Viking China (Part 2)

[Turtles06]

May I ask what the price of the optional tour of the Summer Palace is?

This is one of the many instances where passenger feedback shapes the tour for those following. Many of our tour group wanted to go back to the hotel following our visit to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City because they were too tired from their flights the day before. Our guide was obligated to do the tour if only one person wanted to go because it was part of the itinerary so to alleviate the problem it's now an optional tour.

 

That's very interesting, I was wondering why the Summer Palace is now "optional." We must have had a hardier group; I don't recall anyone wanting to opt out of that for the hotel! :)

 

For future travelers, though, particularly coming from halfway around the world, if you can arrive a couple of days early, you will really enjoy things more. I realize not everyone can swing that.

[caribill]

That's very interesting, I was wondering why the Summer Palace is now "optional." We must have had a hardier group; I don't recall anyone wanting to opt out of that for the hotel! :)

 

 

When we went the Summer Palace visit was included as was the T'ang Dynasty dinner/show.

 

I suspect they may be optional now to keep the published price of the trip lower.

[Red II]

It is worth noting that passengers are not able to select both the Summer Palace and Opera optional tours. Based on feedback on this board and what those in our group had to say if you are only choosing one then I would suggest the Summer Palace.

 

In terms of the Tang Dynasty Dinner and Show...all passengers were taken to the same theatre for dinner but those passengers who did not opt for the optional dinner & show were served a dumpling dinner in a different place in the building while those of us who selected the optional tour were served a delicious six course meal and then enjoyed the show. I have not heard anything remotely negative from fellow passengers who opted to attend the Tang Dynasty Dinner & Show. http://www.xiantangdynasty.com/Column.aspx?ColId=46

[Red II]

Not sure if this is true on all voyages but we have been told that 2 of our 3 intra China flights are with China Eastern...not sure which airline we will have for the third flight.

[Red II]

Steve, you do not need to worry about seat assignments as these are done for you. Everything is very easy...your guide will give you your boarding pass at the airport. Not sure that the same will apply for future itineraries, but from Beijing to Xi'an we were on China Eastern flight MH 2112.

[Peregrina651]

Steve, you do not need to worry about seat assignments as these are done for you. Everything is very easy...your guide will give you your boarding pass at the airport. Not sure that the same will apply for future itineraries, but from Beijing to Xi'an we were on China Eastern flight MH 2112.

 

Yes, that is the way it works. The escorts pass out the boarding passes at the airport on all the intra China flights. A Viking agent takes care of checking in all passengers and luggage so that by the time buses reach the airport all you have to do is take the boarding pass and go through security. Everyone is seated together in the plane.

 

On our trip, assignments must have been alphabetical because four of us with the same last name were seated in alpha order by first name. We had to do some seat-swapping to keep the couples together--not that it was really necessary because the flights aren't that long (especially after the flights you take to get there).

[Bruin Steve]

Steve, you do not need to worry about seat assignments as these are done for you. Everything is very easy...your guide will give you your boarding pass at the airport. Not sure that the same will apply for future itineraries, but from Beijing to Xi'an we were on China Eastern flight MH 2112.

 

I was asking more about the seat assignments not on those flights inside China but on our Air China flights to and from the tour itself...LAX to Beijing and Hong Kong back to LAX...those, especially the initial flight from home to Beijing to meet the tour, can't be given to us by the guide...

[caribill]

I was asking more about the seat assignments not on those flights inside China but on our Air China flights to and from the tour itself...LAX to Beijing and Hong Kong back to LAX...those, especially the initial flight from home to Beijing to meet the tour, can't be given to us by the guide...

 

I would give the airline a call. Some airlines allow selecting a seat way in advance, some only a few days in advance and some only at check-in.

[Turtles06]

Just to add a little more info re seat assignments on the intra-China flights. Our Viking escort told us that since 9/11, seat assignments have been made randomly by the airline, and therefore we could not expect to have an assigned seat next to our spouse or other traveling companion. But of course, as noted above, we were free to swap seats with others in our group. In reality, this turned out to be difficult because the planes were so crowded and the aisles before takeoff were too full of people for the seat swapping to be accomplished if you and your spouse were many rows apart. However, these were relatively short flights (the longest was about 90 minutes), so it was not a big deal.

 

If you have a particular physical need to be in an aisle seat (my spouse is quite tall and really does), call Viking in advance and have them note this in your file. We did, and my spouse had an aisle seat on all three of our intra-China flights. (I think a lot of this also had to do with our fantastic escort.)

[tring]

We are thinking of booking the Viking Imperial Jewels of China and are thinking of extending our stay in Beijing for 2-3 nights and in Shanghai for about a week or so.

