Viking Air flight-New York to China

[couchking]

Hi All,

Planning to book Imperial Jewels of China for Oct.7th. Viking has a air deal going on. It would be cheaper to book through them I live in the New York area and could leave from Newark or JFK. Newark would be more convenient, but would leave from whichever if anyone has experience with the flights.

Has anyone in the New York area booked China flights with Viking, and how did you make out?

This had to be booked by Wed. and paid in full to take advantage of this promotion.

While I'm asking, has anyone taken this trip, and how was it? Looks great to me.

Thanks

Larry,

New Jersey

[cmthomas]

Ask Viking a lot of questions. They seem to love Northwest Airlines and if they send you on them you will probably stop and/or change planes in Detroit and Tokyo in both directions.

 

On the other hand, Continental has non-stop service to Beijing and Shanghai now leaving from Newark and United has just started non-stop service from Washington Dulles to Beijing and have a start-up promotion going on.

 

Also, if you book your own you can go in a day early to adjust to all of those time zones you are going to cross before starting a very active tour.

 

Clarence:)

[cmthomas]

My previous response was incorrect. Continental does not currently serve Shanghai non-stop or otherwise from the U.S. so you could get to Beijing with them but you would have to return to Beijing or go to Hong Kong for your return flight. United appears to be the only U.S. airline providing non-stop service from the U.S. to both cities. Northwest's service is via a connecting flight in Tokyo which makes a long trip even longer.

 

Clarence:)

[WIT]

We are going with friends from NY on the Viking Cultural Delights tour/cruise leaving 4/10 and coincidentally just heard from them about their flight arrangements. They leave via United from Newark @6AM to Chicago @7:21 and leave Chicago 12:46PM direct for Beijing arriving 3:PM on 4/11.

[cmthomas]

That is a GREAT routing! If you can be sure that you are on United I would recommend that you consider purchasing from United their "Economy Plus Package". For $299 you and a traveling companion can get seats in Economy Plus for an entire year.

 

Economy Plus is nothing like Business Class but it does give you an additional 3" to 5" of leg room and on a flight that long you will certainly appreciate that additional room when the person in front of you fully reclines the seat and you are eating his headrest with your dinner!

 

You certaily have a busy year ahead WIT! Enjoying that retirement?

 

Clarence:)

[couchking]

Thanks for the info. I did talk to Viking, and they would not commit to the flight. They are going to give you whatever is cheapest. I save about $300 per person booking with them and they also include transfers. I would book myself for the extra $600 if I could get direct flight from New York both ways, but don't seem to see it.

I will have to decide by Tuesday what I want to do.

Larry

New Jersey

[cmthomas]

There is a non-stop flight to Beijing from JFK on Air China for $1,213 per person but on the return from Shanghai you have to change planes in San Francisco to a United flight back to New York.

 

Take a look at http://matrix.itasoftware.com/cvg/dispatch/bonsaiproxy/p?V=M24685119787106377069&AAC=2007-02-03-18&AAA=30&TBS=30&L=B25467169623690175168&J=33&Q=-1

 

Cabs in China are relatively inexpensive but you have to have your hotel name written in Chinese to show the cab driver. It would probably cost about $20 from the airport to your hotel. You would have to tap the ATM at the airport to get some Yuan to pay the cabbie.

 

Clarence:)

[H2Otstr]

Thanks for that link, Clarence. How's Fla?

 

Sharon

[cmthomas]

Sharon, I think that the only "safe" answer to that question is "chilly" by Florida standards (61 today) but downright "balmy" by what I see around the rest of the country!

 

I'm NOT complaining!

 

Clarence:)