Viking China

[Miss Priss]

Thanks for the suggestions! Yes, I'm an avid reader and right now can't get enough about China. I envy your date for leaving, but we're going on the Imperial trip as well, so I hope you give a report when you return. Are you doing the Hong Kong-Guillen extension? I have Fodor's, Suzie Gershman, Frommers, Eyewitness Travel Guides, and Insight. It's amazing to me, 5 months ago I hadn't even considered a trip to China. It wasn't even on my list of Places To Go. But friends talked us into making the trip, and now I couldn't be happier or more excited. Don't you just love to read and take notes about places you'll see? I've done this on every trip we've taken and then, along with my journal, I've got a lasting chronicle. I've noticed that people that frequent these boards are of the same mind, though. We all seem to want to get the most out of our experiences. Fantastic group!

Marian

[Beehive]

I am also an avid reader, and have read three of the books you mentioned. I am looking forward to more summer reading before we leave. We are leaving in August and are adding the extension...any hints from travelers prior to when we leave are much appreciated!

Bobbie

[travelsfun]

No, I am not taking the Hong Kong extension..traveling with my brother (hubby not interested in China) and brother has "been there, done that". I will certainly post a report on the trip after I get back home. You are right about the CC Board people being great folks. This the the third time I've been part of this group prior to a cruise and have always enjoyed reading the tips and experiences of others. Met some really nice people in person through the Roll Calls, too. Sadly, haven't found anyone else on our upcoming trip, tho.

Dorothy

[Miss Priss]

Dorothy I admit to being a "lurker" on the boards for a long time:D LOL. Finally decided to chat, and am glad I did. We took a cruise to Australia and New Zealand and the boards were really helpful. I'm amazed that so many people are willing to share their adventures. I'm going to do the same, although I doubt I'll have much to add after all the suggestions that have come before. But you never know! I'm feeling well prepared already thanks to this thread, but my friends are beginning to roll their eyes when I say "on the CC board about Viking China, they said......."

 

Bobbie: Be sure to share your experiences when you return. I swear you can get about all the info you need just from this thread. About every subject has been covered, but it's always fun to hear the next traveler's outlook. We're anxiously waiting for the current travelers to return:) Marian

[how]

Enjoying the pictures!!! Keep it up.

 

Anyone else going June 16?

 

How

[Miss Priss]

How: Travelsfun mentioned she was leaving June 17. Probably is the same trip.

[travelsfun]

LOL LOL...."How" just happens to be my brother and we are taking this trip together!

Dorothy

[Miss Priss]

:mad: Is my face red or what? How funny! But I guess I got it right - you are going on the same trip. I may have to require all future posters to say (penname), who happens to be related to .......(penname).

 

Actually I can find all kinds of ways to get in hot water! LOL

 

Thanks, Dorothy, I got a good laugh out of that :D Marian

[coasters]

Just added some new photos...will do more tomorrow.

I have about 1500, will post about 350 to give you a flavor

here's the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JerrysWebPage/VikingBeijing

 

Also, here are some observations:

1. Bring US dollars, they are welcomed and perfect for all souvenirs and tips.

2. If you have multiple a/c adapters for charging, consider bringing a short extension cord that has several outlets on it's end. This will allow you to connect several devices at once. The ship's "charging" outlet is the only one that does not turn off when you leave the cabin. All other electrical devices shut off.

3. Mattresses and pillows in rooms and cabin were delightful. We could not have asked for more comfortable accommodations.

4. Bargain - asked to pay 5.00 for 1 Olympic cap, I ended up paying 2.50 for five.

5. Ship provided ponchos for the one rain day we had.

6. Weather was very comfortable not hot, not humid - April 11 thru 30th.

7. Dining room on ship noisy. Hard to hear due to engines and lack of acoustical materials.

8. Food - on ship excellent selection for buffets - dinner good, not gourmet, nor was such expected. Hotels - excellent... Food on Tours - good.

9. Staff on ship very helpful and pleasant.

10. Diet drinks available for a fee, not usually included in the tour meals...beer is free - diet drinks, if available, cost extra! Equal (sugar substitute) available in most places.

