Xoe

These boards are a godsend -- thanks to you all for your input. I booked at La Quinta Central Park when a room with 2 beds became available, and although I'll continue to check periodically, chances are that we will be at L.Q. for our pre-cruise nights. We both love to walk and there is much of interest within walking distance from there.

Windstar's site now shows the ship leaving from Manhattan. Major thanks to you two who pointed that out.

THANK YOU!!! Good news! I thought we sailed out of Brooklyn because that's what the itinerary says.:confused: Manhattan is better for many reasons.

Still working on the hotel. Am considering Fairfield Inn/Times Square and La Quinta/Central Park, which is a better location for walking to museums near there, also walking in the park. Some hotels are already fully booked; others have no availability of rooms with 2 beds. If anyone knows a good possibility up towards Central Park, I'd love to hear.

Thanks so much for your interest and suggestions.

I am a senior and have AAA. It would be nice (but seemingly unrealistic) to have hotel cost under $200 per night. I spent time on this yesterday and found some appealing hotels that were fully booked; others had no availability of rooms with 2 beds, which we need. I reserved (cancellable/refundable) 2 nights at the Fairfield Inn & Suites Manhattan/Times Square, 330 West 40th Street, cost $569.27. If there are better options I'd love to hear about them. Of great importance is a location good for seeing sites/sights by walking.

Is there a hotel shuttle from LGA to Manhattan hotels? I've used those in Europe and like them. Once I am sure of our hotel, I'll inquire of the concierge and see what they suggest.

Appreciatively,

Freda (aka Xoe)

My niece and I need a 2-night hotel stay October 21-22 before boarding Windstar's Star Pride at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal on October 23. We'll fly in from Seattle to LaGuardia late on October 21. Any help on logistics will be hugely appreciated: ideas for hotels, how best to get to our hotel and then to the ship. Ideal would be a Manhattan location from which we can walk to sites/sights, if affordable and manageable for transfers from the airport and to the ship.

Thanks!

Greatam, your information is invaluable. I will now set about booking a balcony room at the Rex per your suggestions.

It's likely your message will be pivotal in making my short stay in Saigon/HCMC all it can be. I am very grateful!

I'll take your list of suggestions with me. I have only one day in HCMC, so will be seeing/doing only what is nearby, which probably will be a city tour such as you recommend.

has resulted in more information than I ever imagined. Mking8288, you are on my "hero list" for invaluable details about arriving in Hong Kong. Thanks, Earl, for details about dining options at the Salisbury, and all others who have shared helpful comments.

Cathay Pacific was an easy choice because their flight time YVR-HKG is shorter than other routes, and they offer Premium Economy, which I need due to my height. I'm starting with a short Horizon hop SEA-YVR in order to use our Whidbey SeaTac airport shuttle service, which is much simpler than getting to YVR. Food was not even on my list of considerations; I sure don't fly for the food. There's always something to stave off starvation, but there's not always leg room. I seek the shortest time between home and my destination, including time in the air and in airports, and CP is the winner from my home location.

After receiving some advice on another thread, I reserved my post-cruise overnight at the Beautiful Saigon 3, a small budget priced hotel that is highly rated on Trip Advisor; the low cost will help balance the high cost of my pre-cruise stay in Hong Kong.

If anyone has further input for my day in HCMC at the end of my Star Pride cruise, I'll appreciate hearing from you. Thanks!

This thread wandered a long way from Hong Kong hotels while I was out of town!

Maybe I'm lucky (or good at keeping my expectations realistic?). In any event, my expectations for dining when flying are not very high. I do not eat meat so request a meal that will assure me of that, then eat (only) what I want of the meals that are served, and bring a few items from home to munch on if needed.

Knowing that on the day after arrival in HKG I'll be boarding a small cruise ship with assured fine dining, I view the air travel as what needs to be done to get there and back. If the flight and food are wonderful (as would be hoped for/expected in first or business class), lovely; if the experience is only okay but with enough leg room not to be excruciating (this is what I'm expecting in Premium Economy), that's fine too. There's always something on an airplane dinner tray that works for me, e.g., a salad, a roll, fruit, sometimes dessert, and usually a breakfast tray will have items that are okay. If Cathay Pacific's Premium Economy (a new carrier for me) includes appetizing meals that result in dining pleasure, it will be a grand EXTRA on my journey.

