Sinorama Gold 8 Yangtze River cruise & Imperial China Tour

[lamchops]

Day 13

We started our last day with a visit to the Shanghai Silk factory. It was very interesting to see how silk is made and what it takes to turn it into fabric or quilts. Some members bought quilts to take home. I think they were $500rmb (queen size) and up depending on the weight that you wanted. The price included vacuum packing them so that they will fit your carry-on or luggage. We passed on any purchases. At 10am we headed to the Shanghai Museum which had 4 floors of relics and artifacts. Multiple galleries housed coins, calligraphy, bronze, ceramics, jade, amongst others. 10 members of our tour had left the museum tour to go shopping for knockoff handbags. We didn’t notice till we reached the bus for our lunch destination. They signed waivers allowing them to be responsible for their own safety and transportation. Lunch was served at a Mongolian Grill restaurant where you gather up the ingredients and the cook stir fries it for you on top of a flat drum. Fill up the bowl as high as you can as it cooks down to about 40%. You could always line up for seconds but I didn’t want to wait till the lines thinned out. The restaurant happens to be in a building that housed a handmade silk carpet factory and handmade silk embroidery store. You were welcome to visit one or both and purchases were welcomed. After lunch they took us to a large bazaar market where the ladies “shopped their brains out”. It was going to be their final opportunity and they had Yuan’s burning a hole in their purses. :) The guys did some quick browsing and some went to the tea house (meeting place) or cafes nearby. I would have browsed more had it not been raining. We met up with the DIY gang for dinner at a hotel restaurant. It was one of the better meals that we’ve had and a good way to finish the trip. We went to the 7:30 performance of the Shanghai acrobats at the Ritz Carlton as our final excursion of the trip. We returned to the hotel at 9:45 to pack and prepare for our flight home. We are on the earliest flight of the groups and have to be on the bus by 9am.

Day 14

Our “body clocks” had us awake before 6am and we headed for breakfast shortly after 7am. We had another good breakfast and said our goodbyes to others from our bus group who were taking later flights. Our group of 8 put in $100rmb ($20cdn) each for our tour guide Jeffrey. We know tips are included but this guy went way beyond what a tour guide does in our opinion. He bought birthday cakes out of his own money, made sure the vegetarians had enough or ordered more, and was an aide to the elderly couple of the group. He saw us off at 9am and we went to the airport with our local guide Sydney. We got to the airport shortly after 10am to check in. The line was long and it took almost an hour to get checked in. 4 of the 10 decided that they were going to ride the high speed Maglev (magnetic levitation) train to Suzhou. It reaches a speed of 400km an hour and will reach Suzhou in 7 minute 20 seconds. The 6 of us remained as we were concerned about turnaround time at the station, security clearance time, and duty free shopping. They met up with us at the boarding area at 12:30 so time was not an issue after all. We didn’t save much on the scotch but they were 1 liter bottles. We don’t smoke but I noticed Chinese made Marlboro and Lucky Strike cigarettes were about $21rmb ($4.25cdn/$3.50us) a carton which is less than the cost of a pack in North America. The flight to YVR was just over 10 hours and passed by quicker than I imagined. We left Shanghai at 1:30pm on Saturday afternoon and arrived in Vancouver at 9:30am on Saturday morning.

[lamchops]

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

 

They referred to them as "original copies" but I doubt that you can get a genuine $1000us Louis Vutton for $30us. The 10 that went out on their own got the address (from our local guide) of a 4 story building that houses knockoffs in every room. The prices there were apparently 10-20% less than the Nanjing Road small rooms because of the close competition. One of the guys bought a Rolex copy and seemed really happy with it. He said the good copies will have a similiar lifespan of a Timex.

Edited May 17, 2015 by lamchops

[lamchops]

Sinorama Gold 8 cruise summary

The ship has a capacity of 350 passengers with 150 staff. Our sailing only had 220 passengers which were all foreigners and no local Chinese. I would say that the average age was 65 with some as young as 30 and as old as 75. Our group which was the TravelZoo discount group and averaged about 60 years in age. Our group consisted of 10 from Vancouver, 4 from the USA, and the remaining 18 from eastern Canada. The only thing that irritated me was the fact that we would occasionally dock side by side in tandem with another Sinorama boat. This was only an issue if the other Sinorama boat was against our balcony. This took away any privacy and the "locals ship" allowed smoking on their balconies.

