Having never been on any cruise and not wanting to be herded along, we were cautious about selecting a river cruise. We were three couples traveling together and knew where we wanted to go after some research. We chose AmaWaterways because it seemed to offer the most variety in tours. We were not disappointed. We booked almost a year ahead and included flights, transfers, and extra days in Prague. Everything was well planned from embarking to the flight home. The ship was well appointed and the cabins in a good location. All the staff was friendly, making me feel guilty for all the service. Meals were wonderful and the portions allowed you to eat everything but not feel overstuffed. The shore excursions were led by very knowledgeable tour guides at every place. We tried a hike, my husband a bicycle tour, in addition to the regular tours. The onboard entertainment was very good and the excursions fun. Our cruise manager Dragsn was professional and organized. It was a wonderful experience to visit Central Europe. Read Less

We chose the 2 week cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam on Amawaterways due to the reviews and they had the best options of tours for us. What we didn't know was how wonderful the service would be, The staff knew our names and preferences by the 3rd day and we felt pampered the whole time. There were no issues, everything went extremely smoothly. All of the guided tours were on time, with excellent guides. I learned so much history and understood the culture of each country better because of the guides. The food was really very good and there was a lot of variety for each meal. The on board entertainment was good quality and there was a nice variety, from Rock and Roll to folk dance and even a beautiful classical male quartet. When we booked the cruise, the tour I was least interested in, was to Siegfried's Mechanical Musical Cabinet Museum but it was one of the best and most interesting tours we took. I loved the tours of The Residenz, and Melk Abbey. Our Cruise Director, Sebastien LeRoy was amazing. He was helpful, and arranged everything to perfection. He even got up to make sure that our taxi, that he arranged for us, was there and helped us with our luggage at 4:30 am to get us to the airport on our last day. I am in a service profession and I know the energy it takes to make people happy. Amawaterways does this to perfection. Thank you for a great trip to all of the staff on Amaprima. Petar, Vladimir, Hendru, Josep, Aurel and all the rest, you were fantastic Read Less

This cruise, "Melodies of the Danube", was chosen by our travel agent. Upon entering the AmaCerto, we were so impressed by the elegance of the foyer and the lounge. The cabin was well-appointed with adequate space for clothing storage. Even though this cabin was not a suite, we had two balconies. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom very adequate with a great shower, and the entire cabin was scrupulously maintained by the Amacerto housekeeping staff. The cruise manager, Nikola Grujin, was fantastic! Humorous and exceedingly helpful. Nikola was there for all of us in planning the trips to care of an injured passenger. Due to no fault of the Ship's crew, a passenger hurt her finger. All this is to say that Nikola accompanied the injured guest to Vienna hospital. Message to us: Ama Waterways staff will go the extra mile in the care of its passengers. Food & Drink: For all three meals, passengers can choose from the abundant buffet, or order from the menu. One of our friends ate vegetarian; a special elegant breakfast, lunch, and dinner was served to her. This was a wine-tasting cruise with Dr. Doug Garman, wine expert, that gave special lectures and wine tastings for all passengers. Touring & Entertainment: The guides were very well informed supplied by the local population. Choice of gentle to vigorous touring were offered. Opportunities for biking trips were for the younger folks. Since we are an elderly couple, we chose the more moderate excursions. Our favorite entertainment was a special concert of Mozart and Strauss at the beautiful Vienna Konzerthaus. We were entertained by Wiener Hofburg-Orchestra under the direction of Svetoslav Borisov; operatic solos and duets by soprano Ella Tyran and baritone, Michael Havlicek. Classical ballet pieces and Vienna folk dances were also included in the program. Every evening hours: beautiful music was provided by pianist, Gabor. A special onboard musical vocal duet of Vienna music was delightful. Even an Octoberfest beer celebration was provided by the local population. Disembarkation was professionally accomplished. All passengers were carefully delivered to the Munich airport. I cannot believe any other longship river cruise could offer a passenger more enjoyment. Don't miss a fabulous opportunity for a river cruise. Select Ama Waterways to be guaranteed fabulous experience. Read Less

We have wanted to visit Portugal's famous Douro for many years. We couldn't have chosen a better way to explore this gorgeous wine producing region than our wine river cruise aboard the AmaVida. This ship offers everything: fine dining, outstanding daily excursions, spacious accommodations and a superb staff that anticipates the guests' every need. Each day was an exciting new adventure and by the time we departed the ship, we felt we had really come to understand and love the Douro and surrounding areas. While we chose to participate in each excursion, some friends in our group decided to stay on board and enjoy relaxing poolside. Their experience was just as special as ours. Whether you choose to immerse yourselves in Portugal's fascinating culture by joining the AmaVida's outstanding guides as they conduct their daily tours or simply explore the charming towns that are the overnight port stops, you can't go wrong. After this introduction to river cruising, we can't wait to explore other AmaWaterways wine river cruises. Read Less

My wife's grandparents were born in Budapest & Vienna areas, and was our initial interest in this river cruise on the Danube. The crew on the AmaSerena was excellent, and went out of their way to make everyone feel like family. The cabin was very comfortable, and having an outdoor Balcony made it very convenient to be outside without going up on deck. The crew provided 1st class service and dining was excellent, with both "Chef's Choices" and anything on the menu offered at all meals. The dining highlight was the intimate dinner at Chef's Table, with many courses included over a leisurely pace. The special dining room offered views from 3 sides. All excursions offered included up to 5 levels of walking difficulty, and provided detailed history, which covered many centuries, dating back to Roman times. The use of very knowledgable local Certified Guides provided a top notch experience. The night-time cruise thru Budapest offered a stunning view of all the city lights, including the Parliament building. One of our most memorable excursions was an intimate evening concert in Vienna. Read Less

