The Delfin III had good sized cabins and bathrooms that had all the amenities one could expect of a river cruise. There are only 20 cabins on board and the crew to guest ratio is almost 1:1. Staff on board was exceptional and extremely attentive. On our sailing we had only 4 English speaking guests and the rest were from Lima. In particular we had one large family celebrating the life of a lost loved one. I loved watching the family of play in the pool or playing chess in the lounge. The patriarch had loved the jungle and thus was the perfect place to celebrate his life. The lounge area is where we would meet at night to discuss the next days activities. During the day we had a little pool and sun deck. There were also various classes or activates offered in the afternoon, The lounge was also where we were treated to unlimited pisco sours. While I speak no Spanish our fellow guests wanted to learn more about us, so she invited us for a drink at the bar. The bartender translated back and forth for us over pisco sours questions of what does your family eat at home, to how many children do you have. The same questions we had as we were just beginning to learn about Peru. The one thing about river cruises, regardless if they are in Europe, South East Asia, Africa or South America is that those on board crave making connections with other like minded travelers. The food on board the Delfin was wonderful and represented foods readily available in the Amazon. We had fish, beef tenderloin, chicken and even pork. Food was exceptional as the Delfin is affiliated with Relais and Chateaux. Each time we sat down for lunch or dinner there was another delicious dish. Our maitre d eager explained each of the dishes we ate at meals. He was also an excellent singer and guitar player as we learned on our last full day on board. Visiting the Amazon in Peru is a bit like an African safari, except much of the wildlife you will see will be in the form of birds. I am not a birder, but by day two I was actively searching for the Macaws, hawks and king fishers. You hear the Macaws before you see them, so you have to use your ears as well as your eyes. Ah but to see those beautiful birds in the wild is a sight most won’t see. By day 2 we had also started to spot monkeys (there are over 13 different varieties in the Peruvian Amazon) sloths, bats, rats and Caiman (medium size crocodiles). We went fishing for piranha and had breakfast in the jungle. Read Less

The Delfin III was better than I expected - accommodations, food, service. - Cabin. Our cabin was quite large (unlike other small ship cruises I have been on), with a huge well supplied bathroom, king bed & enough room for us to store our clothes & luggage. The floor to ceiling window was great. The A/C worked very well & we needed it. - Service. The guides were very knowledgeable, helpful & friendly. The dining room was excellent. I was glad that there was a medic on board because I had intestinal issues that he helped me with. - Food. We enjoyed our meals - lots of variety & good quality. I like that they used locally sourced food. - Programs. The on-ship programs were not very interesting to me. - Excursions. Most of the excursions were on a skiff. I enjoyed the early morning one with breakfast served on the skiff. My favorite was the jungle hike - I wish we had more of these. The guides were particularly helpful on the hike. We also went to a local village which was somewhat interesting. Read Less

I gave this a 5 star rating based upon the experience that we had in the middle of nowhere, in the Amazon. Not a 5 star experience for a mainline cruise nor standard river cruise but this was nothing like that. Prior to the cruise we spent 6 nights in a jungle lodge. I strongly suggest doing both as we did. The Defin 3 is a very pretty boat and the staff are spectacular. Rooms are large with huge windows overlooking the river. The air conditioning quite strong and it was a relief after our time in the jungle. Unlike at the lodge the Delfin trip is almost exclusively on the rivers. While we did do one 3 hour jungle walk/hike, everything else in a skiff exploring along the waterways. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and willing to assist with any questions that we could ask. Food on board, for most, was great. Breakfast buffet was perfect. Lunch and dinner were served at the table and there really was not any option. They did ask if you had any specific requests but they were not great in following up. I personally don't eat most vegetables and it was tough to get pasta, potatoes or anything else to go with the main dish. If you did not like the main dish you were pretty much out of luck. It would be better if they posted the menu in the morning so that there would be an opportunity to ask for something different. The other strange thing is that they seem to try and be a 5 start ship. At meals the waiters wear white gloves, hold their hand behind their back as they serve, etc. They are trying to mimic a very upscale restaurant. In most cases they do accomplish this but it would be far better if they embraced the "rustic" adventure travel area that they are in and skip trying to impress. Food presentations were fantastic and photo worthy. There are few enrichment/entertainment activities. One couple on board were PhD in two various marine science disciplines. They did a great talk on river dolphins but some other talks, like this one, would have been great. Very happy we did this cruise and would recommend it highly. If you are expecting a jungle experience you really need to combine the cruise with a real jungle lodge. Read Less

