Nothing Compares To A River Cruise
An AmaWaterways river cruise is about more than the destination its the journey. We invite you to take one of our European river cruises, Asia river cruises, or Africa river cruises and see the world in luxury and comfort.
River cruising is a relaxing, immersive and thoroughly enjoyable form of travel where you can enjoy ever-changing scenery along the banks of waterways such as the Danube, Rhine, Seine, Douro, Volga and Yangtze. Discover local culture and sights on included tours, and then hop back on your luxurious river cruise ship and sail to the next stunning city or charming town.
Included in the fares of our featured AmaWaterways river cruises are shore excursions in every port of call all dining on board fine wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner internet access and Wi-Fi and bicycles that you can use to explore on your own or join our guided bike tours.
River Cruise Fleet Features
Viking Cruises started with a fleet of four ships from Russia and has expanded to operating a fleet of more than 60 vessels on three continents. They’ve also expanded into ocean cruises as well. AmaWaterways operates 17 vessels in Europe, one in Asia, and one in Africa. Most AmaWaterways ships average between 158 to 164 passengers. Viking River Cruises typically host 190 passengers.
Both lines offer a variety of amenities that are standard between ships. According to Wendy Perrin, one of the most noted travel experts in the industry, some of these similarities include:
- Top floor outdoor observation decks
- Indoor glass-walled observation lounge at the front of the ship
- Three meals a day and group shore tours included
- Free Wi-Fi
Viking ships all feature elevators whereas AmaWaterways only has elevators on the Europe ships.
Outdoor space is more plentiful on Viking ships because they don’t have pools or bicycle storage on board. However, the heated swimming pools and swim-up bars are quite popular on AmaWaterways.
Its Upscale Comfortable Contemporary & Chic
Carving out a niche in the upscale segment of the river cruise industry, AmaWaterways is luxurious in many ways, yet with a contemporary, comfortable vibe. Onboard service is friendly, guest-centric and never stuffy. Lisa Long, owner of Luxury Vacations LLC, an independent travel agency in the Avoya Network, Marietta, GA, sells many river cruises and from her perspective, I would classify AmaWaterways as a luxury river cruise experience with a warm and friendly staff and excellent food.
Dress-code wise, guests can leave their ball gowns and tuxedos at home. While jackets for men and cocktail dresses for ladies are recommended for a few special nights at dinner , you most likely wont be stopped at the door if youre not wearing those. That said, shorts and sandals arent permitted in the dining room on any night, but fine at lunchtime.
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Evening City Tours After
Many AmaWaterways river cruises offer evening walking tours in Europe. Theyve chosen some great wineries to visit that are only a short walking distance from the dock. Most if not all of the river cruises along the Danube include an optional Mozart concert in Vienna.
The difference is in the auditorium or theatre that is used. The venue that AmaWaterways uses isnt too far from the dock, has excellent acoustics and comfortable seating. There is an up-charge for this optional tour but its a MUST-SEE experience.
It Has A Wider More Spacious Danube Ship
While locks on most European rivers limit the size of river vessels plying those waterways, the Danube can accommodate some larger ships. Born in Austria, Schreiner always dreamed about building a larger river cruise vessel to sail the Danube, and now thats become a reality.
Debuting in summer 2019, the creatively designed AmaMagna is twice the width of a normal Danube river vessel and offers some of the largest staterooms on European rivers. It can accommodate 196 passengers, not that much more capacity-wise than some vessels half its width. I sailed on AmaMagna in July and found it exceptionally spacious, both in public spaces and within the accommodations.
Ocean cruisers whove wanted to try a river cruise but have been afraid of feeling too confined will likely find AmaMagna more to their taste. The ships spacious two-level lounge has plenty of comfortable seating areas, a bar, dance floor, space for entertainers, a lower level library with an electric fireplace and a door that opens to reveal a movie theater.
