To celebrate 20 years of sailing along China's Yangtze River, Victoria Cruises has launched anniversary sailings. To enhance the experience, the cruise line’s Executive Amenities upgrade provides access to exclusive ship areas, complimentary Wi-Fi access, enhanced dining privileges, shoe shine service, reserved seating for evening entertainment and other VIP perks, starting at an additional $200 per person.
Rates for 2014 departures of Victoria Cruises' Three Gorges Highlights program in a Superior Stateroom with a private balcony begin at $880 per person, double occupancy. Four-night upstream departures out of Yichang will operate daily, excluding Tuesdays, while three-night downstream cruises will depart out of Chongqing six days per week from Sunday through Friday. Victoria Cruises will offer daily departures for the Three Gorges Highlights program during the summer.
A shore excursion package inclusive of all standard excursions costs an additional $90 per person for the Three Gorges Highlights cruise. It includes tours of the Ghost City of Fengdu and Three Gorges Dam, as well as a scenic cruise on a traditional sampan through Goddess Stream, surrounded by local wildlife such as monkeys and mountain goats. This trip may be replaced with Shennong Stream or Daning River tributary excursions, depending on river conditions.
Passengers can also opt to sail the full navigable length of the river between Chongqing and Shanghai with Victoria’s eight-night upstream or six-night downstream Grand Yangtze Discovery program, operating year round except in July and August. This cruise includes all the highlights of the three- and four-night cruise, plus additional sightseeing east of Yichang, including cultural Wuhan, scenic Jiuhuashan (Mountain of Nine Lotuses) and bustling Nanjing, where passengers will visit the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum.
Rates for the Grand Yangtze Discovery program in a Superior Stateroom start at $1,610 per person, based on double occupancy, and the excursion package for this program costs $240 per person. Upstream sailings will depart every other Friday, while downstream departures will leave every other Saturday.
Guests sailing on cruises in either direction have the chance to participate in optional excursions: White Emperor City (weather permitting), which overlooks the Western end of the Qutang Gorge and Shibaozhai. Known as the "Pearl of the Yangtze,” Shibozhai is a temple that was built during the 18th century and dedicated to the famous generals of the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-65), local scholars and renowned Chinese poets.
The Details
Victoria Cruiseswww.victoriacruises.com
