cubella59
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Posts posted by cubella59
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If the 26 day cruise is an Oceania "extended voyage" (I.e., two or more segments marketed and sold as a single cruise [with a single booking number and it's own name, which is not the same name as any of the involved segments]), you get the number of reservations associated with each segment. You get access to all segments' reservations on the first day your reservation window opens (same day as for the first segment's window opening). However, you must book each segment's allotted reservations within that segment. BTW, you can also purchase the various alcohol packages per segment rather than for the entire cruise.
How do I know this? Just returned from an "extended voyage" on Riviera and have multiple others booked.
BTW, IMO and experience, the pluses of booking the extended voyages over separate segments outweigh the minuses.
Sent from my iPhone using Forums
Hi Flatbush, could you please expound on the benefits of booking 1 grand voyage vs 2 B2B cruises? Just booked Oceania for 1st time and booked as 1 GV. Now I'm really debating splitting it up because the 2nd segment is a TA and I would probably want a differenet cabin for 2nd leg, cancellation policy is more flexible and I can book 2nd leg as cruise-only.
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I think the ambiguity around this issue has to do with how this was booked.
If it was booked as a true B2B ( 2 separate segments) with 2 different booking numbers than OP will definitely be entitled to 8 reservations. If it was booked as a single GV with a single booking number then OP may or may not get 8 reservations - it may count as a single cruise of 17 days -i.e. 1 reservations in each restaurant.
That is how I understand it.
That said, I remember reading several posters being able to get B2B type of reservations on a GV booked as a single booking.
Just booked my first Oceania Cruise and was wondering same. Thanks:cool:
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He's fantastic and everyone really enjoyed the tour. Two things- if you're going in the next month or so during dry season, be aware the waterfalls are pretty dry and not much to see there right now. I was really glad my tour included a beach stop- Otres Beach. Below is my itinerary. You can tell Sothy that you traded correspondence with Alicia. Also, since we had 30 pax on my tour and because Sihanoukville is a tender port that takes approx. 30 min to get to land, you'll have to really stress to your group that they have to get to tender stations early and be amongst the first in tender. You didn't hear it from me, but sometimes when you have a large private group, Guest Services will help you out and round the group up in a separate room and get you on a tender together:D I would try to see if you can make that happen (Fernanda, Gonzalo, Ronson in Guest Services, if you are on Sapphire are exceptionally customer oriented).
SihanoukVille Seaside Tours- suggested Itinerary
8:10am Pick up at port gate 01
8:30am - 9:00am Visit Fishing Village & Floating House
9:00am - 9:40am Visit Wat krom pagoda & Independence Monument
9:40am - 10:20am Visit Phsar Leu Central Market
10:20am -10:50am Visit Wat Leu Pagoda ( To see wonderful view of the hold town & Monkey on the top of the mountain )
10:50am -11:50am Visit Kbal Chhay Waterfall at countryside
12:00pm -13:00pm Visit & relax at Otres Beach
13:00pm -14:30pm Have Lunch at Sandan ( NGO ) Restaurant + Cambodian traditional dancing shows for welcoming the cruisers.
14:30pm -14:45pm Beach drive around the city and beaches
14:45pm -15:00pm Return to the Ship
Happy Cruising,
Alicia
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While we did the Siem Reap trip post cruise, Princess offers a 2.5 day option flying from Saigon to Siem Reap and then driving to Sihanoukville to re-board ship. You have basically ONE full day in Siem Reap, which really can't do the temples justice. All that for a whopping $1600 per person (starting price). If you want to see Angkor Wat while in that part of the world, I have some suggestions below:
We disembarked the cruise ship in Ko Samui as we only had a sea day left and then would arrive in Singapore where we were scheduled to disembark anyway. Disembarking in Ko Samui was a great idea and afforded us a few days of R&R before we flew to Siem Reap. Bangkok Airways is a great little airline that flies from Bangkok to Siem Reap several times a day. Depending on when you book, your RT airline tix can be had for as little as $180 per person. You really need at least 2.5 full days in Siem Reap to see a few of the temples. If you go, be prepared to be blown away. Definitely the highlight of our entire SE Asia trip. Below is my review of the hotel we stayed at, which for under $200 per night, you can't beat.
