Aqua Expeditions

River Cruises

Iquitos

Lima

South America

Amazon River

Excellent

Average

Very Good

Aria Amazon

Aqua Nera

Quebec City

We had booked this trip in 2019 to celebrate in 2020 our 40th Anniversary, obviously delayed until 2021.  It was unique, different, immersive, small ship cruising (which we like),  we loved the whole trip.  In our case we booked through Uniworld Boutique River Cruises which took us from this ship to Cusco, to Machu Picchu and back to Lima.  When originally booked I thought this was a lot of time on a ship without touching land but each day had a special touch, a different plan and the week past by very quickly.  We loved each & every day on board with the days activities.  We did not miss any activities because we knew that is when they would see something special. The crew & staff are amazing, you can see they truly love their profession.  The Naturalists were excellent, thorough, interesting and were never at a loss for the answer to a question.  The crew on board took care of us, our rooms, food, the bar & every detail you could think of. Our very first time to be without wifi or cell service for most of the week, it was so relaxing!  The Naturalists George with his awesome photography & energy beyond belief, Julio with enthusiasm that is contagious, Ricardo who was quick to spot wildlife they all worked together as a team making sure we saw as much wildlife as possible. The on board crew from the food with Alexandra, the bar with Robinson all the staff knowing what you wanted before you could speak. The rooms were made up the minute you left & we all loved the towel origami each day!  The skiff drivers, the health technician, everyone chipped in to make our trip memorable.  I highly recommend this once in a lifetime experience.

A long awaited trip on the Aria Amazon

Both embarkation and disembarkation for our cruise were from Iquitos where we were welcomed at the airport by one of our guides, taken to lunch at a local restaurant, then transferred by skiff to the Aqua Amazon.  After boarding our luggage was delivered to our suites promptly and we had a required introduction to the ship and its safety procedures.  We had time to unpack before our first dinner and the cruise director visited our suite to see if we had any questions and to make sure everything was as it should be.   

The Aria is a small 16-suite ship, all with large picture windows for viewing the river and surroundings.  We had a suite on the second floor which I believe provided a better view.  The cabins were spacious and well appointed and provided ample room to store our belongings.  Beds were very comfortable.  The bathrooms were large for a ship.  Everything worked and the room was spotless.  Since the suites were air-conditioned and the outside was much warmer, an area that was not air-conditioned was provided to keep cameras and binoculars so they wouldn't fog up when we went out on excursions.  I thought this was a very thoughtful touch! 

There were many wonderful things about our trip down the Amazon and the ship itself but I'll focus on a couple.  First of all, the guides (and other crew members) were outstanding!  Our 4 guides were knowledgeable, professional, and fun to be with.  Most if not all grew up in the small villages along the Amazon and had a deep love of and respect for the river, the flora and fauna, and the local people.  We had an opportunity to go out in the skiffs with each of them and this made the excursions all the more interesting.  Typically we went out on the river after breakfast, returned to the ship for lunch, and went out again in the late afternoon and returned in time for dinner.  Sometimes there were optional early morning excursions as well and one time we went out before breakfast and had a special breakfast delivered to our skiffs.  Quite a remarkable feat actually.  Passengers were loaded into 4 comfortable skiffs so everyone had a view seat and guides made a real effort to make sure everyone could see whatever we discovered before moving on.  By the end of the first or second day, the guides had learned our names.  I think there's something particularly nice about being addressed by name!  In addition to the guides, other crew members were equally professional and helpful.  All crew members seemed to work together to assure that their guests had an amazing trip.  

