Hong to Hong Kong 2010

[Susan07470]

I could not resist the promotion and itinerary on Silversea. Having travelled on both Silversea and Seabourn, I must admit Seabourn is my perference. How many times do people want to stop in the same ports though? I am back a couple of months from the Seabourn Dalmation Gems cruise and must admit, it was heaven. I hope Silversea will be an equally good experience.

[DebbieH103]

I hope you will enjoy Silversea. We always do.

[SanFranCruizer]

I could not resist the promotion and itinerary on Silversea. Having travelled on both Silversea and Seabourn, I must admit Seabourn is my perference. How many times do people want to stop in the same ports though? I am back a couple of months from the Seabourn Dalmation Gems cruise and must admit, it was heaven. I hope Silversea will be an equally good experience.

 

Which Hong Kong roundtrip are you sailing? The Nov 16, 2010 one?

[Susan07470]

Yes, will you be joining us?

[SanFranCruizer]

Yes. My parents are booked on this trip as well. We signed up for the 5 day pre-cruise tour (which is incredible and not bad in terms of value) that spend 3 days in Beijing, a day in Xian, and a day in Hong Kong before sailing. It was $2800 more, I think, but it covers 4 nights at nice hotels, 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners, tours and guided sightseeing to the Forbidden Palace, Tianneman Square, the Summer Palace, the Terra Cotta soldiers, and a night out in Hong Kong. Also includes the flight from Beijing to Xian and flight from Xian to Hong Kong. But yes, my partner and I (as well as my parents) will be on the 11/16/10 sailing with you.:)

[wripro]

This is a great trip. Enjoy!

[chicagogal]

Yes. My parents are booked on this trip as well. We signed up for the 5 day pre-cruise tour (which is incredible and not bad in terms of value) that spend 3 days in Beijing, a day in Xian, and a day in Hong Kong before sailing. It was $2800 more, I think, but it covers 4 nights at nice hotels, 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 2 dinners, tours and guided sightseeing to the Forbidden Palace, Tianneman Square, the Summer Palace, the Terra Cotta soldiers, and a night out in Hong Kong. Also includes the flight from Beijing to Xian and flight from Xian to Hong Kong. But yes, my partner and I (as well as my parents) will be on the 11/16/10 sailing with you.:)

 

I think you will really enjoy the land portion of your trip. We went to China last year and did all of that plus Shanghai and a Yangtze River 5 day cruise - loved it all! I assume you will be doing the Great Wall during your 3 days in Beijing?

[SanFranCruizer]

Yes, we do visit the Great Wall one of the days in Beijing. To be honest, we were shocked at the fare quoted for the sailing plus the tour. Normally, when we price cruises, SS is more expensive than the other luxury lines, but for this trip the fare was better than RSSC, Seabourn, and Crystal. And we liked the itinerary better. The next closest itinerary was Oceania, but a penthouse on Oceania (the regular rooms are way too small) was more expensive! Goes to show it pays to look around and look carefully.

[Susan07470]

Wish we could do the land portion. We have limited amount of time. We will be coming three days early and staying at the Conrad Hilton. We'll meet you on deck and treat for drinks.

[Hobar]

Agree with you Susan that SB is preferred. But SS does currently have better itineraries. The three older SB sister ships are coming out with better itineraries, but those ships are getting tired, although nothing beats the small size and only 200 passengers. Friends of ours were on the new SB Odyssey and reported that the larger size made no difference -- the SB attention was still there and the food even better. I wish SS would read the Boards and pick up the service a notch on their ships. We're going on our 2nd SS cruise next year (Singapore to Dubai) and hopefully it will be better than our 1st SS cruise a few years ago when we vowed never to sail on anything other than SB again.

[conchyjoe]

Wish we could do the land portion. We have limited amount of time. We will be coming three days early and staying at the Conrad Hilton. We'll meet you on deck and treat for drinks.

 

Stayed at the Conrad HK several times. You will like it.

 

The "Summer Palace" at the Shangri-La Hotel (right next door through the Mall) is a "must do" - some of the best Chinese food on the planet.:)

[SanFranCruizer]

Thanks for the rec, Joe.

[duct tape]

Have been on the new Odyssey, am a SS frequent floater and will remain so!

[SanFranCruizer]

Anyone else joining us on this roundtrip cruise (Hong Kong to Hong Kong)?

[Susan07470]

I guess it is just the two of us. Are you taking the SS air? I really have no desire to make the trip longer than necessary. I can get a direct flight from here on continental or maybe Singapore or Cathay Pacific which would be better.

[SanFranCruizer]

I guess it is just the two of us. Are you taking the SS air? I really have no desire to make the trip longer than necessary. I can get a direct flight from here on continental or maybe Singapore or Cathay Pacific which would be better.

 

Yeah, I am taking their air because we are doing that 5 day pre-cruise tour, and for that we have to fly in to Beijing. So, booking on our own would be more costly. My partner and I took the business-class add on but my parents said they would just do coach.

[Alldee]

Anyone else joining us on this roundtrip cruise (Hong Kong to Hong Kong)?

 

We are also booked on this cruise - it is the second leg for us as we start in Singapore on 6th November. Have been talking to Susan about weather and have become rather depressed!!! I think we were expecting wall to wall sunshine. Perhaps we can join you for a drink at some point?

[SanFranCruizer]

A drink will warm you up!

 

Any idea when we need to get Visas for China? I don't always trust my TA on matters like this.

[Alldee]

A drink will certainly warm us up!! We will need single entry visas, ie lasting for three months, so I suppose we could get them as soon as we are within three months of leaving China. I make that early September....ish! Dee

[morningstar]

we will also be on the 6 November cruise from singapore. Do you know if we need to get our own visa to Vietnam? If ss gets it for us do you know how much they charge. thanks

[SanFranCruizer]

Today is the first day one can book shore excursions via the Silversea website. Do any of you know of any must-do/see excursions? I feel as if someone once mentioned somewhere on these boards that the Shanghai acrobat show was something not to be missed.

[chicagogal]

feel as if someone once mentioned somewhere on these boards that the Shanghai acrobat show was something not to be missed.

 

We really enjoyed that show.

[Alldee]

Today is the first day one can book shore excursions via the Silversea website. Do any of you know of any must-do/see excursions? I feel as if someone once mentioned somewhere on these boards that the Shanghai acrobat show was something not to be missed.

We found that the trips were available last week, and booked some. However, I was advised by another CC member that the Vietnam excursions are better booked independently, and are much cheaper. We are relatively new cruisers, and are a little hesitant to 'go it alone', but it certainly makes sense when you look at the prices of the private tour companies. Does anyone else have any comments?

[SanFranCruizer]

Alldee, I think you must be on a different cruise than we are or doing back to back because this cruise has no stops in Vietnam. Yesterday was 120 days out from the cruise and shore excursions became bookable. I had checked the day before.

[Alldee]

Hi, we leave on 6th November from Singapore, doing Vietnam, then to Hong Kong, where we then do the Hong Kong - Hong Kong leg. Itineraries 3031 and 3032. Maybe we will meet up on the 3032?