Viking China (Part 2)

[Mark_T]

Thanks so much Marion LOL......no matter what, we will manage. Because of the many mentions of steps, we are not taking our general carry on which has rollers and can weight too much when carrying - but will use a shoulder bag and keep it lighter!

 

Whatever you feel most comfortable doing is the best choice of course, but if you prefer to use your usual wheeled carry-on then don't let the steps at Chongqing put you off, there will be local porters happy to carry your bag for a small fee, and carry you as well for that matter for the right price :)

 

The steps are not always that much of a problem either, on the day we got there the water level was very high and so we had only a few steps to negotiate.

[Mark_T]

'Tips included' means that the employees are being paid the rate for the job and the company is advertising the full cost of the trip/service up front. The acceptable way to do business.

 

If tips are 'compulsory' and 'are added to the bill at the end of the cruise' then that means that the company is probably paying their employees the full rate but are not advertising the full cost of the trip/service up front and making up the difference at the end. Not an acceptable way to do business.

 

If tips are solicited, 'welcome' or 'expected', then that means that the employees are being underpaid and 'tips' are expected to make up the difference. Not an acceptable way to do business.

 

All, of course, just my opinion.

 

Fully understood, but knowing that, it would seem wise to select from the more expensive lines that reflect your preferred business models rather than select a cheaper one that does not and then complain about the tipping policy...

[Floridiana]

The wheels are excellent in the airports. Don't dismiss them just for the steps in Chonqing unless your small suitcase is so heavy that you can't put it in the overhead bin.

[PatriciaF]

Wow--I thought river cruising was pretty safe--until I read this article today:

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-32969861

[CowgirlCook]

The wheels are excellent in the airports. Don't dismiss them just for the steps in Chonqing unless your small suitcase is so heavy that you can't put it in the overhead bin.

 

Thanks - good point. But I think overall, since I'm NOT taking a laptop, and constantly trying to "travel lighter," I won't need the extra weight of what we call our "gadget" bag. BUT as I pack, if the smaller over-the-shoulder doesn't work, good to know that it really isn't a big problem.

THANKS everyone!

[digitl]

Fully understood, but knowing that, it would seem wise to select from the more expensive lines that reflect your preferred business models rather than select a cheaper one that does not and then complain about the tipping policy...

 

I haven't complained about the tipping policy (we haven't travelled with Viking), but have simply commented on it. However, we generally do choose suppliers who pay their employees the rate for the job, and charge their customers a 'real' rate, rather than indulge in the silliness that is tipping for 'standard' service.

Edited June 2, 2015 by digitl

[digitl]

Because of the many mentions of steps, we are not taking our general carry on which has rollers and can weight too much when carrying

 

Porters will carry your luggage for just a few Yuan.

[CowgirlCook]

Porters will carry your luggage for just a few Yuan.

Yes - I would definitely pay the porter if we use the heavier carry-on. As someone explained, this is their profession and I appreciate they are there to help!

[Viking Cruises]

definition of a "tip" is a monetary appreciation of an "additional deed, service, accommodation, and/or "call above and beyond the duty, beyond the service already paid for!

 

if you tip because you feel guilty, or because you are shamed into tipping, that is different ballgame. That is called charity! it has a place in my life and civilized people do both...

What I resented on VIKING tour was that never ending , daily, repeating reminders announced on each and every day, on each and every bus..

" just to remind you" that we will say farewell to our driver, he worked very hard, and our local guide, who already tipped our baggage handlers to have smooth luggage handling and ..just a reminder that it is customary to tip twice more in hong kong ..

 

The best and most callous announcement was as follows:

you are the most lucky people in this group! we will not stay in Guilin for two more nites, we will actually fly to hong kong instead of traveling the whole day by bus, then shlepping your own luggage thru border to HK

AFTER I TOLD THE GUIDE THAT IT AS ACTUALLY VIKING TOURS WHO WAS THE LUCKIEST PEOPLE ON EARTH THAT DAY... she didn't get it until I explained to her that I (and other travelers) would have definitely demanded refund for wasted time....

 

anyhow....

here is the list of PATHETICS, HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE EXPERIENCES AND OF COURSE THE AMAZING AND MARVELOUS...

1/ PATHETIC is a very mild description of "viking included lunch " on LI RIVER BOAT. guide actually suggested, that we packed/stole from breakfast in hotel, because she felt that the food on boat was not for human consumption.. she assured us that the "food" was " well cooked" though.. She was right! it was hog-wash that pigs would reject to eat!

but, hey .. it was included and we could steal from breakfast....

