food! Such a treat for those who want to sample various Japanese cuisines. There are also shops selling various stuff within the market.

Don’t be surprised if someone joins you in your table. It seems that this is a usual occurrence, thus, a chance to say hi to some locals.

 

* Museum showing the Kochi dances/costumes

Don't know the name of this museum in Kochi but it was very close to where the ship was docked. It's free. This museum showed costumes and videos of the various Kochi dance festivals.

 

Don't be shy and when they ask you to dance -- Dance (big screens showing the dance steps) -- it's fun and a good way to burn off some calories! They also offer costumes that you can don for picture opportunities. You'll also understand how those various wood "clackers" (you'll see sold in many stores) are used for.

 

Next installment to follow...

[Keith1010]

Thank you for taking the time to write this review/trip report.

 

Keith

[KirkNC]

Thanks, good information for future cruisers!

[ROCruiser]

Thanks! Looking forward to the rest of this trip report. :)

[GuddyWit]

Thanks! Looking forward to the rest of your review. Be great to hear some info on the current state of the ship. I'm back on her in September after an absence of 5 years - it would be nice to know how the old girl is fairing!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[silkismom]

Waiting for your next installment!!

[jstducky]

Cant wait to read the rest of your review, especially any information you may have regarding Hong Kong and the Sun Princess itself since I'll be sailing on the Sun Princess in about 5 weeks from Hong Kong to Singapore.

[alwayslost]

Thanks everyone, here's the next installment. I'll try to do all the ports and Hong Kong in the next few days.

 

To give some context, we're in our mid 40s traveling with our 12-year old son.

 

Sun Princess – Passengers in this particular cruise are predominantly Japanese. It seems there is a push by Princess to market to Japanese residents. If you don’t speak Japanese, that’s not a problem. Announcements are made in English and Japanese. Our daily activity guide/newsletter was in English. The crew members predominantly speak English anyway, so communicating with the staff is similar as if you were in other cruise ships. The English guided excursions, however, (excursions are divided for Japanese and English speakers) are pretty slim. I don’t think there were a lot of choices as compared to other cruises we’ve been. But considering many of the ports are doable on your own, this should not be a problem. Some activities may take longer considering the English version will first be spoken, followed up by the Japanese version—e.g., muster station drill may take longer because of this dual language explanations. Not a big deal, however.

 

About food – One would expect that the food will have a lot of Japanese flavor, yes, there were some… but not a lot and not as great (at least for us non-Japanese). There’s a ramen counter available in the buffet area, but the ramen was really not that good. (We’re comparing this to a local ramen restaurant that we usually go to here in the US.) After watching a movie/documentary about Sushi (“Jiro Dreams of Sushi) shown on the pool deck, we went to a “pay” Sushi restaurant in the ship. It was a per sushi rather than a flat rate fee. We spent around $40 USD, but the food was so so. If you’re looking for food typical of other cruises, you’ll find them served in the buffet stations as well in the regular dining areas. Actually, I think that were more non-Japanese cuisine than Japanese cuisine. Breakfast, after a while, seems to be a repeat, however.

 

I’m a bit biased in the sense that so far, the best food we’ve ever had in a cruise was with Celebrity. I didn’t really go to this cruise for the food, but rather for the itinerary. So the food experience was fine with all of us. Didn’t expect much to start with.

 

It seems the Casino is not so popular with the Japanese. The casino was pretty much empty and never full. My husband, who loves 7-card stud poker, was disappointed since that was not available or not enough interest to have such table. It seems, however, that the shops have longer hours.

 

Considering that we were out almost every day except for 2 sea days, we didn’t really take advantage of the entertainment. We did see one musical show, but since we are season ticket holders to musical plays for several years, I think we expect a little bit more. So for us, okay but not a must see. This opinion is just not particular to Princess but to other cruise ships, as well.

 

We used the sea days to use the pool and just to read and relax. By the way, since the Japanese are not really “sun people”, there is plenty of room on the pool deck. So no need to rush and reserve a deck chair.

 

The ship itself is fine. I don't think this is a new ship or newly refurbished. It was in a condition such that there was nothing that stood out making us think that an upgrade/refurbishment is needed or at the same time say "wow." So good that nothing bad or good stands out.

 

Kagoshima

In Kagoshima, Princess made available shuttle buses to bring the passengers to the city center (20 – 25 minutes ride). Enough buses so no need to wait in long lines.