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“Be Prepared To Be Treated Like Visiting Royalty- Best Hotel in SE Asia”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 days ago NEW
Believe every phenomenal review you read about the Privilege Floor on TripAdvisor. There is a reason they have over 1200 5 star reviews; f I could give them 12 stars, I would. it is truly a world-class experience!! If you want to be treated like royalty in the Kingdom of Cambodia, book your stay here.
There are not enough superlatives to describe the exceptional service from the friendly and charming staff, the wonderful food, hotel grounds and location, but I will try in my review below:
We traveled through SE Asia for 3 weeks and at the last minute decided to add Siem Reap as a destination for three days and book The Privilege Floor based on the reviews here. As good as the reviews here are, they still do not do the hotel and the staff justice as to how a remarkable experience it is to stay here. It is truly that once in a lifetime experience. For us, it was the best hotel and service we have ever experienced worldwide, and I used to travel extensively for work and have stayed at some incredible hotels such as Ritz Carltons, Four Seasons, Peninsula, Mandarin Oriental, Oberoi, Shangri-La...etc.
When I initially booked my stay, I traded many emails with Judy, one of the Resident Hosts, inquiring about tours and dining options. I knew I had booked the right place as soon as I started corresponding with Judy who was a wealth of information and always responded promptly. We were met at the airport by our sweet and charming Chanren, who was to be our assigned Resident Host for our stay. Chanren checked us into the hotel via her iPad while in the car on the way to the hotel and when we arrived, we were whisked to our fabulous room. That’s when we were informed they had upgraded us, as they noticed we were two women traveling together and wanted to give us separate beds, which we very appreciative of. Our Sunset Room was nothing short of spectacular with a swinging bed on the terrace to view sunsets from. Our room was tastefully appointed with original Cambodian art, teak floors and a scrumptious bathroom with standup shower and soaking tub. We had a mini-bar stocked with local beer and soft drinks as well as snacks which were FREE for our consumption throughout our stay. It was fantastic to get back to the room in the midday sun and have an ice-cold beer at your disposal without having to go down to a bar.
We had an assigned driver, Mr Vuthea, who was available to us 24x7. Mr. Vuthea was an exceptionally safe driver, always keeping an eye out for us and was also a very good tour guide informing us about Cambodian history from his personal perspective. We are also both avid photographers and Vuthea indulged our every whim to pull over so we could take candid photos in Cambodian villages. He always welcomed us back from a temple tour with a cold bottle of water, an ice-towel and a warm smile. Chanren and Mr Vuthea will forever be in our hearts and they became family to us in three short days.
The Privilege Floor also offers free breakfast until 3pm for guests. It's really a fantastic selection with both breakfast and lunch options of both Western and traditional Khmer cuisine. It was quite tasty both days we had it and they also offer a free Happy Hour daily to guest from 5-7pm where the Privilege Floor's Chef creates about a dozen tasty appetizers daily to choose from . You can also order any drink from their cocktail menu during Happy Hour which is included with your stay package. Which brings me to the amazing team at the Privilege Floor Lounge, and the incomparable Sokman.
Sokman is the bartender extraordinaire at the Lounge during Happy Hour. He is a unique character with an infectious laugh and a great host to his guests. Having lived in Chicago for 30+ years where there is a Mexican restaurant at every corner, I can tell you unequivocally that Sokman's margaritas are the best I ever had. They were amazing, and deadly:-) I also want to recognize the entire staff at the lounge, they all knew our names on the first day, and were so welcoming and hospitable; all of them are to be commended for excellent service.
Other members of the Resident Host team who were always there to help in any way include Alec, Jenny, Sombor and Channy. I'm sure I am forgetting others but suffice it to say every single member of the Resident Team was always on their A game.
The hotel itself is very centrally located and only about a 15 min ride to Angkor Wat. The hotel grounds are impeccable and the pool is huge, gorgeous, refreshing and so relaxing surrounded by beautiful tropical landscaping. The Mudita Spa looked great although we did not use it due to time constraints, but do plan on trying it on our next stay.
Advise to first-time visitors: The heat in Cambodia, even during winter/dry season is unlike anything I've ever experienced. It can be debilitating if you let it. Go to the temples early, Angkor Wat opens at 5am and most others open by 6am or 7am. You can literally get a half day in of 3-5 temples in the morning and then go back to the hotel to enjoy your breakfast and swim in the pool or take in a spa treatment. We would usually be back by 1pm, take a swim and cool off, then venture out around 4pm for late afternoon sightseeing. Our driver Vuthea would usually drop us off at the main/front entrance of a temple and allow us to walk all the way through to theb ack gate, where he would be waiting for us with ice towels and cold water; he was a godsend many a time.
