Cruises to Beijing

99 Reviews
Beijing

About Cruising to Beijing

It would take many lifetimes to fully explore and understand Beijing, a vast metropolis of 22 million residents, located in remote northeastern China. Seeing the city while on a cruise to China is an excellent way to see and experience Beijing. The city's history is epic, with human fossil records dating back more than 230,000 years and evidence of cities in the vicinity of modern-day Beijing as early as the first millennium B.C.

So, to make it digestible, let's focus on Beijing now -- the noisy, dense, beating-heart center that has kept China dominating the headlines -- playing host to an iconic revolution, the country's first-ever Olympic games and more delectable Peking ducks than you can shake a chopstick at.

Home to scores of monuments of great cultural or historic merit -- including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven -- Beijing is a must-visit city on any Asia cruise. Plus, maybe you've heard of that big old wall they made a few millennia ago in an attempt to keep invading Mongols at bay. Beijing is also the most convenient jumping-off point for tours to the famous Great Wall of China. As Beijing is often an embarkation or debarkation destination for cruise ships, it's easy to tack on extra time there in order to see and do as much as possible. Or, if you're overnighting there midcruise, as some lines do, by all means book a hotel in Beijing rather than schlepping back to your ship.

For any first-time visitors to East Asia, China -- and Beijing, in particular -- may come off as overcrowded, polluted and dirty, but visitors who can get past Beijing's no-apologies grittiness will find the city has much to offer. From the Old World hutongs (historic neighborhoods), which line the alleyways in a testament to what once was, to the innumerable eateries and great bargain shops and endless seas of people that define what is now, Beijing will surely keep you busy taking it all in.

For Beijing's best weather, visit in September and October, when you'll encounter warm, sunny days with clear skies and cool evenings. Springtime is also a great season to visit, unless you're super unlucky and get stuck in a sandstorm blowing down from the Gobi Desert in the north. Beijing is oppressively cold in winter and predictably hot in summer. Consider avoiding China's major extended public holidays (Chinese New Year in winter, National Day in October and Labor Day in May), as huge swaths of domestic travelers will be moving in all conceivable directions.

Want to get in the mood for your visit? Watch movies like "The Last Emperor" and "Farewell My Concubine," to get a feel for China's history and tumultuous politics.

  • More about Beijing

  • Why Cruise to Beijing?

  • Beijing Cruise Port Facilities?

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Regatta
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Ovation of the Seas
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Seabourn Odyssey
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Serenade of the Seas
Serenade of the Seas

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12n Ultimate China, Japan & South Korea

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44 Night
Jewels Of The China Sea & Kuroshio Route

213 Reviews
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14 Night
Far East Cruise

232 Reviews
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5 Night
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28 Night
World Cruise

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29 Night
World Cruise

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4 Night
Seoul Cruise

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5 Night
Fukuoka & Nagasaki Cruise

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5 Night
Busan & Fukuoka Cruise

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Cruise Critic Favorite

19 Night
Best Of China

402 Reviews
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14 Night
Classic China & The Coast

402 Reviews
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19 Night
Wonders Of China

402 Reviews
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More about Beijing

Why Cruise to Beijing?

Pros:

The newly built cruise terminal is one of the largest and most modern in East Asia

Cons:

Cruise ships dock at Tianjin, 150km from Beijing, with little to see in the immediate vicinity

Bottom Line:

It is far from Beijing, but offers day tours to the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Summer Palace

Beijing Cruise Port Facilities?

The port associated with Beijing is about 105 miles (a two- to three-hour drive, depending on traffic) from the city center. International cruise departures and arrivals use the Tianjin International Cruise Home Port. Despite its name and address, this port is not actually in Tianjin city, which is 45 miles (a 60- to 90-minute drive) away. (South End of Asia Road, Dongjiang Bonded Port, Tianjin, +86 22 2570 5871)

For planning purposes, be aware that you will most likely have to go through customs and immigration clearance when going ashore, much as you would when entering the country at an airport. This process can easily take 30 to 45 minutes or more, depending on the number of passengers, and participants in the ship's shore excursions typically get to go first.