 

• Mt. Sakurajima – Prior to the cruise, we've decided that we were going to Mt. Sakurajima and do some bike riding. From where we were dropped off by the shuttle bus, we walked to the place to catch the ferry (10 to 15 minutes walk). There are typically Sun Princess guides/coordinators when you get off the shuttle bus. So you can easily ask one of them to point you to the right direction. The ferry ride was pretty cheap. I believe 150Y ($1.50) for adults and 80Y ($0.80) for kids. It is best if you have exact change. If you don’t, once you get off there are change machines so you can break your paper Yen currency to coins. The ferry ride was very pleasant. You pay when you get off (from Kagoshima) and when you get on (from Mt. Sakurajima). After taking the one-hour bus tour, we did go and see if we can rent some bikes. Bike rental is available near the ferry station. We decided against the bike ride, however, because it was confirmed by the bike rental place that the paths will be steep.

 

I had a lot of expectations about this mountain/volcano, hence, I believe I expected too much. I was expecting lava flows, etc. Well, at least with the bus tour, you won’t see those. You will, however, see a lot of smoke coming from the volcano. It’s is interesting, but since it was a cloudy day with slight rain, the view is not as nice as it should have been.

 

• Island Bus Tour – Around the area where you disembark from the ferry, you can catch the Sakurajima Island View Bus. Note, the bus tours run on a time schedule, so depending on when you arrive, you may have to wait. The problem with the Island Bus Tour is that a lot of do-it-yourselfers, like us, were also going to use this bus tour to do a quick tour of the island. It’s a bus that goes around the island, then stops at certain points, and gives you a few minutes to take some snapshots. (Total approx. 1 hour). The bus was very crowded (standing room also) and thus, was not as enjoyable as it should have been. After the second stop, I thought it best that we remain standing up rather than sitting, since we would have to get off in a few minutes anyway to look at the next stop.

 

In Kagoshima, instead of doing the Mt. Sakurajima and bus tour, I would suggest to sign up for the Princess excursion and go to the Chiran Peace Museum (Kamikaze Museum) instead. I think that would have been a better use of our time. Note somewhere in this board mentioned a 3-hour bus tour, that may be better than the 1-hour tour we took. (Note, we have no regrets doing what we did, however, because if not we would not have experienced the hospitality of Jin and his family – see below).

 

• Meeting a wonder Japanese family – A once in a lifetime event

 

One thing that makes our Japan cruise exquisitely memorable is our happenstance meeting with a Japanese family. After visiting almost 20 countries, I don’t think our family has ever encountered this level of hospitality and friendliness. Don’t get me wrong, people in other countries we’ve visited have always been helpful. But the hospitality of this Japanese family was way beyond helpful and to some extent reminds us that there is a lot of kindness in other people.

 

After coming back from Mt. Sakurajima, we decided to start walking to go back to the shuttle bus to find a restaurant to get some good Kagoshima Ramen. Unfortunately, probably we were walking on the wrong streets, most of the restaurants we saw were closed. We saw a man waiting at a corner, and with sign language we tried to explain that we wanted ramen. To make a long story short, he said that his family is going to a ramen place also and they’ll personally escort us to the restaurant. He brought us to a traditional Japanese restaurant (sitting cross legs) and we ate with his family at the same table. Furthermore, he (Jin) said that he is available that afternoon and he kindly offered to bring us around. And he did!! Wow!! This experience topped everything!! Unforgettable and for that we will always have fond memories of Japan!

 

• Senganen(Iso Teien) Gardens

 

With Jin along, we took a taxi to this garden. Approx $17 starting from the area near the bus shuttle. This garden is such a beautiful garden. For nature lovers, I think you need at least 2 hours to really enjoy this garden. This garden is a good way to see a Japanese-style garden. All of us really enjoyed it and wished that we had more time. Very beautiful and scenic! Admission is around 1000Y ($10 USD) each with a child discount available.

 

We also took the Residence tour (extra 500Y/250Y elementary grade child ($5/$2.50 USD to get this tour). This guided tour enables you to see how the Shimadzu lived – you’ll actually see the inside of the house. Note, we had a Japanese guide but fortunately Jin was with us who translated some of the relevant portions. Even without having an English translator, however, I think it’s worth the extra $5 bucks. There are set times for the tours and each take approximately 20 minutes. In addition, you will be served green tea and a small piece of dessert which has the insignia of the Shimadzu family. Note the green tea is a traditional Japanese tea, which is substantially creamier than the green tea you find in the US. It has a stronger taste, too. Note, my son did not like the dessert. My husband and I, however, greatly enjoyed the tea and the mini dessert. Glad that we paid the extra $.

Edited June 25, 2013 by alwayslost

[jstducky]

Thanks! Can't wait to read the rest of the installments.

 

Quick question about the Sun Princess itself, was all the onboard items charged in USD$?

 

I only ask because I've heard conflicting reports about the fact that since the Sun Princess is a Princess Australia ship that they might be charging onboard in Australian Dollars instead.

