We’re celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary this year, and I figured that was reason enough to blow the budget. Let’s find an amazing itinerary with no penny-pinching; all the way first-class or close to it. A tour of Southeast Asia also would give me a chance to see Vietnam again – something I had no interest in for over fifty years. That was the plan; here’s how it worked out…...

OUR FLIGHTS

We booked on Emirates Airlines business class. A first time for us, but we heard nothing but good reports from other travelers who had flown with them. It was a fabulous experience. Roomy seats, attentive service, outstanding food and drinks, and overall comfort made our journey one to remember. The flight going out to Dubai was on a Boeing 777-300ER, and the second flight going to Bali, Indonesia was on an Airbus A380-800. Both planes were very comfortable, but the Airbus was larger and even had a bar onboard.

Right up until the last minute I was worried about a flight cancellation – this was during the Middle East conflict between the US and Iran. Dubai airport had been targeted by Iranian rockets, but Emirates had only cut back on flights without wholesale stoppages. At the time there was a tenuous ceasefire in place, and we were able to land there and takeoff again with no issues.

One final note about Emirates service. If you fly into Dubai with a long layover, “Dubai Connect” will provide you with a hotel room and a driver both ways during your layover. We used it both on the way over and back, and it was a wonderful perk. After such a long flight, however comfortable, you got a quiet place to rest, shower, and relax until your next flight. We had a 6-hour layover initially and a 12-hour layover on our return home. Getting off the aircraft for some sleep along the way was a huge boost.

Dubai is the home of Emirates Airlines, and the lounge there is immense and loaded with great food and drinks and areas to rest or shower and wait for your flight. It’s worth getting to the airport well ahead of time just to enjoy the lounge.

BALI

Our second flight took us to Bali, the embarkation point for our cruise. We got in two days early, mostly to deal with jet lag and to allow for any flight delays. We stayed at the Hilton Bali Resort, a huge property on the water 30 mins or so from the airport. The taxi ride from the airport was a thrill in itself; hundreds of motor scooters filled the road and wove in and out of traffic. I was nervously waiting for a catastrophe throughout the entire ride, but somehow we got to the hotel without incident. We encountered the same traffic when we left for the cruise ship two days later. It took some of the “tropical magic” away from our stay at the Bali Resort.

numerous pools and ocean swimming nearby

The resort had about five different restaurants ranging from a deli to a formal Japanese restaurant. One of their larger restaurants had a fabulous breakfast buffet that would please anyone from any country – a huge diverse selection of dishes. Another outdoor restaurant was a casual one featuring seafood by the water.

When it was time to get to our ship there were several large buses to pickup passengers from the hotel provided by Regent. A large number of cruisers were staying at the Hilton Bali Resort, and this made for an efficient move to the ship.

REGENT SEVEN SEAS NAVIGATOR

Our ship, the Seven Seas Navigator, was the smallest in the Regent fleet, and I had read some discouraging reviews of the ship before we left. Those reviews either focused on the fact the ship was an old one with only one “premium” restaurant, or they had written the review years earlier. In fact, the ship had a $40 million “refresh” in 2016, and a further refurbishment in 2019. As newcomers with nothing to compare it to, we found the ship very impressive, both in functionality and appearance.

The boarding process was simple and efficient. Our bags were already in our cabin, so we were able to settle in quickly. Almost immediately we met our butler (yes, really), Prashant, a super-conscientious and hard-working individual who wanted to fulfill our every need. We actually had to back him off a bit, since we didn't have a long list of needs. He did help us with some dinner reservations in the Prime 7 Steakhouse, he brought canapés to our cabin for Happy Hour several times, kept our minibar stocked with our preferences, handled laundry and pressing, and dozens of other incidentals. It was a nice splurge to have him. (He reminded me of the Radar character on the old Mash TV program.)