11. Tour escort we had, Edward, just a delight. His personal and family life experiences added a welcome dimension to the China visit.

12. Most tour guides spoke English quite well.

13. Details...Having Viking responsible for luggage handling, hotel and airport check in ...really simplified travel for us guests.

 

Will try to add more later... still in Hong Kong, getting ready for the Laser Show tonight.

 

Jerry

[Osnab]

Switch to the upper deck if at all possible, it makes all the difference!! You should be able to do it just as a regular seat change. If nothing is available, keep checking as some biz class flyers get upgraded to first and then their seats become available. The rows for the upper deck are rows 11-18. Check out SeatGuru for all the details. There's also a quite extensive thread here which I found quite useful:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=393041

 

For instance, I was sitting onthe upper deck and decided to talk a walk on the main deck to stretch my legs. Oh my!! It was like a totally different flight down there - loud, chaotic, people everywhere.

 

Also in the upper deck, all of the window seats have neat little side lockers for your purse or small carry-on bag (a suitcase won't fit) and double as a nice side table.

 

The only way I'd give up an upper deck seat is if I was offered a first class seat. :-)

 

Your comments have given me food for thought. I was just wondering about getting off. If you are upstairs, do you have to stand on the steps, waiting for someone to let you squeeze in, then you go down 2 more steps and wait, etc. I don't think that'd be an issue except if you have a suitcase that you carried on.

Felicia

[Osnab]

Felicia: You asked Jerry to tell you what kind of camera he used. I asked him the same question a while back and he uses a Kodak P712 and is very happy with it.

 

A while back, sakedad took some pictures (1,600+!) and posted them. They were also fabulous. He used a Panasonic Lumix DMCFZ20 and had good results with night pictures, etc.

 

Ronni was very helpful, as was Jerry in making camera suggestions. When I reread Ronni's post, I found she used the Panasonic Lumix DMCFZ7S and reported that she loved her more than 3,000! pictures.

 

The FZ20 is discontinued, but the FZ7S is available and has the same features, plus some upgrades. I've been doing some research and it sounds good. I agree with Ronni, take a digital.

 

Thanks Miss Priss. I think a digital is the way to go, but I just have been burned with it once, so definitely want to take a camera that's not going to screw me over. LOL.....I always thought Hewlett Packard was a good name brand, but I guess not for cameras; however, Kodak has a great name associated with it.

I saw Sakedad's pictures and they look like a professional took them.

This weekend, I'm devoting a lot of time to look at the Consumer Reports guide. I can let you know what it says if you're interested.

Felicia

[Osnab]

Felicia, what are your dates for your trip? We are also leaving in September.

I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Loved it. Have also finished rereading Pearl S. Buck's The Empress and The Good Earth, and loved them all over again. Another book I just finished was Amy Tan's Saving Fish From Drowning. That book was suggested by a friend as a warning about behaving like a "tourist". Interesting. I still have several recommended books to read about the 3 Gorges.

 

I have found preparing for this trip to be unlike any other. I'm loving the history, the traditions and the contradictions. Thankfully everyone has raved about the trip even though several had their share of adversity:eek: If i can I'm going to Lantau Island, have dim sum, see Yu Yuan Gardens, and ride the Star Ferry in addition to doing all the things on our trip. I will take as many pictures as Ronni, ignore the smog, and savor each minute! Can't wait!

 

Marian

 

Marian: You've really done a lot of preparation for your trip. It's such a fun part of travel for me, all the reading and preparation. I am in the middle of "Center of the River" or something - forgive me, author-whose-name-I-don't-remember, but it's about his travels along the Yangztee and it gives his perspective of the Chinese. I'm enjoying it because of the history involved as well. I'm really not familiar with Chinese history much, so this is helpful.

 

I made a note to get the book "Saving Fish fom Drowning" because that sounds good; however, I don't think there's anythng you can do to prevent looking like a tourist unless you're of Chinese descent. It still sounds like it will give some good insight as to their culture.

 

I leave the US on 9/16 and the tour starts on 9/16. What about you?

