Yangtze River Cruise Travel Blog - Day on Yangtze Cruise

This is the travel blog from our guests who took a Yangtze Cruise with us. Hopefully this report will be useful for those who are going to make a life-long cruise along Yangtze River, no matter which cruise you are on, Victoria Cruises, New Century Cruises or President Cruises.

Sunday September 18, 2011 (cloudy, 31 – 23 °C)

5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

This duration was the official boarding time. The first evening dinner was not included. You may grab a bit in the city of Chongqing after your Chongqing Tour before boarding. If you don’t mind the high prices of the food on the ship, you can have easy dinner on the deck 2 of Victoria Jenna.

Getting to the Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock, I paid a porter 10 Yuan to carry my suitcase to the ship simply because it was still a long walk to the boat. First I had to descend dozens of steps to the bank of the river, and then crossed rickety platforms suspended over the water to my boat.

Victoria Jenna

After check-in, passengers were welcomed to the Yangtze Club on Deck 5 and met the staff and tested their skills. We tried one of the evening specials, "Victoria Vista" and "Slow Boat to China" - 28 Yuan a glass!

Yangtze Club on Victoria Jenna

We were also told to gather here on the deck 5 the next morning to have the briefing on the staff, ship and services.

"Slow Boat to China" - special tonight!

Returning to my own room, we found the daily schedule leaflet the desk. The first day’s leaflet was focused on the rules and regulations relative to "passenger health and safety", "Strict smoking policy", "Chit payment method", "in case of fire or evacuation"…

Elegant and comfortable suite with a spacious balcony

As a light smoker, I was happy to learn that smokers still had some social status on the ship – smoking allowed on the outer decks. I asked the cabin attendant for an ashtray. If your roommate dislikes smoking, you still have way out by smoking in the smoking room on the deck 5. I was lucky to travel alone in an executive roon - Room 519 on the 5th deck. The room was elegantly furnished according to a 5-star luxury hotel with a spacious balcony as well as a huge window because it was located in the corner of the stern.

10:15 PM

We were informed to watch on our in-house movie channel #8″To Live”. Victoria Jenna was scheduled to depart Chongqing the next morning around.

Monday September 19, 2011 (Overcast, 29 – 20 °C)

6:00 - 7:30 AM

Early Bird coffee & tea service is available at Yangtze Club Deck 5.

7:00 AM

Dr. Ou taught the art of Tai Chi – shadow boxing Yangtze Club Deck 5 The term “Tai Chi” refers to the yin-yang principle of the interplay between two opposite forces in nature. Tai Chi is famous for its smooth movements and and explosive strikes. It is composed of eight primary postures (including warding off, rolling back, squeezing, pressing, splitting, pulling, elbowing-striking and shoulder-striking) and five steps (including advance, retreating, leftward steps rightward steps and steps when body being erect).

8:45 AM

All passengers were requested to be on Deck 5 and the Cruise Director Dick Caroentier introduces the staff, ship and services as well as important safety features.

The Cruise Director Dick Caroentier gave us a briefing.

9:15 AM

"The Mighty Yangtze" - an informative introduction to the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges by River Guide Daniel Li Yangtze Deck 5. Daniel Li was mainly responsibel for the guide service on the ship for the whole trip. He spoke fluent english with a sense of humor.

"The Mighty Yangtze" Lecture...

11:15 AM

Chinese Medicine - Dr. Ou provides an insight into the theory and practice of traditional healing therapies.

Chinese traditional healing therapy lecture

12:15 - 1:30 PM

Lunch buffet service is available at Deck 2 (Dynasty Dining Room)

The buffet lunch was very good with a spectrum of food (appetizers, main courses, fish, pork, beef, fruit, rice, noodle, piza, desserts…)

Lunch Buffet on Victoria Jenna

1:45 PM

Shore Excursion: The Victoria Jenna is docked at Fengdu. All passengers go ashore to the city of “City of Ghosts”. The temple area on top of Ming Mountain. People pay tribute to the “King of the Underworld”. This was a walking tour excursion. There were many steps from the dock the road. We were divided by the ship management into several groups escorted by the tour guides from the local Fengdu CITS. We took the green car to the cable car station where we were requested to pay the cable car to the top of the mountain.

