China Doll

Review of Tours Chanteclerc

We would like to thank 2 ladies at CAA Pointe-Clai...

We would like to thank 2 ladies at CAA Pointe-Claire very much for arranging our trip to China after Sinorama had financial problems. Our trip was passed on to Tour Chanteclerc who arranged everything with CAA Pointe-Claire, Montreal, Quebec. Our tour took place from September 8 till 23, 2018.

Everything that we signed up for was excellent including the extra optional tours with .the original Sinorama package on the Gold 8 but we were later given the Gold 7 boat. On the boat, we were able to purchase another 3 optional tours that were also very good. All our meals during our trip were excellent either on the Gold 7 or on land. The one thing that really made our trip a memorable one is our tour guide Nicholas who spoke English very well and was quite cultured. Our group of 14 worked very well with Nicholas, everyone was always on time for the excursions and nobody ever got lost.

The three negative aspects of our trip:

1) The dirty room on the Gold 7 boat that everyone had including ourselves. They offered to give us another room which would downgrade the bigger room we originally paid but it was just as disgustingly dirty. Example, dirty carpets they never shampoo and never a vacuum to be seen or heard. There was mould in the bathtub with very dirty yellowed shower curtains that are never washed, dirt under the sink at the base of the wall, dust all over our lamps and at the base of the lamps just below the light switches, rust on the ceiling speakers with dirty walls. Apart from this, our first impression was WOW, room big and spacious with a small balcony. Amazing service by waiters, although the tips were included we always tipped when it was deserved! We also had no idea that 99% of the people everywhere including airline staff, hotel staff, restaurants, on the Gold 7 or anywhere else do NOT speak English or French. Everyone in the group of 14 complained about the hygiene of the rooms. One room that was booked in the Imperial Suites was also growing mushrooms at the base of the big patio window just under the curtains. All this was reported to Nicholas (tour guide) and it was reported to the boat administration who also followed us to our room to look. They did offer to cleanup our room, but we refused, we told them this should have all been cleaned up before passengers arrive and take over the room. You can't clean rust and mould on the spot.

2) Before getting to Beijing airport, our tour guide Nicholas advised us to keep our cell phone battery pack on us and NOT in our checked-in luggage. However, at the Beijing airport for Xi'an to take our flight, Security pulled me over to confiscate my power bank because the power strength of the battery was not visible. I kept insisting with them that the power bank is very small and would not exceed the limit because it can only power my cell phone one time. We had them call our tour guide Nicholas to come see us at security only to find out that he was also being pulled over for his power bank because the strength is not visible. When they opened the stitching of my power bank (it is attached to my purse) they were still not able to see anything written so they said I would not be able to pass. I then pulled it apart to show them ,but doing so, my power bank broke. After, they saw that the strength was visible at 2500MAH they said OK you can keep it and pass . It is now too late because it is broken :( :( :(

3) There is NO social media available in China. Example: NO Google and NO Facebook.

Just to let you know that when we left Montreal 8th September 2018 my little purse that holds my power bank was in my luggage and made it all the way to Beijing with no issues.

Again, thanking you both our trip was amazing !
Show less