The food was very good—varied and creative.  I was pleased that we had an opportunity to enjoy a variety of local foods as well as some things that were perhaps more familiar to us.  Part of travel is experiencing the local culture and food is certainly an important element.  Breakfast and lunch were served buffet style and there was always a variety of choices.  Dinner was served "family style" and while there was only one main course there were a number of side dishes to choose from.  Since tables were small--generally for 4--this family style approach worked well.  As guests seated themselves for dinner, one of the dining room staff brought printed menus with the evening's fare and asked if anyone needed a substitution.  House wine and local beer were complimentary and were served at both lunch and dinner (and at the bar at other times).  I thought the food was excellent and I definitely enjoyed the variety that was provided.  As a bonus, during the week our chef led two cooking demonstrations as did the bartender with special drinks.  I really enjoyed this interaction with the other crew members.  There was a very nice lounge on the top floor of the ship which included a bar.  This was where various talks were given by the crew--and a little special entertainment by them as well.  

Of course the Amazon and its tributaries were the main attraction!  It was high-water season so we were able to navigate by boat pretty much everywhere.  We saw many birds and some other critters--lots of beautiful scenery--and interesting villages.  We were lucky with the weather and experienced little rain but each skiff was equipped with some serious ponchos just in case.  We did have one sudden but brief downpour and were glad for a poncho!  I was expecting mosquitos but we really had very few.  We visited two villages durning the week and took two jungle walks.  During the low-water season more time would be spent on land.

All and all, it was a wonderful, memorable trip.  If you're contemplating an Amazon River cruise, I'd highly recommend booking on the Aria Amazon!

Wonderful 7-Day Amazon Cruise on the Aqua Aria

We had already booked a 12 day Galápagos Adventure with another company. Our travel agent suggested the Aria post cruise as we were already in South America! The Aria is state of the art, gourmet food, 4 enthusiastic knowlegable guides, and adventures galore. Imagine breakfast floating on the Amazon, paddling a dugout canoe with a tarantula swimming alongside, Mimosas in a skiff at sunset and nighttime searches for anacondas! I kid you not!

It is worth  every cent and memories will remain forever!

Please do not buy Jaguar handbags from the locals. You cannot bring them back through customs! But do buy their silver jewellery, fruits, nuts and beaded earrings. Customs also confiscated spices, seed necklaces and bracelets. The Aria Amazon had a great little gift shop with a tasteful selection of both costume and expensive jewellery at fair prices. Meant to have a massage but no time!

Be sure to attend cooking class and a Pisco Sour workshop!

4 Days of Magic on the Aria Amazon

We choose the cruise because we are animal lovers and wanted to see he animals of the Amazon in an intimate way.   It tuned out that not only was the nature viewing extraordinary but the service we received on the boat exceedeed our expections. The staff and guide made a huge effort to get to know each and every guess by name and learn what their favorite drink was!  The cabins were comfortable with amazing views.  I highly recommend the 4 night cruise.  It was a very special experience.  The food was absolutely top notch. Dinners were 4 course foodie experiences ; lunches and breakfasts were buffets.  The chef made a huge effort toi integrate the fruits, vegetables and herbs into the menu.  The guides were extremely knowlegeable.  Every day they took us out on skiffs and we saw everything from three toed sloths to red howler monkeys. The experience on Aqua Expeditions Aria Amazon was 5 stars!

Amazing service!

The guides have to take top slot here, they were absolutely excellent, hugely knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna and organised some amazing and interesting excursions in the skiffs. On one occasion we nearly landed a 7m Anaconda - all very exciting!! The crew were always on hand every day to ensure we were sprayed with mosquito protection before departure and to welcome us back with a cold drink. Catering staff, Robinson in the bar and housekeeping were all first class and very courteous. Breakfast was superb, lunch good but dinner a little hit and miss - great on one evening, not bad on two and definitely not that good on one; the house wines were all perfectly acceptable. Although in the rainy season we rarely had problems during the entire 4 days. On our last night the crew and guides organised a video of our trip and ended the evening with a few songs and music with one chap who stood out above all the others with an instrument similar to a banjo - he was the housekeeper!! A brilliant time was had by all.

If you have the time it's worth spending a day or so in Iquitos - the people are very friendly and there are one or two very nice bars and restaurants to help you acclimatise before embarking on the amazing experience.

Would we go again - most definitely!!  A great big thank you to the entire team.

