Chongqing to Yichang: 3-Night Luxury CENTURY GLORY Yangtze River Cruise Tour

Silence on the Yangtze feels unreal. On this Century Glory cruise from Chongqing to Yichang, you get a modern, high-comfort ship with 24-hour onboard WiFi and a big sunshine deck for river time.

I like the ship’s calm feel, plus the double-deck global restaurant that keeps meals simple and convenient while you’re cruising. I also appreciate the service style, including staff members like Dandan, who helped one family feel genuinely looked after.

One consideration: some of the most famous stops are optional and cost extra, including Fengdu Ghost City and White Emperor City. You’ll also pay a service charge of 200 RMB per person at boarding.

Key things I’d plan around

• A newer luxury ship with comfort-focused design, full WiFi access onboard, and lots of outdoor deck space
• Small group feel (max 15 travelers) even though the ship can carry up to 650 people
• Included shoreline time at Shibaozhai Pagoda, Shennv Stream, and the Three Gorges Dam site
• Morning optional choices for Fengdu Ghost City and White Emperor City, depending on your interests
• Built-in onboard programming like welcome events, cultural activities, and a night show

Century Glory in plain terms: luxury comfort on the Yangtze

Century Glory is a newer Yangtze ship, first sailing in Sept 2019. It’s a big vessel by river standards, with a capacity for 650 people, but your tour itself is kept to a maximum of 15 people, so the day-to-day feels more manageable than on mega-group cruises.

What stands out in a practical way is the comfort pitch. The ship is marketed around full silence, zero paint, and super comfort, which matters because Yangtze cruising means you spend hours on board. You’re not just passing through, you’re living at boat pace for four days.

I also like the onboard layout concept. There’s a double-deck global restaurant, which helps keep meal times smooth when you’re moving between shore excursions. And there’s an outdoor 1,000-square-meter sunshine deck, giving you real space to step out, watch the river, and reset between activities.

Then there’s the tech side. Internet and WiFi are available onboard with 24 hours access. On a cruise like this, that’s not a luxury add-on, it’s how you handle messaging, maps, and keeping your own schedule straight when shore trips start early.

Cabins and what “deluxe” usually means here

Your booking includes a bed in a deluxe standard cabin on the second floor. If you want to use a cabin solo, you can do it, but there’s a single room supplement because cabins are typically arranged for two berthes.

One useful detail from real experience: a family room example came with a spacious balcony and a bathroom with a huge shower, plus everything you’d expect in a modern cabin. If you care about comfort, this ship’s “luxury” reputation seems to come from tangible choices, not just marketing language.

Chongqing Chaotianmen boarding night: timing you should respect

Boarding starts in Chongqing at Chaotianmen Dock, with a window from 19:00 to 21:00. There’s a safety briefing after you board, and the ship typically departs around 21:30.

This is one of those nights where being late can mess with the entire flow. If you have any control over your arrival timing, aim to be at the dock with breathing room. The tour also notes pickup is available, and the meeting point is near public transportation, so you do have options to get there.

You’ll also have a captain’s welcome reception after departure, and one key detail to know upfront: dinner at the reception is not included. Your included dinners kick in elsewhere during the cruise, so don’t plan on this first event replacing a proper meal.

What to do once you’re on board

Because the ship leaves fairly late, your first hours are mostly about settling in, checking your cabin, and getting your bearings on the decks. The good news is that once you’re moving, the river pace takes over quickly. With WiFi on board, you can do the normal travel admin while everyone else is still figuring out how to use the ship schedule.

Day 2: Fengdu Ghost City choice, then Shibaozhai Pagoda on the Yangtze

Day 2 is built around a fork in the road, morning first, shore excursion second.

Morning option: Tai Chi and the Fengdu Ghost City window

In the morning, you’ll have Tai Chi available. After breakfast, you can choose an optional shore trip to Fengdu Ghost City, scheduled from 08:00 to 10:30. Admission is not included for this optional outing.