 

2/ HORRIBLE is the proper description of disembarkation in CHONGQING!

I am not kidding or exaggerating! we were wading UNCLE HIGH in excrements, raw sewage, dead fish, algae, have pics, can proove it.

it was raining, bus was not there for half an hour, local guide was late...

no shelter to hide from elements.. Viking guide just quipped .. welcom to china...she was genially upset and embarrassed ...when the bus finally appeared some forty minutes later, business "as usual" reminders about how much to tip the hard working bus driver started...

 

3/TERRIBLE were the "lazy Susan" lunches in the cheapest establishments viking could possibly find.. at airport, behind the silk factory, under the carpet shop, one was sooo hilarious that we actually appreciated the experience, while hating food! it was THE "RED RESTAURANT LAZY SUSAN"!!

Just try to imagine ten people around table each was issued 4 inch wide plate!!! to load from turning susan..hilarious thing was that after you made your first mistake loading two morsels of "things" you did not like, you had only two choices. eat it or forget about the next choice..they actually brought a 4 inch plate with duck or perhaps chicken (head included..) but by the time susan moved around and reached my position there was only the head left....as i said hilarious....

 

4/AWESOME were the hotels, accommodation, service.. wifi, tv,

5/AMAZING was the sight-seeing!

my bottom line advise:

Chinese food served at locations selected by viking has nothing to do with "chines food"!! our food was the cheapest substitute that viking could possibly find!

if you are not prepared to live of breakfasts and expect "Chinese food from "lazy suzan" you will suffer!

CARRY TOILET TISSUE WITH YOU ALL AND I MEAN ALL THE TIME!

IN CONCLUSION, NO REGRETS. WOULD RECOMMEND THE TOUR BUT WITH SOME OTHER COMPANY (perhaps we did not pay enough.. for decent food..)

 

oceanbreeze

 

Dear oceanbreeze999,

 

While we’re happy to learn that you were so pleased with the hotel portions of your China cruisetour – along with the spectacular sights – we are equally disappointed to hear of your dissatisfaction with some of the food and communications. Please consider contacting us directly at TellUs@vikingcrusies.com so that we may put you in touch with a member of our Customer Relations team.

 

Thank you for traveling with us and for sharing your experiences. We hope to hear from you soon.

 

Sincerely,

Viking Cruises

[Peregrina651]

Dear oceanbreeze999,

 

While we’re happy to learn that you were so pleased with the hotel portions of your China cruisetour – along with the spectacular sights – we are equally disappointed to hear of your dissatisfaction with some of the food and communications. Please consider contacting us directly at TellUs@vikingcrusies.com so that we may put you in touch with a member of our Customer Relations team.

 

Thank you for traveling with us and for sharing your experiences. We hope to hear from you soon.

 

Sincerely,

Viking Cruises

 

PLEASE NOTE:

 

• there is a typo in the e-mail address given above it should be TellUs@VikingCruises.com

 

Did you notice that Viking has changed its corporate name? Now that they have gone ocean, they have dropped River from the official name--and from the domain name as well.

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

I kind of like Viking Crusies, has a warm and fuzzy feel to it :D

[mee]

========================

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very sad indeed...

we just returned from our viking imperial jewels yesterday. ..

WE HAD A SAFETY DRILL AND CREW WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO EXPLAIN WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.

 

however

 

there were at least two/three accidents/incidents of our ship being rammed!! by barge during the nite on two previous trips.

when I quizzed the staff (including captain..(who did not speak any English ;.) " nobody could remember the "incident"??!!

 

eventually, after I advised them that the accident was reported on "cruise critics forum".. after a long pause.. they admitted being rammed by "barge" during nite??!! as a matter of fact TWICE!! DUE TO THE FOG!!

I do not have a problem with "accident?

accidents happen.

but , what was what was done after "ramming??!!

 

answer:

NOTHING!!

 

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT????????????

NO INSPECTION?

NO DAMAGE ASSESSMENT?

WOW!

 

 

oceanbreeze

 

Oceanbreeze, I am not sure why you are shouting and angry about the accident that occurred on the cruise I was on. It should have had no effect on your cruise. Yes the Emerald was hit by two barges about 5 minutes apart during a storm ( I wouldn't use the word rammed). I don't know where you get the idea that there was nothing done after. This occurred at about 2 am and we anchored and did not move again until after 8:30 am. The ship was thoroughly inspected for damage and police and others were on board. One rubber bumper was knocked off but other than that the ship was deemed safe. There was a briefing meeting held that morning to update us all. I felt that Viking did everything possible to ensure our safety and to rearrange the schedule for that day.