I also want to thank Mr Sony Oeun, the Resident Host Mngr. Sony mentors the staff and is responsible for the overall customer experience. Sony really needs to start a Hospitality University so that every single hotel GM can learn a few things from him.
Thank you Privilege Floor Team for an unforgettable stay and for the way you embraced us. We fell in love with Cambodia and it's people in large part due to your team. We can't wait to return and this time it will be a much longer stay.
Room Tip: The Sunset Rooms have a wonderful deck and beds to view the sunsets over Siem Reap.
See more room tips
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We decided we wanted a quiet beach day and a fabulous lunch in Nha Trang, but also see a few key sites that were of interest to us. We hired a taxi right outside the port for $50 for the day, and had him take us to Cham Towers, Long Thahn Photo Gallery, Long Son Pagoda, Cham Towers and the market. Afterwards, we had him take us to Louisiane Brewery where we spent a lovely 4 hrs swimming, dining on their fantastic food and taking in Nha Trang beach. It was a phenomenal way to spend a cruise port day. Once again, there are many photos uploaded in the individual TA reviews
My reviews from TA below:
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“If You Love Photography, you MUST stop here” Long Thahn Photo Studio
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 days ago NEW
Long Thanh has to be one of the most talented photographers in all of Vietnam. His work is magical and brilliant. His studio gallery is right in the center of town and easily reachable via taxi or tuk-tuk. I will treasure the piece I bought from him. His wife runs the studio while Mr Thanh is out photographing most mornings, but if you're lucky, as I was, he walked in as I was walking out with my purchase and got to take this photo of him.
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Fabulous Place to Hang Out On A Day Trip”- Louisiane Brewery
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 days ago NEW
We were on a cruise that docked for a day in Nha Trang and wanted to find a beach club/restaurant where we could hang out for a few hours. The Louisiane Brewhouse did not disappoint. We had one of our most memorable meals on our entire 3 week SE Asia trip here; wonderful curries, fried rice, Pho and Goi Cuon spring rolls. The restaurant has a pool and is beachfront with a nominal charge for beach chairs. They also brew their own beer and have a wonderful Passion-Fruit beer I highly recommend. We spent about 4 hrs here and had 6 beers, 2 entrees, 2 appetizers and rented two beach chair for under $40 US. The quality of the food was fantastic, the servers friendly, efficient and spoke fairly good English, the restaurant and beach club beautiful and clean and the beach pristine. Just a phenomenal day spent in Nha Trang
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“Best Place To Visit in Nha Trang For History and Architecture lovers”- Cham Towers
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 days ago NEW
This is a terrific temple to visit in early morning when the light is right. Wonderful carvings and much larger than it looks from ground level. Also have a traditional dance show that is based on tipping system and not to be missed.
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Having spent some time in Bangkok previously, we opted not to make the trek and stay in Pattaya which is only about 30-45 min from Laem Chabang port. An absolutely MUST SEE in Pattaya is the Sanctuary Of The Truth. My TA review below:
Magical. Wonderous. Brilliant. Stunning.”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 days ago NEW
I've seen a lot of man-made structures that take your breath away (Pyramids, St. Peter's Basilica, Hasaan II Mosque, Coliseum, Versailles.etc), but nothing prepared me for what I witnessed. This structure is amazing; all hand-carved teak put together with ancient building practices using tongue and groove, dovetail...NO NAILS. It is enormous and it is stunning. It left me speechless. If you only have one thing you can see in Pattaya, make it this. Take the tour, it s free and based on a tipping system. Well worth it for the history. Building of Sanctuary started in 1981 and will continue through 2050. I plan on seeing it a few times and watching it progress, much like the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Stay for 2-3 hrs to truly get a feel and wonder about; you won't regret it. Every corner has a hidden surprise.
