| Peruvian line to add ship on Mekong

Amazon river cruise operator
Aqua Expeditions is expanding
its business to a completely
new region in 2014.
AQUA Expeditions, a company that was
started in Peru less than five years ago, has
revealed plans to launch a new vessel on the
Mekong River.
Speaking at Virtuoso Travel Week in Las
Vegas, the line’s founder and CEO Francesco
Galli Zugaro said his luxury product had been
so popular that he decided to introduce it to
Vietnam and Cambodia.
Zugaro said he selected the destination
because the combination of river cruising with
visits to Angkor Wat was similar to how his
company combines Amazon cruises with visits
to Machu Picchu.
Aqua Expeditions currently has two vessels
on the Amazon: the 24-passenger Aqua (used
by Scenic Tours) and the 32-passenger Aria.
The new 40-passenger ship will offer sailings
between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City from
Jan 2014.
Designed by Vietnam-based Noor, it will feature
a modern design with an Asian style, 20 suites,
a spa and fitness center, dining room, library,
screening room and observation deck with
pool and lounge bar.
Itinerary options are expected to include
varied durations of three, four and seven nights.
A local celebrity chef will also be recruited
for “culinary creations”, Zugaro said.