Rainforest and rare birds: a cruise in the Amazon is one of the unforgettable cruising highlights.
With the Seabourn Venture from Rio de Janeiro to Manaus.

L ong, calm waves drift across to the beach. They carry highlights, shimmering golden and orange. It is early evening, and we left the port of Rio de Janeiro half an hour ago, passing the Ilha de Cotunduba, eagerly awaiting the big moment when the Sugar Loaf Mountain comes into view and later, in the distance, Copacabana with its sparkling Art Deco houses on the world’s most famous beach.

We are standing at the bow, on the starboard side of the Seabourn Venture, the shipping company’s first ship specially designed for expedition cruises – compact and luxurious – which will take us on a 12-day voyage to the Amazon and Manaus. Behind us is the so-called Bow Lounge, a wonderful place, perfectly equipped for observation cruises. Monitors with nautical charts, on-board cameras, and navigation data are available here under the front windows, live as on the bridge. Wind and wave forecasts can also be called up here. Outside, at the very front, there is even a bowsprit from which you can look down and watch the bow bulb glide through the water.

This place, this deck, will be the meeting point for all those early risers who love sunrises and seabirds and hope to encounter a school of dolphins in the early hours of the next few days. We hold the binoculars tighter as the steep-sided, almost extraterrestrial-looking Pão de Açúcar approaches – that rounded cone at the top made of shell-like, weathered, coarse gneiss-like granite, one of Rio’s landmarks that millions of travelers usually only admire from the land side. We now have the privilege of getting to know the Sugar Loaf from the water side.

It is slowly getting darker, time to stroll inside the 264-passenger ship, designed like a boutique hotel, for dinner. We opt for the elegant main restaurant with the simple name „The Restaurant,“ with service at the table. The visual highlight here is the huge glass wine cabinet, well stocked with excellent wines from all over the world. The kitchen crew goes all out – the wonderfully tender lamb carré practically melts in the mouth.

We wake up at our first destination, the seaside resort of Bùzios, east of Rio. The sea is shimmering in the morning sun, and breakfast is served in the open air in „The Patio“ at the stern on deck, the outdoor area for the buffet restaurant „The Colonnade,“ and at the same time the pool deck with infinity pool and the Patio Bar, where the first glasses of champagne are already being filled for the overconfident.

Meanwhile, some of the ship’s own Zodiacs have already been launched – large, heavily motorized inflatable boats with reassuring stability. The black Zodiacs are made of robust synthetic rubber that can withstand even rough gravel beaches and sharp-edged ice. This makes them ideal for expedition cruises, especially in polar regions. If no other option is available, the Zodiacs are also used as shuttle boats for excursions ashore.

In Bùzios, local excursion boats can be used to explore wide sandy beaches and picturesque bays, which are ideal for swimming and diving. Sea turtles also make their appearance here. The hustle and bustle on the promenade, with a few fashion stores and cozy cafés, shows the leisurely and cheerfully carefree side of Brazil. We make friends with Martha, a young student with a dark head of curls and bright eyes, who conjures up delicious lattes for us in the Madame Toffi Café.

The next day, we meet Sebastian from the 26-strong expedition team on the ship. Seb, as his friends call him, is a trained helicopter pilot and has worked for the American Navy for many years, including in special operations for the Joint Interagency Task Force South. Their task: fighting the South American narcos, who smuggled huge quantities of drugs from Colombia through the Amazon region across the Atlantic to Spain in underwater boats they had built themselves.

Now Seb is ready to pilot the two brand new Cruise Sub 7 submarines from Dutch manufacturer U-Boat Worx. He proudly leads us to the high-tech devices, each costing five million dollars. They are well lashed down in their hangar on deck three. There is room for six passengers plus the pilot in each of the boats, which weigh around ten tons. The air-conditioned submarine has two acrylic spheres lying back to back, with three passengers facing forwards and three facing backwards. The seats are mounted on rotating platforms so that each guest can reposition themselves to enjoy the same view of the underwater world.

There are eight thrusters in total: four vectored horizontal thrusters, two dedicated horizontal thrusters, and two dedicated vertical thrusters give the Sub 7 not only maximum agility, but also the power to navigate through strong currents. Unfortunately, Seb tells us, the submarines will not be used on the Brazil tour. The water in the Amazon is simply far too murky to see anything below. Another obstacle is the sediment floating in the river. In this respect, the submarines are mainly used during the longer Arctic or Antarctic cruises.

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The following days at sea are particularly enjoyable. You can listen to lectures by historians, biologists, and ornithologists, do laundry in the free Guest Laundry with several washing machines, dryers, and irons, gather in the Constellation Lounge in the afternoon for a traditional British afternoon tea, chat with other guests, or simply spend meditative hours on one of the decks.

These hours outside prove to be particularly precious. The sea is calm, the light is mild, there is no land in sight, nothing to obstruct your view. No masts, wind turbines, houses, concrete canyons, traffic signals – simply: vastness and infinity. The whole world is just sky and sea. The Atlantic becomes a place of power, where you can breathe freely, where wounds heal. In such hours, the senses are cleansed and space is created for the new. The salty air by the sea is good for our soul, our lungs, and our bronchial tubes in equal measure.

After stops in Recife, Natal, and the solemnly celebrated crossing of the equator, we finally approach the mouth of the Amazon, the highlight of the journey. Hundreds of miles in advance, the changing color of the Atlantic announces our destination. Whereas we had experienced an unusually blue sea in the days before, the water becomes steadily browner and greener. Suddenly, more dolphins appear, and the birds become more numerous. It all happens very slowly, almost imperceptibly. What was initially as vast as a lake gradually takes on contours; at some point, the tree lines of the tropical rainforest appear on the distant banks of the world’s most water-rich river, wooden dwellings on stilts come into view, and a man waves from afar. Here and there, a narrow boat rattles along, trying to keep up with our ship for a few meters of the journey.

Twenty-four hours later, the scenery differs only in nuances. As we are traveling during the rainy season, dark clouds occasionally replace the blue sky, and a gentle, warm shower pours down on us. Later, crew members in white overalls dry the ground with wide water squeegees. The experienced guests wear light rain jackets and remain at the railing even when it pours. The wet protective clothing can later be easily dried in the special heated lockers available in each suite.

We reach Santarém, halfway between Belém and Manaus in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon region. With around 300,000 inhabitants and a regional airport, it is an unexpectedly large city, albeit one that has remained tranquil. The Seabourn Venture drops anchor, and the guests stream out for a variety of activities. A kayaking group explores small tributaries close to the shore, while another group visits the Rio Tapajós on a wooden riverboat and practices piranha fishing. It is raining cats and dogs, but this does not dampen the mood. Four fish are caught and then grilled on board without further ado. The meat is aromatic, with quite a few bones.

After a short stop in the hospitable village of Parintins with its settlers’ stores – where you can buy diesel generators, boat propellers, leather saddles, sanitary towels, natural medicines, and straw hats – the end of the Brazil cruise awaits us in Manaus. A quick visit to the legendary colorful opera house with its many columns, a cool coconut water in the market hall, and we are already at the airport. Off to São Paulo.