Sinorama Gold 8 Yangtze River cruise & Imperial China Tour

Has anyone taken this cruise/tour on the Sinorama Gold 8 or the Sinorama Diamond? Any info on a Yangtze River cruise would be greatly appreciated.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157884

lamchops, it appears that CC doesn't offer any reviews of Sinorama, although they have been around since 2012. You may find this detailed Tripadvisor review interesting: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294211-i642-k7011064-Sinorama_Holidays_Review_11_day_Beijing_Yangtze_Shanghai-China.html.

lamchops, it appears that CC doesn't offer any reviews of Sinorama, although they have been around since 2012. You may find this detailed Tripadvisor review interesting: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g294211-i642-k7011064-Sinorama_Holidays_Review_11_day_Beijing_Yangtze_Shanghai-China.html.

Thanks for the link!

I chose this tour as I'm in my late 50's and want to experience China as a tourist rather than as a traveller. I too am of Asian decent and want to knock off a few things on my "bucket list". I'm sure my expectations will be different that that of the 20+ year old reviewer. I know my limitations and not being able to speak mandarin, this tour will be the best for me. I have no plans to visit "my village" but will get a taste of China so that I can decide whether I want to go back.

The bonus is that we get to go with a couple of buddies that I've known since kindergarten. PRICELESS!:D

In my humble opinion it is better to take the shorter cruise downriver on the Yangtze rather than upriver as this one does. You see the same things in less time. We enjoyed our three night cruise but it was boring at times.

It is easy to see the main highlights of China on your own. We did this in two weeks and had longer in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai than you will. Or you can contact an agent and get them to arrange a private tour for you. You will be surprised how inexpensive this is. China Highlights is one such company. I was pleased with my dealings with them and there are positive reviews here on CC.

I think the review mentioned above tells it all about Sinorama.

I've managed to find a bit of time to do some research the but reviews are not plentiful. I can't find anything on our specific tour but am getting an idea of what to expect. I have never taken a fully excorted tour before other than some ship's excursion so this should be interesting. I will post a review upon my return.

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g294212-i2147-k7517605-Sinorama_9_Day_Impression_of_China_including_Century_Diamond-Beijing.html

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g294211-i642-k5863024-Sinorama_holidays_in_China_23_days-China.html

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g294211-i642-k6699846-Sinorama_Tours-China.html

http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowTopic-g294211-i642-k6377517-Sinorama_Holidays-China.html

http://www.sinoramaholidays.com/tourpage/index.php?id=letters-from-customers

I'm booked on one of their trips in Nov of this year. There was an online deal offered through a travel discounter that we just couldn't pass up.

Sinorama is a big travel agency with offices in Vanc, Toronto, Montreal and a couple of places in Europe. They've been around since 1969. They also own (?) a couple of the Yangtse river cruise boats.

I too wasn't able to find too much regarding reviews but if you do a search for youtube videos, you will find a couple. No one had any complaints.

I'm going with a friend and two other couples, so will definitely have a good time. China was on my bucket list, but not too near the top. However when the deal came up we jumpoed at it. I would have liked to incorporate more of Asia, but when you start to add on additional air and travel costs it took away the value of this trip. We'll be gone 15 days.

I'm not a big "tour" person but this seemed a good start and a good way to experience China for the first time.

Linda.

I'm booked on one of their trips in Nov of this year. There was an online deal offered through a travel discounter that we just couldn't pass up.

 

I'm going with a friend and two other couples, so will definitely have a good time. China was on my bucket list, but not too near the top. However when the deal came up we jumpoed at it. I would have liked to incorporate more of Asia, but when you start to add on additional air and travel costs it took away the value of this trip. We'll be gone 15 days.

 

I'm not a big "tour" person but this seemed a good start and a good way to experience China for the first time.

 

Linda.

I'm booked in May on the Gold 8 and your post is exactly what I was thinking.

20%+ online discount

2 couples

bucket list, not near top

tried additional days

not a tour person

The other major River cruise company sent me their brochure and the cost was double for the same itinerary. Same sites, Peking Duck, Dumpling Banquet, etc.

I'm usually a DIY guy but I know a scheduled tour is the easiest when travelling with friends.

I'll report back in late May as I keep a daily journal when I travel.

Hi lamchops, hope you have a great trip! I'll be anxious to hear all about it.

Hi Lamchops - I just booked the 15 days China/River Cruise tour for Nov. of this year. I have never taken a guided tour and don't know what to expect.

Love to hear about your experience on your trip. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Have a wonderful trip!

I'm booked in May on the Gold 8 and your post is exactly what I was thinking.

20%+ online discount

2 couples

bucket list, not near top

tried additional days

not a tour person

 

The other major River cruise company sent me their brochure and the cost was double for the same itinerary. Same sites, Peking Duck, Dumpling Banquet, etc.

 

I'm usually a DIY guy but I know a scheduled tour is the easiest when travelling with friends.

 

I'll report back in late May as I keep a daily journal when I travel.

Hi Lamchops - I too am getting ready to book the 15-days for September and can't wait to read your review. Btw, where did you find the 20% discount?

Thanks!

I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade but I hope all of you read the fine print.

This company is NOT an authorized travel provider in China. The company DOES NOT hold a Chinese government issued travel agency number They are merely a "packager" and have merely signed on with different companies who are authorized to put a package together. Direct from their website in the fine print:

"Sinorama Holidays Inc is an independent

company (the Company) licensed to

market and distribute travel products and

arrange for vacation services offered in its

publications or on

its Web site, including

transportation, sightseeing, and

accommodation through independent

contracts."

This is no different than a "seat in coach" tour anyplace in Asia And those seat in coach tours are very often the worst way you could tour Asia when booking through an unknown agency. You truly have no idea how good or bad a "seat in coach tour" is until you take it.

