Summer 2021 Itineraries

[pinotlover]

Petoonya;

 

I typically avoid all ship tours, but this comment addresses Tahiti and the FP specifically. Most of the operations can’t handle large groups. So while 35 people may be “ on your tour”, in reality it’s 3 boats of 12 each going in a reverse circular pattern where you might only meet up at lunch for a luau. We jet skied around Bora Bora. Two in our group was part of an O tour, while we did everything together the O tour had the privilege of paying 2.5x what we did. Again we were broken down into groups of six (6) because that was all the operators could handle at a time. Group Visits to things like the pearl farms and vanilla plantations are all controlled . You will never be in large groups. 

 

I would never ever make that claim with other cruises. But regardless of cruise lines, large groups aren’t going to happen in the FP, except in small exceptions.

[Petoonya]

Thank you Paul.

A couple of things. Have been to FP several times by cruise ship and we try to choose operators who take no more than 8 passengers snorkeling. Also ask that we avoid places and times when there will be a crowd of people and stay out all day. It's always seem to work out.  Another thing that dissuades me from Regent is that I was told by a Regent passenger that in the past they didn't offer snorkeling in FP on tours! But they are trying to change that. I looked at the tours offered on a December 2019 cruise and he's right. Most of the tours are land based or glass bottom boats. The one or two per island that mention snorkeling are 2 hours. We like 6-8. I've decided overnight that we'll either go back on Windstar or do the same O itineraries we did before. (Wasn't wild about PG). Seen large groups snorkeling in FP and greatly discouraged to arrive in places where there are several boats of people. Like the out of the way places with just us.

 

Thanks so much for your input Paul- very helpful. Still thinking of foregoing Regent. Like choosing my own adventure.

[Classiccruiser777]

23 hours ago, pinotlover said:

My biggest disappointment was O is still only offering 10 cruises in Japan! They are offering 3 in 2021, but all are only 10 days! That’s a long way to fly for ten days. Guess we’ll have to devise a land trip to compliment it. We passed on it for 2021. Interesting that they are not going back to any of the three new ports there that are included in the ATW! Guess we’ll perhaps be forced to consider HAL for Japan!

 

Cunard may not be your cup of tea but they are offering several longer Japan cruises during 2021:

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-us/find-a-cruise#sort=&group.sort=&start=0&soldOut=false&{!tag=destinationTag}destinationIds=Asia&{!tag=embarkTag}embarkPortCode=TYO&{!tag=departTag}departDate=2021-04-01T00:00:00Z,2021-05-01T00:00:00Z&{!tag=durationTag}duration=

[1985rz1]

On 4/12/2019 at 8:53 AM, pinotlover said:

 

My biggest disappointment was O is still only offering 10 cruises in Japan! They are offering 3 in 2021, but all are only 10 days! That’s a long way to fly for ten days. Guess we’ll have to devise a land trip to compliment it. We passed on it for 2021. Interesting that they are not going back to any of the three new ports there that are included in the ATW! Guess we’ll perhaps be forced to consider HAL for Japan!

Have you looked at Regent?  They have a 14-night Tokyo to Tokyo and longer starting or stopping in other countries that include Tokyo in 2021.  Some have filled up already, leaving ony GTY and waitlisting for all but the top staterooms.

 

[Paulchili]

On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 8:53 AM, pinotlover said:

My biggest disappointment was O is still only offering 10 cruises in Japan! They are offering 3 in 2021, but all are only 10 days!

To add another choice - B2B on Diamond Princess. Covers a lot of Japan:

 

Nov 2, 2020:

Ports: Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan | Busan, South Korea |Sakaiminato, Japan | Tsuruga, Japan | Kanazawa, Japan |Niigata, Japan | Sakata, Japan | Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan |Gamagori, Japan | Osaka (for Kyoto), Japan | Kochi, Japan |Hiroshima, Japan | Busan, South Korea | Sasebo, Japan |Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan

Nov 20,2020:

Ports: Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan | Toba, Japan |Takamatsu, Japan | Kochi, Japan | Matsuyama, Japan |Busan, South Korea | Shimizu (for Mt. Fuji), Japan |Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan | Okinawa, Japan | Ishigaki, Japan |Taipei (Keelung) | Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan

 

With Princess you can cruise in a suite and still save some money ☺️ Dining in the Club level is pretty nice.

[CintiPam]

I ask this seriously because I want to understand but currently I do not: if you want an intensive tour of a country as small as Japan, why look to cruise instead of take a land trip (as we did a few years ago.). Public transportation in Japan is easy and fast; the country is so clean (much more so than the US) and efficient; and the people are friendly.  Thanks in advance for your responses.

