The earlier reviews of this cruise were spot on: the Viking itinerary is well-organized and operated; the accommodations are very comfortable; the trip is exhilarating but strenuous. Unlike many such tours in Europe and elsewhere, the age profile is not entirely over fifty. My thirty-ish son had compeers to socialize with. As one would expect on such an itinerary, most folks were well-traveled and reasonably fit. This is definitely not a tour for one with physical challenges. July is HOT and HUMID in China and travelers should be prepared for this. Bring sun screen! Viking will keep you adequately hydrated.

We did the Beijing-Shanghai version of Imperial Treasures, which we think is the better of the two options. It affords an extra day in Beijing, during which one might recover from the long flight to China or explore on one's own. Viking makes suggestions on how to spend the day; we chose to go to the Beijing zoo and the Lama Temple. Viking recommends that one take cabs but we used the subway. Apart from the fifteen-minute walk to the station closest to the Ritz Carlton, the subway was very easy to use. While crowded, the cars are amply air-conditioned and both the stations and the train's progress from station to station are well marked. At 2 RMB a ride, it is a bargain. In the evening, we followed readers' suggestions and dined at Black Sesame Kitchen and had a fabulous time. It is located in a Hutong that is far nicer than the one traversed on the later rickshaw ride. The food and the company were a delight and locating the restaurant (following the excellent map they send you) was an adventure.

The first day saw a tour of Tienanmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. The first is just a big square and not much interesting. The second was very crowded and we had the sense that the guide was rushing us through, discouraging us from looking here and there on the grounds that there was nothing to see. On the other hand, the so-called summer palace, while in a pleasant setting, really did not have much to see. Since it was a hot, hot day, the lake was really not that refreshing. So on day one, I would have liked more time in the Forbidden City and less or none at the Summer Palace. Perhaps the Temple of Heaven would be a better choice. That evening afforded the option of visiting the Beijing Opera; we were somewhat disappointed with the experience -- a lot of pantomime with not much action. Read more