[GuddyWit]

Quick question about the Sun Princess itself, was all the onboard items charged in USD$?

 

I only ask because I've heard conflicting reports about the fact that since the Sun Princess is a Princess Australia ship that they might be charging onboard in Australian Dollars instead.

 

As I understand it, on-board currency is $AUD when sailing from Australia and in ¥JPY when sailing from Japan.

 

Check out post #7 in this thread from the Princess forum from April 2012.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1607916

 

Other reviews have also mentioned Yen on-board.

 

Hope this helps.

[jstducky]

As I understand it, on-board currency is $AUD when sailing from Australia and in ¥JPY when sailing from Japan.

 

Check out post #7 in this thread from the Princess forum from April 2012.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1607916

 

Other reviews have also mentioned Yen on-board.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I actually just looked at the boarding passes and other travel information from Princess for my sailing on the Sun Princess from Hong Kong to Singapore- the paperwork says that onboard currency is in USD $

[Queenk2]

You are correct,JS, I called to confirm...USD

[alwayslost]

You are correct,JS, I called to confirm...USD

 

Yes USD.

[alwayslost]

Next Installment ...

 

Kochi Correction: Princess did provide a shuttle bus. The bus will drop you off in the city center. Then the places mentioned above are all within walking distance.

 

Casino Correction: They didn’t have Texas Hold-Em poker. (Said 7-card stud, shows how much I know about poker….) [From my husband, they have 1 poker pro dealerless poker table. Same type of table seen in many cruise lines. Normally on sea days, other cruise lines will have one or more Texas Hold-Em tournaments. In this cruise, not enough interest.)

 

NAGASAKI:

For that date, we decided to engage a volunteer guide. You can get a volunteer guide by emailing nia@nia.or.jp (Nagasaki International Association. I would recommend you do so, too. They will send you a terms and conditions document, which you then need to sign and send back to them. In general, it says the guide is free of charge. But you need to pay for their transportation, meals, etc. Once they receive the document, then they will find a volunteer for you. You can then communicate with your volunteer guide directly via email.

 

As I mentioned, Japan, is very special to us because of the people we met. Yurie, our volunteer guide, made our trip definitely more memorable, as well. She’s a college student. Her English is not perfect (even the British says Americans can’t speak English properly anyway :) but well enough that we can converse. There may be words that she may need to think about, but not really a big deal. We got to ask her questions and get a better understanding of Japan.

 

Giving a tip is really not expected and I’m not sure if the guide will even take it. Since you need to communicate with your volunteer guide ahead of your trip to coordinate some stuff, you can ask questions early on even before you arrive in Japan. So ahead of time, we knew she was a college student. We even exchanged pictures. Because of this, I made sure that I bought some gifts for her from the US. I bought some Bath & Body lotion and body spray (small ones) (Body Shop is in Japan) and 2 bottles of California wine. Seems the small portions are the suggested way. From my research, you should not give odd number gifts, but should be even but not 4. (Do a search for gift giving in Japan.)

 

Once you get off the ship, you will get into an area where Free Wi-Fi is available. Saw a lot of people trying to get their Internet fix. We did too. From that area (like a small port terminal building), you will also be able to buy your 1-day tram/bus pass for 500Y ($5.00) each. It’s the way to travel around Nagasaki. Yurie met us very near this terminal.

 

* Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Nagasaki Peace Park

Because we had our guide, we pretty much left her in charge. There were only 2 things we really wanted to see, the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the Nagasaki Peace Park. Thus, we took our time. The Meseum, I believe, is well done. The push of this Museum, I think, is to remind people so as to make sure that this never happens again. It’s a very sobering experience. It seems there is a book called “Bells of Nagasaki.” You’ll see a bell in the Peace Park and a reference to the writer and the book in the Museum. So if you have the chance, see if you can borrow it from your local library. I just requested it from our local library. It is a true story. So you may want to read it before you go.

 

The Museum is a typical museum. Some references in the museum will also be found in the Peace Park (e.g., thousand cranes). The Peace Park is like a park. You’ll see statues and a remnant of an old church. In the museum, please don’t miss the picture (before you exit, it’s near the very small “shop area”) of a boy (like 10-years old) with his baby brother strapped at his back. It’s a heartbreaker.

 

We rented an audio guide in English (150Y / $1.50 USD). Note, after awhile I stopped using the audio guide. There are English signs everywhere, hence, it was more efficient for me to read the text rather than waiting for the audio guide to finish. The guide may have more information, but the signs had enough information as it is. Entrance fee is 200Y ($2.00USD) half for kids. Peace Park is free.