The dining room and bar staffs were all friendly and wanting to help. Reception staff was good and housekeeping was efficient but not like an ocean cruise line with multiple room visits.

Food is subjective but no one went hungry. All 3 meals were Asian & Western buffet combos and were only offered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There was no other food available and you could not take food out of the MDR though I’m sure some succeeded. You can bring back all the munchies you need from your shore excursions. Coffee was only available at Tai Chi and breakfast. Chinese tea, soda, and water were free at all meals. There is an electric kettle in each cabin if you wish to bring your favorite tea or coffee. Dress code was very casual at all meals because of the buffet dinning. Shorts and jeans could be seen at all meals. You could always pre-book a western meal in the VIP lounge if you so desire but looking at the photos led me to believe Sinorama cooks just don’t do western cuisine well. (certainly not well enough for $288rmb ($58cdn/$48us) a person)

A beer package was available for purchase but I didn’t check the price. If you purchased 10x16oz bottles you received 14 bottles, Wine started at $200rmb and you got a free bottle of Chinese cabernet with a purchase of 4 bottles. Chinese red wine is probably about a 2 on the sweetness scale and is definitely not dry.

The cabins were large and all had balconies. Washrooms are 50% larger than ocean cruise ships and shower is twice as big. The room had a proper desk, chair/ottoman, and the bathroom had your usual amenities as well as tooth brushes, combs, and shower caps. All rooms had robes and slippers as well. (typical of all Asian hotels) The beds were ready firm and maybe harder than most are accustomed to. All rooms had outlets that could accept standard 2 prong plugs as well as China/Australia plugs. You would need a converter if your appliances are not dual voltage. All computer, phone, and camera chargers work without a converter. You may need an adapter for 3 pronged products as the outlets won’t accept the 3rd ground prong.

The public areas are beginning to start showing some wear. There is a 75 seat movie theater, a large bar/club for the nightly entertainment, and a small 5 piece gym/workout area. There is a pay for use swimming pool as well as Spa and medical facilities. Unlike an ocean cruise, there are no planned sea days and the excursions will tucker you out. We just relaxed and read or hung out on the balcony or public areas. There was as much or as little conversation as you wanted. It seemed each bus group was pretty tight and enjoyed each others company.

Cruiser rating: Very Good

Rating Summary

4 Dining

3 Public Rooms

5 Cabin

3 Entertainment & Enrichment

4 Excursions

5 Value for Money

4 Service

Flight summaries

The China Eastern A330 was one of the newest planes that we’ve been on and while the flight was bumpy we were well fed and taken care of. The flight to Shanghai and then to Beijing made for a long day as Sinorama could of flown us from Vancouver direct to Beijing on Air Canada like our Toronto counterparts. I’m sure this was a cost issue but would have like the option.

The domestic flights were in older planes and did not have the entertainment amenities of the international flights. The food on the domestic flights were not suited for westerners and I felt most were inedible.

Air rating: Average+

Rating Summary

2 Dining

3 Cabin

4 Entertainment

4 Value for Money

3 Service

Overall Tour summary

I can’t emphasize how good and caring our tour guide Jeffery was. At times he may not be the easiest to understand but he always had the groups well being in mind. He would read us “the company line” then nudge, nudge, wink, wink, he would lead us to the real answer. Alcohol? No problem, just don’t let him see it! Lousy excursion? Very “soft sell” and we got the hint! Call home to North America? Use his personal cell phone for $2rmb (40 cents) a minute. When all the different groups were onboard the ship, he would get us off on the excursions first and put us in a situation were our group always had the best vantage points. He made sure we had western toilets whenever possible which was 95% of the time.

Our local guide in Beijing, Emily was outstanding and as good as you can get in a tour guide. She made the longer bus ride quick and bearable.

