Cruise Number Ten: Bangkok to Beijing

by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
 
There is a certain safety and security that can be appreciated when you are protected and followed pre-travel (and during your travels) by a well-known cruise-industry line.  For example, when my wife and I traveled to the Great Rivers of Europe via Grand Circle, a representative met us at each of the airports: the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, Amsterdam, and Vienna, our final destination.  Nothing was left to chance, and there was someone at all points to shepherd us to the places we needed to go—even when a plane was missed in Amsterdam because of a prolonged security investigation of our carry-on baggage.
    
The same is true for our trip to Southeast Asia via Princess.  Although it costs more to do it, we booked flights, hotel stays, transportation to and from the hotel to the cruise-ship dock all through this company.  Because of this, Princess has maintained contact with us regarding numerous itinerary changes and the acquisition of all necessary documents, including obtaining (expensive!) visas for China.  Further, they provide an easy-access phone number and a cruise-line representative to answer all our questions as we proceeded through the preparation stages.  (AAA, our travel agency, has helped as well, and they will give us our final boarding passes.)
    
One question we had for our cruise-line representative—to show you how trivial the questions can be—when and how do we attach the cruise-line identification tags to our suitcases.  Sounds easy?  We covered them in clear tape to reinforce the flimsy paper tags downloaded from the Internet, but it was clear we could not attach them at home for they would be ripped off by the airlines, because they did not apply to them.  The cruise-line representative told us to attach them as we picked up our baggage at the airport in Bangkok, Thailand.  That’s fine, however, the tags clearly said to staple them at the bottom to secure them to our bags, and airline security would surely remove and discard any stapler we would carry.  She said the Princess representative in Bangkok would have a stapler, and I said to her, “Yeah, right!”  So, we’re taking a roll of tape to secure them.
    
There are a variety of measures one must take, or at least be aware of, when planning to cruise in Southeast Asia—different than the elements involved when cruising the Caribbean or other American or local destinations.  It is normal, of course, to plan your wardrobe according the weather and the length of the trip.  You make certain, too, that all your papers, medications, and toiletries are in order.  Planning for a tenth cruise is easier simply because you are better prepared. The only problem is taking things for granted.  The best method is to have a checklist to make certain nothing is overlooked or forgotten.  The two sites recommended at the end of this essay both include checklists; the second article is more complete than the first.
    
What difference does it make that we’re beginning our cruise in Bangkok and ending in Beijing?   First, it demands early preparation.  There are a number of inoculations, for example, that must be begun early.  They’re not required but recommended.  They had to be started early because the Hepatitus A vaccine requires a series of two shots at least six months apart.  Along with the Hepatitus A shot, I received one for tetanus, one for pneumonia, another one for MMR (mumps, measles, and rubella), and a shingles shot as well.  In addition to the Hepatitus A second shot, I received a flu shot, and a Swine Flu shot.  I feel totally shot-up.  (The shingles shot protects you for life and resulted from a bout with shingles my father-in-law experienced.)
    
A second difference between cruising from Bangkok to Beijing and cruising in the Caribbean (or within the U.S.) is having to get a visa for entering China—a double-entry visa since we’ll visit both Shanghi and Beijing.  Another call to our cruise representative told us we did not have to have a visa for Hong Kong (China).  This process had to begin early because we had to send our passports to the embassy to have them stamped, and there had to be time to allow them to return them as well.  This was handled by a company called Travisa which took care of the entire process (for a fee), but using a secure mailing service (FedEx in this case) helped insure the safety of the entire transaction.  Also, we needed an additional picture to be used to secure a passport onboard to Vietnam by Princess.  My assumption is that you have up-to-date passports that will not expire within 6 months of your cruise.
    
If you fly you are already aware of the 3-ounce requirement for all liquids in carry-on luggage.  There is no difference between domestic and international flights with respect to this requirement, but a long trip such as ours (17-day cruise, plus 3 days on each end equals 23 days) means planning ahead.  Three ounces of hairspray, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, or whatever, may not be sufficient, thus, some must be placed in the check-in baggage as well.
    
A fourth difference, because this is an international trip involving a number of different countries (Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and China), requires that we notify our credit-card companies that we will be traveling abroad.  On one of our trips, for example, a credit-card company stopped payment on a card because it looked as if it was used improperly.  We, generally, take two cards in case this happens.  We found there is a 3% handling fee on one for use in foreign countries, but there is a cheaper rate on another card (AAA-Visa) for such use, and we prefer using it if there is a choice.  Some people open a free checking account, put part of their travel allowance in the account, and use a debit card—which is a good idea as well.  The point is, whatever you plan to do and however you plan to do it, requires some early preparation.
    
A fifth difference requires getting advance information on all the ports and cities you plan to visit.  This may not be a difference if you have never traveled in the Caribbean, for example, and you want to get information on each country or port-of-call.  Traveling in Southeast Asia was an entirely new experience (exotic, to say the least), and we wanted to make certain we didn’t miss anything.  We like to get general information (history and culture) on each city from Wikapedia, then check the Internet for other sites that offer specifics on the important places tourists should visit.  This is collected in a notebook with material arranged in the order of places to be visited, and they can be read just prior to moving to a new location.  On this trip, we will be in nine separate and distinct places.
    
There is another preparation process required because of travel abroad and that has to do with any medications.  Security inspectors want medications in their original containers.  One thing involves having enough medications to cover the entire trip, quite another is having small-enough containers for each of the medication types.  Also, if you have significant medical problems, take a copy of your records and tests—helpful if you need a doctor onboard.
    
This essay was not intended to scare-off would-be world travelers; however, once aware of the kinds of things that require early thinking and preparation, the entire process becomes easier, more efficient, and less stressful.  Although it is comfortable being protected by a cruise company, a cruise company cannot nor will not remind you of all the activities and processes necessary prior to traveling.  As I said, the more you travel, the easier it becomes to remember everything.  One key for us is simply starting the process early.  For example, we began setting things out a month or more before traveling, and we were fully packed (except for small last-minute items) a full five days before leaving home.  It was Henry Ford who said, “Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success.”
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At Cruise Guide Direct, there is a short essay, “Preparing to Cruise,” that offers nine reminders—a “to-do list”—for those planning to cruise.

Susan J. Young, in a two-part essay, “The Before-You-Cruise Checklist,” at CruiseMates,  includes a truly superb set of reminders of things to do well before you travel, six weeks before, then two-to-four weeks before,
one week out, the day before, and the day of departure.  This is an excellent article well worth a read.
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Copyright March, 2011, by And Then Some Publishing, LLC.