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Hong to Hong Kong 2010

Susan07470

By Susan07470,
in Silversea

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chicagogal

chicagogal

Posted
Posted
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?

 

We are going right before you on October 19th and have booked some independent excursions with Ann Tours. They were recommended by friends. You might check them out. They have been very responsive. We hope they will be OK but probably wont be able to let you know before you leave for your trip.

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SuitCaseBears

SuitCaseBears

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Does anyone else have any comments?

 

Yes, but not about this cruise - Dee, this is Nina from the last Regent cruise. I've lost your email address. If you have mine it's my first name @ my last name .com

 

Or post here and if I know you're reading this I'll figure another way to get you the info. Alaska in June 2011? Hmmm.

 

Sorry to disrupt the thread - I return you to your planning.

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chicagogal

chicagogal

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Anyone have recommendations for a Visa service to help us get our Visas for China? Because we are going to Beijing and Xian before Hong Kong and then to shanghai while on the cruise, I think we need to get a multiple entry visa.

 

Hi SanFranCruiser,

 

We did not use a visa service when we went 2 years ago. They have an embassy here in Chicago and it was very easy dealing directly with them (not to mention the cost savings) The visa services will try to scare you about how crowded it will be and how inconvenient but we did not find that at all and we went JUST BEFORE THE OLYMPICS.

 

There is one near you, too:

 

Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco, CA

Address: 1450 Laguna Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

Tel: (415) 674-2900

Fax: (415) 563-0494

 

Just another thought ...

 

Good luck!

 

Patty

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SanFranCruizer

SanFranCruizer

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Oh, actually, the request for info is for my parents. We know we can get the visas for us here in San Francisco, but my parents live in Florida and their consulate is in Houston. We checked and we cannot process their stuff here. We either have to use the consulate in Houston for them or the Main Embassy in Washington DC. Unless I misread the Chinese Embassy's website.

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chicagogal

chicagogal

Posted
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Oh, actually, the request for info is for my parents. We know we can get the visas for us here in San Francisco, but my parents live in Florida and their consulate is in Houston. We checked and we cannot process their stuff here. We either have to use the consulate in Houston for them or the Main Embassy in Washington DC. Unless I misread the Chinese Embassy's website.

 

OK - I didn't know about your parents being in FL.

 

In that case Pinnacle is the visa service that Silversea recommends. They are in DC.

(888-838-4867, "Pinnacle Travel Documents" http://www.traveldocs.com/semester)

We used them several years ago when we went to Russia because there was no embassy in Chicago. They were fine - I just didn't like the extra expense and having our passports tied up so much longer with mailing them etc.

 

Patty

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...
SanFranCruizer

SanFranCruizer

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A big thanks to Chicagogal for recommending Pinnacle. My parents used it and they felt it was among the easier services they have ever used! So, they had their visas in hand a week ago. Jacob and I used the Chinese Consulate here in San Fran and got our visas today. So, it is definitely official now that we are all going.

 

The funny thing? Silversea told us to get double entry visas because we are doing the land tour of Beijing, Xian, and Hong Kong before the sailing. We needed double entry to enter Beijing and to enter Shanghai. Hong Kong itself doesn't require a visa. So, we applied for a double entry visa but in all of our cases we got 1 year long multiple entry visas. I guess China wants us to come back again within the year!

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chicagogal

chicagogal

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A big thanks to Chicagogal for recommending Pinnacle. My parents used it and they felt it was among the easier services they have ever used! So, they had their visas in hand a week ago. Jacob and I used the Chinese Consulate here in San Fran and got our visas today. So, it is definitely official now that we are all going.

 

The funny thing? Silversea told us to get double entry visas because we are doing the land tour of Beijing, Xian, and Hong Kong before the sailing. We needed double entry to enter Beijing and to enter Shanghai. Hong Kong itself doesn't require a visa. So, we applied for a double entry visa but in all of our cases we got 1 year long multiple entry visas. I guess China wants us to come back again within the year!

 

Glad to see it all worked out and I know you will have a FABULOUS trip! Ours is coming up soon, too - on October 16th we fly to Hong Kong to board the Shadow on the 19th.

 

Patty

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wripro

wripro

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China, like Brazil is a unique situation where you must get the visas yourself before departing. Some countries just require the visa as a money making concern. Others actually want to know the details about every person who enters the country.

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Alldee

Alldee

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Sorry, but my reply to this does not seem to have been posted. No doubt you have organised your visa by now, but we have been advised to obtain our own, and are going to the do that next week. They are going to cost us about £200 each, I think!

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Alldee

Alldee

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Ah well, I'm sure it will be worth it! Incidentally, I see you went to Alaska on the Navigator earlier this year - we are going in May 2011 on the same cruise. Do you have any comments to make, and any suggestions about 'must do' or 'must see', or must take! What was the weather like, for instance? Thanks for any hints!

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SanFranCruizer

SanFranCruizer

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Alaska is gorgeous! The weather there though can be quite unpredictable. The first time we went, brilliant sunshine every day. Last time, tons of rain. If they have the excursion, the catamaran one that leaves directly from the ship to go in and see the glaciers, that is a must do. Search the regent board for alaska trips. I think it is the Tracy Arm Catamaran trip. It didn't show up on the Regent site, but if you called and asked, it was available. Amazing! That is the one not to miss. And you get to Juneau in time to meet up with the ship and do more excursions there if you like.

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Waltzer

Waltzer

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Hi Alldee and SanFranCruizer,

 

Didn't think I was going to Vietnam this trip...

Going Nov 16 thru 26th on the Shadow.

Visiting Xiamen, Shanghai, Okinawa, and two stops in Taiwan...

Anyway Vietnam was great and had a good time there.

I especially liked the old city of Hue, super nice welcome and lunch at the hotel as well. The ride was not bad since they have this new tunnel too...

Nice to be on the ship in Halong Bay also.

Truly a benefit of a smaller ship!

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