by Heather Hopkins Clement
My travelling companions for my next cruise, Caroline and Janabeth, came over for an afternoon of cruise planning yesterday. I had piles of maps, brochures and books related to the various destinations for us to sort through to map out our plans.
I have always been a planner, and I am especially one when it comes to cruising in East Asia. I wholeheartedly agree with the author of “How to Have a Perfect Time in Port”:
Decide well in advance how to spend your hours in port. Web access can run a dollar a minute at sea, so waiting till you're on board to check out port options is expensive. And don't rely on the concierge desk, since most any cruise line's goal is to sell you its tours. Start your excursion research right after booking a cruise.
The last thing you want to be doing when you walk the gangway ashore is trying to figure out what you will do that day and how to get there. It is a waste of your precious time ashore and could eat up so much of your time that once you figure out what you really want to do, you find there is not enough time to do it.
There are so many good resources on the web, and they’re FREE! I’ve posted quite a few of the links on my blog for easy reference. The first place to start is with the national tourist organization for the countries you plan to visit. They have a ton of information on their websites. Many also have representative offices overseas, and if you contact them via phone or email, they will often send you a packet of printed materials about what to do when you go ashore. It’s especially helpful to request maps (if available), so you can locate where the sights you wish to visit are located in relation to where the ship will dock. You can then begin to figure other logistics such as a realistic itinerary (time-wise), mode(s) of transportation, recommended restaurants (esp. important if you have any dietary restrictions), and related fees. This will then help you budget and calculate how much local currency you will need.
Here in Southern California, I have found the Los Angeles offices of the Japan National Tourist Organization, the Korea Tourism Organization and the Taiwanese Tourism Bureau to be most helpful. The more specific details you give them about what you are looking for, the better they can assist you. I have also received some good maps from the China National Tourist Office, but I have not had any personal interaction with the staff, and the information is limited. I have yet to find the Russian equivalent of these organizations, so if anyone knows of such a resource, please let me know.
If the information you receive from the national tourist organization is not specific enough for your particular needs, contact the tourist organization for that city. In some cases, they may be more helpful. A good example of this is Shanghai. While the information I have received to date from the China National Tourist Organization leaves some room for improvement, there is a wealth of information available about Shanghai. online including the city’s official travel site. As you probably already know, Shanghai is hosting the World Expo this year, and they have gone all out to make the city tourist friendly. If you are requesting any overseas office send you materials, you obviously need to do this weeks, if not months, in advance to allow sufficient time for the materials to reach you and for you to sort through them carefully.
Local newspaper sites can also be quite helpful. For example, the Shanghai Daily’s Live in Shanghai section, includes a comprehensive city guide, information on cultural events throughout the city, and downloadable maps.
Another item you may want to add to your “TO DO” list in advance, is picking up a little of the local language. Knowing basic pronunciation, greetings, etc. can go a long way. There are some great resources online:
As for our planning, we were able to sketch out most of our plans yesterday and make a list of information we still needed to research before we depart. During Q&A sessions onboard, I am often asked some variant of “Given all your knowledge and experience, what do YOU plan to do ashore?” So, stay tuned and I’ll give you more specifics on our plans.
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