As for accommodations, ultra-spacious suites account for more than 50 percent of AmaMagnas accommodations. The majority measure 355 square feet, but six Grand Suites are 474 square feet and an Owners Suite is 710 square feet. The suites are extremely spacious great for passengers who want larger accommodations, adds Steinman, noting that even lower deck cabins are 200 plus square feet.
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Which River Cruise Lines Are Truly All
River Cruising River Cruising Tips
Although most river cruise lines promote themselves as all-inclusive – the meaning of all-inclusive tends to vary by operator by that, I mean some river cruise lines are in fact more inclusive than others! How? Some river cruise operators include wine, beer and soft drinks only with lunch and dinner while others include unlimited drinks, served at your discretion throughout the cruise!
This Is My Second Time Booking A Trip With Cheryl Wilson
This is my second time booking a trip with Cheryl Wilson. She is awesome!!! Everything is taken care of with no worries. She is very informative and full of knowledge of any location you are traveling to. She loves her job and you can tell when talking to her. I will book all future trips with only her. Thanks so much Cheryl! You are the best.
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Reasons To Go On An Amawaterways European River Cruise
I travel to 20+ countries a year sharing my firsthand knowledge of reward travel, travel credit card deals, travel tips and more.
I just got off of an AmaWaterways European River Cruise with my wife after we were both invited to sail with them. AmaWaterways is known as an upscale river cruise line with 21 custom-designed ships. The line sails to more than 25 countries in Africa, Asia and Europe. Natalie and I went on their Black Sea Voyage and here are my 10 reasons to go on a lower Danube cruise, specifically.
We chose the Black Sea Voyage since their AmaPrima ship, which was built in 2013, has 82 cabins that can hold a total of 162 passengers. Wed already sailed on the Upper Danube with other companies and we wanted to visit new countries. It was quite the experience as we visited five countries in eight days and three of them we had never been to before.
FYI: My wife and now have been to 55 countries together as a couple!
There are a lot of river cruise lines to choose from, so do your research to find the ship and company that meets your needs. Here are my 17 reasons to go on a Lower Danube river cruise with AmaWaterways:
Note: Tips are not included for the guides and bus drivers so do remember to bring some small bills. $1-$3 is suggested for guides but I usually gave them 5 Euros.
Good to know: If the weather is nice, theyll have an ice cream party on the top deck once per cruise.
Good to know:
More about European river cruises:
First Vacation Out Of The Country
First Vacation out of the country for my boyfriend and I and it was absolutely amazing. I would like to Thank Eric for helping book this vacation to Punta Cana in DR and recommending the Secrets Cap Cana resort. I was having second thoughts on staying there and I am so glad he talked me out of it. From the beginning of our vacation to the end, everything was perfect. Resort was stunning , food and entertainment was great, and the staff were incredible. Definitely coming back. I already referred a couple of my friends to book a vacation with Ultimate Travel and planning on contacting Eric soon to book our next trip, this time with our kids just trying to decide were to go next. Im sure he will recommend the perfect resort and place for this trip as well. Thank you!
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Dreams La Romana Resort And Spa
Dani Rae Doro was the best travel agent I have ever worked with. She came to us with the best options and negotiated so many things to accommodate our large group. There was no detail that she missed.
We stayed at the Dreams Resort & Spa in La Romana, Dominican Republic and it was perfect for our family reunion of our former foreign exchange students. We had a total of 27 people from all over the world that attended. There was something for everyone this will be a vacation that we will talk about for the rest of our lives!
Thank you Dani for knowing how to make things happen and always willing to go the extra mile to make our vacation special!
Big hugs from 27 very grateful people!
Viking River Cruises Destinations
Within Europe, Viking offers cruises to a number of different countries, including France, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Romania and Portugal. Other destinations include countries in Asia like China, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Ukraine, Russia, and Egypt are also scheduled countries for Viking River Cruises.