Our local guide in Xian, Michael was full of energy and a bit mischievous. His knowledge and pride of the city of Xian and the Terracotta soldiers was great. He put a lot of personality and passion in the deliverance of his stories and information.

Our local guide in Shanghai was Sidney and he lives in Suzhou. His knowledge of Shanghai history and western influences on Shanghai was outstanding. He has lived in the area all his life and would adapt the tour to suit bus. He was always telling jokes and would sing for us daily.

While the food was not ‘ocean cruise quality” this tour met and exceed all my expectations. The hotel and ship’s breakfasts were the best meals of the day. After reading the reviews I had low expectations for the food yet I did not lose any weight like I had hoped. I would not hesitate to take Sinorama again for another Asian itinerary. Their regular price is a bargain compared to others but their TravelZoo deals are a steal. I’m usually a DIY person but I know my limitations. I don’t believe I could see as much, learn as much, on my own in China as I’m not yet retired. There were 3 domestic China flights included in the tour cost. This was a stress free way of seeing China, and China is as different as anywhere I’ve been. If you think you can DIY, go for it as you’ve got more nerve than me. China is modern yet third world, it’s friendly yet rude, it’s clean yet dirty, but it’s an amazing place to visit. If you’re a cruiser who books for itinerary rather than ship, this tour is for you. If western food and ingredients are an important component of your vacation, I don’t think you would be happy. I would have preferred less shopping but it was informative and DW enjoyed it. There are always pros and cons to an organized tour but I would not hesitate to recommend or use Sinorama again. I remember something someone once said to me, “Europe will always be there but China is changing daily” and it’s best to see it while you can. (I love Europe) I won’t rule out another trip to China as Sinorama apparently does other China and Asia itineraries.

Tour rating: Very Good

Rating Summary

3 Dining

4 Excursion sites

5 Hotel accommodations

5 Tour guides

5 Value for Money

4 Free time

 

I will try to answer any further questions anyone may have.

I apologize for being "lengthy" but there was so little information available on this cruise and tour.

Edited May 17, 2015 by lamchops

[Floridiana]

Sinorama Gold 8 cruise summary

China is modern yet third world, it’s friendly yet rude, it’s clean yet dirty, but it’s an amazing place to visit.

[/b]

 

You are so right! And I think you would enjoy the author I have mentioned. He writes mysteries set in Shanghai.

[therhodes]

lamchops, thank you so much for your incredibly detailed review of this trip. You've provided a lot of great information that will come in handy for anyone else thinking of doing this trip.

 

I'll definitely have to remember to pick up some noodle soups and snacks for the boat!

 

I am now looking forward to this trip more than ever......that said I think I'll have to get myself and traveling companions into better shape over the summer!

 

I look forward to everyone else that is taking this trip to post reviews or at least tidbits that would be worth sharing.

 

Linda.

[Wild Bills]

Thanks for all the good knowledge that you have provided. We are on the Nov 28 Tour.

You are a wonderful writer. Safe journeys in the future.

WB

[nansi]

Thanks so much for this! I've been looking all over trip advisor for reviews of this trip and found very little. Didn't even think to look on CC!

 

Just curious if the hotels that were listed on your itinerary were the actual hotels you stayed in?

 

We're leaving on Sept 29th for this tour and are very excited!

[Ahoy1234]

Thank you again and again, so much more comfortable about this trip now and I will post after we get back. Just have one other question for you. Are they strict with carry on luggage on the internal flights weight wise I am ok but with the measurements my carry on is just slightly bigger than some domestic flights allow, so my question really is do they measure the bags?

[lamchops]

Thank you again and again, so much more comfortable about this trip now and I will post after we get back. Just have one other question for you. Are they strict with carry on luggage on the internal flights weight wise I am ok but with the measurements my carry on is just slightly bigger than some domestic flights allow, so my question really is do they measure the bags?

 

On the domestic flights we did group check-in and our suitcases were at 20kg which was 44lbs with no issues.

