Why is visa cost $7 (30%) higher than real cost, which is $20?

ok, now my thought process is do i want to spend $5000-8000 to be on a boat with unknown fodorites for a week or so, eating food which is probably ok, etc, etc....

don't think so at this junction.... i think i will stick with my usual land travel at semi-lux shore facilities....

i do thank you for doing all this research and sorting out of materials...

i hope the venture is a go....

bob

KimJapan, I dunno but I can check. Probably their cost to process, but a piddly sum, no?

Piddly sum, yes, but if it is any indicator of their way of doing business...As in if they charge that piddly sum for something like the visa, for which no assistance is required, what else are they adding piddly sums to? That's all.

Well Kim, I wouldn’t want to let logic and first hand experience get in the way of a good conspiracy theory but it might be useful to consider the reality of this hefty $7.00 fee before you damn the company with suspicion. It might also be useful to look on a map.

For passengers traveling from Saigon to Siem Reap the visa on arrival has to obtained at the border, a nautical no-man’s land slap bang in the middle of the Mekong.

You have seen the line of seven immigration officials on arrival in Siem Reap or Phnom Penh airports processing your $20 visa, I sure. Well, funnily enough, the same process applies at the river border – incredibly, the Cambodian government doesn’t keep a line of seven immigration officials bobbing about on a raft mid-Mekong ready to board every passing river-cruise… so what to do?

Well, they could hire a flotilla of small boats to ship the fifty or so passengers ashore, line them up, just like at the airport, bring in seven immigration officials from Phnom Penh to process their $20 visas, then ferry us back to the boat, I guess.

Heritage Line [and all the other river cruise companies] have opted for the no-brainer approach. They leave the passengers sitting on the boat happily guzzling gin while they take the passenger passports ashore for preliminary processing and then bring them back to the by-now comatose tourists. It takes about two hours, Mekong border posts being strangely not like international airports.

Then, the next day in Phnom Penh, another four Very Important Immigration people come on board and inspect every passport again, four times. I’ve watched them. Why do they do this? Dunno. Maybe it’s something to do with Cambodian immigration and customs law. Why is it so complicated in Cambodia? Dunno. It’s Cambodia. Stuff happens in Cambodia.

I wonder if this might be why there’s a seven dollar surcharge?

Probably not.

It’s a Heritage Line conspiracy. They look totally suspicious, I agree. Their website is clearly a front for a shonky operation. I believe they even drugged Mr Dogster a few months ago, kidnapped him and MADE him write a positive report. Let me see if I can find it…

Ahh, here it is.

http://thedogster.wordpress.com/extr...r-jayarvarman/

But I don’t believe a word of it.

Question. Never hurts to question. You of all people should know that. Sometimes things are just as they seem. Sometimes not. And sometimes it's the little things that really matter. Sometimes not. No worries, though. I won't be a passenger on the Love Boat. I was just asking a question out of curiosity, not because I care about $7 others will spend.

Ah, the dogster reappears. I was beginning to think the Azamarans might have tossed you overboard. Where are you?

I, too, applaud your persistence. However, I've done Saigon to PP by boat and don't feel a need to do it again, especially as the best single rate comes in at $368/night (for the maiden voyage).

Bless you Kim. You are, of course, completely right.

thursday, unless I get off soon, the Azamarians may well have me tossed overboard. I'm at sea, a day out of [sob] India. Might jump ship in Phuket en route to the Pickled Liver...

To each his own Thursday. Would have loved to have had you. Considering it's luxury lodging, booze, food and transporation, pluds add-ons, that's actually not a bad price.

Awaiting your take on the prices, oh Mangy Canine One. Am also awaiting the Great Australian Novel, which clearly you are writing on board. But you must have had too many G&Ts; the Pickled Liver in in Bangkok, no?

Interesting but it will take a brave Fodorite to arrange and use their credit card to reserve the cruise.

I have been called impetuous, impulsive and even reckless, but there's no way everyone's deposit is going on my credit card. (On the other hand, think of the miles!)

I'll organize it to a point, but every cat in this herd is on his own for the money.

Very wise LAleslie!

LAl - I'm sure that's a very good price for what you're getting, but it's a matter of priorities. I rate time on the ground (much) more highly than luxury. I'll splurge occasionally, but I like to keep my average cost down to where I can afford long trips.

By way of comparison, the Japan leg of my current RTW, which I expect to be by far the most expensive Asian leg (it had better be!) came in around $160 to $170 a night all-in (not counting the doctor, lol). Yesterday in Mysore, including a car and driver for a 4-hour sightseeing trip, cost me $73 - and my hotel room had an attached bath and AC, and a very good coffee shop in the lobby. If I look at it in terms of days on the ground, the Heritage Line is very, very expensive. To me.

Hey Leslie -- thanks so much for doing this! I know you had issues downloading the price grids -- and I am a bit thick, so would you mind clarifying? You have (for the Dec 3/10 cruises) the following:

Double cabin Internet rate 25% discount SUP 5,726 4,295 DLX 6,907 5,180 SIG 7,419 5,564 SUITE 8,064 6,048

Single cabin 25% discount
SUP 3,221
DLX 3,885
SIG 4,173
SUITE 4,536

So, the discounted double cabin suite rate is 6,048 and for a single in a suite is 4,536. Is the 6,048 per person or for the cabin (i.e. both passengers)?

Also, how much would the deposit be and when would it be required?

Thanks so much!

Trav, I redid the double cabins rate above. But you are correct, suite discounted rate is $6,048.

The double rate I assume is per cabin for two people. But I will confirm this and ask about the deposit due date and rate.

Here's the reply Travelaw:
1. Th double cabin rate for two persons. Single cabin rate is for one person.

2. The deposit is due 7 days after booking confirmation date. Within 7 days the booking can be cancelled without any charge.

I haven't looked at the cancellation policies yet but I assume they're on the heritage web site for the current cruises.

Remember, if we book 10 cabins we get some good freebies, including a private guide and one free shore excursion. No mingling with the riff-raff!

LA, we're just starting to discuss our trip for 2011. We are still considering the cruise.

OK Kathie, thanks. Busy time here for me so I haven't had a chance to catch up to your India TR except for the beginning, but I will do so soonest. Always enjoy them.

We're still thinking about it. The maiden voyage has prices almost too good to pass up. And it's upstream, which I'd prefer. Oct 29 is earlier than we usually go, but we could probably do it. Dec 3 is late, we'd be pushing it... But Dec 10 is out of the question for us. Weather will be better in December, but November weather isn't that bad, and most of the first cruise will be in November...