 

The one thing that worries me is pollution. I am mildly asthmatic and have extremely dry eyes which can leave me having difficultly keeping my eyes open if the air is bad. How bad is the reputed pollution in China? I realise no one can predict any particular time, (we are thinking of Sept), but I am wondering if anyone, or their fellow travellers had experienced problems.

 

Also, I am wondering if toilet facilites are hard to find when on the tours as I am not as young as I used to be and need regular comfort stops!

[caribill]

In reality, this turned out to be difficult because the planes were so crowded and the aisles before takeoff were too full of people for the seat swapping to be accomplished if you and your spouse were many rows apart.

 

You can exchange the boarding passes before getting on the plane (but after you have gone through security).

 

Also, I remember that everybody tries to board at once.

Edited April 13, 2014 by caribill

[Turtles06]

You can exchange the boarding passes before getting on the plane (but after you have gone through security).

 

 

Yes of course and I didn't mean to suggest otherwise, but on most (if not all) of our flights, there were at least several Viking "bus size" groups on each plane, which meant trying to figure out among scores of people who might have the boarding pass for the seat you'd like to switch to.

[travelfirst]

We are thinking of booking the Viking Imperial Jewels of China and are thinking of extending our stay in Beijing for 2-3 nights and in Shanghai for about a week or so.

 

The one thing that worries me is pollution. I am mildly asthmatic and have extremely dry eyes which can leave me having difficultly keeping my eyes open if the air is bad. How bad is the reputed pollution in China? I realise no one can predict any particular time, (we are thinking of Sept), but I am wondering if anyone, or their fellow travellers had experienced problems.

 

Also, I am wondering if toilet facilites are hard to find when on the tours as I am not as young as I used to be and need regular comfort stops!

 

I went to China in April, 2010 on the Imperial Jewels of China. I read most of the Viking China posts on here before I left. I was worried about the pollution also because everyone was posting the air was so bad but it was fine when we were there.

When you are on tours they take you to restroom stops often and they all seemed to have at least one "western" toilet....

[caribill]

We are thinking of booking the Viking Imperial Jewels of China and are thinking of extending our stay in Beijing for 2-3 nights and in Shanghai for about a week or so.

 

The one thing that worries me is pollution. I am mildly asthmatic and have extremely dry eyes which can leave me having difficultly keeping my eyes open if the air is bad. How bad is the reputed pollution in China?

 

For the eyes, be sure to bring appropriate eye drops.

 

Below are pictures from Shanghai and Bejing from we went several years ago in August. Since that time we have seen pictures of both lesser and of worse pollution.

 

Shanghai viewed from our hotel

 

 

 

Shanghai near Tiananmen Square. Note that nobody has a mask on.

 

[sisterpower]

A couple questions for those who have been on the tour already how early are your mornings? and how do the meals work when you opt out of something like the first day if you decide not to do the optional tour are you on your own for lunch or do you get a "coupon" for lunch at the hotel. Thanks to everyone for all your insight I leave in two months twenty days can hardly wait :)

[Bruin Steve]

Two months from tomorrow...

 

We now have our China Visas securely attached to our passports...

We have our Airline schedule...

We have an appointment set for Wednesday to get all of our necessary shots...

 

...and it's still a long way before we have to start packing...

Plus, I assume it will still be a few weeks before they send us any "important documents" (Do these come by mail in solid form...or have they gone to e-docs like many of the ocean lines?)

 

Unlike most of our cruise vacations, I have no pre- and post cruise arrangements to deal with or port tours to organize...as EVERYTHING is arranged through Viking (In a way, it's nice not to have anything to deal with, but, in a way, I miss all of the planning and activity)...I am assuming virtually all I have to do now is to arrange for the shuttle or limo to the airport...and pack...

 

So, what else do we have to do now? Or what else should we expect over the coming weeks? Should we pre-purchase Chinese Currency...or is that easy enough to do by ATM while there? Tips paid in cash? (I take it no credit card option like on ocean cruises)...

 

I take it all off those options (Peking Duck Dinner, Chinese Opera, etc.) are something we are presented when we get there? Or are those handled somehow pre-cruise?

[caribill]

So, what else do we have to do now? Or what else should we expect over the coming weeks? Should we pre-purchase Chinese Currency...or is that easy enough to do by ATM while there? ATMs are at the airport when you arrive. Some of the hotels will have an ATM. Can also exchange at hotel front desk at same exchange rate (government controls the exchange rate).

 

 

 

Tips paid in cash? (I take it no credit card option like on ocean cruises)... Ship tips can be charged while on the ship. Or you can use cash. Your end of trip tip to your group's guide cannot be charged.