We had been on a river cruise before with another company and very much enjoyed this kind of experience which you cannot get on an ocean cruise. We were not disappointed this time around. From the shuttle service which took us to the airport from a hotel in Paris (only four of us in the bus!), we knew we were in the hands of a company that was intent on providing first class service. The food was divine - for lovers of seafood this cruise is a paradise! Snails, mussels, and oysters on the last day! - the wine flowed freely, the staff were super-hospitable and attentive, the shore excursions were well-organized with several options for each venue depending on interest and the level of fitness of the travelers. The cruise director, Helene, is perhaps the greatest asset of this ship, so effervescent, funny and enthusiastic, that I don't think there was a soul on ship who didn't fall in love with her! Add to that the unique pleasure of a river cruise, where you can relax and appreciate the beauty of the scenery along the way and where the small number of passsengers - we were less than 100, I believe - creates a more friendly and intimate atmosphere which enables you to make friends more easily. And of course the beauty of Normandy and of Paris, for those like us who decided to extend our trip by a few days. I cannot think of anything negative to say about this cruise other than the fact it was over too soon! We will definitely go with AMA Waterways on more river cruises, perhaps next time to Vietnam and Cambodia. Read Less

We did a Rhine River Cruise on the AMACerto in May of 2016 and loved it. We booked this longer cruise soon after. The 2016 cruise was all on the Rhine and only 7 days. This one was on the Rhine, Maine and Danube, 14 days. We requested that the same Cruise Manager be assigned to our cruise and she was! AMA crews are the best. Everyone without exception is dedicated to making sure you have the best possible time. Cruise Manager Martina Valachova makes everything always the best. As she admits, she always says that, but, "This time I really mean it!" Captain Vlad, Hotel Manager Daniel, Purser Cristine, Reception host Adam, Matre'd Alin, and all the servers and operational crew always went out of their way to meet every need. We had the same suite that we had in 2016, but there were some upgrades: free laundry (only in the suites, but fees for others are very reasonable), personal butler (again only for suites). People in the other cabins were uniformly pleased with their accommodations, too. As usual, way too much great food and beer and wine included at lunch and dinner. One seating and open seating, so you can find a private place or sit with 8 or 10 other passengers. And vary it as you feel like it at the time. Maximum of 164 passengers and we only had 133. So it is never crowded. We didn't do all of the entertainment, but the several we did attend were terrific. The entertainers all come from the area we are in at the time. They hop on and off at the nearest locks or piers if in town. The shore excursions are mostly included, but their are several optional ones that you can sign up for for an extra fee if you want to. The included ones are all led by local guides who are pros at it! If you have never taken a river cruise or never on an AMA ship, do it at the next opportunity. Only one thing, these are not oriented toward families. There is very little for young kids to do. But for adults who want to see and learn about some part of the world, a river cruise can't be beat. Read Less

AMAWaterways provided the perfect experience for us and our friends to enjoy a vacation in Europe together! We were 4 couples from all over the US. We wanted time to visit and party together but also have time to persue our own interests. Personally, this was our third AMAWaterways River Cruise in two years. We have enjoyed the Seine and the Mosel, Rhine and Main previously. The "floating hotel"/ship was fantastic. Our room was comfortable and spotless. The food was award-winning and always delicious. We seemed to eat continuously. The crew was superb, friendly and culturally diverse. The excursions were delightful! They thought of everything, thank goodness!! The local guides were top notch. Entertainment on board included an in-house musician who played the piano beautifully. Local entertainers were quality vocalists, musicians, and folk dancers. Fun, fun, fun!! The only problem any of us could think of was it was just 7 days long. Read Less

So wonderful to unpack once and ride the Rhine for 7 days. The staff were all very nice, helpful. The food for all three meals was excellent by their chef. Our table waiter was Deyan and he is the best, very jolly! Mimi cleaned our room daily and we loved her; she is so sweet! Other staff who did a wonderful job were Kata(tour guide wunderbar!), Guido(cruise manager), Alex(reception), Eliza(reception), Captain Rudi, Eduardo, and Marianna. Checkin was good and they offered us snacks and champagne. Each lunch and dinner was free wine and beer from the local towns we stopped in. We went from Amsterdam to Germany, France, back to Germany, then extended our stay 4 nights in Lucerne and Zurich Switzerland. Each city stop there were usually 3 optional tours included in cost. Tours were for slow, medium and fast walkers. Modern buses met us at docking to take us on tours. Every afternoon 3-4 was afternoon snacks and drinks. Ordering drinks outside of lunch and dinner at the lounge bar were reasonable like 6-7 Euros average. There is open seating(7-9am breakfast; lunch time varies; dinner usually 7-9pm but can vary). Late breakfast for those who sleep in. A very nice touch when we got to airport in Zurich on our last day, one of our local Swiss tour guides we had the day before (Marc) met us there and helped with bags and routing to our gate! A river cruise is much better than an ocean cruise; we are hooked. Our anniversary so they gave us a small cake and sang to us. Our favorite cities? Riquewihr France(beautiful medieval buildings) and Lucerne Zwitzerland. Read Less

