Yangtze River Cruise Lines Veering Towards 5-Stars

As the Yangtze River Cruise business matures after completion of the Three Gorges Dam project, visitors are looking for luxury. In a country where the terms "4-star" and "5-star" are thrown around loosely and often defined by the supplier, if you want luxury, best to go to the top level. Also it's wise to read reviews online.

Currently there are 12 5-star river cruise ships operating out of Chongqing, and there are eight more five-star luxury ships to be launched in the next 3 years.

"With such a modern fleet of luxury river cruisers it's a great time to indulge in a Yangtze river cruise. We find many of our guests want this experience as part of their longer, multi-city China tour. We can offer a cruise from any supplier as part of a tour package," says Judy Huang, Travel Manager at The China Guide ( http://www.TheChinaGuide.com ).

The better cruise lines offer gourmet food (Western and Chinese) and luxurious accommodations. There are activities on board including Chinese painting, kite flying, acupuncture, massage, tai chi, dumpling making and other traditional Chinese activities.

Cruises are generally 3 or 4 nights, depending on if you are going up or downstream between Chongqing and Yichang. You can also do a 7-day river journey between Shanghai and Chongqing.

"There are a lot of cruise lines to choose from, and they aren't always honest about their quality," adds Judy Huang. "We help clients make the best decision for their budget based on our experience. Aside from some excellent 5-star ships, there are also some less expensive ships that give a good experience as well. Since we have been doing this for years, we are familiar with all the cruise lines.

"The China Guide ( http://www.TheChinaGuide.com ) can help you plan a Yangtze River Cruise and can even make it part of a custom China wide itinerary.