9 Things You Can Take From A Cruise Without Getting Into Trouble (Podcast #496)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
What can you take home from your cruise without any fear you're doing the wrong thing, either morally or legally? This question hit me while I was packing at the end of a recent Cunard Queen Anne Cruise, as in the disembarkation letter a section was highlighted with a list of items that I was not allowed to take home, warning that if I did there would be penalties. I did a double take, as it included items I often take home from a cruise. It got me questioning what we can take from a cruise these days without any fear of getting into trouble. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get...
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This Cunard Regular Puts Their Brand-New Ship To The Test (Podcast #496)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I believe I can bring a unique take on Cunard's new Queen Anne as I’ve been on 23 Cunard cruises and spent 210 nights across all their fleet, including most recently 14 nights on board Queen Anne, which gave me ample time to fully test out their latest cruise ship. I was keen to discover if, as some believe, Cunard is trying to chase people like me away from Cunard with their new ship and replace me with new and younger cruisers, or whether they're just trying to offer another ship for me as a regular Cunard cruiser to experience. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive...
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9 Reasons More Cruisers Than Ever Are Denied Boarding (Podcast #495)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
As all the passengers you will hear about discovered, being denied boarding for a cruise, not only turned their dream vacation into complete disarray, but lost them a fortune as cruise lines do not refund guests who they deny boarding to, arguing it's up to us as passengers to pay close attention to any rules and requirements, whether it's the cruise lines or the countries being called upon. After seeing reports of more people being caught out these days, I want to make it easier for you to avoid the things that could get you denied boarding. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and...
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5 Sure Fire Ways To Get A Cruise Cabin Upgrade in 2024 (Podcast #494)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
With ships sailing full, and all the major cruise lines saying that on average they're sailing at 104% capacity, the techniques that I used to use and spoke about in the past, even as recently as this video from two years ago, to get cruise cabin upgrades no longer work. But after some rethinking, I’ve successfully cracked how to still get upgrades today. I know you can score upgrades like I have, as I’ve just helped people booking on one of my future group cruises land upgrades on that one too. Links mentioned in the video: Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive...
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Dangerous Cruise Ports To Stay Far, Far Away From (Podcast #491)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Experiences on my two last cruises reminded me that just because my cruise ship is calling into a port does not mean that I can assume it's safe for me to get off and explore. In fact, even in the two most popular cruising regions, the Caribbean and Mediterranean, many of the most visited ports are amongst the riskiest. Welcome aboard, I'm Gary Bembridge and I’m going to tell you what dangerous ports in these two regions to avoid, and how to keep yourself safe if you've got a cruise booked that's going to one of them. Link mentioned in the video: Carole Copeland Podcast: Become...
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Not Telling Your Cruise Line These 6 Things Could Sink Your Cruise! (Podcast #493)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I was driven to make this after I saw a series of issues blow up on cruise ships after people did not come clean with their cruise line, sometimes intentionally but more often because they hadn’t realised they needed to. The consequences of some were so severe that I’ve seen cruisers banned for life, refused embarkation, or being kicked off their ship during the cruise. In this video I help you to get cruising right by knowing what you should never hide from the cruise line, and why. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams...
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3 Issues Driving Holland America Cruisers Crazy This Year (Podcast #492)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I recently embarked on Holland America Eurodam to host one of my group cruises with some trepidation, because I'd had past fans of Holland America telling me they were falling out of love with the line, based on three recent changes. So, I felt this would be the perfect opportunity to put these to the test, as I could tap into the thoughts of everyone on my group cruise. And, based on what we discovered, you’ll hear where we found the concerns about Holland America are right, where they are not, and why. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content,...
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I Put Indian Pacific Platinum "First Class" To The Test (Podcast #490)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
The Indian Pacific is one of the famous and costliest train journeys in the world travelling 2,700 miles (4,352 kilometres) between Sydney and Perth Australia. So, I had very high expectations, but before we even got on board, I started to have concerns as things were going wrong which would have been fine if it was just me and my partner travelling, but we had booked two cabins in the premium Platinum class carriages to take my mother-in-law on a special once-in-a-lifetime trip for her 80th birthday. Adding even more pressure for this to be perfect. Join me as I share our experience on this...
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Cruisers Don't Know Cabin Stewards Can Get All This For You (Podcast #489)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
One of the more frequently asked questions I see on cruise message boards is: “what can I ask my cabin steward to bring or do for me?”. As I keep seeing the same limited list of suggestions, I decided to make this as, based on my experience, I can see cruisers are missing out on many more things cabin stewards can do and bring. 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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I Test Oceania's New Ship To See Why Cruisers Are So Unhappy (Podcast #488)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Oceania Cruises is one of my all-time favourite cruise lines, and so I was incredibly excited to try their new class of ships. Until I did. I went on Vista, the first of this new class, and despite many great things, that I will tell you about, there is (for me anyway, and some others I spoke to) one deal breaker that means I will be sticking to their older ships unless something changes. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
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