 

I take it all off those options (Peking Duck Dinner, Chinese Opera, etc.) are something we are presented when we get there? Or are those handled somehow pre-cruise? Handled during the tour. In our case the charges were added to the onbaord ship account.

 

 

see above in red

Edited April 14, 2014 by caribill

[pacmom]

Best Peking Duck ever was at Made in China at the Grand Hyatt--very reasonable and soooooo good.

 

Sat next to a gentleman who had just returned from China and said in all his years of doing business there, this was one of the worst pollution years in both Shanghai and Beijing. Take disposable masks. They do work. Pat

Edited April 14, 2014 by pacmom

[Turtles06]

I take it all off those options (Peking Duck Dinner, Chinese Opera, etc.) are something we are presented when we get there? Or are those handled somehow pre-cruise?

 

The options are handled once you arrive in China (at least that was the case when we were there.) But if you have the night to do it, I would highly recommend eating Peking Duck on your own at a well-chosen place, like Made in China (which was fantastic, as Pacmom says above), or Da Dong. I did go along to the place Viking took us to, and the duck was not very good; that was several years ago, and maybe they are using a better place now, but I don't believe they are taking a large group of people to one of the really well-known quality Peking Duck restaurants. (Fortunately, my spouse and I had already eaten at Made in China during our pre-Viking time in Beijing.)

 

As for your currency question, I never like to turn up in a foreign country with no local currency in my pocket. That's my own personal preference. We got some RMB before we left home, then exchanged US cash at our hotels for RMB as needed (the hotels in China have to give you the same rate as the banks).

[Rodie H]

How difficult is it boarding internal China flights with a rolling carryon? I've heard it can be disorganized and shortages of overhead compartments is quite common.

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...Time for the mask question.

We don't know if the pollution will be insanely terrible, moderate, or remarkably clear.

We have tight luggage weight restrictions.

We don't want to look goofy...or deal with unnecessary extras...

But we also don't want to cough and get sick...

Should we buy these?:

 

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Particulate-Respirator-9211-Disposable/dp/B00AEXIS4S

 

I'm assuming you likely are able to buy them there...

But, here, they're pretty cheap--like under $20 for a pack of ten on amazon.com...

Do we buy them to be proactive? Or just deal with it if we need it?

[caribill]

Okay...Time for the mask question.

We don't know if the pollution will be insanely terrible, moderate, or remarkably clear.

We have tight luggage weight restrictions.

We don't want to look goofy...or deal with unnecessary extras...

But we also don't want to cough and get sick...

Should we buy these?:

 

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Particulate-Respirator-9211-Disposable/dp/B00AEXIS4S

 

I'm assuming you likely are able to buy them there...

But, here, they're pretty cheap--like under $20 for a pack of ten on amazon.com...

Do we buy them to be proactive? Or just deal with it if we need it?

 

 

I can't suggest what might be the best mask to use, but if you feel you need to have them, get them before you leave home. Any opportunity to obtain them when in China would be limited and might not be when you need one.

[caribill]

How difficult is it boarding internal China flights with a rolling carryon? I've heard it can be disorganized and shortages of overhead compartments is quite common.

 

Should not be any problem taking one on board.

 

Boarding was disorganized when we were there with 100% of the passengers trying to get on at the same time. To insure getting the needed overhead space, try to be towards the front of the pack when you see the "line" form.

[sisterpower]

A couple questions for those who have been on the tour already how early are your mornings? and how do the meals work when you opt out of something like the first day if you decide not to do the optional tour are you on your own for lunch or do you get a "coupon" for lunch at the hotel. Thanks to everyone for all your insight I leave in two months twenty days can hardly wait :)

 

No one has replied to my questions so I will repost and hope someone who has done the tour has an answer!

[caribill]

A couple questions for those who have been on the tour already how early are your mornings? and how do the meals work when you opt out of something like the first day if you decide not to do the optional tour are you on your own for lunch or do you get a "coupon" for lunch at the hotel. Thanks to everyone for all your insight I leave in two months twenty days can hardly wait :)

 

In the hotels we met at 8 AM, 9 AM, 9 AM, 7:45 AM, 8 AM

 

On the boat we met at 9 AM, 9 AM, 9:30 AM, 8:45 AM, 9 AM

 

All of the above were after breakfast.

 

The only optional meal we skipped was the duck/opera. We ate at our hotel that evening. I have seen posts that this may have changed and those not going to that optional event were brought to a non-hotel restaurant.

 

By the way, breakast on the ship was anytime during the hours it is available. However for lunch and dinner, you needed to be there at the start of the announced time.

 

Breakfast at the hotels was anytime before the meeting time.