The Fengdu Ghost City is a port of call along the route.[Photo by Yang Feiyue/ China Daily]

It today hosts live shows depicting scenes from the war-torn Three Kingdoms period (AD 220-280).

Most passengers stayed up late the last night as the ship passed the Gorges' five-level lock.

Colossal concrete walls jut skyward on both sides. The passage we saw in the glaring lights cast against night was just wide enough for our massive vessel to squeeze through.

The lock system runs more than 6 kilometers and jumps over 100 meters from its lowest to highest points.

It typically takes three hours to navigate.

Wang's company has signed deals with the Canada-based travel company Vacances Sinoroma, which has chartered a cruise ship over the past two years for North American guests. This has brought in about 35,000 international tourists, Wang says. The number is expected to hit 50,000 next year.

Both sides plan more cooperation and aspire to make inroads into the European and Australian markets.

Chongqing Yangtze Gold Cruises has also developed routes from Chongqing to Jiangsu province's capital, Nanjing, and Hubei province's capital, Wuhan.

A downside, perhaps, is that I for one felt like I'd gained weight after I disembarked the final day.

Indeed, it seems the perfect experience for those who want to get around and go far but also go slow and do so without too much legwork.

Contact the writer at yangfeiyue@chinadaily.com.cn