Japan and China cruise

[Stokeducky]

Hi everyone 😃

 

I wanted to ask for a little advice or stories from anyone who has done a Japan China (Taiwan) cruise on celebrity?

 

I have done a few cruises all with celebrity but my husband and I are both 40next year and our bucket list is Japan and Hong Kong .  

 

Has as anyone done an Asia cruise, any hints tips, did you enjoy it?

 

The ship is the Millennium- has anyone sailed on the Millennium?  I have only sailed in Solstice class ships so wondered if we’d be disappointed?

 

many thanks in advance for your help - excited but not where to start!

 

 

Thanks from a very warm UK 🇬🇧  😊

[jelayne]

We did r/t Singapore last year with stops in Hong Kong (overnight), Manila, Boracay, Kota Kinabalu, & Phu My.  We loved it, in fact we are booked to do a TP next year followed by Taiwan,  Vietnam & Japan.  

We did all independent tours with others we met on our Roll Call.  I highly recommend doing independent  tours we saved so much money vs the ships excursions and we were normally a group of 6 and could customize our agenda.

We were on the Constellation, sister ship to the Millennium, and we enjoy the smaller ship as well as the S Class. 

[bigbenboys]

We have cruised on Millie 3 times in Asia. Once out of Singapore and the other 2 out of Hong Kong. I enjoy both the M Class and the S Class ships for different reasons. I like the S Class for the Med and Caribbean. M Class for everything else. I was very unhappy with my Edge experience last March. 

[Izzywiz]

6 hours ago, Stokeducky said:

Hi everyone 😃

 

I wanted to ask for a little advice or stories from anyone who has done a Japan China (Taiwan) cruise on celebrity?

 

I have done a few cruises all with celebrity but my husband and I are both 40next year and our bucket list is Japan and Hong Kong .  

 

Has as anyone done an Asia cruise, any hints tips, did you enjoy it?

 

The ship is the Millennium- has anyone sailed on the Millennium?  I have only sailed in Solstice class ships so wondered if we’d be disappointed?

 

many thanks in advance for your help - excited but not where to start!

 

 

Thanks from a very warm UK 🇬🇧  😊

We are also from Staffordshire (Meir Park - Stoke) and sailed on Millennium out of Hong Kong (Taiwan, Busan, Seoul, 3 days in Tianjin...the port for Beijing, Jeju and then Shanghai) in mid-March this year and had a great time.

I have written a daily diary which I can post on CC if you want. It contains details of tours etc.

I booked directly with Celebrity and added 2 extra days, pre-cruise, in Hong Kong and 3 days, post-cruise, in Shanghai.

A few tips:

* We booked a package of shore tours through 'Cruising Excursions' which I thought was good value and everything ran smoothly.

* I love my tea and coffee first thing in a morning and always take my favourite tea bags and instant coffee wherever I travel although I didn’t pack my travel kettle for this trip. I asked our cabin steward if he could supply a kettle and this was brought promptly along with 2 mugs (no hostess tray like UK ships). We drink t/c without milk and sugar but they are easily obtained from the buffet and the cabin (cheapest inside) had a fridge.

* The assistant cruise director came from Savelly Green, 5 miles from our home, so there was lots of chat about oatcakes and Wright’s pies!

* Getting the visa for China is a pain and costly. It needs to be done on line at the official Chinese Embassy site and involves a trip to Manchester as well but don’t be put off as it lasts for 2 years so we are using ours again for a land tour and cruise in May 2020.

 

Let me know if I can be of help in any way. I love travelling in Asia.

 

 

[Miaminice]

We have cruised Southeast Asia on Constellation, Japan on Millennium, Taiwan and China on Millennium, Japan on HAL Westerdam and we are booked on Millennium for Vietnam and Thailand plus Vietnam and Japan on Ovation... so you can tell we enjoy Asia.

 

Japan is our favorite and China (Beijing) was also very interesting. M class is the perfect size for these cruises and Millennium was just refurbished. 

 

You can read more about Japan in our travelogue... unfortunately I never found the time to write about the other cruises. https://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_de/

 

I did post daily recaps on the cruise with HAL, though:

 

 

Edited July 24, 2019 by Miaminice

[Miaminice]

Unfortunately the link above was the wrong link - this is the one to the Japan review:

https://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Celebrity-Millennium-Japan/celebrity-millennium-japan.html 

[Stokeducky]

😊 thanks everyone for the very kind information xx apologise late reply.

 

 I plan to read everything this week to digest the information.  I’m sure I’ll be pestering you all again asking for help & advice 😀

 

many thanks again 

 

[Stokeducky]

On 7/24/2019 at 7:30 PM, Izzywiz said:

We are also from Staffordshire (Meir Park - Stoke) and sailed on Millennium out of Hong Kong (Taiwan, Busan, Seoul, 3 days in Tianjin...the port for Beijing, Jeju and then Shanghai) in mid-March this year and had a great time.

I have written a daily diary which I can post on CC if you want. It contains details of tours etc.

I booked directly with Celebrity and added 2 extra days, pre-cruise, in Hong Kong and 3 days, post-cruise, in Shanghai.

A few tips:

* We booked a package of shore tours through 'Cruising Excursions' which I thought was good value and everything ran smoothly.

* I love my tea and coffee first thing in a morning and always take my favourite tea bags and instant coffee wherever I travel although I didn’t pack my travel kettle for this trip. I asked our cabin steward if he could supply a kettle and this was brought promptly along with 2 mugs (no hostess tray like UK ships). We drink t/c without milk and sugar but they are easily obtained from the buffet and the cabin (cheapest inside) had a fridge.

* The assistant cruise director came from Savelly Green, 5 miles from our home, so there was lots of chat about oatcakes and Wright’s pies!

* Getting the visa for China is a pain and costly. It needs to be done on line at the official Chinese Embassy site and involves a trip to Manchester as well but don’t be put off as it lasts for 2 years so we are using ours again for a land tour and cruise in May 2020.

 

Let me know if I can be of help in any way. I love travelling in Asia.

 

 

 

Thank you Izzwiz 😁..... I’m just up the road in baddeley green 😁

 

I’d love to read your diary if you don’t mind posting it? Or where I can find it?

 

thanks again 

 

 

[Izzywiz]

Ayup Stokeducky,

we were out with friends from Baddeley Green tonight.....it’s a small world!!

I'll have to post my diary on here as I’m not into social media and I’m not very computer savvy either. It may take a couple of days as I'll edit out the more irrelevant parts but, in the meantime, let me know if you have any specific questions that I may be able to help with....

Happy cruising

Izzywiz

[cachouonacruise]

Thank-you Stokeducky for starting this tread, which is very interesting for us as well. 

 

We have sailed on Millenium’s sister ships Infinity and Constellation prior to their refurbishing. We are booked on the new Millenium for our first ever Asian cruise from Hong Kong to Shanghai in March 2020 with stops in Taiwan, South Korea and Japan.  It is quickly approaching. Actually, we have begun the Visa process and I am hoping to have them on Monday, July 28.

 

Thank-you to all for tips provided. I really appreciate all information regarding this trip. 

[Izzywiz]

Ayup again Stokeducky,

I had a bit of time this morning and managed to edit my diary. Be prepared though as it  is very long but it does contain hopefully useful information about each port....so here goes!

 

As I mentioned before, I booked the cruise directly with Celebrity and added 2 nights in Hong Kong, pre-cruise and 3 nights in Shanghai, post cruise. we chose the hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai from a list provided by Celebrity. We decided to only purchase 1 transfer with Celebrity and that was from the Shanghai port to the hotel.

I have some mobility issues so use ‘airport assistance’ which was pre-booked.

We flew with Emirates from Birmingham to Hong Kong via Dubai and returned to Birmingham from Shanghai, also via Dubai. The flights were all on Airbus380s and I pre-booked seats at a cost of £20pp per flight.

I have to be a bit careful when choosing port excursions because I can’t walk or stand for extend periods.

We have been to Hong Kong several times over the years so know it quite well and have visited the main and less usual sights several times. If this is your first time to HK and you have a full day to explore, I would recommend using the Hop-on, Hop-off bus as you will get a good overview of the city.  

 

 

Week 1. Wednesday 13th March to Tuesday 19th March 2019

Day 1. Wednesday 13th March.

Home to Dubai.

A.M. overcast with a very strong wind.....storm Gareth was making itself felt!

The journey went smoothly with no hold-ups on the motorway so we got to the car park at 08.30. We found the APH carpark easily, having been there in January and were quickly processed and on the bus to the airport at 08.45. The driver took the back roads to avoid the rush hour traffic and we arrived at the airport at 09.05.

Our seats were 42B&C which I had pre-booked. I chose these because they are as near to the upper deck staircase as I am allowed to be and so we have some space to stand up if necessary.

 

Day 2. Thursday 14th March 

Dubai to Hong Kong.

P.M. warm with torrential rain. It stopped during the evening.

It was a bit chaotic getting assistance at Dubai but that got sorted eventually and we made it to the gate at the opposite side of the airport with 15 minutes to spare before boarding the Hong Kong flight.

We had the same seats....42B&C...and find these comfortable as there is room to stand and walk about very close by plus, we get our meals quickly.

 

 

We landed on time at 14.30. The cases were already on the carousel so we grabbed trolleys and made our way to the concourse where we looked for the signs for the bus transportation hub. The signs were a bit confusing but we did eventually find the bus station and purchased our tickets for the A21 bus which stopped right outside our hotel. It was HK$33 (£3.30pp) each and we had to pay cash. The bus arrived promptly and there was plenty of storage space for luggage. The journey to our stop (number 10) took 40 minutes to the Nathan Hotel on Nathan Road.

Having settled into the room we set off to find somewhere for our evening meal. We went to the food court in the basement of the Eden Hotel next door which, at first sight, seemed a bit basic but we had a delicious spicy chicken burger and classic homemade beef burger plus drinks for £26 and thought it was good value. 

After a wander through the night market we returned to the hotel and were asleep by 21.30.

A good day despite the rain!!

Nathan Hotel - room 1106.

We were given a complementary upgrade to a premium room on the 11th floor.

* The Hotel is well situated close to a metro station and it is a very short walk to the Temple Street night market. There are plenty of food outlets close by. We particularly liked the food hall in the basement of the adjoining Eden Hotel.

* Our room was newly refurbished with a comfortable bed, free Wi-fi and the free use of a mobile phone. There was tea/coffee making equipment, complementary bottled water, good quality toiletries and a powerful shower.

* The included breakfast was adequate with a reasonable variety of options of both European and Chinese dishes.

 

Day 3. Friday 15th March.

Hong Kong - day trip to Macau.

A.M. warm but overcast with persistent drizzle 

P.M. warmish and overcast.

We were awake around 07.00 after a surprisingly good sleep given the time difference. After coffee in bed we got up and headed for breakfast. We had decided, before coming to Hong Kong, that we would try to get the bus to Macau so we could travel across the new bridge but despite a lot of research, I couldn’t find the pickup points on a map in relation to our hotel. We asked last night and the girl in reception showed us the brochure for the HK-MAC Express service but it was in Chinese with tiny writing in English so it was still a bit of a mystery. She said that the 2nd pick-up point was quite near to the hotel so we decided to walk to try to find it........big mistake!!!!! I should have studied the map and the tiny English writing more carefully because we never found the bus stop. After asking several people including police officers we walked for miles, or so it seemed, before we asked a Canadian lady who explained that the bus terminus was in a completely different part of the city and she recommended that we get a taxi to take us there. We did that and found the ticket office quite easily. After buying our return tickets (£30ish pp) we caught the 10.50 bus.