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We booked a private driver through Oriental Escapes for this port; a private tour outfit I have used several times now and who have always been flawless:
“Another great experience with Oriental Escapes”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 days ago NEW
I booked 3 days of tours with Oriental Escapes 2 yrs ago when in Bangkok, and booked them again for a day in port aboard the Sapphire Princess ship in Pattaya. We hired a private driver for the day (10hrs) and asked to go to Sanctuary of Truth, Floating Market and Walking Street. Our driver Joy was just that, a sheer joy. She was easy going flexible and really knew her way around Pattaya. She was a fantastic tour guide explaining all the neighborhoods we drove by and took us to an amazing locals seafood restaurant. Oriental Escapes is 1/3 of price of other tour outfits and they have delivered every time for me. I would not hesitate to use them again or recommend them
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Pattaya Floating Market:
“Good way to kill 3-4 hrs”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 days ago NEW
I had visited the original Damnoen Saduak Floating Market in Bangkok and had hoped this would be similar, but alas, it is a man-made floating market targeted at fleecing the tourists with pricey food and souvenirs. That being said, unless you are in your twenties and in Pattaya to party till you pass out, there really aren't many "sightseeing" sites to visit, so if you've never been to a floating market, it might be up your alley and a good way to spend 3-4 hrs.
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Lunch- Preecha Seafood Restaurant- Fantastic!!!
Great Seafood Restaurant!!!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 days ago NEW
Almost everyone dining here on a Saturday afternoon for lunch was Thai which is always a very good sign. We were a group of 7 and ordered plates for the table. They were all delicious and ridiculously fresh; whole fried bass, squid, shrimp, rolls, papaya salad, curry, fried rice among others and it came to a ridiculous 15 per couple including several Tiger beers. If you like seafood, this is a great place to eat at. They pull the seafood fresh from their tanks and it is absolutely delicious. Go here, you won't be disappointed. Lots of photos in my TA review
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Fantastic Private Day Tour in Sihanoukville- Highly Recommended for Cruise Ship Day Tours
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 days ago NEW
I was in Sihanoukville for a day on a Princess cruise and booked a tour with Mr Sothy. Eventually through Cruise Critic forums, the tour became a group of 30. It was no problem for Mr. Sothy, as I added to the group he always responded quickly and assured me he would arrange for a larger vehicle.
I cannot speak highly enough about Mr. Sothy's professionalism and responsiveness. We probably traded over 50 emails for a good 6 months prior to the tour. He and his wife Mom own the tour business and want to give back to the Cambodian community. The restaurant that he took us to (which everyone raved about - Sandan), helps train orphans and former street children in the hospitality field. The food was also absolutely delicious and was included in the tour. There was also a wonderful traditional dance show during lunch. That is one of the ways Sihanoukville Seaside tours gives back.
Our tour consisted of a visit to a fishing village which was a feast for the eyes, a couple of pagodas and temples, all very beautiful, the waterfall, a market and Otres Beach. It was a full day tour and everyone loved it and felt they had been able to get a glimpse of the real Cambodia. The heat is oppressive in Cambodia even in Jan, but we were constantly handed cold water bottles and ice towels to freshen up. They truly have thought of everything. If you are in Sihanoukville for just a day, do not hesitate to book with Mr. Sothy and his team. You will get to experience the real Cambodia, unlike the ship tours which cost more than 3 times what Mr. Sothy charges. We met folks on our cruise that booked with Princess at a whopping $169 per person and Mr. Sothy only charges $55 and that includes lunch!!!!
Lastly, I spoke with Mr. Sothy at lunch extensively and it seems he can arrange tours in other parts of Cambodia. So if you plan on going to Angkor or Phnom Penh, ask him about arranging tours for you.
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Great Day Option for Cruise Ship visitors in Phu My”- Imperial Hotel- Vung Tau, Vietnam
BPOS- Thank you. I copied and pasted my TA review here, which was filed under the Hotel Imperial, and then realized I forgot to name hotel on CC. These board's editing tools are limited so my full post again with some added info.
This hotel is only about 45 minutes away from the Phu My port most ships dock at for Saigon. If you don't want to make the 5 hr roundtrip trek to Saigon, but still have a genuine Vietnam experience at a traditional hotel on a local's beach, this is your answer. While we didn't stay here, I had visited this beach and resort on an earlier cruise and decided to book a cabana for our cruise day in Jan 2016. I traded emails with the hotel to arrange their car transfer from Phu My Port to hotel and then had use of the single cabana from 8am-3pm. It was a 12 on a scale of 1-10 for the day. We had an amazing cabana with shower, bathroom, sitting room, mini-fridge and full service from bar and restaurant. The cabana also provided shampoo and robes and slippers, so we were completely refreshed after a nice shower when we re-boarded the ship. For larger parties, they have double cabanas that can easily accommodate 6-8 people for a few dollars more.