Discover Why Fengdu called Ghost City.

Tianzi Palace in Fengdu Ghost City

4:30 PM

Guests all passengers return to the boat and Victoria Jenna departs.

Return back to Victoria Jenna

6:15 PM

Captain’s Welcome Reception: Captain Li cordially invites guests for appertizers and refreshments at Yangtze Club Deck 5

7:00 PM

Dinner ( set dinner service) Dinner is not buffet service.

Dinner Time

9:00 PM

Evening Entertainment Show: The crew modeled a varity of Chinese traditional costumes and from all regions and periods of Chinese history with a surpirse of two!

I found our attendant among the models wearing a traditional dress who had served us while we had dinner.

Evening Entertainment Show, enjoy your night here!

10:15 PM

In-house Movie ” Still Life ” on the cabin TV #8

Tuesday September 20, 2011 (Cloudy, 29 – 21 °C)

10:00 AM

Victoria Jenna approached the entrance to the first gorge, the Qutang Gorge. Of all the Three Gorges, Qutang Gorge is the shortest, but the most majestic.

Qutang Gorge

Also known as Kui Gorge, Qutang Gorge is very narrow with its narrowest point at 100 meters. The passage through the 8km gorge only takes about 20 minutes starting from White Emperor City (白帝城) of Fengjie County to Daxizhen (大溪镇) of Wushan County.

Kui Gorge - misty today!!

12: 15 PM

Passengers disembarked for the shore excursion – cruising on the Lesser Three Gorges. A smaller motorized vessel took us through the picturesque Lesser Gorges, along a tributary of the Yangtze River, the Daning River. Then we boarded a smaller motoried boats to take in the sights of the Lesser Three Gorge.

Boat on Lesser Three Gorges

Really had great fun this time!

4:15 PM

Guests returned to the Jenna and Jenna sailed.

Sailing through to Wu Gorge...

4:50 PM

Victoria Jenna approached the entrance to the second of the three gorges – Wu Gorge. Wu Gorge(巫 峡), one of the Three Gorges between Qutang Gorge and Xiling Gorge. Wu Gorge is the most famous and beautiful gorge of the three, with a total length of over 40 km starting from the mouth of the Daning River( the Lesser Three Gorges ) of the riverside town of Wushan to the Guandukou Town of Batong (Guandukou is 17km west of the riverside town of Badong County).

7:00 PM

Victoria Jenna Farewell Banquet was serviced on the Deck 5 (Yangtze Club) .

Crew show time

After the show, Victoria Jenna approached the locks of the Three Gorges Dam. The passage through the 5-stage locks took about 3-4 hours.

Three Gorges Dam Ship Locks

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 (cloudy, 29 – 19 °C)

6:00 AM

Complimentary Early Risers coffee and tea at Yangtze Club Deck 5

6:30 AM

Last chance for Tai Chi practice by Dr. Ou at Yangtze Club Deck 5

7:00 – 8:00 AM

Buffet breakfast was available in Dynaty Dining Room Deck 2

8:00 AM

Victoria Jenna was docked at Sandouping, and guestes went ashore to visit the largest hydroelectric project in the world, the Three Gorge Dam.

Feast your eyes on the best of the best when reached Three Gorges Dam Site.

10:45 AM

All passengers returned to the ship, and we continued to sailing to the port of Yichang.

11:15 AM

Victoria Jenna made its way through the easten section of the Xiling Gorge.

11:30 AM

Buffet Lunch was available.

12:45 PM

Victoria Jenna arrives at the dock of the port of Yichang, our final destination.

 

 

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