The journey took a lot longer than I expect because we had to go through immigration controls in both HK and Macau where we were allowed 20 minutes to complete the process. It was a very long walk at both border crossing points and Jim literally dragged me so I could walk a bit faster. Luckily, we made the bus each time but one couple did get left behind!

We didn’t get a particularly good view of the bridge because it was misty and drizzling but it must look spectacular on a clear day.

We had been to Macau 25 years previously and remember it as a quaint Portuguese influenced town centre but how times change! It is now the Asian equivalent of Las Vegas with huge casino complexes based on the Las Vegas designs. 

The journey took just over 2.5 hours so we arrived at the Venetian which was where we had opted to spend the day. 

We had a look at the shopping mall with the canal and gondolas before finding one of the many food courts where we had a waffle and ice cream before going down onto the casino floor. I had US$50 on the slot machine and won back the equivalent of $36 which was almost exactly the cost of our evening meal at the Eaton food court - HK$282.

Jim went for a wander outside while I sat and rested and we caught the 17.50 bus back. We got a much better view of the bridge because the cloud had lifted and the air was clearer. The bridge was lit up and the stanchions at the high points changed colour which was quite cute.

We arrived back at the first drop-off at 20.05 and got a taxi back to the hotel where we then headed to the food court for a burger dinner again.....we were too tired to go searching for something different. After dinner we walked to Temple Street Market and bought 3 polo shirts for Jim (£10) before getting a MacFlurry for pudding and then heading back to the hotel and bed.

A very long and eventful day but great too.

 

Day 4. Saturday 16th March.

Hong Kong - boarding Celebrity Millennium.

A.M. Sunny and warm 

P.M. Warm but mainly overcast with sunny intervals 

It was lovely to see the blue sky and the sun after the previous 2 very dull days. Jim decided to walk down to the Kowloon park while I packed and caught up with the diary.

We met for a Starbucks at 10.30 (right next to the hotel) before checking out at 11.15. We got a taxi from directly outside the hotel to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. The journey took about 20 minutes and cost HK$120 =£12....a bit different from the US$60pp that the cruise line wanted!

Check-in was fairly straightforward except for the fact that Jim had to queue up to get photocopies of our passports. I had made copies at home but had cut the A4 paper down to the size of the copy to make it less bulky to carry and I shouldn’t have done that....oh well, lesson learned.

We were on board by 12.45 and our cabin was ready so we dropped off the carry-ons and went for lunch in the buffet.

After lunch, we went to the passport departure inspection. This was followed by the Muster drill at 17.00 which, for us, took place in the theatre.

Once we had finished the drill we headed to the restaurant for dinner and secured a pleasant table in the quieter area. (select dining)

We went to the show and then went back up to the deck to see the Hong Kong skyline lit up as the ship departed at 20.00. After enjoying the sights, we went back to the cabin for an early night. Jim had to go to the 'naughty room’ because we had an extension cable in the case. I met our cabin steward, Ronny, and requested the extra coat hangers, ice and a kettle which all arrived promptly.

A good day......and the kettle made it even better!

Cabin 7032 - inside handicap accessible.

The ship has just undergone a complete refurbishment so it seems lighter and brighter than its sister ship, Constellation.

Good

* The cabin is very spacious.

* The bed is extremely comfortable with good pillows.

* The TV is wall-mounted and large with a reasonable selection of included channels and 'pay-to-view' films. Account access is available too.

* We asked for a kettle and it was brought promptly along with 2 mugs!!!

* There are device charger outlets in the base of the bedside lamps.

* There is a small sofa and table.

* The en-suite is a 'wet room' and the shower is powerful

* There are grab rails by the toilet.

Not so good

* The cabin is in an odd position at the end of a branch corridor so it’s quite a way from the lift. It would be a bit awkward for anyone using a wheelchair.

* There is a distinct lack of storage for hanging clothes. 

* The plug outlets (1x round 2pin and 1x flat pin) are in an odd place by the dressing table.

* There are no hooks for bags etc. 

* There are only 2 tiny shelves in the en-suite and they are very high up by the sink.

 

Day 5. Sunday 17th March.

At sea - Hong Kong to Taiwan. Diet day

A.M. Overcast with a strong breeze and occasional sunny intervals.

P.M. As above

Sea conditions: moderate swell.

 

Day 6. Monday 18th March.

Keelung, Taiwan. 07.00 to 21.00.

Time change: 1 hour forward

A.M. Early morning mist and drizzle but warm. Mostly overcast but dry with occasional sunny intervals 

P.M. As above 

Sea conditions; moderate swell overnight 

·         Ship's tour: The Fairy-tale Rock Formations of Yehliu Geopark and Bisho Fish Port.

We were up at 06.00 for an early breakfast before heading to the theatre for our 08.15 tour meeting.

Keelung Port;We were docked right in the city but on the opposite side of the port from our last visit. This is a little less convenient for accessing a few shops because it is a longer walk to the port exit and then there is a dual carriageway to cross.

·         There was a free shuttle bus to take passengers into the town centre.

 

·         There were taxis available and people who had prearranged independent tours were being met by their guides just at the port exit. 

 

There were a few shops and a Starbucks within a fairly short distance to the left of the port.

 

·         Keelung, unfortunately, isn’t a particularly attractive city although I found it interesting to see how the Taiwanese people live their daily lives.

 

Ship's tour: The Fairy-tale Rock Formations of Yehliu Geopark and Bisho Fish Port.

* We met in the theatre at 08.15. It was very busy in there as a lot of people were on tours to Taipei and they were leaving before us.

* When DH collected our coach numbers from the excursion staff on the stage, he asked for a seat near the front to be reserved for us because of my mobility problems. This was done promptly.

* All passengers had to carry the photocopy of their passport (this had been stamped by the Taiwanese immigration officials and placed in our cabins the previous evening) along with their sea-pass as they went ashore. There are stringent rules about not bringing any fresh food, fruit and vegetables into Taiwan and this was strictly monitored in the arrivals’ hall. All bags were X-ray 

* Our group was called to go down to the exit at 08.30 and were on the coach at 08.45.

* our coach was newish and comfortable. Passengers sat on the upper deck so the views were good. There was a complementary bottle and of water per person.

* Our guide was enthusiastic and spoke good English although it was heavily accented so I couldn’t always understand what he was saying.

* We were taken on a 35-minute drive through the city and then along the coast road. The views along the coast would be really nice on a sunny day but it was overcast and misty so we didn’t get the full impact.

* The coach pulled into the Geopark parking area and we were all amazed at how many coaches were already there.......it seemed like hundreds!

* After giving us time to visit the toilets (clean and well maintained but crowded), our guide bought the entry tickets and showed us the entrance. We could follow the guide or do our 'own thing' and had 90 minutes there.

* The Park itself is well maintained with pleasant paths through the trees and the rock formations were stunning. Some of the single rock formations are highlighted in their own sheltered areas. There are several other viewing areas for the groups of formations. It was quite a long walk along an extremely crowded path to see one of the areas but others were more accessible.

* Just outside the main park exit is a covered market with a lot of food and souvenir stalls. Unfortunately, there are very few signs in English so it is difficult to know what the items were but there were opportunities to taste things. A few stalls accepted US$ but Taiwanese currency was preferred.

* We left the park and drove for 20 minutes to Bisho fishing port where we were given 30 minutes to either explore on our own or go with the guide. To be perfectly honest, there wasn’t a huge amount to see.

* Our last stop was another 20-minute ride away and was at the Buddhist temple in Chung Cheng Park. The statue of the Buddha can be seen from the cruise port and is high on the hill in the centre of Keelung. The view from the terrace was very good and we got a great photo of the ship. The temple was a haven of peace in the busy city and after the bustle of The Geopark. There was a small shop selling souvenirs and toilets too.

* We returned to the ship at 13.15. 

It was an interesting tour if you wanted to do something different other than a tour of Taipei.

 

Day 7. Tuesday 19th March.

At sea - Taiwan to Busan, South Korea.

A.M. Sunny with a strong breeze 

P.M. As above

Sea conditions: moderate swell.

 

 

Week 2. Wednesday 20th March to Tuesday 26th March 2019

Day 8. Wednesday 20th March. Diet day 2

Busan, S. Korea 12 noon to 20.00 - revised times

Time change; 1 hour forward 

A.M. sunny with some sea fog

P.M. overcast with heavy rain in the late afternoon 

Sea conditions; flat calm.

·         Independent tour with Cruising Excursions: Busan Highlights City Tour.

The Captain made an emergency announcement to tell us that there was an electrical fault which was affecting several parts of the ship and that meant we will not be docking until at least 14.30. The ship will now depart from Busan at 22.00.

I’m not sure how this will impact on our tour as we have to go through a 'face to face' immigration process on chore which will take time. We have been allocated a group 2 place so we shall see.

Well.....we finally docked at 14.00 and by that time people were already queuing on deck 3 to get to the exit and it gradually became more chaotic as time passed. Ship’s tour passengers were being taken of first and then people from group 1 but it was virtually impossible to keep to the group plan and the crew members just let people through. There was no provision made for people with disabilities and that meant we were standing for long periods and getting squashed.

We eventually got to do our tour and were back by 19.00 so we went straight into dinner (food at last!!!) before going to the show and then bed.

Busan Port.

* When we eventually got off there was a bit of a walk to the terminal building.

* Every passenger had to disembark at some point for a 'face to face' meeting with immigration officials.

* There were toilet facilities just outside the port building 

* Passengers with independent tours we met at the exit doors by representatives holding name cards.

* Tour busses and private tour vehicles were parked immediately at the exit.

* I didn’t notice any taxis.

* The port authority provided a free shuttle service into the city centre.

* There was a mobile bank for people wanting to exchange money. Apparently very few venues in Korea accept US$s.

Busan City.

* Busan is the second largest city in S. Korea and has a huge industrial port.

* The city centre is mostly modern with a huge variety of shopping and eating opportunities. 

* There are a few attractions. The fish market is worth a visit as is the Dragon Head Park.

* The shuttle bus stops next to Starbucks which is on the outer edge of a huge shopping complex.

Independent tour with Cruising Excursions: Busan Highlights City Tour - 4 hours.

* The guide, 'Ellie', was waiting for us at the immigration building exit. She was holding up a 'Cruising Excursions' sign.

* She directed us to the mini-bus that was parked right by the door.

* Luckily, we only had a short wait for the other 8 guests to arrive. There were 3 couples from the UK, 1 couple from the US and 1 couple from Australia.

* The bus was spacious and comfortable.

* Ellie spoke good but strongly accented English. she was pleasant and informative.

* We left the port at 15.30 and it was a 20-minute drive to our first stop which was the Yongdusan Park. The park is quite small but is beautifully kept with manicured flower beds, a small temple, clean toilets, a duty-free shop plus a viewing terrace with a convenience store and small cafe. The main attraction was the observation tower (US$5pp) which had excellent views over the city on a clear day. We had 40 minutes there and were fortunate that it was still fine weather. The heavy rain started just as we got back on the mini-bus!