The food was fantastic and delivered to your cabana as was the service we received from the staff. The Vietnamese coffee was delicious and the Tiger beers ice-cold. We spent about $200 for two of us for transfers, cabana and food and well worth every penny.If you want to have a relaxing, beach day at a fabulous resort with great food and drinks, look no further. My TA review has a ton of photos.
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Great Day Opyion for Cruise Ship visitors in Phu My”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 days ago NEW
This hotel is only about 45 minutes away from the Phu My port most ships dock at for Saigon. If you don't want to make the 5 hr roundtrip trek to Saigon, but still have a genuine Vietnam experience at a traditional hotel on a local's beach, this is your answer. While we didn't stay here, I had visited this beach and resort on an earlier cruise and decided to book a cabana for our cruise day in Jan 2016. I traded emails with the hotel to arrange their car transfer from Phu My Port to hotel and then had use of the cabana from 8am-3pm. It was a 12 on a scale of 1-10 for the day. We had an amazing cabana with shower, bathroom, sitting room, mini-fridge and full service from bar and restaurant. The cabana also provided shampoo and robes and slippers, so we were completely refreshed after a nice shower when we re-boarded the ship. For larger parties, they have double cabanas that accommodate 6-8 people.
The food was fantastic and delivered to your cabana as was was the service we received from the staff. The Vietnamese coffee was delicious and the Tiger beers ice-cold. We spent about $200 for two of us for transfers, cabana and food and well worth every dime. If you want to have a relaxing, beach day at a fabulous resort with great food and drinks, look no further. My TA eview has a ton of photos.
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Sorry for the previous duplicate post. Cruise Critic servers are giving me fits trying to post; it takes forever, then I get an error message, repost and find that both posts took:mad: I'm ding this because before I went on the cruise, I found one blog from 2014 reviewing these ports. I'm hoping this current info helps some of you. I should also add that in my TA reviews, I have uploaded photos.
On to Brunei:
“Excellent Private Tours with Borneo Trekker- Cruise Ship Day In Port”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 4 days ago NEW
I would like to commend Borneo Trekker for an excellent day of touring in Brunei. I worked with Timothy for a good 6 months planning our day trip and eventually ended up with 30 passengers from the cruise ship (Sapphire Princess). We were met at the port by Borneo Trekker tour guides at the pre-arranged time with a very comfortable and air-conditioned tour bus, and the most wonderful tour guide, Faisal, who regaled us with stories and facts about Brunei, the Sultan and it's history. They are very proud of their country and genuinely want to show visitors everything they have to offer. We basically visited every main site there was to visit in Brunei, had a delicious lunch at a restaurant right on the river and all of us felt that we came away with a very good understanding of the country and it's history. If you are going to Brunei on a cruise stop or just for a few days, I can't recommend them enough. If you're going to Brunei for a longer stay, I can only imagine how fantastic a tour they would arrange to explore Borneo.
Thank Timothy, Faisal and the entire Borneo Trekker team for a superb experience!!!!
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“A MUST SEE in Singapore”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 days ago NEW
One of the most amazing Btanical Gardens in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and rightfully so. Acres and acres of amazing landscape installations. Do not miss the Orchid Gardens. There is a separate charge for it but well worth it. Singapore is essentially one giant rainforest and humidity can be debilitating so bring lots of water with you and an ice towel from your hotel if you can. We spent about 4 hrs wondering about and probably only saw 25% of it.
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Excellent Location and Hotel in Singapore”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed yesterday NEW
We were boarding a cruise in Singapore and needed a centrally hotel for one night and found the Holiday Inn Atrium perfectly fit the requirement. The hotel is centrally located within walking distance to Clarke Quay, a short rode to Botanical Gardens, Little India and Chinatown, Marina Towers and many other must-see sights in Singapore. The rooms were your typical Holiday Inn hotel room standard, clean and with a great view of the Singapore skyline. Breakfast buffet was excellent with plenty of Western and Asian options and all very delicious. I would highly recommend this hotel for a Singapore stay.
