Asian cruises on O

[kathy16]

Interested in Beijing to Hong Kong cruise March 25, 2010. Anyone recommend this itinerary on O? There seems to be 3 overnights- Shanghai, Kyoto, and Taipei.

Kathy

[Rickey 88]

We were on the Nautica's Inaugural cruise from Beijing in Mar. of 2006 and thoroughly enjoyed it all!

 

First of all, may I suggest you plan on starting in Beijing early, if you have never been there before. It would be a shame to miss much of this fascinating city. We were able to arrange a car and guide through the Shangri-La hotel - but ran into snow for the first day.

 

You should also think of having your hotel arrange for a driver to get you to Tianjin. Cabs are not helpful as most don't seem to know their way around, and don't have the documents to allow them into the port area.

 

The cruise itself was great - two days was not enough for Shanghai, but we were there for three anyway as fog caused us to anchor in the river until permission was given to sail on to Japan.

 

If you do decide to book, I doubt you will be disappointed!! ;)

[eddmel]

We took this cruise last year and it was wonderful!

 

We stayed 3 nights pre-cruise at the Shangri-La Hotel in Beijing (through Oceania) which worked out well. We took all the optionals offered by Oceania in Beijing. Loved everything!

 

We highly recommend this cruise. Many others don't go to Taipei and it turned out to be a real highlight of the trip. The National Museum and night markets there are not to be missed. Also saw the tallest building in the world.

 

We were lucky enough to be in Japan when the cherry blossoms were in bloom.

 

After the cruise we used A&K in Hong Kong and stayed at the Peninsula. Our travel agent (a cruise specialist here in NYC) suggested A&K...it worked out very well.

 

I want to go back...would love a cruise with more stops in Japan.

[kathy16]

Thanks for your input. I love O. but it seemed the Diamond Princess Beijing- to Bangkok cruise had more interesting stops, and I wasn't sure about an overnight in Taipei, but I love the 2 nights in Shanghai, and ending cruise in Hong Kong, with potential of several nights there post-cruise. I can't decide which Asia cruise to book!

[digby]

We were on the 2006 cruise and really enjoyed it. We paid $7999. (no air) each for an OS which was wonderful. According to the web site the same cabin for the same cruise for the March 2010 cruise will be $13999./EACH without air. That is a HUGE increase! Azamara is beginning to look better and better!

[StanandJim]

Azamara is beginning to look better and better!

 

Even after what Aussiegal said about the service and the food? :eek:

 

Better to cough up 14k on Oceania for quality than 11k on Azamara for lackluster.....you cant take it with you!

[digby]

Yes, even after that. We have several friends who have sailed on both and are very satisfied with both. One negative opinion would not change our minds. I love "O", but my next cruise will be on Azamara because their itinerary better fits our needs.

[wripro]

My feeling on prices for 2010 cruises is that they are like asking prices on real estate....just an opening offer. Once O (or any cruise line for that matter) sees which cruises sell and which don't the discounts will come in for those that are not selling well. IMO the economy will not improve enough next year to warrant higher prices but brochures had to be printed and they figured they might as well start higher since they can always lower prices later. Personally, I would wait to book anything in 2010 to see where things level off. Even if prices don't go down significantly they may throw in lots of OBC.

[digby]

You might think the higher prices would keep people away, but when I checked all the OS were already taken for the cruise being discussed in 2010. Of course right now all that requires is a small deposit which is refundable up to 90 days before sailing. I still intent to sail again on "O", but wonder if they will out price themselves for some people.

[StanandJim]

I still intend to sail again on "O", but wonder if they will out price themselves for some people.

 

Probably, but there will also be a lot of Seabourn, Regent, Crystal and Silversea expatriots who will turn to O as a less expensive alternative.

 

And when every owners suite is booked, this far out, the pricing might have been too low.

 

Look at the difference in price between coach and first class on an airplane.....and you only sit in that seat for a few hours!

[shoshona2]

Hi Digby,

 

I clicked on the thread for the 2010 cruises out of curiosity. Click on it and it will bring up the Brochure. If you book before August 31, 2009, the prices were half of what you saw.

 

Sheila

[digby]

Hi Digby,

 

I clicked on the thread for the 2010 cruises out of curiosity. Click on it and it will bring up the Brochure. If you book before August 31, 2009, the prices were half of what you saw.

 

Sheila

 

 

That's strange! I got the price directly from the "O" web site. I'll look again.

[digby]

Category Brochure Fares Special Promotions

OS $29998 $14999

 

This is what the web site has right now. What am I missing?

[LHT28]

Inflation ?

[shoshona2]

And, new owners!

 

Sheila