Viking China

[SteveS]

We visited China with Viking this July. It was a wonderful experience except for getting there! We used Viking's free included air. From Newark, after departing 2 hours late, we flew to Detroit where we almost missed the plane then on to Norita Japan then to Beijing. Our luggage stayed in Detroit, which delayed our groups departure from the airport for the hotel, it arrived a day later. The Northwest flight was an ordeal but not as bad as I had imagined. All in all it was 24 hours in transit. Coming home was better. I should have booked a direct flight from Newark to Beijing.

 

The rest of the trip was very easy, our tour guide took care of everything. We will definitely use Viking again.

[Harry Cane]

Salut, Marie-Claude,

 

Unlike most folks on here, we made our own air arrangements. We did so for several reasons.

 

First, on our last cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean, we heard horror stories about the number of connections some of the passengers had to make. Secondly, we wanted to get to Beijing early in the day, so we would have some time for ourselves (SHOPPING!). Thirdly, I wanted to get Delta miles, particularly since they had a deal for bonus miles if you flew a certain number by a certain date.

 

I found a flight routing that gave me all of that. We got into Beijing at 10:00 a.m. And I was able to use the $1000 coupon I got for giving up my seat in Athens last year. We ended up paying $970 r/t each.

 

I bought transfers from Viking. $100 a piece. It was very convenient to have our tour guide waiting for us when we got off the plane. We were also the first of the group to arrive. Some didn't get in to the hotel till past 10:00 pm to start the tour the very next morning. While it was convenient being picked up at the airport, I might do a taxi next time. I would have saved big bucks.

 

The trip was not bad. I did what they tell you NOT to do--I popped an Ambien and slept most of the trip. As a result ( or maybe it was the adrenaline), not much jet lag.

 

btw, there were two couples in their 70s on our tour, and it was the Tibet Roof of the World, which is probably a little more difficult. They did really well.

[Marie-Claude]

Salut Harry Cane!

 

Thanks for the info - I guess any ways to 'induce' sleep my help! I always have a hard time sleeping with everyone talking, and moving around...

Knowing you had people in the 70s on such active trip is reassuring. Mom is in good shape I think she would get such a kick of doing a cruise to China... She's been all over the world but never set foot in Asia - we have to do this one!!

 

So long,

MC

[MarbellaSD]

We also made our own flight reservations for our Aug 2006 Cultural Delights trip. We used United miles to upgrade to business class and were glad we did. Coach was jammed. We paid around $1800 each for an upgradable economy fare, compared to the $2900 surcharge Viking puts on business class. We also like to choose our routes and connections

 

Taking a taxi from Beijing airport was no problem. We saw the Viking people meeting others, and they wrote down the hotel name in Chinese for us. As Harry points out, it was considerably cheaper--$25 or so for both of us, if that, versus $100 each. Taxis in Shanghai and Hong Kong are even easier.

[WIT]

Fellow China travelers - I've uploaded video clips of our April 07 Cultural Delights Viking cruise/tour to my webalbum:

 

Rickshaw ride in Beijing

Tang Dynasty show in Xian

Cruising the Lesser Three Gorges

Jingzhou Viking School kids perfform

Yue Yang traditional dance near Wuhan

Tai Chi with Master Li aboard the Century Sun

Spinning silk at the factory in Suzhou

Locals exercising along the Li River in Guilin

Local Guilin Guide Helen showing us "Split the Melon" Tai Chi

Unusual mountain scenery while cruising the RIver Li

 

The link is

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/billwitowski/WITsClips

 

I've enjoyed the continued interest everyone shows in this thread. My wife and I have found that the China experience takes a while to sink in.

 

Welcome home, Emily - we enjoyed your report.

 

WIT

[Osnab]

I just returned from a 3 week Viking River China River Cruise.

 

Emily:

Glad you had a good time. What did you think of the events? I know you did something different on the night of the acrobats, but what about the other things?

Felicia

[Osnab]

I always have a hard time sleeping with everyone talking, and moving around...

MC

 

Pros and cons for the aisle and window seat. If you're in the aisle, you are more aware of others moving around. But at least you can get up and move around yourself w/o disturbing others.

 

The best idea would be to book 2 seats for yourself, right?! :p

Felicia

[MSEm]

Sorry for the delay in posting about our night in Shanghai with "locals"

 

Phil had sent me his cell phone number. Arnold, our tour escort called Phil on his cell phone. Phil and N, his wife meet us in the lobby of our hotel.

 

Phil offered to take us out to eat Western food or the best Local food in town. We opted to go to the Best Local Food in town. We went to a very busy restaurant in the walking mall area of Shanghais. It was in the area with all of the very upscale designer shops. Phil ordered. The food was wonderful. Veggies, dumpling, even a fried pork chop, for the Southern, me. N showed us how to eat the meat dumpling by dipping the dumpling in rice wine with fresh ginger. The rice wine really changed the dumpling for the better. Phil had to request a fork and knife for me. I was just learning to use the chopsticks.