Fengdu is known as the Ghost City, tied to Buddhist and Taoist temple clusters and lots of ghost-culture legends. The ship’s timing gives you just enough room to see a chunk without eating the entire day. If that theme sounds fun and you like historical legends mixed with scenic river-country towns, this is likely the morning you’ll want.

If you’d rather not pay extra here, you can stay onboard for activities after breakfast. That’s a real value choice on a cruise: not everyone wants to chase every famous name.

Afternoon: Shibaozhai Pagoda, included and very scenic

In the afternoon, you’ll go to a shore excursion at 15:00 for Shibaozhai Pagoda. This one is included, and admission is free.

The setting is dramatic. The pagoda is built against the side of a sheer rectangular cliff, with architecture and surroundings that make it feel like a building from a storybook. Even if you’re not the type who plans temple photos, this stop has visual payoff. It’s one of the clearer “easy win” inclusions because you don’t have to decide at the last minute.

What to watch for on a timing-heavy day

This is the kind of schedule where you want to be ready to move when the ship says move. The excursion starts in mid-afternoon, and after you’re back onboard, you’ll have a decent amount of evening time. Still, keep your “on deck” time flexible so you don’t miss the return window.

Day 3: Baidi City option, then Shennv Stream with included admission

Day 3 continues the pattern of morning optional exploration followed by an included afternoon excursion.

Morning: White Emperor City optional tour

From 08:00 to 10:30, you can pick an optional tour to White Emperor City in Fengjie. This stop is not included, and admission isn’t included either.

White Emperor City is in the eastern part of Fengjie, sometimes called Poem City. The area sits on top of Baidi Hill and is filled with temples and gates. If you’re into literary place names, temple-town wandering, or you just want a smaller, more walkable feel than a big museum-heavy day, this can be a good choice.

If you don’t want another optional admission on top of everything else, onboard activities are the backup plan, and you won’t feel like you missed the whole day.

Afternoon: Shennv Stream, included and admission included

At 14:00 to 16:30, you’ll head out to Shennv Stream, also called Beauty Stream because of the rushing water, shallow and narrow sections, and a reputation for beauty along the 15 kilometers.

What I like about this stop is that it’s not just a view point. The stream includes untraversed primitive valley sections, and after water storage phases, you can explore a secret deep stream canyon and see scenery plus local resident surprises. The tour notes that admission is included here, which matters because the cost advantage is real on cruise days where optional tickets can add up.

Even if you’re not a hard-core nature person, this is a good pairing with the more cultural-feeling morning option. It keeps the cruise from turning into only one kind of sightseeing.

Back onboard: letting the river take over

After an afternoon on the water or near it, you’ll usually want downtime. With WiFi on board and lots of deck space, you can switch to a slower pace: check photos, plan for the dam day, and enjoy the cruise rhythm.

Day 4: Three Gorges Dam site from Maoping pier, then the cruise chapter ends

After breakfast on the last day, you disembark at Maoping pier of Yichang. Then you take a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site.

The dam tour is scheduled for 3 hours and includes admission. This part is the anchor finale because the Three Gorges system is what most people picture when they hear Yangtze cruise. The tour describes the gorges from upstream to downstream as Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge, making up one of the most famous sections of the river.

The dam site stop is also a good ending choice because it ties together what you’ve been seeing from the boat. You’ve been moving through the geography, and now you get the major engineering focal point that reshaped how the river is managed.

Meals, cultural events, and how the cruise keeps feeding you

Meals are one of the most concrete parts of the value here. Your tour includes:

• Breakfasts (3)
• Lunches (2)
• Dinners (2)

Beyond that, the cruise includes a welcome party, Chinese cultural activities on board, and a night show. Those aren’t just fluff add-ons. On a river trip with frequent shore transfers, onboard programming creates a place to go that doesn’t require a purchase decision.

