Hi Thespian
We did an Australasian cruise on the Diamond Princess earlier this year. Our package included 3 days in Sydney pre-cruise and 3 days in Beijing at the end, and included in the price was a day trip to the Great Wall (fantastic). We didn't see the Warriors which is a regret but that's for another time hopefully

We booked through scotlandscruisecentre.co.uk but there are loads of cruise firms to be found with a little searching and a little patience. The Diamond Princess is a big ship with lots to do. Our compromise, however, was to have an inside cabin - at the end of the day all you do is sleep in it. I'm not sure what you mean by there being no private balconies - one of our table companions invited us for pre-dinner drinks in their cabin and the balcony looked private enough for me. If you mean private enough to lay out stark naked then they are not The other thing you have to take into consideration is whether the package is being offered only by the travel company you've seen advertised. It may not be available through any other company - but I would still look, sometimes other companies will offer a very similar package with a few minor differences.

Regarding discounts and price drops, this is and always has been a sore point among British cruisers; once you have found a price that suits and paid your deposit then you are 'locked' into the price even if it drops. Very very occasionally you might get the reduction. Americans can get huge reductions as they happen. Booking early secures the cabin you want, waiting a while might mean the price comes down but you lose the cabin you want. The phrase 'swings and roundabouts' comes to mind.

Whatever decision you make one thing is a certainty - you'll have a great time

Rosalyn

Is this the itinerary for the stay and cruise you had in mind?

http://www.virginholidayscruises.co.uk/princess-cruises-diamond-princess-far-east-21-nights-march-2013-0198356-holiday.php

I can't comment on the cruise element of your holiday but, if it is, the China pre-tour looks to be quite a punishing intinerary. Doing the Great Wall, the Summer Palace and the Imperial Gardens all in one day is really packing it in. Also, Xian is approx 750 miles from Beijing and even assuming that you won't be doing it by train (16hrs!) it is still in the region of 2hrs each way by air. So by the time you allow for transfers and check-in times etc, that's still a big chunk of time out of your pre-cruise stay of 6 days.

I toured China in the summer of 1981 (can't believe it's really 30 years ago!) before the Xian region and hence the excavations were widely open to foreign tourists so I didn't get there to see the Terracotta Army which I've always regretted but Beijing was amazing, as is Shanghai and both are well worth a visit. However, if it was me I'd probably be tempted to do either a tour of China (at a more leaisurely pace) or the Far East cruise rather than trying to combine both into the one 21 day holiday.

SM

Ok, I've had a look at the itinerary and can only comment on the Beijing portion. The daytrip to the Great Wall started at 7.45 am, by the time we had done all the pickups we were on our way by 9 am. First stop was to the Ming Tombs (slightly disappointing), a Jade Factory/Market/Shop where we had lunch and then onto the Wall. I can't remember how long we had here but it was certainly more than enough to make a meaningful walk along the Wall (very steep in parts) and we then finished off at a Silk Market (boring). We should have been back at the hotel for around 5 pm but it was Friday, traffic horrendous and it was nearly 8 pm instead! On this basis, I think you should be okay with what is being organised on your trip, you are obviously not going to be able to see absolutely everything but if you have a good guide then they will make sure you don't miss the really interesting parts.

We did the Summer Palace, Lama Temple and Temple of Heaven all on one day as part of a trip we had organised ourselves prior to the cruise.

Basically, you will be knackered but remember, you have the cruise to rest and get your energy back!!

Anymore questions, please don't hesitate to ask. If I can't help, there's sure to be someone else who can.

Rosalyn