One bonus that Viking River Cruises has over AmaWaterways is the ability to combine both river and ocean itineraries since they operate both types of ships now. Combination river and ocean cruises are available that take you to other European countries like Spain, Denmark, and Norway.
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Complimentary Bicycles To Use In Every Port
Unlike ocean cruises that may dock in industrial areas in Europe, a river ship docks right in the heart of the city, town or even village. When you consider that most Europeans ride bikes everywhere, its no surprise there are wide paved bike paths throughout every port of call.
While some other major river cruise lines have eliminated their onboard bikes or charge a fee to rent them ashore, AmaWaterways for maintains a fleet of bikes on every European vessel. In addition, AmaWaterways river cruises offer complimentary guided bicycle tours in at least two ports on every seven-night itinerary along the Rhine, Main, Danube and Rhône rivers.
It Offers Many Included Shore Excursions
One of the best extras with AmaWaterways is that they have a choice of excursions in most ports at no extra charge, says travel advisor Candie Steinman, franchise owner, Dream Vacations, Fort Myers, FL. While most river companies offer just one basic excursion, AmaWaterways has choices for extras including culinary choices and more adventurous offerings such as escorted bike trips.
Using the example of Rudesheim, Germany, Karst told Avid Cruiser that AmaWaterways typically would offer a choice of a gondola ride to the monument overlooking the Rhine followed by included wine tasting a hike through the areas vineyards a guided bike tour an evening visit to taste the famous Rudesheimer Kaffee, an alcoholic coffee drink or a tour of Siegfrieds Mechanical Music Cabinet, a museum with an amazing array of historical automated instruments musical.
Another perk is that the line offers multiple pace levels of walking tours gentle, regular and active. Gentle is designed for those guests needing a slower pace and, at times if possible , even a bit less walking. Regular is simply a normal walking tour and pace. Active is for very fit travelers wishing more intensity and a faster pace.
Video: Castle Hike In Durnstein
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Its Heavily Into Wine
While many river lines showcase local wines from the region of sailing, AmaWaterways does that but it also has offers dedicated Wine Cruises 67 such themed cruises in 2020. In 2021, it will offer 60-plus of these vino-focused sailings. For example, in 2021, wine enthusiasts might head into France to taste vintages on an Essence of Burgundy & Provence wine-themed sailing or into Austria and Germany for a Melodies of the Danube wine cruise.
Steinman emphasizes that these wine cruises have all the tours that would be available on a regular cruise, yet guests also can enjoy special wine tastings, wine pairings and interaction with a special wine host. Thats typically a U.S. vintner who sails and lectures onboard as well as brings hand-selected vintages for guests to taste. The wine host also accompanies guests during vineyard tours and tastings ashore.
Sip And Sail Cocktail Hour
Sip and Sail Cocktail Hours takes place for an hour before dinner every evening. This is a great time to head to the lounge bar and meet fellow cruisers. But also a great time to take advantage of complimentary pre dinner drinks which consist of champagne, wine, beer and specially selected cocktails.
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Secrets Akumal 20th Anniversary
My wife and I celebrated our 20 Year Marriage Anniversary at Secrets Akumal. This was our first adult All-Inclusive resort and it was the best ever. Ultimate All-Inclusive Travel has been assisting us for our vacation guidance, advice, and the best bang for our buck. Secrets Akumal was the perfect combination of everything we love. The building design is classy and quality. The rooms are nicely decorated and everything worked perfectly with no problems. There was plenty of space in the bathroom area. The closet and drawers were roomy. The bed and pillows were of nice quality and comfortable. All the restaurants were great. The pool areas were so pretty and the landscaping lovely. This beach is gorgeous. There were plenty of grass thatched umbrellas and lounge chairs. The greeters was great! We had a great time and will be returning with friends!!!