* Our second stop was at the Jagalchi outdoor and indoor fish market which was huge and fascinating. I have never seen so many varieties of seafood and all beautifully presented. This part took about 30 minutes.

* Our 3rd stop was at the Seomyeon Shopping district, the enormous open and covered shopping complex which had shops and food outlets of every kind. Unfortunately, there isn’t much English signage so it was difficult to know what items were and calculating prices was tricky too when £1 = 1500SKWs. We had about an hour of free time in this area and DH and I had a short wander before spending the rest of the time in Starbucks.....it was too wet and crowded for me to walk comfortably unfortunately.

* We were back at the port just before 19.00.

It was a nice tour and probably right for us in the type of weather. Next time, I would choose a tour that took us out into the countryside and to the temple on the sea.

 

Day 9. Thursday 21st March.

Sea Day - Busan to Incheon, S. Korea.

Captain’s Circle Senior Officers' reception

A.M. Cold and overcast 

P.M. As above

Sea conditions; choppy....rough during the night.

 

Day 10. Friday 22nd March

Incheon. S. Korea. The port for Seoul. 07.00 - 19.00

Time change: 1 hour back.

Early A.M. Extremely cold (1*c) but bright sunshine.

Mid-morning; still extremely cold and sunny with a strong wind

P.M. As above

Sea conditions: Extremely rough overnight

 

·         Ship’s tour - Seoul Highlights. 8 hours £88pp

Incheon port

* The port is huge and very industrial.

* The cruise ship dock is a long way from the city centre (40 minutes ride according to information) so there is a free shuttle service running from the time the ship is cleared for disembarkation.

* The tour busses and independent tour transportation vehicles were parked close to the gangway.

* There were some tourist stalls in the car park showing local crafts.

Ship’s tour; Seoul Highlights.

* Our meeting time was 08.15 but everyone had checked in by 08.10 and so we were called to disembark straight away and our coach departed at 08.30.

* The journey into Seoul took 2 hours because the traffic was so bad. I was surprised to see that we travelled through continuous urbanisation.....I had been expecting to see some countryside!

* Seoul is an enormous, clean and mostly modern city with pockets of older, more historic, areas.

* The first stop was at the Gyeongbokgung Palace where we spent almost 2 hours. There were clean western style toilet facilities in the car park and at points inside the palace grounds. I thought the complex was impressive and well maintained with a variety of buildings in different styles. The best part for me was seeing all the local young people dressed in traditional costumes having a great time celebrating???

* Our second stop was in the heart of the city at Bukchon Hanok, a street that marked the centre of the old city. The street was a steep hill with lots of quaint buildings and small shops and tea rooms.

* We were then taken to a very nice local restaurant where we were introduced to a Korean meal comprising of finely sliced beef and a variety of vegetables cooked in a broth at the table. This was served with sticky rice, some pickles and kimchi.

* After lunch, our last stop was at the market street where there were some stalls, small artisan shops, food outlets, general stores and well-kept public toilets. It was a pleasant place to walk and there were some bargains to be had depending on personal preferences. I bought a substantial, well-made sun hat for 5,000 wons (£3.30) and some unusual greeting cards for 1,000 wons each (66p each).

* We had an hour in this area before getting the bus back to the ship....another 2 hour journey because the traffic is so congested despite the 8 lane highways!

A very enjoyable day!

 

Day 11. Saturday 23rd March.

At sea - Incheon to Tianjin

A.M. Sunny, windy and cold (7*c)

P.M. As Above 

Sea conditions: heavy swell which calmed down during the day 

 

Day 12. Sunday 24th March.

Tianjin, China. Day 1

A.M. clear blue sky, sunshine and a cool, blustery wind 

P.M. As above but warm in the shade

Sea conditions; calm overnight.

The ship docked around 06.00 and the authorities started calling the passenger immigration groups just before 08.00. The last group number was called at 09.05 and then people who wanted to disembark in their own time were free to go to immigration at their own convenience. 

* People who were going to stay off the ship overnight or who were travelling on the bullet train had to collect their passports with their full Chinese visa last night. The rest of us were given a stamped photocopy of our passport which was delivered to our cabin. 

 

We left the ship about 11.00 and caught the local bus unto Tianjin City. We realised that the bus terminus was not in the central area so we just went into the railway station and shared a very nice coffee, piece of cake and a snickers bar before catching the bus back to the ship. We got back to the ship around 15.30

Tianjin cruise port.

* The port is huge and very industrial

* It is situated approximately 20 miles from the city of Tianjin.

* The cruise terminal is very modern and absolutely huge.

* There are duty free shops, a post office, money exchange, toilet facilities and an information desk. Unfortunately, the information desk is small and only had 1 assistant so the queue was very long. Her English wasn’t particularly clear either so we were glad to get assistance from two ladies from Singapore who spoke fluent Mandarin and English.

* There are taxis available directly at the exit. We were quoted US$100 to go into Tianjin. I think the drivers did tours as well.

 The public service bus to Tianjin.

* We opted to get the local bus, #513, into Tianjin. It took us a while to find out where the stop was. It is a bit of a walk to the main road but then the stop is directly across the road. The bus livery is mainly yellow. The service isn’t particularly frequent and the information assistant didn’t have a timetable or make it clear where the stop is situated. The busses see to run every 20 minutes.

* The fare is 2yuan pp (25p) each way and the exact change is needed. We were very lucky that the driver took pity on us and let us on as we only had a 50 yuan note!!

* The journey takes about 1 hour and the terminus in Tianjin is right next to the Bullet train railway station.

* The first part of the route took us along excellent roads but there was very little to see.....only scrubland and a few newly built high rise housing complexes. Once in the city, though, the bus does quite a circuitous route so it gave us chance to see a little bit of the city.

The Bullet Train Station.

* The station is easily identifiable because the roof is made of shiny bronze segments and looks a bit like a tortoise shell.

* The station is huge but luckily there is signage in English. 

* There are toilet facilities, a coffee shop, a supermarket and waiting areas. 

* The ticket office is on the lower concourse.

Tianjin City.

* I was stunned by the size of the city....it is enormous (17,000,000 people) and crisscrossed by 12 lane highways. There are lots of ultra-modern buildings interspersed with parkland.

 

Day 13. Monday 25th March.

Tianjin, China. Day 2 

Diet day 3.

A.M. chilly with a brisk wind but bright sunshine 

Noon. Pleasantly warm and sunny 

P.M. Almost hot and very sunny

·         Independent Tour. The Great Wall and Olympic Park Tour - 12hours (Cruising Excursions)

We were up early as usual to get sorted before disembarking at 08.30. Although it was a very long day with a lot of travelling on the coach, it was absolutely worth it and we were so lucky with the weather!

A fabulous day

Independent Tour. The Great Wall and Olympic Park Tour - 12hours (Cruising Excursions)

* The Tour was due to start at 09.00 and we were to meet the guide at the port exit.

* We decided to leave the ship at 08.30 as it was a long walk for me through the terminal building.

* Steven, our guide found us just before 09.00 and then we had a longish walk to the coach which was in the main coach park.

* It was then that there was a problem because Steven couldn’t find one other couple. After much tooing and froing to the exits and numerous attempts to contact them by phone, his office told him to start the tour so we finally left at 09.40.

* It is an extremely long drive to Beijing (2.5 hours) but the roads are good although the scenery, until we got to the outskirts of the city, was boring and monotonous.

* Once in the city we were driven to the Olympic Park where we had 30 minutes to view the 'bird's nest' stadium and use the toilet facilities. I thought that this was a nice place to stop because we needed to stretch our legs and it was a spacious place to walk and not too crowded.

* We were back on the bus for another 45 minutes as we continued to travel through Beijing. We got some good views of this very modern and bustling city before being taken to the ubiquitous 'shopping stop' which took the form of a visit to a Jade Factory.

* Steven gave us approximately an hour at the factory which had a cafe and toilet facilities as well as a demonstration area where we could see jade being carved and the huge shop.

* It was another 40-minute drive out into the mountains to the Great Wall. We were taken to the Juyongguan Gateway which I thought was so much nicer and more accessible than the much bigger and more commercial Mutianyu site.

* The wall, at this point, is spectacular with lots of the small fortified buildings and extremely steep, winding pathways stretching across the mountains.

* There is a courtyard by the bus park which has a few souvenir outlets, a cafe, toilets and a seating area.

* We were very lucky that the weather was perfect (warm and sunny) for walking on the wall and the views were spectacular.

* Late March is still very early in the season so the site wasn’t too crowded which also helped.

* We had 2 hours at the wall before leaving at 16.00. 

* Our last stop was at the Ming Dynasty Tombs which was just about to close so Steven had to talk the ticket officer to let us in. It was a beautifully kept park area with a typical Chinese temple building at the start of an avenue of trees and plants. We only had 20 minutes so there wasn’t time to see any more of the vast site.

* The journey back to the ship took 3.5 hours and we were back on board at 20.45 after a long but exhilarating day.

 

Day 14. Tuesday 26th March.

Tianjin day 3.

A.M. Hazy sunshine and pleasantly warm 

P.M. As above.

·         Ship’s tour - Best of Tianjin.

It was an early start as the tour meeting time was 07.30

It was a long tour but it gave us chance to see both the ancient and modern sides of Tianjin and we were back in time for the 17.00 drinks so Jim was happy!

Ship’s tour - Best of Tianjin - 8 hours 

* Our meeting time was 07.30 in the Theatre but we got there at 07.05 and were able to get stickers for bus 1. We then set off to get to the terminal exit which is a very long walk for me and the rest of the passengers were soon following.

* The bus left at 07.45 and it was a 2-hour ride to our first stop in central Tianjin......I still can’t get over the size of the city!

* We arrived at the Shi Family Grand Courtyard at 09.30 which, fortunately, was before the main crowds so it was quite easy to get around to the various areas. The building is huge and very well maintained with parkland and a typical style Chinese bridge which allows people to cross the 'Great Canal' to reach the courtyard area.

* We had just over an hour there and Susan, our guide, showed us through the maze of small rooms and courtyards as she explained the significance of each room. 

* Once back on the coach, we drove for 45 minutes through the city (I said it was enormous!) to the Century Hotel where we had a Chinese style lunch. Dishes including rice, sweet and sour chicken, duck, beef, lamb, seafood and a variety of vegetables were placed on a 'lazy Susan' turntable in the middle of the table and we all helped ourselves. There was green tea, coke, beer and water to drink. I thought the food was ok but the room and the toilet facilities were rather shabby and a bit disappointing.

* We left the hotel at 12.45 and it was another 45-minute drive to the Ancient Cultural Street where we had 75 minutes to explore. It is actually several streets lined with small shops, stalls and street food outlets. I thought it was really interesting but unfortunately there were very few signs in English so we often could only guess at what the various items were. There were toilet facilities by the bus park (very crowded) and along some of the side passageways (much less crowded).

* After a short drive we had our final stop which was at the Confucius Temple and gardens. The area was quite small but was a peaceful oasis in the middle of the city. We were given 30 minutes there.

* The journey back to the ship took another 2 hours and we arrived at 16.20. There was a very long queue to go through security as several excursion busses returned at the same time and the Holland America ship, ‘Westerdam’, was in port too.

