5 Reasons To Book An AmaWaterways River Cruise

We just returned from an epic AmaWaterways River Cruise down the Danube River. From discovering the heart of Old-World Europe where empires were built, kings and queens were crowned and some of the world’s greatest music was composed by the likes of Mozart and Beethoven, our cruise took us on a breathtaking journey. There’s really nothing like a river cruise where you dock near city centers and step right into local culture and rich history.

Our AmaWaterways Romantic Danube cruised through Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary. We were certainly romanced as we passed castles, abbeys, churches, beautiful villages and more on the shores of the Danube.

Stay tuned for a subsequent blog post with our exact itinerary and excursion details.

Why book an AmaWaterways River Cruise? Here’s my TOP FIVE!

Casual But Elegant Luxury

Lifestyles have changed to a more casual approach, but many still want refined experiences during their travels. Although no formal attire is the norm on their ships, AmaWaterways accommodations are elegant without being over the top. It truly is a 5-star floating hotel and you’ll feel pampered every step of the way. AmaWaterways operates at the more luxury and premium end of river cruising and a smaller vessel means a more intimate vacation setting with staff focused on each guest.

Spacious and uncrowded, we cruised on the beautiful AmaVerde which has a capacity of 160 guests and 80 staterooms. It is 443 feet long and employs a crew of 51.

Our stateroom was elegantly appointed with white-on-white plush bedding, cotton bathrobes and slippers plus high quality bath and body products. Many of the AmaWaterways suites have both a french balcony plus a regular balcony to enjoy the beautiful scenery all around.

Unparalleled Personal Service

If you desire personal attention in a casual manner, AmaWaterways excels in this regard. All the folks who work at AmaWaterways look to exceed your expectations—the culture of the company is consistent excellence, always improving and a genuine desire to make your vacation the best possible.

From the moment we stepped on the AmaVerde, we felt like we were part of the AmaWaterways family. From the crew to the staff, the service is from the heart and EVERYONE goes the extra mile, making sure your every need is met. We were always greeted by our names. The restaurant servers delivered our favorite pre-dinner cocktail the second we sat down. Our housekeeper was always happy and added special touches to our state room.

With fewer guests on AmaWaterways, the crew to passenger ratio is high so you can expect service that can’t be beat.

Every AmaWaterways cruise has a highly trained and experienced Cruise Manager who is hand selected from among the best tourism professionals in the world. Meet Stefan Saris, our cruise manager from Romania. He provided us with unparalleled personal attention, unique travel insights and went above and beyond to ensure the memories we made on board will last a lifetime.

Our favorite bartender, Presso, was super fun and a hard worker. He would make special trips to the sun deck to deliver our beverages and his espresso martini is killer!

Captain Ivan Kolarov was a true delight and we were honored to be invited to sit with him for dinner on the last night of our cruise.

Included Tours & Expert Guides

Visiting European cities that remain forever timeless via a river cruise is quite an experience. River cruising is a great option for those that want to step aboard, unpack once and experience bustling capitals and quaint villages along the rivers. AmaWaterways has curated a diverse menu of shore excursions included as part of your cruise fare. These options cater to a range of interest and activity levels, including tours for gentle and active walkers as well as late risers. You can enjoy city tours, guided hikes, exhilarating bike rides, and tastings of local specialties—all on one itinerary!

In addition to the many choices of excursions, AmaWaterways also offers ‘Special Interest Tours’, offering small groups the chance to be even more immersed into local life.

We particularly loved the special hike excursions that take you a bit off the beaten path in some incredibly beautiful destinations. AmaWaterways carries a fleet of bicycles on board (free of charge), so you can see Europe’s enchanting scenery on riverside pathways while getting some exercise. With ships docking near city centers and small towns, you can ride among the locals.

English speaking expert tour guides who are well versed in history and culture make these excursions fun and interesting. Most excursions last no more than 3 hours, so there is always plenty of time to explore a destination on your own, or come back to the ship for some R&R.

On Board Cuisine & Cocktails

The food you ask??? EXCELLENT! All meals on AmaWaterways cruises are skillfully prepared by European chefs and consist of both regionally-inspired and Western cuisine made with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients whenever possible. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served at your table with multi-course menus offering a wide variety, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. Unlimited regional wines, beer and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner and there is complimentary Sip & Sail Cocktail hour every evening with a special cocktail. When I say unlimited…the wine FLOWS!

The Chef’s Table Restaurant is a dining option that all guests can take part in during their cruise. It is a very special 7 course meal with wine pairings and the chef explains each dish as it’s served.

Health & Wellness Programs

AmaWaterways has a dedicated wellness person on board each ship and they run various programs throughout the week. Suitable for all ages, the wellness classes are free of charge and offer easy to hard intensity levels. There is morning yoga and meditation as well as morning and evening stretch classes. You can find classes that focus on core, coordination, resistance band training, HIT circuit training and more. The active shore walks at the ports are super fun and the digestive walks help you work off those delicious meals.

There is an active fitness room on board with a selection of exercise equipment, a walking track and a small pool on the sun deck. If you want to experience extreme relaxation, schedule a massage!

While dining, healthy cuisine choices prepared with seasonal ingredients are always available, as are vegetarian, gluten-free and low-sodium choices.

If you want an extreme dose of love, spend a week on AmaWaterways. You won’t just pass through a destination – you will experience it with all your senses! If you’d like more information on cruising with AmaWaterways, fill out this FORM and a travel advisor will help you create your dream trip. You can see our exact itinerary HERE.

Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: The cruise portion of this trip was gifted by AmaWaterways. All opinions are my own.

AmaWaterways River Cruise