CRUISE CONNECTION by KELLY

Is it Bon Voyage time yet?
  
Xin Chao, my name is Kelly Feldman and Wendy Brown is my roomie for this amazing Asian adventure.  It seems like this trip has been years in the making...oh wait it has been! 
I requested the time off of work over 3 year ago when Di first started planning this cruise. After the 2008 Mediterranean Cruise with the Davis Clan, I was hooked and knew I would never miss another one of their famous adventures.  I had heard about them for years but after experiencing it, travel as I knew it had forever been changed! 

You ask, how was I lucky enough to get in with the Davis Clan. Well I was kind of adopted in 1994. Diana hired me as her full time Program Coordinator and ever since that first day Di has not only been my boss but my friend and mentor. We have been through a lot of life together and I am blessed to have had her by side through the laughter and the tears.  I have known Di for almost 20 years and although she has been retired for 7 years plus, we still remain very close. We not only have fun but we have a bond that is very special and unique; when you spend as many years together as we have it truly is an incredible relationship.   

Buckle up and get ready a Davis Clan Cruise is nothing like you have ever experienced.  Let me share with you that this is an incredible opportunity and you are gonna love it! My favorite part about traveling with the Davis Clan besides always being able to find someone to play rummy with is that everyone is very easy going and friendly.   Be warned it is addictive and your stomach will hurt long after from all the laughter. You will make lifelong friends that you swore you had known forever and wonder how you ever managed without them before.  

So, if you are new to the group welcome and I look forward to meeting you and to those returning, I look forward to our reunion. I am counting down our departure day and looking forward to embarkation on the Diamond Princess, see you on board in the casino or at a table playing cards!!!!

The Best Way to Carry Money Overseas

Some of you cruisers have begun to inquire about foreign exchange, use of credit card and ATM’s. Though I have heard that some Southeast Asian countries will accept US dollars such as Vietnam. I would not count on this as a for certain option. Plan on either getting some cash ahead of time at your local bank. Keeping in mind of course, that this could easily take a week or more. So please plan ahead. 

I’ve been finding out that the best exchange rate is by using an ATM, but understand that this option has a service charge so think about the amount you will need to make it worth your while. And its very important to get a PIN number in advance for usage as using an ATM in another country is not like the USA. The article I found below may be more specific in detail to address your specific needs or questions.

Also to my surprise, credit card usage is not widely accepted in the Asian countries like in Europe. Small vendors for shopping and eatery prefer to deal with CASH and so exchanging to the local currency would be your best bet. Of course the hotels we will be staying at will easily accept your credit card for services. And on the Diamond Princess you will need a Credit Card for all your purchases and expenses as upon check-in you will be required to provide a credit card for the cashless purchases onboard with the Cruise Card. I also found out that the Diamond Princess also has an ATM machine for foreign exchange. But AGAIN plan on a service charge for this service.  

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Of course, on our flight to and fro you will need a credit card. As most airlines have stop using cash and only deal with credit card transaction for bar drinks, headphones etc.. Be sure to check on line with your specific airline to see what their procedure requires.

Lastly, think about taking extra credit cards. There has been incidents where you might put in your credit card in an ATM machine and for one reason or another. It does not return and holds your card due to circumstances. Yes, this actually happened to someone in our group in Europe. So be prepared with a couple of backups.

I will continue to keep my eyes open and post information regarding this issue. But in the meantime, these articles may assist you in getting prepared for what you will need to do to address your specific monetary needs. Happy Countdown!

IndependentTraveler - Best Way to Carry Money Overseas

http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/money-and-insurance/the-best-way-to-carry-money-overseas

Get the Best Exchange Rate

http://www.independenttraveler.com/travel-tips/money-and-insurance/get-the-best-exchange-rate

About.com - How to carry Money in Asia

http://goasia.about.com/od/Planning/a/How-to-Carry-Money-in-Asia.htm

Travel Money

http://seniortravel.about.com/od/seniortravelbasics/f/TravelMoney.htm

Photo provided by Flickr.borman818

CRUISE CONNECTION by LINDA & BILL

My name is Linda. Me and my friend Bill are cruising with you this spring. We are very excited to be going.!! We got involved through Bill’s friend Stephen Baldwin, who unfortunately, is sounding like he will not be joining us. We have not yet met our hosts, Diana and Roger but, are looking forward to meeting them in Las Vegas (where we both live) this December for Roger’s birthday.

I am an occupational therapist and Bill is a screenwriter. We both have the freedom to work when we want to and play when we want. I am a retired civil servant as Diana and Peggy both are and it sounds like many others are as well. Bill has retired from working for the state of Michigan. I have lived in Las Vegas for the past 34 years and Bill is the newbie at 10 years.

I have been more of a happy wanderer than Bill, but he’s trying to catch up. Bill and I cruised to the Caribbean this past January on a Jazz Cruise and loved it!! I have been on many great cruises and traveled to some exotic locations, two of my favorites were the Galapagos Islands and the Amazon. Bill and I have both cruised Alaska and I have also, sailed the Panama Canal, Tahitian Islands, Mediterranean and many of the Caribbean Islands.

This cruise will be the longest trip we have both been on and the longest I will have been away from home. We will be sailing the 16 days and staying several days both in Bangkok and Beijing, before and after the cruise

We are looking forward to meeting everyone and sharing the trip and our experiences with you all.