Reservations 877·97·CRAFT  (877·972·7238)

12-Day ~ China Yangzte River w/ Lily Chin (March 2009)

Viking River Cruises


Start Date:

   

March 20, 2009

   

End Date:

   

March 31, 2009

China Yangzte River w/ Lily Chin (March 2009) ~ Knitting Cruises Description

It is with the greatest of pleasure that I can take this opportunity to share with you highlights of our recent trip to China with Lily Chin. All most participants can say is WOW. This truly was the trip of a lifetime.


Everyone within our group had traveled extensively throughout the world and everyone agreed on one thing - never before had any of us ever had a more delightful experience.


In addition to traveling with the marvelous Lily Chin, the educational program and the private yarn shop trips, Viking River Cruises and our tour guide Leo, were phenomenal. From the very moment we met Leo made it clear to us his objective was to take care of our every possible need. I can not express how much Leo contributed to making our visit to China memorable. Both Leo’s Mother and sister were knitters and he immediately helped us locate yarn stores and even sat in on some of our classes. Leo was knowledgeable, charming, dependable, friendly, humorous, tolerant, and completely organized.


Everyone in our group was amazed at how well Leo was able to communicate with us effectively, concisely, and with just enough humor to demonstrate a clear use of our language without ever having been out of China or having learned from native language instructors.


Viking River Cruises is dedicated to elegance, competence, quality, and commitment to excellence so it is no wonder Viking is considered the premier river cruise company in the world!


China is a knitting and crocheting culture. Hand crafts of all types are everywhere. Yarn was very high quality and inexpensive. In most cases yarn is less than $1 per skein and needles were about the same. Cashmere and Bam Yak were treasured finds. Our last stop was at China Cashmere with their cashmere, silks, bamboo and luxurious blends all at a fraction of the cost at home.


Comments on Trip Highlights:


Arriving a day early to shop for yarn in Shanghai was fantastic. We shipped our purchases to Beijing and it was all very affordable. After our 12 day tour and upon arrival in Beijing we all bought an extra bag for our purchases on the flight home.


The airport taxi rides were cheap, clean and hassle free.


The Grand Hyatt in Pudong was fantastic. It is the tallest hotel in the world. Check-ins and check-outs to the hotels were a snap and the service everywhere was beyond belief.


All of the hotels were amazing with artwork and fresh flower everywhere. This was the best value any of us had ever received on a trip of this quality. All were well located with appointments and amenities beyond belief.


All breakfasts were out of this world. Best bacon and eggs anywhere. The selection was huge and everything was at its peak flavor and freshness. No matter where we were everything was perfect and it was truly an epicurean extravaganza. In spite of the hectic schedules, the travels, the crowds, the traffic, and the bewildering array of circumstances that we were exposed to in China, everything was always simplified by our gracious hosts, Leo or Lily.


The architecture, acrobats, Three Gorges Dam, monkeys and water buffalo, pagodas, pandas, tea gardens, palaces, tombs, the GREAT WALL and the Terra Cotta Warriors were all spectacular!


The ENTIRE experience aboard the CENTURY SUN was more than 5-STAR!!!! The ship was spotless, the cuisine delicious, the presentation elegant, the atmosphere friendly, and, most importantly, the staff was wonderful! They were friendly, efficient, attractive, and courteous. They even remembered our names, even when we didn't wear our name tags! Very impressive! There were so many thoughtful amenities appreciated by all.


The entire river cruise: the 3 gorges, the huge dam, the temples, and, Children's School in JINGZHOU were delightful.


China was eye-poppingly spectacular! It was modern, yet traditional, a mixture of old and new.


The commentary system used by Viking on their narrated portions of the tour were fantastic. It enabled everyone to be a participant in the lectures with full mobility to explore and take pictures.


What impressed us the most was the people. The Chinese people charmed us completely. No matter how crowded the situation became, we never noticed any rudeness or unbecoming behavior. There are more people smiling in China at any given time than anywhere else on earth.


In 2008 we saw China gear up to host one of the most exciting sporting events in the world, the Olympics.  Major improvements were made, beautiful gardens were designed and China became a showcase for the world.  Explore cosmopolitan Shanghai, China’s most cutting-edge, modern city. Cruise the legendary Yangtze between Wuhan and Chongqing through the wildly beautiful Three Gorges and mystical Lesser Gorges. You will also tour the Three Gorges Dam, an engineering marvel changing the face of China.


Visit Xian and stare into the faces of thousands of Terra Cotta Warriors. In Beijing, explore historic imperial treasures like The Forbidden City, Great Wall and famed Summer Palace, and walk through Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public venue. Distinctive hotel stays and our Viking Century Sky round out an amazing trip.


Post-Extension: Hong Kong & Guilin Enjoy a 1-night stay in mystical Guilin plus 2 full days and 3 nights in bustling Hong Kong on this fully escorted post-cruisetour package available after Shanghai. From the shopper’s paradise of Hong Kong to the artistic landscapes of Guilin’s Li River, you will have time to explore the landmark sights.