Gold Vacations: For discerning travelers who prefer a small group experience, groups are limited to no more than 16 members; fully escorted by our professional U.S. Tour Directors; FiveStarPlus hotels – the best of the best.

On the Yangtze River, enjoy superbly appointed cabin suites with private balconies aboard Victoria Cruises' most elegant new ship, the deluxe Victoria Anna. A -la-carte dining in the Victoria Anna's top deck restaurant is included. Relax while you enjoy the dinner of your choice and dramatic Yangtze views from the restaurant. Other amenities aboard the Victoria Anna include two elevators, three-story atrium lobby, two lounges, three bars, a gym, lecture room, library, beauty salon, massage room and gift shop.

While touring, enjoy fascinating in-depth sightseeing and cultural activities. A deluxe meal plan features sumptuous dinner parties, private dining rooms for special luncheons, and entertaining cultural dinner shows, with front section seats reserved.

Imperial Experience Vacations: Our most popular selection of deluxe tours and Yangtze River cruises. Groups are fully escorted by our professional U.S. Tour Directors; Five Star deluxe hotels and outside cabins with private balconies aboard Victoria Cruises' two newest ships, Victoria Anna and Victoria Katarina . The Victoria Anna sets new standards for Yangtze River cruising as the largest, most luxurious ship in Victoria's fleet. Modern and elegant, the premier Victoria Katarina was inaugurated in 2004. Victoria Cruises' outstanding service and quality take luxury cruising to a new level on the Yangtze River. While touring, a deluxe meal plan includes special dinner parties and cultural entertainment.

Escapade Vacations: Escapade tours focus on the exotic and unique: mystical Tibet, nomadic Mongolia, the ancient Silk Route or breathtaking Shangri-La. Our Giant Panda Tour highlights interactive events for the whole family from making and flying kites in Beijing to a visit with pandas in Chengdu. Deluxe hotels are featured in the major cities; Yangtze cruises with outside cabins and private balconies aboard Victoria Cruises. Part of the Premiere Series, the Victoria Queen and Victoria Empress offer graceful public areas, an elegant ambience and personal onboard service. Tours are Escorted or Locally Guided with most meals included, plus dinner parties and cultural performances.

SuperValue Vacations: The best choice for affordable luxury, SuperValue vacations offer exceptional values throughout China and Asia. Hotels are deluxe or superior first class; Yangtze cruises feature outside cabins with private balconies on Victoria Cruises; Cruise in sophisticated style aboard the Victoria Prince, the flagship for Victoria's recently upgraded fleet, or the Victoria Queen, and Victoria Star, both newly rebuilt. Victoria's signature service and well-trained staff ensure your comfort onboard. Tours are Escorted or Locally Guided with meals, dinner parties and performances as specified.

Which direction, upstream or downstream, on the Yangtze River is better?
In either direction you will be seeing the same portion of the river. The upstream cruise is one day longer than the downstream, and will allow you to see the river at a more leisurely pace. The downstream cruise will allow you to see the same portion of the river at a quicker pace if you have a limited amount of time and want to visit as many places as possible.

When will the Three Gorges Dam construction be completed?
In the year 2009. Included in your cruise is an excursion to this remarkable construction site with its amazing five-stage ship lock, the largest in the world. Behind the dam on its upstream side, the rising water level has allowed new access to many scenic areas and smoother sailing conditions on the calmer waters of the now widened Yangtze River.

Do I need a visa for my tour?
China, Vietnam, and Myanmar require entrance visas that must be secured before leaving the USA. A Cambodian visa can be secured at the airport, be sure to have a passport size photo for this. A China visa may be purchased through Pacific Delight for $160 per person. Non-US citizens please contact us at pdt@pacificdelighttours.com or 1-800-221-7179 for information.

What is the airfare cost from my home town?
Included in each tour is an add-on airfare chart. If you do not see your city listed please contact us at pdt@pacificdelighttours.com or 1-800-221-7179 for further information.

Besides the tour fare and visa, what other expenses can I expect?
Airline taxes and fees for both domestic and international flights will appear on your invoice. For intra-Asia flights, there will be local fees and taxes collected from each tour participant before departure at each airport. Additionally, the customary gratuity for tour guides, waiters, chambermaids, porters and coach drivers is not included in the tour fare.
Further, there will be a mailing fee for documents sent outside the continental United States or for overnight delivery service.

