Amazon itineraries have been revealed for CroisiEurope's new luxury river cruise ship
The European river cruise will debut RV Brasilian Dream in 2027 with three 11-day itineraries to choose from – The Amazon & Rio Negro round trip from Manaus, The Amazon & Rio Tapajos between Manaus and Santarém, and Cruise Along the Amazon Between Brazil & Colombia, which sails between Manaus and Tabatinga.
From January to June, cruise passengers will be able to explore the flooded forest by canoe, getting up close to river dolphins and aquatic birds. Between July and December, itineraries will focus on the region's white sandy beaches and abundant wildlife along the riverbanks.
Highlights of the cruises will include visits to major parks and UNESCO-type protected areas, while passengers will be able to observe wildlife in dinghies and from dugout canoes.
There will also be meetings with indigenous communities, evening excursions and visits to villages on stilts along the riverbank, plus the chance to learn about local crafts, plants and produce and a variety of on-board lectures.
Further details, including dates, prices and when bookings will open will be announced at the beginning of July 2025.
The cruises will take place on the new 32-guest RV Brasilian Dream, a four-deck ship inspired by Amazonian culture. Accommodation includes 16 suites with private balconies, including two presidential suites suspended between the sky and water. There will also be a gourmet restaurant serving Brazilian-inspired dishes, a spa, fitness room, sun deck and a conference room.
As part of its commitment to protecting and preserving the Amazon, CroisiEurope said it is implementing the latest eco innovations, including engines that meet the strictest environmental standards, an advanced wastewater treatment system and solar panels that will allow the ship to shut down its generators at night and operate on batteries.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
I'm a 'blonde city girl' who quit the UK for a developing country - I was shocked by how expensive everything is and it's too dangerous to go out at night
A woman who left behind her London life to become a farmer in Brazil has admitted the move was 'one of the biggest struggles' of her life. Angel Bulut, 25, originally from Northwich, Cheshire, never expected a luxurious lifestyle in Brazil, but was shocked by the standard of living when she arrived in the South American country nearly three years ago. The 'blonde city girl' moved from Bracknell, London, with her Brazilian partner in October 2022 after saying she had grown 'tired' of her restaurant manager job. Well acquainted with the costly living standard in London, Angel was gobsmacked to discover just how expensive things also were on the other side of the world, and has since had to rely on her savings to make ends meet. Angel left behind her £2,300 a month wage to work full-time as a milk farmer in Parana, and now survives on BRL 6,500 before costs (around £887) per month with her partner. Now, she and her partner spend a fortune on 'everything', from food, to bills and clothes, with little leftover for luxuries. Initially apprehensive about her new life, Angel even considered returning home to the UK after just six months, but changed her mind when she began 'falling in love with things after the anger left'. She grew to appreciate the space she had - a two-and-a-half-acre farm compared to a one-bed apartment in London - and fell in love with the weather and 'not having a boss'. Angel said: 'My first year here was one of the biggest struggles of my life. I struggled with everything. 'I didn't speak any Portuguese. I was just this blonde UK city girl that came into the farm - It's not been an easy process. 'We're living a life but without the pleasures of living in the UK. I'm accustomed to having less now. 'I'm falling in love with things after the anger left. We have so much space. I have the sun, I have my animals that have all the space they want, and I don't have a boss. 'You suffer - you don't have the things you want and then just look around and see all the things you do have'. The 25-year-old moved abroad after meeting and falling in love with her Brazilian partner in Northwich. They went on to move to the two-and-a-half-acre farm in Parana, looking after 30 cows and raising pigs, fish and chickens for their own consumption. 'We're primarily a milk farm,' she explained. 'We wake up the milk cows, cook for them. Well acquainted with the costly living standard in London, Angel was gobsmacked to discover just how expensive things also were on the other side of the world, and has since had to rely on her savings to make ends meet 'The girls we bred are finally giving birth, so this is kind of the beginning of the story of, 'Is this going to work?' 'People we knew from back home and locals said, 'She's not going to last a month' or 'She's not going to get her hands dirty'. 'I woke up at 5am to feed the cows. I was working harder than I every expected to,' she said. Transitioning to life in Brazil means Angel spends BRL 1,500 per month on food (around £200), using savings to buy luxuries. 'We don't pay for water as we have a waterfall on the farm. Electricity is up to BRL 600 per month in summer and up to BRL 300 in the winter. 'We have an outdoor kitchen which we use everyday and use just fire to power it, and that brings the bills down. 'In the UK I'd make £2,300 a month after tax, and after costs I'd be left with £700. 'Here, considering what we earn on the farm, 50 per cent goes to the supplement of the cows. 'It can be up to BRL 10,000 per month and after costs we are left with up to BRL 4,000 per month across the year. And after that, there are the vet bills too. 'My partner built the house before coming here, the price of building a house plus the price of the land where I live is around BRL 366,000 which is around £50,000. 'Another thing is how dangerous it is,' she said, adding, 'How I loved to go on walks by myself as a woman at night in the UK. 'Here, I kid you not, I cannot leave the house alone without the protection of my dog. You can't be out at night time'. As a former gym lover, Angel has also found it difficult to adjust to her local gym being over an hours walk away, and with no car, she struggles to get there. 'I never come across someone like myself, everyone is so indulged in the cowboy culture. 'Like literal cowboy boots, when you see a Western movie it's like that. It's a huge clash of culture. 'Every state is different. It's either a cowgirl or literally a model. Brazilian women really look after themselves'. Despite adjusting to the new ways of life, Angel is now learning Portuguese and loves looking after the animals on her farm. 'My health is good because I'm not cold, I'm getting my vitamin D. In my opinion private healthcare is cheaper here. 'The people here are friendlier, compared to the Brazilian culture England is a very cold, cruel culture. 'In terms of moving back to the UK never say never but I was unhappy in the UK, I never enjoyed it. 'In terms of leaving Brazil and living in Brazil, I hated it for so many reasons, but now I love it. If I can find a way to have the quality of life I'm looking for, I'd stay'.