 

The rest of the day, we took it easy. My husband was interested in Japanese toys since he sells toys here in the US. So we went for a little bit of local shopping. We had Chanpon for lunch (like ramen but with more vegetables. Never had that here in the US.) The advantage of a guide is that he/she can show you the local places to shop and eat. Pretty much the rest of the day, we just spent time with our guide, had coffee, ice cream… Just took the time to know her. It was a pleasure.

 

Miscellaneous Items:

Don't forget to bring your raincoat or umbrella if coming in the rainy season. You'll use it. Actually preferred the slight drizzle and rain, since it can get pretty hot without the rain or clouds.

Edited June 27, 2013 by alwayslost

[alwayslost]

JEJU (CHEJU):

 

The decision to hire a taxi tour guide was I think the BEST decision for Jeju (formerly known as Cheju). I strongly recommend a taxi tour with Kim Ki Hyung - kimi9461@hanmail.net . He was very professional and accommodating. He was even in a suit and had raincoats and umbrellas for each of us. He brought us to so many places, it blew my mind. He is very efficient. He picked us right outside the terminal. Cost for the whole day 130,000 Won (around $115.) And for 3 of us, it was a bargain. Although his English is not very fluent, we communicated well enough. He was marvelous! Would use him again if we ever go back.

 

When he picked us up, he already had an itinerary in mind. I wanted to see a Buddhist temple. Without missing a bit, he was able to add that in. He assisted us in buying entrance tickets for attractions. He didn’t go with us, however, which was fine with us. I guess he didn’t want to walk those steps up Sunrise Peak or inside the cave. Understandable… (Mr. Hyung walks very fast. After visiting London, we use the term “London Walk” to mean a very fast walk. Have you been in London as the throngs of people are rushing en masse to work? We were caught once in one of those mad rushes. Stay out of their way!! Wow those Londoners, they sure can walk! However, after this trip, we now have a new term. “Jeju walk” to remind us of our wonderful guide who walks very fast. He’ll wait for you, however. He beats the London Walk for sure!

 

With him, we saw all of the below. He also brought us to a traditional Korean restaurant (think $10 each or something like that) where we had black pork. Black pork is famous in Jeju. We had various side vegetable dishes and we had to cook the pork on top of a small bbq-like range. The lady (more likely the owner) was very nice. We mistakenly finished one bowl which we taught was a salad. It was bean sprouts with some type of sesame oil. We were supposed to add that in with our cooked pork wrapped in lettuce. They assisted us since we really didn’t know how to eat the food. Some were a bit spicy (note, we’re total wimps when it comes to spicy food so likely not “spicy” at all). But fun to try.

 

* Jeju Mysterious Road: This looks like any regular road. However, due to an optical illusion, your car without any power will seemingly roll uphill. This was discovered by a taxi driver by accident. If you’re there, why not stop by. It only takes a few minutes. You’ll see other cars as well testing it out. This was the first stop of our taxi tour and it only takes a few minutes. There’s an English sign explaining the road. If on the way, why not. A bit of fun!

 

* Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) [in Seogwipo] – If I’m not mistaken, Princess also offers an excursion to this place. This is a nice mountain to burn off some of the calories you have eaten and stored in your body, while on the cruise. If you want to reach the peak, you need to climb and climb a lot (I mean a lot) of steps. :) With minimal breaks, it will take you approximately an hour to go up and down this mountain peak. From the top, you should see a wonderful view. Unfortunately for us, it was drizzling that day. Still glad that we did it. If you’re debating whether you can do it or not, let me tell you… you can’t give up when you see 70 or 80 year olds climbing up the steps, outpacing you. (Should be a piece of cake fro the very fit!) You can also see in this place, if I’m not mistaken, the Haenyeo Museum (female divers). But that would have meant for us to go down additional flights of steps (and climbing back up again)… we skipped that portion. Also in this place is a lot of souvenir shops selling various knick knacks. I think this is a good place to buy your souvenirs if you’re interested. Also, there is a Dunkin Donut place and other restaurants. Alas, after our trek up and down, we decided to have some donuts and coffee! We rested to recover! (There was a fee to get in, but pretty minimal if I’m not mistaken.)

 

* Seongeup Folk Village – This is a small place showing the traditional homes of that area a long time ago. It’s free. An English speaking guide will tour you around. Some interesting facts, like two separate doors (one bigger for the male I think.) They will offer you a drink made of honey and some fermentation of some berries. It’s like juice but with some tart aftertaste. Taste good though that we spent I think $40.00 for a bottle. In hindsight, maybe a bit too much considering it’s not an alcoholic drink  . But while drinking at home, it sure brings in mind the visit to Jeju. While there we saw a black pig (“poo poo pig” – since pig eats its poo) with a small rat as a companion. Well seems the rat was hovering near the pig pen. Interesting place and the guide did tell some interesting stories and tidbits! Can be done in half an hour.

