Celebrity Millennium BEIJING PORT

[CCFL-cruiser]

Looking for information on clearing customs in China at Tianjin port. The ship is scheduled to dock at 6 AM, but I understand that it may take hours to get off. If we are planning to take the bullet train on our own, what time is realistic to book it. We are traveling in March 2017. Thanks for any help.

[EXBUS]

We are going on the same cruise and done a quick search about getting to beijin ,you need to first get a taxi from port to train station and you do not need to book a seat just turn up

[uktog]

You also can only go on the train you are booked on. The authorities in China will clear the ship at a pace that suits them. Also be aware in Beijing the station is massive and I would not go around Beijing any other way than by subway stay away from taxis they work every con on westerners in the book

 

 

 

(I work in Beijing!)

Edited January 21, 2017 by uktog

[CCFL-cruiser]

We booked a private 2 day tour. Being picked up by van. email xcreek@comcast.net for more info.

[daydreamer16]

We booked a private 2 day tour. Being picked up by van. email xcreek@comcast.net for more info.

 

We are going to China in March 2018 and would love to hear your feedback about your private tour in Beijing. Can I email you in April?

 

Thanks, Denise

[coldweathergirl]

We were there a couple of years ago on Celebrity and I'm glad we had priority disembarkation because people were still clearing customs after lunch. It was not a quick process.

 

We had a private tour and our guide was there waiting for us. She was outstanding for the 3 days we were with her.

[neenee61]

Looking for information on clearing customs in China at Tianjin port. The ship is scheduled to dock at 6 AM, but I understand that it may take hours to get off. If we are planning to take the bullet train on our own, what time is realistic to book it. We are traveling in March 2017. Thanks for any help.

 

We were there in April 2015. An absolute nightmare and Celebrity were to blame for most of the problems. We had fist fights in front of us and security did very little. The Chinese immigration work at a very slow pace and will not be dictated too by Celebrity. We had a 2 night/3 day private tour booked and were in the lounge near the embarkation area at 7.00am. Got off the ship and finally thru immigration at 1pm. There were only a few officials processing everyone and Celebrity kept making announcements that this happens all the time and they won't move any quicker. What happened was nothing short of a stampede with people being crushed and fighting once the ship was cleared.

 

 

Very pissed people as you can imagine. Celebrity was well aware of the way the chinese operate and also know how people all want to be off the ship first. I would have thought after the 1st time that they went thru this debacle with the immigration process they would smarten up and give out tickets (similar to tendering process on a lot of ships) and have people wait in a civilized way in the theatre. Also noted that the physically challenged/handicapped were not given any special treatment and no special waiting area. For this reason I would not take another cruise to this port unless Celebrity have smartened up since then. Also making matters worse was that most had small suitcases for staying in the city due to being 2n/3d visit so a lot of tripping over cases as well.

 

 

Sorry for putting a dampner on this port, my only real whinge in all 40 cruises.

 

 

In saying all this you will love Beijing and everything it has to offer. The people....such beautiful friendly and always smiling. They will try getting a sneaky photo of you as westerners are classed as 'big nose' and they do love photo bombing and being included if you like. Food....well that is another story and still salivating over of the many scrumptious meals we had.

 

 

I hope Celebrity took notice of all the bad feedback from 2 years ago and have improved disembarkation. I know they have no control of the chinese but they do have total control whilst people are still on the ship and the way in which this was handled. It does rile you when this is all happening and the CD keeps announcing 'yeah we go thru this every visit'.

[neenee61]

We are going to China in March 2018 and would love to hear your feedback about your private tour in Beijing. Can I email you in April?

