I really wanted to experience the Yangtze river, but I hadn’t booked anything until mid july. I learned that the Solar Eclipse on july 22 would be total and longest in China at Chongqing and Shanghai. And I would love to experience it with a clear sky (in Xi’An the locals hadn’t seen the sun in 4 years due to smog)…
I looked at the different Yangtze river cruise boats and couldn’t decide – so I contacted China Highlights and got phenomenal service (and even a discount)… Nancy speaks fluent english so one phone call arranged everything: From Chongqing to Yichang was sold out – but I could do the reverse trip from July 18 to 22…
It seems like a bargain: Same price, but 5 days instead of 4… The price is app. USD 500 and includes accomodation, food and day excurisions. Single supplement is 75% extra. – so apparently the daytrips and food only account for 25% of the price (which I now understand – more later!)
It would mean, that I would be in Chongqing when the eclipse happened… So good so far… I got to cruise on Victoria Star – a 5 star ship..
On july 18 I flew from Xi’An to Yichang via Shanghai… A total of 4 hours flight and price of 300 EUR. You see. Going from Xi’An to Chongqing is normal and there is a direct flight to app. 200 USD. But going to Yichang is NOT normal and hence incurs extra costs and time…
Anyway: Check-in was between 17 and 19, and I had the impression that we would sail at 21. I got to Yichang airport around 16.00 and after 1 hour in the airport shuttle to downtown Yichang (25 Yuan) I began to be a little stressed as no taxi would take me to the new century dock where Victoria Star was docked (on the “wrong” side of the river). After 15 minuts a taxi stopped and asked the stiff price of 50 Yuan ~ app. 7 USD… However, I got there – to experience that I was the first passenger.
As I were to cheap to pay the single supplement, I knew that I had to share a twin – but I hoped that my late booking made me the odd-one so I got itfor myself. At check-in the receptionist told me, that I only had half a cabin and therefore had to share, and if I wanted to upgrade to a suite… At only USD 1000 extra. I politely declined.
We did not sail that night, and the last guests arrived around midnight. So I was curious about when I would get company. And how he would be… Nothing happened.
When we sailed next morning, I realized, that I was the odd one: YES! A single cabin without paying for it (apparently, others do not want to share and hence, they pay extra!). That was great news.
The cabin was very nice and relatively big. The best feature was the tiny balcony and panoramic windows. And not to forget. The nice soft bed (in China I have had so bad beds you won’t belive it)…
I could probally speak for hours about the scenery in the three gorges but no words will suffice: It is beautiful, stunning and majestic at the same time. Look at the pictures.
It was a great experience and in my opinion a MUST DO if you visit China. It is comparable (but different than) to Milford Sound in New Zealand and the fjords of Norway and Greenland.
And now the comment about Victoria Cruises. In short: if this is 5 star, Iam glad I did not choose a lesser category. The boat was ok, but “old” and worn. The staff was very friendly and tried their best to help – and they spoke understandable english. There were a few areas outside your cabin, where you could be: The Yangtze Club (bar), the diing room (which was locked outside meals), the 6m2 fitness centre, the hairdresser, the doctors clinic or outside on the sundeck in direct sun in 48 degrees celcius. In short: You would choose the Yangtze Club. And here you could not enjoy your own food or drinks (well, you could at 100 yuan cork fee!).
But you could buy a cup of coffee for only 30 – 40 Yuan (normal price 15), or a 33cl beer for 25 Yuan (normal at restaurant 6-10) or a Sprite for 15 Yuan (normal 3-5 Yuan)- or a bottle of wine from 200 Yuan. Exorbitantly expensive and in my opinion total rip-off. Now I understood why the souvenir salespersons everywhere the cruise arrived wanted to sell us drinks to bring to the ship…
Oh. You could also have a massage at 200 Yuan (normal price 60). And the internet: Yes. They have it. Only 100 Yuan for the cruise (only option), but then it is around 9 kbps – or totally unfit for anything but text-only emails.
In other words: Everything was extremely expensive. And you had no choice but to pay if you needed it. But then – of course – it was 5 star…
A comment on the food onboard: The breakfast was great, the lunch was ok and dinner was ok – but honestly: I expected more from a 5 star cruise. Especially at that price. Each meal would cost around 30-50 Yuan in a normal restaurant, so meals value was usd 20 per day…
Heck, I only paid USD 500 for 5 days… And trips and accomodation was included also… But wait a moment: the 5 days are as this:
day 1: Arrival around 18. Nothing happens on the boat, and no meals included
day 2, 3 and 4: Full meal package and entertainment, and excuirisions
day 5: Arrival at 8.30 am in the morning. Check-out immidiately BEFORE breakfast (7.30).
So, the correct description is 4 nights, 3 days.
I repeat: It was a great experience, the accomodation was good, the sights phenomenal, the excurisions good and the food and service ok – but I still feel it was way to expensive for what it was.
The only things which stood out exceptionally was Luther the riverguide (who was also the translator and conferencier at the entertainment).
