Chongqing Eastern Shipping was founded in 1967 during the tumult of the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution as a state company handling river cargo transport from the upper reaches of the Yangtze to the sea. Since the early 1990s it also has run cruise ships, mostly very basic vessels with tiny cabins and toilets that double as shower stalls. The fancier vessels generally offer amenities such as private balconies, fully equipped bathrooms, fitness facilities, Internet access and cable television. Enough historic and cultural sites remain to ensure a steady stream of tourists eager to escape busy cities for a leisurely river cruise on the Yangtze's turbid brown waters.