Life on board-Additional Information
Dining
Victoria Sophia has hired award winning celebrity chef Walter Staib to design and upgrade its dining and the food has already earns high marks from travelers in recent years. The cuisine is specially designed for western travelers with both western buffet and Chinese cuisine experience.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all western and Chinese buffets, served in a single-seating Dynasty Dining Room. Also, an elegant Captain’s Farewell Banquet is served on the final night of the cruise.
Breakfast options: roasted toast, black bread, French pancakes, bacon, shredded children, shredded potatoes, fried egg, scramble eggs, congee, fresh meat buns, steamed twisted roll, pickles, soy cheese, peanuts, oatmeal, milk, orange juice, fruit, etc.
Lunch options: desserts, soup (borsch, mashed potato soup, children and corn soup), salads, appetizers, bread, main courses (pickled peppers beef, pork chop, braised meat balls with brown sauce, milk flipping eggplant), fried rice with egg, dumplings, vegetables, pudding, fresh fruits, etc.
Dinner options: desserts (different kinds of bread sticks), salads, Dandan noodles, appetizers (spiced beef, barbecued pork, spiced vegetarian children,), main courses (beef with potato chips, black pepper beef, pork ribs, chicken wings, tofu), soup (West Lake beef soup, seafood soup), pie, fresh fruits, etc.
(Please note: 1. The above is the dish list of breakfast, lunch and dinner for reference only; 2. Special dietary requirements, such as diabetic or vegetarian, are accepted onboard, but need to be advised in advance at time of booking with us or you can tell the front desk when checking in; 3. To know exact dining time, you can have a clear idea by checking the daily schedule delivered in your cabin, in the elevator or by listening to the broadcast.)
Drinking
1. Complimentary tea and coffee is offered in the early morning before breakfast (usually at 06:30~07:00).
2. Drinkable water is offered through the room thermos and bottled water (1 bottle per person per day). Please do not drink the tap water.
3. Yangtze Club on the fifth floor offers drinks, beverage, wines for travelers from morning till night.
4. The legal drinking age on Victoria Cruises ships is 18 years old.
Entertainment Programs
Travelers on Victoria Sophia can attend Chinese history and culture lectures, like the evolution of the Three Gorges Dam Project and its importance to China, Chinese medicine, Chinese traditional brush painting, dumpling wrapping; enjoy the awesome time at Captain’s Welcome Party and Captain’s Farewell Banquet; as well as enjoy evening entertainment activities - fashion shows and cabaret shows performed by the talented cruise staff. You will not only learn Chinese painting, Chinese mahjong and Taichi Quan, but also have a fun time with other travelers onboard, making new friends and sharing your happy travel time with each other.
Fashion Show: The crew on Victoria Sophia presents some of China’s most elaborate fashions dating back to the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). During the evening shows, travelers can appreciate a variety of traditional costumes from all regions of China which reflects China’s cultural diversity.
Cabaret Show: This evening show will be very lively with sing, dance and music! It also offers an opportunity for travelers to display any special talents whether it be shaking a leg or curling the tongue…anything! This will be a wonderful opportunity to unwind and enjoy the experience while cruising with Victoria Sophia.
Taichi Quan: Every day in the early morning around 06:30~07:00, travelers can follow the Taichi master practice Taichi on the sundeck. Taichi is an internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. Daily practice of Tai Chi promotes mental clarity and a healthy body, assists with balance and helps the circulation of the blood. Want to try?
(Dress code for Captain’s Party: A suite and tie for a man or an evening dress for a woman is not strictly required, but avoiding dressing too casual like jeans, round-neck shirts, shorts, slippers and so on.)
Service
On Victoria Sophia cruise, you can enjoy high quality service in every detail to satisfy your needs. Please note that some of the service belongs to personal behaviors which needs extra charge.
Daily Schedule: Travelers can have clear idea about what you will do every day by listening to the broadcast with exact time, or checking the daily schedule sheet delivered to your cabin or suites.
Guide Service: An excellent and experienced English-speaking guide will accompany you all the way and he or she will introduce the facilities onboard, explain the Three Gorges (Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge and Xiling Gorge), and join in to the evening entertainment to have fun with you. If you have any questions or need any help, just tell the guide directly.
Meal Delivery: If you want to enjoy meals in your cabins or on the sundeck, please tell your nees to front desk and they will help and arrange it.
Business Center: you can use Internet or Wifi to check your email or work if you need.
International / local phone calls and faxes are available at the reception desk and the Business Center on Victoria Jenna cruise. Each ship is also equipped with Internet access and an Internet cafe on board. All of these services are fee-based and you can sign these charges to your account and settle them at the end of the voyage.
Money Exchange: You can exchange different kinds of currency onboard, like US dollars, Euro, Ren Min Bi, etc.
Laundry: Of course, you can do laundry onboard. There are laundry bags in every cabin that you just need to put your clothes into the bags and the staff will come and collect your clothes. When finished washing, the staff will send your clothes back to your cabin. Doing laundry onboard needs extra charge. To know the detailed price, please ask for our professional cruise agents.
Luggage Carrying: You don’t need to carry your luggage on your own and just tell your cabin number to the porters and he will help you do it no matter for embarkation or disembarkation. It needs extra charge and you can discuss the price with porters beforehand.
Relaxing Yourself
Victoria Sophia is the second class ship of Victoria Cruises with very modern facilities. It offers Spa, Massage rooms, Beauty Salon and Reading Room, where you can totally relax yourself after a shore excursion or kill your time in your spare leisure time.
Lounges, bars, sundeck and the Yangtze Club onboard are good choices to meet new friends.
Health Care
There is a doctor and health clinic on Victoria Sophia cruise ship. Customary charges are in effect for medical care. And the doctor will take a lecture of traditional Chinese Medicine, telling you something about Chinese medicinal herb and acupuncture and moxibustion. You can do some excursuses in the Fitness room on board, or join to play Taichi on the sundeck every morning.
Staff on Board
Since Victoria Cruises is the ONLY cruise line that managed by American company, there is western cruise director and English-speaking river guides on Victoria Sophia cruise, providing interesting lectures about China and the Yangtze for you. And it is the outstanding services, offered by those well-trained staff, makes Victoria Sophia so different from others.
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