Hard sleepers in China have everyone hanging out on the bottom bunk during the day, their are three levels of bunks, and the top bunk is not for the claustrophobic. Still a bit more comfortable than flying economy, and pretty cheap also (though they are disappearing as HSR trains replace them).
I took an overnight ferry from Shanghai once to putuoshan (maybe in 2004?), I’m guessing it was similar to your experience 3 years ago.
Yeah, we took hard sleepers in China in the early 90s. Loved how chaotic it was. You have to be comfortable with strangers around though. I remember the sleepers in Thailand were really hot with fans everywhere, but had curtains at least - more like submarine bunks. Also have great memories of a 3 day ship from Shanghai to HK, just not the sleeping quarters. We would learn Mahjong from the elderly Chinese and play the 2-3 arcade games.
I took an overnight ferry from Shanghai once to putuoshan (maybe in 2004?), I’m guessing it was similar to your experience 3 years ago.