 

*Gwaneumsa Temple – Of all the places we visited in Jeju, this is what I would rank as #1 (link http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1121529), with Sunrise Peak as #2. This is a Buddhist temple set in a vast very pretty land. There was a temple that I wanted to see in Jeju (forgot the name already), but seems it was very out of the way with our intended itinerary. Kim suggested this temple instead and glad that he did. Interesting Buddha statues – very exotic particularly for those who’ve never been to a Buddhist temple. Our taxi driver politely asked, I believe a caretaker, to see if we can actually go inside the temple. We were allowed. I’m not sure if it was early or this is not a traditional tourist place, since we only saw very few people (as compared to the other temple in Busan packed with too many people.) Felt a little bit odd being a tourist spectator in a house of worship, but glad we did. The landscaping and statutes in the area were very interesting. So there’s more to see other than the temple. I would recommend this place for sure.. Would go back again if I have the chance (hopefully with better weather this time). By the way, it’s free.

 

* Manjannggul Lave Tube (Manjanngul Cave) – If you are expecting stalagmites and stalactites, this is not a place. If there were, we probably missed them. It’s a dark underground cave and very interesting to see the lava flows. You can see imprints of such flows on the actual ground you’re walking on. It’s a bit nippy, so if you are prone to being cold, may want to take a light sweater. There is no bathroom in the tunnel (which my son figured out trying to get out halfway in the tunnel/cave. He had to run back the way we came to find one.) It’s interesting. I just wished that there were more lights in the tunnels so one can appreciate it more. Uneven ground due to the lava flows, as expected. 2000W/$1.75 to get in, half for kids.

 

* Mt. Seopjikoji – This is a scenic area (mountainside) beside a beautiful beach. There’s a lighthouse and a house which I think a popular tv series is filmed. It’s a scenic sight. I think it would have been magnificent if the weather was cooperating with us. But it was drizzling and very overcast. Still a nice “nature” tour. A few shops.

 

Side Comments:

If you think the iinerary is too much, you can cut one or two of these places and take your time. The one thing with your own guide, you can extend or limit your time as you see fit.

 

If you’re doing some research, Seogwipo is very near Jeju so check that area as well.

 

One thing in Japan and So. Korea (as opposed to other countries we have visited (mostly Europe however)), entrance fees to their museums and attractions are extremely reasonable to bordering on dirt cheap.

Edited June 28, 2013 by alwayslost

[alwayslost]

Hope these installments are helpful. 2 more to go... Let me know...

 

Busan (Phusan):

In Busan we took an organized tour with Alex Lee at Korea Private Tours http://www.KoreaPrivateTours.com or KoreaPrivateTours@happimize.com. His English is excellent. You can request him to customize your tour to fit your schedule. Prices are available on the website. You can hold the tour via a credit card, but then he will take payment on the day of the trip itself in US Dollars or Korean Won. The price you pay will include a very traditional Korean lunch – if you are picky with food, you may end up being hungry. One of our passengers barely touched the food. Maybe pack some snacks, just in case. If you brave are enough to try exotic food, worth the experience. I would have never tried some of the food, except for being there in So. Korea. Low table, a lot of vegetable appetizers, food I’ve never seen before even in the Korean restaurants here in the states. (Maybe because we don’t know what to order.) Some were very spicy. Some type of alcohol was served during lunch. (We were 7 people at $110 each for the whole day. He picks you up and drop you at the cruise ship.)

 

The problem with Busan is we arrived at the port pretty early at 7 and departed at 3 pm. The tour we got from him was good, but not spectacular, but in fairness to him, it’s not his fault that things are still closed at the early parts of the day. So he did, the best considering our time constraints.

 

If you do hire him, may I suggest that you take out the short shopping expedition and replace it with a stop at the UN Memorial Cemetery (I think this will be a more interesting use of your time). The Haeundae Beach can also be skipped. Since the prices in South Korea were substantially more expensive as compared to the US, couldn’t really shop (well, at least to the mall where we were brought in).

 

* The Haeundae Beach: (If you are part of an organized tour, I think, you can also skip this and just take the time to go to the UN Memorial Cemetery.) The beach is nice, if you’ll spend an hour or so exploring the beach or being at the beach. But if you are there as part of an organized tour like we did, walked there and have a few minutes to view the beach, I think I could have done without. Nothing spectacular stood out for us, at least to the time we were given to look/explore it.

