Amazon River and South America

[LHT28]

Lyn

 

There is no official information. The general understanding (aka gossip) is that the people involved broke the requirement to remain quarantined in their cabin.

 

Mike

Good to know they are taking action against these people

Maybe they should do it on the Riviera :D

 

Safe travels

Lyn

Edited March 28, 2016 by LHT28

[Islandattorney]

We were on a cruise that started in Manaus, slowly went east on the Amazon, stopping at a few small villages, then to Recife, and across the Atlantic to West Africa, finally ending in Barcelona (I think). Fabulous. I called it the poor man's around the world cruise. It was a Princess ship...not their biggest but certainly larger than an Oceania R ship. We went a few days early and took some tours into the Rain forest, etc. one highlight was a hike in the forest where our group ran into some children with local animals, including a sloth, that they handed over to gently "hug" the visitors...unbelievable.

I would like to disagree with the people objecting to taking gifts for the children..worrying about encouraging "begging". My husband grew up in the islands at a time of deep poverty when no child had a toy...we think that sharing some of that joy with children is fine, and have no qualms about some fear that they will be spoiled by this.

Just our point of view...

[sammiedawg]

We were on a cruise that started in Manaus, slowly went east on the Amazon, stopping at a few small villages, then to Recife, and across the Atlantic to West Africa, finally ending in Barcelona (I think). Fabulous. I called it the poor man's around the world cruise. It was a Princess ship...not their biggest but certainly larger than an Oceania R ship. We went a few days early and took some tours into the Rain forest, etc. one highlight was a hike in the forest where our group ran into some children with local animals, including a sloth, that they handed over to gently "hug" the visitors...unbelievable.

I would like to disagree with the people objecting to taking gifts for the children..worrying about encouraging "begging". My husband grew up in the islands at a time of deep poverty when no child had a toy...we think that sharing some of that joy with children is fine, and have no qualms about some fear that they will be spoiled by this.

Just our point of view...

 

This is a very nice post. At no time did I worry about the ethics of an impoverished Amazonian child begging for a dollar bill or a lollipop. Their primitive living conditions have to be seen to be believed. Each year a handful of ships visit their third world villages, how many goodies do they really get.

[Canadian Sunset]

I think there's more concern about candy than useful items. I fully intend to bring notebooks, pencils and crayons when we take our trip in late November.

[Mura]

I certainly agree that children in these circumstances do not need candy! Yes, they need educational materials ... but toys wouldn't be awful either. Education first, toys second.

 

When we toured Africa in 1987 it was suggested that we bring pencils and small notebooks, that kind of thing. These were eagerly received by the children.

 

No one ever asked for candy!

 

Mura

[RJB]

Good to know they are taking action against these people

Maybe they should do it on the Riviera :D

 

Safe travels

Lyn

They did on Riviera. To get into any dining facilities or any lounge you needed to show your key card and were checked off as being O.K. Otherwise you could not get seated. Or get a drink or even get an ice cream. They tried very hard to keep sick people out of the mainstream until they were well again.

[Bobocasey]

rialannah,

when you get home could you post the private tour operators you used.

[sammiedawg]

We were told not to take any food or candy ashore and we complied. One tiny little girl cried and cried for a lollipop, I'll never forget it.

[RJB]

This whole area would worry me with it being the ground zero for the Zika virus. No place safe any more.

[Canadian Sunset]

We were recently in Curacao, which is also an area of concern. If one is careful at certain times of day there will be no problem. Of course I'm also beyond child bearing years.

I disembarked from our last cruise with a nasty chest and sinus bug that laid me low for weeks. It's a chance you have to take sometimes.

[rialannah]

rialannah,

when you get home could you post the private tour operators you used.

 

I plan to do that in the next couple of weeks.

[katz]

We just completed this cruise yesterday. I would suggest that your husband do some research about the Amazon to decide what kind of experience he wants. Oceania's is not an adventerous one. You will not be making any canoe trips through the "jungle". Many people, including us, were surprised that there is a city of two million people in the Amazon and that the Amazon is the size of the U.S.