 

Thanks, Denise

Hi Denise, I did a 2n/3d tour with Catherine Lu tours in April 2015. The most amazing experience and best ever guide - Sonja. This tours was organized on our roll call and we ended up with 3 mini buses of about 17 people each bus. Accommodation was at Park Plaza in Beijing and 5 star with yummy buffet breakfast. Our lunch was included on each day and this was always full on banquet with drinks......chinese food like you have never tasted. Our tours was full on and everything paid for (all entries etc). Had a wonderful bus driver and always felt very safe with him. An amazing adventure and highly recommended. Very full on with early start and getting back around 6 - 7pm each night. The port is a good 3 hours drive so this is the best way to really see Beijing. Hope this is of some help and if you have any questions happy to help out. I have also put in my 2cents worth about the disembarkation at this port and hope it has been rectified since my visit. Happy sailing Cheers, Denise

[theriac]

All of you who have had issues getting off the ship with long waits, what was your port of call before getting to Tianjin?

 

I'm booked for a cruise that starts in Shanghai and am wondering if we will already have cleared customs or will we still go through this immigration process?

 

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[uktog]

All of you who have had issues getting off the ship with long waits, what was your port of call before getting to Tianjin?

 

I'm booked for a cruise that starts in Shanghai and am wondering if we will already have cleared customs or will we still go through this immigration process?

 

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In China they reclear at every port just as I have to go through full visa checks for every internal flight AND train. Those conducting the checks only answer to their work rule book because that is what is expected and respected. It's a lovely country but as a tourist please do not expect it to be the same as elsewhere. Personally even though I know some private guides I also know how many rogues with "good" tripadvisor ratings are out there. Many are front names who subcontract to others. It's the one place I'd use the ships tours.

[daydreamer16]

Hi Denise, I did a 2n/3d tour with Catherine Lu tours in April 2015. The most amazing experience and best ever guide - Sonja. This tours was organized on our roll call and we ended up with 3 mini buses of about 17 people each bus. Accommodation was at Park Plaza in Beijing and 5 star with yummy buffet breakfast. Our lunch was included on each day and this was always full on banquet with drinks......chinese food like you have never tasted. Our tours was full on and everything paid for (all entries etc). Had a wonderful bus driver and always felt very safe with him. An amazing adventure and highly recommended. Very full on with early start and getting back around 6 - 7pm each night. The port is a good 3 hours drive so this is the best way to really see Beijing. Hope this is of some help and if you have any questions happy to help out. I have also put in my 2cents worth about the disembarkation at this port and hope it has been rectified since my visit. Happy sailing Cheers, Denise

 

Thanks that was very helpful---I probably will call on you again. I'm very nervous about getting back to the port on the third day, I assume you had no issues?

[neenee61]

Thanks that was very helpful---I probably will call on you again. I'm very nervous about getting back to the port on the third day, I assume you had no issues?

HI Denise, Had no issues with getting back on time as the tour guides (3 buses) were so professional and really on top of things. On our bus one elderly couple lost their passport on the first day and we never saw them again until our last lunch and returning to the ship. The tour guides were outstanding in bringing in someone to get them thru the whole long, drawn out and very expensive process of new passports and also new chinese visas. The embassy wanted to keep them locked up and the guide and hotel vouched for them. It was a mad scramble for everyone to get money together for them as they didn't bring a lot of cash on the tour and didn't know pins #;'s for ATM cards. All in all worked out in the end, they didn't see Beijing apart from embassy and immigration building but they did get back to ship and we call celebrated with a few drinks. All my 40 cruises I have always used private tours with no problems and got back on time. You will notice that the guides are always on phones checking with each other on traffic etc. Of course we don't have a crystal ball to make sure nothing happens enroute to ship LOL. From memory I think our tour with hotel (2nights), b/fast and lunches, guide, transport and all entrance fees we paid approx $315 USD each. I think Celebrity were charging something like $1000 USD on bigger buses. A wonderful experience and lots of fun with the beautiful locals. Happy to help with any questions when your researching. Cheers Denise

[theriac]

In China they reclear at every port just as I have to go through full visa checks for every internal flight AND train. Those conducting the checks only answer to their work rule book because that is what is expected and respected. It's a lovely country but as a tourist please do not expect it to be the same as elsewhere. Personally even though I know some private guides I also know how many rogues with "good" tripadvisor ratings are out there. Many are front names who subcontract to others. It's the one place I'd use the ships tours.

Thanks that was helpful. If you go back to the ship every night is it the same long process each day going through immigration?

 

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