[Ken the cruiser]

25 minutes ago, CintiPam said:

I ask this seriously because I want to understand but currently I do not: if you want an intensive tour of a country as small as Japan, why look to cruise instead of take a land trip (as we did a few years ago.). Public transportation in Japan is easy and fast; the country is so clean (much more so than the US) and efficient; and the people are friendly.  Thanks in advance for your responses.

For us as we are in our mid 60s, we just like to cruise. So when we see an itinerary we like on a cruise line that interests us at a fair price, we book it. To be honest doing all the planning it would take for a 14 day vacation to any location would simply be too stressful, especially if we haven't been there before. Besides cruising is just fun!

 

As far as Japan goes, we'll be there in a few weeks on a Crystal cruise and then again in 2021 on a Celebrity cruise.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[Paulchili]

Pam,

I understand your point but here are some pros to take a cruise:

1 Japan is expensive as far as good lodging, food and transport is concerned

2 To cover a lot of Japan one must move a lot from place to place. That involves living out of a suitcase, taking trains/planes or buses every few days. Not what mostly “mature” Oceania passengers wish to do.

3 In Europe one can do a driving land trip - not an option for most people in Japan. Not only does one drive on the left side but most of us can’t read the road signs.

4 Land trips on your own take a lot more planning (finding hotels, places to eat, arranging tours,  train/bus schedules, etc) than a cruise - especially for those that use O excursions.

That said, I think most people would opt for an organized land trip or a cruise and that choice is personal - they are both good options.

We have done both but the land trip was some time ago - would not do it now. Don’t particularly want to do bus or driving tours in Europe anymore but I can still handle a driving trip in Europe but not a bus tour. Much prefer the ease of unpacking once and enjoy getting from place to place in the comfort of a cruise ship at this point in our lives.

Also, the size of Japan allows good access from the ports to explore ports and inland destinations as opposed to Europe or Asia where the interior cannot be accessed from ports (at least not very easily).

Others might have even more ideas about this.

Just some of my thoughts 🙂

Edited April 15, 2019 by Paulchili

[CintiPam]

6 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

For us as we are in our mid 60s, we just like to cruise. So when we see an itinerary we like on a cruise line that interests us at a fair price, we book it. To be honest doing all the planning it would take for a 14 day vacation to any location would simply be too stressful, especially if we haven't been there before. Besides cruising is just fun!

 

As far as Japan goes, we'll be there in a few weeks on a Crystal cruise and then again in 2021 on a Celebrity cruise.

Thanks for your response, Ken.  If that type of planning causes stress, who needs it?

[CintiPam]

15 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Pam,

I understand your point but here are some pros to take a cruise:

1 Japan is expensive as far as good lodging, food and transport is concerned

2 To cover a lot of Japan one must move a lot from place to place. That involves living out of a suitcase, taking trains/planes or buses every few days. Not what mostly “mature” Oceania passengers wish to do.

3 In Europe one can do a driving land trip - not an option for most people in Japan. Not only does one drive on the left side but most of us can’t read the road signs.

That said, I think most people would opt for an organized land trip or a cruise and that choice is personal - they are both good options.

We have done both but the land trip was some time ago - would not do it now. Don’t particularly want to do bus or driving tours in Europe anymore but I can still handle a driving trip in Europe but not a bus tour. Much prefer the ease of unpacking once and enjoy getting from place to place in the comfort of a cruise ship at this point in our lives.

Also, the size of Japan allows good access from the ports to explore ports and inland destinations as opposed to Europe or Asia where the interior cannot be accessed from ports (at least not very easily).

Others might have even more ideas about this.

Just some of my thoughts 🙂

Thanks so much for your thoughtful response.  That clarifies a lot for me.  Although I disagree with your point 1, I understand your suitcase point.   Also many do not sleep well the first night in a new bed. Your point about easy access to sites from ports in Japan is an excellent one. Also, I currently am looking to book hotels for a September driving trip (RT CDG) to the WWI battlefields of northeastern France (plus Battle of the Bulge and Rhine River Gorge) and am finding it challenging to book the middle between Relais-type and budget in these smaller towns.

Edited April 15, 2019 by CintiPam

[Ken the cruiser]

1 minute ago, CintiPam said:

Thanks for your response, Ken.  If that type of planning causes stress, who needs it?

But it's just not Japan. Cruising allows us to go all over the world, visit exotic places at a relaxed pace and like Paul said, unpack only once you get on ship. This year we'll be going to SE Asia, the UK, the Polynesian islands and circumnavigate Australia! There is no way we could do all that in one year if we had to plan each vacation in its entirety on our own.

