Celebrity Millennium Review

South East Asia; Accessibility of Cities, Comfort on Cruise

Review for Asia Cruise on Celebrity Millennium
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Kevin Harrington
2-5 Cruises • Age 80s

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Sail Date: Mar 2015
Cabin: Ocean View 4

No problem at all in getting on or off the ship at Singapore and Hong Kong (both fascinating places).

However the cities of Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Danang and Hanoi are not readily accessible. You can pay up front the rather steep charges by the cruise company for day-long excursions to these cities. Departures may start very early in the morning. Remember the ship has docked in an out-of-the way container port (not without interest, despite what the cruise brochure says). Or you get a group together and bargain for a private van or taxi. Keep in mind that the trip to the city will vary from one to three hours - a lot of time spent getting there and back - even if you do see interesting country-side - conical hats, rice transplanting, water buffaloes, markets stalls. Few ‘privateers’ will wish to take you on such a long trip. Beware of scammers, they may say they’ll take you for a low, agreed price but the English spoken is so poor you may get more charges than what you expect. Or be taken to places of their choosing, especially where the guide and driver direct you to a factory or display room where the pressure is on to get you to buy something. Guide AND driver - that’s two people whose lunch you might have to pay for and they will order everything plus alcohol and energy drinks even cigarettes (and you don’t comprehend a word!).

So at the beginning it would be better to say,’let me off downtown (in the centre) and pick me up later’. Walk around - you have been given local information by the Cruise line - or take a bicycle/rickshaw. Pick your own time and location to eat. It is not risky on your own, but a united front of two or three, will be more alert for scammers. The guide/driver ( or both) will ask for a ‘big tip’ on top and want to take you to an AMT. Say no NO! NO! - (unless they have merited it).The cruise lines suggest you be NICE NICE - it doesn’t work. When you get into the big city, avoid staying in the touristy areas - you’ll be besieged with demanding, pesky, loud vendors of goods and services - the worst I’ve seen since Naples in 1961. Tourists are the proverbial fish (ducks?) in the barrel!

Cabin Review

Ocean View 4

Cabin 04

OK. Find the thermostat and adjust it to your needs right away

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