Shanghai by night

[RetiredFL]

Has anyone doe this tour by Oceania while in Shanghai? We usually avoid these things but this one is not the usual watered down drinks in sleezy night clubs type of tour, or at least it does not appear to be.

If you have taken it, your opinion?

[Rickey 88]

The tours on our Asia cruise offered by Oceania were those 3 - 3 1/2 hour variety with rather limited opportunities to see the real Shanghai. We opted for the "Chinese Acrobats" at the Portman Hotel and were quite pleased. It was really nothing more that a coach ride to the hotel, followed by about a two hour show, and then a return to the ship. I doubt that the Acrobat show was one of the best versions, but it was enjoyable.

 

Frankly, I tell most people that the ship's tours, wherever they are, are quite expensive and very limited in scope. If you're really interested in seeing the "real" Shanghai, you'd be better off if you arranged a private guide and have them take you to whatever it is that would appeal to you.

[RetiredFL]

Thanks, we have a private van for the two days we are there and have arranged a schedule to suit our interests but we only have them from 8-5.

We normally have dinner on board and then to an early bedtime but they say the lights in Shanghai are a must see so thought we would consider a ships tour.

We are not finding private tour companies as easily as in European ports and certainly no HOHO busses except for Hong Kong.

Do you have any info on Kyoto. We can find no private tours from Kobe to Kyoto.

Thanks

[Rickey 88]

I agree with you that dinner on board would be a good idea. We heard from several who tried dinners on their own, and were not particularly happy. Perhaps you should arrange to have your van driver return at night and give you a 2 hour drive of the lights. Shanghai is really quite beautiful....

 

We got this from someone who tried their service: http://www.gotokandk.com/japan.html

 

I got the flu while in Beijing and wasn't up to touring while in Japan and we were delayed in getting there due to fog in the Yangtze river.

[Paulchili]

If it's the lights you want to see (and they are spectacular) you have a few options. Have a dring in the upstairs bar in Shangri La in Pudong looking at Shanghai (the Bund) or at the M on the Bund with the view of Pudong; or better yet, have a drink at both. If you don't want to drink, you could also go up to the top of the Oriental TV tower at night (I don't know how late they are open).

Either option should be a lot cheaper than the O tour.

[Aussie Gal]

Quite a few on our cruise including us are using beijingservice.com for tours. They could have a tour at night that may suit you. Tansy is the person who answers all their emails and is very efficient.

 

Jennie

[RetiredFL]

We are already using Tansy for our day tours so will check but would still like to know anyone's experience with the ship's tour.

[wripro]

Taxis in Shanghai are VERY cheap so you can do most of these things on your own and save a lot of money over ship's tours. Plus you are not being herded into a show with a busful of fellow passengers.

[digby]

When we took this cruise in 2006, we had done some research in advance and had made a reservation at M on the Bund which at the time was one of the 'in' places. We had a wonderful time. The view from their terrace was spectacular as was the food and service. Getting a taxi to and from the ship was very easy, and the night was a highlight of our entire cruise.

[arzz]

We recently completed a 65 day Asia/Australia/South Pacific cruise. Many of our tours were private and arranged by a fellow cruiser whom we met on the cruise critic roll call boards. In Shanghai we used beijingservice.com and I do believe that Tansy was the contact person. The ship overnighted in Shanhai and we enjoyed the services of the same guide for both days. The company provided both a guide and a driver. On the first day we visited a water town where we not only took in the sights and museums but we were treated to a folkloric show. The second day we went to the bund, the Jewish quarter and other in town sights. Our guide spoke excellent English (she majored in tourism in college) and was truly fantastic. We treated her and our driver to lunch on the second day -- she brought us to an incredible restaurant that we would never have discovered on our own -- we let her do the ordering and we enjoyed an incredible ethnic feast.

 

I posted a daily blog on this trip on the Holland America boards if you would like to read more about our Shanghai experience.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=848115