I do think it's a good idea to carry something that would stave off hunger, just in case. Many travelers use energy bars or trail mix for this purpose.

and back to tracking this very helpful message board. (I was away tending to family business matters -- not fun like planning for this cruise, but good in different ways.)

Thanks again so much for your detailed and very helpful information. I'll be studying all of this more in the coming months. Perhaps Beautiful Saigon 3 is the choice I will make -- money-saving for sure!

is to be on the top of the double-decker bus, considering it my first sight-seeing excursion in Hong Kong. As you fine cheerleader-guides keep telling us, WE CAN DO THIS!

Cdngrl, you have an advantage for flying (cheap seats work); I have an advantage for watching parades (seeing over others' heads).

Thus far, no roll call for my cruise -- small ship, Star Pride, 212 pax, just launched under Windstar ownership in early May. I've had great experiences through roll calls on past cruises, especially on Celebrity Equinox with 2 days each in Israel and Egypt, also Ocean Princess in the Black Sea when Yalta and Odessa, my own personal focus, were included. Windstar's small ships make it easy to meet people and figure out things once underway.

I too will post photos and reports after the Asia journey -- my first time in all places I'm visiting.

for the specific recommendations regarding HCMC. I'd been thinking District 1 looked best, and your confirmation of that + recommendation of 4 or more stars is good to have. In that city there are so many low-cost hotels that are highly rated on Trip Advisor, it's confusing to try to sort through the choices. For example, Beautiful Saigon 3 is highly reviewed (#10 out of 348 on T.A.'s site) for $31 per night! (No stars however.)

I am booked on Cathay Pacific. Best connections, and they offer premium economy, important for leg room (I'm 5'11") on long hauls. First or business class would be lovely, but over budget unless with a mileage ticket, which I couldn't get for this trip. Yes, 13 hours is "short" for this kind of journey; I too have experienced much longer (Tahiti, New Zealand, Thailand -- but I was younger then!).

Room size is a minor consideration when traveling solo; location is top priority, which is why I chose the Salisbury. I'll spend some time on YouTube and Flyertalk, as you suggest.

It's hard to find words to convey the depth of my appreciation and thanks.

in feeling a bit timid on this. When feeling bright and energetic I would like to take the train, which makes sense and would be interesting; however, after flying SEA-YVR-HKG, I too would benefit from having a guide (such as you, mking8288 -- where can we sign up???)

It's great to set off on this journey with up-to-date information about specific options, which we now have. Your help is wonderful.

This will take time to study and digest. Happily there is plenty of time to do that, 7 months actually.

Earl, thanks for urging me to call the Salisbury. Their confirming e-mail says they'll hold my reservation provided I give them credit card details by December 1. That's good because the card I prefer to use for foreign currency charges expires 12/14 and will be renewed by then. If I decide on the bus from the airport instead of train or taxi, it will be because it sounds like fun to see Hong Kong for the first time from a bus's top deck. That decision may end up being made based on whether I'm totally or only partially exhausted when exiting the airport.

Bella99, the Salisbury's e-mail is: room at ymcahk.org.hk

mking8288, your information is invaluable and will be used. Thanks ever so much. It's great to have specifics from someone who clearly has "been there done that".

cdngrl, I also am a bit out of my depth in making these plans. I am becoming more comfortable with my Hong Kong plans, thanks to all of you, but have not yet settled on plans for my one-night stay in Ho Chi Minh City at the end of my cruise. Although there are many well-reviewed low-priced hotels, I'm not yet clear as to what area/location would suit me best.

Hong Kong hotel prices are a shock. It's mind-bending to be trying to stay under $200 for a one-night hotel stay. I like that I can walk from the Salisbury to my ship the next day, also that the hotel's position is great for seeing the light show, which sounds like fun.

My cruise ends in Ho Chi Minh City, where a hotel that is highly rated on TripAdvisor can be reserved for $32. What a difference! Do you know where you'll stay at the end of your b2b?

Happy cruising to both of us --

Transfer from the airport to the Salisbury on the top deck of a bus sounds like fun. I'll appreciate details about that: what it's called, where I would go to board, what kind of payment is accepted. To ride on the top deck, do you need to haul your bag up a narrow stairway on the bus? Would the driver be able to alert me at the correct place to get off?

I've exchanged emails with Joyce at The Salisbury and have a reservation confirmed pending receipt of my credit card details, which I'm unwilling to send by email due to risk of hacking. I'm hoping their web site opens soon so I can use their encrypted method of sending this information.