 

 

Week 3. Wednesday 27th March to Tuesday 2nd April.

Day 15. Wednesday 27th March.

At sea - Tianjin, China to Jeju Island, S. Korea.

A.M. very misty and cool

P.M. The sun came out and it was warmer.

Sea conditions; calm

 

Day 15. Wednesday 27th March.

At sea - Tianjin to Jeju Island

A.M. cool and very misty

P.M. as above

Sea conditions; calm 

 

Day 16. Thursday 28th March

Jeju Island, S. Korea - 08.00 to 18.00. Light day.

Time change; 1 hour back

A.M. Early morning mist made it cool but it warmed up as it became brighter later in the morning.

P.M. warm with hazy sunshine.

Sea conditions; calm overnight

·         Independent Tour - cruising Excursions. Jeju Island Highlights City Tour - 09.00 to 13.00

Disembarkation was quick and easy this time and fortunately nothing like the mess it had been in Busan.

We were back on board after the tour at 13.15

Yet another good day!

Jeju Island Port.

* The port is large and industrial with a very big and modern cruise terminal.

* It was a long walk from the ship to the exit.

* All passengers had to show their full passports to the immigration officials.

* There is excellent free Wi-fi in the terminal building.

* There is a small selection of shops on the ground floor (souvenirs, a convenience store and a pharmacy), toilet facilities and a tourist information booth.

* There is a HOHO bus which departs from the building exit.

* The guides for Independent tours wait inside the building on the ground floor.

* There was a free shuttle bus to the city centre which ran every 20 minutes.

Jeju City.

* The city is tiny compared to Tianjin and Beijing but is large enough to have a good market, several shopping malls, food outlets and a lot of good quality shops, many with familiar names.

* It is walkable once in the central area.

Independent Tour - cruising Excursions. Jeju Island Highlights City Tour - 09.00 to 13.00.

* Our tour guide, Sam, was waiting for our group when we got there at 08.30. There were 8 of us altogether and we had all been on the 3-tour package.

* The bus was small but comfortable with plenty of room for us all.

* The route took us through the city to our first stop which was the Folklore and National History Museum where we stayed for just over an hour. The grounds were beautifully kept with a variety of interesting plants and geological exhibits strategically placed around the area. We had the wonderful experience of seeing the cherry blossom trees on bloom......not quite on the scale of Japan but still beautiful! We were also surprised to see lots of orange trees laden with ripe oranges and we learned that Jeju is famous for its oranges

The museum itself was housed in a modern building with good facilities including a cafe, shop and toilets. The exhibits were well presented and the majority were labelled in English.

* It was a short drive to our second stop which was Yongyeon (the Dragon Pond) where we had 30 minutes. This was a small but deepish canyon where the river ran between large rocks. There was a picturesque bridge and several walkways along the riverbank.

* Our third stop was a short walk away and was to see the Yongduam Rock (Dragon Head Rock). The walk took us through a small shopping area where there were clean toilet facilities and several souvenir and food stalls. The Dragon Rock sticks out into the ocean and there are viewing points. It took a bit of imagination to see the 'Dragon' though.

* Our last stop was in the centre of Jeju city where Sam recommended that we stroll through the main market. That was an interesting experience as the stalls were arranged in a very higgledy-piggledy way. There were lots of opportunities to taste local food especially the oranges which were delicious. We had 75 minutes in the area.

* The coach picked us up in the main square and we were back at the port just after 13.00.

 

Day 17. Friday 29th March

At sea; Jeju Island to Shanghai.

A.M. Hazy sunshine and pleasantly warm in sheltered areas 

P.M. As above 

Sea conditions: millpond calm

Day 18. Saturday 30th March.

Shanghai. Disembark Millennium and check in to The Pullman Shanghai Jiang An Hotel.

A.M. Overcast and humid

P.M. hazy sunshine but much cooler

We were up at 05.30 to get the final packing done and get to breakfast for 06.15 as we knew it would be crowded and it would take a bit longer than usual to eat.

After breakfast we collected our belongings from the cabin and headed to the Tuscan Grill which was the designated 'Elite' waiting area.

We were off the ship and in the hotel by 10.30 which was too early to check in so we left our luggage with the concierge and went for a walk to the nearby Railway Square where we found a Starbucks and had a coffee and muffins before heading back to check in.

Once in the room we sorted out the cases and then got a taxi (29yuan = £3.60) to The Bund where we spent an hour wandering along the promenade and enjoying the floral displays and ambiance.

We got a taxi back to the hotel and then walked to one of the shopping malls by the Station square. We found that all the stores were women’s clothes and most of the items were identical. We did, however, discover a very small supermarket where we bought some nuts, crisps and a drink each before exploring the food court in the basement and trying one of the savoury pancakes that the Chinese people love. It was actually quite tasty and we enjoyed the experience!

We then went to MacDonald’s where a very kind Chinese lady, who spoke excellent English, helped us to order the spicy chicken burger combo.....and it really was spicy!!

After eating, we headed back to the hotel for a game of scrabble, our nibbles and an early night. I couldn’t find any tonic water the supermarket so bought a can in the hotel for 45Yuan = £5.50!!! Never again!!

 

Disembarkation.

* We had originally been given a 10.30 disembarkation time but changed it to 08.40 at Customer Services because we had been told that the Chinese Authorities took a long time to process immigration.

* We went to wait in the Tuscan Grill, our designated 'Elite' area.

* It became apparent that the disembarkation process was going much more smoothly than anticipated and our tag number (18) was called at 08.20.

* We were off the ship quickly but, after a long walk to the terminal building, we were held in a queue for 10 minutes before being let into the immigration hall in groups.

* Once in the Hall, we had another 10 minutes in a queue to reach the passport control officer who fingerprinted me but not Jim!

* Luggage was arranged for collection by the disembarkation number tag and the areas were clearly marked.

* We had pre-booked a private transfer to our hotel through Celebrity and we found our driver quite quickly as we exited the security area. There were lots of drivers holding name cards.

The walk to the transfer car was very long and the driver took pity on me half way there and let us sit while he collected the car from the parking area.

* Our private vehicle was a very comfortable and roomy people carrier.

Shanghai Port.

* The port is about an hour's drive from Shanghai city centre.

* There are long covered walkways from the ship to the immigration hall.

* The building is large and fairly modern.

* The car park and bus pickup points are quite a way from the security exit.

* There were plenty of metered taxis available and airport shuttle busses too.

The Pullman Shanghai Jing An Hotel.

* I booked this through Celebrity UK when I booked the cruise. It was one of several hotels offered as part of our package. 

* The Hotel is centrally situated right next to Shanghai's main railway station.

* I was a little concerned when we approached the hotel as the main entrance is in a small alleyway but, once inside, my apprehension disappeared as it has a very modern and impressive reception area.

* Unfortunately, we arrived too early to check in but the concierge was extremely helpful and helped us to store the luggage and gave us directions to explore the surrounding area.

* We checked in at noon and were given room 1901.

* Breakfast was included in the package and there was a very comprehensive choice of food to suite most tastes.

Room 1901

* The room was the first along the corridor from the lift lobby which was very convenient for me.

* The room was fairly spacious and decorated in light, modern colours.

* There was: a very comfortable double bed with wonderfully soft pillows, TV, desk, lounge chair, ate and coffee making facilities, 4 complementary bottles of water, fridge, safe, walk-in shower, separate sink area with toiletries and huge fluffy towels.

* The only downside was the lighting system. Not only was the lighting relatively poor (seems to be typical of most hotels) but if you put the toilet light on during an after-midnight visit, all the bedroom lights come on and that wakes up a sleeping partner....bizarre!

 

Day 19. Sunday 31st March

Shanghai. Viator Tour;

A.M. Cool with sunny intervals.

P.M. Pleasantly warm and sunny but it got very cool on the boat so we were glad that we had taken our coats!

Viator Tour - Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour including Huangpu River Night Cruise.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Water Town tour and it worked well because our guide agreed to drop us off at the Hyatt on the Bund when the tour ended instead of our own hotel. We had a wonderful couple of hours in the bar on the 32nd floor where we admired the fabulous views of the river and the Bund.

We got a taxi back to the hotel after a great day.

Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour including Huangpu River Night Cruise.

Viator Tour Description; Enjoy two of Shanghai’s must-do activities on a Zhujiajiao water town and Huangpu River cruise experience. 

Visit the ancient canal town of Zhujiajiao for a walking tour of the willow-lined waterways, lanes, and Ming- and Qing-era architecture. 

Afterward, learn about silk-making at a silk museum, and admire Shanghai’s illuminated skyline on a buffet dinner cruise on the Huangpu. 

Return coach transport, admission fees, cruise buffet, and central hotel pickup and drop-off included. 8-hour Zhujiajiao and Huangpu River experience from Shanghai.

 Tour ancient Zhujiajiao water town, seeing its pretty waterways, lanes, and bridges Admire the quaint buildings dating from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

 Learn how silk is made and browse ‘soft gold’ at a silk museum.

View Shanghai’s illuminated sights on an evening River Huangpu cruise 

Chinese buffet dinner included on board 

Admission fees, coach travel, plus central hotel pickup and drop-off 

* We had a message left at the hotel to tell us that we would be picked up at 11.50 and should wait in the lobby for the guide. And then the guide, Jason, rang the hotel at 11.45 to say that it would be about 12.05 when the minibus would get to us...... very considerate service.

* There were 12 of us; 6 Germans, 2 Philippinos, 2 from the US and us so we had plenty of room to spread out.

* The journey to the 'Water Village' took about 55 minutes and took us through the heart of Shanghai and out into the countryside. Jason said that we had made good time as usually, on a Sunday, the traffic is particularly bad.

* At first, the village looked more like a large, busy town with lots of shops and food outlets.

* We were dropped off in the newer part and followed Jason through ever narrowing street until we got to the incredibly narrow ancient street than ran parallel to the canal. It was here that we could appreciate the quaint picturesqueness of the village in spite of the heaving crowds (I would suggest visiting in the early morning to avoid the crush).

* There was so much to see and explore. I was amazed at the variety of food styles, souvenirs and high-quality goods and it was a real shame that we didn’t have either the time or the energy to push through the throng to experience them better.

* Jason took us to the end of the narrow Main Street and pointed out some eating places and where the toilets were before giving us 1 hour’s free time. This end of the street was remarkably quiet and, when I followed the arrows to the toilet block behind the cafes, I was amazed to find the area deserted and the toilets clean and tidy.

* We spent our free time doing a walk across the old bridge to the other bank where there were equally narrow, crowded streets with interesting shops.

* When we got back to the meeting place, we had an ice cream while we waited for Jason. He had arranged a canal boat ride for 50yuan pp (£6.50) and we thoroughly enjoyed the 20-minute ride through the very picturesque, narrow backwater canals. It was like being in Venice without the singing!!

* We got off at the other end of the village and Jason took us back to the minibus through more narrow streets.

* We were back on the bus just after 15.30 and it took us 65 minutes to get to the silk factory where we had a demonstration of the processes involved in producing silk fabric and duvets from the cocoons before having a chance to buy items in the shop. I bought a king-sized medium weight duvet for 960yuan which was vacuum packed to make it easier to get home.

