We will be in Shanghai in March and would like to spend one evening doing the night river cruise. Our friends found a tour that takes picks you up at your hotel, takes you on the cruise, then wanders around the Bund with you. Cost is $79 pp. I have read that one can easily go to the port (which one?) and book a cruise for much less, though I have found no details. Can someone please advise regarding the best way to do this cruise? We have no problems getting around Shanghai on our own. I don't want to spend money when I don't need to... Thank you.

What guidebook are you using? If it doesn't have that info, get a better one.

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide, Tripadvisor and Fodor's website. These gave generalities but no details. Guess I need another book...

Look for Rough Guide or Lonely Planet. They are usually much better on logistics. (Not perfect, can be out of date, but better.) You might also ask your hotel.

We walked over to the river with plans to just hop on a boat one afternoon. However, the water looked so dirty (green and murky), that we axed the idea. If you can't get information from your hotel, then I would just head down to the river and find a boat.

It's best to look at the buildings on the Bund by yourself, rather than in a tour group. We were able to go inside the buildings by smiling, and asking if we could peak in and take pictures. The buildings, which are fascinating from an architectural standpoint, are only open during the day.

Alternative ideas for the evening are the circus (lots of contortions), or a whole body or foot massage. We did it all, and enjoyed it.

We did contact the Andaz where we are staying and they provided the information we needed for the evening cruise. Only 100 yen pp. Good to know about the Bund buildings only open in the day. We also plan to take a day tour of Shanghai and I am sure that tour will cover everything we need to see on the Bund. Thanks all.

It was very easy to take that cruise. I can't imagine why you'd have a guide with you for any reason at all.. Walk the Bund before or after, historical buildings as well as contmeporary ones. Your hotel should be able to help you with ticket info. The boats are large and ours was full of mostly Chinese passengers last year. The lights on the buildings are an incredible sight.make sure you go into the lobby of the Peace Hotel.

I meant to say 100 CNY, not yen, in my earlier post.

You certainly do not need a tour or a guide to take this cruise. When you get to the Bund, go to the riverside. When facing the river, the boats are docked on the far right. You obviously want to go at night.
Most comments that I have read about this cruise were generally not all that positive. So I have avoided it myself.