One company that plans to capitalize on that increased interest in China travel is Viking River Cruises. Already the largest river cruise company in the world, Viking River Cruises has recently entered into a partnership with the Chinese government to provide Yangtze River cruise/tours.

Planning Ahead

Traveling to China is a little more complicated than traveling to some other parts of the world. For one thing, you will require a visa to enter the country. There are a variety of visa services that can handle this for you. Viking River Cruises can offer assistance with this as can your travel agent. The cost for a China visa is approximately $85. The process may involve mailing or Fedex'ing your passport(s) to a visa procurement company and waiting a week or so to get your passport back.

There are no inoculations required to enter China. However, as with any trip to a foreign country, be sure to pack any medications in your carry-on luggage. Take an ample supply of your prescription drugs, keeping them in the original bottles bearing the prescription information.

The currency in China is the RMB and the denomination is the Yuan. At the time of our trip, the currency conversion was approximately 8.26 Yuan to 1 dollar. You should take traveler's checks which can easily be cashed at your hotel in China or at any Chinese bank. One nice thing to note is that the exchange rate is the same no matter where you get cash in China and they do not charge a service charge. Our Viking River Cruises tour guide also offered to convert our excess RMB back into U.S. currency at the end of our trip.

You should check with your travel agent or Viking River Cruises regarding what to pack. During the trip, you will traverse a large area of China and temperatures can vary depending on the time of year. There were a couple of days where we needed light jackets as temperatures dipped below 60 degrees. There is no need for formal attire on this trip.

Viking River Cruises Itineraries

Through 2004, Viking River Cruises offers a variety of 9, 12 and 16-night itineraries in China, each of which includes a 7-night sailing on the Century Star down the Yangtze River. The additional days consist of pre/post-cruise hotel nights in Beijing and Shanghai as well as optional trips to Xian and Lhasa, Tibet. Our recommendation is to go for at least 12 nights so you get to see the terra cotta soldiers in Xian.

In 2005, Viking River Cruises will offer only 3, 4, and 9-night Yangtze River cruises. This change is due to construction on the Three Gorges Dam project.While construction on other portions of the dam project is completed, the dam locks will only be accessible to those ships sailing down the river to Shanghai. Viking River Cruises 9-night cruise will sail through the locks; the 3 and 4-night cruises feature an excursion to the dam and locks.

Getting There

This is a LONG flight. From the time we left DFW until we landed in Beijing was over 25 hours! Of course, not all of that time was spent in the air since we had to change planes a couple of times. Regardless of your departure city, you will probably have a long flight. If you have the money or the air miles to burn, opt for Business Class seating. Our 12 hour flight from Minneapolis to Tokyo on Northwest Airlines in Coach Class was somewhat taxing. We chose to fly into Beijing a day early so that we could have a day to recover from the jet lag. It was well worth the extra night hotel charge.

There are a few things you can do to make the flight to Beijing more comfortable. First, invest in noise-canceling headphones. They really do work! You can get these at any electronics store or on the Internet. We bought Sony headphones at about $100 a pair. Bose has the best at about $299 a pair. The difference in price reflects the noise-canceling effectiveness and wearing comfort. The Sony's blocked about 60% of the plane's engine noise. That can make a big difference on a 12 hour flight. I tried the Bose headphones belonging to another passenger and they seemed to block about 85% of the noise and were more comfortable to wear than the Sony headphones.

If you are flying in Coach Class, take a few snacks with you in your carry-on. In the opinion of this writer, meal service on flights originating in U.S. is terrible. Business class and First Class are much nicer in this regard. You will also notice that once you get to Asia, the quality of airline service will improve dramatically. Not only were the Asian flight attendants more professional, we were served hot meals on EVERY flight regardless of the flying time.

Also, wear something light and comfortable for your plane trip. Pack a pair of heavy athletic socks to wear on the plane after you remove your shoes. Trust me - you do not want to be walking into the restroom of the plane barefoot!

Beijing

Rickee in front of Beijing Hotel.

Our trip began in Beijing and ended in Shanghai (alternate trips will begin in Shanghai and end in Beijing). We arrived in Beijing at around 9:30pm. Because we crossed the International dateline, we lost a day on the trip over. Surprisingly, the Beijing airport was a model of efficiency. The terminal is very modern and clean. There are signs everywhere in English to direct you through Customs and Immigration. To our delight, the Immigration and Customs process went quickly and smoothly. A Viking River Cruises representative was waiting outside baggage claim to meet us and take us to the Beijing Hotel.