This was our second AmaWaterways cruise and our third river cruise. We have done over 25 ocean cruises. River cruising has become our preference. The small number of people, the exceptional service and outstanding food are all very attractive features vs. an ocean cruise.Our travel agent contacted us just before Christmas with a very attractive offer on this cruise, and we took it. It was over Easter week, which seems to be a slow period. The ship was not completely full and some of the guests were travel agents and others not paying full or any fare, I believe. Nevertheless it was a great group. Our Cruise Manager was Victor, who although seemingly a bit gruff at first, got to know everyone by name and gave very personal service to each individual. The crew were fabulous and uniformly friendly. One of our favourites was Anton, a waiter in the area where we normally sat in the Dining Room. The excursions included in the fare were all fantastic and we especially enjoyed Honfleur, Monet's Gardens at Giveryney, and the World War 2 beaches and cemeteries in Normandy. Canadians and British (there were no British on this cruise) got their own separate tour to our own WW2 beaches and the Americans went to theirs. The ship, although built in 2009, was in terrific condition, and looked like it had been refurbished in its winter layover. It is shorter than the newer vessels, and so carries a few less people. But I liked the dining room layout better than the AmaSonata we had been on previously. It has quite a few tables for two, which we greatly prefer. An exception is the Chef's Table alternate restaurant at the stern, where everyone is entitled to one meal during the cruise. It seats 24 people, but they are all at tables for six. We did not enjoy this especially, being seated with people with whom we had little in common. I did not enjoy the food here either and would probably skip it next time. Embarkation and especially disembarkationn was flawless. We bought an Ama transfer to the airport at the end of the cruise and it was great- including being met by someone at the airport to guide us through checkin. This kind of personal attention, including Victor coming our to our luxurious van to say goodbye, is long remembered and is such a contrast to ocean cruises where they typically can't wait to get rid of you at the end of the cruise, and where you are on your own once you step off the ship. We will definitely sail on Ama again. Read Less

They met us at the airport, led us to the bus taking us to the port. We had not one minute to worry about anything. The ship was clean, the food was good, and the staff were wonderful. From the Captain, Hotel Director, Cruise Director to the kitchen staff--they were wonderful. They met every request with a smile. Our cabin was always and promptly cleaned. We enjoyed all the shore excursions. In fact, most days we did both morning and afternoon tours. The end of the tour, they got us to their staff at the airport, and the staff walked us wherever we needed to go and offered to stay with us through each step. We came home happy and relaxed--like you should be after a vacation. Would we go again? You bet. We are already looking at other Ama cruises and are excited to find many places we'd like to see. Read Less

This is our second AMAWaterWays cruise and we were again rewarded with a thoroughly enjoyable river cruise. The Amadolce cabin was spotless and in excellent condition as were the public areas. The crew with Captain Danny and Cruise Director Helene was one of the best we've experienced in over 30 years of ocean and river cruising. They were friendly, attentive, responsive and prompt. The tours were great and well paced and gave an insightful education on French wines. The food and wine selection onboard was very competitive with some of the best local restaurants in the Bordeaux region. The wait staff was fun, friendly, responsive and made us feel that the Amadolce was our river home for the week. Housekeeping was impeccable and Georgina, our stewardess, was a delight with her engaging personality and warm greeting in addition to the care she gave our cabin. My wife had a post-operation medical problem toward the end of our cruise and the staff was on top of the medical situation instantly, brought a doctor on board and helped us get treatment that she needed. The Purser, Captain and Cruise Director all demonstrated concern, empathy and acted to help ease my wife's issues. We were very grateful. Read Less

I chose this cruise because I was travelling with my elderly mother and we liked the idea of unpacking once. Our travel agent assured us that APT would organise a wheelchair for mum to use for the excursions and the staff/crew were brilliant. They could not have done more to help us with information about the places we visited and accessibility for the wheelchair. The meals were first class; choices were exceptional. We were able to attend the Chef's Table degustation nights twice and they were both wonderful experiences. Every staff member was helpful, polite and welcoming. They all made us feel special and none of our requests were too much trouble. Of course, we were lucky to sail on such a new, modern ship; it was amazing. The staff were very knowledgeable about everything; the ship, ports of call, planned excursions. The excursions were great and the tour guides were very informative and welcoming. We were impressed with the small group numbers in our walking tours and we were happy to be a part of the 'gentle walkers' - it suited perfectly. Read Less

This was our first, and definitely not the last. Been on the big ship cruises many times, and did not know if we would like this type of cruising. We now prefer it. The ship is immaculate, comfortable and has everything you need. The crew was the best we have ever had, so friendly, humorous and helpful. Dining had so many variations, enough to eat, and so many choices. Quality was the best, so much better than the big ships. They are cooking to order since there are so few passengers. The shore excursions were all you could expect, kept us more than busy enough. Sometimes we just wanted some down time to relax. Which is your option, but we also wanted to take advantage of seeing all the sights. The cabins are small, as expected, but you spend so little time there, it does not matter. When you leave the ship you actually feel like your are leaving home. Read Less

When trying to decide which cruise line and river to choose for our first river cruise we talked to several seasoned travelers/agents and they recommended AmaWaterways along with the Rhine River and boy were they right on both counts. The Rhine River was a special place that was a split between some commercial/industrial activity to scenic spots that my wife and I had only dreamed about. It seemed that every time we rounded a bend in the river there was something else that warranted a look. The trip itself was peaceful with just the right mix of activities and tours coupled with enough down time to rest up. AmaWaterways was top notch in every respect and there was nothing they couldn't make happen. We had approximately 140 on our cruise that was filled with mostly retirees, however, there were some multi-generational family groups that ranged in age from 12-92 along with several younger married couples and a few single travelers. The open seating and casual environment lended itself perfectly for meeting new friends and never caused any awkward moments. By week's end you felt like you had established some long-term friends along the way. The food was expertly prepared and represented a wide mix of cultures which caused us to try some new things. The ship itself was spotless with the crew always bending over backwards to ensure your stay was perfect. If you needed anything, they would make it happen. When it came time to provide a critique at the end of the cruise neither my wife nor I could come up with anything critical to say. As such ,we are entirely happy with AmaWaterways and will seek to schedule another cruise with them without exploring any other cruise line. Read Less