One real-life comfort detail from experience: meals were described as superlative, and at least one sailing included drinks with the meals. The tour details you provided do not spell out drink inclusions, so I’d treat it as a positive possibility rather than a guaranteed rule. Still, it’s a good sign that the dining experience is taken seriously here.

Price and value reality check for a $0.00 listed booking

Your prompt shows a price of $0.00, which likely means the real price wasn’t captured in what you shared, or it’s a placeholder. So instead of focusing on the dollar amount, I’d judge value by what’s included and what you might pay on top.

What your booking covers

You’re getting:

• A deluxe standard cabin bed on the second floor
• Included land entrance fees for specific excursions on the itinerary
• Night show, welcome party, and Chinese cultural activities
• Government taxes
• WiFi on board with 24 hours access
• Breakfast, lunch, and dinner as listed above
• Included shoreline entries like Shibaozhai Pagoda, Shennv Stream, and the Three Gorges Dam Site

That’s a lot of “already handled” items for a four-day trip. You’re not constantly shopping for tickets or trying to piece together transfers day by day.

What you may still pay for

Two optional shore tours are clearly not included:

• Fengdu Ghost City (optional, admission not included)
• White Emperor City (optional, admission not included)

Also plan on a service charge of 200 RMB per person paid at boarding.

If you’re traveling solo and want a cabin to yourself, a single room supplement applies because cabins are typically set up for two berthes.

If you’re trying to keep the total cost predictable, your budget comes down to how many optional morning tours you add.

Who should book Century Glory, and who should pass?

This cruise fits best if you want:

• Comfort-focused luxury on a modern ship with WiFi and strong onboard routines
• Organized shore trips with clear inclusions, especially Shibaozhai Pagoda, Shennv Stream, and the Three Gorges Dam Site
• A smaller group size (max 15 people) paired with a high-comfort ship experience

It might not be the best fit if you:

• Want a fully DIY sightseeing schedule every day. Two morning excursions are optional, and if you skip them you still get a good itinerary, but the balance is designed around included afternoon anchor stops.
• Are extremely price sensitive and plan to add both optional morning tours. Those two optional admission charges can push the total higher.

The weather factor you cannot ignore

The experience is marked as requiring good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund. It’s not something you should gamble on last-minute if you’re trying to match fixed plans.

Should you book this Chongqing to Yichang Century Glory cruise?

I’d book this if you want a luxury Yangtze cruise that treats comfort as a core part of the experience, not a marketing side note. The included stops are strong and varied: a cliffside pagoda, a nature-focused stream with included admission, and a Three Gorges Dam Site finale. Add in WiFi 24 hours and a calm onboard setup, and you get an easier trip than most first-timers expect on the Yangtze.

If you’re the type who loves choosing optional themes, the morning windows for Fengdu Ghost City and White Emperor City help you tailor the story. If you want to keep spending under control, you can simply choose the included afternoon excursions and treat optional mornings as a bonus.

In short: Century Glory is a comfort-forward, well-paced way to do Chongqing to Yichang, with enough included sights that you won’t feel like you’re constantly paying extra.

FAQ

What is included in the cruise meals?

Your booking includes 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners, plus a night show, a welcome party, and Chinese cultural activities onboard.

Is WiFi available on the ship?

Yes. Internet and WiFi are accessible onboard with 24 hours availability.

Which shore excursions are included and which are optional?

Included excursions are Shibaozhai Pagoda, Shennv Stream, and the Three Gorges Dam Site. Optional tours that are not included are Fengdu Ghost City and White Emperor City.

Do I have to pay a service charge?

Yes. There is a service charge of 200 RMB per person payable at boarding.

What times are boarding and departure in Chongqing?

Boarding runs from 19:00 to 21:00 in Chongqing at Chaotianmen Dock, with the ship departing around 21:30.

Where do you disembark in Yichang?

You disembark at Maoping pier of Yichang, and then take a shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The experience requires good weather. If it is canceled due to poor weather, you will be offered a different date or a full refund.