About Kerala Backwater Cruise
Day - by - Day Tour
Day - 1: Alappuzha
Day -2: Kanjipadam, Pallthuruthi, Kuppapuram
Day - 1: Alappuzha
Day - 2: Kumarakom
Day - 3: Kottayam
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2 Night Cruise |
| Deluxe HouseBoat |
111 |
199 |
| Luxury HouseBoat |
155 |
222 |
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Guest Comments
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Williams
[mailto:michaelcwilliams@netspace.net.au]
Sent: Sunday, January 22, 2006 6:38 PM
To: 'Sue Hunter'
Subject: RE: India
Hi Sue
Got home almost a week ago with a stinker of a cold so have been laid low.
Worst one I have had. I am not sure whether to blame Qantas or India but at
least it was not some rare tummy bug!
Just a note, to thank you very much. We had the best possible time thanks
largely to your efforts and the staff at Compass. We would happily use you
again and we would like to go to back at some point, possibly to the south.
Just a few points, which might be helpful to you. I am highlighting a couple
of negatives but be assured that they are minor in the overall scheme of
things. Best you are told for the future if they are of concern to you.
All hotels were exceptional except the Hilton Agra (as we knew it wouldn't
be) and, surprisingly to me, the Taj Ganges at Varanasi. It was a
disappointment in terms of quality of rooms and facilities. Don't know if
there is anything better there. I commented on FP already.
The food at Umaid Barwan Palace was superb. Great inventive chef.
All the tour arrangements worked well except in Mumbai. I told Compass boss
about this when we met him. Problems were minor but annoying. I. Met by
driver but no representative. Driver gave us papers which were wrong
(flight from Varanasi to Mumbai on wrong day). Told to phone Compass.
Phoned and the contact said he would get back to us. Late next day he still
hadn't so phoned again. He told us tickets would be changed in Delhi.
Representative, as met us in all other places, could have sorted it out.
Rep at first stop, particularly in such "foreign" a country as India is
important.
2. On check out, driver 45 minutes late (which still left us enough time but
caused a bit of angst) but again no rep. Problem on check out as hotel
insisted on payment for room and breakfast. Voucher was not acceptable.
Took 15 minutes to sort ou , with me refusing to pay, and turned out someone
had told them Williams started with a "V" which they clained was the
problem. A Compass rep there could have solved it. Hotel was otherwise
excellent.
3. On return to Mumbai met by rep and transferred to Leela. Told they would
let us know transfer time the next day but no one called and had to chase
the office again on check out time.
Again, nothing too bad but a bit scary on the first stop and we got a false
idea of how efficient Compass were. They proved a lot better than the start
had been
Good if cars had seatbelts that worked. 0nly 1 or 2 did. One driver told us
you don't need them in India which we thought was a touch optimistic on his
part!
Very good guides at all places.
Highlights for us, amongst many great things, were Taj Mahal which is
unbelievable in its impact and the Ganges.
Never sorted out tipping. I think we dramatically over tipped generally but
also got a bit annoyed on the odd occasion (or rather I did not David). Eg
At FP the man who unpacked the car needed a tip. Then the FO supervisor
escorted us to the room and two boys carried the bags up to our eerie. All
made clear expected tips so tipping 4 to just get to your room struck me as
excessive. I did not know what would have happed if I had just tipped one
and waved the others away. Noticed at Rambugh Palace that they appeared to
recognised this issue generally and made clear that tipping was not
expected.
Must be me! But I think I understand tipping in other parts of Asia and US.
Many thanks again Sue
Regards
Michael
AUSTRALIA
friend
!!