 

I don't know why you make your comment about the captain not speaking english, he is a Chinese person living and working in China, why would you expect him to speak english?

 

You seem determined to find fault with Viking. I hope you enjoy your upcoming trips more than you did this one.

[Going Coastal]

DH and I have been home a couple of weeks now and while I have weighed in a couple of

times this will be a more comprehensive report of our Cultural Delights trip and extension with Viking in March.

I use a rollator full time and the team in China, especially our guide Francis, handled everything flawlessly, enabling me to participate in every activity I chose.

I had prepared by taking a heavier Norwegian rollator that I had ordered especially for this trip and climbing Maachu Pichu last December.

We arrived in Beijing late the evening before the tour began after flying from Houston through Inchoen. We were greeted at the airport by the Biking rep, put in a car and zipped to the hotel. Francis was waiting for us there while simultaneously solving questions from others in his group. I asked him about a wheelchair and pusher for the next day at Tiannenum Square

[Going Coastal]

So sorry. When I tried to edit the previous post I switched to another device and everything else disappeared.

The wheelchair and pusher met us on arrival the next morning. I was able to see everything at the square and in the Forbidden City and could hear my group and guide on my Vox.

[rrgator]

On page 186 of this thread, Oceanbreeze999 asked several questions. My wife and I just returned from the Viking Jewels of China cruise, May 4/5, 2015 - May 21, 2015. Let me add my $.02 to your great questions.

 

Rodie H;

 

sooo glad u enjoyed thr trip (and offered to share your experience..)

1/ did u (someone in your group..) try BSK and Peking Duck? how was it?

 

We signed up for the Peking Duck dinner but by the time it rolled around, during the end of the "cruise" in Beijing, we had had it with Chinese food, so we skipped it. Instead had $60 Wagyu beef hamburgers in the hotel room that night. Best hamburger I have had in a long time.

 

Let me take a minute and talk about the food. It was ok on the boat, in the hotels, and in the restaurants the cruise takes you to. On the boat, there is a lot of western choices, however, once you get off the boat, which is only 5 nights of the trip, you will eat a steady diet of "Chinese" food. Both buffets and "lazy susan" meals. One thing that became apparent is that Chinese food in the US is Cantonese style. Chinese food that we encountered in China has very little Cantonese in it. The Chinese food we had was good and lots of it. However, and this was the big issue for us, you can only eat so much of it before you get tired of it. I would recommend that Viking look into adding some western meals in the mix for some variety.

 

A couple of other notes that go with the food. We did the trip from Shanghai to Beijing, with a post cruise stay in Guilin (1 night, thank God, only 1 night) and Hong Kong (3 nights). I would suggest considering the opposite direction, Beijing to Shanghai for a couple of reasons. The more strenuous part of the cruise is after you get off the boat, from Chongqing to Beijing, where you will see the Great Wall (Beijing) and the Terra Cotta Warriors (Xi'an). That is also when you will take all but one of the 5 inter-China flights. You also will spend time in Beijing at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. All of these sights are spectacular and well worth the trip. If you do these first and then board the boat, you will be able to "relax" more on the boat than you can on the non-cruise part of the trip. There are still plenty of things that you will see and do on the Yangtze River portion of the trip, it is just not as strenuous and demanding as the non-cruise portion.

 

I also believe that you will be able to tolerate the unending Chinese food better, as once on the boat, the food is more "western" and gives you a chance to recover from the same food over and over.

One other note, I would say the Chinese food issue was split 50/50 among our group on the trip. I would say half the people enjoyed all of the food, ate it with gusto, and always wanted more. The other half, of which I belong, felt some variety would have been nice.

 

One other note about Chinese food. For some reason, the Chinese don’t believe in napkins or much of any kind of paper products. If you’re lucky, you will get a small cocktail napkin or Kleenex with your meal. I would recommend you carry some western napkins/paper towels with you to use when dining.

 

2/ did u take any OPTIONAL TOURS? how was it?

 

We signed up for all of the optional tours, as we have on the other Viking cruises we have taken. On this one, we made 2 of the 3 offered. As mentioned above , we skipped the Peking Duck dinner, but we did attend the Tang Dynasty dinner in Xi’an and the Peking opera. The Tang Dynasty dinner show was great, the food, in my opinion, was awful. BTW, I am not a picky eater and generally can and will eat almost anything. At this dinner there was some kind of meat wrapped in tin foil, with a sauce that tasted like tomato soup. Yuck. The show was good though, fantastic costumes, scenery, and music.

