Dylan Fuller
Google
We had a wonderful 7 day Amazon river cruise in Aqua Expeditions’ ship, the Aqua Nera. All aspects exceeded our expectations. The excursions all started via skiffs. The Amazon is incredible. The rain forest is teeming with life. The sounds and species were wonderful. The life in the rivers was also amazing - everything from pink river dolphins to first class birding. Our guides, Marcos, Alex, and Juan Louis were exceptional. All had an enjoyable style in sharing their impressive knowledge of wildlife and history. The ship itself was great. We’ve taken other river cruises on competitive cruise lines (e.g., Nile) and we felt the ship design of the Aqua Nera was better executed than others we have been on. The food was outstanding. Chef Juan Diego is a gem. Every meal had one if not multiple courses that were truly remarkable, and that’s coming from a couple of serious foodies. The local flavors were well balanced and delicious. Juan Louis makes a killer omelette - never over done, with the fixings cooked just right. The staff in the restaurant and bars made a huge difference in how enjoyable our vacation was. It was great interacting with Maximo, Willy, Jesus, and Eduardo. They were positive, informative, and attentive - but never too much. They were there when we wanted them to be and really did a great job feeling out when to lay back and observe - fantastic! We tried a massage in the spa and it was very well done - I got the precise blend of deep tissue and relaxation that I asked for - great. Our room was quite nice. It had a modern feel with a wonderful view out of the floor to ceiling windows. The bathroom facilities were also modern and classy. Our room was very well kept. Oscar did an impeccable job keeping everything clean and tidy with out ever being intrusive - excellent service. And overall, the cruise was very well orchestrated. Our cruise director Ivana kept everything running like clockwork with admirable leadership. Our days were well structured and communicated. We knew what to do and when and what to expect - it never felt chaotic or improvised. Ivana and her front desk leader, Grecia, made everything about the trip feel easy, and that is a considerable accomplishment given all of the moving parts. Great work. We look forward to continuing our relationship with Aqua Expeditions and planning our next cruise with them soon. Recommended in high confidence.
