I Paid A Fortune to Cruise On “New” Crystal Cruises. Was It Worth It? (Podcast #526)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I have been intrigued as recent reviews of Crystal Cruises have been very positive, including it having the highest passenger ratings on Cruise Critic in the ultra-luxury category, better than Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn. So, I decided to test Crystal Cruises out to see if they really are the best of the ultra-luxury lines. This is what I discovered. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
info_outline
Cruise Ship Crew Secrets The Lines Don’t Want Us To Know! (Podcast #525)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
After doing well over 100 cruises, I thought I knew everything about life on a cruise ship. That was until a dinner hosted by a senior crew member on my last cruise, where they revealed a surprising secret about cruise ship crew that I was totally unaware of! That got me wondering what else I, and other passengers, have no idea about cruise ship crew. Welcome aboard, I am Gary Bembridge and after much research and talking to crew off the record, I found 6 secrets kept well hidden from us passengers that I think you will find surprising and maybe even shocking. Become a Tips For Travellers...
info_outline
5 Secrets Cruise Lines Won’t Tell You (But You NEED to Know!) (Podcast #524)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Cruise line glossy brochures and their enticing adverts promise a carefree and trouble-free vacation, BUT they don’t tell the whole story. There are several important things that can and do significantly impact us as passengers that the lines seem reluctant to talk about or be upfront about. Welcome aboard, I'm Gary Bembridge and join me as I unmask five unspoken things that directly affect us all, and why I believe you need to know more about them. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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: ...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outlineGary Bembridge of Tips for Travellers shares observations, tips and advice for visitors to Pattaya in Thailand.
Subscribe free to the show on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or TuneIn Radio
This show covers among other topics:
Observations
- Best known as inexpensive Thailand holiday resort especially popular on package holidays, day trip from Bangkok and cruise line passengers docking at Laem Chabang nearby.
- Also known for late nights of partying, drink and sex. Also renown for large lady boy population and shows
History
Was a small remote fishing village until the Vietnam war when in 1959 a boat load of US soldiers taken there for some R&R and had great time and more and more came .
Getting around
- Simple layout with main road called Pattaya Road along beachfront and parallel road called Pattaya Second Road with small roads and lanes connecting - jammed full of hotels, bars , shops.
- Bart open sided taxi/ bus which you hail and take you to want to go.
- Taxis plentiful but watch out as don't switch on meters so ensure agree a price.
- Motorbike hire
Things to do
Beach
Three main sections along the beach front
Nakula Bay - more family orientated (north).
Central - busiest and most popular swimming area.
South near Walking Street (bars and focus of night life)
Swimming areas marked by plastic barriers - densely packed deck chairs and umbrella sections next to them
Water sports - paragliding - jet ski - banana boats
Constant flow of vendors
Pattaya Floating market
Various sections reflecting different regions of Thailand - 114 shops and lots of vendors - can hire boats to go from section to section
Sanctuary of Truth
Huge wooden Castle / Temple covered with carved sculptures depicting heaven and earth - 344 feet high covers area of 21,520 square feet
Nong Nuch tropical gardens
600 acre landscaped park - biggest botanical park in SE Asia - tropical plants (orchids, palms , cycads , cacti , bonsai), various cultural shows (folk dances from regions of Thailand ) and also an elephant performance show
Pairaj Elephant Village
Retirement village for working elephants
Sea Turtle Conservation Centre
Lady Boy shows
Other attractions
Teddy Bear museum
Museum of Bottle Art
Ripley's believe it or not
Underwater World Aquarium
Shopping
Lots of cheap souvenirs
Lots of fakes so watch out
Central Festival Shopping Mall