"Backwater" Cruises

I just received new river cruise brochures from AMA and Viking. Plan to investigate their contents shortly.
Today I got this new email and what did I find? A great summary of atypical river cruises. I'm still kicking myself for not buying the Aqua Expeditions in Peru years ago when LL offered it [briefly]. There is at least one other "Lounger" who feels the same way!
My hit list would be Zambezi Queen, Mekong River and the Myanmar. OE has a new cruise on the Irrawaddy! Several others are quite enticing.
Exclusive Backwater River Voyages - Articles - Departures
Are you paying attention, LL? Sure hope so!

The Chobe River, Nambia and Botswana Cruise sounds great. Would be right down my alley. Unfortunately, our plans are all set for this coming November. Wish I had seen this before. Although we will be on the Chobe and Zambesi River for some smaller evening dinner and day cruises..

I hope LL listens and puts some of these backwater cruises on.

As long as you get to do ANY river cruise in Africa! We did a little private one when were at Mkuze Falls--on a pontoon boat--it was a lake dammed from a small river they made for local game to use as a "watering hole". it attracted a few hippos and it was a surprise "gift" from the lodge. I have no doubt you will enjoy every minute of your trip. I don't think we'll be going back to Africa until next year. I'm looking at the Chobe pkg or the new Kenya Paws one to add to Vic Falls.

Agreed, our failure to take advantage of the very, very limited Luxury Link Aqua Expeditions Peruvian auction offer is one of only a few regrets we have. The Departures article (great fashion photography), only served to rub salt in our wounds.

We are thinking of Peru again later this year and maybe LL will surprise us (otherwise, we may be facing 'retail' prices for the AE ride) with one more auction opportunity.

Cruises are one type of travel that my travel resistant husband will do. So I agree - Luxury Link bring on the cruises - of all kinds! :)

If the destinations are interesting, at least to me, then a cruise works. As for being aboard a watercraft for 7 or 10 days and eating 8 or 10 meals a day - well, that's not my style.

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Originally Posted by jsattapr2

If the destinations are interesting, at least to me, then a cruise works. As for being aboard a watercraft for 7 or 10 days and eating 8 or 10 meals a day - well, that's not my style.

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I've been on many cruises and I've never eaten 8 meals a day, much less 10. I don't think I've ever seen that many offered on any major cruise line. No one MAKES you eat the meals or buffets or forces you to order room service. That's a very silly misconception of cruises. Granted, I've seen a few folks who could eat that many meals per day (and some probably might have--that is something I never wish to witness!)

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Originally Posted by jsattapr2

If the destinations are interesting, at least to me, then a cruise works. As for being aboard a watercraft for 7 or 10 days and eating 8 or 10 meals a day - well, that's not my style.

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j-s-2, I think 6 to 8 meals a day, depending on your definition, are doable numbers on larger cruise lines. Some people are there for the food and not too much more. My own cruise experiences, which does not number those of kyshel, would be an early pre-breakfast, formal breakfast, formal lunch, formal dinner and late night buffet. Then of course, many ships offer all day snack service, such as pizza, and ice cream service points.

There is a common practice to offer afternoon tea on several ships.

And, yes, most ships have 24 hour room service.

So, depending on the nature of the passenger, excessive eating opportunities abound.

I'm not attracted to this cruise lifestyle.

We have been on a cruise or two and the one thing that was very obvious, was how really old and obese some of the cruise participants were. Not our style.

Just returned from 8 day boat trip on The Cormorant in The Galapagos...AMAZING. 16 passenger catamaran and very stabilized. I am not a cruise person but this was the cat's meow! Talked with others on National Geographic boat and quite a different experience than our personalized trip......