Private Night Tour-VIP River Cruise and Shanghai Tower Option
Recommended by 98% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Shanghai, China
- 3 to 4 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Enjoy spectacular views of the Shanghai skyline at night with a cruise along the Huangpu River. Take the stress out of planning and transport, with pickup from your hotel, a dedicated guide, and VIP seating on the cruise. Upgrade to include access to the Shanghai Tower Observation Deck and dinner for a comprehensive experience.
- A hassle-free way to enjoy a river cruise on the Huangpu River
- Enjoy more space and better views in the VIP area of the boat
- Choose from several evening departures to suit your schedule
- Relax with hassle-free pickup from your Shanghai hotel
What's Included
- Local dinner( If "Tour with Dinner "Option is booked)dinner NOT on boat NOR on top of Shanghai tower
- Entrance fee to 118F observation deck at Shanghai Tower (If Tour with Tower Option booked)
- Local great guide
- Private driver with air-conditioned comfortable vehicle
- VIP cruise ticket ( VIP siting area on the boat)
- Food or drink ( If " Tour with Dinner" option is not booked)
- Shanghai Observation Tower Ticket(If Tower Option Not booked)
- Skip line service in Shanghai Tower ( Only available to upgrade on site during the summer time).
- Outskits pick up and drop off ( Pudong airport/Disneyland area etc ) can be arranged at surcharge
- Gratuities，
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
Private pick up and drop off is provided for anywhere in downtown Shanghai. Outskirts area as airport, Disneyland area,Linggang Qingpu ,Chuansha, Songjiang District pick up and drop off can be arranged at surcharge.
Itinerary
1
The Bund (Wai Tan)
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Shanghai Tower
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infants must sit on laps
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 122 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Maisie was a very knowledgeable and thoughtful guide for a wonderful evening! The VIP area on the boat was not crowded so a great option.
This tour was great, excellent photography; cruising with sweeping views of the Bund and Pudong. The views from Shanghai tower at night was amazing. Highly recommended!!!
We had an amazing guide named Michael. We were picked up on time and were taken to the boat where we had a seat in the VIP section. Well worth the money. Michael was very informative, polite and knowledgeable. He filled us in on the history of Shanghai while explaining the many buildings we could see.
After that we were taken to the tower and once again Michael was an excellent guide explaining the quirky names of buildings. It was rather a misty night so the view wasn’t the best but he made it interesting with his stories. We were then taken to a local restaurant where he explained the food and culture of the Chinese. The food was excellent. He carefully chose dishes for us considering I’m vegetarian.
The entire evening was amazing. From hotel pickup to drop off we could not fault anything. Our driver was safe, our guide was wonderful so it made the experience magical.
I would definitely recommend this tour specially if you are lucky enough to get Michael as your guide
A fantastic evening in Shanghai. Michael was our guide, he was entertaining, knowledgable, good company and clearly enjoyed his job it was a pleasure to spend the evening with him learning about this city. For dinner we had traditional dishes, Michael explained about each one and Chinese dining culture we learnt so much. The boat ride was lovely at the back of the boat where it was quiet, and despite being cloudy it was good to see the view from the tower. A fantastic experience from start to finish with communication from the company and our driver. Michael really made it an evening to remember, thank you!
For the price (around $300 for two people), this tour felt significantly overpriced.
To put it into perspective: a luxury taxi to and from the hotel is roughly $40 of ordering via Didi, and the Huangpu River cruise itself is about $50 for two. That leaves nearly $200 to justify through the guide’s service - which, unfortunately, did not happen.
The guiding itself was very basic. Most of the facts shared were things I had already read online in about 30 minutes of Googling beforehand. There was little depth, storytelling, or insider insight that would normally justify a “VIP” experience at this price point.
Additionally, the level of enthusiasm was quite low. Instead of feeling like valued guests on a private tour, we sometimes felt more like… an inconvenient relative being escorted around.
