Before Booking: Documents, Budget, and TimingBEFORE BOOKING
Prepare three things first and booking goes much more smoothly. The first is documents: Three Gorges cruises use real-name electronic ticketing. Mainland Chinese residents board with a valid original ID card; those under 16 may use the original household registration booklet. Travelers from Hong Kong carry the Home Return Permit, Taiwan travelers carry the Taiwan Compatriot Permit, and foreign travelers carry a passport with a valid Chinese visa. Before departure, check every traveler's document validity one by one, and have ready all travelers' full names, document numbers, and contact phone numbers.
The second is budget: once your per-person range is set, ship choosing becomes far more efficient — start with the homepage 7-level budget quick-reference table. The third is timing: mainland travelers are advised to book at least 1 month ahead and foreign travelers at least 3 months ahead; booking 60 or more days ahead may qualify for early-bird pricing. Peak-season cabins are tight, so order as early as possible. Also note: book your cruise ticket first, then book flights or trains, so your long-distance transport matches the sailing schedule.
The Four-Step Booking Process: Choose, Pay, Sign, Get NotifiedBOOKING
① Choose a Ship and Order
After selecting the cruise and room type by departure time and budget, place your order. Three Gorges cruise berths are fixed and limited, and cabin availability changes constantly — pay promptly once you have chosen, or contact customer service to hold the cabin before paying.
② Order and Pay
After ordering, a deposit is generally paid first to lock in the cabin; once the cabin is secured, a travel contract is signed and the full balance paid. No matter which channel you book through, the full amount must be paid in advance to guarantee boarding — cruises depart on schedule, and the cruise line will not hold a room without payment. Electronic ticketing is in place, so no paper ticket is needed.
③ Secondary Confirmation and Contract
After payment, customer service performs a secondary confirmation (payment alone does not mean the booking is secured); once the cabin is confirmed, a travel contract is signed. If sold out, you can switch room type, departure date, or ship, or request a full refund.
④ Boarding Notice
Customer service notifies you of the exact pier, meeting point, and time one day before boarding; you board with your original documents. On boarding day, first verify the ship's exact docking pier with customer service to avoid going to the wrong place.
Packing ChecklistPACKING
Documents (most important): original travel documents of all passengers — required for boarding, check-in, and security checks.
Clothing: comfortable casual clothes, non-slip walking shoes (shore visits involve lots of walking and steps), a light jacket or windbreaker (decks are windy and mornings/evenings are cool), sun-protective clothing, hats and sunglasses, compact rain gear (gorge weather is unpredictable), and swimwear (some ships have pools); bring sweaters or jackets for spring/autumn and down jackets for winter.
Daily essentials: toiletries, chargers and power banks, common medicines (cold remedies, stomach medicine, motion sickness pills), sunscreen and mosquito repellent. Note that high-power appliances such as personal electric kettles over 600 watts are prohibited on board.
Small cash and snacks: bring RMB 100-500 in small notes for cable cars, cold drinks, and other small shore expenses; sealed packaged snacks may be brought on board. Premium cruises include meals, so there is no need to bring large quantities of food.
Boarding Day ProcedureBOARDING DAY
Cruises departing Chongqing generally begin boarding around 18:00 and depart around 21:00 the same evening; cruises departing Yichang generally board at Zigui Port around 20:00 the same evening, with free transfer shuttles from Yichang East Railway Station or the Three Gorges Visitor Center available 17:30-20:00. The exact pier and time are subject to the notice one day before boarding.
How does boarding check-in work?
Complete check-in two hours before departure: present your order and valid documents at the ship's main service desk to check in and receive your room card (which doubles as your room key and dining pass), pass security, and queue to board. After entering your cabin, check the door lock, air conditioning, outlets, bathroom, and bedding, and contact the front desk immediately if anything is wrong; read the emergency evacuation diagram behind the cabin door and locate the life jackets; meet your guide and confirm your fixed restaurant seat; keep valuables safe or in the in-room safe.
Onboard Life GuideONBOARD
Three meals are served in the main restaurant, mostly as Chinese and Western buffets, with a few ships serving dinner as set menus; besides scheduled shore visits and deck sightseeing, ships offer free song-and-dance shows and themed lectures, plus bars, KTV, gym, mahjong and card rooms, and — on newer ships — cinemas. Each cabin is provided with 2 bottles of mineral water daily and an electric kettle; 4G coverage along the river is essentially continuous, and most ships offer free WiFi (ask the main service desk for the password).
A few practical tips: higher decks are not always better — deck 3 on 5-deck ships and decks 3-4 on 6-7 deck ships usually offer the best value; the reservoir water is calm and hulls are large, so seasickness is very rare; the onboard medical office has a ship's doctor (medical services cost extra); smoking is strictly prohibited in indoor areas; there is no mandatory tipping rule — it is entirely at your discretion.
Shore Excursion NotesASHORE
The Three Great Gorges (Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, Xiling Gorge) and Goddess Peak are viewed from the ship — listen for onboard announcements and claim a good viewing position; Fengdu Ghost City, Shibaozhai, the Lesser Three Gorges, Baidicheng, and the Three Gorges Dam require going ashore (different ships and directions cover different sights).
What should I watch out for during shore excursions?
① Shore sights almost always involve uphill walks and steps — wear non-slip shoes and bring rain gear; ② do not take photos while walking, stay away from cliff edges and riverside railings, do not leave the group on your own, and seniors and children must be accompanied at all times; ③ strictly observe return times — the ship departs punctually and will not wait for individuals, so remember the meeting point; ④ when leaving your cabin, carry cash and valuables with you and lock the door; ⑤ be cautious when buying local specialty products.
Disembarkation and ReturnDISEMBARK
On the final day, the itinerary usually ends with sights such as the Three Gorges Dam before disembarkation. Most Chongqing-Yichang cruises do not pass the five-stage ship lock on their own hull; instead they dock at a port upstream of the dam, and after touring the dam scenic area travelers travel by coach "over the dam" to downtown Yichang — cruise lines generally provide free transfer service between the port and downtown, so arrive at the designated meeting point on time. Travelers who want the dam-passage experience can join the ship lift excursion at their own expense, or choose specific sailings that pass the ship lift or the five-stage lock on their own hull (subject to each cruise line's actual schedule). Before disembarking, settle any paid onboard consumption (optional excursions, drinks, laundry, etc.) and gather all luggage and documents to finish the trip.
For your return journey, allow the afternoon or evening of disembarkation day, plus margin for transfers. First-time cruisers who are unsure about any step can contact a Three Gorges Cruise Center consultant at any time for help; for more ship-choosing advice, read the series articles in the Cruise Guides section of this site.
Ship Types Suited to First-TimersSHIPS
If you are still undecided after reading, the following ship types suit first-time cruisers: for quiet sailing, choose newer electrically propelled ships; with seniors or children, consider top-tier ships with high crew-to-guest ratios; with a steady budget, look at mainstream value ships.
Contact Us
Any question about your first cruise — ship choosing, booking, boarding procedures, or room type suggestions — feel free to contact a Three Gorges Cruise Center consultant at any time.
You can also click "Online Consultation" at the bottom of the page to chat with a consultant in real time.