This was our first river cruise. It was luxurious in all the right ways. Ama gave us features that we needed and used, without others (like climbing walls) that we haven't used on ocean cruises. We would love to take another cruise with this line again. The staff were wonderful. We felt like AmaWaterways had selected highly trained people who got along well, which makes a difference in the cruise experience. There was a nice balance between high standards of service and the teasing and banter that went on. Also, they all seemed to be able to turn their hands to many jobs, which was impressive. Our cruise director, Balazs, was a gem. He kept us well informed with port talks and announcements of excursions and did some commentary. He seemed to be everywhere throughout the day. At one point in Bratislava I thought he must have been cloned, because he was keeping tabs on three excursion groups at the same time (making sure our guides were doing well). He also came through when my husband left his phone on the shuttle bus in Vienna - locating it and getting it back to us later, in Germany. Really great service. The food was great. The cuisine was inventive and all of the ingredients were high quality. We had heard that food service was limited to 3 meals a day on river cruises, but that's a joke. Sit down service in the restaurant only occurs 3 times a day, but there was some kind of food available from 6:30am to 11:30pm, and that was supplemented by additional celebrations of local specialties! The wine service was lavish and we enjoyed the selection of local wines. We loved that there was a specialty coffee machine always available (and it always worked, unlike others we've tried to use in hotels). The Chef's Table restaurant was lovely. The service was impeccable and the chef's performance in the open kitchen was impressive. Traveling on the rivers and canals was quite an experience with all of the locks and low bridges and high water. We were impressed with the variety of excursions that Ama offered at each stop, and the variety of fitness levels offered every time (from strenuous bike treks to gentle walkers who rode a tourist train while others walked). We had an excellent time. Read Less

Enjoyed our pre-trip excursion in Prague. A great city to walk around Nice hotel (Old Town Hilton) Wish it was a bit closer to the old town square. Lovely ship, great crew, wonderful food. Enjoyed the open dining and met lots of interesting folks. The excursions were a nice mix, with enough free time to explore. all but 2 excursions were included. Enjoyed Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic the most - Bratislava was my favorite capital city. Great tour guides. The Che's tasting menu night was very special I have dietary restrictions and the chef made 3 special dishes just for me. Talk about service! On the last day, we had time to visit the Parliament building in Budapest - well with it Simply spectacular indoors. We fly on our now, using airline points instead of traveling on AmayWaterways flights, but they still arranged for ooyr pick up and drop off at the airports, Read Less