Felicia

[Osnab]

"The River at the Center of the World" by Simon Winchester. Dorothy

 

YES! That's it! Thanks, Dorothy. The book was all the way in the other room and I'm back here and I was too lazy to get up. :)

Felicia

[Osnab]

I am also an avid reader, and have read three of the books you mentioned. I am looking forward to more summer reading before we leave. We are leaving in August and are adding the extension...any hints from travelers prior to when we leave are much appreciated!

Bobbie

 

Bobbie, I don't know if this is your "thing" or not, but I printed out every page on this thread and spent a lot of time reading thru them, in order. It took up about a ream of paper, but I put asteriks by the posts if I needed to do something re: them, and question marks by the posts if I had questions for the board.

Any hints you need are already here.

You may not feel like printing it all out and you certainly can't sit in front of the screen that long (can you imagine!!)

Felicia

[Osnab]

Just added some new photos...will do more tomorrow.

I have about 1500, will post about 350 to give you a flavor

here's the link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/JerrysWebPage/VikingBeijing

 

Also, here are some observations:

1. Bring US dollars, they are welcomed and perfect for all souvenirs and tips.

2. All other electrical devices shut off.

3. Mattresses and pillows in rooms and cabin were delightful. We could not have asked for more comfortable accommodations.

5. Ship provided ponchos for the one rain day we had.

 

 

Jerry:

First off, your pictures are GREAT and I can't believe I have 4 1/2 months to go! They really got me more excited about the trip.

Notes on your notes:

1. I heard that the US dollars must be brand spanking new. Is that true?

2. Does this mean the AC cuts off, so you come back to a sweltering hot cabin?

3. I'm glad to hear about the mattresses and pillows. I'd heard they were rough and lumpy, so was expecting the worst.

4. They provided ponchos? Wonderful! One less thing for me to pack.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your pictures and hearing more details when you return. Thanks for letting us know about the trip as you are experiencing it.

Felicia

[WIT]

Jerry:

First off, your pictures are GREAT and I can't believe I have 4 1/2 months to go! They really got me more excited about the trip.

Notes on your notes:

1. I heard that the US dollars must be brand spanking new. Is that true?

2. Does this mean the AC cuts off, so you come back to a sweltering hot cabin?

3. I'm glad to hear about the mattresses and pillows. I'd heard they were rough and lumpy, so was expecting the worst.

4. They provided ponchos? Wonderful! One less thing for me to pack.

 

Looking forward to the rest of your pictures and hearing more details when you return. Thanks for letting us know about the trip as you are experiencing it.

Felicia

Felicia - Jerry is in a different guide's group than I, but I agree with his conclusions. I had $5 US refused by a street vendor because the bill had an ink mark. I think a hotel would have accepted it. Chinese actually paid more attention to finding fake 100RMB (they look for a watermark of Mao's face).

 

The power outage only affected cabin sockets. The AC on the boat is central forced air AC. It worked great and we appreciated the filtration

system on the Century Sun - it was fresh inside the boat even when the outside air was awful.

WIT

[Miss Priss]

Jerry and Wit - Thanks so much for the pictures and suggestions. That's exactly the kind of information we're looking for! Jerry, your pics are super. Loved the "china dolls"

 

Felicia - We are on the Imperial trip. We leave September 4 for Hong Kong. September 9 we start the tour from Shanghai. Doesn't sound like the same trip.

 

I'll be interested to know what Consumer Reports thinks.

 

I didn't print all the comments, but I've been from front to back 3 times now and I take notes on all that I'm interested in. Probably your way is easier! But it's true that just about every question is answered, especially with Jerry and Wit's latest. Marian

[how]

How: Travelsfun mentioned she was leaving June 17. Probably is the same trip.

 

I think I know "Travelisfun" as she is my sis and we are going together! Thanks for thinking of us though!

 

How

[twototravel]

Jerry,

 

Where did you find the Olympic gear?

 

4. Bargain - asked to pay 5.00 for 1 Olympic cap, I ended up paying 2.50 for five.

 

Jerry

 

Thanks, Cathy

[coasters]

Jerry,

 

Where did you find the Olympic gear?

