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:
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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...
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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...
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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...
info_outlineIn this episode of the Tips for Travellers show Gary Bembridge shares observations, advice and tips for visitors to the capital of Thailand: Bangkok.
Subscribe to the show free on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or TuneIn Radio
The show covers the following and more:
Observations:
- Bangkok is capital of Thailand (Thai = free so Thailand means land of the free)
- Never been colonised unlike so many other Asian countries - sided with Japanese in WWII and supported USA in Vietnam war.
- Monarchy which is highly respected and revered offence to say negative against the monarchy.
- Bangkok used to be "Venice of the East" as so many rivers and canals - but now mostly filled in.
- Lots of traffic and traffic jams.
- Relatively safe despite political troubles and street demonstrations - more likely affect by tourist scams !
Getting there
Major gateway and also connections hub with most international Travelelers coming in via Suvanathmi international airport
Getting around
- Sky train
- Underground Metro
- River rides - express boat up and down Chao Phraya river
- Buses harder to navigate as most routes in Thai
- Taxis - metered but ensure is switched on
- Motorbike taxis - ensure you given a helmet
- Tuk-tuk - 3-wheeled open sided - most drivers focus on where they want to take you to..!
Must see things to do
Sights are fairly concentrated in one area close to each other
Wat Phra Kaew and Royal Grand Palace Complex
Grand Palace
Including some key buildings:
Borombhiman Hall
Amarin Vinitchai Throne Room
Chakri Maha Prasat
Dusit Maha Prasat
Emerald Buddha temple - Housed inside the Wat Pra Kaeo
Royal Thai Decorations and Coin Pavillion
Wat Pho
Close by is oldest and largest temple in Bangkok - contains country's largest reclining Buddha
Golden Buddha
Housed in Wat Traimit - 5,5 ton Solid gold Buddha - 3 metres high
Wat Arun
Temple of Dawn named after Indian god of dawn
Museums:
Dolls museum
National museum
Jim Thompson House
Royal Barge Museum
Shopping
Bargaining expected in markets
Chinatown and Little India
Bangkok floating market
Central World Market
Patpong
Red light district