My husband and I had always dreamed of a trip to China, and since we’d already experienced river cruising with Viking in Europe, it was a simple decision to choose the Imperial Jewels of China trip last September.

This trip commences in Shanghai, and wends its way down the Yangtze River through the interior of China, visiting all the places that visitors could want, finally coming to an end in Beijing.

We spent a few days in Shanghai on our own before the cruise commenced, to get a feel for the place. Shanghai is such a vibrant and exciting place ! English is spoken everywhere, and all signage is also bilingual so it is a very easy thing to spend time there alone. By the time we joined our Viking friends, we felt like natives !

The Shanghai hotel was the Shangri-la, a beautiful 5 star hotel which really blew us away.  It is so close to everything, right in the middle of the CBD, with views to die for. They really looked after us there !

Once we joined up with the Viking cruise, we were totally  looked after , every inch of the way. Nothing was ever too much trouble and we felt that we were treated like kings. After two fascinating days  of being shown around Shanghai by our Viking guide , we flew to Wuhan where we joined the Viking Emerald.  A Chinese dragon welcomed us on board this lovely ship, and that set the tone for the rest of the journey!

Viking Emerald was a beautiful 5-decked ship, with every luxury you could wish for. We were on the middle deck, and our cabin was beautiful. From the balcony with floor-to-ceiling glass doors, to the well appointed bathroom, and the big-screen TV,  and comfortable lounge chairs, everything you could want was there.

The ship also boasts a huge and luxurious dining room, so well staffed that you never wait for anything. The staff were so lovely, we got to know them personally, and nothing was too much trouble for them. The food was great – always with choices of local Chinese meals and Western food to suit every palate.

There was a hairdresser and a masseuse on board – my husband used the masseuse several times and was always “walking on air ” afterwards. I had my hair done once – and the lady spent half an hour massaging my head and neck as a bonus service. Lovely ! And the prices were so cheap, you could afford to have as many treatments as you liked.

One thing we really enjoyed was the talks given by our tour director, Jin . He explained many aspects of Chinese life , from the politics to family life. We all enjoyed those talks, and came away feeling that we understood a lot about the culture and life of China. There were Tai Chi exercises every morning on the top deck, and simple Chinese  language classes every day. Several experts came to speak to us about the arts and culture of China – there was never a dull moment !

Cruising was wonderful on the “Emerald” .  We enjoyed beautiful views as we sailed along, and most days we would stop and go to see some of the many places that we’d been dreaming of.  The Terracotta Warriors, the Chongqing  Panda Zoo, the Three Gorges Dam were all wonderful experiences ! We always had plenty of time to see everything, and our guide Matthew was a great fund of knowledge and good humour.

Every evening on the cruise, there was some kind of entertainment – a couple of times the staff all dressed up in traditional costumes and did many dances and songs. It was great to see ‘our” staff and to see how talented they all were.   We also went out for a couple of shows – once to the Shanghai Acrobatic Troupe, who were incredibly talented and skilled !  We also went for Peking Duck and the Chinese Opera –  this was an acquired taste I must say ! But an enjoyable experience.  These two outings were the only “extra expense”  experiences during the trip , and I thought they were well worth the little extra cost.

We made some new friends on board – free seating at meals meant that you could sit with anyone at all. We soon became pally with a group of Americans and they have become enduring friends since we came home.  Because Viking Cruises are not large – only 240 passengers – it is quite easy to get to know a few faces and names, and we all had a really friendly and happy time on board.

The cruise ended far too soon ! We ended up in Beijing , and spent time at Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace.   A bus took us on a day trip to  the Great Wall and the Ming Tombs . Although China has 1-3 billion people, we never felt crowded or uncomfortable. Everything is huge and there is plenty of room for everyone. We also found that the Chinese people are very polite and friendly  – many wanted to talk to us and to take our pictures with them ! It was a wonderful experience.

I would highly recommend a China trip with Viking ! We love the Viking ships and wouldn’t travel any other way now. its great to unpack once ….you are in a 5 star hotel which travels with you. You can do as little or as much as you like .  You see and experience an enormous amount in the time , because Viking plans everything so well.   One example of this – when we went to the panda zoo, it was China’s National Day, and thousands of people were expected to be at the zoo. Viking organised for us to go there before the gates officially opened, and the panda keepers brought the pandas out for us to meet.  Things like this, make Viking the best  !

If you are thinking of visiting China, I can’t think of a better way to do it, than to go by Viking. Enjoy !