 

4. Bargain - asked to pay 5.00 for 1 Olympic cap, I ended up paying 2.50 for five.

 

Jerry

 

Thanks, Cathy

Cathy,

Hawkers on the street will meet your bus - Olympic items such as hats are the hot item for this year...

Just keep walking , they will follow if they think you're at all interested. My best deal was 5 for 2.00 (for another guest). The following day, I paid 20 yuan or about $2.50 for 5 for myself.

These are knock offs, sure they're not "official Olympic" but work for my purpose.

Hundreds of hawkers are selling the same items. Cannot imagine how they can make any money. We purchased some pajamas for our granddaughter - after saying no thanks to the 15.00 price, we paid $5.00 for size 12 and 7.00 for size 16.

 

About cabin beds... we found them fine, but we like firm beds.

 

One of the hotels we stayed at for a night had not yet switched to cooling so our rooms were warmer than we like. The card in the room indicated that they make the system changeover from heat to cool in April... guess they hadn't gotten a new calendar, this was mid month.

 

Hotel tubs can be slippery...ask for shower safety mats.. They have them for the asking.

 

Jerry

[Miss Priss]

Jerry Thanks for the continued info. Regarding the hawkers - how were you able to bargain (buy) with them if you were "touring"? Did the tour guide try to keep you moving, or get irritated, or encourage it? Does everybody stop and barter, or did you go out on your own?

 

Thanks again, Marian

[Osnab]

Felicia - We are on the Imperial trip. We leave September 4 for Hong Kong. September 9 we start the tour from Shanghai. Doesn't sound like the same trip.

 

Marian:

Same itinerary, different dates. Except I'm not going to Hong Kong (sure wish I could.) I think I'll be gone by the time you get back.

Felicia

[coasters]

Jerry Thanks for the continued info. Regarding the hawkers - how were you able to bargain (buy) with them if you were "touring"? Did the tour guide try to keep you moving, or get irritated, or encourage it? Does everybody stop and barter, or did you go out on your own?

 

Thanks again, Marian

Marian,

The hawkers will walk along with you when the group is touring, so that no time is lost.

Other times, the tour leader will take you to sites such as the bazaar, where time is allotted for shopping.

When time is short, you will be advised so as not to cause delays. Not to worry, there will be plenty of time for you to purchase "stuff".

There are also planned tour stops such as at the silk factory, jewelry manufacturer, jade shop, museum stores...all with goods...most will negotiate. Your tour guide will advise you about when and where you can (and should) bargain.

My wife said to tell all that souvenirs such as silk bottle covers should go for no more than 1 US dollar (they usually will ask for $3.00) The pillow covers no more than 4.00 (they ask for up to $15.

There are bargains in every city. We just returned from shopping nearby the Shangri-la in Kowloon - there are hundreds of store merchants within walking distance - their prices clearly marked were so competitive we did not have the heart to bargain. There's also a large 3 level department store, a 7 11, Outback, Ruths Chris, Starbucks and other retailers next to the hotel. We had lunch at Outback. Lunch for 2 is about what you'd pay in any big city. Ours came to near 35.00 plus drinks.

Jerry

[Miss Priss]

Jerry - Thanks. I guess I should have known that they would follow you. Shopping is definitely not my priority, but of course I want to get some souvenirs. Sounds like I won't have a problem having time.

 

I assume you are in Hong Kong now. When you wrote about shopping near the Kowloon Shangri La (that's where we're staying) was that on your "free day"? Are you planning on taking any trips other than the scheduled half day? I was hoping to go see the island with the Giant Buddah. Thank your wife for the shopping info - I have put it in my notes. But I know what you mean about some of the prices being so reasonable. I once got into a huge bartering session with a vendor in Mexico and fought and fought until I realized I was arguing about 8 cents! On the other hand, I don't need to be ripped off, either.

Keep the good suggestions coming! Marian

[Miss Priss]

Felicia - Sorry you're not on the same trip, but we can wish away the next few months until September arrives. Just put Hong Kong on your wish list for the future. My list is quite long! Marian