Mekong Cruise Questions

[ljandgb]

We flew Hanoi to HCMC, Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, and Siem Reap to Bangkok. My husband and I both had regular sized carry on luggage and a small backpack as our personal item.  We didn't have any problems on any of the flights.  In fact, my husband's carry on had been fully expanded which made it pretty fat and no one seemed to care.

Edited January 24 by ljandgb

[margbem]

19 hours ago, worcestergal said:

I just called Scenic to confirm luggage limits for the flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap and was told that the “normal” international limit of 23 kg applies for checked baggage. The representative said that carryon limits were “normal” as well - and I have no idea what that means!  
I am curious if any of you have had experience with this. 

Do you know who your flights will be with? If so, you can check on the airline's website for full details of weights and measurements.

[worcestergal]

I don’t know, but I will call Scenic with that question. Good idea, thanks. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

8 hours ago, margbem said:

Do you know who your flights will be with? If so, you can check on the airline's website for full details of weights and measurements.

What you can’t find out from the airline is whether those rules are strictly enforced (esp carry-on weights). 

[CDNPolar]

22 hours ago, margbem said:

Do you know who your flights will be with? If so, you can check on the airline's website for full details of weights and measurements.

 

I always check the internal airline requirements, and they can be smaller and less weight than other international airlines that we are used to flying with.

 

The question as to if they are enforced, you will only know if and when they enforce their restrictions on you.

 

We do a lot of international travel and we typically use the same set of airlines and know their luggage requirements.  

 

BA for example allow the carryon to be up to 50lbs or 23kg.  The same as a checked bag in weight.  This is also not typical on most airlines for a carryon.

 

We were flying EVA Air for the first time and the carryon weight was only 15lbs or 7kg and we asked friends that have flown them before and they told us that there is high probability that EVA Air will weigh our carry on and if over that weight force us to check it and potentially pay additional fees.

[franski]

The internal flights can have different weight restrictions.  We are used to 23 kg/50 lbs for checked luggage.  Flying from Siem Reap to Bangkok, the weight limit was 20 kg/44 lbs.  And - if you purchase a second bag and just expect to pay the cost of an extra bag... be prepared.  My friend did that - but in Siem Reap they weighed both bags together (as she only had a 1 bag limit with her ticket category) and they charged her for the overage based on weight.  VERY pricey. 

 

We booked premium economy (flew EVA air - very impressed) - and so we had a free second bag if we wanted it.  We ended up bringing our friend's extra bag home with us - and then had to get it down to her (we are in Canada, she is in the US). 

 

Fran

[franski]

For clothing/shoes... make sure that you have stable footwear.  There is lots of walking over uneven ground - and lots of steps. Something with support would be good (ie: flip flops not great for the excursions).

 

For clothes - your shoulders need to be covered to get into any temples.  Some places accept a shawl to cover your shoulders, some do not. Sometimes you need to take your shoes off... not all the time.  I didn't find they were as strict with covering your knees - my husband (and many of the men on our tour) had knee length shorts and they were never stopped from entering any temples. 

 

There was a self-serve laundry on our boat - we travelled with Emerald.  It was busy almost all the time.  You needed to be strategic in your timing to get your laundry done (machines were free - and detergent was provided). We did laundry late at night - some did early morning - some put in a load when they went to dinner - and then popped out during dinner to switch it to the dryer.  I had one "dressier" dress - that is machine washable - to wear on the dressier nights.  Otherwise, I wore dressy capris or a casual midi shift dress. I had one pair of dressier sandals that I wore while on the boat.

 

Make sure you have good bug repellant... and generously coat your feet & lower legs.  The bugs are brutal...

 

Fran

[margbem]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. The suitcases are out! We are attempting to keep the cases at about 17kg so they will fit things in that we might buy. We are also only taking a rucksack each as hand luggage. Certainly not what we usually do!

[CDNPolar]

14 hours ago, margbem said:

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. The suitcases are out! We are attempting to keep the cases at about 17kg so they will fit things in that we might buy. We are also only taking a rucksack each as hand luggage. Certainly not what we usually do!

Careful with the rucksacks too!  They may weigh and measure those too!  That would be your personal item and many of these carriers have size and weight restrictions to the personal item.

 

Even if your carryon is within weight and size restrictions, the personal item may not be.  

 

We are more used to getting past a lot of airline checkin and boarding counters with luggage, carryon, and personal items that may not meet the published standard, but some of these internal carriers in other countries, are very strict and don't miss anything.  

 

We also see some passengers that have the carryon, the personal item, AND another bag of sorts.  This also may not fly in some countries and the internal airlines.

[margbem]

29 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Careful with the rucksacks too!  They may weigh and measure those too!  That would be your personal item and many of these carriers have size and weight restrictions to the personal item.

 

Even if your carryon is within weight and size restrictions, the personal item may not be.  

 

We are more used to getting past a lot of airline checkin and boarding counters with luggage, carryon, and personal items that may not meet the published standard, but some of these internal carriers in other countries, are very strict and don't miss anything.  

 

We also see some passengers that have the carryon, the personal item, AND another bag of sorts.  This also may not fly in some countries and the internal airlines.

Thanks, CDNPolar. We have one flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok on a turbo prop plane that has the least generous hand baggage measurements and both our rucksacks conform to those. We have nothing else! Handwashing here we come!

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, margbem said:

Thanks, CDNPolar. We have one flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok on a turbo prop plane that has the least generous hand baggage measurements and both our rucksacks conform to those. We have nothing else! Handwashing here we come!

 

Happy that you have full knowledge and won't get caught...  better to know in advance in my books!