Beijing is a bustling city. Here is a shopping mall across from our hotel.

Our hotel, The Beijing Hotel, is over 100 years old and is just down the street from Tian'anmen Square. Billed as a 5-star facility, the hotel has obviously been refurbished recently and looks like any modern Western hotel. The 5-star claim might be a bit of a stretch, however. Nevertheless, in our opinion, the Beijing Hotel is nice 4-star hotel which is clean and offers a good level of service, especially for a government-run facility.

Our room at the Beijing Hotel was large, well-appointed and comfortable. Beds and pillows were firm, and the towels and bed linens were nice. One word of caution, never drink water from the tap in China. The hotel provides two complimentary bottles of drinking water in your room each day.

Guests of Viking River Cruises receive complimentary buffet breakfast service in the hotel each morning. The American-style breakfast offerings include fresh, made-to-order omelets, ham, bacon, potatoes, fruits, cereals and pastries. Fruit juices and coffee are also available. Decaf coffee, however, is not to be found. The breakfasts in Beijing may be the only American-style meal you get, so if you do not care for Chinese food, eat a big breakfast!

Day One - Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace

Tour buses are modern, clean and air-conditioned.

Breakfast is served from 7:00am to 10:00am after which your bus will depart the hotel for a tour of the Summer Palace. This 700 acre garden and complex of buildings was used by the Imperial Court as an escape from the bustle of Beijing. After you walk through the gardens, admire the Chinese architecture and listen to your tour guide explain the history of the palace, you will board a ‘dragon boat' for a short boat ride across the lake. Then it is back on the coach for a short ride to Tai Yichuan restaurant for lunch. The food was served buffet-style and, unfortunately, was cold. Fortunately, so was the beer! Hot tea and cold beer is served at every meal and you can also order Coca Cola and Diet Coke.

Photo op at the Summer Palace.

After lunch, it is time to head back to town for a tour of Tian'anmen Square and The Forbidden City (which is located just across from the Square). At 100 acres, Tien'Anmen Square is the largest public square in the world and can easily accommodate up to 1 million people. Fortunately, there were not nearly that many people there on our visit. On certain days when Chairman Mao's tomb is open for viewing, the lines can stretch for miles. As you walk around the square you will undoubtedly be approached by vendors selling everything from kites to umbrellas to postcards. This is a great place to buy souvenirs to take back home for friends, or to stock up for your next garage sale. The items are cheap and you can bargain to get an even better price. Beware, the vendors are VERY aggressive. If you are not interested in buying anything and want them to leave you alone, do not make eye contact and don't say ANYTHING. The way they look at it, if you are talking to them then they have a chance to sell you something. Also, don't feel like you have to buy everything on day one or two. There will be PLENTY of vendors throughout your trip in China, so there is no need to haul all of your purchases around the country during your trip.

Rickee and I in the Forbidden City.

The innermost part of Beijing is the Forbidden City, around which the rest of the city of Beijing was built. Completed in 1420, it was completely off limits to visitors for 500 years. The courtyard alone can hold 100,000 people. You will recognize the Forbidden City by the familiar portrait of Chairman Mao positioned prominently over the gate. Your tour guide will lead you through the complex explaining the history and secrets of this Chinese landmark.

By 5:00pm we are back at our hotel with a little over an hour to "relax" and get ready for dinner. At 6:45 we meet our group in the lobby and are shuttled to Fang Jexuan restaurant for a Sichuan-style dinner. I get the distinct feeling that the dishes served here have been tailored to American tastes since I did not see any chicken feet or bird's heads on any plates. Thank you Viking River Cruises for that little favor! The food at this restaurant was actually quite good, and I consider myself to be somewhat of a connoisseur of Asian cuisine. Large round tables seat 10 guests and a lazy Susan is continually being filled with a variety of hot and cold regional dishes. You do not have to worry about getting enough to eat in China. As with any Chinese restaurant in the U.S., the portions are obscenely large. There was a band playing Chinese instruments and the cold Chinese beer was flowing freely. A good time was had by all. Note: When indulging in the delicious and "free-flowing" Chinese beer, be aware that the toilet facilities in China can be rudimentary at best. Although some public places do offer a few "Western-style" toilets, these are the exception rather than the rule. For the most part, you will find a porcelain-clad hole in the ground. Some have a crude flushing mechanism, others don't. It is wise to carry tissues with you at all times and women might even consider wearing a skirt. In some places there will be an attendant handing out tissue to use to dry your hands after you wash them at the sink. There seems to be an absence of paper towels in China. As is the case on any trip, we strongly advise that you carry sanitary hand wipes with you at all times.