In addition to the Prime 7 Steakhouse, the Navigator had an Italian-themed restaurant Sette Mari, and a formal dining room The Compass Rose. For breakfast Setti Mari was transformed into La Veranda (buffet or menu order) and Compass Rose also served breakfast. There was a casual pool grill and bar which featured some interesting specials besides their regular fare (like ribs or paella.). All of the restaurants impressed; food quality and wine selection was just great.

dinner at Prime 7 Steakhouse with plenty of attentive servers

an amazing classical pianist in the ship’s theater

As with larger cruise ships the Navigator had a theater where many groups and individuals performed, a pool and hot tub on an outside deck, a library, a game room, a computer room, and numerous small bars and sitting areas. It was always easy to find a quiet place to read a book, get a drink, or watch the sea go by.

ITINERARY

· North Bali – Our first excursion was to North Bali (Celukan Bawang). It was a full-day excursion by bus to the Ubuntu Danu Temple, a stop by the Candi Kuning Market, a lunch stop, and a couple of photo stops by the twin lakes (Buyan and Tamblingan Lakes).

our temple site had beautiful grounds and was adjacent to water

· Surabaya – Our first new port of call was Surabaya (Java) where we visited Kampong Lawas Maspati Heritage Village. There we got a close look at the local cultural activities and their way of life. From there we walked to the Heroes Monument, and concluded our tour at the famous Majapahit Hotel, site of the Japanese Headquarters in East Java during WWII. After a walking tour of the hotel and its grounds, we had some refreshments before heading back to our ship.

a traditional outfit during our stop in the Maspati Heritage Village

A sitting area inside the Majapahit Hotel

· We took a day off from excursions and enjoyed some low-key time on our ship after leaving Surabaya. That day was followed by a sea day cruising the Java Sea on our way to Singapore. Having two uncrowded days onboard was just what we needed to recharge.

· Singapore – Of all our ports visited Singapore impressed us the most. 60 years ago, Singapore was essentially a fishing village with no natural resources. However they had a strategic location on an important shipping corridor, and they had a strong, visionary leader who invited foreign investment. Although they had no oil themselves, they built 3 large oil refineries to service the oil trade throughout Asia. Finally, they attracted financial institutions, and today they are one of the world’s most important financial centers.

Singapore is clean and safe, but also tightly regulated by the government. Possession of drugs above a small amount is a death sentence. Chewing gum is outlawed, and littering is a crime which they enforce. Not a place for everybody, but the locals seem very happy and proud of their country.

We visited The Gardens by the Bay – two domed structures housing flowers, plants, and trees from all over the world. The second dome is themed around Jurassic Park – both spots very entertaining and beautifully done. At night we took a boat ride down the Singapore River, walked through parts of Chinatown, and finished up on the Singapore Flyer, a huge Ferris Wheel.

After two days in Singapore we realized we had just scratched the surface. We did not see their airport, but it is reported to be spectacular – a destination in itself. We were told many locals go to the airport for entertainment and good food.

a 3-dimensional depiction of the three level tunnel network

· Saigon – Our next port was outside of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) at Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc Port. We traveled from there to our first excursion which was a tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels. They were a large network (over 200 miles) of underground tunnels used by the Viet Cong to move, store weapons, and hide during the Vietnam War. The tunnel network had three levels; our guide said the lowest level was deep enough to avoid damage from US airstrikes, even with a direct hit.

As a Vietnam veteran myself I admit to having many conflicting emotions over this return visit. I always felt I came away “normal” from my service there, but frankly I had bottled a lot of things up. I lost good friends there, and a lot of memories are painful about that entire period of time. Walking through the area of the Cu Chi Tunnels was sobering. Our guide was excellent, and I felt he presented a balanced and accurate description of the war and the actions of the US forces, the VC, and the North Vietnamese Army. I noticed that all the tourists in our small group took the information in seriously with grim faces. Seeing booby traps and Punji sticks (poisonous bamboo spikes) on display made you understand the reality of threats American soldiers faced.

We were also able to see a number of sites in Saigon during that first day. As shown in the photos, these sites included the main post office, the large statue of Ho Chi Minh, and the Rex Hotel - a beautiful old hotel built by the French many years ago. Our guide told us a funny story about the Ho Chi Minh image which was everywhere. In 2007 Vietnam was accepted into the World Trade Organization. One of the early investors was the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise. Apparently many Vietnamese saw the images of Colonel Sanders and figured “Uncle Ho” was in the fried chicken business.