After 13 years of Ocean cruises I decided to take my first River cruise. I had been thinking about it for quite a few years but never booked one. Last year I finally made the decision and realized I really wanted to do it. My sister has been on both Ocean and River cruises and I know she enjoys both. I also know my TA and she and her husband love River Cruising too so I had at least 2 individuals who love them and both have sailed AMA and recommended them to me very highly. I was not disappointed I have always wanted to go to the Netherlands and when I saw the "Tulip Time" itinerary I knew that is the one I was going to choose. I booked this cruise back in the summer of 2015 (very end of July) and so there was a lot of time to wait......(with a Caribbean cruise in between) back in November. ........for a bit about me.....I am 58 and I sail solo. I had done a lot of research and knew this would be very different than an ocean cruise and that was the case for sure. I would say it is 180 degrees different. The Ambiance, food, ship, everything..........totally different. We had (from what I was told) 114 passengers on board on a ship that holds 158. So it was very easy to meet other folks, passengers as well at the staff AMA is a privately owned company and I felt VERY welcomed.....brand new ship. I originally thought this was the Inaugural sailing but it was not...it was the 3rd cruise.....although I would have never known anyone was on board before me. It was spotless...beautifully appointed and in my opinion, she has a warm and welcoming feel to her. That includes the staff and crew and as the Capt stated, a ship can be beautiful but the people are the soul of her and they have a fabulous crew. Backing up a bit........I arrived in Amsterdam a day early and stayed at "The Banks Mansion" hotel. It is a lovely property. A big flower market on one side, with a canal on the other, it is sort of a cross between a B&B and a hotel. The lobby is like a living room with a fire place and complimentary juices/coffees/teas/booze (yes liquors are included). The large breakfast room is downstairs and is also included in the price. The staff (reception) are very warm and welcoming.....and helpful too. My flight actually arrived in Amsterdam 45 minutes early and finding my luggage and a cab was very quick. It cost 60 euros from AMS to Banks Mansion. There were probably cheaper forms of transportation but this worked out fine for me. I got to the hotel about 8:30am and of course there were no rooms ready. I really wanted to shower and change clothes from what I flew in all night but that was not possible. The gals at the front desk were really nice but they were sold out the previous night so nothing much they could do....I had a couple of cups of tea and sat for awhile.......then I walked to Flower Market for about an hour and there are lots of shops/cafes/cheeses and strolled around there until about 11 and then felt myself getting tired again. I went back to the hotel but there were still no rooms ready. Then about 12:15 the gal said they had a room...I wanted to give her a hug!.....I took a hot shower...it was fabulous and changed my clothes. I had done research on different tours/excursions in Amsterdam for my one day and found a company called "HUNGRY BIRDS". It is a culinary tour and sounded like a lot of fun and it was...... It started at 2:00pm (the other big reason I wanted to shower and change) who wants to tour in clothing they slept in all night on the plane...........I had a map of where to meet the tour and found it pretty easily. The guides were 2 gals and we had about 9 others so I think we had 11 of us.....and there were 9 stops....different restaurants/cheese shops/etc. It was an international group.....me, a couple from the UK, a couple from Israel and 4 folks from Germany. Everyone seemed to have a good time. The downside was it rained all afternoon. And by the time we reached stop 7 I had lost all my energy. There were 2 stops after that but I could not continue and it was about 4:30 by then.......you know, 2nd wind is gone and you feel like you cannot do anything more.......I wish I could have stayed but it was just not possible. One of the gals walked with me to the corner and I got a cab back to the hotel. It was about 6.5 euros from where we were so not too far away. I gave the girls (tour guides) a nice tip and the minute my head hit my pillow I fell asleep. I slept for about 4 hours and woke up (thinking it was the next morning LOL.)...... I went back to sleep and then woke up about midnight...watched tv in the room, and fell back asleep about 4am and finally woke up again about 9am (this was finally sail day)! So I did end up sleeping but there were a few hours in the middle night of tv watching........I felt much better after finally getting up about 9am Next up would be sail day.....I woke up about 9am and took another hot shower and proceeded to head downstairs of the hotel for breakfast. They had all sorts of meats/cheeses/fruits and breads, along with cereals and an omelette man who was making whatever you like......omelettes or just scrambled eggs with all sorts of fixings.....mushrooms, cheese, ham, etc....and they had sausage and bacon too. This was included in the price. For anyone interested, I paid for this directly through the hotel. It was 249 euros.....in US $ my total came to 291.00. This is a bit more than I usually spend on hotels but I decided to "go for it" and in my opinion, it was worth it. As I mentioned earlier, I would stay here again. The hotel called a cab for me and the driver comes inside to pick you up. It was about 11 Euros to the ship and yes, the driver knew where to drop me off. If you are sailing on AMA, the birth is listed in your cruise documents. I gave the driver 15 euros and told him to keep the change. I arrived about noon at the ship and there are AMA staff waiting at the curbside for you.....they take your bags and walk with you to the ship. Next up......the ship...etc….. Oh wait, before I get to the ship I want to make sure for those of you who have yet to visit Amsterdam or if it has been many years since your last visit.......one MAJOR tip......PLEASE watch out for the bicycles. Seriously, they own the roads and do not care who else is there...cars, buses, PEOPLE......it seems bike riders have the right of way over anyone else and I heard a joke (I think it is a joke) that every person owns 4 bikes.....that is why some places have so many And the weather, it was cold, windy and rainy. Not that it affects anyone. Everyone just dresses accordingly and goes about their business. But the weather got better for the entire cruise (more on this later). So, Thursday morning I wake up, shower, have breakfast, check out of the hotel and wait for the cab. From the time the hotel called one, he was there within about 10 minutes. So, the staff takes my bags and we walk up to the ship (nice start)....The reception area is right there as you board the ship and they take your bags and let you know there is coffee/tea/etc in the main lounge area. Rooms are not ready till about 3:00 but that is ok. There were already folks on board and I met 2 couples and started chatting with them a bit. The main lounge on this ship is very comfortable with a welcoming feeling to it. This is in place to hang out before/after dinner and also, during the day, if you don't want to eat breakfast/lunch in the dining room, they have "lighter fare" here. There is a bar with about 12 stools (I think it was about 12) and the rest of the lounge is couches and chairs and of course windows with lovely views. And if you are not getting off the ship for a tour, you would definitely sit in the lounge (if not your cabin). Speaking of cabins, AMA offers cabins for the solo cruiser where they waive the Single Supplement in this particular category. It was on deck 1 and was fine for me. Double bed and 2 windows. Complimentary internet in your cabin too. The bathroom was small but fine for me too. Actually it was a nice bathroom with a great shower......doors, not a curtain and the counter top was granite.....really lovely. The cabin comes with a Duvet but I after the first night I had them remove it (too hot for me). I just used a top sheet and there is an additional blanket supplied if needed. Your tv in the cabin is also your computer. I only used it a few times to check my mail and I posted on here a couple of times. Other than that,I didn't have much desire to use it. I do sleep with the tv on though.....it is a sedative for me. More about the ship.....it may be a boat that sails on a River but the apt calls it a ship so I will too Speaking of the Captain, he was always visible and outgoing. I was up on the sundeck after boarding to see what was up there and he was in the Bridge Area. The door was open so I looked inside and introduced myself and shook his hand. Very classy guy. He would be at the doors as folks left for tours and as they returned from them too. The ship has 2 restaurants.......the main dining room and there is a Specialty Restaurant on deck 3, all the way Aft. The meal held in here is called "The Chef's Table" and each person was given the opportunity to eat here once during the cruise. As good as the meals in the main dining room were, this had to be one of the best dinners I have ever eaten, land or sea. The presentation was outstanding as well. This was what would be considered a tasting menu....you did not order anything. They brought it to you, course by course and wine was part of it too. No extra charge for this meal.......and if there was? I would have paid for it......it was FANTASTIC. Food is always a subjective topic so I am guessing it will be here too. I found everything to be good to excellent....food came out hot and cooked as ordered. Since this is such a small forum, there will probably not be anyone to give you another opinion (as on the Celebrity forum, for example). I really enjoyed all my meals.....trying to think back if there was something I didn't like but nothing is coming into my memory bank. The dining room has booths