Pre-cruise Bangkok and Shangri-La questions

[Dortmunder]

I was wondering if anybody here has ever done a Princess pre-cruise in Bangkok.

 

I am currently booked at the Shangri-La for a three night pre-cruise including the tours. Unfortunately, the documentation in the Princess brochure is quite meager. It would be nice if someone could answer some of my questions about this tour.

 

There is supposed to be a full-day city tour, what exactly are you going to see on this tour?

 

Where do they take you for the lunch and shopping?

 

The last day en route to the ship there is a lunch at Pattaya Beach. What is it like and at what time do you get to the ship?

 

How much time do you have at Nong Nooch Garden?

 

What can you tell me about the Shangri-La? Is there anything nice to do and see in the vicinity? I know they have their own boat on the river. Has anyone taken it?

 

Thanks a lot for every answer.

[cynbar]

We stayed at the Shangri La on a land vacation and loved it. It's beautifully decorated and landscaped, right on the river, and our room was good sized and had a balcony looking out over the river.They had a traditional Thai restaurant, separate from the main hotel and right on the river, which had great food and ambiance ---- including native Thai dancers who go around from table to table. We did take a boat trip down the river to the floating market but I don;t know if it would be the same one --- well worth doing, if it is. The hotel is only a few steps from the shopping district, also. Although I can't comment on your tour, I'm pretty sure you'll see lots of temples and lots of Buddhas, all very impressive. Make sure you take a tuk-tuk ride. We also went out of town to see the Bridge Over the River Kwai, and ate at another traditional restaurant where we rode an elephant the final mile or so to dinner (that was the only way to get there.) Best wishes on your trip, Thailand really is another world.

[JohnLauben]

I reviewed this cruise from 11/2000 on the REGAL. Here are a few excerpts from the pre-cruise.

 

The ride from the airport to the hotel was about 30 minutes. After checking into the hotel, I slept about 5 hours, then ate dinner at the hotel (the Italian restaurant). Pick up some water and sodas (at bargain prices) at the local 7-eleven, just around the corner from the hotel; local tap water is unfit to drink. The next day was a free day. Just prior to breakfast, CNN reported that the US State Department closed its Embassy in Indonesia, and issued a warning for tourists to leave the country. Since we had 2 ports of call scheduled for Indonesia, I felt that we were going to have a change in our itinerary (it did). After breakfast (provided with the package), I took one of the optional tours (one of the numerous offered today) to the Damnoensaduak Upcountry Floating Market; this tour lasted about 6 hours. Lunch was not included today. I ate dinner at a local Thai restaurant (with friends met from this board). After breakfast the next day, there was a full day tour of Bangkok (included with the package). The highlight was a visit to the Golden Buddha Temple, the Grand Palace, and the Emerald Buddha Temple. A Thai buffet lunch (at a local hotel) was included. After the tour, we were instructed to check in for the cruise in the hotel lobby. Tickets, immigration forms and passports were collected, and I received a passport receipt and cruise card. This process took all of 5 minutes! I ate dinner in the hotel tonight. We were also instructed to place our luggage outside our hotel room door before midnight tonight. After breakfast, the group started heading for the ship. The ship docks in Laem Chabang, which is approximately 80 miles to the southeast of Bangkok, and about 10 miles north of the Pattaya Beach resort area. We stopped en-route for a show at the Nong Nooch Cultural Village & Nature Park (including an elephant show!), then proceeded to a hotel in Pattaya for a Thai buffet lunch. After lunch, we toured the Pattaya Beach area, then proceeded to the ship, arriving just before 4:00PM. Luggage was already in the room.

 

You should enjoy this cruise. Expect it to be quite hot in Bangkok, and for the first week (or so) of the cruise. We hit a storm on that cruise, so it got cool and very windy for the remainder of the cruise.

[Dortmunder]

Thanks for the great answers. This information is very helpful.

 

Looking forward to experience Bangkok.