Will be travelling on UA. Any hints on how to weather such a long flight. Will also spend 3 dys Beijin Novotel, 2 dys Xian at Sofitel w/Tour East. Can someone comment on these hotels. Will also be sailing on Saphire Princess to Nagasaka, Shanghai, Okiawa,Taipei,HongKong, Vha Trang, Vung Tau, Singapore, 3nts in Bangkok-hotel not confirmed. My spouse are I are debating if we should take Princess tours or use taxis at each port! Any comments will be appreciated.

I stayed at the Novotel in Beijing this past March and it was fine. It is right off a main pedestrian shopping street and also close to upscale shopping. However, I think I recall there not being too many regular restaurants right there (lots of KFC though). In Beijing, if it is not part of your package, I highly recommend you go on a hutong tour and see these interesting communities before they are completely demolished to make room for high rises.

I've cruised several times, but not to this area, and unsure about recommending cruiseline's or independent transportation/tour for the ports. I traveled in China and booked daily guides/drivers on my own through the national tourist agency which worked well for me.

The Sofitel in Xian is beautiful. We were just there in July with a Viking Cruise Group. I do not know anything about the Novotel in Beijing. The Sofitel at Beijing airport is OK but certainly not one I would recommend except for an overnight stay.

Make sure you bring an extra suitcase. You will be in some great shopping spots. We had the representative that comes onboard from each city write out in Chinese where we wanted to go and would show it to the taxi driver and had no problem. They don't speak much English!

Bring a post card of your ship with you at all times to show your taxi driver to make sure you get back to your ship OK.

We did some traveling in China this year and loved it. However, beware of air pollution. It's quite bad nearly everywhere you go and after spending 3 weeks there, we both came home with sinus infections. You might want to take some medication with you.

At the end of our 2 week China tour (4yrs ago) we had dinner in the Novotel in Beijing. It was French ,if I recall, and a refreshing change after all the chickens feet and stuff we had been eating!