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Do you live up near Clark International Airport/Angeles City? If so, we will need a mid-range hotel for one night. It is true that prices are from very low to very high. (Well, not that high.) Which hotel would you recommend? We will be there on Feb. 1, 2024, flying in from Puerto Princesa. Also, do you know of a car hire/rental/taxi that we can hire locally, with driver, that can take us around in the afternoon to visit some former POW sites? Thank you for any information you can provide. Bill

Well, yes, the Government is bombing its' own people for one. So, not sure what your "comment" means.

We are on the Riviera cruise that calls at Yangon in January 2024. I booked a private tour, but it is refundable if we can't land. It is a shame what is happening there.

Thank you that heads up. Presently, I have no plans to go to the PRC until at least 2025. My current 10 year visa expires in 2030. I will check before any planning happens.

Yes, that is what I meant. By "no visa required", I meant that the visitor does not have to obtain a visa if with a licensed guide. And, I am afraid, everything has probably changed.

Thank you for your well written and comprehensive review. We are on the AMA Bella from Giurgiu, Romania to Vilshofen in two weeks. With a pre cruise in Istanbul and post in Prague. Smaller ship of course but the tours you did are the same as the ones we selected. We are planning on the Vienna concert. Glad you enjoyed the dinner/folklore show in Prague. I was having my doubts about whether to go or not. We'll go.

You are correct. We visited Moscow with a licensed tour guide and no visa required.

DW and I were to go to the PRC for about two weeks in 2020 but covid intervened. We had applied for and received ten year visas which are still valid. We used a visa service (CIBT), and it was expensive, but they were very helpful to make sure we had all of the proper entry documents. Mailed our passports to them and they did the leg work. I don't recall any questions about Turkey. We were there in 2016 for an overnight on a cruise. I never mentioned it and they didn't ask. Not sure how the PRC would find out someone was in Turkey unless they hacked the evisa system. Wouldn't be surprised. Also, never had to meet a PRC consular officer. We still want to visit but the current political situation makes traveling there dicey.

We did a private tour but the same route. There was a "rest area" along the way. I would describe it as being very rustic. Women should bring their own sanitary products, that is, toilet paper. Long boring drive, a lot of check points, and speed bumps. If it is an overnight, I strongly suggest saying overnight in Luxor. You will not regret it. Have fun.

Manhattan Cruise Terminal.

Thanks for your response. Yes, I am also of a certain age watching events every night on the news. I will ask Xuan for a recommendation. Bill

I emailed you. Also, just cut/paste onto the roll call. Bill

Ann, I think you posted this in the wrong place.

Hello, I was wondering if you stayed in HCMC or returned to your ship on Friday evening. Asking because we will be there overnight but will be docking in Phu My. I really rather stay in the city than doing all of that transiting. So, question is if you stayed in HCMC what hotel did you stay at? And did Xuan have no problem with picking you up at the hotel? We will be on a Xuan tour the first day from the ship on a private excursion. Is the Mekong Delta worth it? Thanks for your help. Bill

What about Saturday service?

We are on this cruise with you. Our plan is to debark on Feb. 11 and use a local tour company to go to Bangkok, our last port. We'll tour the city for a few days and then fly to Angkor Wat. If you are continuing on from Bangkok, my recommendation would be to find a reputable tour company and stay overnight in the city instead of traveling back and forth. That way you will be able to experience the cities night life. Bill

What is Oceania doing regarding replacement of the port stop? Sea days, another/different port of call, etc.? Just curious, since I will have the same issue in January on the Riviera.

Thank you for your diary posts. We are really looking forward to visiting Yangon. If we do, we will stay in the city overnight in order to not have to return back to the ship using private tours. However, the way things are going in country I do not see how Oceania will be calling there in January 2024. They have already cancelled one port call and others will be probably cancelled. Did you have an opportunity to ride the Circle Train? Thanks, Bill

Which tour did you take with Curacao Dreams?

Hello, Question: By being glad you packed something to dress up in for the event, what exactly did you pack? I am wondering for you and for a man. We will be attending the same event in May off of the AmaBella. Thanks, Bill

You can also review your booking confirmation and see if all of the perks that you are paying for are listed on the document.

Why were you advised to not use your balcony, leave curtains drawn and the lights out? Pirates or due to the insects? Just curious. I doubt pirates though.

Good point. I recall that in Italy, France, and elsewhere, the local police came by the hotel each evening, collected passports, and returned them to the next morning. Not sure if they are continuing that practice. So, depending on what Goldconnection finds out, I may get an evisa instead.

I agree with you that it is all rather confusing. I am not an expert but my reading is that you can come and go within VN at different ports of entry within the validity of the evisa, 30 days. I hope someone can clear all of this up for us.

This is an excellent question. We are overnight in HCMC (Saigon) next February on the Oceania Riviera. We were thinking of staying overnight in HCMC and, instead of trooping back to the ship, staying in the city, exploring the night life, dinner, and getting up early to do another tour. BTW, Oceania is charging $69/pp and is included in the total cruise fare. Maybe it depends on the cruise line if they will charge "extra" for an overnight stay. I really can't see Immigration chasing us down and deporting us. Bill