Advice on which Asian Cruise

[wantocruisemore]

Now that our Western Med itinerary has been changed for next summer I started looking for alternatives that would appeal to the whole family. My family loves history, especially ruins and such. We don't like more than 1 or so stops just for scenery.

 

So, looking at 2 possible RCCL Asian cruises. One leaves out of Singapore and goes to Ho Chi Min, a couple of days in Hong Kong, Xiamen, and ends in Shanghai (Baoshan).

 

The other cruise leaves out of Shanghai, spends 2 days in Kobe, Japan, goes to Nakasaki and also Jeju, South Korea before returning back to Shanghai.

 

If we go to Asia our must sees would be the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Terracotta Warriors. Those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head we would have to see. We would also want to likely spend a couple of days pre or post cruise.

 

We're also not really interested in WWI or II sites.

 

It's Voyager for both itineraries so that is not an issue.

 

Only interested in cruises on RCCL because they have done well with my disabled DD in the past and they allow smoking on the balcony.

 

Recommendations?

[eh2zed]

In order to see the Great Wall and Forbidden City you will need to pre or post cruise in Beijing. TerraCotta Warriors is in Xian and that is a flight or train ride from Beijing or from Shanghai. The cruise itself you are looking at may have packages that cover these sites pre or post cruise.

[wantocruisemore]

Then we would definitely extend the stay in order to see the Great Wall, Terracota Warriors etc.

 

Are there any advantages to one or the other for itinerary choices based on our likes/dislikes?

[greatam]

Then we would definitely extend the stay in order to see the Great Wall, Terracota Warriors etc.

 

Are there any advantages to one or the other for itinerary choices based on our likes/dislikes?

 

Forget the one that spends a lot of time in Japan/Korea. WWII and Japanese culture are far from what you want to see.

 

The other one presents some serious logistical problems regarding air and increases your costs appreciably. You would have to book an air ticket like this-USA/Singapore, cruise, then intra China plane/train tickets to see Beijing and Xian if you want to do this post cruise. NOW the problem-intra China flights have VERY low luggage allowances. You can certainly leave your luggage at a hotel in Shanghai, take your intra China flights, then return to Shanghai to corral your luggage and fly home.

 

A PRECRUISE trip is even more involved and will cost considerably more. USA/Beijing with 2-3 day layover/Singapore, then the cruise, and fly home from Shanghai. BUT you will have to book the outbound as ONE ticket to be able to get your cruise luggage to Singapore. Can't use the cheapo Air Asia/JetStar, etc. etc. again because of the very low luggage allowance.

 

Have you looked at the cruises that actually start in Beijing or Singapore and end at the other place? FAR less hassle for what you want to do, cheaper plane tickets. Princess runs this itinerary all the time (although they are banning smoking on balconies as of Jan 1 2012). HAL has some pretty good Asia itineraries, one of which is actually RT from Hong Kong, with two days in Beijing. Leaving luggage in HongKong to fly to Beijing/Xian for additional sightseeing would be pretty easy and airfare into HKG is usually pretty reasonable from the West Coast. And smoking is still allowed most everyplace on HAL.

 

You many also want to investigate some of the "foreign" cruise lines. Costa has a decent Asia itinerary and smoking will not be a problem.

[Keith1010]

Now that our Western Med itinerary has been changed for next summer I started looking for alternatives that would appeal to the whole family. My family loves history, especially ruins and such. We don't like more than 1 or so stops just for scenery.

 

So, looking at 2 possible RCCL Asian cruises. One leaves out of Singapore and goes to Ho Chi Min, a couple of days in Hong Kong, Xiamen, and ends in Shanghai (Baoshan).

 

The other cruise leaves out of Shanghai, spends 2 days in Kobe, Japan, goes to Nakasaki and also Jeju, South Korea before returning back to Shanghai.

 

If we go to Asia our must sees would be the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Terracotta Warriors. Those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head we would have to see. We would also want to likely spend a couple of days pre or post cruise.

 

We're also not really interested in WWI or II sites.

 

It's Voyager for both itineraries so that is not an issue.

 

Only interested in cruises on RCCL because they have done well with my disabled DD in the past and they allow smoking on the balcony.

 

Recommendations?