How far in advance should I make my reservation?
We advise that you book as early as possible to take advantage of our "early booking" discounts and to secure the best pricing and availability for your trip. Once we sell out our allocation for air space at our very best rates, customers will be charged a "buy-up" to secure higher priced seats. The earlier you book, affords a better opportunity for space to be confirmed.

Do you accept late reservations?
For reservations made between 45 - 14 days prior to the desired departure date, we will take your request and make every effort to confirm and deliver your trip at a nominal surcharge of $50 per person.

Should I purchase travel insurance?
Pacific Delight Tours highly recommends purchasing travel insurance. This will help to protect your travel investment if you are delayed or have to cancel for a covered reason. For further details click http://www.pacificdelighttours.com/insurance_new_overview.htm

Can I upgrade my hotel room or add extra nights?
Yes. We offer upgraded rooms and extra nights at a reasonable cost, which includes hotel taxes and service charges.

I have a special request (e.g. special dietary needs, hearing impaired), will you be able to accommodate me?
We are usually able to meet any request made. Please let us know at the time you book your tour of your needs, and we will advise if there are any additional costs.

Can I upgrade to Business Class air fare?
Yes. We offer Business Class upgrades at a reasonable fare. Book early as business class sells out quickly.

Can I use my mileage to upgrade to Business Class?
The airlines provide Pacific Delight with excellent economy and business class air fares; therefore the Airlines do not allow Pacific Delight to sell upgrades using mileage for business class airfares.

Can I earn frequent flyer miles on my air flights booked through Pacific Delight?
The air/land packages that allow mileage accrual specify this in the "Inclusive Features" of the tour description. The airlines included are: Northwest Airlines, United Airlines, Continental Airlines and Thai Airways International. Please note that intra-country air travel is usually not eligible for frequent flier miles.

Can I make my own transpacific air arrangements?
Yes. Pacific Delight sells "land only" programs for those who would like to provide their own transpacific air arrangements. Please note though, that "land only" programs do not include the initial arrival transfer and final departure transfer. If you would like these services, you may purchase them through us at a reasonable cost.

How do I make a reservation?
You can make a reservation directly over our website anytime, day or night. Simply click on the

button included in each tour to the right of the departure chart, this will bring up our Online Travel Reservation Form. When booking online, you receive:
• First priority for air, cruise and hotel space.
If you prefer to call, our reservations staff may be reached at 1-800-221-7179 Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 7:00pm EST.

Why does Pacific Delight need a copy of my passport even if they are not doing my visa?
A copy of the pages of your passport containing the following information is needed for us to comply with China's security requirements: Name (as it appears on your passport), passport number, citizenship and date-of-birth. In addition, your occupation is required for those traveling to Tibet.

When will the deposit be charged to my credit card?
Once all portions of your tour have been confirmed, we will charge your credit card the deposit. If we are unable to confirm your reservation, we will contact you immediately with alternative choices and will not charge your credit card.

How will I know if my reservation was accepted?
You will receive an invoice by fax or mail when all portions are confirmed and the deposit has been processed.

What do I need to do if Pacific Delight is obtaining my China visa?
If you are purchasing your China Visa through Pacific Delight, please mail your passport to Wendy at Pacific Delight Tours at 3 Park Avenue, 38th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Your passport should be sent by secured mail and be accompanied with a completed China Visa application form and a passport-size color photo 45 days prior to your departure date. For the visa form and further details click http://www.pacificdelighttours.com/china-visa.htm. The visa is affixed into your passport; therefore a copy of your passport cannot be used. We normally take the passports to the China Consulate 45 days prior to your departure date, and the visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. Please make sure that your passport has a six-month validity AFTER the date of your return and has at least 2 blank pages.

When will I need to make final payment?
Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. If you book your tour within 75 days of your departure date, full payment is due within two days of receiving your confirmation / invoice.

How do I make final payment?
Final payment may be made by credit card with signed authorization form, or check.

When will I receive my final documents?
Documents are prepared approximately 30 days prior to departure and are sent out approximately 25 days prior to your date of departure. If you book within 30 days of your departure date, we will send out the documents after full payment is received and processed.

