Originally Posted by Romelle

PVG needs a Visa. In the China thread there is a Wiki on the topic. Recently, it has been possible to get 10-year visas. Worth doing ASAP, since it is possible that could change. I think mine was $140, but might have been a little more, and might have changed. Also takes some time. I'd definitely recommend using an agency (I've tried both DIY and agency).

Regarding cruises, I felt pretty much like Emailkid and sdfcardinals before I took one. Just not something for someone like me. I don't dare use the words here to describe the mental stereotype I had for them as I don't want to be rude to others. But there really are more possibilities than I had expected, and I was able to find choices that worked very well for me. I've since made a project of taking each grandkid on just one so they have an actual frame of reference about them. Internet withdrawal is a problem, but I've learned that most ports have free wifi almost as soon as one steps off the ship. And that was usually my first stop, until I'd gotten a fresh fix.

You can make a cruise a little more of a foreign adventure by taking one of the foreign lines. Costa is Italian, Pullmantur Spanish, Hurtigruten Norwegian.

If you are thinking of going as far as PVG, you might consider Singapore. Further south. No visa. Great public transport so you can go all over easily and cheaply. Clean, safe. But wonderfully unique. Possible to find reasonable accommodations. Fabulous food. The flight though will eat up 2/3 of that budget and a full hard day each way.