[CintiPam]

1 minute ago, Ken the cruiser said:

But it's just not Japan. Cruising allows us to go all over the world, visit exotic places at a relaxed pace and like Paul said, unpack only once you get on ship. This year we'll be going to SE Asia, the UK, the Polynesian islands and circumnavigate Australia! There is no way we could do all that in one year if we had to plan each vacation in its entirety on our own.

I appreciate that and love cruising. I simply never considered cruising just to visit intensively one country of the size, modernity and efficiency of Japan.

[Paulchili]

6 minutes ago, CintiPam said:

and am finding it challenging to book the middle between Relais-type and budget in these smaller towns

I know what you mean (this is part of my point in #4 that was added after your response) - planning a well designed trip is a challenge that some enjoy and others avoid.

Cruising Japan vs land trip is like shore excursions - some enjoy ship tours while others wouldn’t dream of it.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Paulchili

[cbb]

CintiPam--

I was interested in your WWII trip and we will be doing one a couple of years after ATW20.

 

  I think we'll go with Stephen Ambrose Tours.    They have a couple of excellent ones, our favorite is DDay to the Rhine but they have new ones every year, some of which follows "The Band of Brothers."

 

We like the idea of traveling with an historian  (We've taken similar ones in the US with Smithsonian, especially a bunch of Civil War tours and they have been amazing)  and someone else does all the planning!!

[CintiPam]

3 hours ago, cbb said:

CintiPam--

I was interested in your WWII trip and we will be doing one a couple of years after ATW20.

 

  I think we'll go with Stephen Ambrose Tours.    They have a couple of excellent ones, our favorite is DDay to the Rhine but they have new ones every year, some of which follows "The Band of Brothers."

 

We like the idea of traveling with an historian  (We've taken similar ones in the US with Smithsonian, especially a bunch of Civil War tours and they have been amazing)  and someone else does all the planning!!

We had a fabulous trip from Berlin to Warsaw (mostly in Poland) with the National WWII Museum (founded primarily by Stephen Ambrose) last May with historian Alexandra Ritchie, which required no planning by us.  I highly recommend its tours,  

 

However, WWI tours are much harder to find, particularly Ametican oriented.  There were several last year for the 100th anniversary but I could not find any this year to northeastern France/Belgium.  

 

We are very slow sightseers in museums in particular and husband legaleaglegreen is also known as Mr. Military History.  He did a great job ten years ago when we spent four days in Normandy , the last following my father’s footsteps from Utah Beach.  This fall we will visit the Battle of the Bulge sites where he fought although the trip mostly is focused on WWI.

Edited April 15, 2019 by CintiPam

[pinotlover]

I have traveled most of Japan via the bullet trains several years ago. My wife has never been there. Any cruise to Japan, like most other countries we visit, will include a land tour portion of the trip. The question becomes, how much will be by water and how much by train. The fewer ports offered by ship access means the more days we spend hauling baggage on and off trains and changing hotels. Japan is partially unique in that as a very mountainous country over 90% of the population lives along the coast and visiting very far inland is difficult. I will not personally drive in Japan or Korea, while I continue to do so in Europe and the British Isles. At this point in our life, there will only be one trip to Japan left, so see what we can see one that one trip and plan for the next set of countries.

 

Both of us being somewhat tall, we don’t squeeze into Economy seats like we once did, or as easily as the vertically challenged do. Therefore, on long haul flight, such as to Japan, we’d go Business Class. For us then, part of paying those costs is wanting to maximize sights seen to justify that expense. A trip to Japan would probably be at least a 21 day trip for us. A fourteen (14) day cruise would mean after about 3 days in Tokyo another 4-5 days of exploring via the trains. Oceania’s 10 day offering means we must spend 7-8 days schlepping suitcases to see the same things. Oceania loses in our book. 

 

I thank those of you that offered great suggestions on alternative lines that opt to explore Japan more intensively than Oceania.

[CintiPam]

I apologize to Carol From California. I realize I am responsible for causing this thread to go way off topic.  I thank all who have responded to answer my query regarding land v. sea travel in Japan.

Edited April 15, 2019 by CintiPam

[cbb]

cintipam-

 

  We were at the WWII museum in NO shortly after they opened....this was before they were flooded out.  We need to get back there. 

 

take a look at this one:  https://stephenambrosetours.com/tour/wwi-tour/

[CintiPam]

16 minutes ago, cbb said:

cintipam-

 

  We were at the WWII museum in NO shortly after they opened....this was before they were flooded out.  We need to get back there. 