They didn't measure the carry-on bags but they better fit the overhead bins. I used a "sports tote that may of exceeded the dimensions if stuffed but it had plenty of room left. (just heavy)

I had to put in my carry-on my backpack, dslr camera, all chargers, lithium batteries, regular batteries, kobo, and net-book so I'm sure it exceeded the weight. If they had checked, I would of moved stuff to my back pack but they didn't. With group check-in, the luggage was checked before we got to the airport and the local guide just handed us our boarding passes.

We were told no batteries, lighters or matches were allowed in checked luggage and if you had batteries in your carry-on, the charger or device should be there to avoid questioning. Their security does a real thorough body check and carry-on scan when going through.

 

China Eastern did check our carry-ons on the Vancouver to Shanghai leg and tagged it with a "cabin approved" strip but not on the flight back.

 

I think the airlines are inconsistent and it depends on who's at the check-in counter. Just hope that you don't get a "keener" working that day.

:)

[lamchops]

Thanks so much for this! I've been looking all over trip advisor for reviews of this trip and found very little. Didn't even think to look on CC!

 

Just curious if the hotels that were listed on your itinerary were the actual hotels you stayed in?

 

We're leaving on Sept 29th for this tour and are very excited!

 

The hotels that were listed on the itinerary from Sinorama were the hotels that we stayed at. They were however different from the hotels listed on their website but they were all 4+ stars and business class hotels.

[lamchops]

lamchops, thank you so much for your incredibly detailed review of this trip. You've provided a lot of great information that will come in handy for anyone else thinking of doing this trip.

 

I'll definitely have to remember to pick up some noodle soups and snacks for the boat!

 

I am now looking forward to this trip more than ever......that said I think I'll have to get myself and traveling companions into better shape over the summer!

 

I look forward to everyone else that is taking this trip to post reviews or at least tidbits that would be worth sharing.

 

Linda.

 

We climbed the Great Wall on a beautiful dry sunny day and some of the sections were steep. I can't imagine how difficult it would be had there been rain or moisture. Make sure your shoes have good rubber treads as only the rebuilt sections have some steps. Most of the time you'd find a tired person resting on the steps with little desire to move for you. Imagine walking up a 45º cobblestone slope on some sections. The ladies in our group that wore "Sketchers" had no problems. My DW says slip-on sketchers are better than laced ones when using the washrooms.

 

Strong legs for walking and climbing with a strong "core" for the washrooms. LOL!

Edited May 19, 2015 by lamchops

[aamum]

Thank you so much for your detailed information! We will be taking the 19 day Sinorama tour in June with our two pre-teen/teenage children and are all VERY excited. I have a couple more questions if you don't mind: 1 - did you get a detailed itinerary at all before you left or are you given that sort of thing day by day through the trip? 2 - you've touched on the carry on weight limits for internal Chinese flights, which appear to be quite a bit less than other (North American etc.) carry on limits, but I can't seem to find anywhere on the big 4 Chinese carrier websites whether they allow a "personal item" in addition to that 1 carry on bag? For example, a purse, camera bag, briefcase, etc. as well as your "carry on". Thank you, in advance, for replying when you're able to.

[lamchops]

1 - did you get a detailed itinerary at all before you left or are you given that sort of thing day by day through the trip?

 

We were given the itinerary when we picked up our package which included the itiinerary, luggage tags, and flight information. There are no seat assignments until you check-in so get there early. We had 8 in our party and we were seated, 2, 2, and 4. The tour guide Jeffery gave us a briefing at the end of each day regarding the next day. They were excellent in adjusting the itinerary based on anticipated crowds, weather, and group needs. There was a total of 6 Sinorama groups on different packages and they adjusted so that the groups were not all at the same site the same time.

 

 

2 - you've touched on the carry on weight limits for internal Chinese flights, which appear to be quite a bit less than other (North American etc.) carry on limits, but I can't seem to find anywhere on the big 4 Chinese carrier websites whether they allow a "personal item" in addition to that 1 carry on bag? For example, a purse, camera bag, briefcase, etc. as well as your "carry on".