My husband and I were part of Lindblad / National Geographic tour of the Upper Amazon on Delfin II for Oct. 29 - Nov. 5, 2017. We have been on 21 cruises, including three expedition cruises (Celebrity Xpedition to Galapagos twice and Silversea Explorer to Antarctica) but this was the smallest boat we've been on and our first river cruise. We booked the 10-night package, which included two nights before and one night after the cruise at the Wyndham Costa del Sol airport hotel in Lima. We arrived in Lima late (almost midnight) on the Friday night before our cruise. The hotel is right across the street from the airport, so we could walk to it, which was nice because the taxi line was extremely long. Other than being convenient for the airport, the hotel was nothing special. The room was clean but worn-looking with basic amenities (shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, body wash), two bottles of water, and Wi-Fi. The hotel has a spa with a small hot tub (seats about 4) and a tiny pool (15 ft X 7 ft). For the first day, breakfast was included but no other meals, and there were no planned activities until evening. There is nothing within walking distance of the hotel so my husband and I took a taxi to Miraflores, which was about 40 minutes away. There was a Meet & Greet planned for that evening in the hotel bar, but we stayed longer than expected in Miraflores and missed it. Lima traffic is very heavy and "rush hour" lasts until late at night. Breakfast at the hotel was also included for the next morning. After breakfast we met the group for our flight to Iquitos. The flight is one of my few complaints. No effort was made to keep traveling companions together and our seats were all over the plane. My husband's seat was across the aisle and two rows back from mine. The man seated next to me was part of our group, but his wife was seated three rows up. Once we arrived in Iquitos we were taken for lunch at a floating restaurant called Al Frio y Al Fuego. To get there, we had to climb down several uneven steps and board a boat. Lunch was very nice and included beer and wine as well as a selection of juices. After lunch we had a brief tour of Iquitos (about 30 minutes) before heading to Nauta, which was about 2 hours away, to board the Delfin II. Upon arrival in Nauta, we were greeted with cold fruit juice before boarding. Since there were only 26 of us, check-in was quick and we were in our cabins within 15 minutes. My husband and I had cabin 16, located on deck 2, forward port side. Each day had 2 -3 activities that enabled us to see wildlife, flora, and people in the Pacaya-Samiria region. The activities included skiff rides, hikes, kayaking, swimming, and visits to local communities. When hiking, kayaking, or swimming were offered, there was also a skiff ride available for those who preferred a less active excursion. The excursion groups were kept to 10 or less with a naturalist guide assigned to each group to point out and describe the various sights. Even though the hikes were short (no more than 3 miles), they could be strenuous and required walking/climbing on uneven terrain, stepping over roots, crossing rope bridges, wading through shallow streams, and slippery/muddy conditions. Because some passengers were unaccustomed to the tropical climate, the more active excursions were usually in the early morning. Some of the early activities started at 5:30 or 6 in the morning. Excursion examples: Day 1 - Skiff ride before breakfast, hike or skiff after breakfast, evening skiff ride Day 2 - Hike or skiff before breakfast, kayaking or skiff after breakfast, evening hiking or skiff ride Day 3 - Visit to local community after breakfast, evening kayaking or skid ride Day 4 - Skiff ride after breakfast, evening skiff ride Day 5 - Long morning excursion with skiff ride and swimming, evening hiking or skiff ride Day 6 - Skiff ride after breakfast, evening visit to local community During several of the excursions, local people had hand-crafts for sale. Since they only accept Peruvian soles for purchases, it is recommended to have small denominations available for making purchases. Some passengers brought along supplies for community schools, such as markers, pencils, crayons, games, etc. The area is a bird-watchers paradise. We saw too many to remember all of them. other than the birds, we spotted monkeys, sloths, bats, caiman, turtles, iguanas, dolphins, snakes, spiders, and a variety of insects. Our guides were familiar with the daily routines for many of the animals and took us places where we were more likely to see them, such as a favorite tree for the night monkeys or bats. In addition to the daily excursions, there were 1 or 2 afternoon activities on board, such as lectures about the Amazon, photography workshops, and cooking presentations. The evenings were mostly relaxing with a briefing at 6:30 to review the activities for the following day then dinner around 7. The remainder of the evening was free time. The atmosphere on board was extremely laid-back, with most people wearing shorts or casual pants/capris for meals. A couple of nights the crew played Peruvian music after dinner and a few people danced. There is a spa available for those who want a massage, facial, or mani/pedi. I didn't try the spa, but a couple people who did said the therapist was very good, but she didn't speak English very well so communication was a problem. There is also a "gym" that consists of a single elliptical machine. There is no pool or hot tub. Despite the hot and humid conditions, pants and long sleeves are recommended for the daily excursions. Mosquitoes were prevalent and a few people wore mosquito netting hats and gloves to prevent bites. There was organic mosquito repellent available on the boat, but I did not find it to be effective enough. I brought a 100% DEET repellent that I sprayed on my clothes about 15 minutes before I put them on then used 40% DEET spray on any exposed skin. I did not have issues with bites, but the mosquitoes would still buzz around my face, which was annoying. I was provided with a recommended packing list before the trip, but I found that several of the items were provided on board. The list recommended bringing two pairs of shoes for hiking (in case one pair gets wet/muddy), but rubber calf-high boots were provided for the hikes. I never wore my hiking shoes. Flashlights for night hikes and ponchos for rainy days were provided. There were also a few pairs of binoculars that could be borrowed. In addition, most common toiletry items were available, such as shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, soap, Q-tips, and lotion. Meals were very good on board, featuring local dishes. Breakfast was buffet style but lunch and dinner were served as 3-course meals (appetizer, main course, and dessert). Sodas, juice, tea, water, and coffee are included in fare. Beer, wine, and liquor was additional but prices were reasonable. Snacks were available in the afternoons from the bar. Gratuities were not included in the fare, and $150 USD pp was the suggested amount. Our cruise documents said that tips should be paid in cash, but on board we were told that they could be paid with a credit card. American Express and Discover cards are not accepted for payments on board. Read Less

