Is anyone planning to change their plans for travel in China?

[Clay Clayton]

Actually, presuming you request and are granted a 10 year visa, it can last longer than your passport. My visa is good until 2029 but my passport expires later this year. There was a note with my visa that said to just carry the old passport (with the visa) as well as my new passport if I revisit China in the future. 

[shazzie1]

I guess because the cruise is going to Hong Kong we don’t have to have Visas........

[Peregrina651]

46 minutes ago, shazzie1 said:

I guess because the cruise is going to Hong Kong we don’t have to have Visas........

 

Guessing is not wise. If you don't have the proper visas in your possession, you may be denied boarding the ship. Viking makes it clear that you are responsible for having the correct visas. Should you not have the proper visas and they deny you boarding, it is not covered by your insurance, not even the cost to get back home.  (And, yes, there is story in this forum of a guy who did not read anything before his river cruise to Russia and when he got to the airport, he was told he could not even board the plane to Russia. He missed his trip, lost all the money he had paid, and tried to blame Viking for his failure to read the documents he was sent. He should have been "told" was his defense. )

 

Visas required depend on the passport you carry, not where you live. For US passport holders, visit the Department of State's travel section: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages.html

[1985rz1]

3 hours ago, shazzie1 said:

I guess because the cruise is going to Hong Kong we don’t have to have Visas........

For Hong Kong:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/HongKong.html

 

I guess the "visa" I refered to was actually a (free) entry stamp, which states I am allowed to stay up to 90 days.  I just checked my passport.  There is also an exit stamp.

[Clay Clayton]

agree (as usual) with Peregrina...based on my reading, if the ship is only going To Hong Kong then a chinese Visa isn’t needed BUT if you are going anywhere else then one is needed.  We got ours at the consulate directly  at a great savings over using a Visa service. 

[Haworth]

Just had the update that all tours including the Yangtze River have been stopped until June 2020

[shazzie1]

Thank you Peregrina!   I will double check!

 

I’m not hopeful we’re actually going now.......Will be interested to see what happens. 

We are ready to go to Australia and New Zealand if the trip is cancelled. 

[DGHOC]

17 hours ago, Haworth said:

Just had the update that all tours including the Yangtze River have been stopped until June 2020

 

How terribly disappointing for you Haworth but it is most definitely the right decision. This situation is ever changing now and very worrying.

[Pyroforyou]

A little off topic but I didn't notice any changes in the Viking river boats that are used for Chinese groups. I would think that info might only be on Viking for China.

[desert traveler]

Our Far East cruise starts in Hong Kong May 1st.  We have booked our own air on American. Fortunately we have travel insurance but not sure how much that will help if they change the port on the start of the cruise.  The first 2 stops are Hong Kong and Taipei.

Keeping my fingers crossed that things improve.  I did see where 2 skips have been stopped (Princess and ?Carnival) due to the virus.

If Viking cancels the cruise I assume they will offer another cruise for the amt we have paid.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, desert traveler said:

they will offer another cruise for the amt we have paid

 

They will either give you a full refund or give you a voucher in the amount of what you already paid them to be applied to another cruise. The voucher will have a time limit on it. If the cruise you choose costs more than what your voucher is worth, you will have to pay the difference.

 

 

[shazzie1]

Desert Traveler, Peregrina is correct. 

 

Ours is on April 14th.  To not be left "High and Dry" we went ahead and booked another 

cruise for 2 weeks in January to Australia & NZ.  We like a bigger room and they go first.

We got the last one for January...the Jr. Suite. If Viking cancels our trip on April 1st I don't

want to be without an option or the room I want. If it goes then we lose $200 of our 

$500 deposit. It's an expense we're willing to pay to have a back up option. 

 

We'll  hold off on the Orient for a while if the trip cancels. And yes, the vouchers are for one year which is why

I booked for January. I still work so I have to plan the trips around when I can leave. 

 

[OnTheJourney]

On 2/4/2020 at 11:07 AM, Haworth said:

Just had the update that all tours including the Yangtze River have been stopped until June 2020

 

Certainly the biggest concern is for the health and safety of everyone involved, but still, really sorry for you and all others whose plans have been impacted by this. What a nightmare for the cruise lines and travel industry in general. Could be worse...could be stranded on the Diamond Princess.  

[shazzie1]

Oh that would be awful—to be stranded like the Diamond Princess. I’m hoping Viking will do the right thing and cancel our trip if it’s dangerous. Ours is their Southeast Asia cruise (Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong). 

 

Thailand and Cambodia are allowing Chinese in no matter what so that is an issue.......

 

I’m worried they will put profit in front of people. I’m normally not so skeptical but I am

about this. 

[Heidi13]

25 minutes ago, shazzie1 said:

Oh that would be awful—to be stranded like the Diamond Princess. I’m hoping Viking will do the right thing and cancel our trip if it’s dangerous. Ours is their Southeast Asia cruise (Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong). 

 

Thailand and Cambodia are allowing Chinese in no matter what so that is an issue.......

 

I’m worried they will put profit in front of people. I’m normally not so skeptical but I am

about this. 

Similar to the World Cruise, I have no doubt that Viking will continue to monitor the situation and make any change necessary. On the WC we are still going to Thailand and Cambodia, in fact the only changes are China & HK.

[DaveSJ711]

39 minutes ago, shazzie1 said:

Oh that would be awful—to be stranded like the Diamond Princess. I’m hoping Viking will do the right thing and cancel our trip if it’s dangerous. Ours is their Southeast Asia cruise (Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong). 

 

Thailand and Cambodia are allowing Chinese in no matter what so that is an issue.......

 

I’m worried they will put profit in front of people. I’m normally not so skeptical but I am

about this. 

 

We did the reverse trip in November, from Hong Kong to Thailand.  Like us, you will probably stop in Sihanoukville, Cambodia (not a pleasant place BTW).  The entire city is being redeveloped with dozens of Chinese-funded casinos and hotels.  Understandably, Cambodia relies on this cash cow and is therefore quite close to its northern neighbor.  So I wouldn't expect Cambodia to take a hard line on transit into and through the country.  Hopefully Viking will recognize this dynamic and make appropriate changes to your trip.  

Edited February 9, 2020 by DaveSJ711

[shazzie1]

I have read reviews about Sihanoukaville and I’m not sure we’re even going to get off there....if we go—it sounds ugly and I see no reason to see it. LOL! 

 

I forgot Vietnam is on our itinerary as well and they aren’t limiting or not allowing any Chinese either—surely Viking will recognize this? My hubby and I fly in and out of Hong Kong as we live in Dallas so that’s another issue. Ugh! 

[shazzie1]

28 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Similar to the World Cruise, I have no doubt that Viking will continue to monitor the situation and make any change necessary. On the WC we are still going to Thailand and Cambodia, in fact the only changes are China & HK.

 

The World Cruise sounds amazing!!! At least Viking can skip China altogether. 

 

[Peregrina651]

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