The Old China Hand, a term invented by the British press for retired colonels and civil servants back in London from the "Far East," was wont to complain about newfangled innovations. The prestigious Pacific Delight Tours, though practically ancient by travel industry standards (it's 31 this year), prefers to keep up to date by bringing out a new package to entice more customers. They're giving you an extra day in Shanghai at no increase in price, a good deal if I ever saw one.
The offer is part of what is one of the firm's most popular packages, the 13-day/11-night Classic Yangtze River Supervalue promotion. Pacific Delight has added a day in Shanghai, making it 14 days and 12 nights. Prices from Detroit start at $2,490 per person, double occupancy, with departures on September 2 and 16, 2002.
The price includes transpacific flights on Northwest Airlines, deluxe and superior first-class hotels, five nights on the deluxe Regal China Cruises ship, most meals, English-speaking escorts and guides, all air and land transportation within China, sightseeing and cultural entertainment, transfers, baggage handling, hotel taxes and service charges, as well as $100,000 flight insurance. Add-on fares from many North American gateways are a maximum of $190.
The cruise takes you down the Yangtze, through the Three Gorges (soon to disappear when the gigantic dam under construction is finished) and a motorboat trip to see the Three Small Gorges. In Xian, you'll see the terra cotta warriors, in Shanghai the Children's Palace, in Beijing the Great Wall (and consume a farewell duck dinner).
Pacific Delight, which says it is the largest provider of escorted and independent tours to China and the Orient, is based in New York City, and can be reached through travel agents or directly at 800/221-7179 or 212/818-1781, fax-on-demand 877/738-2742. Their Web site is www.pacificdelighttours.com.