Foreign Onboard Representative
The only American-managed cruise company on the Yangtze River.
About Victoria Katarina
New ships on the Yangtze keep getting larger. Victoria Katarina kept a more considered scale: launched in 2004, refurbished in 2017, 264 guests, 132 cabins, every one with a private balcony. You will not spend half a morning finding your way around. The deck, the dining room, and the river are a few steps apart. If you would rather give those four days to the gorges than to the ship’s amenities, that is the point.
She sails with Victoria Cruise Lines of New York, founded in 1993 and still the American-managed fleet on the Yangtze. A Western cruise director and bilingual river guides are on board throughout. When you pass Qutang Gorge and Wu Gorge, the commentary happens on deck — not afterwards, as a caption. Meals are Chinese and Western. Public rooms include a restaurant, bar, gym, and a small cinema. Service follows the habits of international river cruising: clear, unfussy, with no need to perform warmth.
This is not a copy of the Rhine. It is how you see the Three Gorges: Chongqing to Yichang, about four days downstream or five upstream. The cliffs, the tributaries, and the dam unfold from the same balcony cabin. EastMarvel is the local team in Chongqing: we choose the ship, confirm the English-speaking service, and arrange embarkation and the days before and after. The ship is Victoria’s. Fitting this sailing into your China itinerary — and making sure you board the vessel international guests actually use — is ours.
Best for first-time visitors placing the Three Gorges inside a wider China trip, and for river-cruise regulars who still want an English-speaking director and a private balcony. If you want the newest, largest ship with the most facilities, Katarina is not the first choice. If you want the days to belong to the river, she is usually the quieter answer.
Cruise profile
- Rating
- 5 Star
- Maiden Voyage
- 2004
- Refurbished
- 2014
- Gross Tonage
- 5780T
- Length
- 98.6m
- Width
- 15.2m
- Speed
- 28km/h
- Itinerary
- Chongqing = Yichang
- Draft
- 2.5m
- Elevators
- 1
- Restaurants
- 2
- Swimming Pool
- n/a
- Decks
- 5
- Capacity
- 264
- Number of Crew
- 128
- Air-conditioning System
- Central
- Total Cabins
- 132
- Single Standard
- n/a
- Superior Cabins
- 98
- Executive Suites
- 32
- Deluxe Suites
- 0
- Shangri-La Suites
- 2
- Room Size Min
- 19.11 m2
- Room Size Max
- 60.03 m2
Why We Recommend Victoria Katarina
Inquiry
Itinerary
Chongqing → Yichang · 4 days / 3 nights
Day 1 — Chongqing
- Welcome aboard Victoria Katarina this evening in Chongqing, where the city steps down the hills to the river. Our dedicated guide and driver will confirm with you beforehand, meet you at the airport, the railway station, or any address in Chongqing, and accompany you to the designated dock. Embarkation is from 18:00 to 20:30, with their help through boarding and cabin check-in. After you unpack in your stateroom, gather for the safety briefing. The ship sails at 21:00. Lights along the Chongqing waterfront recede as Victoria Katarina enters the Yangtze night.
Suites
Standard Balcony Cabin
From USD $1,106 / room
This cabin measures 19.11 sqm / 205.70 sq ft, includes a 180-degree river-view balcony, and is located on Decks 2, 3, and 4.
- Cabin size
- 19.11 sqm / 205.70 sq ft
- Rooms
- 98 rooms
- Bed setup
- 0.9m x 2m x2
- View
- 180-degree river-view balcony
- Decks & prices
- Deck 2 — USD $1,106
Deck 3 — USD $1,226
Deck 4 — USD $1,346
Suite privileges
- The Deluxe Balcony fare covers your cabin, meals marked B / L / D, and the three included shore visits on your itinerary.
- Buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Dynasty Restaurant (Deck 2) on days marked B / L / D
- Early morning tea or coffee, plus the ship’s morning stretch / Tai Chi
- Captain’s Welcome and Captain’s Farewell dinner
- Three included shore visits (coach, local guide, and tickets, as printed on the itinerary)
- Onboard commentary from the cruise’s river guide
- Evening entertainment
- Daily housekeeping, including turndown and a printed next-day itinerary
- Decks & upgrades
- Deluxe Balcony cabins sit on Decks 2–4. Every cabin in this category already has a private river-view balcony — you are choosing height, not whether you get a view. The published fare is Deck 2 (lobby deck). Decks 3 and 4 are paid upgrades.