 

Phil & N have 2 children. Both of the children have only Western names, The girl, born in the USA is 4 ½ and the boy, born in China is 18 months. Phil works for a US company and is paid in US dollars. He uses his ATM to withdraw money from his USA bank. N is a native of Beijing.

 

N was very delighted to learn that I knew the family in the USA that Phil & N would spend Thanksgiving & Christmas with in the USA when they lived in the USA. N was “Home-sick” to be back with her USA "adpoted" family for the holidays.

 

They of course live in an apartment. The 4 ½ year old goes to pre-school and is learning English, Mandarin and a little of 2 more languages from kids at school. Apparently she switches easily between English and Mandarin. She watches faces and has other clues. If people cannot understand, she just goes to the other language.

 

The company owns the mini-van and furnishes the driver. In Shanghai only 300 new cars can be registered each month so the company owns the mini-van or car. Also because of the parking problems and possible legal problems if there is an accident, and having only 1 car the company furnishes a driver. The driver takes Phil to work or subway or airport in the morning. The driver then goes back to take the little girl to school and N to shop. Phil would call the driver on his cell phone to pick us up. It was very nice to walk out and have the car waiting on us. I could get use to having a driver.

 

Also N wanted to look at my purse. She wanted to make sure I had zippers to keep out the pick pockets. She said that the locals do not purchase the designer purses because the purses do not have zippers.

 

They also have a maid that comes 1 day a month.

 

It really is strange to hear a Chinese speak “Southern”. Phil went to college and worked in the southern USA for many years. He is now a USA citizen but was born in Taiwan speaking Mandarin.

 

Hope that gives you a little insight into business people in Shanghai.

 

Emily

 

PS We are now planning to do VR Waterways of the Czars in Oct 2008. Have you been?

I am wondering if I should work to spend an extra day in Moscow. On the last day we would not have time for anything but to get to the airport for departure

[Osnab]

They of course live in an apartment. The 4 ½ year old goes to pre-school and is learning English, Mandarin and a little of 2 more languages from kids at school. Apparently she switches easily between English and Mandarin. She watches faces and has other clues. If people cannot understand, she just goes to the other language.

 

 

They also have a maid that comes 1 day a month.

 

 

Thanks for posting. Quite interesting. I really think it's fascinating that kids can learn languages so quickly & easily. Is it unusual to have a maid?

 

Felicia

[MarbellaSD]

PS We are now planning to do VR Waterways of the Czars in Oct 2008. Have you been?

I am wondering if I should work to spend an extra day in Moscow. On the last day we would not have time for anything but to get to the airport for departure

 

I'll be brief because this is the China board...I did this trip--Moscow to St. P--in August 2004. I felt quite rushed in Moscow and would have like another day. We had only 20 minutes in the GUM store, which is quite the experience, juts to walk thrugh it, and I'd have liked to poke around Red Square longer. So yes, spend another day!

[source]

Hi to All,

We have booked the Imperial Jewels of China Tour w/Viking for October 2008. We arrive in Beijing early in the day so we will have time to do some shopping. YEAHHHHHHH!!!! What are the best areas to shop in for bargains and what are the bargains?

[coasters]

WIT,

Thanks...for the post. We much enjoyed your clips.

Happy & Healthy New Year

Diane & Jerry

[coasters]

Hi to All,

We have booked the Imperial Jewels of China Tour w/Viking for October 2008. We arrive in Beijing early in the day so we will have time to do some shopping. YEAHHHHHHH!!!! What are the best areas to shop in for bargains and what are the bargains?

 

Source, been thinking about how to reply to your question, not knowing what you might be looking for...so, I decided to tell you of our experiences.

We too arrived a day early in Beijing, used the day to acclimate and take in the sights nearby our fabulous hotel. (Shangri La). Beijing is much like any large city, busy, loads of traffic, many people walking - upscale stores with familiar names near our hotel and in the lovely, modern, underground transit system with beautiful shopping mall. We did not purchase anything in Beijing.

 

We did find bargains while on tour - mostly souvenirs - which we were looking for, with one exception, the duvet and quilt at the silk factory. (know now that we should have purchased more of these great quilts for gifts)

Our best finds were 5 Olympic hats for $2.00 (US), a silk mandarin ladies jacket for $10.00 - silk PJ's for our grand daughters $5 and 7 dollars (size matters) and other small purchases easily packed for the trip along the way. Several of us negotiated for better prices together..the jackets was one example where 7 of us bought from the same vendor at the bus...(yes, another know we now.. should have purchased another few at that $10.00 price).

We found the same items very competitively priced from street vendor to vendor, all willing to take US dollars, all eager to negotiate. For instance, the silk jacket for 10.00 above started at 30.00.