It may with a highly skilled, very reputable travel agency where you get a great tour or it may be with "joe fly by night" who is using his boss 15 passenger van and has not a clue what he is doing but the travel agency you bought the trip through is dealing with "joe fly by night" because they are after the large dollar, quick turnover market who shops by price. A VERY prevalent reality in a lot of Asia, particularly China and Vietnam. The tourist market is new in both countries and anyone with a computer can set themselves up as a travel agent. They are merely selling someone else's services and tacking on a fee for themselves.

You are beholden to the actual tour operator, NOT to the packager who sold you the trip. Have a wreck, get injured. Good luck. Miss the plane or a connection-good luck. Hotel full-good luck. Tour bus breaks down and can't provide the proper tour-good luck.

I know some of you can't back out because the cancellation fee is very, very high.

And I hope you purchased travel insurance through someone other than the recommended one. Read the fine print there-IF you don't call before you get medical care, you pay 25% of the cost yourself. That is a real gotcha, particularly for solo travelers.

From the insurance website-"IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY, YOU MUST CALL THE ASSISTANCE CENTRE IMMEDIATELY at 1 855 603-5572 toll-free from the USA and Canada, +1 (905) 608-8250 collect where available. Our Assistance Centre is there to help you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Please note that if you do not call the Assistance Centre in an emergency, you will have to pay 25% of the eligible medical expenses we would normally pay under this policy. If it is medically impossible for you to call, please have someone call on your behalf"

I travel by myself very frequently internationally. Who is going to call for me? How would anyone know until I got to a hospital? BIG IF

Good luck and enjoy. I only posted this because I am a non practicing transportation attorney who has spent a lot of time for business in China and Vietnam. I have seen the ripoffs. Don't want anyone to get badly burned through their experience.

I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade but I hope all of you read the fine print.

 

This company is NOT an authorized travel provider in China. The company DOES NOT hold a Chinese government issued travel agency number They are merely a "packager" and have merely signed on with different companies who are authorized to put a package together. Direct from their website in the fine print:

 

"Sinorama Holidays Inc is an independent

company (the Company) licensed to

market and distribute travel products and

arrange for vacation services offered in its

publications or on

its Web site, including

transportation, sightseeing, and

accommodation through independent

contracts."

 

Good luck and enjoy. I only posted this because I am a non practicing transportation attorney who has spent a lot of time for business in China and Vietnam. I have seen the ripoffs. Don't want anyone to get badly burned through their experience.

It rains alot in Vancouver so I'm used to it. We however have not had too many parades lately.:)

Sinorama owns 2 of the larger Yangtze River boats (Diamond & Gold8) with an office near the airport of my hometown. I've visited the office to drop off paperwork for my Chinese Visa. The trip is just over 2 weeks away and your post cannot change anything now.

I have started my review which includes our groups background, research, and some prep. I will try to write nightly in my journal and post it when I get back in hopes of helping others.

Background:

As someone of Chinese decent I felt that I should visit China at least once in my lifetime. I’ve held off for a long time as Europe is more in my comfort zone. I speak no mandarin and my Cantonese is shameful. We were invited to go with some childhood friends and our group grew to 8 with the addition of my sisters. Our groups age ranged from 55-65 of professionals and blue collar workers. We are 1 Japanese, 3 “Chinese” Chinese, and 4 Chinese “bananas”. 4 of us are avid “ocean” cruisers and 2 have done the China trip with another agency. We consider ourselves mainly as tourists not travelers.

Research:

We wanted an English speaking tour and not one of those subsidized cheap “shopping” tours of China. No waiting, no wasted time deciding on excursions, and no egos. No need to visit the “ancestral family village”, just go with the flow and enjoy the sites. My friends researched quite a few tour companies including Viking River Cruises, ChinaPac, and settled on Sinorama. Sinorama is a large tour company with offices throughout Canada. Sinorama also happens to own a couple of Yangtze River cruise ships and their combined land and cruise packages were very reasonably priced. We wanted the reversed itinerary but the dates didn’t match our group’s vacation time. When my friends called to book the trip the agent said to wait a couple of weeks as they were about to place a special on Travel Zoo. That offer saved us about $500 each and we ended up paying around $2350 per person ($1875us) for the 14/15 day trip. That $2350 includes the land tour, hotels, meals, cruise, tips, taxes, airfare from Vancouver, and the agency getting our Chinese visas on our behalf. I was surprised with the deal and started to do some research on Sinorama and Yangtze River cruises in general. What I found was a whole slew of mixed reviews (sort of like NCL) and had to interpret them the best that I could based on my gut feeling. I decided that I’m going with an open mind and subdued expectations. Most of the complaints were about Chinese food, lack of western facilities, and rigidness of a land tour. I think I can handle most issues except the “squat toilets”. LOL!

flight to beijing

afternoon arrival free?

Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City + Temple of Heaven + Beijing Opera

Great Wall + Ming Tombs + Beijing Duck Dinner

Summer Palace + Imperial Garden + Beijing Hutong

Terra Cotta Army + Tang Dynasty Dancing Show + Dumpling Banquet

Yangtze cruise at Jingzhou

Jingzhou City

cruising Three Gorges Dam and locks

Excursion: Shennv Stream, tributary stream of Yangtze River, embark smaller boats

Excursion: Shibaozhai, “Precious Stone Fortress” + Captain’s Farewell Dinner

Disembark in Chongqing. Transfer to the airport and fly to Shanghai, transfer to Suzhou by coach.

Liu Garden + City tour + free time in the old town of Suzhou.Transfer to Shanghai.