- Deck 2 — Standard fare (lobby deck)
- This is the published Deluxe Balcony fare. Same private river-view balcony as every other cabin in this category — closest to the Dynasty Restaurant, lobby, reception, and the gangway.
- Decks 3–4 — Paid upgrades
- Same balcony cabin; you pay the published step for height, not a different room type.
- Deck 3 — the first paid step. A little more height, still a short walk to dining and the lobby.
- Decks 3-4 — quieter, a wider look at the gorges, and a shorter walk to the upper public rooms. The usual request if balcony time is why you booked.
- Request the deck when you book
- Write category plus deck on the Trip List — for example Deluxe Balcony Deck 4, twin or large bed. We send that request to the cruise line with your dates. Confirmation is what they return. Cabins are not assigned at random.
- After check-in (not a booking plan)
- Reception can move you only if a higher cabin is empty that night, and you pay the ship’s difference. Peak sailings are often full. If a higher deck is why you booked, lock it before you pay — do not book Deck 2 hoping to upgrade onboard.
- Want more space
- If you want a larger suite or a quieter dining room, ask us to quote an Executive Suite or a higher category for your dates. Those privileges are confirmed on the sailing, not assumed from the cabin name.
Deck Plans
Deck Highlight: ## Cabins, beds, and suite amenities on Victoria Katarina Victoria Katarina Standard balcony cabins (Victoria: Superior) are 19.11 sqm on Decks 2, 3, and 4. Two twin beds cannot be pushed together into one double. There is no extra bed in Standard. East Marvel books category plus deck when inventory is open — cabins are not assigned at random. Live prices and holds: [Victoria Katarina](/yangtzeriver-cruiseinfo/victoria-katarina). Standard cabin limits: twins do not join into a king — request large-bed on the Trip List if you need it. Three guests should book a suite, or a second cabin. Do not plan to “make a double” after you board. Suite amenities (confirm on your sailing): Executive and Shangri-La suites — and any Superior sold with Victoria’s amenities package — typically add welcome fruit, nightly turndown with a printed daily itinerary, Executive Lounge drinks, one pre-dinner happy hour (house wine, beer, soda), diet soda at lunch and dinner, house wine and beer at dinner, and a choice of Dynasty buffet or the à la carte dining room (choose at the start of the voyage). Package Wi-Fi is usually the Executive Lounge and lobby. Early tea and coffee before breakfast are typically set out for all cabins. A private shore visit for a group of six or more is a Victoria amenity on some sailings, not an East Marvel private tour.
Highlighted Activities
Highlighted Facilities
2F Main Restaurant
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Sights En Route
What’s Included
Included
- Entrance fees for arranged shore excursions listed in the cruise itinerary.
- Daily onboard meals marked “B”, “L”, or “D” in the itinerary.
- Cabin accommodation for onboard nights listed in the itinerary, including Chongqing to Yichang for 3 nights onboard and Yichang to Chongqing for 4 nights onboard.
- Onboard activities and lectures, including the Captain’s Welcome Party, cabaret shows, fashion shows, Yangtze culture and history lectures, and Captain’s Farewell Banquet.
- Daily cabin cleaning service.
- Local guide service for arranged shore excursions.
Not included
- Transfers between airports/hotels and cruise terminals unless specified in the itinerary.
- Optional shore excursions listed in the cruise itinerary; prices vary by cruise company and route.
- Personal expenses such as bar drinks, laundry, medical service, fax or telephone charges, spa or salon services, shopping, and internet where applicable.
- Meals not marked “B”, “L”, or “D” in the itinerary.
- Single room supplement when occupying a cabin alone.
- Mandatory service charge, typically CNY 150–200 per person, payable at check-in or with the cruise fare depending on the cruise company. Voluntary tips for the river guide, cruise director, and onboard staff are not included.
Cruise Calendar
Questions about Victoria Katarina?
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