Reuters
16 hours ago
- Reuters
Bolivia votes as support for left wanes and inflation is top of mind
LA PAZ, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Voters in Bolivia are gearing up for a general election on Sunday that has been overshadowed by inflation at a four-decade high and the absence of former leftist President Evo Morales, who is barred from running. Leading the race are opposition conservative contenders Samuel Doria Medina, a business magnate, and Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, a former president, but neither commands more than 30% support, opinion polls show, with around a quarter of Bolivians undecided. The August race marks the first time in almost two decades that polling indicates Bolivia's incumbent Movement for Socialism, or MAS, could face defeat. Support for MAS-affiliated and other left-leaning candidates trails the opposition, totaling around 10%, according to the latest August Ipsos CEISMORI survey. If no presidential candidate wins more than 40% support with a 10 percentage point lead, the election will head to a runoff on October 19. Morales, who co-founded MAS and governed the country from 2006 to 2019 under its banner, has been barred from running for another term as president. Ballot stations open on Sunday at 8 a.m. local time (1200 GMT) and close at 4 p.m., with initial results expected after 9 p.m. Full official results are due within seven days. Voters will also elect all 26 senators and 130 deputies, and officials assume office on November 8. With a crowded field and no dominant MAS party candidate, the election marks a "crossroads moment" for Bolivia, said Southern Andes analyst Glaeldys Gonzalez Calanche of the International Crisis Group. Bolivia's fragile economy is top-of-mind for voters. Price-rises have surged past other Latin American countries this year, and fuel and dollars have run scarce. Annual inflation doubled to 23% in June, up from 12% in January, with some Bolivians turning to cryptocurrencies as a hedge. Many Bolivians, especially those who work in the informal economy, were now struggling to make ends meet, said economist Roger Lopez. "Prices of the basic food basket are going up fast," said Lopez. "Suddenly the math doesn't add up anymore." They may choose to punish MAS on Sunday, creating a window of opportunity for centrists, the right, or a leftist faction led by Senate President Andronico Rodriguez. "Every year the situation has got worse under this government," said Silvia Morales, 30, from La Paz, who works in retail. A former MAS voter, she said this time she would cast her vote for the center-right. Carlos Blanco Casas, 60, a teacher in La Paz, said he intended to vote for change. "This election feels hopeful. We need a change of direction," he said. Quiroga has promised "radical change" to reverse what he calls "20 lost years" under MAS rule. He supports deep public spending cuts and a shift away from alliances with Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua. Quiroga was president for a year in 2001-2002 after the then-leader resigned. Doria Medina, meanwhile, offers a more moderate approach, pledging to stabilize the economy within 100 days. On the left, the vote is split between the official MAS party candidate Eduardo del Castillo, who is backed by outgoing President Luis Arce, and Rodriguez, who has distanced himself from the party and is running on his own ticket. Morales, 69, has called for a boycott of the election, but analysts said his influence is waning. "There is widespread support for these elections," said Calanche. "Most Bolivians see them as key to leading the country towards economic recovery."
