Ganges voyager 1

[pbnjrockette]

Did anyone see the below review from USAToday? It's for the Uniworld Ganges Voyage II version, but probably pretty close to the same thing. Uniworld charges a few grand more, and their pre-cruise tour is five days shorter (but I think their hotels are fancier?) but the river portion is the same.

 

I had an email exchange with someone from Haimark, the company that built/owns Ganges Voyager, about the toilet flushing. He said it was that they didn't have access to closed system toilet paper in India, and what they do have clogs the lower level sewage plants. Not sure if he meant lower level of operation, or lower level of river? Anyway, they know about the situation, and the guy I corresponded with claimed that the company Chairman was getting involved to try to resolve the situation. Either way, I'm glad we've been forewarned by our Cruise Critic friends and can travel prepared with nappy bags.

 

REVIEW: http://experience.usatoday.com/cruise/story/features/2016/03/25/india-river-cruise-ganges/81646746/

 

Also - Rivercove, could you add a review in the member's section? All you have to do is cut and paste your comments above - it would be so helpful!

 

Loved seeing the photos of the ship as it looked the same as what we traveled and the places we visited and lo and behold our guide was in one of the photos! We were with Vantage not Uniworld!! Also confirming were the comments about lack of storage space in the cabins.

[amyr]

PBNJ (and anyone else who has taken this trip) I'm in trouble and need help!:eek:

 

I removed the flights from our reservation several weeks ago because I found business class seats for the price Vantage was charging for premium economy, so kind of a no-brainer. I was told then I could repurchase the transfers when I had all my information squared away. Anyway, I was talking to a sales agent on the phone today to try to repurchase the transfers and hopefully book an extra night on the front end in the Vantage hotel. No can do, but that's no problem, I'll figure it out on my own.

 

The scary part is that I booked the flights home from Delhi, but today was told that I need to make my own way from Kolkata to Delhi. I honestly thought there was a flight arranged by them involved, and the guy said it was true in 2016, but not 2017. When I canceled the air, the phone rep led me to believe what I had done was fine. Oops. So, here's my question, since they don't know at Vantage:

 

What time can you disembark in Kolkata, how far is it from the airport, what was the airport scene like in Kolkata, and was there traffic? If you can remember, what was your total ship to airport check in time? I need to purchase my own flights from Kolkata to Delhi to catch our flight home, which leaves Delhi late evening on the day we dock. Am I totally sunk?

 

HELP

[pbnjrockette]

PBNJ (and anyone else who has taken this trip) I'm in trouble and need help!:eek:

 

 

What time can you disembark in Kolkata, how far is it from the airport, what was the airport scene like in Kolkata, and was there traffic? If you can remember, what was your total ship to airport check in time? I need to purchase my own flights from Kolkata to Delhi to catch our flight home, which leaves Delhi late evening on the day we dock. Am I totally sunk?

 

HELP

 

Oh, my! Will try to recall with the best of my memory ability!

 

Since your flight is later in the evening (as was ours) THAT IS A GOOD THING!! It will take you many hours to get to the airport as traffic is HORRENDOUS! The airport is also very slow. I remember that we had to use a Kiosk for something to do with our luggage and none of the Kiosks would accept our credit cards. We all had to have individual attendants help us to get through but somehow we all did!!

 

We disembarked early in Kolkata BUT... there were tours included that day to several different places... the Victoria Museum, Mother Theresa, another Temple... The departing groups were divided and each group had a different agenda. Some were going to the post-trip in Varanasi, some had early flights and some had late flights home. It was a loooooooong day. The group we were in had the late flights. We went to the Victoria Museum and Mother Theresa's home and then BEGGED our guide to skip the last tour and to take us to the airport!!!!

 

It's a wonderful, wonderful trip and I know you will enjoy it. I hope you can get this blip straightened out so you don't need to worry ahead of time. If you have further questions I'd be glad to help. Pat

Edited April 25, 2016 by pbnjrockette

[amyr]

PBNJ - first of all, you cancelled a trip to Cuba last month? So sorry to hear it. We went last year and it was AMAZING. We used Friendly Planet, and I can't say enough about them. Easy Peasy.

 

That said, so the Kolcata airport is hours and hours from the ship? We will have to hire our own driver apparently, no time for tours. I don't think our flights can be changed. Do you think we could make a 2:00 p.m. flight if we were on our own? Our late flight is from Delhi, and we need to get there on our own.

 

I read your wonderful blog ages ago, but don't remember the part about getting to the airport. Will reread.

Edited April 26, 2016 by amyr

[pbnjrockette]

We cancelled our Cuba trip with Vantage because the ship and itinerary were changed (the company Haimark ---which incidentally runs the ship in India---had a bankruptcy problem with their US based ship) We decided we didn't want to go on a smaller sailing vessel with half the itinery for the full price of the original plan. Will keep looking for a trip !!

 

So you won't be traveling with Vantage to the Kolkata airport? Your best bet would be to book a driver to pick you up as early as possible from Kolkata ( I believe we may have actually been anchored their overnight... you will need to take their "tender" (country boat ;) ) to shore.

 

The traffic really is horrendous. Book a reliable driver not just one of those open Tuc-Tucs!!!

[Mark_T]

I can't help thinking that it must be worth another phone call to Vantage.

 

At the very least they should be able to arrange the transfer to the airport for you so that would be one less thing to worry about.

[amyr]

Oh, I wish it were that easy! I've had oodles of emails with someone, and they clearly don't understand what I am trying to do.

 

The brochure clearly states that "Those not continuing to Varanasi will check in for their flight to Delhi (which apparently was included in 2016 but not 2017) and a late-night connecting flight home."

 

Well, I booked that late-night connecting flight on my own, and I'm trying to figure out what time is best to get to the Kolkata airport and what time I should book my own flight to connect with that Delhi-to-home flight.

 

I'm getting answers like "Delhi is 22 hours from Kolkata, you will never make it." and "You must change your flights home to leave from Kolkata not Delhi." My favorite was "We are a tour company not a travel agency Ma'am."

 

They also said I could opt-out of the included tour to Mother Theresa's home and go on my own to the airport, of course, but best I can tell that included tour IS the ride to the airport eventually. Can I go on the tour since I'm not able to buy transfers, and that seems like it's part of the transfer? Nobody seems to know.

 

PBNJ - they also can't tell me where the ship will dock. Best I can tell there's a port near the city center and one 64km away. Do you have any memory of where that dock is? I suspect any driver I hire ahead of time will know, so maybe that doesn't really matter.

[pbnjrockette]

I wish I had a photo of the "so-called dock" area where we boarded and disembarked the Ganges Voyager!! More like a dirt road with planks to board the tender!! The ship did not go to any dock area at all!! So much of this journey can only be described as 'rustic'!!

 

Not trying to make light of your issue but the 'salespeople' at Vantage that answer the phone are really clueless to what is happening on the ground. I would keep calling until you get to talk to someone who is considerably less clueless.

 

The included tour to Mother Theresa's is most probably the ride to the airport....at least that is how it was for our trip. I am searching thru my India trip info for flights and timing to better assist you. If you would like to take this discussion to pbnj 00 at gmail dot com. I think I can give you more specifics on timing. Pat

[H2Otstr]

Amyr, why don't you pose your question over on the Cruise Air thread. There are some very helpful people there.