 

The Peking opera was something else. Now, full disclosure, I am not an opera fan by any stretch. I have seen 2 operas in my entire life and slept through both of them. However, this opera is not something you would see in Vienna, for example. In fact, I don’t even know how to describe it. There was a lot of slow motion sword fighting, a lot of screeching, and a lot of things that made no sense. And that was with an English translation/hints being shown on a board on the side of the stage. I lasted about 15 minutes and spent the rest of the 70 minutes shopping for some souvenirs in the very nice gift shop and checking emails and the internet in the bar.

 

I think most of the people who went enjoyed the opera, it just wasn’t for me.

 

One other event that is not an optional tour is the Shanghai acrobats which we saw on our second night in China. We came back to our hotel, the Shanghai Portman Ritz Carlton, after dinner, where the theatre is located where the acrobats perform. I thought it would really be hokey and was ready to skip it and go to the room and catch up on some sleep. Of course, my wife insisted we attend, which of course she won. Boy am I glad I went. It was spectacular. It lasted about 90 minutes and was really amazing. I can’t believe what those boys and girls can do. Very entertaining and worth going to. I felt like I was watching the old Ed Sullivan show. I kept expecting Ed to come out and say, “Let’s hear it for the Shanghai acrobats.”

 

3/ not being nosy.. but how much Yuans (REMBINI..) and HK$ would u recommend to take just for some local food/trinkets?

 

Excellent question. I would recommend you take $200 - $300 US dollars (I would take a mixture of $1’s, $5’s, $10’s, and $20’s) and arrange for $500 Yuan, in small bills, from your local bank before you go. You will not be able to get US dollars once you get there, so you will want them for as much for a safety net as for any other reason. ATM’s are very accessible throughout the trip. The problem though is you get generally $100 yuan bills. It is hard to get change, even in the hotels that Viking uses. One of my gripes with the trip. You need small bills to barter/shop with the street vendors and to make sure that you aren’t giving large dollar bills and getting back the wrong change or worse, counterfeit change. It is fairly easy to convert Chinese dollars into US dollars, the current exchange rate is about 6.1 – 6.2 Chinese dollars to one US dollar. In Hong Kong, which has a different monetary system the exchange rate is 7.1 to $1. In determining prices in China divide by 6 and in Hong Kong divide by 7. You can use US dollars as well for purchases. And of course Amex or other credit cards in the hotels, malls, and high-end shopping establishments. BTW, the Canadian exchange rate was 5:1 in China, not sure what it was in HK.

 

4/ were the toilets (holes in ground) really that bad??

 

Another really great question and maybe the #1 question for anyone thinking about going to China. The good news is, bathrooms are readily available everywhere we went. Of course, sometimes it was a squatter toilet. In an enclosed space usually, but not a western toilet. This seemed to be more of an issue for the women than the men. Of course, we men can just go behind a tree if need be. In most places, there was usually a mixture of western and squatter toilets. There is usually a picture on the door of the stall showing what type of toilet there is. In some cases though, only squatter toilets where available. I would recommend that you take advantage of every opportunity to go to the bathroom when you come across one, even if you really don’t have to go right then. Your guide will without fail point out toilets and give you time to use them during the tours. You also should carry tissue with you, as that is hardly ever available in most of the bathrooms. I would also recommend you wash your hands, which will cause you to use your pants or shirt to dry them, as again, paper products are pretty non-existent in China. Also, a little Purell goes a long way.

 

5/ how were the line-ups for attractions? hrs? minutes?? bearable??

 

The good news is, we did not have any ridiculously long waits at any of the attractions (Pandas, Terra Cotta Warriors, and Great Wall) because we went to them during the week and there were no Chinese holidays while we were there. I would definitely check the Chinese calendar for holidays when you go, as I would imagine anywhere you go would be extremely crowded during a holiday. We toured Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City on a Saturday and the crowds were larger then also.

 

The bad news: To avoid the crowds we left the hotels early usually 7-8 am to beat the crowds. You also have to deal with Chines traffic in rush hour, which makes LA or Houston look good. Lots of early mornings on this cruse. On a side note, China is the one place I have ever been that there is no way I would ever try to drive in it. Make sure to tip the bus drivers. They do a remarkable job getting you to and from all of the places you visit.

 

It was well worth it though. The Great Wall is spectacular. We were extremely lucky as the weather was superb, no clouds or pollution, bright sunshine and a nice breeze on the wall. We could see for miles.

 

One other thing to think about when touring China. There are between 1.3 and 1.4 billion Chinese citizens. 1% of their population is 13,000,000 or 14,000,000. So if only 1% of the population decides to fly that day or visit an attraction or go out to eat, places will be crowded. Just something to keep in mind and learn to appreciate. You eventually get to where you’re going and in most cases the trip and wait are well worth it.