Shanghai Museum + free time to shop at Nanjing Road + the Bund + Acrobatics Show

Free time in the morning, then transfer to Pudong Airport

Preparation:

While reading all the reviews, I made a packing checklist based on all the comments, complaints and possible scenarios. I figure I can hand wash and hang laundry in Beijing and the cruise so 7 sets of lightweight golf shirts and shorts/pants should be enough. If they have laundry facilities or services it would just be a bonus. My buddy recommended we each have $1000cny, $200usd, and our credit cards based on our structured tour. He said everything is basically included except for some better alcohol and extra water. We don’t expect to spend much on shopping but DW might have more to say about that.

Packing List

Excursions

incense/freshener

toilet paper

alcohol wipes

toilet seat liners

thermos

money belts

zip lock bags

daypack

dust masks

sun glasses

umbrella mini

pkg. dried snacks

travel locks for purse

diaper pins

River cruise

insect repellent

clip-on repellant for balcony

small flashlight

earplugs

reading glasses

after bite

Clothing=layers

easy dry synthetics

light wind/rain jacket

fleece vest

1st Aid kit

cold medicine

pepto bismol

motion sickness

advil

bandaids

imodium quick desolve

sun screen

prescriptions

benedryll

Paperwork

passports

visas

credit cards x2

cc info & cancellation

tickets

travel insurance

ID copies

map + itinerary

note pad/journal

$200us (10x$20)

$1000yn ($200cdn)

Misc.

plug adapters

power bar

Camomile tea

Peach CF tea

water flavoring

Enjoy reading your posts already. Can't wait to read more. Thanks for an update!:)

Enjoy reading your posts already. Can't wait to read more. Thanks for an update!:)

Really enjoy your writing! A group of us (10 total) will be going on the same trip in Nov. You have done all the homework for us. It will be so much fun to read your trip report when you return.

Have a wonderful trip.

Looking forward to more of your posts lamchops.....we're on the Nov 18 trip.

Greatam, thanks for the information. This is a large company with offices not only in Canada but in a number of places in Europe too. They've been around for many years (20+) so hopefully that is a good sign that they are a reputable outfit.

And for the price we are paying for 15 days, which isn't much more than airfare, it was a deal we couldn't pass up. It won't be "tourist season" so we'll go prepared for the weather and whatever else comes our way.

That said, I can't say that I've read any terrible or negative reviews about them. The only thing mentioned was the food and that is very subjective. The main complaint was that the food was too "Americanized" as opposed to authentic Chinese cuisine......in my mind either of these could be an issue but I don't think I'll starve either way.

We are going September 24, 2015. Looking to meet up with anyone going on the same trip.

After recieving our itinerary and comparing agendas our Tour was called "The Dream of China Tour" with 3 day Shanghai extension and not the "Imperial China Tour".

It’s been a hectic star to the trip and free WiFi has been limited to the hotels. I have been trying to make notes after each day and will summarize the trip and post a more formal review at the end. My feelings may change as I reflect back on the trip when I get home but I will refer to these notes and my many photos. You can consider this as “almost live”. I have tried to post times and costs to give you an idea of pace and spending expenses. The prices are in rmb and Canadian but you can figure out the cost in US dollars. The exchange rate was $6rmb to $1usd.

Day 1

We arrived at the airport at 11:00 sharp to meet the other members of our group at the China Eastern ticket counter. At check in we found out that we would not be sitting together and that the seat assignment seemed random. DW and I had someone sitting between us but was fortunate it was another member of our group. We went through security using our Nexus card quickly without any issues. The flight to Shanghai was on a new Airbus A330 with the latest reclining seats and the best entertainment system that we've encountered on an airplane. The reclining of the seat back also shifted the seat ala lazy boy lounger and seemed to give us just a little more leg room than usual. The 12 hour flight had several rough patches of turbulence but was pleasant overall. Most of the attendants spoke some English so communication was not a problem. We had a meal of SS chicken & rice 2 hours into the flight and received a BBQ pork bun as a snack at the half way point. 2 hours before reaching Beijing we received a breakfast meal choice of plain omelet or congee/rice porridge. It took 12 hours to get to Shanghai and we had a 2 hour layover before catching a plane to Beijing, Our seat assignments had a stranger sitting between DW and I but they moved over 1 when the attendant translated our request. The flight provided a meal of either rice or noodles and we chose the beef noodles. The flight was 2 hours and when we landed, we had traveled for 16 hours but up for 22 hours. we still had to meet up with Sinorama and make the 1 hour drive to our hotel. checking in with the guide and the hotel was rather quick considering there was 33 from different Sinorama tours that caught our bus. we received a quick orientation and went to the room to unpack. Sinorama has arranged a 6:00 am wake-up call and we finally went to bed at midnight Beijing time. I was restless and couldn't sleep so I'm up at 4:30 typing this journal entry. I boiled a big pot of water so that we could refill the 2 empties that we drank from the hotels free provisions‘. I figured the water would be cooled enough by 7:00 am. The Hotel is truly a 4-5 star that puts our basic Marriott or Hilton to shame. I could get used to this for 3 nights. Amenities include your hotel basic plus, shaving kits. dental kits. slippers and robes.

Day 2

We went done to the breakfast room at 6:30 and the place was packed. they used the large restaurant area and a ballroom to accommodate everyone. It was a buffet that had your usual western stuff , some Chinese items, and some non breakfast items. I made it through the line once and had little on my plate till I reach the noodle station. You choose the veggies and noodles and they cook it in soup and hand it back. I then added a fried egg and some calamari and it was great. I had seconds and this may become my go-to breakfast at this hotel. Non breakfast items included the calamari, a full cake/dessert bar.