Day 2 - The Great Wall and Sacred Ming Tombs

Mathew, our Viking River Cruises guide enlightens us on Chinese culture and language.

The highlight of our second day in Beijing (actually, our third day because we flew in a day early) was a tour of the Great Wall. I am not sure that anything can prepare you for this experience. After about a 2-hour bus ride we arrived at Badaling Hills, one of the most impressive and best-preserved sections of the fabled Great Wall. This section of the wall is more than 2,500 miles long and 50 feet high at its highest point. While construction of the wall began more than 2,000 years ago, it was the Ming dynasty emperors (from 1336 to 1644) who were the most accomplished wall builders. The wall was completed in the 14th century to prevent invasions from the Mongols.

When we reached the wall, we had the opportunity to walk on one of two sections. One was extremely steep, but reached a higher point. We chose the steep one and wish in hindsight that we had chosen the other. You should be in pretty good shape to attempt this walk as the steps and slopes of the wall are extremely steep. The stone walkways are fairly slippery and uneven so good walking shoes are a must. We did not see any handicap facilities, but there is a cable car for observing the wall.

After walking straight up for nearly 45 minutes, the view was truly amazing. From this vantage point you can see the wall stretching out for hundreds of miles in both directions.

Taking a rest at the Great Wall.

After a 2 hour tour of the wall it is time for lunch yet again. Viking River Cruises drove us to a jade factory and showroom for a Chinese lunch at Long Di restaurant, located within the jade factory. The lunch served here was better than the buffet lunch the day before. Again, traditional Chinese food is the order of the day and there are dozens of dishes from which to choose. Even the least adventuresome eater can find something to enjoy. Since Long Di is located in a jade factory and showroom, after lunch you can browse through thousands of pieces of intricate, hand-carved jade.

Rickee, Patricia and Mike get ready for lunch at Long Di restaurant.

After lunch it is time for a short drive to the sacred Ming Tombs, where even the 'sacred' designation does not prevent another horde of local vendors from descending upon you selling everything you can imagine. Fortunately, the vendors are restricted to the entrances and exits from the tombs. After passing through the massive Great Red Gate which was built in 1426, a two-mile walkway called Avenue of the Animals stretches before you. This walkway is lined with massive stone sculptures serving as ceremonial guards protecting the royal burial site. A leisurely walk down this avenue was a nice way to end the afternoon and walk off the lunch.

After our tour of the Ming Tombs, it is back to the hotel to get freshened up for a traditional Peking Duck dinner. Our Peking Duck dinner was served at our hotel and was a memorable experience. The preparation of the duck takes years for Chinese chefs to master. I am no fan of duck, but the taste and texture was an experience I will not soon forget. Besides, when in Beijing you cannot miss an opportunity to try Peking Duck! Of course, there are plenty of other choices offered on the menu in addition to the duck.

Day 3 - Hutong Tour and flight to Chongqing

Step back in time with a tour of Beijing's Hutongs.

After a hearty breakfast, it is back on the motor coach for a short ride to the Hutongs of Beijing. Hutongs are narrow city alleys or lanes. In the past, several thousand lanes, alleys and quadrangles formed residential areas for ordinary people living in Beijing. The best way to tour the Hutongs in via rickshaw. Each rickshaw can hold two adults and is pulled through the streets by a bicycle driver in front. This was probably the most eye-opening experience of the entire trip, even more so than the Great Wall. This tour shows you how many of the people in China live today. Most notably, no one living here has indoor plumbing. So an entire neighborhood shares a single outdoor restroom facility. Let's just say that when you happen to walk or ride past one of these facilities, it is not a pleasant olfactory experience.