Stayed January 2016, traveled as a couple
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“A MUST SEE in Singapore”
One of the most amazing Btoanical Gardens in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and rightfully so. Acres and acres of amazing landscape installations. Do not miss the Orchid Gardens. There is a separate charge for it but well worth it. Singapore is essentially one giant rainforest and humidity can be debilitating so bring lots of water with you and an ice towel from your hotel if you can. We spent about 4 hrs wondering about and probably only saw 25% of it.
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Dear Fellow Cruisers,
Just got back from the Jan 8 Sapphire Princess Cruise from Singapore-Brunei-Nha Trang- Saigon (Phu My) - Sihanoukville- Pattaya (Laem Chabang) -Ko Samui. Booked a few private tours in Brunei, Sihanoukville and Lsem Chabang and have already posted reviews on TripAdvisor. I wanted to share these with you in case you might find them useful. I will post them by port separately here. If anyone needs any help or if I can answer any questions, please send me a PM.
Regards,
Alicia
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I agree with the other posters here about Stephen and Halong Best Cruises/Vietnam Private Tours.
I posted the below review on Tripadvisor and I hope it helps someone trying to put together an itinerary. I sure wish I had seen a post like this one while I was reseraching my trip.
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Vietnam Private Tours/Halong Best Cruises- Stephen
A group of 7 of us who met on the Cruise Critics forum banded together and booked our Vietnam Tours through Stephen at Halong Best Cruises ( www.halongbestcruises.com) who is a sub-agent for Vietnam Private Tours.
Our tours included Halong Bay, HoiAn and Saigon/HCMC.
Four in our group booked a 2 day trip to Hanoi with Stephen; we three booked a Halong Bay overnight cruise on the Victory Star at Stephen’s recommendations. The three of us could not have been more pleased with Stephen, the Victory Star and our choice to do an overnight in Halong Bay. I know the other group was equally pleased with Hanoi, but I will let them post their own review.
Halong Bay Dec 24-25
Christmas Eve- First, the Victory Star was a wonderful cruise to be on. The food and service were spectacular and the cabins were very nice, our bathrooms were actually nicer than the ones we had on the Celebrity Millennium. I could have spent a week on that ship. When we boarded we were treated to a 5 course sit-down lunch and then, the ship arranged for a tour of a floating fishing village. It was wonderful and peaceful and serene and amazing.
Our Christmas Eve dinner was tremendous and I remember how much love there was in the room that night. We were 80 pax, total strangers sharing a seminal moment in our lives with the crew, who could not have been more endearing. We got a surprise visit from Father Christmas that night who came to every table bearing gifts (local artisan crafts).
Christmas Day- The next day we had Tai Chi classes on deck and enjoyed one of the most amazing sunrises I’ve ever seen in my life-over Halong Bay. We were taken to the caves that morning but not before fortifying ourselves with homemade Pho and when we returned, we had a lovely buffet brunch set up. After brunch it was sadly time to disembark, but I will fondly remember my two days on the Victory Star as two of the most remarkable days in my life. I can’t wait to return.
HoiAn- Dec 26
Sadly our Captain cancelled the port because of weather and decided to head down to HCMC/Saigon for an extra day in port (we already had 2 scheduled). The one thing I will say about this is that we had very little notice from our Captain, less than 12 hrs and I immediately sent an email to Stephen. Nonetheless, Stephen refunded 75% of our tour which speaks volumes about his honesty and integrity.
Dec 27-30- HCMC/Saigon
Our group of 7 grew to 9 with two more pax from ship joining us. We had pre-arranged with Stephen a pickup in Phu My port, a tour of Mekong Delta, overnight in Saigon, city tour next day and then transfer back to ship. Our tour guide and driver Tuan promptly picked us up in port at 7am and then we drove the 3.5 hrs to the Mekong Delta where we took a wonderful tour of My Tho Island and the Delta. The sights and sounds of the Mekong Delta are not to be missed; one of the highlights of our entire 15nt cruise in Asia. From there we were taken to HCMC where Stephen had arranged for hotels for 6 in the group, us three booked our hotel separately. I booked the Majestic Saigon and I HIGHLY recommend it although it is pricey by Vietnam standards ($180 USD per night, Deluxe River View), however the rest of our group was equally happy with the accommodations Stephen booked. Don’t know the name of their hotel but they did like it very much.