We had been told last night that due to museums being closed, we would do our Great Wall itinerary instead of our Tiananmen square itinerary. The tour bus headed out for the Great wall on schedule at 8:00 but traffic was heavy and it took 2.5 hours to get there from the hotel. The name of the section that we visited was called Badaling. We entered the site and decided to do the south wall as everyone seemed to veer towards the right side. I always thought you hiked the great Wall of China but now I know why our guide Emily always referred to it as climbing the Great Wall. Sections of the south side was steeper than 45 degrees with no steps and was extremely difficult to climb. We were huffing and puffing at the 3rd section but continued on to the 4th tower. My sisters and friend continued to the 5th tower while the rest of us waited at the 4th for their return. The views were spectacular and the feeling of being on the wall is difficult to explain. We left the wall after 1.5 hrs and spent some time in the plaza before heading back to the meeting place. Four members of the tour were late coming back so our tour guide Jeffery went to look for them. When he return with them we were 20 minutes late leaving. We headed for a lunch that was basically a North American style of Chinese food and Emily kidded that this was to give us something that we were used to. lunch was served at a restaurant attached to the Cloisonné factory which provided a tour and a purchasing opportunity. No pressure sales there and I don't think anyone on the tour purchased anything. Lunch included a 6 ounce beer or soft drink and any extras could be purchased but no one did. I felt that was because our guides provided cold beers on the bus for $1us and water for 3/$10rmb. Lunch was good and everyone seemed to enjoy it. After lunch our tour was to go to the Summer Palace which is the Summer home of the emperor. It was a large site with a man made lake, gardens, and pavilions. I felt kind of rushed through this tour and realized the guides were trying to make up the lost 20 minutes from the "late 4"..

We were driven to a restaurant that looked like it was an old Beijing supper club. The place was dirty and had a couple of cats running around in it. The food was similar to lunch was was not prepared as well and a lot was left on the table. This was due to the poor quality and the late lunch that we had. The bus took us back to the hotel at 8pm and some wanted to head back into town but I was gassed and decided to call it an evening. I soaked my achy bones in a hot bath and fell asleep twice, so I was told. I had a great sleep but was awake before 5am.

Day 3

Today we had an early start at the Temple of Heaven, a place of worship built entirely of wood and has stood the test of time. The structure was magnificent in all it’s colorful glory. Our next stop was a rickshaw ride billed as “A Beijing Cultural Experience through the Hutongs”. DW just happened to pick the oldest driver and the poor man struggled to keep us up with the group as we‘re not lightweights. We arrived at the home of a cultural ambassador who allowed the group to see how people lived many years and decades ago. There was obviously some modern amenities added but nothing a westerner could live in for any length of time. One of the buildings was quite up to date and was used like a B&B. It housed the French swim team during the 2008 Olympics. When we were leaving the home, a bunch of street vendors came upon us and was hawking their wares. As we got into our rickshaws, one of our mates was offered and purchased a set containing 5 satin handbags, 5 small purses, and 10 sets of chopsticks wrapped in satin sleeves for $50rmb ($10cdn) so we asked for the same deal. When we arrived at the tour the asking price was down to $100rmb from $200rmb. At the end of the tour we had been told to tip the driver $20rmb ($4cdn) per couple but I gave more as he worked up a good sweat compared to some of the younger ones.

We had lunch at a restaurant with a park setting similar to the Summer Palace but much, much smaller in scale. We then proceeded to Tiananmen Square, a large plaza that could hold a million people.. It had some monuments honoring Mao and the people’s revolution. We were told not to take photos of the police and soldiers as well as not ask anyone about the massacre. I found a blue “commie hat” and paid $2us for it. I may of gotten it a little cheaper but it was sunny and so hot I needed some coverage from the sun and the poor guy has to make a living.. We then continued through the plaza to the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is the Emperor’s Palace and as such is a huge area of land with ornate imperial red walls. Commoners are off limits, hence it’s name. The many building were interesting and colorful but not as impressive as I had imagined beforehand. We will be watching the movie “The Last Emperor on the cruise so it may boost my excitement. We had another forgettable dinner at a local restaurant and had made arrangements with the guide to strike out on own afterwards. I don’t think they were too pleased but allowed us to do so. Word got out that we were doing that and others wanted to join us. They tried to talk us out of taking the others but we said we were not going to stop them or be responsible for them. We caught the subway to the WangFuJing shopping area which house all the high fashion boutique brands of the world. We had no interest in seeing that but there’s a street attached to it nickname “snack street” .It had vendors selling skewered scorpions, cockroaches, tarantulas, and other delicacies for deep frying. Amongst all the food stalls were also flea market/night market stalls selling their wares. My sister bought a 24” Terracotta Soldier for her yard for only $100rmb ($20cdn) when the asking price was $600rmb. I ended up getting 90 pairs of satin wrapped chopsticks for my staff for only $75rmb ($15cdn). It’s a cheap price to pay to have happy employees. I was tired and decided to sit by a bench and wait for the group to finish browsing the boutiques. A lady came up and asked if I’d like to join her for a drink and practice her English but I declined. I assume that she was a prostitute as she looked like Za Zhang of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” and “Rush Hour” fame and I look like me. My friends and family had a great laugh out of it but I know it happened. We met up with everyone at the KFC at 9:30 and made the trek back to the hotel by subway. We notified our guide that all were back and accounted for. We had to pack and have our luggage out by our door for 7am for pick up.

