17 day Grand Asia

[SusieS]

We are contiplating taking the 17 day Grand Asia cruise on the Sapphire, leaving April 25th, 2016. Would love to do this itinerary, but am wondering if we'd feel frustrated spending only one day in each port, especially knowing how far most of the ports are from the actual cities we'd be visiting. Would love some feedback on this! Thanks!

[SusieS]

Anyone??!!

[USN59-79]

We are contiplating taking the 17 day Grand Asia cruise on the Sapphire, leaving April 25th, 2016. Would love to do this itinerary, but am wondering if we'd feel frustrated spending only one day in each port, especially knowing how far most of the ports are from the actual cities we'd be visiting. Would love some feedback on this! Thanks!

We took a similar cruise on the Sapphire last year. In fact, we took back to back ones on her. The major city you will stop at is Hong Kong and you will have two days there. You will spend a full day in each port and like most cruises you will know if you will want to return in the future and spend more time there. We enjoyed the Sapphire. Since it is such a long flight over the Pacific and back, I would recommend spending a few days in the first or last port or take back to back cruises on her providing you can be away that long. And if you really want to stay in one of the ports longer it is a possibility. When we stopped in Keelung for Taipei my DW stayed there three days and flew to Hong Kong to meet the ship there. I believe it was only about $125. for a one way flight on Hong Kong Airlines. Hope this helps.

[paul929207]

We had been to China twice before our first cruise there. Many of the ports (Beijing, KL, Bangkok come to mind) are an hour or more from the city. So yes, I can see some frustration the first time there.

 

I would go early and stay on after the cruise.

[Bill B]

On any cruise you don't spend enough time in most ports to see more than a smattering of what there is. It's just part of cruising.

[seamwoman]

We did this cruise afew years ago on the Diamond. Although the ports are a distance from the cities I feel we got the flavor of each one. It is one of my most cherished memories and we have cruised a lot: South Pacific, Grand Med, Baltic's, British Isles and have done land tours in Europe. The places you love you might want to return to. Karen

[SusieS]

Thank you all so much for your very helpful feedback! Our daughter will be in Taipei for the year on rotary exchange, & we thought this might be a wonderful trip after visiting with her for a week.

[ccrain]

From the Diamond a few years ago.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1615221

 

Pia and I did a joint live from...

 

It still ranks as one of the most memorable cruises of our life. Where else can you see an Octopus run across the sidewalk in front of you with a little Asian lady in hot pursuit...Busan, South Korea of course!

 

You will love Hong Kong...especially on an overnight. Do not miss the Stanley Market, or the peak tram, or the food courts, or the....

 

Spend a few days in Singapore pre-cruise and see the zoo, the night safari, the subways, the city run and staffed by teenagers - or so it seems!

 

Nagasaki is such a wonderful port, where the Sapphire was built. We went south and had the single best authentic excursion meal ever! Buy the Japanese/Portuguese pound cakes, but eat them fast, they have no preservatives...

 

See the palace and the golden Buddha in Bangkok, but beware the heat - no bare shoulders or ankles in the palace!

 

If you choose to go to Vung Tao instead of Saigon, you can probably fill you suitcase with all kinds of really inexpensive souvenirs from the girls on the motorbikes...

[SusieS]

Ccrain, thanks for your invaluable link to your "live from" thread. Just this morning, we shared tearful goodbyes at the Portland airport with our exchange daughter from Busan, who had lived with us for part of this year while going to high school in our community. She got a kick out of hearing your octopus story, as did we! Many thanks to all of you for your insight. We will try & make this trip happen!