HCMC is CHAOTIC. Crossing the street is taking your life into your hands… Population of 10Mil; 6Mil of which own scooters/motorcycles. It is an assault on the senses. Our entire group felt we saw as many “highlights” as we could in the 48 hrs we were there. The HCMC tour organized by Stephen was flawless and very well coordinated logistically. We all walked away feeling like we got a very good feel for HCMC. Most would come back in a heartbeat.
All in all, we were very impressed by the tours, the organization, the professionalism the reliability, the guides, the vehicles- you name it. Stephen did an excellent job and I would not hesitate to recommend him and his parent company, Vietnam Private Tours.
Feel free to PM me with any questions.
I CANNOT WAIT TO GO BACK!!!! My life has changed after this trip.:D
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If you dock in Phu My it takes about 3 hrs to go to Mekong Delta, but it is so worthwhile and such an intersting ride, that you will arrive before you know it.
Enjoy and Safe Travels
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I had a similar issue, about a week ago, disembarking Celebrity Millenium early morning because of a early flight from SIN to Shanghai.
I found this great little private transfer service that I used in both Hong Kong on my arrival at airport for transfer to ship and Singapore for transfer to airport. www.blacklane.com. Our issue was 3 women, and 9 pieces of luggage so we needed a private van.:eek:
You create an online account, request a quote for the vehichle type you want and if agreeable, pay wth a credit card and they send a confirmation. I ordered the van while I was sitting at the airport club in Shanghai for arrival in Hong Kong and when I landed and turned on my phone, I had a text that my driver was waiting. The service was flawless for both cities and considerably cheaper than quotes I had gotten independantly from transfer services such as Hong Kong Shuttle. For example, a 9 pax van from Marina Bay terminal to Sing airport was only $41 US. I thought that was a steal. At that early morning (4am) at Marina terminal there will be very few taxis. Even at 6am there were very few. I highly recommend you arrange to have one waiting and don't do it through the ship. For giggles I asked what they woudl charge for the same size van that Blacklane quoted $41 to me for and they respnded with $160:rolleyes:
One last think about Blacklane, they offer their services in many cities. Check out their website. It's a servce that I was thrilled to find and I will continue to use throughout my travels:D
Happy sailing!!!!
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Oriental Escapes- Bangkok 3 day Private Tours and Port Transfers
Fellow cruisers- I just got back from a 3 wk trip to SE Asia which included a 15nt cruise on Celebrity Millennium. I booked private transfers and tours in Bangkok through Oriental Escape (orientalescape.com). I worked with their Gen Mngr-“Toni”- orientalescape@gmail.com.
I cannot say enough about his responsiveness and the service they provided. It was flawless.
First, Toni answered each and every of my dozens of planning emails quickly and cheerfully over the course of the 6 months prior to the actual trip.
Day 1 (New Year’s Eve) When the time came to finally be picked up at the Laem Chabang Port at 8am, there was a fabulously clean and new 9 passenger van and driver waiting to pick the 5 of us up. After we were driven to our hotel in Bangkok and checked in, our amazing tour guide Jane showed up right on time at 11am to give us a city tour of all the major Bangkok can’t-miss sites. We toured The Palace, Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Chinatown, Buddhist Temples Reclining Buddha, Emerald Buddha and so many other sites that escape me now. Jane was one f the best tour guides I’ve ever had. She was knowledgeable, knew the city inside-out, negotiated with Tuk-Tuk drivers on our behalf, and took us around for the better part of 7.5hrs, even though our tour was supposed to be only 6 hrs. She didn’t care, she took pride in her city and you could tell she was enjoying seeing our wonderment as we took in one spectacular site after another. Oh yeah, this was New Year’s Eve. Don’t think poor Jane made it to her home until well past 9pm. If you choose to book through Oriental Escape, ask for Jane, you will not be disappointed.