Wanted to see the Amazon in comfort and with experienced guidance. It was all that and more. The people on board is what made the trip. Everyone was gracious and understanding. Pampered us really. I can't imagine a better experience. This is the way to travel. The crew not only provided services as needed and quickly, they also provided the entertainment. It was great seeing them in a different capacity. The dining was very high class. The wine and beer flowed nicely as did the water and sodas. The only issue I had was being the only single traveler it was hard to find an odd numbered table to join as all were set up for multiples of couples. But had some take me in to join their table and able to eat with the crew filling in any empty spaces. Wished I had know the entire schedule beforehand or at least a couple of days in advance to plan accordingly for the excursions. But overall this was the best trip I have ever taken for a vacation. Will do it again. Soon I hope! Read Less

I had always wanted to visit the Amazon and this was the perfect way to do it. It is an excellent ship, great guides and wonderful flora and fauna. We also visited villages and learned about life on the Amazon. The most amazing thing was seeing the river at just under high water and being able to explore the area by skiff. It was hard to imagine that it all be dry land in a few months. The bird life was plentiful and we saw monkeys, sloths, bats, snakes, lizards dolphins. We had daily skin explorations, swam in the Amazon, kayaked on some of the tributaries, went on several hikes in the jungle, visited a Shaman and a village where we learned about interesting enrichment project to empower women. Many of our guides were from the area and brought their knowledge and affection for the area to all of us. Each evening we had a talk on the history and culture of the area as well as its natural history. The food was plentiful and reflected local cuisine. We had a fun pre boarding lunch in Iquitos on a floating restaurant - yummy food - and visited a manatee rescue facility on the way back to the plane to Lima. It was a great experience. Read Less

I cannot praise this cruise enough! Excellent room, food, crew, service, naturalists. The skiffs were good and loved the early morning and evening trips. On the last day we even had breakfast on the skiffs on the Amazon with proper plates! We saw lots of wildlife and had a walk in the jungle in wellies! Day 1 was a long day as we had flown from Lima and we had a long bus ride from the airport at Iquitos to get to the ship. Same thing on the last day but we did have the bonus of visiting the manatee centre and a tour of Iquitos! Read Less