2025 Vietnam/Thailand Cruise on the
Celebrity Solstice
|
Notes for Hong Kong
- Awake @ 2:45am. Up at 5:30am. Showered, final pack
- Breakfast with TJM at 8am
- Back to room until car arrived at 11am for transfer to pier
- Onboard by 12:45pm
- Lunch in buffet
- Dinner in MDR by ourselves due to dining reservation limitations
- Bought Christmas ornament
- To bed early
Notes for Cruising
- Breakfast at Tuscan Grill by ourselves
- Lunch with TJM in buffet
- Napped
- Dinner in MDR with TJM.
Notes for Hanoi (Hạ long Bay)
- 7:00am meeting in theater
- "Hanoi in a Day" 11 hr tour with TJM
- 3 hr drive to/from Hanoi
- VERY hot
- Hanoi was very dirty, crowded, congested with motorcycles
- Old Quarter
- Walked around on own into shops
- Matthew at Pho from a street vendor
- BIG mistake!
- Temple of Literature
- Sheraton Buffet for lunch
- Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, his house & Koi pond
- Back to ship at 7pm
- Dinner in café
Notes for Hanoi (Hạ long Bay)
- 7:30am tour: Panoramic Halong Bay 4 hour tour by ourselves
- To museum with gear from US pilots who had been shot down during Vietnam War
- Also focused on natural life and coal mining
- Fish market, temple and panoramic walk of the bay.
- Back by 12:15
- Lunch in café
- Don napped
- Dinner with TJM in MDR
Notes for Huế/Da Nang (Chan May)
- 7:45am tour: Historic Danang and My Son, World Cultural Heritage Site
- 9 hours with TJM
- 2 hour drive to Danang
- VERY hot and humid
- My Son ruins, China Beach, temples, Marble store
- Lunch at Novotel Hotel buffet
- Back to ship at 5pm
- Dinner in MDR with TJM
Notes for Cruising
- Slept GREAT
- Put in laundry for TJM
- Breakfast in buffet
- Lunch in MDR
- Don napped while I watched movie
- Dinner in MDR with TJM
- Went to Magic Show.
Notes for Ho Chi Minh (Phú Mỹ)
- 7:00am tour: Cu Chi Tunnels 9 hour tour with Matthew
- 3 hour drive to/from Saigon & Cu Chi Tunnels
- Incredibly hot and humid
- Tunnel tour was amazing
- Lunch at outdoor Country restaurant
- Dinner at MDR with TJM
Notes for Cruising
- Matthew ill
- Lunch MDR with TJ
- Napped
- Dinner with TJ in MDR
Notes for Bangkok (Laem Chabang)
- 8am tour: Day at UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya
- 11 hours with TJ
- Matthew still ill
- 3 hours drive to King's Summer Palace
- Buffet lunch at hotel
- Ayutthaya ruins in 2 places
- 2.5 hr drive back
- Dinner with TJ in MDR on other side of restaurant
Notes for Bangkok (Laem Chabang)
- Don constipated so decided to skip shore excursion and stay on ship
- Breakfast in café, played cards, lunch in café
- Don napped
- Dinner with TJ in MDR
Notes for Ko Samui
- 8:30am tour: Ko Samui Sightseeing
- Lunch
- 5.5 hour tour with TJM
- Coconut Farm, Big Buddha with shopping center, Temples on water
- Lunch at Nora Beach Resort
- HOT!!!
- Dinner with TJ in MDR
- Watched Stephen Barry's performance
Notes for Cruising
- Breakfast in café
- Packed
- Lunch with TJ
- Napped
- Dinner in MDR with TJM
- To bed 10pm
- J diarrhea started at 11pm
Notes for Singapore
- J diarrhea 7+ times
- Nausea
- Vomited at 4am
- Showered at 5:30
- Off ship by 8:30am
- Got bags
- Taxi to Travelodge Harbourfront
- Waited for room for 2 hours in lobby
- Worked on computer
- Checked into room early
- Napped
- Laid in bed all day
- Don vomited at 4pm
- To sleep by 7:30pm