Expedition cruising at this level rarely gets discounted, which makes the current Aqua Expeditions sale worth a proper look. Up to 30% off select sailings across four regions: the Mekong in Cambodia and Vietnam, the Peruvian Amazon, the Seychelles and Tanzania, and Indonesia including Raja Ampat.
The hook here is ship size. Aqua's vessels carry just 16 to 40 guests, so you get skiff access to places big cruise ships physically can't reach — flooded jungle channels, remote atolls, villages along the riverbank. Think floating boutique hotel rather than cruise liner.
**The Mekong.** Seven nights on the Aqua Mekong, currently from $7,875 per person (down from $12,180). The itinerary shifts with the water: in high-water season the ship runs between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap, taking in floating villages, temples and the Prek Toal Bird Reserve. In low water it turns at Phnom Penh, with bike rides through countryside and skiff tours instead. Departures spread across April, August, September and October 2027, with 2028 dates from $8,113. Shorter three- and four-night options exist too.
**The Peruvian Amazon.** Seven-night expeditions from $9,010, down from $12,260, sailing the Marañón and Ucayali tributaries plus black-water lakes in search of anacondas, black caiman, sloths and monkeys. Season matters: December to May brings high water, so you explore flooded forest by skiff and kayak; June to November drops the rivers lower, which is better for jungle hikes and land wildlife like tapirs. The cheapest fares cluster in early 2027.
**Seychelles and Tanzania.** The deepest discounts land here on longer voyages. A ten-night Zanzibar-to-Seychelles crossing (from $19,470) covers Stone Town's spice-trade history, Pemba, the sultanate ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani, then Aldabra — home to the world's largest giant tortoise population — plus the four-mile Astove Wall, often called an underwater Grand Canyon. Nine-night Outer Islands round trips from Mahé start at $17,520. Snorkelling and diving are included in the fare.
**Indonesia.** Seven nights covering Bali and Komodo National Park — Komodo dragons, pink-sand beaches, coral reefs — from $11,000 in 2027. Raja Ampat sailings in December 2028 start at $12,160.
Everything is all-inclusive, and pricing is per person based on double occupancy. The catch: only one or two cabins per sailing are offered at these rates, so the good dates go quickly. If you've been priced out of expedition cruising before, this is a sensible window to book.