The ports of call

Manaus

Often with Viking, embarkation day is not departure day. The cruise begins with a night in port, and the departure from Manaus only takes place the following day.

Time, then, for a stroll through Manaus, in the heart of the Amazon.

Leaving Manaus on the Amazon, you are struck by the sheer size of the river, which carries more than a billion tons of sediment every year, along with a considerable mass of organic debris and tree trunks from the rainforest.

Parintins

An anchored call in the middle of the Amazon, as the port of Parintins cannot accommodate a ship the size of the Viking Sea. After a colorful presentation of local folklore, a stroll through Parintins, a vibrant river island town nestled in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, reachable only by water or by air.

Santarém

Santarém is the third-largest city in the state of Pará in Brazil, ideally located halfway between Manaus and Belém. From a tourist’s point of view, it is a spectacular stop that combines unique natural wonders and tropical relaxation in the middle of the jungle.

After a tour led by a guide full of local color, the day ended with some piranha fishing!

The Salvation Islands (French Guiana)

The Salvation Islands are an archipelago of three volcanic islets located about 14 kilometers off Kourou, in French Guiana. From a tourist’s point of view, it is a destination of striking contrasts, blending wild tropical paradise and poignant historical memory, along with Cayenne.

Castries, Saint Lucia

Castries is a lively port city that serves as the main gateway for travelers and cruise ships. It is a bustling town usually explored in a day before heading off to the famous Pitons in the south or the resorts of Rodney Bay in the north.

Bridgetown

Bridgetown, the capital of Barbados, is a lively port city on the island’s southwest coast. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it elegantly blends a rich British colonial heritage with a typically Caribbean, laid-back tropical lifestyle.

Antigua

Antigua is the largest island of the state of Antigua and Barbuda, located in the heart of the Lesser Antilles. Nicknamed “the island of 365 beaches”, it stands out as a beach and water-sports destination par excellence in the Caribbean.

San Juan (Puerto Rico)

San Juan, the vibrant capital of Puerto Rico, is one of the oldest cities founded by Europeans in the Americas. From a tourist’s point of view, it is a well-rounded destination that harmoniously combines five centuries of colonial history, a dynamic Afro-Caribbean culture and superb urban beaches.

As at the start of the cruise, the Viking Sea spends a night in port before disembarkation. A last day at the beach, after a long walk, before heading to the airport hotel and a flight to Paris, with a stopover in New York.

Nothing to do with the ports of call, but as I have often pointed out on these pages, it’s always a joy to come across a Costa ship, invariably a big polluter with its black smoke. Help!