A reputable China tour operator & China travel agency from 1987
Tourist nationality: USA
Tour itinerary: Beijing – Dalian
Tour Reviews:
Hello Cynthia
We are now at home after a wonderful 19 day cruise on Diamond Princess from Tianjin to Vancouver. We were blessed with calm seas and sunshine, although as expected it was quite cold crossing the North Pacific and in Alaska. I will endeavor to answer your questions and give you a few comments about our arrangements in Beijing and Dalian.
First of all, I want to commend you on your communication with us and your assurance that we would have a memorable trip. You are friendly and efficient and I feel as if we have made a friend with you. I especially appreciated that telephone call. Thank you so much for that. We did have a memorable visit in Beijing and Dalian.
Both of our guides, Cathryn and Lois spoke excellent English and spoke clearly and politely. Cathryn really went out of her way to care for my wife as mobility was a bit of a problem for my wife. Cathryn stayed by her side at all times. We became aware that Cathryn is two months' pregnant and at times I could tell that she was not feeling well. She carried a "Pringles" can with her into which she frequently spitted, but it was not offensive. She also did indicate that the long hours for her including her long commuting time was difficult for her. Everything on the tour was fine and there were no problems. Beijing was very crowded due to the Labor Day holiday, but we started early each day to do the best we could to avoid the crowds. The only portion of the tour that was most difficult was the Summer Palace where it seemed that the entire population of Beijing was there at the same time. It was difficult to enjoy such a beautiful place with such crowds. I realize that it was no one's fault and Cathryn tried to make it the best she could. I do not recall visits to souvenir shops, but we did visit a silk factory and a pearl shop on one day and we visited the jade factory the other day. There was no pressure to buy anything, although both stops were interesting. Lunch was served at the Jade factory which was beautifully presented and very delicious. Since the restaurant was on the second floor and they did not have an elevator, Cathryn arranged for the lunch in a private conference room on the first floor. This was wonderful. We were a bit disappointed that we could not see the National Stadium or the Water Cube. The drive-by was through a parking lot surrounded by high fences. Our driver stopped and climbed a fence to take pictures on our cameras. We saw nothing.
The tour in Dalian with Lois was also wonderful. Much sightseeing was included in the full day there. The highlights for us were the aquarium. where Lois stayed with us and assured that my wife was comfortable with the walking. The aquarium show was great. We did not have enough time here. The other highlight was the seafood lunch. It was in a magnificent restaurant and the food was fabulous. The parks and squares in Dalian are very impressive. It is a beautiful city.
The driver service was just fine. The vehicles were clean and the drivers did an excellent job in negotiating the difficult traffic. Our pickup times were exactly as planned.
Lunches and dinners were fabulous. We enjoyed every place selected by our guides. The Peking Duck dinner at the Peking Club was extra special. That meal with the live entertainment was memorable. I want to go back! In Dalian, that seafood restaurant was a real treat. On the evening of the acrobatic show, the Peking Duck restaurant was not available, so we had dinner at our own cost in a fabulous seafood restaurant near the theater which was recommended by Cathryn. It was a treat. We had the Peking Duck dinner the following night, which was the night before we departed Beijing. The Peking Duck Dinner was a memorable culmination of our 3 days in Beijing.
We did not receive any bottled water in the vehicles in either Beijing or Dalian. My wife brought her own bottles of water. We were a bit surprised at this situation.
On the day of departure from Beijing and transfer to the port in Tianjin, we did not have the opportunity to see Tianjin. Cathryn was afraid of heavy traffic and suggested that we rest in the hotel and then go directly to the ship, Actually, the traffic was quite light and it only took just over two hours to reach the port. I was a bit disappointed but it was OK to get to the ship a bit earlier.
I have not had the opportunity to review my photos, yet I have many pictures. As soon as I can do that, I will send you some of my photos.
As I told you before, I would be happy to serve as a reference for you and you may certainly post any or all of my comments on your website. While on the ship, I told everyone we became friendly with of the wonderful time we had and would happily recommend you to anyone who has an interest in traveling to China.
Best regards,
Stuart
