| Dear partners of Lernidee Trains & Cruises, |
| Can you believe it? 2024 is already at its end! As the New Year comes closer, we want to take a moment to say a heartfelt thank you! Without you, we’d be only half as successful (if that!)—and on top of that, working with you is always such a pleasure. That is something we truly appreciate and never take for granted. We’re already looking ahead to 2025 with great excitement. In the second half of the year, we’ll finally be sending our long-anticipated new premium boutique ship, Mekong Star, on its maiden voyage. And 2026 is shaping up to be just as thrilling, with projects like the new Caspian Adventure journey aboard the Orient Silk Road Express in Central Asia, and an epic 13-day Amazon Expedition in the world’s largest rainforest. Rest assured, we’ll keep you updated about all the latest news and special offers for our best partners. Welcome to the team, Mekong Star! We’ve kept you in the loop about our new baby on the Mekong River in past newsletters, and now the Mekong Star is almost ready for her big debut! Like her sister ships, Mekong Sun and Mekong Pearl, she’ll come with a charming Laotian flair but also combine an elegant ambiance, along with the ultimate comfort, a relaxed vibe, and top-notch cuisine. Our premium boutique ship has only 12 cabins, but they’re a lot more spacious than everything that came before them: sizes range from generous 226 sq ft/21 m2 to a spacious 420 sq ft/39 m2, all with floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows and private balconies. So, if your customers are after an exclusive, one-of-a-kind adventure on the Mother of all Waters, the Mekong Star is where they belong. And if they fancy soaking in luxury: the Signature Suites even have bathtubs! The ultimate rainforest adventure: 1,000 miles on the Amazon River Our trips are always packed with experiences—that’s in our name and our DNA. But this journey on the Amazon is nothing less than a true jungle adventure! And from 2026, it could be your customer’s individual adventure—because the journey will be open for FIT bookings then! Your adventurous clients can explore the deepest corners of Brazil’s rainforest on board the boutique ship MS Jangada over 13 unforgettable days, starting at the tri-border of Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. Covering about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers), this journey offers encounters straight out of a nature documentary: meeting indigenous communities, spotting massive flocks of parrots settling in for the night, watching caimans glide lazily by, and catching glimpses of pink-gray Amazon dolphins playfully surfacing beside the ship. Of course, as is our style, this floating paradise for just 24 guests is as comfy as it gets. Built in 2019, the MS Jangada features four cabin types, all with air conditioning and private bathrooms. And the food? Locally sourced, freshly prepared, and absolutely delicious—extremely hard to come by in the middle of nowhere. That’s what the MS Jangada does: bringing great food and lodging to places you could otherwise only experience by camping in the jungle. |
About the author
Nicola is the Managing Director of Micro-Cruising. Small ships great trips. Micro-Cruising sells trips on ships of 100 passengers or fewer. We are the specialists in small ships with over 700 vessels worldwide.