As part of the tour, we had an opportunity to meet a retired Chinese couple living in the Hutong and visit their home. Their house was over 100 years old and consisted of several small rooms wherein several generations of the family resided. There was no refrigerator in the kitchen since they buy all their food fresh from the neighborhood market each day. Surprisingly, they did have a 27-inch color television and a telephone! Through our translator we learned that the husband had been an accountant with a chemical company for 30 years and his family was considered middle-class by Chinese standards. As we found with most all of the Chinese people we encountered, this family was proud of their heritage and eager to extend their hospitality to us.

After this moving experience, we headed to the airport where we flew on Huinan Air to Chongqing (pronounced in the West as Chung King) where we would embark Century Star for our Yangtze River cruise. Our flight from Beijing to Chongqing on Huinan Airlines was yet another eye-opener. Even though the flight attendants conducted the entire service in Chinese, they were extremely professional. They even bow to the passengers before performing the food and beverage service. All of the inter-China flights are included in your cruise/tour fare with Viking River Cruises and your tour guide stays with you from the first day of your trip until the end of your trip. This is nice because you never feel abandoned or on your own. The Viking River Cruises representative is always there to answer questions and to "guide" you. He makes sure all departure taxes are paid and takes care of things like luggage and plane tickets for you. This all adds up to less stress for you.

Chongqing is a city of 30+ million people. In fact, you can sail for 2 days down the Yangtze and still technically be in the Chongqing district. It takes about 45 minutes to get from the airport to the pier where Century Star is docked.

Century Star

Century Star

The Century Star is Viking River Cruises first vessel to sail the Yangtze River. I say the first because the company has already said it has plans to expand to as many as five vessels over the next five years. The company's data sheet says Century Star was built in 2004. The vessel is 126.8 meters long and 17.2 meters wide with a draft of only 2.6 meters. She can hold 186 passengers and carries a crew of 135. Century Star is a design departure from other Viking River Cruises vessels that sail the European and Russian waters. This boat is taller and more spacious. You will also find an Internet cafe, elevators, a hair salon, doctor and laundry service. All staterooms have small balconies with sliding glass doors. Because of its larger size, the ship is not as easy to get around on as the European river boats. There is a single semi-circular staircase mid-ship that leads from Deck 1 to Deck 5. To get to the Sun deck, you must walk aft then up a flight of outdoor steps.

The Century Star was constructed in China, something that is a government requirement for all boats sailing the Yangtze. To say that the quality of workmanship is lacking would be an understatement. Some of the doorways were so low that I had to duck to prevent whacking the top of my head (I am 6' 1" tall). There are some areas where you can feel the steel plates in the floor underneath the carpeting flexing. And, there is a noticeable downward slope in the the floor on the port side of the vessel. However, it may be unfair to compare this vessel to European river boats. How does it compare to other boats sailing the Yangtze River? For this answer, we had to do some investigative reporting. Fortunately, there were several people in our tour group who had been on several other Yangtze River cruises. All of them agreed that Century Star was the nicest ship sailing the river. So there you have it!

There is a single restaurant on board where all meals are served. A bountiful American breakfast buffet is a great way to start any day. Good news! They have great coffee and they even have decaf. With the exception of a barbeque luncheon served picnic style during our Three Gorges excursion, all lunch and dinner meals were eaten on the ship. Here you do get a combination of Chinese and Western-style offerings. Even on evenings when Chinese meals are served, you can order a steak or grilled chicken breast (a Viking River Cruises standard offering). The menus on a river cruise are not as extensive as what you expect on an ocean-going cruise ship. Typically, you have a couple of main courses from which to choose. There is a large salad and sandwich bar at lunchtime to accompany any menu items you may order. Overall, food quality was average to good.

The most disappointing aspect of Century Star is the absolute lack of storage space in the cabins. There are no drawers or shelves and only scant closet space. There is not even a shelf in the bathroom for toiletries. This made it necessary to leave all our folded items in our suitcase during the cruise. Viking River Cruises is aware of this shortcoming and has plans to retrofit the vessel to include additional storage in each cabin. The bedding was very comfortable with plush down-filled duvets. Notwithstanding the lack of storage, the bathroom was small but functional. The water in the shower was hot and everything seemed to work as expected.

The best part of the Century Star was the staff. Everyone was extremely friendly and helpful and the service level was very high. Viking River Cruises has certainly not compromised on its hiring and training of staff.