What Exactly Do River Cruise Lines Mean By The Term Inclusive
The word “inclusive” gets thrown around a lot, but what exactly does it mean? In the river cruise world, it’s the term for amenities that are already part of your fare. Part of what makes river cruising so attractive — and pricy — is that more items such as shore excursions, Wi-Fi or wine at meals are already wrapped into the cost .
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Amawaterways Pays It Forward In Other Words They Give Back
AmaWaterways opened the ODA Free Village English School in the province of Siem Reap, Cambodia in association with ODA the Orphans and Disabled Arts Association. Through financial support to the school, AmaWaterways sponsorship brings English-language skills to local children of grammar-school age to help improve their lives and assist with subsequent employment opportunities.
They Feature Excellent Local Entertainment From Shore Side
One of the most memorable moments on a river cruise occurs in the evening. Again, this isnt a new concept, but one that AmaWaterways has done to perfection. River cruise lines employ local entertainment to come onboard for the evenings show either while still docked or even while underway.
On a moving ship? Entertainers will board the ship at various locks along the route, with their driver dropping them off at one lock and picking up the performers further down the river at another lock. And there are plenty of locks. One particularly excellent singer/performer is Valerie May.
She sings and entertains to a variety of familiar songs from around the world. Valerie even gets the audience to sing along to the Sound of Musics Do-Re-Mi. A not-to-be-missed performer.
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Our Wedding And Honeymoon
We really enjoyed Finest for our Destination Wedding and would highly recommend it as a wedding or vacation destination! Thank you Eric for handling our destination Wedding at the Finest and also our Honeymoon at the Unico Resort.
After our Destination wedding at The Finest, We traveled to Unico for our Honeymoon in May 2018 and were very impressed with the resort. The local host was a very nice touch, who made you feel welcomed from the very start. We stayed in one of the suites and it was absolutely beautiful! The decor was very impressive but also authentic Mayan feel. Thank you Eric for recommending this fantastic Resort, a fitting finish to our trip.
We look forward to working with you again!
Drinks On European River Cruises
AmaWaterways offers a huge selection of complimentary drinks onboard its European cruises. It has the greatest selection of drinks to passengers on its 14 ships based in Europe.
Complimentary bottled water is replenished in your stateroom on a daily basis. Water is also handed out as you leave the ship on excursions. Suite guests receive a complimentary stocked mini-bar . Take a tour of a AmaWaterwayss suite.
In the main lounge, there is 24-hour access to tea and coffee making facilities including hot chocolate and herbal/fruit teas.
At breakfast, you can enjoy sparkling wine, juices, tea and coffee. During lunch and dinner, unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks are available with new selections offered daily. I would highly recommend choosing the carefully selected wine pairings, handpicked by the onboard sommelier.
Any additional drinks, such as premium alcoholic beverages, can be ordered at any time and added to your onboard account. Here are few examples of AmaWaterwayss drinks prices:
- Cocktails 7.00
- Glass of local wine 3.90
- Bottle of local wine 22.00
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Learn More About Amawaterways River Cruises
- Began as a tour group operating in Europe. Expanded to North America and now has itineraries for many ports around the globe.
- Opened in 2002, with 18 amazing years in operation.
- Known as an internationally recognized luxury travel company.
- All of the tours are very interactive and “high-end,” offering you more than a regular tour ever could. Closer attention to detail is guaranteed from all tour operators.
- If you are unsure as to what you would like to do, the company is also available to fully plan your trip, leaving you with a relaxing experience packed with potential.
- An immense variety of ports means more unique travel destinations and options.
- Personalized guest service that is beyond anything you could imagine.
- More excursions offered than any other company. The tours are amazing, but the excursions are even more so, giving you many fun, interesting, and adrenaline rushing activities to participate in.
- Incredible awards and ratings including having the highest rated river cruise ships in Europe.
- Fewer guests onboard means less packed amenities and tours.
- Private tours are available to be booked if you are looking to do something away from the groups.
- Award-winning dining experiences are offered in four different restaurant options aboard the ship.