Q – (11.28.24) – We are thinking about joining friends who have booked a small ship, I guess you would call it a riverboat line, called Aqua Expeditions sailing the Amazon next year. I looked over the consumer riverboat site, www.riverboatratings.com and could not find Aqua listed among the top five lines. Wondering why?
A – It appears that you are only concerned with any vessel owned by a line beginning with the letter “A”. But, in this case, that is fine:
Your friends have made an excellent selection – choosing the very top-rated riverboat experience along the Amazon. Aqua Expeditions is a well-run, high-end, small collection of vessels that ply waterways in South America and in parts of Asia like the Mekong River. They are not ranked, although they are mentioned, on Riverboatratings because the site is dedicated to riverboats that ply the rivers in Europe, where Aqua does not operate. From food to personalized service and quality of shore excursions, you will be in the best possible hands with Aqua. Kudos to your friend’s travel advisor.
One bit of advice – the Amazon River basin is one of the most disease-ridden areas of the world for tourists. You should definitely use the services of a tropical medicine clinic as well as your personal physician to make certain that your shots are all up-to-date as required and recommended. This is not a reason not to go – just a warning that advance preparation and the information provided by a trusted advisor are critically important.