* Our next stop was at a traditional Chinese restaurant in a shopping mall by the river for dinner. The food was plentiful and pleasant enough.

* Jason then took us onto the Bund promenade where we watched the light show start as it began to get dark.

* The river cruise was a bit of a 'bun fight' as people jockeyed for the best positions out on deck but it was worth it to see how amazing the light show was......breathtaking!

* We were on the boat for 50 minutes and the got back on the coach to be returned to our hotels.

A very good trip!

 

Day 20. Monday 1st April.

Shanghai.

A.M. Clear sky and warm sunshine

P.M. As Above

Our flight didn’t leave until just after midnight so it was a long day. We realised that we should have done a tour today as it was a bit of a wasted day but 'hindsight is a wonderful thing’!

We checked out at 11.45, left the luggage with the concierge and went for a walk around the local area. We had a Starbucks and muffins for lunch and went back to the hotel to play scrabble for a bit.

We set out again at 16.00 to go to the food court in the mall to get a Chinese savoury pancake each for tea - 12 yuan each (£1.50) and we sat for a while watching the lady make them before heading back to the hotel.

The taxi that Vincent, the concierge had ordered arrived at 18.50 and we set off for Pudong Airport. It is 60km from the city centre and took about an hour. It cost 240yuan (£30) which was a lot less than the £120 that Celebrity wanted!

The Emirates check-in was quite quick once we pointed out my disability and we were whisked through the formalities before being taken to the VIP Lounge9 used out Dragon Pass Lounge passes) where we had something to eat while we waited to be taken to the gate.

We boarded on time and pulled back at midnight.

 

 Day 21. Tuesday 2nd April.

Shanghai to Dubai and Dubai to Birmingham.

Flight 1 - Shanghai to Dubai 9.5 hours.

We took off on time at 00.05 and, after a pleasant dinner, we watched a bit of TV before managing a few hours’ sleep. The flight was relatively smooth. We had breakfast and then landed on time in Dubai.

The assistance was waiting and we were whisked through security and taken straight to the gate where we had 50 minutes before boarding.

The plane wasn’t full and the lady who should have been sitting on our row asked to be moved so we had the luxury of the 3 seats for the two of us. The flight was smooth and uneventful so we managed a couple of hours sleep.

We landed on time at 12.15, got the assistance and were quickly through immigration but had a long wait for the cases.

Once they arrived, we caught the APH shuttle and were in the car, heading home, by just after 14.00. After a quick stop at the Aldi in Stone we got home at 15.20

A good holiday.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 27, 2019 by Izzywiz
edited some spelling and grammar

[Stokeducky]

10 minutes ago, Izzywiz said:

Ayup again Stokeducky,

I had a bit of time this morning and managed to edit my diary. Be prepared though as it  is very long but it does contain hopefully useful information about each port....so here goes!

 

 

Thank you so much Izzywiz for taking the time this morning - can’t wait to read it all.

 

I think we are looking at the 14day Japan China and Taiwan  Nov 2020 on the millennium but just hoping the ship won’t feel too small for us 😀

 

many thanks xx

 

 

[Stokeducky]

On 7/25/2019 at 1:30 PM, Miaminice said:

Unfortunately the link above was the wrong link - this is the one to the Japan review:

https://www.travelandcruise.net/travellove_en/Our-Trips/Celebrity-Millennium-Japan/celebrity-millennium-japan.html 

 

 

Many thanks 🙏🏻 Miaminice - this looks great 

[4774Papa]

On 7/24/2019 at 7:36 AM, Stokeducky said:

Hi everyone 😃

 

I wanted to ask for a little advice or stories from anyone who has done a Japan China (Taiwan) cruise on celebrity?

 

I have done a few cruises all with celebrity but my husband and I are both 40next year and our bucket list is Japan and Hong Kong .  

 

Has as anyone done an Asia cruise, any hints tips, did you enjoy it?

 

The ship is the Millennium- has anyone sailed on the Millennium?  I have only sailed in Solstice class ships so wondered if we’d be disappointed?

 

many thanks in advance for your help - excited but not where to start!

 

 

Thanks from a very warm UK 🇬🇧  😊

We did the Japan and China cruise on Millie in 2015 and it was one of our favorite cruises.

We did several days of touring Japan prior to our cruise (which visited several Japan ports including Okinawa).

 

Kyoto was a must see.  Also, loved Nikko.

Cruise ended in Hong Kong and we had two days in Taiwan.  The museum in Taipei was fantastic.

Here is my review, let me know if  you have more questions

 

Japan and a little bit of China

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=518503&et_cid=2531924&et_rid=17221689&et_referrer=Boards

 

[cachouonacruise]

Hi Izzywiz,

 

I agree with Stokeducky, thank-you very much for taking the time to write such a detailed review of your cruise in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and China on the Millenium.

 

I have read it carefully! and will read it again. It is well made and include very interesting and useful information.

 

Our own cruise is approaching and we will be much better prepared to explore this new world for us.

 

Thanks again! 

[4774Papa]

Japan and a little bit of China

After having two Japan cruises cancelled by Celebrity, we finally made it to Japan, with a touch of China. It turned out to be one of our favorite trips. We very much liked Japan, and its people. The people were friendly and many were very helpful to us. The country was clean, with no trash on the street or graffiti on bridges or buildings. The people were polite and generally dress well with not grunge. The country functioned very well, drivers seemed to obey the traffic laws, the trains ran on time and we felt safe walking the streets, even at night.

TOKYO

We arrived in Tokyo, Narita airport on October 17; eight days prior to our October 25 cruise that was more in Japan than China. The worst thing about the trip was the long flights to and from East Asia. We did have a direct flight on Delta from Atlanta to Narita. Still, 14 hours on an airplane was like a marathon, it just never seems to end. However, end it did at 3:30 PM on a Saturday. Fortunately, Japan’s wonderful infrastructure included the Narita Express, a fast train directly to Tokyo Station, with trains about every half hour. A one-way ticket was about 3000 yen or $26. The trip took less than an hour.

On the sound advice of my Son, Jack, who was in Tokyo on business a few months ago, we booked a hotel room at the Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Marunouchi, which was adjacent to Tokyo Station. This allowed us to avoid the cost of a more expensive taxi. However, we had to find our hotel. I knew from a map of the station that the hotel was just north of the station. Getting there was more difficult, since the station was huge. We found the east exit and turned left, but there were so many skyscrapers in the way. We did not see the hotel. Fortunately, a young Japanese woman stopped, on her own, to help us, after a search on her smart phone gave us the proper directions. We found the Japanese people constantly seemed to be helpful during this trip.

The hotel was located on the top floors of a skyscraper, with the lobby on the 27th floor. Our room happened to be on the same floor, with a nice view of the city. Booking this hotel turned out to be a great decision, due to the location, reasonable price ($230 per night with a nice breakfast included), and very helpful staff. Another interesting feature was that both the hotels we used in Japan had vending machines that included beer. For $3 you could purchase a night cap instead of spending $10 in the hotel bar for the same beer. The hotel staff was great in assisting me in contacting our tour company to reconfirm our local tours and determine where to pick up the bus for the tours. The room we booked included a double bed, desk and chair, but was not large enough for another chair. This was not a problem, since we spend little time in our room. Our room was on the same floor as the lobby and restaurant. We had a buffet breakfast every morning with a choice of Japanese or Western food. We enjoyed the Western food, which was generally good, but the Japanese don’t cook their scrambled eggs as much as we do in the USA. Still, we had great choices with eggs, bacon, sausage, croissants, breads, yogurt, fruit, cereal and more.

We stayed there five days then went on a tour to Kyoto for two nights, returning to the hotel for one more night prior to our cruise. The staff had already placed our left luggage in our hotel room prior to our arrival from Kyoto. The staff helped us with coordinating with our tour company as well as assisting in navigating the huge Tokyo Station. Breakfast was good with a choice of Japanese or Western. I only wish they cooked the scrambled eggs a bit more. The hotel was perfect for our visit. The Narita Express took us to nearby Tokyo Station upon arrival, so we avoided an expensive taxi. Also, the hotel is near the Ginza district.

We took full day tours every day but one in Tokyo, which included a very good Japanese lunch, so in the evening, after two healthy meals, we were not terribly hungry. Therefore, we didn’t spend much on evening meals. One night we had pizza in an Italian restaurant on the third floor of the building that included the hotel and the other nights we ate at restaurants in Tokyo Station. There are many to choose from and we always found very good food, without spend a lot. Japanese beer was good and we sampled Sapporo and Kurin brands.

One evening, we were comparing the English menus of two restaurants in Tokyo Station and noted “pork rectum” as one of the choices on one restaurant’s menu. We elected to eat at the other restaurant. That evening, Ginny noted this even on Facebook and my Daughter, Risa, who lived in Korea (with US Army) indicated that this dish was a delicacy in East Asia. Still, we had a laugh about this.

Several months prior to our trip, I had booked tours with Viator for our stay in Japan. We have had success with Viator in the past, especially in Asia. Viator contracts out for all its tours. All our tours were provided by JTB Sunrise Tours. All our tours were excellent, with well informed and personable guides. Each day tour included a very good Japanese lunch that exceeded our expectations every time. Our first tour was on our first full day in Tokyo, Sunday. We slept about 12 hours that night recovering from the jet lag. We had to walk to meeting point at the south end of Tokyo Station for our pickup. We were taken to a central bus terminal, where we were assigned to our tour bus for the day. This process takes about half an hour or more, since there are many tours and many buses involved.

Our first tour was the Panoramic Tokyo Day Tour - Meiji Shrine, Asakusa Temple and Tokyo Bay Cruise. The tour included the Meiji Shrine, Japan's most famous Shinto shrine, the Imperial Palace garden, and the Asakusa Kannon Temple (Senso-ji), Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple Our bus drove past the shopping areas of Nakamise Shopping Street and the Ginza district. We then took a short cruise of Tokyo Bay.

The Meiji Shrine website explains the significance of the shrine:

Meiji Jingu is a Shinto shrine. Shinto is called Japan's ancient original religion, and it is deeply rooted in the way of Japanese life. Shinto has no founder, no holy book, and not even the concept of religious conversion, but Shinto values for example harmony with nature and virtues such as "Magokoro (sincere heart)". In Shinto, some divinity is found as Kami (divine spirit), or it may be said that there is an unlimited number of Kami. You can see Kami in mythology, in nature, and in human beings. From ancient times, Japanese people have felt awe and gratitude towards such Kami and dedicated shrines to many of them.

This shrine is dedicated to the divine souls of Emperor Meiji and his consort Empress Shoken (their tombs are in Kyoto).

Emperor Meiji passed away in 1912 and Empress Shoken in 1914. After their demise, people wished to commemorate their virtues and to venerate them forever. So they donated 100,000 trees from all over Japan and from overseas, and they worked voluntarily to create this forest. Thus, thanks to the sincere heart of the people, this shrine was established on November 1, 1920.