and tables and I sat with different people for dinners, although some were the same a couple of nights. They had 3 entree choices AND they also had 3 other "every night items".....if you did not like what the choices were you could order a steak, chicken or salmon that was on the "every night offerings". The presentation of everything was beautiful. And the wait staff was just that, wait staff. They did the food portion and the beverage staff did just that....your beverages. Really superior service. Oh, yes, there were appetizers, soups and salads too......full menu and the desserts? YUM......and those presentations were always lovely too. I was very impressed with food and service throughout the week. Breakfast and lunch.....same dining room but you could order off the menu or get the buffet or both! They offered quite a few choices and also, they had lighter fare set up in the main lounge if you wanted to eat up there. The food up there was good too...different soup every day, small wraps/sandwiches, different cookies/pastries too Nick was our Cruise Manager and he has worked for AMA for 6 years. This position is quite different than a CD on an Ocean Cruise. He is very approachable and also is the person who handles EVERYTHING....from your tour to how you are getting to the airport on disembarkation day. If you have a chance to sail with him? Do it. He also gives talks about the places you are going to visit. Sort of like a lecture but not boring and he is very knowledgeable. He sat with me and 2 other ladies for dinner on the first night of the cruise. He was always projecting a very positive attitude and really encouraged people to interact with one another throughout the cruise. Not in a fake way either......he has a great personality and it was a pleasure meeting him. Coming up........ports and tours......which of course as most of you regular River cruisers already know....this is what a River Cruise is all about. I know I said ports were coming...they are LOL but I want to say they did have some evening entertainment too. There was a pianist in the lounge who played each night and on 2 other evenings there were others as well. One night there was a trio called "La Strada"....2 Violinists and a guitarist who played classical music but it was very different and very good. And the other evening they had a singer named Rolf who did Broadway tunes. He was also very good and I really enjoyed both. Dress code...during the day it was cold, we were lucky and had sunshine throughout the week but long sleeves and jackets were the attire of day....along with jeans. As for dinner, it was casual. I changed for dinner each night (that is just me).....after being out all day, I wanted to take a shower and change. Now, I did not "dress up" but did bring about 4 different pairs of pants for evenings....most of them black or in the black family......with different tops of course.....you could have worn what you had on during the day and I am guessing some folks did. I chose to change. I felt totally fine in my clothing choices. Oh, I did wear my jeans multiple times during the week....I brought 3 pairs......2 blue and 1 black. But I always wore a new top each day. I also used the ship's laundry service about 1/2 way through the cruise. Everything came back fine and I thought the prices were reasonable. And how good is this......I sent 2 knit tops out.....they washed them but did not put them in the dryer and Head of Housekeeping explained they were hanging them to dry and would have them back to me later in the day....she delivered me everything else folded in a nice plastic bag. Here we go......so, each day they offered multiple choices in the tour area. You could sign up for whatever was appealing. Normally the morning tours started at 9am. Oh, back up again.....they had audio devices (small) for the tours so when your guide spoke you were connected with earpieces. Kind of neat really....you had a card that had different colors/numbers on it and you were given a color for your tour group. You wore the device around your neck (like a lanyard) and put the earbuds in your ears and the guide would not have to yell...they spoke into a microphone and you were connected to them.....sounds a bit strange but it works I would say my tours had no more than 25 people..and that would be a high number. Some of the tours I went on only had 6 or 7 people on them. The audio devices I mentioned above.....well, they looked like a rectangular shape. Not heavy at all. The device and earpieces connected to the tour guide......hope that made some sense. If you are cruising with AMA you will see them in person. Anyway, we stayed in Amsterdam overnight before sailing....I boarded on Thursday and Friday morning I did a canal boat tour and when we got off the boat we walked around an area of Amsterdam.....very good tourguide on that one. We sailed in the afternoon and docked in a town called Hoorn......they had 3 different tours offered and I chose to just walk around Hoorn.... ended up with only 5 others and a tour guide.......loved it...quaint city..... Saturday we were in Arnhem and I decided to sleep in. I had planned to go to a Palace but changed my mind. I went with a group on a tour in the afternoon.....it was the only place I remember having to walk up a hill to get into the city center (HOPE I am remembering this right).... I was out of breath by the time we got to the top Sunday....docked in Antwerp and in the morning I walked around on my own....in the afternoon I did a "Limited Edition Tour".....it was chocolate, waffles and beer. Had a good time with a nice group. I am missing something so trying to think here a moment.......we docked close to a BIG Produce Market and my mind is trying to remember which place.....I walked around on my own and for the life of me I can't remember which port it was I have my daily's so will try to re-read them..I know I walked around on my own...no tour at all. (that was in the morning)....... I do know on Monday we went to Ghent and I took an all day tour to Bruges. If you have a chance to go there, I would definitely recommend it. Had a good day.....a great lunch and the weather was sunny all day. Very interesting place. This tour was extra $ but in my opinion, worth the money. All the other tours were included in the cruise. Tuesday we were in Williamstead in the morning. It is very small town and I got off the ship for maybe an hour to walk around. In the afternoon we were in Kinderdijk and had a tour of windmills ( about 20 of us on this tour). WEDNESDAY.......KEUKENHOF GARDENS.....YOU MUST GO. I went on the 2 hour tour and in the afternoon we were back in Amsterdam and I went on another limited edition tour to the Jordaan area. The Gardens?....it would take more than 2 hours to see it all and you could have the option of staying longer. The flowers were truly magnificent. The colors and choices both………. WED we were docked in Amsterdam and had buses take us to the Gardens. Not sure I posted that already. When we came back to the ship we had lunch and then did the Jordaan tour in the afternoon. A bus drove us from the ship to the area and we did more walking and the bus picked us up and took us back to the ship. I would say there is ALOT of walking on a River cruise and to make sure you have good walking shoes. I don't do walking here at home (yes, I know I should)....but I got a pair of Merrell's and they were the best......wore them every day (with socks) and my feet felt fine. I know I did not list everything/everywhere we walked but I know it was miles and miles.... When we went to Bruge (for example) the busses pulled up and I thought the area looked like a park...it was beautiful. It took a good while to get to the inside of the city....I was speaking with some other folks on the tour and we all thought we walked somewhere between 8-10 miles that day. Thankfully we did have "downtime"...I found a great place for lunch.....try the Mussells......they are delicious. And I know most of you are photographers/picture takers....I am not. I do know you will find lots of flowers/statues/items to take pictures of though. We had our last night on the ship and Thursday morning everyone was off....they had everyone in different colored tags, depending on what time you needed. Get this......it was me and 1 other couple...we had transfers included in our cruise. Well, for just the 3 of us they had regular sized bus.....yes, a big bus for just us lol.....they could have gotten an SUV...... We were on the bus at 8:15am....I gave Nick and the Capt big hugs and Thank you's.....and AMA had staff waiting at the airport for us as well! Had a guy help me get checked in and everything......very classy. Oh, when we got off the ship, they had staff who took our bags to that big bus. I want to say you cannot really compare an Ocean cruise to a River Cruise. They are so totally different it is not a fair comparison (in my opinion anyway). I wish I could put one word on it but it is more than 1 thing....the whole experience is so opposite of a large ship. They do give you what is called a "Safety Card" and you need to take it with you everytime you leave the ship. It is up to you to remember to give it back each time you step back on the ship. There is no machine that you have to use to put said card in out and of.....(like the big ships have). Also, they know you quite well after the first day and are good at remembering your cabin number too. Maybe "Intimate" would be part of it all.....an easy experience and they try to make the week easy for all of us. Again, Kudos to Nick. He seemed to be the type of person who truly loves his job and it comes across that way. I am guessing the other Cruise Managers probably feel the same. I forgot one other thing....at the end of the cruise there was a blue gift box on my bed.....(everyone got one)......AMA gave us beautiful blue scarf's.....I am not a scarf wearer but I was VERY impressed with it.....what a wonderful gesture. I want to say I had such a fantastic time that I have already booked another cruise with AMA for May 2017. Read Less

