Viking Cultural Highlights Questions

[CincyAL]

We depart on Viking's Cultural Highlights in late June. A know that it is a very long flight (we are non-stop from Chicago). How did you cope with the jet lag the first day? What was the pace of the tour like while you were adjusting to the time difference? I understand that US $1.00 &

$5. 00 bills are very good for tips???? Is bottled water an issue?

[BigDogMom]

You pretty much hit the ground running. The day/evening your flight gets in, is free time. We flew from PA and got into Shanghai at 9PM. Just enough time to sleep since we had already been up 26 hours. The next day, the touring starts right after breakfast at about 8:30-9AM and goes all day for the duration of the trip. Everyday is pretty much the same pace. You just somehow manage and adjust. We really didn't have much time to think about adjusting to jet lag. It just kind of happens. We felt the time difference more when we came home. Took us about a week to reorient.

The hotels and ship will supply you with 2 bottles of water in your room complimentary. They are usually in the bathroom. Over that, water is for purchase. Water that is served in restaurants in safe. Remember to brush your teeth and rinse the brush with a small amount of the bottled water.

Small bills are better for tips and purchases. Some of the street vendors are good with giving the corect change.

[lostqeba]

We depart on Viking's Cultural Highlights in late June. A know that it is a very long flight (we are non-stop from Chicago). How did you cope with the jet lag the first day? What was the pace of the tour like while you were adjusting to the time difference? I understand that US $1.00 &

$5. 00 bills are very good for tips???? Is bottled water an issue?

 

Go on message boards under "other cruise lines" and all your questions plus more will be answered See "Viking China" under that category ....you are in right church, but wrong pew

[tommui987]

We depart on Viking's Cultural Highlights in late June. A know that it is a very long flight (we are non-stop from Chicago). How did you cope with the jet lag the first day? What was the pace of the tour like while you were adjusting to the time difference? I understand that US $1.00 &

$5. 00 bills are very good for tips???? Is bottled water an issue?

 

We were on one of the first Viking Cultural Highlight tours and I agree - you hit the ground running and it is ... what jetlag?!!

 

Arriving in Beijing from Honolulu with a layover of about three hours in Tokyo, we got into the hotel about 11:00PM and grabbed a fast bite in the hotel. The next day we were already over the place - Forbidden City, Summer Palace etc.

The next day was (if I recall) up at the Great Wall, the Tombs and so forth.

 

There was very little "free time" except perhaps in the evenings after dinner.

 

My wife and I were in our late 60s on this trip and I had just had back surgery.

 

Water - definitely bottled water. The ship gave you a couple everyday in your cabin as well as on the tours. Brush your teeth with the bottled water - though I forgot on occasions in Beijing and no dire consequences. The Westin in Shanghai had a sign out that the water was safe in the hotel. Some places offered boiled water or hot tea which is OK.

 

$1.00 bills and $5 went a long way and accepted everywhere - at least it was two years ago.

 

We would take the trip again and take the Guiling/Hong Kong extension but we hit the road Tuesday to Venice!