 

Your first cruise looks great. Singapore is a wonderful place to begin your cruise and I would recommend trying to do a pre cruise there. There is a lot to see including its own Chinatown, Little India, Botantical Gardens, Zoo, Nighttime Safari, and many other sites. The stops in China look good and it's nice you would have an overnight in Hong Kong. With your final stop ending in the port that serves Beijing (about a 90 minute drive) you can then spend a few days there post cruise and see Beijing including The Forbidden City as well as getting out to see The Great Wall.

 

Keith

[wantocruisemore]

Your first cruise looks great. Singapore is a wonderful place to begin your cruise and I would recommend trying to do a pre cruise there. There is a lot to see including its own Chinatown, Little India, Botantical Gardens, Zoo, Nighttime Safari, and many other sites. The stops in China look good and it's nice you would have an overnight in Hong Kong. With your final stop ending in the port that serves Beijing (about a 90 minute drive) you can then spend a few days there post cruise and see Beijing including The Forbidden City as well as getting out to see The Great Wall.

 

Keith

 

That actually sounds good. I'm going to pitch it to my DH tonight and discuss with DD's this weekend. I know the sites in China are on his bucket list.

 

I also checked on airfare US to Singapore, and Shanghai to US. The round trip flight was not nearly as much as I had thought. Apparently Singapore Air is running some special collaborations with United and Continental that brings down the airfare. But around the 23 hour trip, that's a different story. I will definitely need to build in a couple of extra chill days to recover from the flights.

 

We'll see what happens.

[greatam]

Your first cruise looks great. Singapore is a wonderful place to begin your cruise and I would recommend trying to do a pre cruise there. There is a lot to see including its own Chinatown, Little India, Botantical Gardens, Zoo, Nighttime Safari, and many other sites. The stops in China look good and it's nice you would have an overnight in Hong Kong. With your final stop ending in the port that serves Beijing (about a 90 minute drive) you can then spend a few days there post cruise and see Beijing including The Forbidden City as well as getting out to see The Great Wall.

 

Keith

 

You and I must be looking at two entirely different cruises. The Singapore to Shanghai cruise doesn't get anyplace close to Beijing. Xiamen is far south of Beijing, south of Shanghai, just north of Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou (Canton). The ship goes north from Singapore, hits Saigon, hugs the coast with the stop in Hong Kong, then north again to Xiamen and ends in Shanghai.

 

Lots of logistical problems getting luggage moved around China plus all the trains/planes needed to get to Beijing and Xian. I'd find another cruise if seeing the sights of Beijing and Xian are the top must dos.

[Keith1010]

Greatam, you are right. I misread the first cruise and thought it ended in the port that serves Beijing rather than the one serving Shanghai. Wanttocruisemore, my mistake.

 

I do think the first cruise is quite nice but true it would not allow for an easy transfer over to Beijing.

 

Keith

[greatam]

That actually sounds good. I'm going to pitch it to my DH tonight and discuss with DD's this weekend. I know the sites in China are on his bucket list.

 

I also checked on airfare US to Singapore, and Shanghai to US. The round trip flight was not nearly as much as I had thought. Apparently Singapore Air is running some special collaborations with United and Continental that brings down the airfare. But around the 23 hour trip, that's a different story. I will definitely need to build in a couple of extra chill days to recover from the flights.

 

We'll see what happens.

 

While the airfare may be OK from the US/SIN and return from Shanghai, getting from Shanghai to Beijing will be additional and also to Xian although you can take the overnight train which saves you a hotel room and is a good experience. BUT you have the luggage problem. Unless you can do everything carryon, you will have a lot of schlepping luggage to/from airports and MAY be subject to paying overweight charges (which are astronomical) on the intra China flights.

 

Singapore Air codeshares with United and Continental (All Star* carriers), so no special collaboration but sometimes one airline selling the same EXACT ticket is cheaper. AA/LAN codeshare flights are a good example. You can often get the EXACT same flight purchasing through AA as a codeshare (AA flight number) but flying on a LAN plane for a few hundred dollars cheaper.

 

For your wish to see things in and around Beijing and Xian, I really would look into purchasing air tickets like this: USA to Beiing-3-5 day stop in Beijing-then on to Singapore for your cruise. IF you purchase this as one continuing ticket, you will preserve your international luggage allowance all the way to Singapore. End your cruise in Shanghai and fly home. You can easily purchase SEPARATE RT tickets from Beijing to Xian or take the train and leave your luggage in your Beijing hotel until you are ready to continue to Singapore for your cruise.

