Yangtze Cruise Embarkation - Board Your Ship in Chongqing & Yichang

Recently, there are two routes of Yangtze River Cruise tour, one is 4 days downstream cruise tour from Chongqing to Yichang (5 days for Yangtze 1), the other is 5 days upstream cruise tour from Yichang to Chongqing. Check the following information to know specific cruise boarding time, port and things to take note of before your embarkation, etc. and plan your Yangtze River tour in 2025/2026.

Boarding Time, Check in & Ports for Yangtze Cruise

Chongqing to Yichang (Downstream)

• Port: Chongqing Chaotianmen Port
• Fleet: Century Cruises, Victoria Cruises, President Cruises, Yangtze Explorer, Yangtze Gold Cruises, Changjiang Cruises
• Embarkation Time: 18:00-21:00; depart from Chongqing at 21:00. (Note: Victoria Cruises and Yangtze Gold Cruises could adjust to depart around 19:30-20:00 for winter cruises from mid-Nov. to Feb. based on the weather condition, thus travelers are suggested to board during 17:00-19:00.)
• Check in Process: Get to the Right Port/Pier → Show Your Passport to the Staff and Collect Cruise Ticket → Follow the Floating Bridge and Board the Ship → Security Check → Check in

Thing to Know about Chongqing Embarkation:

1. How to get to Chaotianmen Dock: Due to the construction of Chaotianment Wharf and the Square area, transportation there is not very convenient so far. We suggest our guests go by car or taxi. If your ship stops at an odd-number wharf (Wharf No. 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17), the car driver is recommended to stop at the Chaotianmen Wharf Entrance (朝天门码头), which is about 180 meters away (about 3 minutes walk) from Wharf No.9, where you can reach other odd-number wharfs on foot. If your cruise stops at the even-number wharfs (Wharf No. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10), we suggest changing the drop-off point to Chongqing Port Tourist Terminal (重庆港旅游码头). Follow the port signs, guests can easily reach the even number wharfs. This way saves much more time than walking across the ground floor of Raffles City from the Chaotianmen Wharf Entrance (about 500-600 meters, 10-15 minutes walking).

► Please check detailed info about Get to & around Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock.

2. Port Change during Special Periods: If there is any change for the Chongqing embarkation port during special periods, you should board the ship at another port, usually Fengdu Port. The cruise company would arrange free transfer buses from downtown Chongqing and then take you to the embarking port in Fengdu County. Three gathering places are frequently used: Chongqing Tourist Gathering and Dispersing Center, Chongqing Grand Theater, Huguang Guide Hall, etc. The gathering time is 18:00-19:30.

► Please check detailed info about Possible Port Change for Special Events in Chongqing.

Click to Enlarge Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock Map

Mountain City Chongqing

Yichang to Chongqing (Upstream)

• Gathering Place & Time: Visitor Center of Three Gorges Tourist Resort, used to known as the Three Gorges Center Tourist Terminal; 17:30-20:30 (The gathering time for century cruises will be adjusted to 17:30-19:00 from Jan. 1, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2024.)
• Ports: Yichang Maoping Port; Yichang No.9 Wharf, only for Yangtze 1 Cruise (5-minute walking distance from the Visitor Center of Three Gorges Tourist Resort)
• Fleet: Century Cruises, Victoria Cruises, President Cruises, Yangtze Explorer, Yangtze Gold Cruises, Changjiang Cruises (except Yangtze 1)
• Embarkation Time: After free transfer service sending you to Maoping Port, you'll begin to embark and check in. The ship departs from Yichang on the following day.
• Check in Process: Arrive and Enter the Visitor Center of Three Gorges Tourist Resort or the Gathering Place at Yichang East Railway Station → Show Your Passport to Get the Bus Ticket at the Window of "Ticket Changing for Luxury Cruises" → Take the Tourist Buses to Maoping Port → Follow the Floating Bridge and Board the Ship → Security Check → Check in

Thing to Know about Yichang Embarkation: 

1. How to Get to Maoping Port: For upstream (Yichang->Chongqing), you need to arrive at the Visitor Center of Three Gorges Tourist Resort or the gathering place at Yichang East Railway Station between 17:30 and 20:30, and then take the tourist buses arranged by the cruise company to Maoping Port. If you are going to sail with Yangtze 1 cruise, you need to arrive at the Visitor Center of Three Gorges Tourist Resort from 19:00 to 20:00, and walk to Yichang No.9 Wharf to board the ship. Please check detailed info about Get to & around Ports in Yichang.