Day 4

We went to the Pearl factory this morning for an information session and the opportunity to buy. DW managed to find a couple of sets of pink pearl earrings and a bracelet for souvenirs. She got them all for $200rmb ($40cdn) and was happy with the purchase. From the pearl factory 22 of 32 headed for the airport for a flight to Xian while 10 of us (Vancouver) had later flights. Sinorama arrange a mini bus to take us to see the Olympic birds nest stadium and lunch before catching the later flight to Xian. We were allowed to get off the bus and spend about 45 minutes walking around the plaza and taking photos with the mascot display, views of the Olympic broadcast tower, birds nest stadium, and what we could see of the water cube where Phelps got his 8 gold medals. Sinorama dropped us off at the airport at 2pm for our 6:30 flight. Another sinorama group arrived shortly after but they left on the 4:30 flight. It seems what city you book from determines what flight you get. Our flight was on time and we arrived at our hotel around 10pm after the 1 hour drive from the airport. The 4:30 flight arrived at midnight because they were turned back when approaching Xian because of a wind and sand storm. Our tour mates on the 1:30 flight arrived on time for a fabulous buffet dinner (apparently the best meal to date) and witnessed the sand storm from the restaurant.

Beijing Summary

Our two and a half days in Beijing was action packed and we were all pretty tired at the end of each day after our early starts. Beijing traffic is the worst that I’ve experience in all my travels and it took some time to get to the sites. I enjoyed each of the sites immensely and would recommend visiting Beijing. I could not imagine trying to DIY with transit visiting the sites. Language was an issue but we were fortunate that a member of my group could read Chinese. He couldn’t understand them as the people spoke a different dialect. The Beijing West International Grand Hotel was fantastic and provided one of the best breakfasts we’ve ever had in a hotel. The food provided in Beijing restaurants were mediocre at best and this is basically because of cost. Beijing is a very expensive city and this is the area where Sinorama admittedly skimped on. Despite some whining from the group, no one went hungry. The local guide Emily was outstanding and her command of the English language was excellent. It was obvious that she had traveled the world as she gave related examples to us. She is also well as versed in English antidotes and analogies. The cultural information/shopping sessions were low or no pressure and it was actually informative and broke up the commute times. Some would say that we didn’t get enough time at each site but it was like any ships excursion we’ve ever taken. I think a week in Beijing wouldn’t of been enough but at least I got enough of a taste. Beijing is not the “bicycle city” I had envisioned and is quite modernized with western influences.

Day 5

The Holiday Inn wild Goose Pagoda was also a very good hotel. Wifi was available in the rooms for free. I had connection issues that was quickly solved with a visit from housekeeping. The buffet breakfast was an excellent mix of east and western foods. We had breakfast early and was on the bus by 8am. Our first stop was the Wild Goose Pagoda Park area. The city would only allow new developments to build in the traditional style so the area had a very historic feel though everything but the pagoda was relatively new. This park setting was used by the seniors of the city for their morning routines similar to when we visited the Temple of Heaven. There was line dancing, ballroom dancing, and many variations of Tai Chi. The ride to the Terracotta Soldiers site was a hour away but stops at the Jade Factory and terracotta factory broke up the ride. Jade has always been a valued stone in my family so it was interesting to hear the short presentation given by our tour guide and the host of the factory. I knew I was in shopping trouble when the host mentioned a “Jade Happy Family Ball”. I figured DW would want one and I was correct. It is a sculptured ball with another 2 other sculptured balls within each ball. It symbolizes a happy family unit. The small one didn’t seem like much for $380rmb ($76cdn) and the next size was $980rmb ($190cdn) with 30% off. As I was checking it out the clerk hovered around and offered lower pricing but it was still more than I wanted to pay. With 15 minutes left in the tour, she asked what price I would be comfortable with. I said $500rmb ($100cdn) but she said she couldn’t do it. As I walked away she said she would go ask her manager. We watched her and she indeed got approval so the deal was made. When others realized the 30% was not a fixed amount, the purchases happened quickly.

We left the Jade factory and headed to the Terracotta factory and lacquer exhibition. They made the soldiers with the original clay from the area and same techniques as the original ones that were discovered. When these were struck with the snap of your finger, the sound was more metallic than the one my sister bought at the Beijing night market. I had no intention to buy at the 30% off but again someone in the group purchased one listed at $980rmb for $500rmb. I ended up getting a souvenir for myself and purchased the small set of 9 listed at $380rmb for $200rmb.($40cdn)

We continued on to the Terracotta Soldiers Site and Museum. I was excited to go see this as I had seen a story on TV about them. I was surprised to see this 1975 discovery still in their original pit, though somewhat restored. The Chinese government had built an airplane hanger style building around the original discovery and continue to have archeologists excavate around them. This time consuming activity will not be completed in my lifetime but it will be glorious for the next generation to see. Seeing it now is much more educational as you can see sections of how they were discovered and the painstaking task it took to get the museum to it’s present state. This was definitely worth the cost and extra day of travel. The only other time I felt this way was when I entered the forum in Rome where you could feel the history of the place.

The drive back to Xian took over 2 hours as was raining heavily during rush hour. We were all surprised at how calm our bus driver was considering all the idiots that were cutting in front of him. We realized quickly that the drivers have the right of way and signs and traffic lights are just a suggestion. We had the usual fare for dinner and went back to the hotel to pack and use our free drink coupons in the lounge. Our luggage had to be in the hall by 11pm for shuttle service to the airport.