 

IF you can find a GOOD travel agent that KNOWS about air (they are hard to find) you may save quite a bit buying an around the world ticket. Almost all airlines sell some version of them and some airlines even have charts to help you book those tickets. AA is particularly good with the RTW trips. But it can be an arduous research project. Enjoy!!!

[wantocruisemore]

While the airfare may be OK from the US/SIN and return from Shanghai, getting from Shanghai to Beijing will be additional and also to Xian although you can take the overnight train which saves you a hotel room and is a good experience. BUT you have the luggage problem. Unless you can do everything carryon, you will have a lot of schlepping luggage to/from airports and MAY be subject to paying overweight charges (which are astronomical) on the intra China flights.

 

Singapore Air codeshares with United and Continental (All Star* carriers), so no special collaboration but sometimes one airline selling the same EXACT ticket is cheaper. AA/LAN codeshare flights are a good example. You can often get the EXACT same flight purchasing through AA as a codeshare (AA flight number) but flying on a LAN plane for a few hundred dollars cheaper.

 

For your wish to see things in and around Beijing and Xian, I really would look into purchasing air tickets like this: USA to Beiing-3-5 day stop in Beijing-then on to Singapore for your cruise. IF you purchase this as one continuing ticket, you will preserve your international luggage allowance all the way to Singapore. End your cruise in Shanghai and fly home. You can easily purchase SEPARATE RT tickets from Beijing to Xian or take the train and leave your luggage in your Beijing hotel until you are ready to continue to Singapore for your cruise.

 

IF you can find a GOOD travel agent that KNOWS about air (they are hard to find) you may save quite a bit buying an around the world ticket. Almost all airlines sell some version of them and some airlines even have charts to help you book those tickets. AA is particularly good with the RTW trips. But it can be an arduous research project. Enjoy!!!

 

THANKS for the clarification! I want to have all the facts prior to discussing with DH. Like I indicated, we're already booked on Mariner and had looked forward to it before they changed the itinerary. Now, I'm searching for alternatives that we will be just as excited about.

 

I think I also need to do a bit more research. I'm wondering if land tour of China is better. And if we're doing a land tour and not a cruise, DH will likely want to wait on China and do some other trip.

 

I'm just glad they changed Mariner in time for me to make alternative plans.

[Otis]

I think your instinct to consider something else is the right one. The first cruise is neither fish nor fowl - you won't get a good sense of anything. I think that Vietnam works very well for cruises but China is trickier. We just came back from a China cruise and were disappointed, partly because we were there during the holiday and one port was cancelled and everything else was crowded beyond belief. Since we had already been to Beijing and Xian, we thought this itinerary (Shanghai, Jiangyin, Nanjing (cancelled), Xiamen and Hong Kong would be wonderful. In our opinion, there was too much time on the boat and not enough at A Level sights. Jiangyin and Xiamen are fine, but not for a first time trip to China. I'd suggest a land tour for your first visit.

[wantocruisemore]

I think your instinct to consider something else is the right one. The first cruise is neither fish nor fowl - you won't get a good sense of anything. I think that Vietnam works very well for cruises but China is trickier. We just came back from a China cruise and were disappointed, partly because we were there during the holiday and one port was cancelled and everything else was crowded beyond belief. Since we had already been to Beijing and Xian, we thought this itinerary (Shanghai, Jiangyin, Nanjing (cancelled), Xiamen and Hong Kong would be wonderful. In our opinion, there was too much time on the boat and not enough at A Level sights. Jiangyin and Xiamen are fine, but not for a first time trip to China. I'd suggest a land tour for your first visit.

 

Thanks, did a bit more research. I think that our first visit to China would be better served with a land tour.

