Too Many Panama Canal Cruisers Get These 5 Things Wrong! (Podcast #523)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I have done a Panama Canal transit four times and on every trip I see passengers making the same mistakes that get in the way of making it their adventure of a lifetime. But some of the errors are so easy to make that even an experienced cruiser like me can get tripped up – as I did on my most recent Panama Canal trip on Regent Grandeur. So, welcome aboard, I’m Gary Bembridge and hear 5 things I have learnt the hard way that you need to know about doing a Panama Canal cruise. Links mentioned: David McCullough’s “The Path Between the Seas. The Creation of the Panama Canal” ** Buy on...
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Regent Says It's The World's Best Cruise Line! I Put That To The Test (Podcast #522)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Days before heading off on Regent's newest ship, the Grandeur, the line launched new advertising promising that “nobody does it better”. In in they also claimed to have the “world's most luxurious fleet”, and that no cruise line beats them on destination experiences, hospitality, luxury spaces, and dining. Having been on Regent before, while I found them great, I didn’t think they beat every line, so this latest trip turned into the perfect opportunity to really test out if Regent now does do cruising better than everybody else. I am Gary Bembridge, and this is what I found. And as...
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6 NEW Cruise Scams & Tricks To Watch Out For This Year! (podcast #521)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I’ve been contacted recently by way too many cruise passengers that have been caught out by new scams that have emerged since my last video about this topic, including one a good friend stumbled upon on his latest cruise – and one using me to scam cruisers like you! Here are the latest cruise scams to watch out for! Links mentioned: Get 10% any of The Cruise Maps products using USA ESTA: UK ETA : Canada ETA: CIBT Visa: Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers...
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6 Tricks To Use To Beat Today's Soaring Cruise Fares (podcast #521)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Every cruiser can see that cruise fares have been rising scarily fast, and cruise lines are telling Wall Street investors that they expect fares to keep rising well over inflation as demand for cruising is so high. But despite that, I have found ways of paying less than most people on every one of the 12 upcoming trips I've got booked. I'm going to show you how I, and other smart cruisers, cruise for less than others in this time of rising fares. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube: ...
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Cruise Lines JUST Banned These 6 Much-Loved Items!! (podcast #520)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I’m upset as one item I've taken on every cruise I've done to date has just been banned. But I'm not the only one devastated about new cruise line bans, as three people contacted me about a less-publicised ban making cruising more costly for them. While I saw another recent ban got one cruiser banned for life when she unwittingly broke it. I’m Gary Bembridge, and I’m here to tell you about six items cruise lines have recently banned that could change the way you cruise. Forever. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit...
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Changes EVERYONE Cruising In 2025 Needs To Know About (Podcast #519)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
If you've got a cruise booked in 2025, or thinking of booking one, there are startling changes being made by cruise lines, governments, and the actions of some local port residents that you need to be ready to deal with. Even if you've been cruising recently and think you know how things work, these changes could catch you by surprise and throw your cruise plans off course. Here are six changes I think you need to be ready for in 2025. Links mentioned in the episode: UK ETA: EU ETIAS: Videos Mentioned: Money saving: Banned Items: Become a Tips For Travellers...
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Antarctica Expedition Lines Don’t Tell You This, Until You’re On Board! (Podcast #518)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
On all three Antarctic trips I've been on, I’ve seen so many passengers thrown by the same things each time. All because expedition lines are not totally transparent until passengers get on board. Then the truth comes out. It often comes as a big shock to many. So, here are the six things I see most passengers are surprised about Antarctic cruising once they get on board. Links mentioned in the video: The Cruise Maps, to get 10% off any order use this link: Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For...
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I Put Silversea's Costly Expedition Cruising To The Test. WORTH IT? (Podcast #517)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Knowing that the expedition cruise I wanted to do would cost me the same as buying a new luxury car, I needed to make sure that the line I went with would deliver something special and make every dollar worth it. After much deliberating, I decided to entrust Silversea with this huge sum of money as I've been on shorter expedition cruises with them before, thought they did a good job, though I was apprehensive as the cost of getting it wrong was so enormous. On this trip, I discovered just what Silversea Expedition are doing well, and not so that well these days, as you will hear. ...