Perfect from beginning to end!

We chose this cruise because we had seen it advertised and it suited us. The Aria is an excellent small cruiser with very professional staff and wonderful guides, The cabins were spacious and well appointed, the recreation area very comfortable and the dining room very good. The food was wonderful and gave a good idea of the scope of peruvian food even including the chinese sector so important to them. The crew and guides kept us very well entertained both on the vessel and on the excursions.  

The daily excursions were not to be missed and made us understand the importance of keeping the Amazon and it's tributaries in pristine condition. To see the wildlife in it's natural state was wonderful and the view some of the villages and their indigenous inhabitants was charming and meaningful. The guides were terrific in this respect.

Finally the video of the trip is a knockout.  

The only drawback was that we hadn't booked an 8 day cruise. 4 days wasn't long enough.. .

Wonderful river cruise

We were very excited to go on this 5 day 4 night cruise down the Amazon River. We were VERY disappointed to realize we were not really on the Amazon on this cruise but instead on a river that is an offshoot off of the Amazon. We spent $20,000 for the 5 days for the 4 of us so we had high expectations of luxury. 

The boat was so magical looking when we arrived late in the evening from hours of a bus trip from Iquitos. The rooms were nice and we got 2 connecting rooms for our family of 4. They were clean and nice at first glance but when you look closer the whole boat (and rooms) have been caulked and re-caulked near windows and in bathrooms and it is getting a little long in the tooth. The vents in the bathrooms had tons of dust so it was kind of gross to look at each time we went to the bathroom (as well as the grungy caulk). Overall the rooms were nice and clean though, just worn.

The best part of the boat was the common bar and seating area. it was beautiful and cozy. Nobody used the pool/hot tub the entire time so I am not sure if anyone ever does. The drinks were good but the service to get them was slow and not proactive. We had to ask for drinks every time and go up to the bar. There were virtually no snacks so if you were hungry you were out of luck unless you wanted to eat the same nuts and chips EVERY day. Sometimes it is nice to play a game, have a drink, and have some good things to eat. You get 3 meals and nothing in between.

The excursions started very early every morning and it did not feel like vacation. They seemed to try to keep everyone off the boat all day as long as they could so they could clean and prepare for the evening. The animals were so hard to spot on the shores that we wondered if we really saw what our guides told us we were seeing. it was very hard to be in a skiff for 4-6 hours a day in the heat and searing sun and straining your eyes to see wildlife. Our favorite things to do were the jungle walk and visiting a local village (bring things for the kids with you). We skipped out on one thing we really wanted to do which was to fish for pirhana because my daughter got sick from the steamed broccoli she ate on the boat and my son had had a sever allergic reaction to the pine nuts in the pesto he was served the night before so waking up at 6:00 in the morning to go on an excursion was just not doable for us. It was a bummer.

Speaking of the food. We had ONE thing we could not have served and it was on our profile and the boat lead spoke to us about it the first day we arrived, My son can not have pine nuts as he is severely allergic to them. In fact we specifically said NO PESTO either since it often has pine nuts. Well, guess what was in the bread sticks and my son unknowingly are them and had a severe reaction and could not breathe and threw up all night.  The staff was not helpful and luckilly we travel with an epi-pen since we were in the middle of the Amazon and had no healthcare anywhere in sight. 

I do want to give the entire staff a bug kudos because they work very hard and try to make everyone happy. We just would not go on this cruise again. In fact we just booked Cambodia/Vietnam next year and have a 7 day river cruise on the RV Javamaran booked and we did not even consider booking on the Aqua Expedition Mekong. The experience was not luxury enough for what the cost is. The food was all local and when we saw the town that the food came from where they sell skinned monkeys and tortoises we realized nothing was flown in special and there was no luxury in the food. It was all local and when you are in the Amazon on a luxury cruise the last thing you want is the local food. Everyone had to eat the same food and you did not get any choices. You get what you get and that is it. The options for kids food was even more slim.