The shrine was somewhat crowded, since it was Sunday, but fortunately, we saw two wedding parties that day, as well as several Shinto priests in traditional dress. It was a great way to start our tour of Tokyo. Next, we visited the Imperial Palace garden, which are on the grounds of the Emperor’s palace. The palace was on the site of Edo Castle, originally occupied by the Shogun. The restoration of the Emperor to power resulted in the Shogun vacating the palace for the Emperor. Entrance to the palace itself is only allowed one day a year and not for the general public. Entering the Palace grounds, we passed over a huge moat and then through the massive 500 year old walls in order to visit the gardens. The site itself was not that overwhelming, but it due to its historical importance, it is a must see when visiting Tokyo. Our next site was the Asakusa Kannon Temple is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. According to a legend, in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple.

Beyond the Hozomon Gate are the temple's main hall and a five storied pagoda. Destroyed in the war, the buildings were reconstructions. The Asakusa Shrine, built in the year 1649 by Tokugawa Iemitsu, stands only a few dozen meters to the left of the temple's main building.

We saw a lot of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan, and were told by guides that Japan has 127 million people, including 100 million worshiping Shinto and 100 million Buddhists. Japanese generally find not incompatibility in worships both faiths. Shinto emphasizes life, while Buddhism emphasizes the afterlife.

On our way to lunch, we passed through Ginza, as shopping district, close to Tokyo Station. The tour then took us to Tokyo Bay, were we took a short cruise, where we could see the skyline and a new shopping area called Odaiba, located on an artificial island created in the past for a fort to protect the bay from invaders. After the amazing first three sites, the cruise and visit to Odaiba was a step down. All in all, the tour was excellent and I would recommend it as an introduction to Tokyo.

The next day, we had no tour planned. We did a little shopping, looking around Tokyo Station and walked to Ginza. Going through a nice department store, we could see that the Japanese like name brand designer items, whether luggage, clothing, jewelry or whatever. The prices we saw in the stores were very high. We found a nearby post office and mailed some postcards to family. Most ATM machines in Japan are not compatible with ATM cards from the USA, except at the post office. I was so concerned about not having enough cash that I purchased $900 worth of yen and $100 worth of Hong Kong dollars before the trip. As it turned out we had about $200 worth of yen left after leaving Japan. We used a little to buy some New Taiwan dollars and exchanged the rest back to US dollars before we left for home.

On Tuesday we were on another JTB Sunrise tour, Kamakura, Yokohama and Tokyo Bay Day Trip from Tokyo. The tour included the Great Buddha of Kamakura at Kotoku-in. Kamakura's historic Hasedera Temple and Sankeien Garden in Yokohama. The huge Buddha at Kamakura dates from 1252. It was originally housed inside a temple, but a huge tsunami washed away the wooden structure sometime in the late 15th century, and the statue has sat out in nature ever since.

The Hasedera Temple was equally impressive. The site was ancient and included a large hand carved wooden statue. The official website provided an interesting history:

The Origins of Kamakura’s Hasedera Temple

According to the legend, in 721 AD the pious monk Tokudo Shonin discovered a large camphor tree in the mountain forests near the village of Hase in the Nara region. He realized the trunk of the tree was so large that it provided enough material for carving two statues of the eleven-headed Kannon. The statue he commissioned to be carved from the lower part of the truck was enshrined in Hasedera Temple near Nara; the statue from the upper half (actually the larger of the two) was thrown into the sea with a prayer that it would reappear to save the people.

Fifteen years later in 736 on the night of June 18, it washed ashore at Nagai Beach on the Miura Peninsula not far from Kamakura, sending out rays of light as it did.

The statue was then brought to Kamakura and a temple was constructed to honor it. Since time immemorial, Hasedera Temple has been known as the 4th station among the 33 holy places in the Kanto area.

We found this site to be amazing, with beautiful gardens and a nice view of the Ocean.

Our final site was the Sankeien Garden in Yokohama. These gardens were more amazing than the Hasedera Temple. The gardens were donated by a wealth beneficiary to preserve ancient buildings from around Japan. The gardens and ancient building are set in well-designed locations. It was another example of fantastic Japanese gardens that we saw on our trip. We never tired of visiting these gardens. Again, our tour included an excellent Japanese lunch.

On Wednesday, we took another JTB Sunrise tour to Nikko, north of Tokyo. Despite the wonderful sites we had seen already, Nikko proved to be our favorite day tour in Tokyo. Our tour included the amazing Toshogu Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Tamozawa Imperial Villa, and the Kirifuri Waterfall from an observation deck in Nikko Park. The official website describes the Toshogu Shrine, as follows:

The Toshogu Shrine is the main attraction of Nikko. The Shinto shrine is dedicated to the kami (spirit) of Ieyasu (d. 1616), who founded the Tokugawa Shogunate, a military dynasty that ruled Japan from 1603 to 1867.

To create a worthy shrine for the shogun, 15,000 craftsmen worked for two years, using 2.5 million sheets of gold leaf. The enshrinement of Ieyasu's spirit is reenacted twice each year in the Procession of the Thousand Warriors.

Unlike most Shinto shrines, characterized by minimalist architecture that blends into its surroundings, Toshogu is a riot of color, gold, and carvings, with birds and flowers, dancing maidens, and sages following one another around the buildings. Some visitors find the shrine awe-inspiring and beautiful; others are repelled by the gaudiness. In contrast to the exuberance of the shrine, Ieyasu's mausoleum itself is relatively simple and austere.

One of the most famous elements of Toshogu is the Sacred Stable, where a white imperial horse is kept (a gift of New Zealand). The stable's fame derives from the original carving depicting the three wise monkeys, "Hear no evil, Speak no evil, See no evil." Other famous carvings at Toshogu include a sleeping cat and an odd rendering of an elephant by an artist who had apparently never seen one.

This site was the most impressive one we visited until Kyoto. It included hundreds of 400 year old cedar trees that were provided by one of the Shogun’s lords. Shogun Tokugawa was known as the first Shogun that brought peace to Japan after many years of infighting by various lords. We found Tokugawa’s footprint in several of the historical sites that we visited in Japan. Next we visited the Tamozawa Imperial Villa, which also had a nice garden. Of course, to go inside the villa, we had to remove our shoes, which we probably did 50 times during our time in Japan. The villa was interesting, but traditional Japanese homes are somewhat Spartan and simple. They are usually made of wood and paper (with all the earthquakes that made sense). Again, we had another great Japanese lunch and finished our tour at the Nikko Park to see the Kirifuri Waterfall. This required a hike along a path through the woods to a viewing platform. The falls were attractive, but not particularly awesome compared to falls we have seen elsewhere.

On Thursday we checked out of our hotel, leaving our large suitcases there for our three day trip to Nara and Kyoto. This was another Viator/JTB Sunrise tour that I purchased over the internet prior to our trip. The tour was named Kyoto and Nara 2-Day or 3-Day Rail Tour by Bullet Train from Tokyo. The tour included round trip transportation on the bullet train (Shinkansen) to Kyoto, a hotel room at the New Miyako Hotel for two nights, and a half day tour of Nara the first day, then full day tour of Kyoto the second day. The third day we were on our own. Lunch was included the first and second day, as well as breakfast every morning at the hotel. We departed on the bullet train from Tokyo at 9:50AM (a tour representative met us at the meeting point, provided us with tickets and vouchers, guiding us to the train), arriving in Kyoto about Noon. We were escorted to our hotel, the New Miyako Hotel, just across the street from the rail station.

NARA AND KYOTO

Both cities were former capitals of Japan (capital were the Emperor lived). Our afternoon tour of Nara followed an excellent lunch at our hotel. The bus took about one hour to arrive at Nara. Our first site was the Todaiji Temple, a huge wooden temple with a huge Buddha and several smaller statues. The temple is described, as follows:

Todaiji "Great Eastern Temple" is one of Japan's most famous and historically significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The temple was constructed in 752 as the head temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan and grew so powerful that the capital was moved from Nara to Nagaoka in 784 in order to lower the temple's influence on government affairs.

Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden (Big Buddha Hall) is the world's largest wooden building, despite the fact that the present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds of the original temple hall's size. The massive building houses one of Japan's largest bronze statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall, seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is flanked by two Bodhisattvas.

The building was impressive, not just in size, but the included statutes and contents. Upon arriving, we passed through the nearby deer park, were hundreds of tame deer were there to greet us. Some in our group purchased food for the deer and feed them. I was satisfied to pet one or two. One problem, with all the deer walking around, we had to watch our step so we didn’t step in the deer manure.

Visiting the temple, we encountered awesome statues, many other tourists, as well as worshipers. It was Interesting that the temple included a small gift ship.

Next, we visited the Kasuga Taisha Shrine, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The shrine was originally established in 768; however the buildings have been reconstructed several times. There were a thousand bronze lanterns as well as 2,000 stone lanterns outside the main shrine precinct and along the path leading to the shrine. Also, there was a sacred thousand year old wisteria tree. Our final stop was at Nara Nagomikan, a large building for shopping, filled with tourists.

On Friday, we had our full day tour of Kyoto, the long ancient capital of Japan. Our morning tour included Nijo Castle, the Golden Pavilion (Kinkakuji Temple) and Kyoto Imperial Palace. The first two sites we encountered massive crowds, including many Japanese school children, most appearing to be grammar school age. Nijo Castle was described as follows:

Nijo Castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto residence of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo Period (1603-1867). His grandson Iemitsu completed the castle's palace buildings 23 years later and further expanded the castle by adding a five story castle keep.

After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle was used as an imperial palace for a while before being donated to the city and opened up to the public as a historic site. Its palace buildings are arguably the best surviving examples of castle palace architecture of Japan's feudal era, and the castle was designated a UNESCO world heritage site in 1994.

Nijo Castle can be divided into three areas: the Honmaru (main circle of defense), the Ninomaru (secondary circle of defense) and some gardens that encircle the Honmaru and Ninomaru. The entire castle grounds and the Honmaru are surrounded by stone walls and moats.

This was the first of the castles we visited in Japan. There are not many castles, in Japan compared to Europe. It was a bit refreshing to see a castle after so many temples and shrines. Little did we know that we had many more shrines and temples to see in Japan. We enjoyed seeing them all, but it reminded me of touring Europe, where visiting cathedrals is so common that it is easy to be cathedral saturated. We were definitely shrine and temple saturated after our trip. Nijo Castle was interesting with its palace, walls and grounds. We visited Ninomaru Palace, which served as the residence and office of the shogun during his visits to Kyoto. The palace survives in its original form, and consists of multiple separate buildings that are connected with each other by corridors with so called nightingale floors. The floors were constructed so as to squeak like a nightingale, to act as an alarm that someone was approaching. This operated as a security device protecting the shogun from assassins. The garden was impressive with its well laid out stones, plants and lakes.

The Golden Pavilion was our next temple to visit. Its beauty was amazing, especially when viewed on the other side of the lake, where its reflected image is apparent. Unfortunately, hundreds of other people felt the same way and our viewing was limited to a few minutes, couple of snaps of the camera and negotiating the crowds out of the crush. Still, the small temple was most plated in gold and shined magnificently in the sun. This temple is a must see if you come to Kyoto. It is another UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Imperial Palace was not so crowded, since it can only be visited by appointment, which our tour company had arranged. We viewed the large structure from the outside as well as inside (shoes off again).