Yangtze River Cruise - Day 2

Viking River Cruises conducts a daily briefing each morning after breakfast to outline the day's activities. By 10:00am it is time to disembark the vessel to tour the Pagoda of Shi Bao Zhai. This ship docks just a couple of hundred yards from the Pagoda so there is no need for tour buses here. Of course, the walkway to the Pagoda is lined with merchants and vendors selling every item imaginable. This is where we found some of the best bargains on souvenirs.

After the climb to the top of Shibaozhai Pagoda

We decided to climb to the top of the Pagoda. The steps are steep, like a ladder. You have to be in pretty fair condition to make this climb. Once at the top, the view of terraced farmland was spectacular. The pagoda temple was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong (1736-96). A nine-story wooden pavilion was added in 1819 so the monks and visitors to the temple could comfortably ascend to the temple.

The walk down from the top of the temple is much easier than the walk up on the steep wooden ladders in the interior of the pagoda. Stone steps lead you back down the hill to the waiting merchants below.

By the time we return to the vessel, it is time for lunch as Century Star sails away for Feng Jie.

Yangtze River - Day 3

Taking the the peaceful beauty of the Lesser Three Gorges.

This morning we disembark Century Star and embark a smaller vessel which will take us on a tour of the Lesser Three Gorges. We begin our boat trip at Wushan which is situated at the confluence of the Yangtze and Daning River. The river winds its way 20 miles through Dragon Gate Gorge, Emerald Gorge and Misty Gorge (collectively known as the Lesser Three Gorges). Each of the gorges is separated by lush terraced fields. The boat trip through the gorges was breathtakingly beautiful.

The boat makes a stop at lunchtime on the river where Viking River Cruises crew has put together a wonderful picnic style barbeque lunch in a pavilion overlooking the river. Actually, this was one of the best meals during the entire cruise!

Three Gorges Dam and Shanghai

Model of the Three Gorges Dam.

As we disembark Century Star at Mao Ping, we board our tour bus for a short ride to the Three Gorges Dam. The Three Gorges Dam Project began in 1993 and will be completed in 2009. 60,000 workers have labored around the clock pouring concrete for what will become the largest dam in the world. When complete, the dam will be 610 feet high and 1.3 miles long. The turbo-electric power generated by the 27 turbines will produce one-fifth of China's electrical capacity. Over 1.5 million people will be resettled as the waters rise.

The tour of the dam begins with a visit to the Three Gorges Dam exhibition center. This modern facility shows the history of the dam construction and has a working model showing how the completed dam will operate. Next, a visit to the dam observation area. Unfortunately, it was very hazy on our visit and it was difficult to see very much. Nevertheless, it was interesting to see the world's largest dam.

After our visit to the dam it is off to the airport for our flight to Shanghai. This time we fly on Shanghai Airlines. The 2 hour flight was comfortable and we arrived in Shanghai on time. We were met at the airport by our motor coach which delivered us to our hotel, the Westin Shanghai. Whatever the Beijing Hotel lacked in style and elegance was made up for by the Westin Shanghai. This is a true 5-star hotel! We were very sorry we did not book an extra 2 or 3 days in Shanghai as this appears to be an amazing city filled with modern architecture and bright lights. The energy here is like that of New York City or Tokyo. Viking River Cruises hosted a farewell dinner at a local Shanghai restaurant. This was another outstanding Chinese-style meal with more food than you could ever hope to finish. After dinner, we departed the group early and took a taxi back to the hotel (about $1.50 U.S.). After all, we had to get up at 5:00am for our early flight back to the U.S.

Trip Summary

This was one of the most interesting and unusual trips we have ever taken. Unlike a typical cruise vacation, much of the trip is spent in hotels (even though a typical Yangtze River cruise will last 7 days on the river in 2004). This trip is not about entertainment or food or gambling. This trip is all about the destination. China is an amazing place with a completely different culture from our own.

With prices starting at around $2,100 for a 12-day all-inclusive Cruisetour, the value for this level of experience is unbeatable. However, we would only recommend this trip with the following caveats:

There are by and large no facilities for physically challenged guests throughout China. People considering one of Viking River Cruises China Cruisetours should be in good physical condition and able to walk easily for 1-2 miles over uneven streets and some stairs. We would recommend this for anyone traveling to China, regardless of the means of transit, due to the lack of facilities for the physically challenged in China.

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