Life has a way of circling back in surprising ways. Forty years ago, while backpacking through Southeast Asia, I met a young woman from Brazil. After weeks of traveling together, we went our separate ways, but recently we reconnected, and now my life is taking me to Brazil—a place I was supposed to have visited back in my twenties, but never did. Soon, we’ll be spending a few months each year in the beach community where she grew up.

So when CroisiEurope—the company I’ve followed and sailed with for years—announced they’ll begin offering Amazon River cruises in 2027, the news felt serendipitous. Just as I’m preparing to finally discover Brazil for myself, CroisiEurope is arriving there too.

They’ll sail aboard the 32-passenger Brasilian Dream, a ship designed specifically for the Amazon. With just 16 balcony suites, a Brazilian-inspired gourmet restaurant, spa, and vibrant décor drawn from local crafts, it’s intimate but luxurious. What excites me even more, though, are the experiences beyond the ship: sunrise boat rides through rainforest waterways, encounters with pink dolphins, time spent with indigenous communities, and immersion in one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions.

CroisiEurope Amazon Cruises

• Along the Amazon & the Rio Negro. A ten-night, roundtrip sailing from Manaus that explores Jaú National Park and the Anavilhanas Archipelago. Expect monkeys, caimans, tropical birds, and a wealth of flora and fauna, alongside lessons in indigenous medicinal plants and glimpses of village life.Departures January–August 2027 | From $7,409 per person
• The Gentle Amazon & the Tapajós River. Between Santarém and Manaus, this itinerary reveals the Tapajós and Arapiuns rivers, known for their white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. It’s a chance to meet artisan communities and soak in the softer side of the Amazon, with diverse birdlife and forest ecosystems.Departures September, October, December 2027 | From $7,409 per person
• The Original Amazon. This journey ventures furthest afield—from Manaus to Tabatinga, near the borders of Colombia and Peru. Highlights include the Mamirauá Reserve, encounters with the Ticuna people, and an introduction to their shamanic rituals. The wildlife here is spectacular—uacari monkeys, herons, fish eagles, caimans, and pink dolphins.Departures April–May 2027 | From $9,007 per person

A Personal Connection

For me, this isn’t just another new itinerary on the calendar. It feels like part of my own unfolding story. After decades of writing about Europe’s rivers, I now find myself with a personal reason to finally be in Brazil—a country I’d always meant to visit in my youth but never managed to. In just a few months, I’ll be visiting for the first time, and soon after, CroisiEurope will be offering a new way to experience the heart of the Amazon.

The river has always represented the wild, untamed heart of our planet. I look forward to experiencing it not just as a traveler, but as someone beginning a new chapter of life tied to Brazil—and to the woman I first met, all those years ago, on the other side of the world.

And thanks to CroisiEurope, I know there will be a comfortable, deeply immersive way to explore this truly fascinating part of the world. I can’t wait to fulfill a lifelong dream of visiting a place that first beckoned to me in my youth.

P.S. I’d love to host one of these inaugural cruises aboard the Brasilian Dream in 2027. If joining me on the Amazon sounds like your kind of adventure, let me know—just leave a comment below.