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Trump's cold brew: New York coffee shops warn of higher prices amid steep tariffs
The Trump administration has targeted Brazil with steep US tariffs of 50%. Coffee shops in the heart of New York are bracing for impact. When the Trump administration announced another wave of sweeping tariffs, particularly on Brazil, Stone Street Cafe's managing partner was first confused. Then came fear. A cafe already runs on slim margins and extra costs passed on from tariffs could risk everything. 'If these tariffs are long term, it will put our business in jeopardy,' Antony Garrigues, managing partner of Stone Street Cafe, said. 'In New York City, the operating costs are already so high, and these tariffs will make everything much more expensive. 'In the end, if people cannot afford our coffee, and we do not have a profit margin, we will not make it.' Stone Street Cafe, based in Manhattan, sources green coffee beans from more than 35 different countries, including Brazil. But Brazil is not the only coffee-producing nation facing tariff pressures: Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia and Indonesia are also affected. 'These tariffs are not paid by the country. The costs are passed down to the business owner, and consumer,' noted Garrigues. 'For now, we are going to try and absorb as much [of] the cost as we can. But at the end of the day, this is a business – so we may have to increase the prices.' With the growing effects of climate change already inflating coffee prices, other cafes have already done so. Aside from coffee Ciao Gloria, in Brooklyn, also imports cocoa powder from Brazil. Jams sourced from Italy now face Trump's 15% tariff on exports from the European Union. The cafe raised prices by about 25 cents per cup, but plans to absorb any additional tariffs costs, at least for now. 'I'm selling sugar and caffeine – I'm basically a drug dealer,' joked owner Renato Poliafito. 'So I want to make sure the menu is affordable.' But then he turned serious. 'We have to be vigilant about analyzing the situation before jumping to price increases.' Customers are already scrutinizing their receipts. US coffee prices rose 14.5% in the year to July, according to official data. 'It's this idea of shifting baseline where we normalize something being expensive when it shouldn't [be], and it's very scary to see,' said Helina Seyoum, 29, who has reverted to making coffee at home. 'Now a morning coffee becomes a burden, because you're obsessing over the costs.' A daily cafe trip was how Aley Longo, 28, made sure she escaped the confines of her studio apartment and spoke to people outside work in an 'affordable' way. Now it's strictly a weekend activity. Trump's tariffs are 'bad for Americans, and our quality of life', Longo said, 'and we are suffering, whether it's as tiny as just being able to buy coffee out, or something so much bigger'. Those behind the counter know what it's like to watch the price of a regular purchase grow. Allon Azulai, who owns Kos Kaffe in Brooklyn, which imports beans from countries including Colombia, Honduras and Kenya, described nervously asking vendors for their latest prices each week, as tariffs and mounting demand looms large. 'Right now the industry is so unstable and what worries me if tariffs continue is cafes that do not have big pockets will not be able to survive,' said Azulai. As US cafes come under pressure, the coffee producers they source from are also preparing for disruption. Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer and exporter. The US is the leading destination of its coffee: about a third of its coffee imports are Brazilian. The Brazilian Soluble Coffee Industry Association, which represents producers, said the 50% US tariff on the country's exports amounted to a 'clear competitive disadvantage' as other leading countries for coffee production face lower rates, ranging from 10% to 27%. 'This decision not only harms the Brazilian industry but could also negatively affect American consumers, who benefit from the quality and competitive price of our coffee,' the association said. Brazilian producers and exporters still hope they can lobby for coffee to be exempt from US tariffs, arguing the US produces very little coffee domestically. The US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, had previously suggested products not cultivated on American soil could be granted zero tariffs, they note. If that fails Brazil's Coffee Exporters Council says it will at least seek to reduce the tariff on coffee to 10%, in line with other Brazilian goods, including oil, orange juice and aircraft. 'We remain optimistic and hopeful,' the council said. New coffee export deals with the US are on hold and shipments ready to go are stuck in storage, adding costs for exporters. China has meanwhile approved 183 new Brazilian firms to export coffee, although the exporters' council cautioned that sales may take time to materialize. In Vietnam and Colombia – the world's second and third largest coffee-producing nations, respectively – exporters hope that lower US tariffs on their coffee will help them steal a march on Brazil. 'The US can't grow coffee at scale, so tariffs won't bring production back home,' Timen Swijtink, founder of Lacàph Coffees in Vietnam, said. 'With the tiny margins in our industry, any tariff cost goes straight to the American consumer.' Even with 20% US tariffs on Vietnam, the country's farmers 'are resilient and will find new markets', added Swijtink, 'with global demand strong and China's demand growing like a rocket ship'. With the US tariff on Colombia only at the baseline 10%, small coffee growers across the country are shrugging off any immediate impacts. 'The average coffee farmer won't feel it, at least for now,' said José David Posada, a fourth-generation coffee farmer and owner of Capilla del Rosario, a finca in Medellín. 'It's the exporters who will be impacted.' There is also a sense among some that, given Brazil's tariffs are at 50%, Trump's tariff war could even help Colombian business. The country's coffee cultivation is vital to the national economy, representing 8% of total Colombian exports. Posada said: 'The fact that Brazil has a higher tariff, obviously that's going to have a positive impact on us, right?' Guilherme Morya, a coffee analyst at Rabobank, said the 50% tariff on Brazilian coffee may, at least in the short term, shift American buyers toward other sources. 'Colombia gains a price advantage, and being the second-largest supplier, it becomes the most obvious candidate to fill this gap,' he said. But Alejandro Lloreda, a farmer at family-run Cafetal de la Trinidad, which produces specialty coffee, cautioned the difference would only give Colombia 'a temporary advantage'. 'A coffee tree can take two to three years to produce, and the tariff situation could well change before then,' he said. Back in New York, cafe owners find themselves in an equally uncertain position. 'The tariffs are to small businesses' detriment,' said Poliafito, of Ciao Gloria. 'Big businesses can find a way around it. But we will suffer the costs.' 'It's scary to not know if we can continue our business,' added Nick Kim, manager of Koré Coffee in Manhattan. 'It's really a shame, and sad, that you know bad things are coming, but you cannot do anything to change it. We have no option but to see what will come.'