 

* Jagalchi Fish Market – This is a fun stop. Just wished at that time there were more stores open. But here you’ll see a wet market --- selling a wide variety of sea food. From octopus trying to run away, dried sting ray (never knew sting ray can be eaten), sea urchins, eels gyrating in an aquarium, red prickly stuff that looks more like a fruit that a sea animal…. You’ll see sea creatures that you’ve never seen before and which are actually used as food! So it’s a good experience.

 

* Yonggungsa Temple / Haedong Yonggung Temple

Beautiful Buddhist temples in a spectacular stunning seaside setting! The setting of this temple itself is pretty impressive. There are so many “exotic” things to see. A bit crowded though since it seems to be a very popular tourist spot. Statues, temples, stunning views, etc. There is even a Traffic Safety Prayer Pagoda with a tire-like statue/model as part of the pagoda. To pray for safe driving…. There is also a market that you’ll pass to get to this temple. There were some interesting food items (I think insects/bugs). If you are in a tour, ask for the extra time so you have time to explore this place. It is definitely worth the visit. I think if you are going to do this on your own, this is a stop you should visit and take the time to meander and explore. Note, there are steps that you have to climb up and down. Nothing really that bad or arduous, but may be a problem with those with walking mobility.

 

Found out the symbol that looks like a reverse swastika is a symbol used in Buddhism for a long long time. I think it means good fortune or something of that sort. You’ll see this symbol prominent on one of the temples.

 

If I had to choose, at least to the places I’ve seen in Busan (Phusan), my first two choices are the Haedong Temple and the Fish Market.

 

* Busan Tower at Yondusan Park

This is a park where there is a building tower that you can take an elevator to go up to the top to see a panoramic view of the entire city. Pretty high (but not high enough that I got uncomfortable. Don’t like heights too much. ) If you are going to this place, you must go up the tower to see the view. We didn’t have to pay for the entrance fee (since it was part of our tour fees), but if I’m not mistaken it’s around 4000 W (or $4USD). Some interesting places in the park. Not that much, however.

 

Near it is a bridge with a lot of padlocks of sweethearts. It’s similar to some other European bridges. The padlocks are attached to the bridge to show or wish for unbreakable love. Keys are then thrown. (At least that’s what they do in Europe.) However, I’ve never seen a bridge like this in Europe. This is jam packed with padlocks!

[alwayslost]

Hiroshima:

 

By the time we reach Hiroshima, we’re exhausted. For Hiroshima, we’ve decided to do this on your own. We were going to get a Volunteer Guide (similar to Nagasaki – see above) and one was found for us. But we wanted the flexibility, so decided to this on our own, which was a good idea, since we were tired by this time.

 

But if you are interested in a volunteer guide, send an email to taif@fureai-ch.ne.jp and request a volunteer guide for Hiroshima. I think if you haven’t done a volunteer guide, I would recommend do it at least for one port.

 

The cruise ship will provide shuttle buses to bring you to a stop in a city center where you’ll find shops. Unlike the other ports were there was an abundance of shuttle buses, it seems for Hiroshima, we didn’t have enough shuttle buses. There was a long line just for the shuttle buses. So long that we just decided to start walking and to find the nearest tram stop and take the tram. We were not alone in this decision since a lot of people started walking. The walk to the nearest tram stop was around 15 minutes. When you get off the ship, there will be tourist information tables where you can easily get maps of the area, so it is easy enough to find a tram stop.

 

The trams typically have a conductor onboard from whom you can purchase your ticket. We decided to buy a 1-day pass ($5.00), which we actually didn’t need. Since we only used it going one-way back and forth. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, Atomic Bomb Dome, and Children’s Peace Monument are all within the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and thus are all walking distance from each other. They are all located like in a big park area – that is the Memorial Park. No need to take a tram at all between them. From here, you can easily walk to other places to find places to eat, etc. While walking through the park, you’ll see a lot of other small and not so small memorials. For example, there was an obelisk like statue in honor of the Koreans (some were conscripted Korean workers) who were in Hiroshima who died at that time.

 

* Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

I actually prefer the museum in Nagasaki, because maybe it was the first museum about the atomic bomb, I’ve ever seen and the impact is thus more forceful. The Hiroshima museum, however, has more tangible items on display, like clothes, shoes, etc…. where you can also see pictures and items of people who have suffered in the area. Some of the pictures are graphic. I think it’s a bigger museum than the one in Nagasaki.

 

If the question is, since you’ve seen the Nagasaki Museum, is it still worth the visit to the Hiroshima Peace Museum? My answer to that is yes! Both sobering experience, but glad that we saw both museums. A lot to see and a lot to feel….

 

Atomic Bomb Dome is right in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. You cannot miss it. There are signs in English you can read. This is true for the other memorials that you will find as you meander and explore the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park.

