This was our first time cruising with Viking and the second river cruise. The cruise itself was excellent! It was interesting, scenic, fun, and educational. The ship is stunning with a convenient layout and the service of the entire staff was excellent. There were many activities, including a costume show and a hilarious Crew Show. Loved the food. There was even dancing at night, a real surprise. I was impressed with the top notch organization of the 250 passengers into bus groups with the same guide throughout the 2 week trip.

We never felt lost in the shuffle, and we felt that our guide, Matthew, was very attentive to our health and safety. Matthew was personable, humorous and informative and he was honest with his opinions about modern China. He added several anecdotes about his personal life, all which served to enhance the entire China experience. Embarkation and Disembarkation were very organized, with no lines. Our cabin was very nice, although certainly not 5 star. Sometimes, the AC needed repairs. The land part of the trip was eye opening. The 5 or so flights within China all went without a hitch, with Matthew leading the way. The 3 hotels ( in Shanghai, Xi'an and Beijing) were 5 star and the nicest hotels we ever stay in !!

Only downside: When we went to the Great Wall, I think we used the entrance with the most crowds because it included a tram ride up the mountain. There were so many people, that there was an hour long wait to get down. And speaking of crowds, that might be the only down side to traveling to China. Because of the explosion of the economy in the last years, millions of people have moved up from poverty to the middle class. Just like us, they love to travel! So the hot spots like the Wall and the Forbidden City can be claustrophobic with people. Read more