Chongqing - Century Cruises has officially launched its new Yangtze River flagship, Century Vision, at Chongqing Chaotianmen on Sept. 21st, marking a bold new chapter not only for the cruise line, but for Chongqing’s ambition to put its river tourism on the world map. Alongside the maiden voyage, the company unveiled its new Century Premier Brand Experience, a premium river-cruise offering built around “Culinary Excellence & Bespoke Service.”

Century Vision, Century Cruises' brand-new Yangtze flagship, sets sail on its maiden voyage. (Photo/Century Cruises)

The ceremony was a vivid demonstration of the Yangtze’s growing global appeal. According to figures verified by the Chongqing Shipping Exchange, the 100,000th inbound visitor to Yangtze River cruises in 2026 took part in the event, joined by Century Cruises’ Premier Brand Honored Guest No. 001 — a repeat overseas patron. Their joint participation spotlighted a rising wave of international travelers eager to explore Chongqing and the Three Gorges aboard Century Cruises, and underscored the brand’s steady gains in overseas source markets. As part of the brand’s global launch, Century Cruises announced a restructured three-tier product portfolio — Century Select, Century Premier and Century Ultra-Luxury — designed to offer clearly differentiated experiences for travelers from around the world. Three flagship offerings also debuted: Global Gastronomy, Dedicated Concierge Service and Hassle-Free Travel, merging world-class culinary expertise with time-honored Oriental hospitality.

Century Vision itself is a floating showcase of that vision. Measuring 149.99 meters in length and 21.2 meters in beam, with a gross tonnage of 15,000, the seven-deck vessel houses 236 guest cabins and accommodates up to 650 passengers. Public amenities include the Century Grand Theatre, a top-deck observation terrace, the Jinmeng Court Lounge and the Riverside Library. The ship’s design follows the brand-refresh concept of “Peony as Emblem,” drawing on light-luxury slow-travel aesthetics and natural river landscapes. An original immersive roaming-stage show, Tales of the Yangtze, invites passengers to interact with historical characters in live NPC-style performances.

The cruise ship’s culinary team features six international star chefs from the high-end dining sector. (Photo/Century Cruises)

Dining is at the heart of the new experience. Six distinguished chefs from Austria, Germany, Italy, Japan, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong SAR and the Sichuan-Chongqing region form the Global Gastronomy StarChef Advisory Panel. Together they have crafted 50 premier signature dishes and three global-gastronomy dining concepts: Global Theme Nights, River-Sourced FreshFeast Banquets and Local-Flavor Discovery Series. The culinary journey also features the StarChef European Premier Collection, created in partnership with Austrian chef Alfred Pichler and Italian chef Ilario Turri, reimagining Bavarian and classic Italian recipes with premium ingredients. 

For travelers seeking a seamless journey, the new Century Dedicated Concierge service — a first for Yangtze inland cruises — covers five core modules: Premier Service, Dedicated Welcome, Concierge Escort, Hassle-Free Transfers and Smooth Embarkation & Disembarkation. It provides full-cycle support before, during and after the trip, both online and offline, onboard and onshore. From Sept. 14, 2026, guests sailing the Chongqing-Yichang route with the Century Premier fleet will enjoy complimentary transfers from major transport hubs in both cities.

The chef team handpicks premium ingredients to present the complete “European Culinary Journey” through classic Western cuisine. (Photo/Century Cruises)

With the successful launch of Century Vision, the company reinforced its global-development philosophy: “Rooted in China, Connected to the World.” Drawing on more than 30 years of service and culinary expertise reinterpreted through a global lens, Century Cruises said it is committed to elevating the Yangtze’s premium hospitality benchmark and bringing the river’s timeless landscapes to travelers everywhere.