When I first spotted the giant pandas at Chongqing's zoo, supine on scaffolds, munching on bamboo, I could have sworn they were actually people dressed in bear suits. That's how oddly human their posture, movements and demeanor seemed. I chuckled at the fleeting, bizarre perception, which only increased my delight at the chance to observe pandas on their own turf.
The pandas were just one of many surprises I enjoyed on a recent cruise tour of China with Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection. In Beijing, I scaled a Great Wall dusted in fresh snow. On the Yangtze River, I sailed through the massive Three Gorges Dam to ports such as the "Ghost City" of Fengdu. And in Shanghai, I thrilled to Chinese acrobats and scaled a futuristic skyscraper.
Guiding and informing me along the way was Kevin Lin, a charming Chinese 30-something proficient in English, efficiency and "edu-tainment." I counted myself lucky to have landed him, but Maria Grimardi, Uniworld's vice president of marketing, said top-notch guides are par for the course, setting the Los Angeles firm's product apart.
"Our competitors sell similar types of things, but something our brand hangs its hat on is service and making sure we hire the best," she said. "Our focus is on people."
In addition, Grimardi pointed to quality hotels, rich tour programs and river cruise partner Victoria Cruises as other stellar components of Uniworld's China holidays.
For 2010, the firm pared down its China offerings to its six most popular river cruises and tours, down from 10 products in 2008 and nine in 2009. According to Grimardi, bookings are "doing really well."
"We wanted to refine our offer and focus on the programs that do the very best."
The packages range from nine to 19 days, and prices start at $1,899 per person. Rates include hotel and cruise accommodations; most meals; escorted excursions; transfers, transport and flights in China; and more.
Travelers who pay in full by Feb. 28 get special discounts. On the 12-day Highlights of China & the Yangtze; 15-day China, Tibet & the Yangtze; and 19-day Grand China & the Yangtze tours, guests will be upgraded to junior-suite ship accommodations with an Executive Level Benefits package. (I stayed in a junior suite on the Victoria Jenna and can attest to the class, comfort and commodiousness of the cabin category.)
Guests booking the nine-day Classic China, 16-day Splendors of China & the Yangtze and 18-day Wonders of China & the Yangtze get one free night in Shanghai, at the Regal East International Hotel. Thanks to the promotion, clients can visit the Shanghai World Expo 2010, running May 1 to Oct. 31. Visit www.uniworld.com.