 

6/ hotel food compared to ship food? edible? delicious? bearable?

 

See above for my comments about the food.

 

7/ how was smog? temperature? rain??

 

Ok, now you have asked what I considered the only really bad part of the trip: The Weather!

 

The smog was not that bad and not as bad I was lead to believe it would be. It does exist, we just didn’t have to deal with it much during the time we were there. Even in the big cities and boy are the cities in China big. The smallest city we spent a night in was Guilin, which had 700,000 people and is considered a small town in China. I am sure there are times of the year when the smog/pollution is bad but not during the three weeks we were there.

 

However, the weather was the real problem, for me anyway. If you look at the latitude of the areas in China we were visiting, it goes like this:

 

Shanghai, the Yangtze River, and Chongqing are all on the same latitude as New Orleans, where we live. Needless to say from late April until Thanksgiving, it is very hot and humid. So is that part of China.

 

Beijing is on the same latitude as New York City, so the weather there was a little better, not hot, not cold, and more comfortable with less humidity.

 

Hong Kong is on the same latitude as Mexico City, so very hot and very humid. We had mostly rain and overcast skies while there, so the temperature was not as bad as it probably would have been. However the top of Victoria Peak and the Giant Buddha were both in the clouds, with rain, so it made going to those sites less than ideal.

 

Now, I am hot-natured, so my tolerance for heat is not very good. I

appreciate the inventor of air conditioning more than most people. What we found in China this time of year was a lack of air conditioning. In several of the airports, there was no a/c at all, and we would sit there for up to 3 hours waiting for the plane. It was very hot and uncomfortable. We found out from our tour guide late in the trip that China does not use a/c in public buildings until late May. However, there are exceptions to everything. The airport in Guilin was air conditioned and very comfortable, but the hotel (Guilin Shangri La) had little to no a/c. We got to our room late in the afternoon, with no a/c being run, making the room extremely uncomfortable. BTW, my opinion is that Guilin was the hottest and most humid place we spent any time in during the trip. The boat ride we took on the Li River, started out with nice a/c in the cabin we were seated in, but towards the end of the ride, the a/c disappeared and it became impossible to stay inside. The other hotels were a mixture. The Beijing Ritz Carlton and the Kowloon Shangri La in Hong Kong were great for a/c. The Xi’an Sheraton and the Shanghai Ritz Carlton, not so much. Also, be aware that most restaurants in HK are open air, with little to no a/c. At least the ones around the Kowloon Shangri La.

 

Now having complained about the weather and the lack of a/c during our trip, it appeared that I was in a minority in our group. There was not a lot of complaining from the others in our group. On the buses, I was always trying to get the a/c vents open and moving air as soon as possible, while most everyone else was closing the vents or not opening them. My complaints and observations are not meant to discourage anyone from going to China. It is just what I experienced and how it affected me. In hindsight, I would have probably done better if we had done the cruise in March or April or in the fall. The one thing about weather is you never know what it will do and you can’t do anything about it anyway.

 

One other thing I would advise you taking on any of the Viking cruises or any vacation for that matter is some high-quality ponchos. We had the cheap, thin plastic ones that my company gives out as promotional material. We used them in Hong Kong, and they worked ok. If we had had ponchos with a little more substance it would have been better. I also think that ponchos beat umbrellas in a number of ways.

 

8/ how was "school" visit? can not put my head around the fact that one pays lot of $$ to visit school! ..there are many schools wher I live.. I did not visit since my kids graduated..

 

Speaking of weather, when we woke up the morning of the school visit, it was raining and overcast, so we skipped the tour. Because of that, I really can’t comment. However, I will say that most of the people on the cruise went, seemed to enjoy it, and thought it was a worthwhile experience. We did see pictures of the tour as part of the DVD Viking shows towards the end of the trip and it appeared that there is a script the school follows as far as singing and dancing, so it probably is worth doing as long as the weather is good.

 

9/ how were the local flight? how much time was wasted on transfers, a/ports etc..

 

Overall, the inter-country flights were fine. The airplanes were generally 737’s or larger, with a 3 and 3 or a 3-5-3 seating configuration. It was kind of hit or miss on timeliness, some were timely and some were not on time. Very similar to the US.

 

I have previously mentioned the airports as far as a/c is concerned. However, the airports are large with plenty of shopping and food availability. There are ATM’s there and of course, decent bathrooms.