Be sure that you don't get this terminal confused with the Tianjin Xingang Port Passenger Terminal, which is 15 miles away. This terminal is mainly used for domestic ships, but may serve the rare international ship during peak season.

When our ship arrived at Tianjin International Cruise Home Port, the place was a vast ghost town. At 9:30 a.m., nothing was open, not even the tourist information window. The following afternoon, when another ship was embarking passengers, a small convenience store and a shop selling sunglasses plus a few souvenirs were open. The tourist information window was manned, but with limited English spoken -- enough to tell us that the nearby ATM was never functional. On the second floor of the modern structure (built in 2010), we saw a hall lined with closed duty-free shops, blocked off by a metal gate. A ground-floor cafe was also closed both days when we were there. The port is in an isolated area, with nothing else around.

Good to Know?

As a city with more than 20 million people, Beijing can claim a higher population than some countries. What does this mean for you? People, people, everywhere. At all hours of the day and in even the most remote corners of the metropolis, Beijing is teeming with people.

Traffic can gridlock at a moment's notice. You will witness old men hawking great mouthfuls of spit onto the sidewalk. Streets are sometimes littered with discarded packaging. Riding a bus or subway car crammed with so many people that you begin to question the health and safety of the operation is a common event. People will push you out of their way without thinking it's rude. In fact they probably don't even mean to be rude, they're just trying to get by. Don't be afraid to push back. This might all hark back to the days when China was operating under a more oppressive political regime and food and resources were scarce -- people had to fight their way through the crowds to survive then -- and the sentiment may long be ingrained in the psyche of the Beijinger today.

At attractions which are popular with busloads of Chinese coming from the hinterlands -- particularly the Forbidden City and Badaling section of the Great Wall -- you may be of more interest than the scenery, since these folks often have never seen a real, live Westerner. Particularly if you have blond hair, you may be asked to pose for photos or find people wanting to touch your hair. Enjoy your celebrity!

The Chinese government blocks many websites, including Google (and Gmail), Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Dropbox, The New York Times and many more on a constantly changing list. To get around the blockage, you can download a Virtual Private Network (VPN) app before entering China. This essentially makes it seem like you're connecting to the internet from outside China. Be wary of any unsecured internet connection in China; colleagues report that their email accounts have been compromised when online there.

Squat-style toilets are ubiquitous throughout China. If you're in a public restroom that appears to have only squat toilets, look for the handicapped symbol on one door; that will likely be a Western-style toilet.

While individuals will have personal views on the rights and wrongs of fake products, anyone who buys them should be aware of the legal issues. According to Customs Directive No. 2310-011A dated January 24, 2000, "Customs officers shall permit any person arriving in the United States to import one article, which must accompany the person, bearing a counterfeit, confusingly similar or restricted gray market trademark, provided that the article is for personal use and not for sale." The Directive also states that, "Customs officers shall permit the arriving person to retain one article of each type accompanying the person." In other words, you can bring only one watch, one bag, etc., of any sort, provided they are for personal use and not for sale. It is illegal to sell counterfeit goods, and anyone caught bringing back several, or large numbers, of the same items will have them confiscated and could be subjected to a fine.

Be aware of this scam: If you are approached out-of-the-blue by good-looking, English-speaking Chinese women asking you to go drinking with them, do not take their offer as genuine. This is a common ploy where they lure you into a bar and end up sticking you with a ridiculously high bill

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Getting Around?

On Foot: There's plenty of walking when you get to destinations like Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. We don't recommend walking between sights, aside from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, which are adjacent (use the underground passage to cross the busy street dividing them). As a pedestrian, keep an eye out for darting scooters and bikes.

By Bicycle: Flat-as-a-pancake Beijing was made for bicycling. If you can afford the time to rent a bike, you'll be able to experience Beijing in a truly authentic way.

