Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Timmer's 2017 44 Day Cruise from Hong Kong to Vancouver

Btimmer

By Btimmer,
in Holland America Line

 Share

Recommended Posts

Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

We had a wonderful day in Kyoto visiting the imperial palace (Nijo-jo Castle), The Golden Pavilion at Rokuon-Ji Temple, and one other temple plus a huge covered shopping street. The huge Ferris wheel (we rode it tonight) and Legoland is adjoining the ship. We have one more day in Osaka.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Day two of Osaka is about over. We're comfortably seated in the Crow's Nest awaiting the sail away. We used the subway system to get to the ****ennoji-mae temple and viewed it including the largest collection of sunning turtles I've ever seen. We then took the subway up to the former mint to view the cherry blossoms which are in full bloom. There were literally thousands and thousands of other people doing the same along the Okawa River. There are hundreds of food and merchandise vendors lining the route. We then took the subway back to the ship where we dropped our granddaughter off before we spent the bulk of the afternoon touring the acquarium. WiFi in the port terminal was super busy and super slow and I was explaining our portable SIM card (GlocalMe) to one guest when the Future Cruuse Consultants asked me for the same info. This little device is so freeing. No searching for WIFI. And cheap and reliable. I'll post more details in my blog in the near future.

 

It's also been nice that this is the 3rd day in a row with sun! I'll update my blog with more details while we are at sea tomorrow. I will say that Osaka has been the best cruise port on this trip and second best only to Barcelona. I'll explain more about that in my blog.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

We just finished a terrific tour of Naha including the castle and mausoleum, Pottery Street, a major garden, and a shopping arcade. We even sampled the local beef which is served in cubes and is quite marbled. Details will be in my blog which I'll post later.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

We had a wonderful day in the Yaeyama Islands at Ishigaki and Taketomi Islands. This is Japan's equivalent of the Hawaiian Islands and it was a warm & humid 74°f. We took a high speed ferry (buckled in like an airplane ride) to reach nearby Taketomi Island.

 

On Taketomi Island we enjoyed a glass bottomed boat ride plus a ride on an oxcart (very cool!). We also made a cool stop at a white sand beach where sand crystals are in the shape of a star. We've never seen these elsewhere in the world.

 

Back at Ishigaki, we walked around town a bit and then walked back to the ship where we went through Japanese exit immigration on board the ship as we're sailing to South Korea. It went smoothly as they scanned a QR code that had been placed in our passports when we entered Japan.

 

Tonight and tomorrow we sail to Jeju, Korea and then Incheon.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

We visited the DMZ today. Very sobering and super interesting to go underground in tunnel #3 (75 meters underground and reached via a 300 meter inclined rail way. If in the future you do this, BE SURE to do it on the first day of the two day stopover as the tour is 3 hours long.

 

At the lookout point where one can see North Korea, the propaganda loudspeakers from both sides are super loud and tend to cancel out each other's message.

 

3833a3e3e16b90c35e0607ac1635ba85.jpg

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Old As Dirt Mom

Old As Dirt Mom

Posted
Posted

Hi Tim - I've been a quiet lurker on this thread, and also following on your blog. Thanks so much for your efforts. I'm learning a lot by reading your observations.

 

A fellow passenger on your cruise just started a thread complaining of the dire situation regarding service and cleanliness on the Volendam. I would appreciate your take, if you have one. Thank you.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=52879229&postcount=1

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thank you for the compliments.

 

I put a post in the other thread. Some things I agree with, but we like the ship well enough to re-book it for 56 days on a Singapore to Yokohama itinerary in 2018.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Today was day 2 in Incheon and we went on a CC tour of the Haweng fortress and the folk Village at Young on. My wife and I could have spent the entire day at the folk village. I'll put more details in my blog. We might choose to return to it next year when we return to Incheon.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I've updated the blog and will write about the immigration process later today. We're waiting to start it. There has been no tendering this cruise and I don't expect to do any except maybe in Kodiak.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Btimmer "Live from...." Rare

Btimmer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Re: immigration, I'll just say here that both HAL and Japan appear to need to improve their process and procedures. There were significant delays in getting off the ship in Hososhima. I'll describe the issues in my blog post for that day which I'll compose tonight or tomorrow on our sea day.

 

A tip I have would be for incoming immigration ports to book departure times at least 1.5 hours after the projected arrival time or have the excursion start time flexible with the immigration clearance time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ozcruizer

ozcruizer

Posted
Posted

We did the opposite voyage to you - from Vancouver to Hong Kong but your voyage is two weeks longer than ours but it seems you have more ports. We had to miss a few places of interest in Beijing because of "fog" on the way from the port. We were stopped for at least an hour. We went with Tour Beijing on an overnighter and they were very good. Capt Jeroen Baijens was our captain too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...