 

I started the trip with a carry-on and a backpack for my camera and it was not an issue. I ended up putting everything in the carry on because of ease. DW had a purse as well as a bag with our headphones, surgical masks, and travel pillow rings. If more than one person starts "hacking" on the flight, put on the mask! 2 of the 32 on our bus missed a couple of days because they didn't feel well and you don't want to go to China to sit in your hotel room.

[aamum]

Great! Thanks for the quick reply. We really appreciate your review and info! It's nice to get it from such a recent Sinorama traveller.

[nansi]

For anyone who is traveling on the Sept. 29, 2015 Imperial China 15 Days Tour, I've started a Roll Call on Cruise Critic, under "All River Cruise Roll Calls"

 

We'd love to here from others who may be traveling with us!

 

Nancy

[frankcruisecritic]

lamchops,

Your packing list is quite long.

We are taking that trip but we like to travel light.

Can you tell me how many of your items on your packing list are:

Absolutely necessary:

May be useful:

Not used at all:

Thanks

[lamchops]

lamchops,

Your packing list is quite long.

We are taking that trip but we like to travel light.

Can you tell me how many of your items on your packing list are:

Absolutely necessary:

May be useful:

Not used at all:

Thanks

 

Needed/used I don't think anything listed weighed very much

air freshener (unless you can stand the smell)

toilet paper (you could always take some from the hotel)

alcohol wipes

toilet seat liners

money belts

zip lock bags

daypack

dust/surgical masks

sun glasses

umbrella mini

pkg. dried snacks (you could always try the chinese stuff) chickens feet was available

reading glasses

easy dry synthetics

light wind/rain jacket

sun screen

prescriptions

Paperwork

passports

visas

credit cards x2

cc info & cancellation

tickets

travel insurance

ID copies

map + itinerary

note pad/journal

$200us (10x$20)

$1000rmb ($200cdn) (DW could of uses another $500rmb:D)

plug adapters (just needed the USA 3 prong to China adapter)

Camomile tea

Peach CF tea

MIO water flavoring electrolytes (for hot days and Mao's revenge)

 

 

Not used at all:

travel locks for purse

diaper pins

insect repellent

clip-on repellant for balcony

small flashlight

earplugs

after bite

fleece vest

power bar

thermos

 

May be useful

(you can take your chances without these but if you need it, you may not find it)

cold medicine

pepto bismol

advil

bandaids

imodium quick desolve ;)

benedryll

__________________

 

There was a fear of mosquitos on the river based on some reviews but it did not materialize. Noise levels of the ship did not require ear plugs as some suggested. All hotels provided a flashlight in the room.

 

The weather was very warm so the cold weather layers were not needed. i brought 7 days worth of clothing but could of gotten away with 5 days worth with regular handwashing or rinse.

 

All hotels provided an electric kettle so decaf tea was welcomed. The hotel provided an assortment of tea but they were mainly black and green teas. I don't need the caffene with all the early starts.

 

Almost all of our group took Dukoral before the trip so upsets were not an issue. I have an "iron gut" so I didn't but I couldn't risk the discomfort on a 3 hour bus ride (no washrooms).

 

Everything we brought fit into 2 medium sized luggage and weighed about 17kg going to China. they weighed 20kg each with a full carry-on for the trip back. If I didn't bring what I didn't use I would of saved about 1kg. I thought we packed light enough without risking the unknown.

Edited May 22, 2015 by lamchops

[frankcruisecritic]

Thank you lamchops,

Two other questions if you don't mind.

1- Communication within China and from China to Canada (USA).

Can SKYPE be used in China to communicate with family back home?

Do you need a cell phone in China for local calls in case you get lost, etc.?

Is it best to get a local Chinese Sim card or use your phone from home?

Do the phones from home work in China?

 

2- Immunization

Did you find a need for vaccination? Hepatitis?, Typhoid?

 

Thanks again

[therhodes]

Good questions Frank!

 

I have heard that facebook is not accessible, which has been my fall back communication when Hotmail has not worked. Just wondering if that is the case.

 

Thanks.

[lamchops]

1- Communication within China and from China to Canada (USA).