What type of food will be served?
The meals served vary according to the itinerary. The itinerary will specify American breakfast, dinner in hotel, western dinner, dinner show or buffet. Dinners and lunches which are not specified by type are usually in a local restaurant, served "family" style. Most meals, unless specified as "American or Western", are local cuisine. Western dinners are most often buffet-style.

What is the weather like in China?
Seasonal temperatures vary greatly in all parts of China. China spans roughly the same latitude from the Caribbean to Newfoundland. In the North, Beijing (Peking) has climate conditions similar to Boston, while Guangzhou (Canton) in the south is semi-tropical and humid. In the northeast summers are hot and dry, the winters bitterly cold. In the southeast, the summers are long, hot and sticky, sometimes with a good deal of rain, while their winters are brief and moderate.

The following table shows average monthly temperatures (ºF) of some major cities in China:.

Should I change money before going to China?
The Chinese currency is called Renminbi and the exchange rate is floating in accordance with its value in relationship to the value of foreign currencies as stipulated by the Bank of China every day. The exchange rate is the same throughout China.

Traveler's checks are the safest and most convenient way of carrying money. All Traveler's Checks are accepted in China. Major credit cards including MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diner Club are accepted in most major cities at designated hotels, restaurants, cultural relics and friendship stores. Please keep your money exchange receipts if you need to convert RMB back to USD at the end of your trip.

Personal check cashing arrangements can only be done with branches of the Bank of China and in major tourist hotels. Though there are ATM machines linked with American banks, many of them are hard to access. Do not rely on drawing cash from personal accounts.

Do I have to tip? How much should I tip?
Since gratuity is a personal expression of appreciation for services rendered, it is not included in the cost of the tour. The amount of the tip should reflect the quality of the services provided. We include tipping guidelines in with your final documents, as well as in our China Handbook also provided with your documents with all tours that include China.

Who will collect the tips?
Gratuities are handled on an individual basis. At times your guide may offer to help by collecting the tips from the participants. This collection is in no way compulsory and is only for your convenience.

What is the motor coach like that will be used?
The coach used depends upon the size of the group. They are all air conditioned and comfortably seat everyone in the group.

Which ship will I be on for the Yangtze River cruise?
You will be on one of Victoria Cruises' premier series ships. New or recently rebuilt, Victoria's ships offer sophisticated style and comfort, the latest technologies, a full schedule of shore excursions, Chinese and Western cuisine, a wide variety of onboard activities and entertainment, and dedicated multilingual cruise directors.

Which cabin will I be in?
All passengers are in outside cabins with private balconies. The cabin assignment is handled by Victoria Cruises in China. If you have a special request or would like to upgrade your cabin to a suite, we will be happy to assist you.

What is the luggage allowance?
Baggage allowance differs for the transpacific and intra-Asia sections of your tour. US transpacific allowance is two pieces of checked baggage. Maximum weight/size for each piece is 50 lbs./62 inches (sum of three dimensions). One carry-on not to exceed 45 inches (sum of three dimensions) is allowed. Within China and for most intra-Asia flights, baggage allowance is one piece of checked luggage weighing up to 44lbs. plus one piece of carry-on luggage per person. Baggage in excess of this amount will be charged approximately $1 USD per kilo, which is collected by the airline at each airport. Mongolia travel allows 33 pounds total, comprised of 11 lbs. for carry on and 22 lbs. for check-in luggage.

What is the electrical requirement in China?
China's electrical system is 220 volts. The electrical outlets are either for fat round pins or for flat angled blades. The China hotels and cruise companies do provide converters and adapters, but we recommend that you bring your own so that you are assured that you have for your personal needs.

Can I drink tap water in China?
Do not drink tap water anywhere in China. Carafes of cooled boiled water and thermoses of hot water, along with loose tea, are provided in your hotel rooms. Bottled mineral water and purified water are available in most grocery stores.

What photography suggestions can you give?
The Chinese have no restriction on still cameras and camcorders for personal use only. Some of the hotels and tourist attractions in the larger cities now sell Kodak or Fuji film. We recommend you bring an ample supply of video cassettes, digital storage cards, etc. that are compatible with your equipment, as well as battery chargers and/or extra batteries.

You may photograph in most locations, except from a plane in flight and when your guide asks you to refrain from doing so. Ask first before photographing people. Theoretically, undeveloped film may only be taken out of China at the discretion of the Customs service, but this prerogative has rarely, if ever, been excised.