Thanks, Marc, but I can't get excited about Kandy. The transportation time is so long just to see the Tooth of the Buddah. As far as a modern city goes, my love is for the ancient. We are going to Angkor Wat again and very excited since, for me, it is impossible to take everything in on one visit.

McKeever, I was in Kandy many years ago and, if I remember correctly, the tooth is displayed just once a year. It might be different today so I might be wrong. Maybe someone who has been there recently knows better.

Hello McKeever,

Both visits to Sri Lanka took us out of Colombo. And both tours brought us to the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage, well worth seeing.
We ate a nice buffet lunch while watching the elephants parade down to the river to bathe.
On our second visit, we took the Victorian style steam train, the Viceroy, to Kandy. What should have been a three hour ride, turned into a seven hour trip, due to single tracking. We passed many villages and rice paddies. The scenery was spectacular. We had several stops along the way, and met the locals.
Our destination of the Temple of the Tooth was a bit disappointing, since the temple itself is not what you would expect. And, of course, the tooth was not on display. That does happen only once a year. We had to surrender our shoes before entering, but had a heck of a time getting them back!
Lunch was a buffet in a very nice hotel in Kandy.Traffic was unbelievable coming back to Colombo. The road is basically a one laner, with three-lane traffic. Despite the windy, twisty roads, we arrived back to the ship by the skin of our teeth. But well worth it!

Bill

Hi, Bill. I feel guilty but I can't get up any enthusiasm for Sri Lanka and definitely not Kandy. Stan and I will probably do our usual thing and walk the town and try to see what the culture is like. We really like that.

Ardis

FYI...received our Brazil and China visas (and passports!) back from ZVS today...had FedEx'd them on Oct. 5th.

ZVS mistakenly charged my credit card...but they have promised to reverse the charge to Regent.

Larry,

I'm curious - what date did you ask for your passports to be returned?

Since you got them back so quickly, were you charged the rush fee? I know Regent covers the cost since you are a Full WC passenger.

So are we. I fedex-ed our passports about the same time as you did. I put down 12/1/06 as the return date and - come h*ll or high water, they are going to stick to that date.

We needed both Brazil and China visas . . .

Thanks . . .Peggy

Peggy,
I didn't ask for expedited service (said I needed them back by January 5, 2007) and we received ours back quickly. Total turn-around time to/from San Francisco was about 1 week.

Hi Marcie,

We needed both the Brazil and China visas and apparently the Brazil one has to be used for the first time within 90 days of it's issue.

I spoke to someone there today and was told we'd have our passports by the date I requested. Period. The impression I got was that they were holding them for that date even if the paperwork is done.

Bet you can tell ZVS is not my favorite group.

We'll have the passports by the time we leave which is really all that's important.

It's getting closer . . .

Peggy

ZVS told us up front that they would be mailed to us Nov. 13th.

Peggy --

We sumitted our applications to ZVS in NYC via overnight FedEx on Oct 5 and received the visas and passports back on Oct 27. We asked for them NLT 12/30. Did not request rush.

And ZVS did reimburse my credit card for the $531 they mistakenly charged to me instead of Regent.

So my experience with them has been OK.

Larry

Larry, I wondered how much these visas cost, WOW! I never give ZVS cc info. I just write on it "bill Regent Seven Seas Cruise Lines"

Thanks Larry . . . I'll just have to be patient

Peggy

Marcie --

I incorrectly thought that my China visa might be rush...that's why I included my cc info...obviously it wasn't...didn't think I would need to "tell" them to charge Regent, since it was on a Regent form...but I guess my cc info "confused" them...live and learn...and it all worked out fine.

Getting excited for Jan 8th and meeting you all....

We had a phone call from ZVS last evening telling us that a single entry China visa would not work for us since it would expire before we arrived in China in March. She said a multiple entry was necessary and needed our authorization to do this. Wasn't it nice that they noticed and are looking out for us?

Interesting...Our ZVS-obtained China visa for the World Cruise is a single entry visa, issued 10 Oct 2006, good for a 90-day stay as long as we enter before 10 Apr 2007...which we will...

Larry,
Ours is like yours...must enter by April 10th.

But the question came up of when the 90 days begin. Is it from the date of the visa? Sheryl was very definite that we needed multiple entries. It certainly won't do any harm to have the multiple entry.