· Nha Trang – After our ship cruised through the night we docked at the next port near Cam Rahn Bay. I was especially anxious to see nearby Nha Trang, where I stopped briefly during the Vietnam War. I commanded A company of the 62nd Engineer Battalion (Land Clearing) back then, and my unit spent most days clearing jungle for artillery fire bases or providing security zones along roads to prevent “ambush alleys.” My soldiers were tremendously dedicated, working in hot, dusty, dangerous conditions. In addition to being on watch for snipers and booby traps, they also had to deal with snakes, scorpions, and other jungle critters. They worked inside a metal protective cage on D-7 Rome Plow bulldozers, and the cage protected them from falling trees and branches. One day my unit was given a day for R&R (rest and recuperation) at Nha Trang. All we knew was that we had a day off, and we could swim in the South China Sea and get cold beer and a cookout. The spot we arrived at was simply amazing – a beautiful tropical beach, mountains plunging straight to the beach, pristine, unspoiled, and gorgeous beyond belief. At the time I said, “if these people ever quit fighting, this would make a fabulous resort area.” Well, now was the time to check it out.

riding a rickshaw-type vehicle through Nha Trang we saw a Ho Chi Minh chicken franchise

Of course, the entire area has been built up. We saw Hilton, Marriott, Radisson, Weston, etc., etc. An incredible number of new structures of all kinds. We did walk by the beach, but I actually felt sad that the pristine beach I remembered had been overwhelmed by new construction. We also went into town during our tour to see more of the fully developed city. There we rode in pedicabs fighting with the motor scooters and cars for the road.

· Sihanoukville – After another sea day we docked in Cambodia. Our time there was limited, so we were not able to see their biggest attraction, the Angkor Wat. As with our impressions of Singapore, a future trip might have to include that stop. We did tour the Kroung Pagoda and observed some monks-in-training (my description.) I was surprised how young they were, but monks are well supported by their communities, and competition is high. We visited another pagoda, the Wat Leu Pagoda, and finished our tour with a coconut drink by the beach.

· Bangkok – Our final port was located 2-3 hours away from Bangkok at Laem Chabang Port Terminal. For our last tour we chose the Pattaya Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. It turned out to be great fun. We learned a lot about the special care this sanctuary provides to its elephants, and we joined in a mud bath and wash for the animals. Their handlers were with us the entire time to provide guidance and answer questions. From here we returned to our ship and prepared for departure the next morning. We signed up for an Emirates chauffeur ride back to the airport, but due to the long distance there was a surcharge added. It was worth it. Great car and driver, right to our gate.

Annie bonded with her elephant buddy during the mud bath and wash

Final thoughts -

This trip was a departure from my normal frugal ways. Early on I made the decision to splurge instead of searching for the best deal. And I have no regrets. It was wonderful to have drivers waiting for us, lie flat seats in business class, a butler on the cruise ship, and an all-inclusive cruise. The two primary businesses, Emirates Airlines and Regent Seven Seas lived up to the hype I had heard.

Returning to Vietnam was good for me. Onboard our ship I met several other Vietnam Vets, and all of us opened up as never before. We shared stories, laughs, tears, and experiences from different perspectives. It was cathartic for all of us.

I made my own arrangements with the airlines and the cruise line, and I almost got “burned” because of it. After the Middle East conflict began many airlines cancelled flights through Dubai and the surrounding area. In fact, our flight out of Miami was cancelled, but I was able to switch to a NYC departure. If our flights were cancelled, I would still have been at risk of losing my entire cruise payments. Some travel insurance will not cover losses due to warzones or terrorist activity.

It was fascinating to see a part of the world that’s so unique. Each stop seemed too fast, and we even talked about a return trip someday – probably set at our own pace with 4 or 5 days to see Singapore alone. Each country has so much to offer you really need more time.

SE Asia on Regent Seven Seas (& return to Vietnam after 50+ years)

OUR FLIGHTS

BALI

REGENT SEVEN SEAS NAVIGATOR

ITINERARY

Marriott’s Costa Rica Los Suenos Resort