The trip down the Rhine River with stops at 2000 year old German cities along the way and too many castles to count was stimulating and beautiful. The ship was new, extremely comfortable, food healthy and light ( although one could eat more calories without any trouble), a good but small gym and an amazing staff. Everyone was extremely responsive to any logistical request and or maintenance need ( we had a water leak in our bathroom that was fixed within minutes) Departures were arranged with efficiency and no confusion even when fog canceled many flights and required re-booking. The only problem was the low level of the water in the Rhine due to lack of rain so our arrivals were slowed by the necessity of traveling behind other slower ships all using the only available channel with enough water. Read Less

Everything about this cruise and ship was perfect. The ship is amazing. The accommodations are wonderful, the dining is out of this world and the service is second to none. The crew to a person seems to be truly interested in you having a great time. We chose a water view cabin on the lowest deck and this was perfect because most days it was too cold to use a balcony. Keep in mind that this is the only cabin deck not accessible by elevator. The cabins are very comfortable, well thought out, more than enough space for clothing and we never felt cramped. Meals are exquisite and feature local cuisine. For breakfast and lunch you can order from the menu and/or from an extensive buffet and dinner is from menu only. Complimentary beer and wine is offered at lunch and dinner. Also afternoon snacks, early morning pastries and always specialty coffees in the lounge. Entertainment is in the lounge after dinner. Not like big cruise ship production shows, but very intimate and fun. You're usually so tired after a fully day of exploring that you just want to go to bed anyway. I would highly recommend a two week itinerary when cruising in Europe...its a long way to go for just one week and two weeks lets you really get a good feel for the ship, crew and getting to know your fellow passengers. The shore excursions were very well planned and allowed you to get a good overview of the various port cities and towns. There were also several choices of excursions in each port from various walking tours to hiking to biking to specialty excursions. It was fun trying to make decisions each day. Captain Jan, the officers and crew were all very approachable and interesting to talk to. We had low water on the Danube for several days so the Captain would talk to us in the lounge before dinner and explain any deviations or itinerary changes. He could be very serious, but interesting and at times even funny. Cruise director Frederico did an amazing job with all excursions, local guides and low water problems. Hotel Director Christian and Restaurant Mgr. Romeo both worked very hard making sure passengers were happy, comfortable and well fed. Receptionist Lawrence was awesome fielding all types of questions, giving advise and generally being a friendly face. A couple other crew members who made our cruise more enjoyable are cabin steward Adrian, bar server Carmen, butler Elvis, night receptionist Lizzy and head chef Gino. AmaWaterways has done an outstanding job with their ships, personnel and level of service. I can't imagine sailing a European river with any other cruise line. Read Less

This was our first river cruise after many ocean cruises so some of our views may be influenced by this. We travelled independently to Prague but purchased the AMA transfer from Prague to the boat in Vilshofen. The transfer left the Hilton Old Town at 8 am stopping for a a lunch break and guided walk in Regensberg. The boat was lovely and immaculate. Our balcony cabin on deck 2 was very comfortable with just enough space. The bed was very comfortable and bathroom was one of the best we have seen on a ship. All staff were friendly and very efficient. Kata, the Cruise Director, worked very hard and was informative and helpful although we struggled to understand the tips we were meant to give her which would have given her over £2500 for 7 days. Food was very good and the Chefs table excellent. The timing and seating worked Ok. The ports and places visited were all very interesting. Tour choices were good as were tour guides. We ( and others) had problems with the quiet box communication system and had to change ours 3 times. A number of entertainers joined the boat and all were excellent. We had a balcony cabin but with hindsight wonder if this was worth the money as we only went on it twice. The weather was not over good but when we wanted to use it in port we were berthed next to other boats so couldn't use it. The other issue we had was that due to the poor weather the only place to go in the evening was the lounge. Unfortunately we were travelling with a large group of people from an American Golf club who were very inconsiderate of other passengers. One evening they were singing inappropriate and offensive rugby songs and only stopped when a passenger intervened. On other evenings one of the group took over the microphone and sang karaoke. On a bigger ship we would have a choice of venue but on this boat the only other option was the cabin. I don't think the crew were equipped to deal with this sort of behaviour. The other issue for us was the total lack of visible security. People were passing through our ship to get to theirs and vice versa. There was no checking of bags or of anything brought onto the boat. As we disembarked by pre- booked taxi we saw a pile of unattended luggage up on the road and piled next to our taxi. It would have been easy for anyone so inclined to help themselves to a couple of bags. Read Less

We boarded this vessel along with several other couples we know. We didn't pick the dates-- HUGE MISTAKE!!! We set sail in October and encountered rain, dreary gray skies and weather cold enough to make a few of the passengers ill. Pumps on the locks weren't working properly in some cases (not necessarily the ship's fault), but it did shorten excursions that day and even canceled at least one of them. Food was good but with so little to do who needed the calories?? Far too surface of a treatment for the towns visited, except in two cases. We had the better staterooms and to be honest they were very small but all river cruiser rooms are small and unimpressive. To do over again I would have never agreed to go on this cruise and I won't even think about another "river cruise". They are for the birds! The ill-fit and well-healed but nearly demented set should do fine on them! Tremendous waste of money, and this comes from a veteran independent European traveler! Read Less