Day 6

We had to get up at 5:30am to get ready for our Air China flight to Wushan and bus ride to Jing Zhou to catch our cruise. Our luggage was brought to the airport in the evening for a group check-in. when we arrived at the airport the local guide already had our seat assignments and we just needed to clear security with our carry-on. Our flight was at 10:30 and we at Wushan, the home city of Jeffrey our guide by noon. We went to a Tibetan Chinese restaurant for lunch and it housed a “Sakyamuni Buddha” of significance. It was another 3 hour journey to Jing Zhou with a 10 minute “pit stop” in between. Everyone got off the bus at the pit stop and purchased necessities like beer, soda, chocolate bars, ice cream, and chips. This was our the groups first chance to get some western junk food. Once we arrived at Jing Zhou we were taken to a restaurant for dinner. Dinner was much the same except Jeffrey surprised me with a birthday cake and long life noodles as he knew it was my birthday. I was embarrassed by the birthday song and having to wear a paper crown but it was all in good fun. The cake and noodles were the best part of dinner so it was a bonus. Some of the group snuck off to look for some food as they were tired of the Chinese fare. They came back with egg tarts and Pepsi to take onboard the ship. When we got to the ship there was a store on the dock that sold Chinese wine, beer, water, soda, etc. Beer was $8-$10rmb per can and Pepsi was $10rmb per bottle. Jeffrey said to put them in our carry-on and not put him in a bad position if the products were found. EVERYONE got their stash onboard without issue. We received the ship’s orientation at 8pm and called it a night shortly after. The last few buses from other Sinorama groups had still not arrived so they will receive their orientation tomorrow afternoon. We stay in Jing Zhou overnight with a free excursion in the morning before setting sail at noon. It is my guess that they do this overnight stay because airline schedules are unpredictable and inconsistent.

Day 7

We had a wonderful sleep on a very firm bed and got up later than we wanted and missed the Tai Chi exercise and demonstration. We met our table for breakfast at 7:30 and then prepared for our excursion at 8:15. Jeffrey wanted us early so that we may be the first group to arrive at the site and not feel rushed or crowded. The museum housed what they call a “human mummy” of the former governor from the year 168BC which was preserved with a poison substance. The mummy still had what looked like skin and it was a bit creepy for me. DW has a rule about no photos of mummies, crypts, coffins, or tombs so no photos were taken. I did take photos of some of the artifacts found in the tomb.

The building also contained the “Gallery of Ancient Chinese Lacquerware & Wooden Artifacts”. as well as the “Gallery of Ancient Silk Fabrics and Embroidery”. It was interesting as far as museums go. After the tour we were given 30 minutes to wander the grounds or visit the market across the street for more libations. Many took the opportunity to buy more beverages. Jeffrey had suggested that this was the last place we should buy beverages as the small river villages may be selling fakes. Jing Zhou was the last city before the end of the cruise. Beers were only $5rmb each and Pepsi colas were $3rmb. We purchased 4 Pepsi and a Coke for $15rmb ($3cdn) for our cruise.

After the visit to the museum we stopped off at the east city gate and park. We climbed the 9 story pagoda, strolled through the park. And walked along the moat wall. It was a pleasant excursion and we were back on the boat shortly before noon. We set sail just before lunch and the launch was so smooth we did notice till we looked out our balcony and realized there was no building in front of our balcony. Lunch was an Asian Buffet and met the needs of our group. I spent the afternoon journaling as the last few days have been hectic and I fell behind after the first 2 nights. Reviewing my photos while journaling brought a smile to my face as the days start blending together in ones mind. It was very relaxing but I did miss the acupuncture lecture and the eastern massage lecture. At 5:45pm we attended the Captain’s welcome toast. It was an introduction of the officers and department heads. Wine and orange juice was provided for free. After the toast and some dancing we headed for dinner. Dress wa business casual and I did see many with sneakers on with their kakis. It was your typical Asian buffet with the addition of roast pork at the carving station. All meals on the ship are buffets unless you want to pay $60us for a western dinner in the 6th floor VIP dining room. That dinner had to be booked by noon the previous day and included free WiFi from the time of booking till the dinner. I don’t know of anyone from our bus group doing that yet. After dinner we went up to the 5th floor bar to see the evenings entertainment. We were early so we went outside to sit on deck in the dark. We saw 2 sets of firework displays in the distance which generally signals a wedding of some wealthy Chinese. We also saw a couple of bats flying erratically in the air headed towards land. The show was about to begin so we headed inside. The theme of the show was to show the culture of the people who live along the shores of the 3 gorges. It was well done and I was surprised that the performers consisted of bar, dining, and housekeeping staff and not paid entertainers. The show ended at 9:45 and we decided to call it an evening. We had pre-booked an optional tour to the “Water Village” for 8:30 tomorrow at the cost of $290rmb ($58cdn) each. We are also schedule to pass through the first canal lock at approximately 7am.

Day 8

We peeked out our balcony at 6:30am and realized we had entered the first lock of the day. The rear gate closed at 6:45 and we waited for the lock to fill with water. The fill rate was 1 foot every 10 seconds and it was not long before the water level reached the mark. Once the water level was correct, the front gate opened and we were on our way to the “Water Village”. We rushed to the dining room at 7:30 for a quick waffle breakfast. At the breakfast, Jeffrey told us to sneak some bananas out so that we may feed the wild monkeys on our optional Water Village” excursion. The Gold 8 docked next to the Gold 2 which along the wharf. We cut through the Gold 2 on our way to catch the LongJinxi ferry to Water Village”. The ferry ride took about 10 minutes and we were dropped off at the Water Village wharf next to a fleet of sampans. The complex had been rebuilt to original specifications. The village represented what a Tribe of the Three Gorges was like back in the day. The site had period costumed actors performing what village life would have been like. The greenery and setting was spectacular and what I envisioned rural China to be like. We came upon the wild monkeys and they were frantically trying to get the pieces of bananas tossed their way. We bought a couple of bags of peanuts from a vendor to feed the monkeys. They approached us and took it from our hands. We continued along the trail and Jeffrey pointed out a couple of hanging coffins. They were burial coffins that were left on a rock face ledge. In the middle of the site was a stage area where the actors performed a tribal wedding ceremony. Shortly after the performance we headed back to the Gold 8 by ferry. The tour content was a surprise to us and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Back at the ship, we had a quick wipe down before heading for lunch. We finished at 1pm and had a short rest before the 1:45pm tour of the Three Gorges Dam. We got off the ship at 1:45pm and boarded a bus nearby. For the 15 minute ride to the Three Gorges Dam Project site. We spent some time in the presentation building, the summit, viewing the 5 locks, and the dam itself. The site is huge and amongst the largest in the world. We spent just over 2 hours there before heading back to the ship. There was a market along the walk back to the ship and DW purchased 2 mini screens for $80rmb ($16cdn) and 2 coin purses for $20rmb ($4cdn).

