Cruise to india or vietnam 2014?

[indiavietnam]

Hello.

 

First time cruisers are intending to go on a Seadream cruise from either Hong Kong to Singapore via Vietnam in March 2014 or from Singapore to Mumbai in April 2014.

 

With my elderly father, which is better?

 

Few people seemed to have cruised to both.

Edited January 16, 2014 by indiavietnam
spelling corrections

[kuldalai]

Go for Vietnam much more to see. Both hot and humid. Vietnam more friendly distance wise for shore excursions from ship . Vietnam visa easy to get . Indian Visas an absolute nightmare of red tape and bureauracy to obtain .

[PaulaJK]

Unless you and your father have an intense interest in seeing India, I would suggest Vietnam. You have added advantage of seeing both Hong Kong and Singapore. Is Bangkok on that route also?

 

Mumbai, frankly, can be quite overwhelming and it is difficult to walk around due to crowds, vendors and beggars. Perhaps your other ports include [?] Goa, which I find of little interest, and Cochin which is interesting if you take a boat tour of the back waters. To travel around internal India is complex. I agree with the above poster re: obtaining a visa.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

You will be fine with HK and Singapore but some of your ports of call may be challenging to an elderly person. Some may be tender ports while others will be at container terminals involving long bus rides.

What are your ports of call?

 

 

[indiavietnam]

Thanks.

 

Seadream goes from HKG to Ha Long Bay, Near to Hanoi, Da Lang, Na Trang, Ho Chi Minh City, Dao Tao Island and Singapore. All for docks except for the Island.

 

The other Seadream trip is from Singapore, Langkawi, Phuket, Port Blair, Colombo, Cochin, Goa and Mumbai. Langkawi is also an anchor-and-tender access point.

 

I think Dad would be fine to miss all the land adventures and enjoy the view from the deck. After all its just 13 days. He has seen nearly every world icon since 1962 so no need for on ship entertainment nor my friends.

 

The bigger ships apparently have ramps etc but I think Seadream has more personal service.

 

Vietnam has more dramatic scenery from the sea view perhaps but may appeal more to me as a solo traveller with the food trekking etc. My greatest concern is the temperatures in India.

[3littlepigs]

If he is looking for dramatic scenery from the actual ship you really can't beat Halong Bay, you sail up through the islands to get to the anchor point, it's lovely. And is you are docked at the Ocean terminal in Hong Kong you are smack bang in the middle of the city with incredible views from the ship.

 

I would choose the Singapore to Hong Kong trip for that reason. For info, Halong Bay is not particularly near to Hanoi, its about 4 hours by car.

 

In terms of visas we have organised both Vietnamese and Indian visas in the last year and they were both quite straightforward neither was more difficult than the other. Indian one just requires a special sized photo.