Day 2 (New Year’s Day) was a tour to Ayutthaya Tour by Grand Pearl Cruise that was booked through Oriental Escape. This was an opt-in tour but Oriental Escape also distinguished themselves as great tour operator by sending a driver to pick us up as the tour bus left from a different hotel than ours. They also sent the same driver to pick us up at the end of the tour when we arrived at a pier in Bangkok to drive us back to our hotel. From what I can see, they did not charge us for the extra transport. This tour was also fantastic; we were taken by motor coach bus to several temples and the Bang Pa summer Palace. We then boarded a river boat to cruise back the 3 hrs to Bangkok. It was a fantastic and relaxing way to see all the little villages that dot the rivers and also see spectacular ancient temples as a day trip outside Bangkok
Day 3 (Jan 2) our ship departed port in Laem Chabang at 5pm but we really wanted to see the famous Damnoen Saduak Floating Market about 1.5hrs south of Bangkok. The biggest and most famous floating market in Asia. Again, our Oriental Escape driver was right on time in a spotless and extra large van and we reached the floating market in no time. For about $15 per person we were able to take a 2 hr boat ride along the floating market. Folks, if you have the time, go see this. It was amazing. Just an assault on the senses. If you get a chance to do this, I would highly recommend it. After our boat trip, we jumped in the van and made it back to Laem Chabang in a little less than 3 hrs with plenty of time to spare. In hindsight, we could have done a 3hr boat trip but didn’t want to risk hitting traffic and missing our ship. If you do decide, the drivers can avoid all Bangkok traffic and bypass it on the freeway to get to Laem Chabang.
All in all, all of us had just an exceptional experience with Oriental Escape. We were so pleased we are looking at doing a land tour of northern Vietnam, Cambodia and Northern Thailand later this year and I would absolutely put ourselves in the very capable hands of Oriental Esvapes to plan our itinerary.
This is my first review on CC Forums, but I felt so strongly about my tours and so wish I had been able to see a similar post while I was doing my reasearch and planning, that I decided to post this long-winded review in the hopes that it helps even 1 person planning a trip:D
Sawasdee
Alicia
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We have the same itinerary with Zoom in HCMC in February but unfortunately Celebrity Millennium revised all itineraries for all southbound & northbound sailings. We will only be calling on HCMC for 1 day :(
Hi, we're booked on Celebrity Milli and don't see the itinerary change you mention in your post; can you clarify please. I checked my sailing and I checked Feb and they both still look like you call on HCMC for 2 days.:confused:
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OK, I am also "freaking" hooked on this travelougue. Hurry Ashley, I sail Dec 2013:eek:
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Thanks Patti, I think that's a Concierge Cabin and I was inquiring about the Celebrity Suite cabins which is how the obstructed view conversation came about. Good to know though in case I opt for CC vs CS
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Thank you both. Can either of you provide guidance on the below question?
Quick question, as a general rule of thumb, is there a timeframe where you see Celebrity have sales; i.e; 12 months out, 8 months out..etc? I may just grab the Concierge now since with the AMEX upgrade it's only a minimal diff between it and Veranda yet, I'll end up with a cabin that's about $2K more at today's rates. If the sailing goes on sale, I may try to snatch the CS then.
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Sue,
Thanks for your feedback. Much appreciated. I'm very torn...:eek:
Regards,
Alicia
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Hi Andy,
Thanks so much for all the sage advise. It would be a special trip, as SE Asia has always been on my bucket list, so I'm willing to spend the bucks for a great cabin, at the same time, don't want to be frivolous either because we'll spend very little time in the cabin really.
Thinking of maybe doing a Concierge cabin, my AMEX card offers s 2 cat upgrade and I could l end up with one of the primo ones at a really good price and get most of the perks that come with a suite anyway.
Quick question, as a general rule of thumb, is there a timeframe where you see Celebrity have sales; i.e; 12 months out, 8 months out..etc? I may just grab the Concierge now since with the AMEX upgrade it's only a minimal diff between it and Veranda yet, I'll end up with a cabin that's about $2K more at today's rates. If the sailing goes on sale, I may try to snatch the CS then.
New to Oceania - Flight Time Question
in Oceania Cruises
Posted
Tell the cruise line you have an early flight. They will accomodate you and get you off as soon as ship is cleared. Arrange for a private driver, you can find them here or on Tripadvisor. Its worth paying the extra, only about $40 more than a taxi abd you'll have a driver waiting with a car holding up a sign with your name. The airport is not that far, about 18Km or so- you should have plenty of time. I've boarded and dismbarked many times in BCN, it's a great port right in the heart of the city but also by a main street leading to highway, leading to airport. You'll be at the airport in less than 40 min..