Watches on the street - start at 25.00 - end at 3.00. (About the cost of a battery here in the US).

 

We were told by our guides where we could/should negotiate and we did. Prices were reduced dramatically each time you rejected an offer from a vendor. Often the price of an item went from 50.00 to 5.00 - depending on how soon your tour bus was to depart the tour location!!

 

Used US dollars everywhere....

 

You'll love China.

Have fun.

Diane & Jerry

[coasters]

Correction- We stayed at the China World Hotel - just beautiful!!

First class - 5 star - in every respect.

Jerry

[WIT]

Hi to All,

We have booked the Imperial Jewels of China Tour w/Viking for October 2008. We arrive in Beijing early in the day so we will have time to do some shopping. YEAHHHHHHH!!!! What are the best areas to shop in for bargains and what are the bargains?

Moving around Beijing could take a bit of time. Your best bet is probably to locate the shopping areas nearest your hotel. We were at China World and walked to the Pearl Market - got some good deals and (thanks to our guide) avoided a scam.

WIT

[WIT]

WIT,

Thanks...for the post. We much enjoyed your clips.

Happy & Healthy New Year

Diane & Jerry

Diane & Jerry - Glad you liked the clips - the sights & sounds are a great memory. We very much enjoyed your recent photos & updates on Spain.

WIT

[WIT]

I think you will find prices in Beijing to be the most reasonable - you should be to get most things offered for no more than 20% of the original asking price. Pay up to 40% if quality is evident and you really want it. By the time we got to HK, vendor competition was the only thing keeping prices down - we got some very nice knock-off leather items at Stanley Market. Don't assume that bargaining only happens on the street either - we bargained for price in state-owned stores for jade in Badaling, bronze castings in Xian, and sapphires in Shanghai. The two exceptions we encountered were the guidebook while on the boat touring the Lesser Three Gorges, and the Silk Factory in Suzhou where we got 4 twin silk duvets - our most prized purchase from China - we use them every night.

WIT

[ldove123]

We arrived in Beijing 4 days before our tour and stayed down near the Forbidden City. We were just a short taxi ride away from the huge Pearl market.

 

This is 4 football field size floors with every knock-off you can imagine. Pearls, jade, leather, clothes, kites, fabric. Lots of fun just to wander around. The bargaining experience alone was worth the trip.

 

This market is filled with locals and with tourists. After you have bought 15 silk robes, and bolts of material, you just go downstairs and buy a new suitcase to put them in. Don't miss it. Anyone at your hotel will tell you where to go.

[Lady Meer]

Hi

 

Is anyone else booked on this trip -leaving the UK on 29 May, the US on 30 May?

 

Brenda

[Dale]

Hi

Is anyone else booked on this trip -leaving the UK on 29 May, the US on 30 May?

Brenda

 

My wife and I are also booked. Really looking forward to this trip.

[arlenez]

My wife and I are also booked. Really looking forward to this trip.

 

We are booked for May 30th on the Imperial Jewels of Chinaon the Viking Century Sky. Maybe our paths will cross in some of the ports.

 

Regards,

Arlene

[MSEm]

Have a wonderful journey. My husband & I got back from the Cultural Delights on Thanksgiving Day. Enjoyed every minute. We went to the Silk Market in Beijing. Took a cab from the hotel (Ritz in Finance District). We took a break from shopping to eat pizza at the pizza place on the 6th floor of the Silk Market building. Plan on having laundry done while on the River Vessel. Prices are not bad and quick and you don't have wet laundry haning n the cabin.

Hope to plan another China trip within 3 or 4 years.

Emily

[Lady Meer]

My wife and I are also booked. Really looking forward to this trip.

Hi Dale

 

It's good to know there is someone else going on the trip! It will be our first visit to China and we are really looking forward to it. Are you doing any of the add-on trips?

 

Arlene - Hope we do bump into you. (We have just done the Island Princess Panama cruise over the New Year.)

 

Brenda

[kim ogrady]

Hi,

I am traveling with a group of 10 in June, including my 15 year old son and 22 year old daughter. I have read the entire post and read nothing about teenagers or young adults. They are both very well traveled and very excited about the trip. This trip is actually my daughter's college graduation present. Were there any younger people on any of your trips? Any suggestions concerning them would be great. We are getting to Shanghai a day and a half early so we do have some free time.

I just booked the airfare independently so now it really feels like it is finally going to happen.

I have enjoyed the posts and have gotten much useful information.

Thanks alot.

[dpump]

While I have yet to go on the China trip w/Viking, last year we went on the Grand European and I was one of the youngest (early 50's). I've read all the posts on this board for China, and to be honest, read just a few about younger adults being onboard. This is not saying your kids won't have a good time, but I believe the larger cruise ships just have alot more to offer as far as 'entertainment and night life'.