I No Longer Recommend These 4 Cruise Tips. Here's Why (Podcast #569)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
For years, I’ve shared what I believed were the smartest cruise tips—strategies that worked time and time again. But on my most recent cruise, something surprising happened. By doing the opposite of what I used to recommend, I walked straight through embarkation with no lines, no waiting… and was in my cabin within minutes. It made me question everything. Are some of the most widely shared cruise tips now completely outdated? In this video, I take a hard look at several long-standing pieces of cruise advice—ones I’ve personally recommended for years—and reveal why they may no...
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No-One Warns Solo Cruisers About These (Based On The 87 I’ve Done (Podcast #567)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Solo cruising is getting harder… and most people haven’t noticed yet. After 87 solo cruises, I’m seeing some big changes that could make cruising alone more expensive, more limited — and in some cases, much less enjoyable. In this video, I reveal what’s really going on behind the scenes… and what I now do differently to make solo cruising still work - including the success I have had and what I do to avoid paying double and the same price for two people. If you cruise solo — or are thinking about it — this is something you need to know. Become a Tips For Travellers...
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If I Could Only Do 10 Cruises In My Lifetime, These Are The Ones I’d Do (Podcast #568)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
If I could only cruise 10 more times in my life… these are the ones I would choose. After 20+ years and 128 cruises, I’ve discovered that not all cruises are created equal. Some are enjoyable… but others are truly life-changing. In this video, I count down the ocean cruises that stand above all others — the ones I believe every serious traveller should have on their bucket list. These aren’t just popular itineraries. These are journeys that deliver unforgettable wildlife encounters, breathtaking scenery, iconic maritime experiences, and moments that genuinely change how you see the...
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I've Cruised All 5 "Small Ship Luxury" Lines. No-One Warns You About This! (Podcast #566)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
In the last few years, I’ve cruised on all five of the major Small Ship Luxury cruise lines — multiple times on each — and I discovered something most cruisers are never told. They may all be grouped together by the industry, but they deliver very different experiences. In this video I put the five head-to-head: Oceania Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, Explora Journeys, Windstar Cruises, and Azamara I reveal: ✔️ Where each one genuinely shines ✔️ The weaknesses most brochures don’t highlight ✔️ What catches Premium cruisers out when they “upgrade” ✔️ How they compare...
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Adult Cruisers Should Be Ready For This (Podcast #565)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
With cruise ships fuller than ever and lines focusing heavily on families, adult cruisers need a new strategy. After 125 and counting cruises, I’ve spotted trends that specifically affect adult couples and solo travellers — from cabins being reassigned, to new adult-only cruise options, to ways adults can cruise for far less than they think. In this video I cover: Adult-only ocean and river cruise lines, The surprising world of chartered “grown-up” cruises, How to find peace on family ships, Private island adult areas you might not know about, job-based discounts, and more Whether you...
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7 Cruises To Steer Well Clear Of These Days. Here’s Why! (Podcast #564)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
In this video I reveal 7 cruises I regret taking and now actively avoid — even though many travellers still book them thinking they’re getting a great deal. Some of these cruises look incredible in the brochure, others seem like obvious bargains, and a few are even considered “bucket list” sailings. But after experiencing them myself, I discovered why they can lead to disappointment, frustration, or simply poor value for money. In this video I explain: • The cruise that looks like the perfect way to try cruising — but often isn’t • The extremely popular cruise many people dream...
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10 Cabin Checks Every Cruiser MUST Do BEFORE Unpacking. Here’s Why! (Podcast #563)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
Most cruisers walk into their cabin, throw their bags on the bed, and start unpacking. Big mistake. After more than 125 cruises, I’ve learnt – sometimes the hard way – that there are a handful of vital checks you should always do before you unpack a single item. In this video I take you inside a real cruise cabin and show you exactly what I personally check the moment I arrive on board. I also explain why it’s absolutely critical to do these checks on embarkation day, when problems are far easier to fix, cabins are still moving around, and engineers are on full standby. Leave it until...
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I’ve Done 5 Oceania Cruises. Here’s What No-one’s Warns You About! (Podcast #562)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
I’ve sailed five times with Oceania Cruises across three different ship classes, most recently on a 19-night Sydney to Papeete voyage on Riviera. It’s a cruise line I choose to return to and often recommend. But here’s the truth. I regularly hear from viewers who board expecting something extraordinary… and leave wondering what all the hype was about. So in this video I’m being completely frank about five areas that are often misunderstood, where the expectations created by the marketing don’t always match what people actually experience — and importantly where that really...