Tonight’s dinner buffet had Chinese BBQ ribs and spaghetti which are two of my favorite foods. I probably ate more than my usual dinner so I stay in my cabin to relax while the rest went to the 5th floor for the “Mask Party”. I was told guests were provided with masquerade masks and a performance and dancing went into the evening.

Day 9

I fell asleep early last night so I was ready to go before 7am. I decided to check out the Tai Chi demonstration and there were about 25 ladies taking the class. Apparently there was heavy rain last night and the air was clear and fresh this morning. I went on deck at about 7am to see the famous “Goddess Peak” which was a range of stone which featured one thin column of rock amongst the peak. The column looks like a goddess looking up the mountain. After our breakfast we were to catch a ferry to see the Lesser Three Gorges (narrower 3) as we cruised the two of the Three Gorges yesterday evening, passed the 5 locks and dam project, and continued through the night. The ferry would cruise up Shennv Stream which is a tributary of th Yangtze River. Jeffery told us to head straight to the top deck even though they don’t mention it when boarding. The top deck was an open air deck with a 360 degree view. Jeffery’s group secured all the deck tables but one. The Lesser three Gorges were Spectacular and quite gorgeous. The different shades of green from the water to the shrubbery, and contrasting cliffs were magnificent. We passed under 2 bridges on our way up to the lake where the ferry turns around. We noticed mountain goats, sheep, and a hanging coffin on the steep sides of the gorge. There were many small waterfalls spilling into the gorge as well. Homes along the way had terraced food gardens on the mountainside as well as fish traps in the water on their waterfront property. We were back on the Gold 8 shortly after noon and we proceeded to have lunch. The smoked chicken was delicious so we combined it to make chicken salad and chicken chow mien with hot sauce from the buffet. An announcement came on saying that the optional excursion in the afternoon was cancelled due to poor registration. They said that we would continue on to the next port. The girls were disappointed about the cancellation as they had planned to shop in port while the optional excursion was taking place. I took the opportunity to journal by our balcony. We also hand washed some clothes to hang on the balcony to air dry. We stayed on the balcony until dinner time. The feature tonight was spicy hotpot and it wasn’t very good. After dinner we went to see the talent show. The first act sang an Adele song and she was quite good. It was downhill after that. The acts featured more singers, a skit, a belly dancer, and a short story. I could of done with an couple of extra hours of rest.

Day 10

We started the last day waking up at 6:45 to get ready for our last excursion. We hope to have breakfast and be on the shore at 8:30 for our 30 minute hike into town to visit the Shibaozhai Pagoda. Shibaozhai literally means “Precious Stone Fortress”. We met the group after breakfast at 8:30 to pass the gauntlet of vendors on the path to town. Every piece of ground we passed had a merchant ready to sell us something but we held them off so that we wouldn’t have to carry the purchases. We climbed the steep stairs up the 9 stories to the top. At the 9th story there were narrow steps and a ladder to climb the last 3 to the top. The view of the dock area, farmland, and town was excellent. As we headed back to the ship, the bargaining began. I bought 3 ties ($30rmb), and a set of coasters ($20rmb) while DW picked up 10 change purses ($50rmb) and 3 scarves ($30rmb). The shoppers were enjoying the bargains so much that a ship’s officer had to come to the foot of town and call people back. The original plan was “all aboard” at 11:30 but it was changed to 11:00. We started organizing our suitcases for our last leg in Shanghai. The plan was to leave 4 sets of clean clothes and our toiletries out while packing everything else in the other suitcase. Our hope is to pack and weigh one suitcase to 20kg and not touch it in Shanghai. We stopped to have lunch and watch the movie, “The Last Emperor”. it chronicled the life of the last emperor of China and China’s progression over the last 100 years. Having been in China for 10 days and visiting the Forbidden city made the movie more interesting and informative. Captain’s Farewell dinner was a table service affair instead of the usual buffet. Dinner was a Chinese menu with stuffed potatoes and pizza served family style. They honored the 3 birthday boys again with singing, cake, and a card from the captain. After dinner we went to view the ship’s photographer photos. Amongst the group of us almost all photos he took were also taken by one of us. I did buy one of me feeding the wild monkeys as he took the shot right when the monkey took the banana from my hand. $20rmb ($4cdn) for a 6”x8” photo.

I am reliving my Yangtze River cruise. :) Thanks for posting!

Day 11

We had to get up extra early today as it was a travel day. From the cruise ship to Suzhou. We left the ship at 7:30 for the waiting bus to Chongqing airport. It was a 3 hour bus ride through the countryside. The landscape was different from what we’ve seen so far as all the farms had rice paddies and plantings of corn. We checked in at 10:30 with China Eastern for our 1:00 flight. We passed security with no issues and headed for the departure gate. We noticed a McDonald’s nearby and went in for lunch. DW had a Happy Meal while I had the “Big Mac” meal and we shared an order or 2 chicken wings. The total was $62rmb ($12.40cdn) and tasted exactly like at home. The wings were crispy and spicy and some said “too spicy”. We boarded the plane at 12:30 and soon began our trip to Suzhou. The meal on the plane was inedible as was the meals on the other domestic flights that we took. We landed at Pudding Airport in Shanghai, picked up our luggage and were on the bus by 5:00. It was just in time for rush hour so we didn’t get to our hotel in Suzhou till 8pm. We had what I thought was our tastiest dinner to date but one of the tables felt otherwise and left most of the food uneaten. We went to our rooms which were very good and rested for the early start tomorrow. I hope the site tomorrow is worth the long trek here and back to Shanghai.