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The Smartest Way To Deal With These 6 Cruise Nightmares (Podcast #516)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I've recently been following several cruise-gone-wrong sagas that inspired me to make this. They include outraged passengers raging because the Captain decided to miss iconic ports that most had booked the cruise for, and a distraught family facing a medical bill of $150,000 after their father fell ill on European cruise. Like you I assume all my cruises will be perfect, but not all are. Here are the main things I’ve seen go wrong, and how to be ready for them and what to do if it happens to you. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and...
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Smart Cruisers Rely On These Game-Changing Cruise Resources (Podcast #515)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Over the years I've been cruising, I have made many mistakes, but thanks to other cruisers I've met along the way, they suggested various tools, sites, and apps that helped make sure I avoided making those – and other - mistakes again. So, I'd like to share those that I use on every cruise to make every trip epic. Including some rather quirky and unusual ones that you may find surprising and even rather amusing! Links mentioned in the video: Get 10% off any order of The Cruise Maps using https://www.TheCruiseMaps.com/TFT (discount applied at check out) Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: ...
info_outlineGary Bembridge of Tips for Travellers shares observations, tips and advice for visitors to Shanghai in China.
Subscribe free to the show on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or TuneIn Radio
This show covers among other topics:
Observations
- Dramatic changes over years I have been visiting.
- Modern without defining a distinctive Chinese feel while stunning lit up at night.
- Always been the most cosmopolitan city in China
- Massive city over 20 million people.
- Shanghai means up from the sea - massive port - busiest in world - but has some limitations.
- Pollution and smog - big issue - asthma and breathing issues
History
- Started as a fishing village developed into centre of textile industry and major trading port developed from there. Chinese government made it free port (no taxes, not subject to Chinese laws) after the First Opium War and boomed with British then French and American concessions.
- Rich and decadent especially in 1930s - "Paris of the East" - Japanese occupied for time in WWII - after war hand back to Chinese and after Communist entered city in 1949 and became more closed.
- Now one of the four cities in china that are directly managed by Central Government
Getting there
- Need a visa before go - plan well in advance - can be costly to process - consider using a visa agency.
- Watch what packing and bringing in as conservative and strict
- Two main airports - Pudong and Hongqiao
- Cruises port - modern Wusongkou International Terminal - 45 to 90 minutes to Peoples Square / Bund
Getting around
- Maglev Train from Pudong airport to Pudong Longyanglu station (20km in 7 minutes)
- Busses - complex
- Taxis - colour coded by company - avoid red ones as independent and not metered - always have where going written in Chinese
- Metro - modern and easy to navigate as also have English names - ticket machines coins.
- Car hire not recommended even though signs have English
General Tips
- English often understood in tourist places.
- Safe but can be hassled a lot by vendors.
- Many attractions close at 4 or 4:30pm.
- Good tourist maps and leaflets in hotels and information centre
Must Do:
Pudong
Oriental Pearl TV Tower-
Shanghai World Finance Centre - 100th floor observation tower - including glass floor looking down 100 floors
Jin Mao Tower - Grand Hyatt Hotel (tallest hotel lobby in world 56th floor) - observation floor on 88th - only 45 seconds to get to top
Shanghai tower - 632 m high opposite opened in 2014
The Bund and huge Huangpu Park
Grand old buildings known as the World Architectural Gallery.
People's Square
Shangai Museum
Museum of Contemporary Art
Shanghai Art Museum
Shanghai Grand Theatre
New Town Hall
Urban Planning Museum - past and future Shanghai
Yuyuan Gardens and Bazaar
In the old town, built in the Mid 16th C and took 18 years it build
Bazaar aroudn it has many stores and it is fu
Jade Buddha Temple
Shopping
Counterfeit markets largely closed down and driven under ground now
Nanjing Road
Yuyuan Bazaar
Night River Cruise
Shanghai Acrobatic Show