Just back from an AMA Waterways river cruise from Paris to Prague. In summary, it was a great cruise and AMA certainly took care of its passengers. The cruise itself is seven nights from Luxembourg to Nuremburg and then we added on extensions in Paris at the beginning and Prague at the end. Overall I would give the 14 days a 4+ Rating. We are Elite plus Captain Club members with Celebrity but this would be our first river cruise and we were somewhat apprehensive on what to expect. Talk about first impressions, we made our flight arrangements through AMA so transfers were included. We arrived in Paris at 6:30 a.m. and when we cleared customs there was our private driver picking us up to escort us to our hotel, the Pullman Montparnsse...and to top it off he drove us in a 2014 Jaguar...beautiful car...so far, oh so good. Check-in at the hotel was a breeze and even at 7:15 a.m. we were able to get right into our room....not everyone was so lucky as they had to wait until 3-4 pm to check-in. Big room pretty good location near a metro stop and restaurants. One complaint from people -- the shower was located in a very high step in tub...difficult to get in and out of. It was great to visit Paris again and after the city tour arranged by AMA we stayed downtown to walk on our own. Next big event was a high speed train (not a bus) to Luxembourg to pick up our river boat but first we boarded a bus in Luxembourg, did a city tour and stopped by the American Cemetery where General George Patton is buried and other soldiers from the Battle of the Bulge. We have been to Normandy before and this was just as impressive. Come to find out there was a lady on our trip (accompanied buy her daughter) whose first husband died in the Battle of the Bulge and was buried here. She met with the cemetery superintendent who escorted her to the gravesite where she placed flowers on the grave.....very moving. Grounds are immaculate. We then boarded the ship and there are only 139 of us. The one big thing about a river cruise vs. ocean cruise is with so few people, you practically get to know them all. Of the 139 who cruised, close to 100 were at the pre-cruise function in Paris and 110 ended up in Prague. Mostly Americans but others from Japan, Malaysia, Canada, and Brazil. Ages 40's to 90's with majority between 65-75. Food very good along with excellent service. Chef's table offered at no cost and everyone is afforded at least one opportunity to eat there...Entrees were lamb chops or wild salmon along with other tidbits pre and post main course. The wines offered (as well as beer) at NO CHARGE during lunch or dinner were German whites, French Cabernets or a French Bordeaux which easily would have cost $80-100 on a cruise ship...wines were outstanding. Cocktails (pre dinner) typically cost $7-8....two nights were on the captain. You would not leave hungry on one of these cruises. Staterooms were very nicely adorned and set up like a very nice hotel room....not opposite side sofas that converted to beds at night. Bathrooms were small but hot water plentiful, room cleanup always there, including nightly turndown. All crew members were very polite and helpful. English is the language of all AMA Waterways Ships. Internet and TV are offered in each cabin. Evening entertainment....(here's where we were really skeptical), but here is what was offered, a resident piano player is on board, classical group one night, a Mama Mia dance group another night, trip to a local coffee house or a local museum another. These were actually fun nights and offered something for everyone. Our group was very lively so we enjoyed the Mama Mia dance group and then the piano player filled in playing polkas and other dance songs on the off nights. Much much better than expected. City tours.....Tour guides: You you have to understand Europeans have a very historical insight/perspective into every city and monument and sometimes it can become overwhelming for most Americans. If you did not want the city bus tour one thing that AMA offers is a bike tour using 10-speed easy shifting bikes. Now these tours have 2 guides, one in front and one in back, and the easiest was 26km or about 17 miles taking 4-5 hours. Prague...Outstanding first class hotel Intercontinental only a five minute walk to city square. Breakfast provided at the hotel but lunch and dinner were on your own but the food was very reasonable in cost and very good. Had some rain and cold weather in Prague which did put a damper on the city activities. Attended an evening dance/local custom show in Prague...very good. Leaving for home, AMA had escorts greeting some people off from the hotel as early as 330 a.m. and then someone at the airport making sure you got to the right check-in terminal. Your hotel departure was based on your scheduled air flight home, so you were NOT all required to get up at hauled to the airport in one big bus . AMA was a first class act!! Read Less

While my husband has never been on a cruise, I have been on several ocean cruises. Cruising on AMAWaterways beat them all. Because there are only 140 passengers, you get to know each other and the staff and crew. All of the staff and crew were friendly and on the spot with whatever you needed. The excursions were all well-organized and excellent, led by knowledgeable guides. The ship itself was clean and in great condition. The food was very good - I really enjoyed the light lunch option. The entertainment was ok, but that's not what we were looking for in a cruise. From the time our greeter met us at the airport and took us to the ship to disembarkation early to catch a train (they even packed food for us!), AMAWaterways took great care of us. We would definitely recommend AMAWaterways. Read Less

We cruised on AmaSerena on the Dnaube during September and thoroughly enjoyed it. The ship was new and well laid out. Our Crusie Director, Dejan Stancic was outstanding....professional, pleasant, helpful and a delight to deal with. Our cabin on the lower deck was comfortable and well planned. The bathroom had a spacious shower despite its small size. The staff and crew onboard were unfailingly wonderful. There were many nice touches such as serving food or drink that were a specialty of the area in which we were cruising. The meals were delicious,fresh, well prepared and the selection was very good. We particularly enjoyed our server, Viorel ,in the dining room. Wonderful service with a great sense of humour. They were very generous with the wines and beer at mealtime and we appreciated having local wines along the way. We enjoyed all the tours ,most of which were included with a choice of activity levels. The itinerary was well paced and interesting. The ship has a shallow draft and unlike many other ships that were unable to get into Budapset due to low water levels on the Danube,ours did. The highlight for us was the "Illumination Tour" of Budapest. It was a wonderful vacation and we look forward to cruising with Amawaterways again in the future. Read Less