I would like to end this by saying that my family of 4 (2 adults and kids ages 11 and 13) travel the world and stay in really nice accommodations and do many adventure travel things together. Our kids have been to 25 countries already and we have been to over 50.  here is a link to my Tripadvisor profile to show our travel experience https://www.tripadvisor.com/members/renee94903 This cruise was not worth the money it cost.

Decent cruise but lacking a few things.....

Our 5th river cruise in a row which we find far superior than ocean voyages.

All have been small group excursions with this being the smallest vessel we have embarked on(only 32 persons)

The atmosphere on the Aqua Aria was exciting with several adventures forth coming each morning and afternoon.

From wild life spotting to piranha fishing we even were able to hold an anaconda on a river exhibition.

Highlites included kayaking , drinks on the river and nite cayman spotting/plucking out of the river which was quite special.the river guides from the Aria were an excellent brunch and couldn't do enough to make the journey enjoyable.

Meals: breakfast was varied with a small selection of items available as well an additional menu which could be ordered from.

Lunch was similar fare with different choices each day.

But dinner was a set upto nine courses menu which you would call fine dining,

I struggle with this sort of arrangement and found it just didn't appeal at all.

We were a mostly Australian group and many struggled with dinner having no choices .

Overall I found this to a very good cruise though on the expensive side,

Not really the Amazon But close enough

AQUA EXPEDITIONS

ARIA AMAZON 3/10-3/17/2017

     Superlatives just aren't adequate to describe this once in a lifetime, high water opportunity. Exploring the Amazon accompanied by excellent guides and service by an exceptional crew made this trip a forever memory.

     The Aria is perfectly suited for small groups. Elegant and spacious, with plenty of hot water, this floating luxury hotel served us well. Everything from cooking classes to necessary 'rain delays' was expertly organized by our enchanting Cruise Director Juliana,

      Every crew member distinguished him/herself by showing the most preferential attention to each of us gringos. We were courteously treated as beloved members of the Aria family. We will return for a low water tour with the Aria Family!

     The boat is well maintained. Good food and drink amply available. Every detail from bug spray to proper rubber boot size was well managed. Each guest was furnished a personal Oacaya Wildlife  checklist.

     The guides took some beautiful pictures which were combined into a terrific travel documentary of our trip. We left our email addresses in expectation of receiving our promised copy. A month after the trip, we received it.

     The only reason dining was downgraded is because when the dining room was full, it was almost impossible to carry on a good conversation with table mates.

    Yes, there were many opportunities to bargain over local handicrafts. Peruvian or American money gladly accepted! The Aria store had some lovely jewelry and unique clothing items. School supplies may be purchased to give to villagers. Keep in mind you will be visiting remote areas where cell phones, daily newspapers and TV don't exist. And it was great to get away from those distractions!

   Go with a desire to see some of nature's most exotic creatures up close and natural. Learn about a unique one of a kind ecosystem. Take an appetite with you. Be pampered by an attentive cadre of well trained, dedicated staff. Enjoy, mi amigos!

Aqua Amazing

We loved the Aria Amazon. The personalised Service was excellent.

When we arrived in Iquitos in March 2017 People of Aqua Expeditions were already waiting at the baggage belt to take over all the luggage. All Cabins have floor to ceiling windows which allows breathtaking views even when lying in our bed. And the food was just incredible. I have never eaten better on any other ship so far! 

But the best is of course the nature and wild life. Although you cannot compare it to Africa we loved the quiet moments when gliding through the water looking out for macaws, sloths and pink river dolphins. We saw them all by the way. Thank's to all the guides who were just brilliant with a great knowledge. On some days you will have optional early morning excursions like looking out for pink dolphins which are really worth waking up early!

( actually we got spoiled since we had twice a private excursion with our guide as on our cruise noone seemed to be an early bird ) 

One of many Highlights: sundowner  on the black waters of Nauta Caño.

Definitely not our last cruise with Aqua Expeditions

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