 

One other thing is the security screenings in China. For the most part, not much different from the US. They ask you to remove laptops from your carry-ons, but can leave kindles and iPad’s inside. So for the most part, going through security in the Chinese airports wasn’t much of a problem.

 

Except for the Beijing airport. I don’t know why it is different there. Maybe those are really good jobs that no one wants to lose or the fact that the government is centered there, but getting through security there was much more difficult than anywhere else. In all of the other airports, Shanghai, Chongqing, Xi’an, I had left phone chargers, iPad chargers, kindle chargers, a three plug electric socket, etc., in my backpack with no issues. In Beijing, that was a problem and after going through the scan, the screeners went crazy about the “wires” in my backpack. BTW, this was not just me, but it was everybody in our group going through the screening process. I had to take everything out of my backpack and send all of the contents separately, as well as my backpack, through the screener again. They were also concerned about coins in the bag and a money clip I had in there also. We eventually got through the screening process, but it was much more difficult than anywhere else. So of course, because of that experience, I packed all of that type of stuff in our checked bags for the flight from Guilin to HK, and of course, the “wires” did not appear to be an issue there either. One interesting thing about our trip to China was trying to figure out the thought process of the Chinese mind. Obviously, I had little success in that.

 

A couple of other things regarding flying in China. Make sure you lock your bags. They encourage it and you really should. Two of our checked bags have built in TSA approved locks, which give access to the TSA keys, if they need to be inspected. In China, they do not have these keys, so they are not able to open them. What happens instead is if they find something questionable in your checked bags during the check-in process, they will get you to come open your suitcase, which they will then inspect. This happened several times to different couples in our group during the course of the trip, but it was handled very efficiently, with no problems for any of the folks cruising with us. Also, the size and weight of the bags seems to be arbitrary in that the size and weights did not seem to matter. I am pretty sure that our checked luggage exceeded the stated weight limits, once we had begun to load up on Chinese souvenirs, but we never had any issues. I think a lot of that is due to the fact that our luggage, and ourselves, were checked in as a group, which may have made it easier for us to get ‘heavy” suitcases through. I am just speculating here, but we never had a problem with size or weight. As a lady touring China with her daughter that we ran into at the Guilin hotel told my wife, when we were looking for a new carry-on bag, “Have you seen any scales at any of the Chinese airports.” I never did. We were told by our tour guide that we would have to check in separately in Guilin, leaving for HK, but that didn’t happen. We once again checked in as a group.

 

Speaking of carry-ons, which is one part of the trip that I missed completely in preparing for it. I only had a backpack, which I always bring on trips, as a carry-on. So not very big and not a lot of room to carry stuff. Because of the way this trip is organized, as compared to the other Viking cruises we have taken in Europe, you really need an official carry-on piece of luggage that you can pack clothes, toiletries, etc., in. Because in several instances, you have to have your checked luggage outside of your hotel room the night before leaving, so you need some space to but any dirty clothes, toiletries, or anything else that you need the next morning. We were able to work it out, but by the time we got to Guilin, we needed another bag, if for no other reason than room for dirty clothes. On a trip this long, you will generate a lot of dirty clothes. We left New Orleans with 3 bags and came home with 5, one just for dirty clothes. I think that tells you how inefficient we are at packing, especially me, and how much “junk” and dirty clothes you accumulate on a trip this long. Also, as far as size and weight, as long as it fits in the overhead compartment, it doesn’t matter how big or how much it weighs.

 

As far as packing, I really suck at it. On this trip, I brought way too many clothes that I never wore. Mainly, jeans and long sleeve shirts. It was just too hot for me to wear any of that. On the boat or in the cities we stayed in, a short-sleeve button down shirt with a pair of khakis was appropriate for eating dinner or attending any of the optional tours. Shorts were ok at all of the places we went, and because of the weather, I would have died if I hadn’t been able to wear shorts. One couple on the trip, who travel extensively, told me that they have an agreement. No matter where they go, when they go, or what is involved, they only allow themselves one carry-on each. It works because that’s all they had on this trip. I told them that they should write a book or create a website about how to pack for trips. I would be interested in learning how they get by with such limited luggage.

 

Also, Hong Kong, although part of China since 1997, is a special administrative region in China. That means it and its citizens are treated differently from other parts of China. I can’t remember all of the other areas similar to HK, but I think that Tibet is considered similarly. The reason I’m bringing this up is that leaving arriving in HK was a little different than all of the other airports. You have to go through a customs area, nothing difficult. You also have to fill out a form when you first get there, which you use upon arrival in HK. I thought it would be used when we left HK, and filled it out as if we were leaving to go back home, but it is used to enter HK.

