Yangtze River Cruise Practical Information, Advice & Tips

Useful Tips for Booking your Cruise

1. Select your Favorite Ship Schedule

All the Yangtze River cruises sail stably between Chongqing and Yichang during March to November every year. There are some ships running at the same day for 4 days & 3 nights downstream itinerary from Chongqing to Yichang, and 5 days & 4 nights upstream itinerary from Yichang to Chongqing. You can feel free to select a favorite ship to perfectly match your travel time and budget.

While, Victoria Cruises and Century Cruises arrange some of its ships run winter schedules from December to February next year. During this winter season, the ships usually offer great deals which help you save much more for the same itinerary.

Yangtze River Cruise Advice & Tips
2. Valid Documents & Real-name Registration

Once you decide to book a Yangtze cruise ship with us, please provide us correct passport information, like your name and passport number. Real-name registration is needed when booking the ship. If there is any change and update of your documents, please inform your travel consultants immediately and provide us your latest personal info that we should deliver to the cruise company once you changed.

3. Please Provide Complete Personal Information for Booking

Complete and accurate personal information is necessary for the booking. Please provide us complete information including your and your family or group members’ name, nationality, gender, passport number, date of birth, favorite cabin types, amount of cabins, and other personal requirements.

4. Confirmation Letter

Once your booking information is complete and we will inform the cruise company to reserve the room for you. Your travel consultants will send you the “CONFIRMATION LETTER” which contains important ship itinerary & transportation info, your personal information and other tips. Once you receive the confirmation letter, you can go on for payment.

Useful Tips for Boarding your Cruise

1. Call the Ship or Check Email ahead

In 2024, all ships use Chaotianmen Dock in Chongqing, and Yichang Maoping Port (except Yangtze 1 using Yichang No.9 Port) in Yichang..

To make everything go smoothly, please call the ship (the phone number we’ll show you clearly in the Confirmation Letter) one day ahead or at least in the morning on the boarding day. Or, you can also check your mailbox on the boarding day or one day before to get the updated boarding information our travel consultant delivered. Please make sure your phone can be called through in China, so that we can also call you if there is any urgent change.

Yangtze River Cruise Advice & Tips
2. Find the Right Pier for Boarding
From To Distance Time
Chongqing Jiangbei Airport Chaotianmen Port 35km About 40~60mins
Chongqing North Railway Station 12km About 20~40mins
Yichang Sanxia Airport Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal 30~35km About 40~50mins
Yichang East Railway Station 9~12km About 25~30mins
Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal Yichang Maoping Port 50~60km About 1~1.5hrs
Yichang East Railway Station60-70km

Chongqing Chaotianmen Port has 13 sub-piers that different ships dock at different piers. While Maoping Port in used in Yichang is about 50km from the downtown. For upstream embarkation, travelers (except people taking Yangtze 1) need to transfer to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal or Yichang East Railway Station for taking the arranged bus to Maoping for boarding; for downstream, they need to be transferred to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal for departure.

For the boarding piers in port cities, you can use our worry free private transfer service. The local guide or driver will take you to the correct cruise pier from the airport / train stations, etc.

3. Board the Ship at the Scheduled Time

Please plan your transportation to arrive in Chongqing or Yichang ahead and board your ship at the schedule time. If you are unsure to book the suitable flight or train, please discuss it with our travel consultants. If you have any trouble for your flight, train or local transportation to the port causing you arrive at the port late, please contact us at first time and we’ll try our best to help you solve the problem.

-- 4 days & 3 nights Chongqing - Yichang downstream cruise:

  1. Pier & boarding time: board your ship at Chongqing Chaotianmen Port at 18:00~21:00;

-- 5 days & 4 nights Yichang - Chongqing upstream cruise:

  1. Pier & boarding time:
  2. Yangtze 1Board your ship at Yichang No.9 Port at 19:00~22:00
    All other cruise ships:First gather at Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal or Yichang East Railway Station at 16:00~21:00 and then transfer to Maoping Port for boarding.
4. Collect Cruise Ticket & Get Security Check

Yangtze cruisers need to collect your cruise ticket with real-name info signed at the corresponding port in Chongqing / Yichang (please make sure your passport and ticket with consistent information). After the ticket collecting, you'll be followed to get security check before board the ship.

5. Porter Hiring & Luggage Carrying

To save your energy, you can hire a porter to help you carry your luggage once you get off the taxi at the port. The porter will carry your luggage all the way to the ship. Please discuss the price (usually 15 Yuan/piece) with the porter beforehand. It usually charges according to the number of your luggage.

6. Check In

Travelers can get onboard and check in at least 3 hours before disembarkation. The friendly staff at front desk will ask your needs and please feel free to tell your personal requirements, like special eatery requirements, room or deck upgrading, transportation tips for departure and so on.

7. Ship Service Charge

Almost all the 4 to 5-star Yangtze cruise ships require a compulsory service charge which is required to be paid when checking in at the front desk; it is the regulation of the cruise companies that travelers are supposed to follow. The charge amount differs from different cruise lines and will be specified in our Confirmation Letter, please kindly note this so that inconvenience can be avoided.

8. Life & Experience Onboard Tips

To know the colorful life and experience on Yangtze cruises, you can turn to the “Onboard Experience” page for details. You will have a clear understanding about the food & dining, drinking, entertainment and activities, services, facilities, health care & wellness and more.

Optional Shore Excursions

Usually, there are three fixed shore excursions arranged by the cruise company. Travelers can also take two to three optional shore excursions to explore deeply about the local life and beauty along Three Gorges.

The optional excursions are performed based on the number of travelers who want to go. Interested travelers can visit the sites if the number of travelers is up to 30 or above (the number may adjust according to the real situation). If you are not interested in, you can stay onboard to enjoy some relaxing time. For your safety, you are not allowed to leave your ship on your own.

Since different cruise companies have different itineraries for excursion sites, you could check the detailed shore excursions arrangement of the arranged and optional sites of each cruise company of Chongqing = Yichang cruise route for you to compare.

Yangtze River Cruise Advice & Tips

Extra Fee Charged: varied mainly from CNY 150-300 per shore excursion/show

Useful Tips for Disembarkation

1. Transportation for Departure

To transfer smoothly between the port and airport/railway station, you can ask ideas at the front desk. Some cruise company may arrange the coaches sending travelers directly to the airport and railway station which is very convenient and economic. Besides, you can use our worry free private car service and our local guide and driver (or driver only) will pick you up at the port and escort you to the airport/railway station or other places.

2. In-depth Sightseeing in Port Cities

If you want a half-day tour in Chongqing or Yichang before leave, you can enjoy the service and please tell your ideas to your travel consultant in advance and they will arrange the experienced guide and driver to guide you for the sightseeing.

Yangtze River Cruise Advice & Tips

For questions about booking, boarding and disembarkation, please feel free to contact our professional travel consultants who are here glad to help at any time!

2024 Schedule of Victoria Katarina

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Please Note:
• The above price range is based on a standard cabin for twin sharing.
• The prices are valid by Dec.31 of the year.
• Please enquiry for the exact price according to your nationality, cruising time and cruising route.
• Please quote us for the price may change during China's Golden Week and Spring Festival.
• Limited winter schedules may be adjusted into other dates, cruise ships, etc. based on the arrangement of the cruise company.

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