The cruise itself is nice, but that’s not unique to this tour. Overall, I would not recommend this experience at this price level. If priced much lower, expectations would be different — but as it stands, the value simply isn’t there.
This was an excellent tour. Cassei our guide did a great job, same as the tour operator who provided timely and great communication. The tour included a boat ride in the river where the VIP seats are a must to avoid the super crowded general areas. Cassei gave us great insights about the city and took some awesome pictures of my wife and me. Later she took us to dinner to a super nice restaurant were she chose several menu items that we really enjoy. We climbed to the 118 floor of the Shanghai tower where she continued with very nice explanations. After some free time at the gift shop, she asked the driver to show us a few interesting places while driving us back to the hotel. The driver and the car were also excellent. In summary very nice tour and awesome job by Cassei. Highly recommended! Will look for them again if we return to Shanghai.
All of travel portal, Viator by far is my most fav. Great customers service and communicate.
Booked private tour tonight with Lea , shes very sweat and welcome tour guide. High recommend Lea and will book again when in town next time.
5⭐️🙌
We did the Nightine river cruise to see the skyline and a visit to the Shanghai tower to look down on the river and night skyline. Lea was amazing . She has perfect English and we have no Chinese. She was prompt and was able to answer all ours questions and provide I formation about the buildings we saw and some Shanghai insights. We also had a oprivate car as part of the tour to take us to the island and to the tower.
This was one of our highlights, and absolutely amazing experience. We did the night tour and the lights were fantastic
The tour guide and driver were very nice. There are crowds for the river cruise so it was nice to be seated in VIP. While the tour guide seemed knowledgeable, the local meal was not enjoyable (a lot of food wasted) and she seemed very tired.
Lucy is the best! It was great to hear about history from her, and we asked a million questions. Everything was so smooth and easy. Great high end way to experience the cruise and tower.
Although I had anticipated dining on board, the option was unavailable. Nevertheless, the experience itself was truly exciting, and I particularly appreciated my English-speaking guide, Ray or Roy?, whose politeness and professionalism left a lasting impression.
This was a great boat ride and our guide Cassie Chen!! She was the best and so full of energy. Highly recommend!!
Cassie was a great tour guide and seeing Shanghai at night is perfect. Cassie took great photos of us and it was a beautiful night all around.
We had the most incredible Shanghai night tour with our guide, Cassie. From start to finish, everything was perfectly organized, and she made the evening truly unforgettable.
The night began with a relaxing Huangpu River cruise, where we were able to take in the dazzling skyline of Shanghai lit up against the night sky. Cassie knew all the best spots on the boat for photos and explained the history and significance of the buildings we were seeing, which made the experience so much more meaningful.
After the cruise, we visited the Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in China and the second tallest in the world. Cassie timed everything perfectly so that we were able to enjoy the stunning city views without feeling rushed. She shared fascinating insights about the architecture, the city’s rapid development, and even pointed out hidden gems from above that most tourists would never notice.
What really stood out about Cassie was her warmth, professionalism, and passion for her city. She made sure everyone in the group felt comfortable and engaged, and she answered every question with so much knowledge. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and she went above and beyond to make the night special.
This tour was the highlight of our trip to Shanghai, and we couldn’t have asked for a better guide than Cassie. Highly recommend this experience to anyone visiting the city—you’ll walk away with breathtaking views, fascinating knowledge, and memories to last a lifetime.
Our tour guide, Lea, was terrific. She would receive 5 stars. She and the driver arrived on time, was communicative and informative. I would recommend Lea to anyone as a tour guide. Our Shanghai Tower Option was cancelled due to bad weather (which was honest of the company and much appreciated because it would have been a waste of time).
