15 days | Montevideo • Punta del Este • Porto Alegre • Italjai • Paranagua • Santos • Ilha Grande • Paraty • Rio de Janeiro

This cruise with the VASCO DA GAMA is all about our philosophy of slow cruising and our motto "time to discover". Because we put the focus on the largest country in South America: Brazil. Just by cruising with the classically elegant ship off the east coast of the continent, you will get an authentic impression of how diverse and unique this state is. Following German tracks at the end of the world? Caipirinha drink in the home of the Cachaca? Or discover the breathtaking flora and fauna on paradisiacal beaches? Don't worry: you don't have to choose. You simply draw at your leisure from the complete range of wonderful destinations that we head for. Of course, Rio de Janeiro is among them!

Highlights:
- The "green metropolis" Porto Alegre will impress you with its many parks and gardens, but also with neoclassical buildings.
- On Ilha Grande you will lie on the most beautiful beaches our planet has to offer and board a sailing boat to circumnavigate the island.
- Paraty will inspire you with its wonderful landscape. Not only the UNESCO listed old town will enchant you. Also snorkeling in the sea or hiking in the rainforest are unforgettable in this region.
- In Rio de Janeiro, you will visit Sugarloaf Mountain, the statue of Christ and Copacabana. Three sights that people all over the world want to see at least once in their lives.

In its own unique way, VASCO DA GAMA combines the Portuguese explorer tradition with the demands of today’s cruise guests: a wide range of different bars and restaurants in an exclusive setting, lots of public space with a modern interior and tasteful design elements. On board, you'll find a full range of equipment for spa, fitness and your personal leisure activities. You won’t find any other comparable cruise ship of this size on the market offering such good value for money. The personal atmosphere on board due to the manageable number of guests is key to the sense of well-being. In the very spirit of Portuguese hospitality, our friendly crew remains committed to your welfare.

In today's cruise ship market, our ship is regarded as small due to the fact that we have limited passenger capacity. The beautiful teak-wood decks exude classic charm, working in perfect harmony with the ship’s elegant and modern appearance. At 219 metres long and with a volume of 55,820 GRT, the ship provides its guests with all the space they need to thrive, spread across nine passenger decks. On board, you'll feel this spaciousness, for example, in the cabins and suites (16 to 102 sqm in size), five bars and lounges in different designs, five restaurants, an elegant spa area with sauna and steam bath, a large fitness centre, sports areas on the outside decks as well as two pools, one of which has a sliding glass roof. And in our “Hollywood's” show theatre over two decks, our on-board theatre company provides you with top-class evening entertainment. Bom espetáculo!

Our total of 550 crew members have just one goal: to make you feel comfortable! On top of the generous room-to-passenger ratio and our range of on-board facilities, the ample crew-to-guest ratio means you can find your own personal way to relax on board the ship. Whether you prefer to read a good book with a cool drink under the glass dome in our viewing lounge, the “Dome”, or would like to expend some of your energy in the outdoor sports areas, VASCO DA GAMA has the full range of options to choose from. For families, our children's area over two decks and our special family cabins provide the ideal basis for an enjoyable holiday together – on family-friendly terms. We also have an attractive programme for singles: we have a cabin allocation for all dates with a single supplement of just 15%. Our chefs are, of course, able to meet all common dietary requirements. The ship also has some cabins for disabled guests and has a dialysis unit.

nicko cruises Schiffsreisen GmbH is one of the most dynamic cruise providers in Germany. In recent years, the company has evolved from a leading river cruise provider with more than 30 years of experience into a well-known provider of small ships with destination-oriented ocean routes. With its fleet, which is as modern as it is comfortable, nicko cruises travels the world’s oceans as well as all domestic waterways and coastal sections that are in demand for tourists. In 2023, the programme includes not only 22 river ships, but also the classic ocean-going vessel VASCO DA GAMA.

With its "time to discover" philosophy, nicko cruises focuses on cruise schedules that are rich in discovery and on intensive travel experiences in the product fields river and ocean. The product features of so-called “slow cruising”, such as small ships and long anchorage times, are combined with emotional moments at nicko cruises. During the cruises, guests always have plenty of time for exploring. Thanks to the large variety of products, everyone will find just the right trip at nicko cruises, individually tailored to their needs. The ships in the fleet are all in the 4 to 5-star category according to German land hotel trade standards. Attractive inland excursions and the varied culinary offers on board round off the travel experience. nicko cruises Schiffsreisen GmbH has its company headquarters in Stuttgart, where it employs roughly 110 highly motivated members of staff.