Recommend March 2011 - (Page 46)

CRUISING CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA, EXPEDITION-STYLE CRUISING PANAMA Expedition cruises are the way to go when exploring Panama, different zones along the Amazon River, the lakes and fjords of Chile and Argentina, and the Galapagos Islands. More than a dozen major cruise lines include Panama on their itineraries, featuring a PANAMA CANAL transit as a star attraction. Various smaller Panama-based vessels offer day cruises on the Canal for visitors staying in the country. But to see Panama up-close while cruising aboard a custom-built, deluxe yacht, consider the Discovery, owned and operated by PANAMA MARINE ADVENTURES (PMATOURS.NET). The vessel sails weekly on a 6-night Journey Between the Seas itinerary, visiting the Darien Jungle, Pearl Islands, Panama Canal transit and Lake Gatun, Barro Colordo, Chagres River and Fort Lorenzo, Portabelo. This itinerary operates in reverse in alternate weeks. The yacht accommodates 24 passengers in eight stylish queen and four twin cabins, all outside with large windows, private bath and air conditioning. Public areas include a dining room, bar and lounge ﬁtted with ﬂoor-to-ceiling glass walls, and there is a large top-deck observation area. Small motor launches are used for nature, beach and river expeditions. River Cruise, a 4-day Negro River Cruise and a 6-day Amazon & Negro Rivers Cruise. The top-of-the-line vessel has 16 outside cabins with air conditioning and private bath, observation/sundeck, two whirlpools, dining room, and lecture/lounge area with library. + IBEROSTAR (IBEROSTAR.COM) is the larger, luxury vessel in the area, operating a 4-day Rio Solimoas Cruise and a 5-day Negro River Cruise from Manaus. Iberostar’s 72 cabins and two Royal Suites are ﬁtted with private bath and balcony, air conditioning and TV, and other facilities include two pools, jacuzzi, two restaurants, ﬁtness center and Internet access. FROM IQUITOS: CRUISING AMAZONIA The vast AMAZON RIVER basin offers a remarkable wilderness of cruise adventures aboard comfortable boats, staffed with knowledgeable naturalist guides and chefs preparing imaginative and tasty meals in the middle of nowhere. Passengers glide through the rainforest, observing its natural wonders from observation decks, and explore the network of smaller waterways in motorized skiffs and canoes: spotting an astounding variety of bird species as well as caimans, tamarins and sloths, skimming among massive lily pads, going ﬁshing for piranhas, and meeting local tribespeople on visits to their communities at the river’s edge. Manaus in BRAZIL and Iquitos in PERU are the departure ports for the major visitor cruise trafﬁc in Amazonia. In the Peruvian Amazon, cruising grounds include the world’s largest wetland national reserve (ﬁve million sq. acres) Pacaya-Samiria, particularly rich in ﬂora and fauna (450 bird species, for instance and 102 mammal species). The superstars of Brazil’s Amazonia are pink dolphins, monk saki monkeys and scarlet macaws. FROM MANAUS: + AMAZON NATURE TOURS (AMAZON-NATURE-TOURS.COM)—cit- ed by National Geographic Adventure magazine as one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth”—owns and operates the 9-cabin M/Y Tocano that cruises from Manaus on two itineraries: a 5-day The Amazon Odyssey and an 8-day Voyage to the Heart of the Amazon. Cabins have lower beds, air conditioning, large windows, and private bath, and public areas include a sundeck and shade canopy on the observation deck, plus lounge/salon/dining area. + AMAZON CLIPPER CRUISES (AMAZONCLIPPER.COM.BR) offers a new Amazon Clipper Premium boat that sails on a 3-day Amazon L20 The following cruise boats follow the Rio Maranon and Rio Ucayali into the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve, an area twice the size of Yellowstone Park and teaming with wildlife. Daily activities depend on the season: high water season, December through May; low water season, June through November. + INTERNATIONAL EXPEDITIONS (IETRAVEL.COM) pioneered upscale and educational river cruising in this corner of the Amazon, with the accent on ﬁrst class comfort and expert naturalist guides. International Expeditions now offers 7-night cruises aboard La Amatista, a 28-passenger river cruiser following Rio Maranon and Rio Ucayali into the Pacaya-Samiria Reserve. Cruise features include air-conditioned staterooms with private bath, dining salon, observation deck (covered and open) for lounging and forest viewing; two naturalists and an expedition leader. + AQUA EXPEDITIONS (AQUAEXPEDITIONS.COM) introduced top luxury river cruises from Iquitos with the launch several years ago of its modern and beautiful 130-ft. M/V Aqua, departing on 3-, 4- and 7-night cruises from Iquitos. It accommodates guests in four master suites (240 sq. ft.) with separate seating area and eight suites (230 sq. ft.); both have twin beds converting to kings, private bath and enormous windows offering panoramic forest views. Public areas include an indoor lounge/bar, top level observation deck, and a dining room serving truly gourmet fare. A crew of 17 includes three naturalist guides. In April, the company will add a second luxury motor cruiser, the 147-ft. M/V Aria, whose 16 design suites will all be the same and will copy the master suites of the Aqua in size and amenities. Public areas on the new vessel will add a large outside lounge, an outdoor jacuzzi and exercise room, and a crew of 24 with four naturalist guides will look after the 32 guests. + DELFIN AMAZON CRUISES (DELFINAMAZONCRUISES.COM) offers two deluxe river cruise vessels. Delﬁn I, a luxury, 8-passenger houseboat with four suites—two deluxe, 320 sq. ft. suites, two master, 360 sq. ft. suites, both with picture windows, private terrace (two suites with jacuzzis), and designer furnishings. Delﬁn II, also a full luxury river cruiser, carries 28 passengers in 10 suites and four recommend.com http://www.IBEROSTAR.COM http://www.PMATOURS.NET http://www.IETRAVEL.COM http://www.AQUAEXPEDITIONS.COM http://www.DELFINAMAZONCRUISES.COM http://AMAZONCLIPPER.COM.BR http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend March 2011

Editor's Notes/Agent Speak
Hotel Desk
Tour Talk
Disney Dream
Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Mexico
Baja Airventures
Central Gems of Japan
2011 Guide to Latin America
The Tastier Side of Central Japan
Ireland With Brian Moore International Tours
Exploring Antiquity: Egypt, Israel & Jordan
Sailing Into Antiquity on the Nile
Florida's Ever-Changing Hotel Landscape
Riding North America's Rails
Small Ships in the Old South
Turks & Caicos Keeps Expanding
St. Lucia—Beyond the Pitons

Recommend March 2011