 

You won’t also miss the Children’s Peace Monument. The park is laid out in a rectangle format each to explore. While we were there at the Children’s Peace Monument, there were groups of Japanese students singing. It was quite pleasant to hear them sing, just wished I understood the lyrics. I think they were singing a song that may have been sung after the bombing.

 

By the way, since Hiroshima departed at 9:00 pm (it was we were at port from 9 am to 9 pm), there was no traditional dining that night. They will seat you in random tables. Just in case you want to know.

[Ladytainn]

Thank you for the great review and info, we sailed Sun Princess here ,it's a lovely ship.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[mustgo]

I am enjoying your review and looking forward to your time in Hong Kong. We have a few days scheduled for Beijing and then Hong kong In oct.

[little_nasty]

nice read

 

thanks for sharing

[alwayslost]

Narita Airport:

 

HK was really not part of the cruise, but we decided that after the cruise we would fly to HK. From the cruise ship, we took the cab to the YCAT to Narita Airport. From the cruise terminal, the driver understood right away when we said YCAT and bus. To be safe, however, it may be good if you have printed out the YCAT in Japanese characters, in case there is an issue (go to their website - see above for URL). Once, you are in the YCAT terminal, it’s easy to deduce where to buy the tickets and wait for the bus. YCAT to Narita was 3500Y adult ($35.00 US), child fare is half.

 

If you are in Narita airport, there are plenty of places to eat as well as shop. So that is a good place to kill some time. NaritaSan as I understand is very near the Narita Airport. We decided to not go since it was raining at that time and we were just a bit too tired.

 

 

Hong Kong:

 

If you love to shop and try exotic food at such good prices—Hong Kong is for you! We’ve never been to a city where, my gosh, shopping is everywhere! (And we’ve been to approximately 20 countries!!) From flea markets that are open at night (I think even till midnight – we went to the Mong Kok Flea market) to malls galore --- oh my, that’s Hong Kong for you. My husband and my son who are not shoppers suddenly became shoppers! If you are going to shop, I think HK is it. (There are a number of flea markets that go to late at night. Another one is Ladies Market.) By the way, don't forget to haggle and go to a few shops to gauge the price. They will quote you a price go half I think or even more than half as a counteroffer. Some of the things we bought were less than half the original quoted price. Also, explore the stores that sell bird's next, shark's fin, things I'm not even sure what they are, etc.....

 

Dining… from plastic tables and chairs set up in alleys to fancy restaurants – have your pick!! (If you ever get tired of the exotic food, there’s always McDonalds and they’re pretty cheap, as I understand cheapest place to buy McDonalds in the world.) To experience Hong Kong, you must try their food! This is a must!

 

Hong Kong is such an easy city to maneuver. Their public transportation is easy to deduce. Compared to So. Korea and Japan, it is easier to find an English-speaking local. You will be surprised on the number of ex-pat workers in HK.

 

If you like the bars, there’s an area in Hong Kong where you can literally hop from one bar to another. It is a bustling city, no doubt about it. Forgot the name, but everything was so close to each other.

 

We stayed in an apartment right in CauseWay Bay, as suggested by some friends. Arriving at almost 11:00 pm, I expect the city to be quiet by then. Were we surprised when at that time, we can see throngs of people all over the area (maybe because it was a Friday). Wear comfortable shoes as you meander through the city. (Near CauseWay Bay is a place where they sell various types of jerky – you got to try them. Note, these jerkies are not the dry ones you find in the US. It’s a bit wet. My hubby and I love them, my son didn’t like them at all!)

 

Hong Kong I think is a cross between downtown NY and Las Vegas. Their lights I think can beat Las Vegas. Hustle and bustle of NY – you’ll find it in HK.

 

Unfortunately for us, we came in the rainy season. In June, you must have your rain gear. It can, out of nowhere, pour like cats and dogs, and then 10 minutes later, the rain tapers to nothing. The rain actually didn’t bother us as much, since with the rain, the temperature was bearable. I personally would rather be wet rather than being extremely sweaty.

 

* HK Airport to Downtown and Flying Out of HK

Going from Hong Kong airport to the city is very easy. Within the airport itself, there is a train station. Once you come out of customs, you will see a big sign for "Airport Express." Depending on where you are staying, from the airport you can go to Hong Kong Station (100 HKD – approx $13 USD – this one takes 25 to 30 minutes), Kowloon Station (90 HKD), Tsing Yi Station (60 HKD), and Asia World Expo Station (5 HKD). Airport Express offers the direct connection between the airport to downtown. Service hours from 0554-0048 (which I am assuming is 5:54 am to 12:48 am). Frequency every 12 minutes. We were a group of 3 – and if I’m not mistaken you get a Group Discount fare, which is cheaper than individual prices. It seems the train is advisable because of traffic. We arrived late in HK at around 9:40 pm – I wanted to take the cab, but the person at the counter recommended that we take the train, since traffic is uncertain.