We were taken back to the hotel for lunch, which was good, then for three more shrines or temples. Kyoto has a plethora of shrines and temples, many in their original state, since the city was not damaged during WWII. Our afternoon tour included the Hejan Shrine, Sanju Sangendo Hall and Kiyomizu Temple. The Hejan Shrine was only about 100 years old and while impressive, compared to what we had seen and would see later, this shrine was not in my opinion a must see for visitors of Kyoto. The Sanju Sangendo Hall was impressive. The massive wooden hall was a Buddhist Temple including 1001 Buddhas. There was one massive Buddha stature and 1000 others. Also, there were statutes of Buddhist gods. Apparently, the faith has many gods originating from Hinduism, since Buddha was an Indian. No photos were allowed in the temple. It was amazing, but dust from the burning incense was thick. Ginny commented that the whole place needed a good dusting.

The Kiyomizu Temple was our final site for the day. The temple is on the eastern side of the city next to the mountains (mountains are everywhere in Japan). The main hall has a large veranda, supported by tall pillars, that juts out over the hillside and offers impressive views of the city. We were not allowed to go inside the temple, but the view was good and the temple complex was impressive. It was a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Our last day in Kyoto, we were on our own. There were several interesting sites we could have visited, but we chose to do the Philosopher’s Path. The Path is near several shrines or temples. It was described, as follows:

The Philosopher's Path is a pleasant stone path through the northern part of Kyoto's Higashiyama district. The path follows a canal which is lined by hundreds of cherry trees. Usually in early April these trees explode with color, making this one of the city's most popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spots.

Approximately two kilometers long, the path begins around Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion) and ends in the neighborhood of Nanzenji. The path gets its name due to Nishida Kitaro, one of Japan's most famous philosophers, who was said to practice meditation while walking this route on his daily commute to Kyoto University.

We took the easy way getting there by taking a taxi to the north end of the path to the Silver Pavilion. The taxi cost about $20 and we could have taken public transportation for less, but didn’t want to bother with changing trains, etc. The Path itself was along a canal in a quiet residential district. Our first temple to visit was the Silver Pavilion, which had never had the silver applied to its exterior like the Golden Pavilion. The most impressive part of this site was the amazing garden. The site was next to where hills started to rise on the eastern side of the city. The grounds were largely covered by moss. This doesn’t sound impressive, but the groundskeepers were appeared to be constantly raking the moss of any leaves or debris, which created an amazing appearance. Of course, there were lakes, beautiful flowers and trees as well.

We walked the path and visited a couple of small shrines the arrived at the Eikando, formally known as Zenrinji Temple. The temple did not allow photos inside. There were attractive rock gardens in courtyards, inside the temple. There was a pagoda and a platform (many steps to get there) were we took photos of the city. By the time we reached the end of the path at Nanzenji Temple, we took photos of the exterior and then elected to head back to our hotel. Sightseeing can be tiring and we had done a lot of sightseeing. The taxi back to our hotel was about $14. We relaxed in the hotel for a couple of hours before our train back to Tokyo. Again the tour company had someone to escort us to the rail station and our train. We were back in Tokyo about 9PM, made our way to our hotel, the Hotel Metropolitan Tokyo Marunouchi. Checking in was quick and our left luggage was already in our room, which happened to be the same room we had stayed in before.

The next day was the start of our cruise. We had signed up for transport to the port at Yokohama with a fellow cruiser, Ron. Green Tomato provided the transport for Ginny and I, it was about $115 total. We could have saved taking the train and then a taxi, but did not want the hassle of dragging luggage on the train.

CELEBRITY MILLENNIUM

A week prior to flying out to Japan, Celebrity called us offering an upgrade to a sky suite. We had originally booked a balcony. Had we booked a sky suite in the beginning, the price would have been at least double that of a balcony. However, Celebrity offered us an upgrade for a total of $800, which was still a fraction of what we would have paid for a suite in the beginning. We accepted and were moved to cabin 6145, which is one of the higher level sky suites (sky suites are still the entry level suites). The upgrade provided us with two free meals in one of the two Celebrity specialty restaurants, which was worth $180 to $200. Also, we could dine in the new suite restaurant, Luminae. Other benefits included a butler, who brought us tea and snacks about 4pm every afternoon.

Checking in at Yokohama was fast and easy, once we discovered there was a short line for suite passengers. Our suite was located next to the huge suite on the aft, port corner of the ship at deck 6. We had one room, which appeared to be about twice the size of a normal balcony cabin, with a balcony quite large (including upright chairs, table and lounge chairs with footstools. Also, the bathroom was large, with a separate tub and shower, double sinks and lots of storage room. We did enjoy the suite, but this cruise was very port intensive and we spent little time there with only four sea days. Even with the benefit of dining in Luminae, we concluded that we would never book a suite outright, due to the cost vs. benefits.

Luminae

This restaurant was excellent. The food and service was exceptional. Also, over the two weeks, we became acquainted with many others dining there. Having done Aqua class and dined in BLU on one cruise, which we found to be excellent, we found Luminae to be even better than BLU. The food in BLU was closer to what was available in the main dining room, while in Luminae, the food was closer to fine dining. The only disadvantage was that there were fewer choices available on the menu. There were usually about five appetizers and five main courses available. Still, the quality came through and I know that I gained some weight on this cruise (I usually don’t). Another advantage over the MDR was that Luminae was quieter. Breakfast was excellent with a very wide selection. One thing, two years ago we were in BLU and they had Muesli from a cart, where your serving was made to order at your table. We learned that this option was no longer available. Luminae still had muesli, but it was closer to what you could find in the buffet. The staff was excellent and we were served by several different servers, all took good care of us. Plamen was the Maître-de and handled the service quite well. Edwardo was our sommelier, who was excellent.

Entertainment

The entertainment was generally good, and had some great shows, but Celebrity needs to change its production shows for its singers and dancers more frequently. Some of the shows like IBroadway and Boggietown we have seen on two or three earlier cruises. The singers and dancers were all up to speed in talent, except for one female singer. The guest artists that were excellent were Peter Cutler, Greg Andrew impersonating Elton John and Monique Dehaney. Dan Hamill was good as well as the Rock Rhapsody celebrating the group Queen.

We found the ship to be in pretty good shape considering its age. One minor issue was that a spot between the floor tiles in our bathroom kept oozing a sticky substance. Not a bid deal, we put a tissue down from time to time so not to walk on the stuff.

Happy Hour

We look forward to the happy hour from 5-7PM every evening when elite guests or higher congregate and socialize (with free drinks). On other cruises we have enjoyed the happy hour in the deck 11 bar with its great views. It is great to meet others and socialize. For this cruise, we were issued three vouchers per night and had three bars where we could redeem the vouchers. One bar was the Sunset Bar, which for most of the cruise was too cold to use, the other Rendezvous, which always had loud music so we could not socialize; and last Cellar Masters, which was rather modest in size and a bit understaffed. We understood that the Cosmos bar (forward deck 11 bar) was booked every night by the Park West (art sales group). Many of us thought it was unusual to book the best bar on the ship every night for one group. Still, we meet some great people in Cellar Masters and successfully cashed in our vouchers.

SHIMIZU (Mt. Fuji)

Our first port was Shimizu, which was near Mt. Fuji. We took the Celebrity excursion Best of Shimizu with Lunch, which was described, as follows:

Spend a day exploring Shimizu's unforgettable medieval castle ruins, world-heritage-listed ancient pine grove, exquisite traditional gardens, and more. At Shizuoka City, see Sengen Shrine before heading to Sumpu Park. Sumpu Castle was partially rebuilt after a 1635 fire, and re-opened post WWII as a park. See traditional gardens at Momijiyama Garden. Little rivals Nihondaira Park with its commanding views of Mt. Fuji. Following your Japanese lunch, see Miho no Matsubara, beloved by artists for its gnarled trees and vistas.

Highlights:

• See Sengen Shrine, ancient Suruga country's main shrine with deep religious support.

• Explore Sumpu Park and its 1585-built Sumpu Castle; and Momijiyama Gardens featuring traditional manor house ponds.

• Grab your camera for Nihond Nihondaira Park, home to an ancient pine grove overlooking the sea while Fuji towers east.

The tour itself and guide were excellent. We visited the castle ruins; with its thick walls and gardens was interesting, and then the Sengen Shrine and another wonder Japanese garden at Momijiyama. The Nihondaira Park was up on a small mountain and had scenic views of the bay and area, but not Mt. Fuji. Miho no Matsubara was near the beach, and the only disappointment was that the view of Mt. Fuji was not good at all. We had a better view of the mountain from our cruise ship early in the morning. Apparently, the best time to view the mountain is early in the morning before the haze thickens. This was an excellent tour, but if you want a better view of Mt. Fuji. We could have taken another excursion or done a tour from Tokyo, where you are taken much closer to the mountain. Still, we did see the mountain.

KOBE

We arrived in Kobe at 11AM and time for an excursion. The ship docked there overnight, so we had another day as well for sightseeing. Many people on the ship visited nearby Kyoto. I was glad that we visited Kyoto from Tokyo, since the ship’s excursions to Kyoto were about $200. Also, we had two full days in Kyoto as well as half a day in Nara.

Our first day we did Highlights of Osaka which included:

When it comes to history, Osaka has one of the most fascinating ones of all. See the best of Osaka and learn about its rich past. First, visit the stunning Osaka Castle, built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a well-known warlord who ruled the country in the late 16th century. Then, it's on to the revered Sumiyoshi Taisha, the guardian deity for sailors and deity to bring prosperity. See Osaka and all its wonder and glory.

Highlights:

• Admire old weapons, armors, and folk-life items in the astounding Osaka Castle.

• Explore the renowned Sumiyoshi Taisha, the shrine that three million people visit at the beginning of the new year.

The Osaka castle was our second castle to visit on our trip. It was reconstructed and we enjoyed the castle (we walked up to the top floor) and its exhibits. Next was the Sumiyoshi Taisha shrine, which was interesting, having L shaped designed buildings.

Our second day in Kobe, a group of about 20 of our cruise critic friends did a do it yourself trip to Himeji Castle. The trip was organized by Carole from Ontario, Canada. Carol also organized several tours for the cruise. Ginny and I were on all of Carol’s tours, except for the one at Shanghai. We were one her tour of Nagasaki and both days in Taiwan as well as a do it yourself both days in Hong Kong. Carol had researched our trip, which worked out well. We took the Kobe monorail from the cruise port to the train station nearby, then the train to Himeji. After we exited the Himeji rail station, we could see the huge castle (largest castle in Japan) at the end of the street less than a mile away.

The Japan Guide describes the 400 year old castle:

Himeji Castle, also known as White Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white appearance, is widely considered Japan's most spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and its well preserved, complex castle grounds. The castle is both a national treasure and a world heritage site. Unlike many other Japanese castles, it was never destroyed by war, earthquake or fire and survives to this day as one of the country's twelve original castles. The castle recently underwent extensive renovation over several years and was fully re-opened to the public in March 2015.

Himeji Castle lies at a strategic point along the western approach to the former capital city of Kyoto. The first fortifications built on the site were completed in the 1400s, and were gradually enlarged over the centuries by the various clans who ruled over the region. The castle complex as it survives today is over 400 years old and was completed in 1609. It comprises over eighty buildings spread across multiple baileys, which are connected by a series of gates and winding paths.

