Dear Century Cruise Line,

The Yangtze River, is amazing.  It really is.  You’ve got a gem there, friend.  There is absolutely no place like it in the world, and Hey, wait a second. You sure have a lot of that going in your country!  You’ve got more than your share of incredibly awesome, once-in-a-lifetime historical and stunningly beautiful attractions.

What’s that?  You can’t really share the Yangtze River, or the Baoding Carvings, or the Terracotta Warriors, or the Forbidden City, or your divine dumplings?

Oh, well then, you must be very proud.  Carry on.

And your lovely ship has a lot of potential, no doubt about it.  What with the delicious food, the unending activities offered, the spacious staterooms, the delightful, helpful staff, the fascinating side trips, the on-board masseuse…

But seriously:  the smoking?  This madness must stop.

Have you noticed how no one pays any attention to your NO SMOKING signs?  They roughly shove them aside and then use them as tools.  To light matches.

Or how they sometimes lean on them for lazy comfort, while openly puffing away, during their intense games of Majong?  Up on deck?  In the non-smoking area of the ship?  Where children would also like to play cribbage with their parents?  But instead leave with headaches the size of…well, China.

Has it come to your attention that they smoke in their non-smoking rooms, right next to other non-smoking rooms, to which the children went to get away from the smoke, but could not… and … after we complained, blew smoke in our faces as they passed us in the hallway?

HAS IT?

Oh, that’s right we did bring it to your attention, so it has come to your attention.  And you did talk to the 8 men staying in that two-queen-bed room (which sweet Jesus could you make someone follow Just.  One.  Rule?!  Preferably the NO SMOKING one, if you’re asking.)

What’s that?

Oh, they were mocking ME by blowing smoke in our general direction!? Not you and your rules?  Me and MY rules?

Wait.  What?!  WE BOTH HAVE THAT RULE!  Don’t turn this around on me the way that handsome, soft-spoken river guide Jack did.  I don’t get mad all that often, Century Cruise Line, but it’s been six weeks, and I’m pretty much still seething.

I would have a very difficult time recommending you to any one I knew would be traveling to China.  Just sayin’.  The three people over the course of the next 45 years who I know to be considering a trip down the Yangtze, they will NOT hear great things from me!

But then, maybe I’m just going through nicotine withdrawal from staying on your ship.

Think about it.

Sincerely,

Vicki.  HUGE fan of China.  Not huge fan of this cruise line.