China and Vietnam

Oldsalt · #1 (**permalink**) August 2nd, 2009, 02:54 PM

Has anyone done the China and Vietnam cruise?,we leave in October on the Volendam and I was wondering what the place is like now as its almost 45 years since I was there.

Oldsalt · #2 (**permalink**) August 3rd, 2009, 02:25 PM

I just found out what the Visas will cost to enter China and Vietnam on the Volendam,the Visa for China for two people cost $372.48,Vietnam $239.24 plus a $23.00 dollar processing fee. I can see Tourist dropping this cruise if they keep charging high rates for the Visas.

billbelt · #3 (**permalink**) August 10th, 2009, 09:49 PM

Just a couple of thoughts. I note you were on the Statendam in 2008. So was I on the San Diego to San Diego cruise with stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific. We thought that cruise was great. You will find China has changed much in all those years. Bejing and most of the large cities are completely transformed. You will have a great cruise. About the visas---that is also a sore spot with me. We took a cruise that stopped in Brazil where we were required to have a visa. The cost was high. As you may be aware other foreign natioanls can enter some of these countries without a visa. In the case of Brazil they staretd chargeing US citizens a hign cost after the US started chargeing thier citiizens a high amount. I don't know about the countries you are visiting. I think it is bad political policy and should be changed. Once the government gets that cash coming in, the process almost never stops.

Oldsalt · #4 (**permalink**) August 11th, 2009, 12:16 PM

Thanks for answering my post.

Yes we were on the Statendam on the NZ and OZ trip,its a excellent cruise and will do it again next year as we are running out of good place to go to. Received a letter from HA stating that its much cheaper to buy the Visa for Vietnam on board ship,$80.00,that is some good news but China remains the same.

restasured · #5 (**permalink**) November 4th, 2009, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldsalt

I just found out what the Visas will cost to enter China and Vietnam on the Volendam,the Visa for China for two people cost $372.48,Vietnam $239.24 plus a $23.00 dollar processing fee. I can see Tourist dropping this cruise if they keep charging high rates for the Visas.

That was a deciding factor in our not taking this cruise. We found some reasonable prices for the cruise and though the airfare wasn't cheap it was okay, but paying an additional $600 for just a couple of hours in China and Vietnam was not going to happen. So we booked the Caribbean instead. I still would like to do this cruise and may in a year or two, if it is still available. I would like to see what Vietnam is like now and would also like to see Hainan.

Roger

Oldsalt · #6 (**permalink**) November 10th, 2009, 06:53 AM

Returned last night after a very long flight (15 hrs) plus another 1 hour for the flight from Chicago. The flights and the cruise was excellent,however I would not ever take it this trip to China and Vietnam again. Now booked on the Norway cruise for next August.