Can SKYPE be used in China to communicate with family back home?

I assume so but we didn't use it. My friends were using VIBER to communicate back home.

 

Do you need a cell phone in China for local calls in case you get lost, etc.?

The guide gave us his cell number and said to ask a young local to use their cell phone. It will be obvious that you're a tourist. You could always turn on your own phone and eat the charges as if you're lost, the cost won't matter.

 

Is it best to get a local Chinese Sim card or use your phone from home?

It's not worth the hassle. The time difference for us (15hrs) did not make phone calls realistic.

 

Do the phones from home work in China?

DW did facetime DD on her iphone while at the hotel.

We also used the guides phone for $10rmb ($1.65us) for a 10 minute call home on mothers day. We had our phone's data turned off the moment we left home as we didn't want any surprise roaming charges.

 

2- Immunization

Did you find a need for vaccination? Hepatitis?, Typhoid?

We visited our doctor after looking at the travel desease site and she gave us the Hepatitis (Twinrix) vaccine and a tetanus shot. DW also got a prescription for Dukarol (anti-diarrhea) and Cipro (antibiotic) should she get issues in China.

Edited May 24, 2015 by lamchops

[Floridiana]

Of the things listed in 4 weeks of China in May:

 

Needed/used I don't think anything listed weighed very much

air freshener (unless you can stand the smell) - no

toilet paper - no, every hotel has toilet paper, but bring some sheets with you for public toilets

alcohol wipes - yes

toilet seat liners - no, hotel toilets were clean, public toilets were usually in the floor

money belts - no, pickpockets are a rarity in China

zip lock bags - no, what for?

daypack - yes

dust/surgical masks - no

sun glasses - yes

umbrella mini - yes, but didn't need it

pkg. dried snacks - often available and often very good

reading glasses - yes

easy dry synthetics - no, hate them

light wind/rain jacket - yes, needed it once

sun screen - yes, didn't need it, sky was often overcast

prescriptions - yes

Paperwork - yes

passports - yes

visas - are in passport

credit cards x2 - yes

cc info & cancellation - yes

tickets - guides gave us tickets as needed

travel insurance - yes

ID copies - yes

map + itinerary - yes

note pad/journal - no

plug adapters (just needed the USA 3 prong to China adapter) - yes

Camomile tea - no

Peach CF tea - no

MIO water flavoring electrolytes (for hot days and Mao's revenge) - no

 

 

Not used at all:- would not have needed any of this, didn't take it

travel locks for purse

diaper pins

insect repellent

clip-on repellant for balcony

small flashlight

earplugs

after bite

fleece vest

power bar

thermos

 

May be useful

(you can take your chances without these but if you need it, you may not find it)

cold medicine - yes, didn't need it

pepto bismol - no, never take it

advil - I take aspirin

bandaids - yes

imodium quick desolve ;) - yes, didn't need it

benedryll - no

__________________

 

 

Almost all of our group took Dukoral before the trip so upsets were not an issue. - I never take medication just in case

[lamchops]

Floridiana,

 

Dukoral is an oral vaccine and not considered medication.

 

DUKORAL® is intended to help prevent travellers’ diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic E. coli in adults and children 2 years of age and older. It does not treat travellers’ diarrhea once it develops. Not everyone who gets vaccinated will be fully protected; therefore, precautions to avoid contaminated food or water should be taken. Allergic reactions and side effects such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting may occur.

[lamchops]

Good questions Frank!

 

I have heard that facebook is not accessible, which has been my fall back communication when Hotmail has not worked. Just wondering if that is the case.

 

Thanks.

 

The Great Firewall of China blocked my facebook and all google related programs. There was no gmail access or google search.:(

[Floridiana]

The Great Firewall of China blocked my facebook and all google related programs. There was no gmail access or google search.:(

 

Facebook has been blocked for years, maybe forever. Google was blocked recently. We used gmail last year successfully, but the google map of Beijing was not identical to reality, it's offset. I noticed because I was comparing the website of our hotel with google maps and couldn't find the same view.

[sbobsbob]

we are on the 5/27/15 from los angeles