Silence on the Yangtze feels unreal. Century Glory, the newer, high-end ship on this route, leans hard into comfort with a claimed full-silence, zero-paint onboard design, and I like that 24-hour WiFi keeps you connected while the river does its slow magic.

What I like most is practical luxury, not just shiny marketing. You get an included double-deck global restaurant setup, plus a night show and Chinese cultural activities onboard, so you’re not stuck wondering what to do after excursions. One consideration: you’ll pay a 200 RMB per person service charge at boarding, so budget for it up front.

Key Highlights You’ll Feel on This 3-Night Cruise

• Century Glory’s comfort-first design: the ship sells itself on full silence, zero paint, and super comfort
• Big “river time” space: a 1000-square-meter sunshine deck for wide-open viewing
• Small-group energy on a large ship: your tour runs with a maximum of 15 travelers
• WiFi that doesn’t cut off: internet access onboard for 24 hours
• Sightseeing that’s mostly covered: included land entrances for the stops listed in the plan
• The Three Gorges Dam finale in Yichang: a focused, included shore excursion to close the loop

Century Glory’s Luxury Formula: Silence, Space, and the River View

Century Glory is positioned as the newest luxury cruise on the Yangtze—its maiden voyage was in September 2019. The pitch is that the ship feels more refined and calmer than older generations of river boats. You’ll hear claims like full silence and zero paint, aimed at making your cabin and lounge time feel quieter and less “boat-y.” Even if you’re skeptical, the overall design logic is obvious: on a multi-day river trip, your room comfort and common spaces matter more than fancy brochures.

Then there’s the space. This ship includes an expansive sunshine deck said to be 1,000 square meters, which is a big deal because you’ll want a comfortable place to watch the cliffs, bridges, and river bends without feeling like you’re squeezed into a rail-to-rail crowd. Add the fact that Century Glory can hold up to 650 passengers, and the trick becomes how they manage crowding. Your tour group is small (max 15), so your day-to-day movement tends to feel organized even on a larger ship.

Chongqing Chaotianmen Boarding: What Your First Evening Looks Like

You start in Chongqing at Chaotianmen Dock, with a boarding window listed for 19:00–21:00. The meeting point is at Chaotianmen Dock (Chang Jiang Bin Jiang Lu, Yuzhong District area), and it’s described as near public transportation, which helps if you’re arriving on your own.

After you board, there’s a safety briefing (around 21:00–21:30), and the ship departs roughly 21:30. Later that night comes the Captain’s Welcome Reception, which is included—but dinner isn’t included for that specific reception time. The upside is that the schedule gives you a clean “start your cruise” flow: arrive, settle in, do the safety basics, then get out on the water.

If you’re the type who hates feeling rushed on travel days, this is one of those itineraries where you board in the evening and get a calmer first night. Your main task is simply: get settled, then enjoy the initial river stretch with less pressure to sprint to sights right away.

Day 2 Fengdu and Shibaozhai: Ghost City Optional, Pagoda Included

Day 2 is split into morning options and an afternoon shore stop.

Fengdu Ghost City (Optional)

In the morning, you can do Tai Chi exercise onboard. After breakfast, you have a choice: join an optional tour to Fengdu Ghost City (scheduled 8:00–10:30) or stay onboard for activities. Fengdu is known as the Ghost City, tied to Buddhist and Taoist sites, and it’s described as having 75 temples connected with ghost culture and statues linked to demon and god legends dating back to the Tang Dynasty.

This is a good option if you like themed sightseeing that leans into Chinese folklore. If you’re more into scenery and want a slower morning, staying onboard (and using that sunshine deck) can feel like the smarter trade.

Shibaozhai Pagoda (Included, Free Admission)

In the afternoon, you go shore at 15:00 for the Shibaozhai Pagoda area. This part is included, and admission is listed as free. The pagoda is built against the side of a sheer rectangular cliff, and the setting is exactly the kind of stop where the photos can look dramatic because the architecture really is perched in a cliffside scene.

A practical tip: plan to dress for uneven walking and keep some water handy. Pagoda stops usually mean stairs and short stretches that can add up when you’re on a tight time window.

Day 3 Baidi City Optional and Shennv Stream Included: Temples to Water Canyons

Day 3 also gives you a morning choice and a strong afternoon nature stop.

White Emperor City / Baidi area (Optional)

Morning runs 08:00–10:30 as an optional tour to the White Emperor City, located in the Fengjie area (also connected with the idea of a Poem City because poets wrote about the county). The mini city sits on top of Baidi Hill, and it’s described as scattered with temples and gates. This stop tends to appeal if you enjoy places where architecture, legend, and storytelling are packed together.

If that kind of atmosphere isn’t your priority, onboard activities are on the table again.

Shennv Stream (Included, Admission Included)

In the afternoon (14:00–16:30), you visit Shennv Stream, also called the Beauty Stream. It’s listed as 15 kilometers long, with rushing, shallow, narrow water, and it includes 10 km of an untraversed primitive valley. After a water storage phase, the plan is now to explore a secret deep stream canyon, with the note that local residents can surprise visitors.

This is the kind of stop that breaks the rhythm. After temple-heavy or legend-heavy sightseeing, a stream canyon gives your brain a reset: less symbolic, more sensory. Wear shoes that handle slippery spots, and keep your phone protected if you expect mist from the water.

Day 4 Yichang’s Maoping Pier and the Three Gorges Dam Site: The Closing Act

On the last day, after breakfast you disembark at Maoping pier in Yichang (Maoping, Zigui County area). Then you take the included shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Project site for about 3 hours.