 

10/ about all that tipping.. do u carry $$ and each day tip driver, guide, local guide, his helper etc? (in my travel i am used to have tips debited last day from my acc..)

 

Ah, tipping. What a controversial subject. It appears that tipping is very different in the different parts of the world. We in America seem to have a different attitude about tipping than the Brits, or the Euros, or the Australians. We had many Brits with us on this trip, and even within them, they differ greatly on when and how much to tip.

 

With that being said, I generally follow the Viking tipping guidelines. For the overall cruise tip, you can put that on your credit card when you check out from the boat, so no worries about needing cash for that tip. However, we have always had great service from the Viking staff in the bar and restaurant, and in the person cleaning our room. On this cruise it was no different. So I did give out some additional tips to our two servers who took great care of us in the restaurant, as well as several of the bartenders in the lounge. These tips were given in Chinese money and it totaled about $500 Chinese, which is about $80 US.

 

I also tipped the bus drivers at the end of each day, usually $20 Chinese ($3 US). I think that they do a great job getting you to and from the various locations. As I mentioned previously, China is one place I would never want to drive. The drivers were the same ones each day, even if you got on and off the bus more than once in the day. I also tipped the local guides $40 Chinese per day ($6-$7 US). The local guides are sometimes with you more than 1 day, so I waited until the end of the time with them to tip them.

 

The other tip you have to decide on is for the tour guide. She or he does not participate in any of the other tips you give out, so you tip her or him separately at the end of the tour. I did not feel like we were ever required to tip her or anyone else, for that matter. I don’t remember being told directly or indirectly to tip anyone or that tips are expected. Not on this cruise nor the other ones we have been on. I do think that we all know there are expectations, but I do think that you can decide for yourself whether or not to tip. I did tip her the $10/day/person for the entire trip, which included our post-trip stay in Guilin and HK, as she just happened to be the tour guide that accompanied us to HK. I “rounded up” a little because I thought she did a really good job for us. She was able to give us a lot of personal stories about her and her family and how all of the changes in China have affected them over the last 100 years. China is a really amazing place when you hear those stories and realize everything you are seeing and experiencing has happened in just the last 30 years. In talking to other folks who had other tour guides, I didn’t hear any complaints about any of them. It seems like all of the tour guides do a great job, just like the guides Viking uses in Europe.

 

One other tip I almost forgot about. When we first got to Shanghai and met our tour guide, she suggested an overall tip for the baggage handlers, at the hotels and the airports, which we could give her and she would take care of disbursing. I can’t remember exactly, but I think the amount was about $170 Chinese ($28 US). I may have the wrong amount here, but it was reasonable, considering the amount of times you have to move your luggage. As this was where we started our trip, I didn’t realize at the time how much luggage movement there would be. At the end of the trip, this tip was one of the best values I think we received while in China. What you get for this tip is never having to lug your luggage anywhere. It gets to the airport, gets to the plane, gets to the boat, gets to your room on the boat, and gets to the hotels and to your hotel rooms. Your luggage is handled without you even being aware of it and makes one less thing you have to deal with. When we left HK to come back home, it sucked to have to deal with our own luggage once we arrived at the airport.

 

I take the same position with tips in other countries as I do when we are at home. If I get good service, I do not mind rewarding the person providing it in a small way. But that is just me, and you may have a completely different view of tipping.

 

11/ were there "surprises" like ..sorry u stay yet another day in Guilin instead of hong kong..etc..

 

Fortunately, there were no bad surprises on our trip. (I can’t really call it a cruise, as we were on the boat for such a small part of the entire time we were in China. On the Viking cruises in Europe, most of our time was on the boat, therefore, using the term “cruise” there seems appropriate.) Unless you consider that I didn’t understand the need for a true carry-on bag or the weather or the lack of a/c, all of which were my fault and not Vikings.

 

We did have some good surprises. I didn’t realize that we would get to see the Pandas in the Chongqing zoo and I didn’t realize that we would see the acrobats in Shanghai. Both of these events were nice surprises.

 

One surprise we did avoid is the day after we saw the Terra Cotta Warriors, we found out that they were closing the entire attraction down due to a visit from the Prime Minister of India. We were lucky. One day different and we would not have seen them, which would have been really disappointing.