Long live the Cruise Critic message boards, which are incredibly helpful for linking a neophyte like me (for Hong Kong) with travelers who have experience and are willing to share it. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!

I'm feeling unsure of the best location in HCMC. The range of prices for hotels that receive glowing reviews is huge, from $30 to $300. (Quite a different story from Hong Kong hotel prices!)

My priorities are being able to walk to as many interesting places as possible, and having a clean quiet room for a good night's sleep. Included breakfast is good, and I also hope for my hotel's help to arrange transport to the airport the next morning.

I'm making a list of possibilities -- it's a long list! A low price is good, but a good location is more important. Beautiful Saigon 3 gets very high reviews and is very low cost. I'm considering the Signature Saigon -- thanks for your recommendation, suekay. Renaissance Riverside Hotel looks like a nice location; river views have appeal, and its reviews are good.

Any further ideas -- I'm listening! Thanks so much.

I appreciate this information tailored to my situation, needs, and wants. When I arrive in HKG I will feel even more grateful for your help than I am now.

I'll keep watching this thread and others for any further ideas, and will email the Salisbury whose location looks excellent.

Thanks!!

Earl, you are right that it's too early for the Salisbury to show availability for January. I'll check back and may book there when January dates open up.

Mking, thanks for your valuable information about the dock location for Windstar's Star Pride, and ideas for hotels and airport transfers. I will check those out too.

I am not at my best after long-haul flights, and therefore hope to find a one-step airport transfer which allows me to get on a vehicle at the airport and then be deposited at my hotel. I'll check on the options you mention -- thanks very much.

I use TripAdvisor all the time; it's a great source of information, as are these Cruise Critic message boards. Being a first-time visitor in Hong Kong makes it more challenging to evaluate locations, so my initial focus has been proximity to the cruise ship dock.

I appreciate your mentioning the Salisbury, which I'd read about and checked on, only to find it's already sold out for my date. I'll keep checking back in hopes there might be a cancellation.

Thanks too for your input on transport from the airport. Do you have any idea of the difference in cost between express train + taxi vs. taxi all the way? After a long flight (SEA-YVR-HKG) I might be better off having just one step to take.

My 10-day Windstar cruise from Hong Kong ends at Ho Chi Minh City on February 4, 2015. I am seeking a moderately priced hotel in a good location for seeing as much as possible by walking.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated! Also, any information on the best way to get from the hotel to the airport for my flight back home which departs SGN at 11:30 on February 5.

Thank you!

I'll be arriving 7:00 p.m. on January 24 before boarding Star Pride the next day, and am seeking a moderately priced hotel in the area of the cruise ship dock. The best I've found to date is the Royal Pacific Hotel & Towers. I'll be traveling solo. Any recommendations?

Information on the best way to get from the airport to the hotel will also be appreciated.

Thanks.

of the April 30 itinerary of Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas is similar, but that cruise is 13 days, not 7, as you then have 5 sea days as the ship sails across the Pacific Ocean, ending in Vancouver to start the Alaska season. We enjoyed a similar cruise three years ago on Carnival Spirit. Several lines do that kind of cruise at the end or beginning of the Alaska season, as their ships reposition to or from southern itineraries.

For those who have time and love sea days, there are also several ships that go R/T to Hawaii from San Diego or L.A. in the winter months; those are generally 14- or 15-day cruises with 4 or 5 days in Hawaii, with the "foreign port" stop being Ensenada.

Pride of America is the only ship that can cruise seven days in Hawaii with no requirement to start, end, or visit a "foreign port", which can be an advantage for travelers who have limited vacation days, or who do not care for sea days.

Nice to have so many choices, isn't it?

As a U.S.-flagged ship (a rarity), the crew is made up of citizens of the U.S. and its territories.

Crews of other cruise lines (not U.S.-flagged) come from other countries with different cultural attitudes and values about working in the service sector. Those who have cruised on other ships/lines have most likely been served by room stewards and restaurant personnel from the Philippines, Malaysia, and elsewhere.

My sister, who lives in Hawaii, has friends whose young adult children trained for jobs on POA and were not willing to stick with the long hours, hard work, and what they regarded as positions of "servitude".

All of these factors would affect one's experience on a ship, and likely result in a more casual, informal atmosphere on POA -- and the ship's being U.S.-flagged is the reason it can cruise 7 solid days in Hawaii without needing to start from, or end in, or visit, another country. It's a trade-off, and a good one for those wishing for a week of immersion in visiting Hawaii by cruise ship as your "floating resort".