2. Port Change during Special Periods: If there is any change for the embarkation port in Yichang during special periods that you should board ship at other port, please check detailed info about Possible Port Change for Special Events in Yichang.

Click to Enlarge Map of Yichang Maoping Ports

Yangtze Cruise Boarding Tips

1. Call the Ship or Check Email ahead

In normal circumstances, no matter whether you take downstream or upstream Yangtze cruises, you usually embark your ships at Chongqing Chaotianmen Port or gather at the Visitor Center of Three Gorges Tourist Resort, waiting for the transfer bus to board the cruise at Yichang Maoping Port. The above embarkation time, port and gathering places are for general reference. The boarding time for different cruise companies may vary slightly. Also, it may adjust for special events, like weather conditions, water level, river navigational conditions, annual maintenance of the Three Gorges Dam ship locks, etc.

To make everything go smoothly, please call the ship (the phone number we’ve shown 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 for 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.

2. Valid Documents & Real-name Registration

Please bring your valid passport or other documents when board the ship.

(Note: 1. When booking your Yangtze cruise ships with us, please provide us with the correct passport info, like your name and passport number. Real-name registration is needed when booking the cruise. 2. If there is any change to your passport, please get in touch with us and provide us the latest personal info that we should deliver to the cruise company once you change.)

3. Find the Exact Pier in Chongqing & Yichang

Chongqing Chaotianmen is the general pier name consisting of 13 sub-piers. Yichang Maoping Port is close to the Three Gorges Dam Site, a little far away from Yichang downtown, which will cause you some trouble with the transfer. For the cruise pier is not so easy to get to, you’d better take the bus arranged by the cruise company or 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. if you need anything or have any problem, please feel free to contact us.

4. Board your Ship at the Scheduled Time

Please plan your transportation ahead and board your ship at the schedule time. If there is any trouble with your flights, train or local transportation to the port causing you to arrive at the port late, please contact us immediately and we’ll try our best to help you solve the problem.

5. Collect Cruise Ticket at the Pier

Travelers will collect the cruise ticket with your real-name info signed at the corresponding port in Chongqing / Yichang, make sure your passport and ticket with consistent information, and get security check before board the ship for checking-in.

Usually, time for security check in Chongqing starts from 15:00 for Century Cruises and from 18:00 for Victoria Cruises. For more info about the security check of Yangtze River cruises, please contact us.

6. Upgrade your Cabin or Deck

Your standard cabin is arranged randomly by the cruise company. If you are sure about which deck you want to stay in, please tell us ahead and we’ll try our best to meet your needs. Or, if you are still deciding which deck to stay, you can see the room the cruise company arranged for you first. And, if you want to upgrade your deck or cabin, please consult the front desk of the ship whether it is possible to do so.

7. If Cabin does not Match as Planned

When checking your cabin after boarding, if you find the cabin the front desk given you does not match with the one we’ve booked for you, you need to call us immediately and we’ll figure out what’s happened and deal with the problem.

8. Special Diet or Requirements

As for diet or other special requirements, you can tell us beforehand that your travel consultant will deliver your needs to the cruise company. Or, you can tell the cruise company directly when you board the ship for checking in at the front desk. The cruise company will try their best to meet your diet needs or other needs.

9. Service Tipping Fee

When you book the ship with us, it is excluded for the service tipping fee, please pay it when check in. More info about Tipping Guide on Yangtze Cruise Ship

10. Individual Consumption Onboard

Travelers can use credit cards onboard, like Master Card, Visa, American Express, etc. When you do some individual activities which charge extra, you just need to show your room number. And at the end of the cruise, you will receive a completely itemized statement for your personal consumption and pay them when you check out.

www.yangtze-river-cruises.com will keep updating the latest information for boarding. For more questions and help, please feel free to contact our professional cruise agents who are here ready to help you at any time!

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Questions & Discussions

Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.

Mary

Tipping on Victoria cruises

What is the customary tip for a 4 day cruise for the staff on a cruise.

2018-09-01 10:46

Hello Mary,

Thanks for your question! Onboard Victoria cruises, compulsory ship tip (about 150 RMB) is required to be paid when checking in at the reception counter. The detailed tip amount differs from different cruise lines and will be specified in our confirmation letter, please kindly note this so that inconvenience can be avoided. And, if the staff onboard that have provided excellent service, you can give them extra tip when your journey ends. For more questions and ship booking, please feel free to let us know.

Wish you a wonderful ship experience in China!

Skye at yangtze-river-cruises.com 2018-09-03 03:22