Comparing Amazon Cruises in Brazil

Many people want to do an Amazon cruise in Brazil. What are the choices and how do they differ?
One consideration is the frequency of operation

• a few big ocean liners might do one or 2 trips a year, maybe to Iquitos in Peru
• the Tucano offers cruises almost every week, from 5-7 days
• the Amazon Clipper and Premium offer weekly departures of 3,4 or 6 days
• The Grand Amazon offers weekly departures of 4 or 5 days
• the Jacare-Acu and Awape offer 4-8 day scheduled cruises throughout the year
• the Desafio is supposed to offer weekly 4 day departures
• there are many hammock boats and air-conditioned cabin boats available for private charter for any time and any length of time

Some of the amazon cruises with scheduled departures don't operate unless they get a minimum number of passengers. The Tucano guarantees all departures.
Another consideration is what your interests are

• if you just want to get a "taste" of the jungle, then a short 3 or 4 day cruise on the Clipper or Premium might suit you
• if you want luxury and evening entertainment, then the Grand Amazon is probably best
• if you want a good cultural experience, then some of the Jacare-Acu and Awape cruises offer that
• the Tucano and Jacare-Acu and Awape offer the best regular nature experiences, while charters can also offer that. All of those options also offer a more active experience.
• the Tucano offers the best combination of comfort + nature and active experiences (with the option to be less active if you prefer - they separate into 2 groups for excursions - 1 for those who want to be more active and 1 for those who want to take it easy)
• of course if you want a completely customized experience, then a charter is the way to go. You can hike and canoe as much as you want, camp if you want. That can be expensive unless you have 4 or more in your group
• can you handle bunk beds? Some boats like the Clipper, the Desafio and some of the charter boats only offer bunk beds. The Tucano has some cabins with lower beds, as does the Premium and the Grand Amazon

Tucano dining room

When you investigate various amazon cruises in Brazil, also consider how reliable the operators are, especially if you are chartering a boat.  Many years ago we had some people who chartered a boat and at the last minute the operator substituted a different boat without informing us. Needless to say, the clients were upset and so we compensated them and have not done business with that operator since then. Anybody can put pretty pictures on a website and make a super sales pitch, but will they deliver what they promise and can you collect from them if they don't? That is where working with someone who has experience in the market can be beneficial.

​Also be careful when evaluating reviews. Someone who is used to budget properties might post a 5* review, but a person who is used to luxury properties might give it a 2* review. And people might not know what is acceptable or not. I heard about study that said that tourists might rate a restaurant as excellent, since it might be their first experience with that type of cuisine or the first one they visited in an area, while locals might give it low marks because they don't consider it as good as others they have visited in the area.

Contact us for help in deciding.