By Bus: City buses are shockingly inexpensive, but, to ride them successfully, you will need to be at least adept in deciphering Chinese pictographs, as most buses do not offer English instruction. We don't recommend tackling this mode of transportation.

By Subway: Beijing is home to the second-longest subway system in the world (bested only by Shanghai). Using the subway is easier than taking a bus; ticket machines have an English menu option, the lines are numbered and color-coded, and the stops and transfer points have Romanized signs for non-Chinese readers. Line 1 will take you to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, while Line 4 can get you to the Summer Palace. With Beijing's traffic situation, you can often travel much more efficiently using the subway system. If you're planning to take several subway rides, buying a pre-loaded subway card (which includes a refundable deposit) will save you time waiting in line. Subway service begins around 5 a.m. but ends fairly early, at around 11 p.m.

By Taxi: Taxis are an affordable option, as well. However, don't expect your taxi driver to know English. Have a guidebook, map or card with your destination written in Chinese that you can show to the driver. Make sure the driver is using the meter, and don't get in a cab whose driver quotes a (usually outrageous) flat price to take you somewhere. There's no need to tip. One thing to note: Taxis are getting scarcer due to the proliferation of a ride service app called Didi, so you may need to have a hotel or restaurant call a cab for you in some instances.

By Car Service: The "Chinese Uber," Didi, co-owned by internet mega-site Alibaba, is great -- if you know Chinese. Still, it may be a helpful app to have if you can get assistance from a local.

Currency & Best Way to Get Money?

China's currency is called the renminbi (RMB), which means "The People's Currency." RMB is legal tender throughout Beijing and mainland China. (Be mindful if you're also cruising to Hong Kong, as it operates on a different currency, the Hong Kong dollar.)

There is an ATM at the port, but it wasn't operational when we visited; workers at a tourism desk there said that was always the case. You can obtain money at ATMs throughout Beijing. Money exchanging services can be found at some hotels, tourist-friendly areas and most banks.

Language?

The official language is Mandarin. While knowing Mandarin (or traveling with a fluent companion) will undoubtedly enhance your experience in Beijing, speaking only English need not preclude you from getting a healthy taste of the city. Any hotelier who makes business of Western travelers will have staff that speak decent English, and there are a great number of restaurants and bars that offer English or picture menus.

Most establishments that cater to travelers have their address in Chinese characters displayed on their website. It's a great idea to print this out in advance if you have a hotel reservation; otherwise, be sure to pick up an address card before leaving your hotel. With a kind smile and a pen in hand, don't be shy to ask hotel staff to write down the name and address of places you'd like to go so you can show a taxi driver. And if you're headed to an address in a hutong, be sure to note the nearest intersection as well. Don't expect any taxi driver or public transportation worker to speak English.

Few Chinese outside of the tourism industry speak English. You'll have a higher -- albeit slim -- chance of successfully striking up a conversation in English with a young person. At the least, they're more likely to have a translation app on their smartphone. Before entering China, you might want to consider downloading the Google Translate app, which includes Word Lens, to translate Chinese characters to English when you snap a photo of them using the app.

To say hello in Mandarin, say ni hao ("nee-how").
Thank you is xie xie ("shyay shyay").
Beer is pijiu ("pee-jo").


Beijing Cruise Reviews
We made our own arrangements in Beijing and decided to take the bullet train into Beijing from Binhai station in Tianjin into the giant station in Beijing. Taxi cost about $45 US to the train station and took about 3Read More
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icsinger08
We didn't go all the way in to Beijing as it is very far. We met with friends and toured around Tianjin which we very much enjoyed. The Ancient Cultural Street in Beijing was especially enjoyable.Read More
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Scottish Sinophile
Beijing, to a Westener can be a big culture shock! Everytthing is built on a grand scale such as the Forbidden City, the National museum and Tiananmen Square.Again, like Shanghai, the Metro is very easy to use with iRead More
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Alex1973
Excellent guide but it seemed like a very long way to go for a reasonably short time - we went to the Old Town in TianjinRead More
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Ricey

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