Well worth the cost!
I was nervous about traveling East for the first time, but was quickly put at ease by our guides in each city, and their warm and accommodating welcome. Our tour guides were Mike (Beijing), Lily (Xi'an) and Kris (Shanghai). I remember one time we were asking at a restaurant for ice water, which is not common to serve it that way in China, but our guide did everything to provide us. While they were certainly more of tour guides than expert historians, we learned a lot from their commentary. The navigation and comfort in the city was the most valuable. We had no troubles at the airports or in transportation. Would highly recommend!