 

For us since we are staying in CauseWay Bay, we could have taken the MTR (train) or the cab. We decided to take the cab – approx $60 HKD, which was around $8 USD.

 

If you are going to go home, via the airport. Take a cab to the Airport Express. This is a place where, instead of the airport, you can actually check in your luggage/ bags. This was suggested by a friend who lives in HK and travels a lot. There are check in counters for various airlines. Please check on the Internet if your airline carrier has a counter at the Airport Express. There were a lot of airlines taking checked in baggage at the Airport Express. By checking your bags in this place, you are still free to visit HK without your luggage. Also you can take the Airport Express train to the Airport without lugging your luggage around. At this area too, you can turn in your Octopus card for refund (see below).

 

* Local Travel

If you intend to travel within HK, I strongly recommend that you buy the refundable Octopus Card. I think you have to put in as a deposit 50 HKD for each card. And EACH person needs a card. This Octopus card makes it easy for you to hop on and off the train. In fact, many establishments also take this Octopus Card – like groceries. Once you take your last train ride, at exiting just return the cards you purchased and they’ll give you your refund (deposit and any $ unused in the card). We were there for 4 nights – glad that we did it. You can also return at the Airport Express terminal if you're taking the train back to the Airport.

 

We pretty much took the train everywhere. You can easily get an English version of the map. Typically, there is a ticket counter in each train station – near the entrance or exit. You can’t miss them. We did take the cab on several occasions (since it was raining) to meet some friends who live there (ex pats). If you are taking the cab, please make sure you have written down or printed the Chinese version of the place you are going. We took a cab to one place without having the Chinese version on hand, and it was difficult getting there – we reached our destination after the 3rd attempt.

 

If you are taking the ferry, do it at night – so you’ll see the HK harbor. The price of the ferry was very minimal. It is a very short ride!

 

* Nan Lian Garden

We visited the Nan Lian Garden. Even after seeing the Japanese gardens in Japan, I thought this was a good place to visit so you can see the difference between a Chinese and Japanese garden. Note, if you are prone to being bitten by bugs, please spray yourself with Bug Off or similar product. My son and I, which bugs love, were bitten! (Of course, this was the day we forgot to spray ourselves.)

 

If you need a local guide in HK, contact this person paulsy2005 @ yahoo . com. I believe he has lived in HK for several years and speaks English.

 

Hope the installments are helpful.

Edited July 9, 2013 by alwayslost

[mustgo]

Thanks for posting. Once again I really enjoyed your enthusiasm. We will be staying 4 nights in a Holiday Inn Express near mid-level escalators that looks like a great location. I have done a lot of reading but you gave me a couple of new tidbits. We are really looking forward to visiting Hong Kong and Beijing. The Airport Express and Octopus card look very convenient. I am also thinking about getting the smart card in Beijing as we do plan to use the subway.

[jstducky]

Thank you for your review, especially of Hong Kong since I'll be there in 3 weeks time!

 

I have a quick question about Hong Kong - the street vendors, etc. and the food stalls on the street - I assume it's Hong Kong $ only and no credit cards? Did you exchange money, or take money from an ATM at the airport? If yes, were ATM's plentiful? I assume that throughout the city itself, if you needed more cash, that ATM's were plentiful and easy to find?

 

Finally cabs in HK, are they cash only? Or do they take credit cards? Or do they take the Octopus cards?

 

Thanks!

[Philob]

Thank you for your review, especially of Hong Kong since I'll be there in 3 weeks time!

 

I have a quick question about Hong Kong - the street vendors, etc. and the food stalls on the street - I assume it's Hong Kong $ only and no credit cards? Did you exchange money, or take money from an ATM at the airport? If yes, were ATM's plentiful? I assume that throughout the city itself, if you needed more cash, that ATM's were plentiful and easy to find?

 

Finally cabs in HK, are they cash only? Or do they take credit cards? Or do they take the Octopus cards?

 

Thanks!

 

Hong Kong: If you are arriving by air, as soon as you pass through the immigration doors, there will be a bank of ATMs on the side, restrooms are nearby too. I can't recall, but most likely HSBC machines. ATMs are plentiful on the street.

Edited July 9, 2013 by Philob

[golf2005]

To alwayslost----enjoyed reading your review. May I suggest that you post your review under the Cruise Line Board--( not Roll call). I'm sure it would get a lot of read and the information would be most helpful.