Need help - planning post cruise – China tour and cruise

[Princess Sailor]

Has anyone used or heard of “China Tours.com”? They offer a “14 day best of China + Yangtze cruise. Did anyone use them. Need to know “the good, the bad and the ugly”

Thanks, PS[/font]

[seashells bonita]

Interestingly enough.... we are in the process of booking that tour with them now.

The itinerary looks fantastic, Martha is extremely responsive and patient. We're taking the October 13 itinerary ending in Shanghai on the 27th. We're starting our cruise on the 30th.

I have seen some very good reviews but not on this itinerary.

I would be interested in hearing from you. I found this, quite by accident, so my email is deniseavaglianoataoldotcom.

[TravelMore&More]

There is China Tour and China Tours. So if you bump into some reviews, make sure you get the correct one.

Here are some reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g298557-d3327194-r370806974-ChinaTours_Xian_Day_Tour-Xi_an_Shaanxi.html#REVIEWS

Be aware of the pitfalls of tours in China such as:

- being told about a daily tip amount (in a country that has no tipping)

- bland repetitive food (while there is great food in China)

- "factory" visits and shopping stops which not only will waste your time but also offer you products priced at 10 times the street prices so that the tour company can earn their 40% commission

[Ashland]

We did an amazing tour with Affordable Asia....check them out as well...lots of good reviews on Trip Adviser too...We were so skeptical but did they deliver a wonderful trip...absolutely. Bejing, Xi'an & Shanghai....I think we'll do their Thailand & Cambodia option next.

[aqua]

My family recently returned from China where we spent 9 days with guides and drivers from China Odyssey Tours.(http://www.chinaodysseytours.com/) The agency did a wonderful job of organizing the trip and providing excellent guides.

[Floridiana]

Ours was 4 weeks with ChinaFocus, excellent trip! They do shorter trips, of course. We were 6 on the long trip.

[mking8288]

Our trips to Asia are typically air-land and sometimes with escorted tour packages, booked with TA affiliated well established group operators overseas ... and, yes been on those "shopping" tour specials (which are usually only available to Expats and "overseas" Chinese nationals with "exclusive" pricing).

 

I would do a careful price comparison of OP's online tour operator first - they do not have a physical address abroad or in China/Hong Kong ... just a cyber presence with e-contacts info. Suffice to say, please do a little more due diligence in verifying their credentials and memberships like IATA, etc. since they are booking ground transportations (HST) and hotel accommodations for you, yet without providing specifics ahead of booking/payment ... it's not unusual for these tours to offer "equivalent" 4 stars+ (or, 5 stars+) lodging as comparable substitute, due to seasonal availability & local event blackouts, etc. (the usual disclaimers and fine prints in the contract).

 

Travel protections and consumer friendly regulations (not laws) are virtually non-existent in mainland China.

 

I looked at 2 of the tour packages and they seemed to be really pricey and barely touching on the tips of the icebergs for sightseeing places like Shanghai and Hong Kong, for what they are charging & providing ... the 3 day tour in HKG is really a 1 day island tour and the other 2 days are just airport pickup & dropoff - something easily done on your own, hailing a taxi is super easy & inexpensive.

 

Ask lots of questions including whether the tour guide assigned is one of those featured in their website or a "local affiliate/partner with English fluency" ... as the driver(s) are most definitely a local in each city/town and province (state). Are full breakfast included at the hotel, or be driven to a local place (included in the package or at your own expense) or on your own ... same for lunch (usually included ... sometimes, an "upgrade" option is "promoted" while riding in the motorcoach, along with "extra" evening tour to the night market after a group dinner stop before going back to the hotel). Ask about mandatory service charge/tipping for the tour guide(s) and driver(s) as it's often a flat daily fee, collected in advance or prepaid - and not based on a percentage of the tour prices paid.

 

Tipping/service fees at high-end/luxury hotel is generally 10%, even for dining as a mandatory add-on, although there's trending to bump it higher to 15% for establishments that catered mainly to "laowai" or "foreigners". Tipping is otherwise largely not expected nor required, except for sometimes the "loose" change. Americans are accustomed to giving 15% to 20% automatically without checking the "bill" or "check" first to see if it's already added up - sometimes, doubling up to a generous 30% to 40%.

 

The more you travel abroad, the more you learn on each & every trip to other parts of the world. For example, in Korea - tipping is refused and trying to give it to the server is considered being disrespectful, in most places.

 

Happy planning.

[Noodles84]

Has anyone used or heard of “China Tours.com”? They offer a “14 day best of China + Yangtze cruise. Did anyone use them. Need to know “the good, the bad and the ugly”

Thanks, PS[/font]

 

You might check out Pacific Rim Travel. We went with them a few years ago, but they are still getting excellent reviews, and we are looking to do another one. They are based in Victoria, BC, Canada, so flights leave from Vancouver BC. A guide accompanies you the whole time and most meals and all hotels and transport are included. Good luck with whatever you choose. Nicole