The castle was a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was very impressive and overshadows even the large Osaka Castle. We walked up the wooden stairs several stories to the top floor. The interior was largely wooden with no furniture, but did have an occasional exhibit. An elderly Japanese volunteer noted our group and guided us (no compensation expected) through the castle. His English was hard to understand sometimes, but we appreciated his gracious effort. After visiting the castle, we went through the gardens, which were attractive as Japanese gardens can be. We learned that Himeji Castle was featured in the James Bond movie You Only Live Twice as well as The Last Samurai.

After touring the castle and gardens, we walked back to the train station and mistakenly took the wrong train. Carol asked the attendant at the station which track and we realized the train had gone past Kobe, when we arrived in Osaka, north of Kobe. Himeji was south of Kobe. No problem, we got off the train in Osaka, found the next train to our port and arrived safely there. We had a few laughs about this.

NAGASAKI

Our next port was Nagasaki, where the second atomic bomb was used in World War II. Our tour was organized by our new cruise critic friend Carol. The tour was with Tours by Locals.

https://www.toursbylocals.com/Nagasakionedaytour

Our group of 8 visited the Peace Park, Hypocenter, A-bomb museum and the surroundings; Spectacle Bridge and Temple Row; Site of the former Dutch trading House on Dejima and Dejima Wharf and visited a shopping area. We opted to skip the Shinto shrine. We purchased a streetcar day ticket for 500 yen and used the streetcar for transport to the sites. Our guide was excellent and left us some flexibility regarding what we would visit. Also, the Japanese lunch was excellent for about 900 yen.

The Peace Park was located at the center of the bomb blast. The blast was an air blast, but the park was just below where the blast occurred. There were many memorials from different countries spread all over the park. Our guide pointed out what the bomb damaged. We learned here and at the A-bomb museum that the bomb largely missed the city’s business district, but instead hit a largely residential area. The museum was excellent and presented the history and facts of the bomb damages without getting into the propriety of the US dropping the bomb. At the museum, we were shown items that were directly damaged, like steel girders, melted coins and other evidence of the damage.

After the nice lunch, we visited Dejima, a former Dutch trading center. The Japanese allowed the Dutch a trading center in Nagasaki as long as they did not proselytize Christianity. The center was near the business district and appeared to contain some of the original buildings, although I am sure some restoration was necessary. The center gave us an interesting perspective on early contact of Europeans in Japan and the basis of trade. Next, we visited the Spectacle Bridge. The Nagasaki City Tourism Guide explains the importance of the bridge:

In 1634, Japan's first Chinese-style stone bridge, the Spectacle Bridge, was constructed by Mokusunyoujo, the second-generation Chinese monk of Kofukuji Temple, Japan's oldest Chinese Temple. The bridge gets its name from its resemblance to a pair of spectacles when the arches of the bridges are reflected as ovals on the surface of the river. This bridge, along with Edo's Nihonbashi Bridge and Iwakuni's Kintaikyou Bridge, are considered the three most famous bridges in Japan. Although it is not well known, Spectacles Bridge was the inspiration for the Double Bridge of the Imperial Palace.

We skipped the shrine and visited a shopping area, which was more modern than a traditional bazaar. It was an excellent tour for a very reasonable price and our group of 8 very much enjoyed the tour.

Our next day on the ship was our second sea day (first on the day before Nagasaki) and we enjoyed the opportunity to relax and recuperate from all the touring. Our next port was Shanghai. We only had one port in the People’s Republic of China, and the issue of acquiring a visa for China was quite large on our cruise critic roll call. I asked Celebrity (via email), as did others, if we needed the visa if we elected to not go ashore at Shanghai. We received a tentative yes, but caveated by the concern that the Chinese authorities could change their policy, which could lead to our not being able to board the ship in Tokyo.

At first, I planned to skip the visa and visit to Shanghai, since we had spent four days in the city on a tour of China in 2012. However, Ginny and I decided to not take the risk that could stop us from taking the cruise. Unfortunately, while our passports still had more than two years of validity, we lacked two clean pages (required by China) for the visa. Therefore we had to acquire new passports. It turned out to be expensive, but we now have new passports with a ten year Chinese visa.

SHANGHAI

Shanghai is an amazing city of some 22 million people. It has grown since our visit in 2012, when we were told its population was 17 million. Ginny and I took a Celebrity excursion named Watertown of Zhujiajiao. It was one of the few excursions that did not duplicate what we saw in the city three years ago. It was described as follows:

Explore Zhujiajiao, known for its 36 moss-covered bridges, on this tour to ancient landmarks and the Tian Hou Silk Factory. Visit Daqing Youju and Fangsheng Bridge, both important historical landmarks. Then, savor a delicious multi-course lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, you can shop for fine local silk products at the Tian Hou Silk Factory, followed by a coach ride to the Pudong New District in Shanghai, with a final stop at Riverside Avenue near the Oriental Pearl TV Tower.

Highlights:

• See Zhujiajiao’s famous, Fangsheng Bridge, dating back to the Ming Dynasty.

• Visit the Daqing Youju, a post office that dates back to the Qing Dynasty.

• Enjoy a multi-course family-style lunch of traditional Shanghai-style dishes served at a local restaurant.

The tour was pretty good and our guide was informative. The watertown of Zhujiajiao was interesting, especially the visit the old post office. However, we had visited another watertown near Shanghai in 2012 that seemed more authentic and less touristy than Zhujiajiao. Traffic in the city was congested and getting around took some time. We noticed that traffic chaos had not changed since our visit to mainland China three years ago. If there were three official lanes, the drivers would create four or five. The visit to the silk factory seemed like the same one we visited in 2012. The lunch was good, but the waitress forgot to bring the rice to our table. The tour guide did apologize. It did seem strange, no rice with a meal in China. Otherwise, the meal was very good. Our last stop of the day was near dusk at the new Pudong district, across the river from the historic Bund. We managed some photos, despite that the sun had set. It was a relatively good tour, but I would not recommend this tour if you have not been to Shanghai before.

OKINAWA

Our next port was our last port in Japan, Okinawa. Fortunately, the weather there was good and nice and warm. Temps were in the high 70s and I was able to wear shorts for the first time. We took another Celebrity excursion, Okinawa World and Shurijyo Castle. We first stopped at Shurijo Castle, former seat of power during Ryuku Kingdom's 500-year reign. The castle grounds had the typical thick rock walls, but the structure of the castle was wood. It was reconstructed, since the original building was destroyed in World War II. Our guide explained this history of Okinawa, how it was influenced by contacts with China and had some measure of independence as for a while, before being incorporated as a full part of Japan in 1879. The castle was worth a visit.

Okinawa World was a theme park that included a large cave with its stalagmites and stalactites. It took about 40 minutes to walk through. The rest of the park included a small reconstructed Okinawan village with crafts, etc. It was ok, but frankly I was underwhelmed. We saw a show with native dancing that was good, especially with the dragon (two persons inside the dragon) dance. All in all, the theme park was one that I would probably not recommend to others, but some might like it more. Our other option for Okinawa included a trip to the old Japanese command center during the WWII battle or a drive to see some scenic areas on the island. We enjoyed our visit to the island, but after being wowed by our other Japanese sites, Okinawa was not as impressive.

TAIWAN

Carol’s tours for our two days in Taiwan were excellent. The tour company was My Taiwan Tour Travel Service Co., Ltd. Both tours together cost about $110 per person which was far cheaper than what Celebrity’s excursions had to offer. Since we arrived in Taiwan at 1PM, our first day tour was a half day tour. The tour took us to the Yehliu geo park at the Yehliu Promontory, which had many unusual shapes. One famous formation was known as the "Queen's Head." There were perhaps a hundred or more unusual formations which was fascinating. I am sure that persons going through my photos of the trip will ask why I took so many photos of rocks. My answer, they were very unusual rocks. Our tour finished with a trip to the Keelung Market (Keelung was the port north of Taipei where our ship was docked). We walked through the busy market with all its interesting stalls. Most were selling food of some kind. Some of the food looked and smelled good, others not so.

Day two in Taiwan was a full day tour that took us to Taipei. The highlight of the tour was a visit to the wonderful National Palace Museum. The museum was originally founded in the Forbidden City of Beijing in 1925, and moved to southwest China during the war with Japan, then moved to Taipei by Chiang Kai-shek when he moved there from the mainland when the Communist won the civil war. The museum is filled with amazing and priceless works of art and culture. Our guide took us through the museum, oriented us and took us to see several of the very important items. The item that I thought was the most awesome was the huge painting on silk called One Hundred Horses. The 1728 painting was by Castiglione, an Italian artist that mixed styles of East and West.

After the museum, we visited the tallest building on the island, Taipei 101. We didn’t go up to the top to see the city, since we had two buses with a total of 40 persons and that would have taken too much of our time. We did have lunch at the building site, which were largely dumplings with various ingredients. The lunch was quite good. In the afternoon, we visited the Chang Kai-shek memorial, which was huge, including a huge statue of Chang. Frankly, the memorial and statue were a bit much, since the statue was probably at least three times the size of Lincoln’s statue at the Lincoln Memorial. Our last stop was at a Taoist/Buddhist Temple. The temple was colorful with many active worshipers in attendance. The tour was excellent, particularly including the museum.

HONG KONG

The cruise ended in Hong Kong and we had a full day and overnight until we disembarked from the ship. The first day, Carol, John, Terry and Katy joined Ginny and I on a do it yourself trip to see the Nan Lian Garden and Chi Lin Nunnery. All of us had been to Hong Kong before and none of us had seen these sites. Fortunately, there was a free shuttle that took us from the cruise port to a shopping mall near the Diamond Hill MRT station. The Garden and Nunnery are located adjacent to the mall. The Nan Lian Garden was amazing. It was magnificently landscaped with trees, plants, rocks, a waterfall, bridge and small museums. The fact that it was a quiet and serene garden in the middle of heavily built up Hong Kong added to the beauty of the garden. We found a small exhibit there of Murano glass from Venice, with some stunning glass. The nunnery was a Buddhist temple and also surrounded by tall buildings in a pleasant surroundings. We had spent about two hours at these sites, and then went through the mall, finding it very much like what you find back home. We all wanted to get back to the ship even though it was early afternoon, since we had to pack and prepare to leave the ship the next day.

The next day we departed the ship at 8:30AM and took a shuttle to the Kowloon Station, where we could check our luggage early for our flights. We found a place in the nearby mall where we stuffed our carry-on bags in a locker for a few hours and Carol, John, Ginny and I took a taxi to the Hong Kong History Museum there in Kowloon. We spent about three hours enjoying the museum which covered the geological and political history of Hong Kong. The exhibits were well done.

Returning to pick up our carry-ons, we took the Airport Express, a fast train, directly to the airport. Ginny and I said farewell to Carol and John, then continued to the last stop on the line to our hotel (we could see the airport from the hotel). We had a day rate for 8 hours at the hotel, to relax, since our flight to Seoul-Inchon was not until 12:55AM the next morning. We were on Korean Air Lines from Hong Kong to Seoul, then directly to Atlanta. The food and service on the flight was excellent, but it was another marathon 14 hour flight to Atlanta. By the time we arrived in Jacksonville, we were totally wiped out. The best part of coming home was seeing our cat, Simon, we happily greeted us. In fact, since we have been home, he follows us everywhere.

It was a fantastic trip. We loved Japan and our new friends from the cruise, but it was so good to get home again.