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Cruising This Year? Then You Need to Watch This! (Podcast #561)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
If you’re planning a cruise in the next 12 months, be warned — cruising is changing, and some of the biggest shifts are happening quietly behind the scenes. Cruising this year is going to feel very different from what many of us are used to. In this, I unpack six major changes every cruiser needs to know, explain why they matter, and show you how they could directly affect your next cruise — whether you’re booking for the first time or you’ve cruised many times before. These are the changes many cruisers won’t realise until it’s too late — and that’s exactly why you need to...
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I've Done 13 Ultra-Luxury Cruises. Here's What No-One's Telling You (podcast #560)
Gary Bembridge's Tips For Travellers
When you pay more for anything — flights, hotels, cars — you expect more. More features, more choice, more “wow”. So when cruisers upgrade from resort lines like Royal Caribbean, to premium lines like Princess, or even small-ship luxury like Oceania, and then spend much more on an ultra-luxury cruise… they naturally expect everything to be dramatically better. But here’s the surprise: for many first-time ultra-luxury cruisers, it isn’t. In this video I explain why so many people I meet on lines like Regent, Silversea, Seabourn and Crystal feel confused or even disappointed —...
info_outlineGary Bembridge of Tips for Travellers shares observations, tips and advice for visitors to Hong Kong.
Subscribe free to the show on iTunes, Stitcher Radio or TuneIn Radio.
This show covers among other topics:
Observations
- Dense with multitudes of skyscrapers and people. More people live and work above 15th floor than anywhere else in the world and has most residential blocks about 40 stories high and constant development.
- Very pretty harbour - Victoria harbour - one of deepest natural harbours in the world - Hong Kong means "fragrant harbour".
- Population of 7 million.
- 262 islands - Hong Kong island, Lantau Island (Airport and Disneyland ), Kowloon peninsula and Northern Territories.
- Transforms at night - skyscrapers have light effects - 8pm light show (biggest and longest running permanent show) on Hong Kong island and at 9pm on ICC (International Commerce Building) in Kowloon.
- English widely spoken as one off 2 official languages.
- Very connected city lots of free wifi around
History
British colony until 1997
Getting There
Very busy airport built on reclaimed land on Lantau Island.
Cruise - Kai Tak Terminal designed on site of old airport runway in Kowloon.
Best time to go
Hot and humid most of year
Coldest in Jan
Hottest July
Getting around
Coveted walkways and open air mid -evels escalator - worlds largest outdoor covered escalator.
Trams - kept despite modern metro system following pretty much same routes.
Busses - 5 companies run 700 routes.
BigBus Hop-on Hop-Off bus tours
General Tips
Use UK style 3-pin plugs
Good App - "Discover Hong Kong" developed by HK tourism board and Cathay Pacific Airline. Works off line and has series of suggested walks.
Must-do activities
Victoria Peak
Tram launched in 1888- 8 minutes ride to the stop with stunning views across city, also has Madame Tussards and shopping.
Star Ferry
Iconic service since 1870s - taking people 7 minutes from Hong Kong to Kowloon Ocean terminal.
Harbour Tour
Many options from Star Ferry, Sailing Junks and motorised junk boat trips.
See Hong Kong at night
Night bus tour
Light show- "Symphony of lights" - 45 skyscrapers on both sides of harbour
Walk the streets on Hong Kong side in Wan Chai and Kowloon along Nathan street
Shopping
Good prices as do no sales tax and is a Duty free port
Stanley market
Central district- high end shops
Hollywood road - antiques and art
SoHo - galleries
Ladies Market
Temple Street Night Market
Aberdeen
Fishing village and Luxury marina
Afternoon tea at Peninsula Hotel
Flagstaff house museum of Teaware - in oldest surviving colonial building -
Beaches
Repulse Bay
Theme Parks
Disneyland
Ocean Park -see Cunard notes
Museums
Can get good value 7-day museum pass
HK museum of art
the space museum
HK science museum
HK museum of history
Further afield
Macau - high speed ferry or bus