Anyone done a Yangtze River cruise?

[steelepulse]

I've been looking into maybe doing this with the family, and have read a lot of mixed reviews, some say it's fantastic and wonderful, while others have said the food is inedible and the Chinese nationals push and shove for the buffet and demolish all the food in 15 minutes. I see there are different lines and boats, but I was hoping to find someone staying in Thailand that have done this trip and what your experiences were. Most all reviewers on tripadvisor were coming from the west so their perspective was different than someone being in Asia for a number of years.

[craigt3365]

I've never done a cruise, but have spent 6 months touring China. 100% independent travel, using all sorts of different transport. Chinese are well known for pushing and shoving and being rude in general. The spitting thing is horrible.

I've been to almost every country in Asia, except Taiwan. I've never encountered this behavior anywhere else.

[HullyGully]

In 2012 my wife and I travelled around China, which included a 5n / 4d trip down the Yangtze

It was excellent, I can let you have details, I think we paid a little over 1100 USD for 2 people

We spent a month touring China by ourselves, traveling by Train, plane and boat, we started in Kunming and did a full circle in a month

One important point if your traveling by yourselves, you'll need the hotels etc. written in Chinese.

Last year 2013 we went to Wuhan for a week

[el jefe]

There are many boats on the Yangtze and many ways to do this. It all depends on your time, budget, and how you like to travel.

My wife and I did a Yangtze cruise as part of a two month trip around China a few years ago. We did most of our research on the internet and decided on a local boat which we arranged after we got to China, a day or two before the cruise. There were only 3 other foreigners on the boat. No buffet. When you got hungry you went to the cafeteria. Accommodations were basic, but fine. We saw the same scenery as everyone else and made the same stops. We experienced it the way a middle-class Chinese family would. Total cost for the 4-day, 3 night cruise for the two of us was about $500.

[steelepulse]

Thanks for the input. Yes I have looked at various websites, videos etc which give a pretty good idea, but it's always nice to get as much info as possible. Looking at going in late July early August which is the hot and sometimes rainy period. How was the air quality on the river cruise? I can't see going on a tour with constant smog and haze blocking out the skies.