McKeever --

The China visa is very clear..."Duration of each stay 090 days after entry"...with "Enter before 10 Apr 2007"...it's pretty clear....

You guys are making me nervous (for YOU), and I am not even on the WC! When I read further up on this thread, there was mention from Peggy that the Brazil visa has to be used within 90 days of issue, perhaps that is the confusion?

Guess I'm interested because of planning on visiting China next year, and want to get it all straight in my mind. My visa will not be paid for by Regent, so I would rather not pay ZVS $500+ for this service. I got my own visa for Russia without difficulty and see no reason why I can't do it for China.

Mine says double entry but single entry should have been fine too. The Visa was issued on October 10 so you must enter China within 6 months of issue. Hong Kong doesn't require a Visa so don't count that. Olivia, I think you'll be fine getting yours on your own. I only go through ZVS because Regent was paying.

IPS is picking up our luggage on Jan. 2nd between 1-4:30pm. They said it doesn't matter how many bags we have as long as the total weight doesn't exceed 270 lbs. (135 lbs. p.p.)otherwise we pay extra. With holidays coming up, time will fly... this will be here before we know it!

Now I'm confused . . .I don't remember which visa it was that had the 90 day restriction.

I'll just have to wait to see when our passports arrive.

Our luggage goes the very end of December . . .

Peggy

Whatever the "truth" is, I guess we are covered!

I don't want to cause more confusion regarding the visa to China but the visa application states that a single entry is valid within 3 months. Maybe some people went for the two-entry one which is valid within 6 months.Hope this helps.

Forgot to mention that the entry into Shanghai is March 5, 2007.

So it is only good from December 5th on . . I've requested our passports by December 1st.

I think I said in another thread that ZVS did not make it clear . . .I haven't changed my mind.

xrvlcruiser --

ZVS's documentation may not be clear, but the actual visa is very clear...a one-time entry is good for 90 days AFTER you enter...and the visa contains a dateby which you must enter...and that date is 6 months from issuance.

Meaning: you have six months in which to enter and once you enter you can stay up to 90 days. Hope that clarifies....

Sealover: Yes, that is what ZVS said.

Larry: Thank you for being so precise. I'm sure you are right.

We should not need to have this discussion. The instructions from ZVS which come with our visa applications should be clear enough that all this - timing, date of entry etc -should be understood.

We've been dealing with this company for a number of years and it is always like this - very frustrating.

They have delivered our passports to the wrong place, never bothered to check the requested date of return when we were leaving on holiday cruises before the WC - I think after I "discussed" that with them, the documents arrived the day before we left home . . .etc, etc - you get my point.

They are for the most part unresponsive when I've called. If I persist and get to someone other than the operator - and get that person's name - I can usually get the problems solved but why does it need to be like that?

I'm sorry if I sound annoyed - guess it's because I am.

Peggy

We've not had that experience with ZVS. They have always responded in a timely manner.

Doug,

You're luckier than we've been. I hope our luck changes for this trip.

Peggy :)

Me too Doug, never had any problem but we haven't had the years using them like Peggy and Elaine have.

I'm sorry to be so grumpy about this but something about being twice burned . . .

Peggy

Some of you WC'ers have the date of their luggage pick-up. How does this work? Do you contact IPS, do they contact you, do we get a letter from Regent?

Hi Ardis,

I think we get the information with our final docs (is that correct?) . .but there is no reason why you can't call now - 800-395-8810. The office is on the West Coast.

You'll probably get Betty on the phone. She'll answer all your questions and set up your pick-up.

Getting closer . . . .

Peggy

McKeever --

Info was in letter from Regent (ours dated Sept. 15) that included info re: Visa requirements, Bon Voyage Celebrations at Four Season Miami, Evening Dress outline, etc....on second page, under Luggage Assistance, suggests travelers contact IPS for "Shipment Authorization Form"...tel. is 1-800-395-8810...IPS will also schedule pick-up date at that time if you want them to.

Thanks, Larry. I guess Stan and I are just not reading our papers carefully enough.

I just noticed that a couple of stops have been added to the 2007 WC. One is a very short stop in Corregidor and then on the same day, a stop in Manila. How wonderful for the crew and for us to be able to see the happy faces of the crew and their families, that is IF they will be allowed aboard. I certainly hope so.

Is it long enough for families to get on, or staff to get off for a visit with them?

Sealover: We can't find the changes on Regent's site. Where did you find it?