[Bowie MeMe]

We are going to China for the first time on Diamond Princess Oct. 25. This sailing goes from Bangkok to Beijing for 16 days. I want to fly direct nonstop from Washington DC to Beijing (roundtrip). I am seriously considering an 8 day Uniworld Classic China escorted trip that gives 4 days in Beijing and 2 days in Xian and 2 days Shanghai. All meals/hotels/guide/transportation/flights. I would then fly one way Shanghai to Bangkok. By doing this before the cruise then the weather is still good (mid October) and the Golden Week is over. Working it out but don't know about that intraChina luggage but figure that Uniworld would have a solution if they do that trip once a week. :rolleyes:

[greatam]

We are going to China for the first time on Diamond Princess Oct. 25. This sailing goes from Bangkok to Beijing for 16 days. I want to fly direct nonstop from Washington DC to Beijing (roundtrip). I am seriously considering an 8 day Uniworld Classic China escorted trip that gives 4 days in Beijing and 2 days in Xian and 2 days Shanghai. All meals/hotels/guide/transportation/flights. I would then fly one way Shanghai to Bangkok. By doing this before the cruise then the weather is still good (mid October) and the Golden Week is over. Working it out but don't know about that intraChina luggage but figure that Uniworld would have a solution if they do that trip once a week. :rolleyes:

 

 

MOST intra China flights have a luggage restriction of ONE suitcase, NO MORE than 44 pounds. They are also much more strict about carryons and "personal" items. NO 21" rollers AND a large messenger type bag. 21" roller and small purse-OK. 21" roller and LARGE purse/laptop bag-forget it. On an organized tour, they usually just kind of bulk the weight of stuff together AND you will probably be OK with a laptop bag or large messenger bag.

 

BUT if you have TWO checked suitcases for your cruise, you will pay a LOT of extra money and I will bet the tour organizer will NOT allow that second suitcase to be part of the bulk luggage without paying the extra luggage fee. Last year, I had my normal checked luggage (one Hartmann 50" mobile traveler bag), my 21" roller, my laptop bag AND a second duffel filled with samples. Flying from Kuwait City to Bangkok to Beijing-NO PROBLEM as it was all on one international ticket with the final leg Shenzhen/Hong Kong (I took the ferry to HongKong from Shenzhen) to Vietnam to Hong Kong and home.

 

BUT the real problem-getting the duffle bag full of samples AND my laptop bag on the China Southern flight from Beijing to Shenzhen. Could find NO WAY to incorporate that leg into the international ticket to preserve my international luggage allowance. Cost almost $450US because I had to check my 21" roller AND the duffle. Almost twice what the one way plane ticket cost. So if you have TWO checked suitcases (or three for two people), you will be paying A LOT for the extra suitcase (s).

 

AND you have the same problem getting the luggage from Shanghai to Bangkok. Unless you pay for business class tickets, most of the intra Asia airlines RESTRICT luggage to one suitcase, 44 pounds. And an international ticket to preserve your international luggage allowance from Washington, DC to Beijing with an 8 day layover and on to Bangkok is going to cost an fortune because of the layover (and you already stated you were flying USA/PEK RT).

 

IMHO, you will be MUCH happier and find the logistical problems MUCH easier to resolve by going on the cruise first, THEN take your land tour of China when you end up in Beijing. OR fly into Beijing, do your tour ON YOUR OWN (with a Chinese tour company), LEAVE YOUR luggage in Beijing until you return and fly to Bangkok from there (but still have the intra Asia luggage problem).

 

Don't know much about Uniworld but I took a look at the 8 day itinerary. NOTHING out of the ordinary and WAAAAAY over priced. You can get the same thing from a GOOD Chinese travel agency for a lot less and have much more of a Chinese feel to your tour instead of a Western one. As I posted previously, Tianneman Square and Forbidden City are walking distance to quite a few hotels. But even a day trip is about $60 for 2 with car and guide/driver. $125-150.00 for two to the Great Wall and a drive through to see the Olympic buildings. A fantastic buffet breakfast is included in the price of BETTER hotels and even if it is not included, it is usually in the $8-12 price range. And check out the hotels please. For some reason, a lot of tour companies use the Sheraton Great Wall. Nothing wrong with the hotel but a LOOOOONG way from popular tourist sight-about 7-8 miles to Tiannamen Square and the markets and hutongs.

 

Don't worry so much about the weather. It will still be pleasant in Xian (high 50-low 60's) and in the high 40's/low 50's in Beijing. And Shanghai will be considerably warmer. You are not going to Siberia.

 

Really think some of these things through. To me, nothing worse than stuck on an organized tour with a bunch of whining, complaining US tourists who think "everything should be like the USA". JMHO

 

If you need further help, email me.