Day 12

Today we left at 9am and went to the Liu Gardens which was the estate of a wealthy person in the city of Jinjiang. The estate housed many buildings and rooms of rosewood furniture. The gardens were typical of the period with plenty of koi ponds. An area of special interest was the bonsai gardens. It was filled with an assortment of bonsai. Some were twisted, attached to rock, and sculpted with different types of evergreens. When we were finished with the tour at 11am we headed for “Water Street” and were dropped off to browse through the shops along the canal. Suzhou is full of canals and is nicknamed “Venice of the East”. At noon we went to a local restaurant for lunch. All the dishes were tasty and well presented. There was a dish that everyone thought was beef and green beans but it turned out to be beef and green chilies. I enjoyed the dish but suffered on the 90 minute bus ride to the Bund area. I used my first and last squat toilet at the Bund. The bund is a boardwalk along a river that separates the old Shanghai and the modern Shanghai. The old has buildings in the colonial style and the new has odd shaped skyscrapers similar to those I’ve seen in photos of Dubai. A decision was made at 4pm to go see Nanjing Road which is a large pedestrian shopping area. No vehicles are allowed on Nanjing Road and there were thousands of people browsing the western and high end shops. We preferred to get deals along the alleys of Shanghai. The ladies wanted to get some more silk scarves so we headed back to where we were dropped. I went around the corner and found someone selling hard-shell suitcases. She originally wanted $350rmb ($70cdn) but I just wanted something cheap to make sure I didn’t have overweight luggage as China Eastern allows 2 checked bags on international flights. I couldn’t bring 2 from home as the local domestic flights only allowed 1 at 40lbs. We went back and forth and I settled for $130rmb ($26cdn) for the floor sample. We ran into a couple of the ladies from Toronto and they took us to this shop that sold knockoffs. I would call them counterfeits as the quality and tags were apparently similar to the real things. It was kind of creepy going into an alley and climbing rickety old stairs up to a room with a huge display of LV, Prada, and other expensive brands. We met up with everyone at 6pm and headed to a local restaurant for dinner. Dinner was the usual fare and not quite as good as lunch. We got back to the hotel at 7:30 and waited for our room keys and luggage. The gang went to browse the hotel shops and they happened to have my new suitcase on sale there. She asked what I paid and when I told her, she had a look of surprise. Two of the other couples in our group were going to head out again by subway to a market or the Bund but we decided to rest up for the long final day tomorrow.

Thank you so much for your detailed review of this trip, we are going on the 28/5 and this has really helped as there was not much out there on Sinorama. Is there anything that you left off your list and how were the toilets?

Thank you so much for your detailed review of this trip, we are going on the 28/5 and this has really helped as there was not much out there on Sinorama. Is there anything that you left off your list and how were the toilets?

The weather was warm on most days and a had some warm weather clothes that I didn't need. Even on the 2 days of rain it was warm. I didn't use the rain gear at all and carried a small umbrella if there was threat of rain. Our guide Jeffrey changed the itinerary in Shanghai so that we did the indoor sites on the day of potential rain. Those that weren't prepared could purchase umbrellas from the hawkers for $10rmb ($2cdn).

We arrived late to the hotels on some nights and those that were hungry really didn't have/want anywhere to go. Friends brought a couple of ramen bowls and cup-o-soups a each room has an electric kettle.

Those water flavors I brought were MIO electrolytes which I added to the bottled water. It helped me on the really hot muggy (30º+) days. I ended up supplying some of the more elderly group members.

I suggest you try to use the sit-down toilets whenever available, even if you do not have a need. the tour guides know places that have them but they are limited to 1 or 2 stalls in the public washrooms. Look for handicapped washrooms as they are all sit down. Airports, tour restaurants, rest stops, and guide recommended locations will have limited sit-downs. There tends to be line-ups as all the tour guides inform their guests. I had to use a squat toilet once as "nature screamed" and all sit downs were occupied. Thank god I had loose shorts on or it would of been difficult. DW seemed to wear skirts or summer dresses all the time. We always carried a toilet kit which DW made up. It contained seat liners, toilet paper, latex glove, & air freshener. You can get the seat liners in 5 packs usually in the "trial size" section in US Walmarts. She had them in a pouch/purse that you can wear around the neck. You cannot count on stalls having hooks or TP available. Some public toilets have TP available in a general area before entering the stall. You don't want to be caught empty handed as you will go to the back of the line when you realize it. There are NO TOILETS on any of the tour buses that were used.

In hindsight, I would suggest bringing a strip of elastic fabric that DW could of used to tie loose clothing up in case she had to use a squat toilet. She did an excellent job of managing her "pit stops" and I don't think she had to use even one.

The $1000rmb ($200cdn) was more than enough for me but DW used up what was remaining as I charged our excursion and jade store purchase. I didn't use any of the US money that I brought. I would not recommend bringing any bills larger than $20 as that'll get you around $120rmb. The hotel and cruise ship likes "crisp bills".

You will need more if you're aomeone that are looking for knockoff hand bags or watches, they average $150-$200rmb each depending on how many you buy. We didn't but many of the ladies in our group did. Don't go looking on your own and always in a group or have DH go with you. They hawkers show photos to you on the street and then take you to some room for some "high pressured" sales. Know what the real stuff looks like as quality apparantly varies.

Great review! Love it.

About the counterfeit or maybe genuine brand name products, they are mentioned in the novel I am reading right now. It seems some of them are genuine when the factory produced more than were ordered by Prada or whoever. It also seems to be illegal to sell them, therefore the hidden show rooms.

Qiu Xiaolong, A Loyal Character Dancer