 

I would like to address Guilin at this point, as you mentioned it specifically. As we were going from the airport to the hotel in Guilin, our tour guide told us a story of how on one of her previous tours, because of weather, they had to spend an extra day in Guilin. That may be what you are referring to. After having spent less than 24 hours in Guilin, including 3-4 hours on the boat trip on the Li River and then a 2 hour ride to the airport, I would not have been upset at all if we had skipped Guilin completely. The scenery on the boat ride was similar, but not as good, as the scenery on the Yangtze. I would rather have had an extra day in HK. My thought is that Viking had to agree to spend some time in Guilin as part of their deal to cruise in China. This is just my speculation and I have no real knowledge if this is true or not. Just saying that our trip to China wouldn’t have been any less had we skipped Guilin.

 

12 were there many people sick?? on boat in buses??

 

I didn’t notice a lot of sick people anywhere while we were there. There are a lot of Chines people wearing masks around the country, but we seemed to have lucked out as far as smog/pollution was concerned. Having said that, I came down with a cold when we got to HK. Not sure what caused it, but I did catch one while we were there.

 

I really intended to write a fairly detail review of our trip once we got home, but just haven’t had time to do that. Maybe I will get to it in the future, but answering these questions allows me to make most of the points I wanted to make to anyone considering going to China. I would recommend going if you have the opportunity. It is a very interesting place, with lots to see and do. As one of our fellow passengers said, “Going to China is as much an education as a vacation.” That sentiment sums up my feelings about our trip.

 

kindest regards

 

oceanbreeze

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[caribill]

On page 186 of this thread, Oceanbreeze999 asked several questions. My wife and I just returned from the Viking Jewels of China cruise, May 4/5, 2015 - May 21, 2015. Let me add my $.02 to your great questions.

 

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Thanks very much for your great detailed report.

[wanderer44]

Thank you for the time you took to keep us updated. One question.

I was a bit puzzled regarding your info on the baggage handlers and tipping. My past experience is that these tips are covered by the tour operator. Is this unique to Viking?

[mee]

Great review rrgator, thanks for taking the time.

[mee]

Thank you for the time you took to keep us updated. One question.

I was a bit puzzled regarding your info on the baggage handlers and tipping. My past experience is that these tips are covered by the tour operator. Is this unique to Viking?

 

Our escort told us that he was taking care of all the baggage handlers and did not ask us for money. He is a senior, experienced escort so I assumed he knew he would get enough in tips to cover this small expense.

[CowgirlCook]

Thanks rrgator for very thorough review. I only hope I don't have as many dirty clothes and we don't plan on going to the opera. Leaving from Seattle tonight...will bring as many napkins as we can get from the many Starbucks around.

[workstocruise]

We just booked this trip today for March 2016. I have so many questions I don't know where to start? The first is about Visas. Do you really have to send them your original passport and do you have to get another passport picture to send with it? How do you find out the names of the hotels where you will be staying?

This is a first for us and I'm more than a bit confused. Thanks.

[caribill]

We just booked this trip today for March 2016. I have so many questions I don't know where to start? The first is about Visas. Do you really have to send them your original passport and do you have to get another passport picture to send with it? How do you find out the names of the hotels where you will be staying?

This is a first for us and I'm more than a bit confused. Thanks.

 

Who is the "them" you are asking about?

 

At some point you will need to obtain the Chinese visa. You will have several choices about how to do this:

o Go to a local Chinese consulate if there is one near you**

o Use the main to a Chinese consulate

o Use the services of a company that specializes in obtaining visas

 

With any of those options your original passport (with at least 6 months remaining on it after the end of your trip) will be sent along with required filled in forms and required photos that the visa application requires. You can look on the Internet to find the locations of Chinese consulates, download the application forms, and learn about pictures required and the costs of the visas.

 

At some point Viking will provide you with the names of the hotels. This will be in the months leading up to your trip, not this far in advance.

 

** Since you live in Sugar Land, you can use the consulate office in Houston. That is what we did. There was no problem dealing directly with the consulate.

Edited June 4, 2015 by caribill

[wanderer44]

We received our hotel assignment in Nov for a July cruise. I used the GenVisa as recommended by Viking and it can not be submitted until you are no more than 90 days out from your last day in China. In using GenVisa some of the info was pre-entered by Viking. It saved a little time.

 

I received my final travel documents from Viking today...always an exciting time. We are one month from departure date.

 

You have come to the right place with your inquires....there are many knowledge and helpful travelers waiting to aid you. Do read all of the previous post, can be overwhelming but baby-steps and a few a day will cure that.

[workstocruise]

Thanks Wanderer for your help. GenVisa is the name given to me by me TA. If I use them, do I still need to use the consulate in Houston?

[caribill]

Thanks Wanderer for your help. GenVisa is the name given to me by me TA. If I use them, do I still need to use the consulate in Houston?

 

No. You are paying them a fee to save you the drives into Houston.