 

take a look at this one:  https://stephenambrosetours.com/tour/wwi-tour/

Thanks, yes, I did see that excellent itinerary but it occurs over our Jewish holidays, which begin this year on September 29.  

[babysteps]

11 hours ago, CintiPam said:

am finding it challenging to book the middle between Relais-type and budget in these smaller towns.

Have you looked at AirBnB at all, for whole-house rentals?  We have used AirBnB in France and in Ireland (and Lima and Schenectady, but those aren't Europe lol) in the last year and been pleased. 

 

It *is* a bit of a learning curve to figure out how to find something that is a good fit for you (hint: look for well-rated hosts, and read the last few reviews of the listing you are considering), but has worked well for us.

[muggo11]

17 hours ago, cbb said:

CintiPam--

I was interested in your WWII trip and we will be doing one a couple of years after ATW20.

 

  I think we'll go with Stephen Ambrose Tours.    They have a couple of excellent ones, our favorite is DDay to the Rhine but they have new ones every year, some of which follows "The Band of Brothers."

 

We like the idea of traveling with an historian  (We've taken similar ones in the US with Smithsonian, especially a bunch of Civil War tours and they have been amazing)  and someone else does all the planning!!

My husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and splurged on the Beyond the Band of Brothers tour through Europe, holland to Normandy to Berlin. He absolutely loved every minute. That was 5 years ago and he is still very much with us. No more splurging—we spend less  than his solo trip on a 21-30 day cruises for 2 now. Now the joke is he had better die or we are going to go broke. And I was just diagnosed with breast cancer!  And splurging on our first Oceania from Papeete to SF next April. Live your life, live your life!  

[cbb]

Oh dear.....for your family the saying "cancer sucks" is true, yet you find the joy.....and apparently great docs and a strong will to live a wonderful life.   And that's awesome

 

Nothing so life-changing has happened to us except the realization with dave's birthday and mine that we need to get going on the remaining places we want to see while we are agile and strong because it seems that we are not getting younger.   And I"m pretty sure that the  research is all part of the fun of traveling for us.

 

Have a great time planning your next adventures!

 

 

 

[Paulchili]

4 hours ago, cbb said:

we need to get going on the remaining places we want to see while we are agile and strong because it seems that we are not getting younger.

Very true.

Also, there are other factors beyond our control. If one hasn’t visited places like Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria before they were destroyed, it’s just too late to do so now. Then there are places that are rapidly changing (“Westernizing”) - like Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal, Myanmar, etc and visiting them in the future will not offer the same experience.

[cbb]

Paul

Yep, there are indeed factors beyond our control.....darn it.

 

I think I've mentioned trying to get to Cairo and Instanbul--twice, only to have those ports cancelled.  I said if only the Egyptians knew I was on board trying to see their amazing sights they would have postponed Arab Spring.....but no.  (Evidently it is NOT all about me....who knew?)

 

So, I want to see those 2 cities and have decided to do one by a Turkey land tour, (which also gets me to Gallipoli and Cappadocia,) and the other with a Nile cruise.  I did see that O has added Instanbul back to some itineraries but I'm not going to be fooled this time!

 

Again....we have to be strong and agile ...cobblestones, boats, stairs, oh my!

[CintiPam]

8 hours ago, cbb said:

Paul

Yep, there are indeed factors beyond our control.....darn it.

 

I think I've mentioned trying to get to Cairo and Instanbul--twice, only to have those ports cancelled.  I said if only the Egyptians knew I was on board trying to see their amazing sights they would have postponed Arab Spring.....but no.  (Evidently it is NOT all about me....who knew?)

 

So, I want to see those 2 cities and have decided to do one by a Turkey land tour, (which also gets me to Gallipoli and Cappadocia,) and the other with a Nile cruise.  I did see that O has added Instanbul back to some itineraries but I'm not going to be fooled this time!

 

Again....we have to be strong and agile ...cobblestones, boats, stairs, oh my!

We fell in love with Istanbul on our first visit there when we toured for several days before we embarked on our first-ever cruise (Oceania Nautica) in 2008.  We returned in 2014 for a second visit and both saw and felt how even this most urbane of cities had changed under the current regime.  We were fortunate to spent a day on the Asian side with an Istanbul native and resident (and former professor in CA) whom I met electronically on sister website TripAdvisor.  He told us a great deal about the new political environment.  We have not been back.  

 

Fortunately we are visiting Egypt and Jordan with my college alumni group in December on a land trip primarily. I am very excited finally to get there to both after several visits over the years to Israel only.  

 

Stairs are beginning to be my bugaboo as well.