Already disappointed w/HAL - Asia help!

[travellovers2]

Check out both the Volendam trans-Pac cruise starting in Kobe, and the cruise before, ending in Kobe. One year there was a nice round-trip scheduled from Kobe, but that was chartered. It could be offered again, though, so it's worth looking.

 

By chartered, you mean that they used another cruise line?

[travellovers2]

I did Princess for 9 days from Tokyo last October which turned into 11 days with Typhoons.

Wher are you thinking with every cruise line schedule on many web sites.

If it's not there, it ain;t going to happen by posting here

 

We were booked on that cruise last October on the Diamond Princess and received an email the same day we were scheduled to fly to Dallas to fly to Narita next morning. We canceled because we didn't want to go and be stuck on the ship.

 

I know if it's not there.... but, it never hurts to ask for an opinion.

 

We have never sailed on HAL, this year will be our first on HAL, so we thought maybe there was another better time of the year and we were stuck on April/May. But we always travel May for my hubby's birthday and October for our anniversary. ;)

 

We may consider just going to Portugal next May and leave Asia for another year. Sometimes things happen for a reason and for some reason our trip to Asia is not coming together. :cool:

[kazu]

By chartered, you mean that they used another cruise line?

 

 

No, RuthC means that a group chartered the entire ship so there was no cruise available. We were booked on the same cruise. Apparently this was the third time this group has chartered the ship according to my TA.

[RuthC]

By chartered, you mean that they used another cruise line?

Jacqui is correct that the Kobe-Kobe cruise was no longer sold to the general public, and was taken over by a private group.

 

That was a lovely cruise as it was to be round-trip Kobe, with forays to China and South Korea, as well as several ports in Japan. The following cruise was the trans-Pacific (which did sail as scheduled) from Kobe to Vancouver.

Unfortunately, when the first cruise was canceled, I saw no reason to fly all the way to Kobe for only the cruise back.

 

I took the "equivalent" cruises this year, but the first was in no way equivalent. It started in Hong Kong, and went one-way to Kobe.

That's why I said that you should take a look in future years; itineraries do change somewhat.

[DeeniEncinitas]

I will look into the Voledam. Thanks.

 

Check absolutely The Voledam for your trip!

Also make sure you are not booked with a charter okay?

Now we had no problem with our first inaugural on The Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010! We have done 3 so far on her. The Med cruise had no changes that I can remember back then in July.

Denise:)

Hope you fine your cruise

[Mary Ellen]

Also make sure you are not booked with a charter okay?

 

One can only book a charter if they go through the particular agency handling the charter. It isn't something one can accidentally book.

[susiesan]

We're considering doing Japan on our own, but then again we prefer to cruise so we can see other places. Lots to think about. Maybe it will have to wait.

 

Thank you for all your responses.

 

Just fly to Japan, get a 14 day rail pass and make your own Japan tour. Much more preferable way to see Japan and very easy to do on your own. Just be careful about May. There is a national holiday time called Golden Week in early May that you want to avoid as all of Japan is on the move.