How do you plan your first Yangtze cruise? You plan it with your family and friends or just leave all the troubles to your cruise consultant?
You may think that booking a Yangtze cruise can be an easy thing. You just need to click the button and send your inquiry then everything has been done perfectly by your Yangtze cruise specialist. However, before you contact the Yangtze cruise travel agency, you still have to do some homework. You will need to have the answers to these eight questions:
Q1: Who is going on the Yangtze cruise?
Q2: How much money have you budgeted for your Yangtze cruise?
Q3: How long is your vacation?
Q4: When do you want to travel?
Q5: What activities do you like to do on Yangtze cruise?
Q6: What type of cabin do you want or need?
Q7: Do you want your meal to be buffet or Chinese dishes?
Q8: How will you get to your Yangtze Cruise Ship?
Check out all the details below.
Question 1: Who is going on the Yangtze Cruise?
This should be the easiest question to answer, so let’s start with it. You could invite your family and friends to get together and plan for on a Yangtze cruise ship. No worry, all age groups are welcome on all of the Yangtze cruises.
Question 2: How much are you prepared to spend on Yangtze vacation?
Of course, price is certainly a consideration when planning a Yangtze cruise vacation. Besides the cruise budget, you may charge extra for items like onboard shopping, laundry, tips etc. You could decrease your budgeted cost some by shopping around or by:
- Being conservative and booking early (pay attention to the Yangtze Cruise Deal)
- Choosing the BEST Cruise among 5-tar luxury cruises and 4-star budget cruises (the 5-tar luxury cruise with great discount are offered)
- Choosing the standard cabins instead of deluxe suites or presidential suites.
If you don’t mind about the budget, you might be willing to pay more to get a cruise better suited to your lifestyle. The best advice is to choose your ideal one and discuss it with your cruise specialist when sending an inquiry.
Question 3: How long is your vacation?
If you have less than a week, you probably could choose the line between Yichang and Chongqing. From Chongqing to Yichang, you could have a downstream cruise. While from Yichang to Chongqing, you could have an upstream cruise. All of the highlights of Yangtze River are included.
If you can squeeze out of eight to ten days or to two weeks, you will have more options – a Yangtze Cruise upstream from Shanghai to Chongqing, taking 8 nights and 9 days, downstream from Chongqing to Shanghai, taking 6 nights and 7 days. What’s more, a China Tour is waiting for you. You could discover all the best of China just in one go.
Question 4: When do you want to travel?
Generally, spring and autumn are the peak seasons for Yangtze Cruise, for the most comfortable weather and fantastic scenery, while winter is the best season for the greatest deals. Summer is hot on Yangtze, but it is the good family time. For Yangtze River itself is the biggest highlight, you could choose to go whenever you have traveling time.
To help your Yangtze Cruise vacation be much easier and simpler, you could just check the Yangtze River Cruise Calendar and ship schedule in 2012 & 2013.
Question 5: What activities do you like to do on Yangtze cruise?
One of the best things about a Yangtze cruise is the wide variety of activities available. You can do everything from sit on the deck and enjoy the passing view along the Yangtze River to more strenuous activities like cultural activities, evening entertainment, shore excursions…
From the early morning to midnight, you could involve in the abundant activities. Playing Taichi on the sun deck, attending for an informative talk on the Yangtze River’s geography, culture, and legend and river lore, enjoying good time in culture lectures like Chinese medicine, Chinese calligraphy, dumpling wrapping, learning to play mahjong with your friends, having fun in cabaret show in the evening, all is the best.
Every cruise also has arranged the shore excursion part. You could get closer to local Yangtze People to discover their unique culture, customs & lifestyle. The “Ghost City” in Fengdu, the “Poem City” in White Emperor City, “Trackers” in Shennong Stream, the “Hanging Coffins” in Lesser Three Gorges, “Locals washing clothes by the riverside” in Tribe of Three Gorges… Yes, that’s Yangtze may bring to you.
Question 6: What type of cabin do you want or need?
Choosing a suitable cabin during your Yangtze vacation is an essential thing. It is a personal choice which could be fun and interesting at the same time, depending on your budget and lifestyle. Before you make a decision, you should reconsider the four things: the star rating of your Yangtze Cruise, the price range of your cabin, cabin types, size, amenities and cabin location.
This info of Cabin Types of Yangtze Cruise may help you get some idea about your ideal cabin.
Question 7: Do you want your meal to be buffet or Chinese dishes?
Cuisines on Victoria Cruises, New Century Cruises are specially designed for western travelers, with both western buffet and Chinese cuisine experience. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all western and Chinese buffets.
You could taste Chinese dishes in family style at round table. President Cruises and OTC Victoria Cruises are the ones providing this kind of opportunity.
Question 8: How will you get to your Yangtze Cruise Ship?
Chongqing, Yichang and Shanghai are the main ports along the Yangtze River, where you could start your life-time Yangtze Cruises. It is very convenient for you to get these ports by plane, train, coach, taxi or bus. Moreover, you also could book the local transfer service to get to your right port.
Now that you have answered these 8 questions, you are ready to call your Yangtze Cruise Travel Agent and choose a Yangtze Cruise Ship.