However, we were not impressed with the Private Night Tour-VIP River Cruise. While we were a small party of 3 on the tour, it was hardly private with the large crowds with which we had to contend. There were far too many people on the tour; hardly intimate or romantic, or amazing. People were loud, pushy, and jostling for a space in line. A fight actually broke out in front of us. On board, it was the same, except people were fighting for chairs on the boat. However, sailing around the river with all the lights at night was astounding but I would opt for a more private and intimate vessel if possible.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear Guests,
Thank you for taking the time to review! We are sorry that the cruise did not meet your expectations but this is not within our control. As this day due to Shanghai International Tourism festival , the cruise terminals are unexpectly over crowded and busy. Our Vip cruise does not mean you are skipping anyline but VIP cruise is for upgrading with the better less crowded area on the boat, you did expect whole experience with less peope around you , this is not possible in China especially nowadays in the top sites many chinese tourists travel around.
We do offer excellet private yacht cruise along river with ultimate privacy , you are welcome to book with us next time if needed at the following link ：https://www.viator.com/tours/Shanghai/Shanghai-Luxury-VIP-Night-Cruise-with-Private-Charted-Yacht-and-Transfer/d325-36522P432
Hope to see you next time!
Cheers!
Very informative. Lovely cruise. Seemless experience. Car pick up from hotel, walked through boarding & entrance to vip area on boat.
The river cruise and shanghai tower were wonderful. I would not recommend the dinner option; too rushed.
Excellent tour guide, driver, logistics and program (cruise and Shanghai tower) in general. Easy booking from the US as well.
I purchased this tour for my children, which included a river cruise, entrance to the tower, and a delightful dinner with authentic Chinese cuisine. The guide, Lucy, was amazing—kind, knowledgeable, and great at engaging my kids. She was very caring and attentive. Highly recommend this tour for anyone visiting Shanghai!
Great overview of the city, both in the early evening through the night. Great to see the city from such different perspectives.
It was wonderful to see Shanghai from the river, and we were especially lucky to experience a spectacular drone show that made the tour even more memorable. Afterward, we enjoyed a delicious dinner and captured some great photos of the city’s three iconic towers. All of this was made even better thanks to the exceptional guidance and warm hospitality of Lucy. She was fantastic and truly made the tour unforgettable. We highly recommend her—she ensures a successful and memorable experience every time! 👍🏻
This tour was excellent! We had a very tasty meal, at a restaurant that was lovely. Shirley, our guide, was incredible! She answered all of our questions and gave us great information about the culture of Shanghai. She was thoughtful, kind, and a great guide. The boat ride gave us the amazing opportunity to see the Shanghai skyline at night, in all its glory! Don’t miss this tour!!
The experience was excellent. Lucy was an excellent tour guide. The food was amazing. 100% recommended!
The tour was very flexible. We got to the cruise boat just in time to see the building lights turn on, it was a beautiful moment. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly
I would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting Shanghai. We were picked up in a very luxurious car and met the guide next to the pier. During the entire tour she shared a lot of interesting facts about different buildings and places that she pointed out to us. She was very accommodating when we requested to visit a store before going to the tower. When we walked to the tower entrance she pointed out photo opportunities and helped us take great pictures to remember the experience. Overall amazing tour with a great guide!!
Very nice tour at night in Shanghai with the highlights, very good food, Tour Guide has good knowledge
An unforgettable experience! The VIP River Cruise offered stunning panoramic views of the Bund skyline lit up at night—absolutely magical. The private tour was smooth and well-organized, with a knowledgeable guide who made the experience even more enjoyable.
The optional visit to the Shanghai Tower was totally worth it
Great experience! 💯 We enjoyed the river cruise, dinner at a very nice restaurant and view from the top of Shanghai tower.
This was an excellent tour. Cassie was an especially accommodating and patient tour guide: she helped me practice my Chinese, and she found us a place to eat. The river cruise was amazing - Pudong is gorgeous from the river. And the top of the Shanghai tower - wow! Special thanks to Cassie for a great tour!
From $143.60
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Private Night Tour-VIP River Cruise and Shanghai Tower Option
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