Amazon November 2018 Navigator

Thinking about booking the 24 day Amazon cruise (Miami - Miami) for November 2018.

Anyone gone on this itinerary? Found one review from May 2016, but am wondering if November would be too miserable heat wise.

I've sailed to Alaska on the Navigator so am already familiar with its pros and cons.

Thanks for the help.

My DW and I have booked this cruise. Considering You are from Arizona like us, it should be a walk in the park dealing with the heat. ;)

"But it's a dry heat" doesn't apply for the Amazon. We experienced quite hot and humid. :rolleyes:

"I've sailed to Alaska on the Navigator so am already familiar with its pros and cons."

We have also been on the Navigator cruising from Alaska to China in some rough seas. We like the ship, and were not concerned about booking this cruise. As for the humidity, there seems to be two times during the year that most ships make this trip. One in late Fall, and some go in the late Spring. I'm not for sure which one is considered best, so maybe a CC that has taken this before will enlighten us.

Did Miami-Amazon River-Miami 25-day itinerary May-June of this year aboard Navigator. Marvelous experience, with several nuances due to time-of-year and height of the largest river in the world. ( Two tributaries feeding into it are larger than the Mississippi-Missouri Rivers, for comparison-purposes.) Changes involved having to cancel one stop due to River height; heavy current (not tide) on the River working against us going west to Manaus requiring postponing another stop; and delay(s) caused by need to medically-evacuate passengers. Stuff happens. Anyway--

Suggest you review the Mariner, November 17, 2017 Roll Call Thread. I have made several contributions to that site over the last six weeks, including while still-aboard Navigator. So, will not repeat that info. which commented on extreme heat and humidity; medications/vaccination(s) to be taken before arriving at Miami, common-sense preparations, and suggestions as to excursions (including Devil's Island!). All well-worth it.

Any question(s) following review of the above--let me know.

GOARMY!

Agree with what has been said about humidity. While we won't be on the Amazon cruise until November, 2017, we know that the heat will be close to intolerable at times (I'm currently learning about ways to keep myself cooler). Having been raised I Los Angele, I am familiar with dry heat but find humidity difficult to tolerate.

In terms of the Navigator, I would pick the Mariner (also does the Amazon) over the Navigator every time (actually, I would pick any Regent ship over the Navigator). On the way to the Amazon, there could be some choppy seas which the Navigator does not do well. The Mariner is, I the opinion of many, the most stable Regent ship in rough seas. On the other hand, the Navigator does have better lower category suite than the Mariner.

Based on what GOARMY has posted, we believe that going in November is better than going in May. There was a thread from passengers on last November's Amazon cruise (you can possibly find it by doing a search on CC). They did not miss ports like they did in May.

IMO, if you can do the November Amazon cruise in 2018, I would pick that one. It is hot and humid all year in the Amazon.

Fortunately, all seas (going from, and returning to, Miami) were calm during those phases of our May-June Amazon cruise. They usually are during this time of year.

The itinerary is the driving force for choosing a cruise. This was one of those once in a lifetime experiences we wanted to experience; and it was with a couple we have known for over 50 years; and cruised with during the past 10 years. Could have cared-less about all the intermediate stops we stopped at in the Caribbean going and coming--as these had been visited before aboard numerous Regent, or other carriers.

Concentrate on The River--and--Devil's Island. Just keep that perspective in mind.

GOARMY!

Fortunately, all seas (going from, and returning to, Miami) were calm during those phases of our May-June Amazon cruise. They usually are during this time of year.

 

The itinerary is the driving force for choosing a cruise. This was one of those once in a lifetime experiences we wanted to experience; and it was with a couple we have known for over 50 years; and cruised with during the past 10 years. Could have cared-less about all the intermediate stops we stopped at in the Caribbean going and coming--as these had been visited before aboard numerous Regent, or other carriers.

 

Concentrate on The River--and--Devil's Island. Just keep that perspective in mind.

 

GOARMY!

We were on the May 2017 Navigator trip with GOARMY. It was AMAZING (followed closely by hot and humid). The only thing I think is a vote against your itinerary over ours is that you don't get an overnight in Manaus. That's a huge amazing city that deserves more than one day in port. You'll also get it the river when it's low vs. the near record high we had. It's going to be different. Just go!

Thanks for all who chimed in. Never thought of looking at the previous Roll Call threads. Great idea.

TravelCat, I wondered if that was going to be your November cruise this year. Hope you will do a "live" or post trip report.

Yes, the ports of interest will be the Amazon ones, though I haven't been to those particular Caribbean ports either, so they will all be new.

I did notice that the Nov. 2018 does not overnight in Manaus.

Did this cruise on the Navigator, we like it, several years ago. Even though we're old we got the yellow fever shot, no reaction, never saw a mosquito. We're glad we took the cruise because it was a once in a life time experience. The rivers, it's not just the Amazon, were fascinating. Be sure to take a tour the goes up tributaries were you can see real villages and go piranha fishing. As much as we enjoyed the cruise, we wouldn't do it again. Too hot for us northwesters.