Viking Emerald Review
Rating by category
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I do not have enough good things to say about our recent trip to China. Run by Viking River Cruises, it included 8 days on land and a 6 day cruise on the Yangtze. Everything went like clockwork, including three intra-country flights. Everything was included, so there were no decisions to make about how much to spend on land excursions. Everyone on the ship does the same thing at the same time, making things run even more smoothly than on a large cruise ship. There were two optional experiences: The Peking Opera in Beijing and a Tang Dynasty show in Xi'an. Both included dinner. We did both and felt they were very worthwhile.
During the land portion, the hotels were uniformly excellent. Two Ritz Carltons (real luxury) and a Westin.
Embarkation and disembarkation were very smooth. With only 250 passengers, there is not the cattle drive of a much larger ship.
Cabin Review
The stateroom was fine. Comfortable bed, large enough bath, good shower, lots of shelf space, a few drawers, two closets, desk, small table, small sofa. Good lighting. Balcony was adequate, with two chairs. Our was located on deck 3 with reception and dining on deck 2. We were only one cabin away from the central atrium, so we could get anywhere quickly.