 

There was an excellent lecturer on board who educated us about every port. We learned so much about Brazil, the Amazon and the Caribbean. His name is Don Klein.

 

The river boats and large "canoes" that are used can be a little rickety and hard to get in and out of. Many people twisted ankles and received cuts and bruises getting on and off buses and boats.

 

We missed visiting Devil's Islands because of strong currents. That was a big disappointment.

 

Each port was interesting. There is talk on this thread about the the village with all the children. We brought school supplies and gave them to the Reception Desk on board to add to the supplies they deliver. The children are very aggessive, in my opinion. They are waiting in a long line and grab your hand as you come up the little hill from the tenders. They latch on to you, along with their younger brothers and sisters. The idea is that they walk you through the village and then expect two dollars. We had six kids attach themselves to my husband and myself. They asked for $2 each. There are children dressed in regional costumes and paraded around by their mothers. Dr. Klein told us that it has not always been this way and he finds that the children are becoming more and more aggressive. He was also unhappy about how the villagers were exploiting the wild animals just to make a buck off the tourists.

 

I would suggest booking either a private or ship's tour in Manaus. We knew of three people who were robbed while walking in the city.

 

We liked having the Caribbean ports at the end of the trip. The private island visit was perfect as our last stop.

 

I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

[Floridiana]

The idea is that they walk you through the village and then expect two dollars. We had six kids attach themselves to my husband and myself. They asked for $2 each.

 

Wow! Doubled the price and tripled the number of children! I saw them buy soda pop with their dollar from the impromptu shop in the village pavilion.

I have been to villages in poor areas and understand that people want to earn some money off the rich visitors, but I prefer to buy handicrafts - even if I don't need another decorative time or bracelet etc.

 

Teaching begging is not in my books. I learned that from my first guide on a South Pacific Island who insisted that we not give away money or sweets.

[Bowie MeMe]

My husband has fallen in love with the cruise that starts in Rio and ends in Florida. The big question is what we might see when we're on the Amazon. Do we get into small boats and do any exploring? It's the Amazon portion that he wants more than anything, but if we just get to see things from the deck of the boat he wouldn't be interested.

 

Any help would be most appreciated.

 

I recommend that you look at International Expeditions (IE) which has run for 36 years tours on small purpose built riverboats on the Amazon River. We did this cruise in 2000 and it is still the best adventure of all. The boat sleeps about 25-30 (there are new boats now) and every day we went out in high speed boats designed to go far into the Peruvian rainforest on the Amazon for bird watching, monkey viewing, village/market/school visits and an amazing high tea in a lily pond and piranha fishing. Flat out amazing guides, crew, good food, and imagine the new ships have beds that are a little better than those of 16 years ago that seemed too short. We finished that tour with a side trip with the same company to Machu Pichu and again so spectacular.

 

The third trip we took with them was a small ship to Galapagos Islands and truly again so very spectacular -- animals/blue and red footed boobies so close to you--could touch but asked you not to. I touched a penguin and a seal when they swam into me playing in the water off the boat's swim pier in back -- very curious they are. (2nd trip was an African safari in Tanzania with one of their partner companies). I would do more of their trips but alas -- the mind is willing but the body is getting less trustworthy for adventuring and walking in natural conditions. http://www.ietravel.com will show you the trip that your husband is dreaming of. No ocean going vessel can get far enough into the rainforest to see the spectacular wildlife -- and you need excellent guides to spot it and get you there and tell you when to shoot your prize winning photo.

Edited April 4, 2016 by Bowie MeMe

[Floridiana]

and you need excellent guides to spot it and get you there

 

Absolutely. Without our guide, we would not have seen half of the animals. We went to the Napo River Wildlife Center. Access from Quito via commercial plane, motorized canoe and rowed canoe. I can highly recommend this lodge, but it is not a cruise. Transportation from Quito and back is included in the price and arranged by the center. And you actually do good for the local tribe who runs the lodge, owns and protects the land.

 

We also enjoyed our Amazon cruise on the Regatta, but that is a totally different animal.