What makes this finale feel worthwhile is that it’s framed as the gateway to the most iconic stretch of the river: the Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, and Xiling Gorge. Even if you don’t see every gorge angle from the ground, the stop gives context for why this river is treated like a national-scale sightseeing highlight.

Because this is your last morning, the goal is efficiency. You’ll likely want to keep your packing simple the night before (so you don’t spend the morning searching for things). Also, if you’re hoping to extend your day in Yichang after disembarkation, plan for a bit of timing flexibility since river travel and shore excursions don’t run like clockwork tours.

Cabins and Onboard Comfort: What You’re Really Paying For

Your cabin is listed as a deluxe standard cabin with one bed on the 2nd floor. A single room supplement is available if you want to travel in a single cabin—so you should assume standard cabin arrangements are typically shared (and the supplement exists because of that).

The win here is not just size. It’s the idea of comfort under constant motion. River cruises are long days and long nights; when the ship is designed to be quieter and more restful, you feel it. On this ship, the large sunshine deck plus quieter cabin design claims suggest the experience is built around giving you multiple “modes”: watch from outside, retreat to calm indoors, then head back out for excursions.

If you’re traveling with kids, one detail worth noting from provided experience: family rooms can come with themed interiors. One family reported a Hello Kitty-themed setup for their daughter. If you care about that kind of customization, ask when selecting cabins.

Food, Night Show, and Cultural Activities: Included So You’re Not Budgeting Every Meal

Meals are built into the plan: 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners. That matters because Yangtze itineraries can turn expensive fast if you’re paying every meal separately—especially near ports where options may be limited.

On top of meals, you also get included entertainment and culture on the ship: a welcome party, a night show, and Chinese cultural activities. The big “why this is valuable” point is simple: it keeps your evenings from feeling empty. After an afternoon shore excursion, you’ll already have something timed and organized, rather than needing to guess what’s open or where to go.

A couple of finer points from provided information that you may appreciate: the ship has a unique double-deck global restaurant, and WiFi is available onboard at all times, so you can handle a quick message, upload a few photos, and still stay present with dinner.

WiFi and the Cruise Rhythm: Staying Connected Without Losing the Plot

Century Glory lists onboard WiFi and internet access for 24 hours. That changes how you plan. You can post updates, check transit plans, or handle work timing without worrying about a daily WiFi window. On river cruises, that can be the difference between feeling relaxed and feeling stranded.

The day rhythm is also fairly readable:

• Morning windows often include optional excursions that run about 2.5 hours
• Afternoons include the main included shore excursion blocks (often about 2.5 hours)
• Evenings return to the ship for included show and cultural moments

And because your group size is capped at 15 travelers, the chances are better that the day-to-day timing feels organized for your specific group, rather than a massive scramble of dozens of families moving like a school field trip.

Value Check: What’s Included, What Costs Extra, and How to Budget Smart

This cruise can be good value if you treat it like a package rather than a buffet of add-ons.

What’s included

You’re getting:

• A cabin bed in a deluxe standard cabin (2nd floor)
• Entrance fees for the listed land excursions (when they’re part of the plan)
• The listed onboard activities (including the welcome reception, night show, and Chinese cultural activities)
• Government taxes
• WiFi onboard
• Most meals (3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners)

What costs extra

These costs are explicitly called out:

• Transfers between your hotel/airport and the cruise terminal in Chongqing and Yichang
• Optional shore tours to Fengdu Ghost City and White Emperor City
• Personal expenses like laundry or drinks outside what’s included
• A service charge of 200 RMB per person paid at boarding
• Single cabin supplement if you want your own cabin

One way to budget smart: decide early whether you want the two optional culture stops (Fengdu and White Emperor City). If you skip both, you save money and you also keep more time for onboard downtime and the sunshine deck.

Who This Cruise Suits Best (and Who Might Prefer Something Else)

This is a strong fit if you want:

• A luxury ship experience without having to plan meals
• Included shore excursions that give you a mix of folklore, cliffside architecture, and nature
• A small tour group cap (max 15) while still traveling on a major river ship

It’s also a good choice if WiFi matters to you, because the ship provides it for 24 hours.

You might think twice if:

• You hate extra charges and late surprises. The 200 RMB service charge is real and due at boarding.
• You want a totally self-paced trip. This is mostly scheduled sightseeing with optional add-ons, not a freewheeling port-by-port adventure.

Should You Book CENTURY GLORY Chongqing to Yichang?

If you want a comfortable, organized 3-night Yangtze experience with lots of included pieces, this one makes sense. The biggest “yes” signals for me are the comfort-forward ship positioning, the huge sunshine deck, the 24-hour WiFi, and the fact that meals and key entrances are built into the plan. You’ll spend your time looking at the river and the stops, not negotiating meals and ticket desks.

If you’re going to book, do two things:

• Budget for the 200 RMB per person service charge at boarding.
• Choose carefully between optional morning tours and onboard time, based on whether you want Fengdu and White Emperor City style sightseeing or you’d rather slow down.

FAQ

When does boarding start in Chongqing?

Boarding is scheduled in the 19:00–21:00 window at Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock. The start time is listed as 7:00 pm, with a safety briefing shortly after boarding.

What meals are included during the cruise?

Breakfast is included for 3 days, and lunch and dinner are included for 2 days each (listed as Lunch (2) and Dinner (2)).

Is WiFi available onboard?

Yes. WiFi is accessible onboard with 24 hours available.

Which shore excursions are optional, and which are included?

The Fengdu Ghost City tour is optional, and the White Emperor City tour is optional. Shibaozhai Pagoda and Shennv Stream are included, and the Three Gorges Dam Site shore excursion is included on the final day.

Do I need to pay extra at boarding?

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

If the cruise is canceled due to poor weather, will I get refunded?

The experience is non-refundable in general, but if it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

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