Another AmaWaterways Tulip Time cruise review - April 14-21

Given the paucity of river cruise reviews, I thought I’d add a personal coda to Lois R’s wonderful review of her AMA Stella Tulip Time cruise. My almost 84-year-old mom and I boarded the AMA Stella on April 14th as Lois departed. We, too, spent one pre-cruise night at the Banks Mansion in Amsterdam after flying in overnight from JFK. For those who have not seen my earlier posts, this was our first river cruise. The trip was a bucket list item for my mom; before we lost my dad about 15 months ago they had planned to head to the Netherlands to see the tulips in bloom. The experience did not disappoint on any level.

This was a return visit for me to the Banks Mansion; I stayed there three years ago on a trip to Amsterdam and Belgium with my daughter. The hotel was as I remembered it – charming, personal service, small but well-appointed rooms with art deco touches, wonderful (and complimentary) snacks and libations in the “living room”, and extensive offerings in the breakfast room. Although a room was not available for our early arrival, the staff held our luggage as we enjoyed a short respite in the lobby before heading out to the Van Gogh Museum for our 2pm tickets. As on my previous trip, I had reserved tickets for the Van Gogh and the Rijksmuseum in advance. We did not return to the Anne Frank Haus, but had we wanted to I would have definitely booked tickets well in advance, online.

After a short nap on our return from the museum, I asked for a restaurant recommendation – something within a short walk, with good food. We were offered several suggestions and chose Ponte Arcari, just up the block and over the canal from the hotel. The Banks staff made a reservation for us and we enjoyed a wonderful evening. It’s a very small (like 12 tables) place and the owner and staff were very welcoming…and the food was amazing! Thursday morning we had breakfast, and packed up before heading to the Rijks. After touring the great Dutch masters and a lovely walk back to the hotel we headed to the port.

The taxi dropped us off at the berth where the AMA Stella was located, just down the road from the Central Station. We were met at the curb by the cruise director, Peter Whitehead, and our bags were whisked away. Since we boarded about an hour before the 3pm embarkation time we were directed to the lounge where drinks and a light lunch were available as we waited to check in and go to our cabin. Unlike large cruise ships, our bags were taken to the "library", a section of the lounge right by the reception desk. This made retrieving books, etc. very easy prior to heading to the cabin. First impressions were of a beautiful, new, well-appointed ship and a very welcoming crew.

When the cabins were ready, we were called by deck to check-in at the reception desk. I was surprised to not be asked for a credit card at this point, but on turning over our passports (returned to us the next day) we received our keys and were escorted to our cabin where our bags were waiting. The cabin (by cruise ship standards) was comfortable – we were in a twin balcony room on the Cello Deck, Cabin 208. As requested, it was made up with twin beds. The décor was lovely, mostly golds with a pop of red. There was more than enough storage for two women and our rolling suitcases fit comfortably under the beds. The bathroom was small, but probably the best shower either of us have experienced on a ship. A nice touch was the tube of hand cream on each nightstand and the targeted reading light on each headboard. There is a moniter on the desk that offers tv/movies/internet, and before I forget, there is free WiFi throughout the ship. Although there was a disclaimer that it might not be available everywhere we cruised, I accessed it without difficulty throughout the week. The audiovox boxes (more on those later) with sealed earpieces were also on the desk.

Rather than go day by day (which would be difficult, since I didn’t take notes and I can’t remember all the details), I’ll try to cover relevant categories in subsequent posts. If you have any questions, please ask and I’ll try to answer!

Thanks. You're off to a great start!

AmaStella Review - continued!

Let’s see . . . food, drink and all that jazz! My mom and I were beyond pleasantly surprised by the quality, presentation, and variety of the food. We actually began to look forward to the soup options each day. The cream soups, in particular, were delicate and flavorful and so welcome given the cold, wet, windy weather that predominated for the first 5 days of our trip.

Anyway, breakfast was always a buffet including the usual cereal, eggs, meats, breads etc., but also smoked salmon, bagels and accompaniments, champagne for mimosas, juices, cheeses, fruit, and a hot special each day such as waffles, pancakes etc. There was also a menu including oatmeal, poached eggs, and eggs benedict available each morning. For those who woke early, there was a “light” breakfast available in the lounge.

Lunch, too, was a combination of a buffet and a menu that changed each day. The soups were ordered off the menu, so came to the table piping hot. The other menu items always included a fish, meat or pasta entrée as well as always available sandwiches. The buffet changed daily, but always included a salad bar and some sort of pasta or carvig station. There was an ice cream bar pretty much everyday, and of course, free flowing wine! I’ve never had wine so often with lunch, but it was a really nice way to begin the afternoon. There was also a light lunch option available in the lounge for those who did not want a full afternoon meal.

Dinners, in our opinion, were delicious . . . options included a couple of starters, salads, entrees and desserts. For those who couldn’t find something to their liking, steak (only not great meal), salmon, and grilled chicken were always available. Although vegetables were in short supply (beautifully presented and delicious, but meager portions!), each plate was gorgeous, no matter the menu choices. Warm, fresh bread came to the table as we sat down, the choice of spreads (other than butter) changing each evening, and the wine waiters were always around. We found the fish to be prepared very well, and the beef options (other than the always available entrecôte) delicious. For dessert, in addition to sweet treats (also beautifully presented – lots of spun sugar accents), there was always the option of a cheese plate.

As for the wines – the menu described each night’s offerings and our glasses were always full, if we wanted them to be. Although several evenings the offerings did not appear to be to our liking, we tried them, and found some new bottles to search for at home. I noticed that the crew knew I liked white wine after the first two meals and that a new friend of ours always wanted beer, not wine!

Afternoon tea was served in the lounge each day, accompanied by sweets and music. There was a fancy coffee machine in the lounge where coffee, cappucino, latte, etc. were available at any time. Trust me, it was very welcome when returning from a tour on some of the windy, cool, wet days we experienced.

Finally, on the culinary front, our evening at the Chef’s Table – the alternate dining location on the AmaStella. Reservations for the Chef’s Table were available at reception and each passenger was guaranteed one visit. When we arrived we were shown to a table with our companions for the evening and we enjyed a great meal with a couple we had not yet met. We chose to reserve on a day when we were not doing an afternoon tour so as to be sufficiently rested to enjoy our dinner. The concept is a tasting menu that is the same for the week, so there would be no reason to go more than once, even if seats were available. The food was inventive, delicious, and, as always, presented beautifully. What stood out for me was the parsnip soup and the Japanese short ribs…ummmm! Each course was made up of several small tastes and though there were 4 such courses, we did not feel uncomfortable at the end of the evening. It was a real treat and probably the best “alternate restaurant” experience I’ve ever had on a cruise.

Next up, excursions and tours.

Thanks for a very comprehensive description of the food and wine offerings. AMA really does set a great table. One comment: if you had not liked the wine any evening, they would have happily brought out some of the other "free" offerings until you found one that you really did like. We were pretty fussy about our wine, and they bent over backwards to please us.

Very nice. Thanks for taking the time to share this with us. It is like taking a trip without the jetlag.

Ama is a line we are considering for a SE Asia river cruise so particular interest. Avalon is the other.

It will be our first river cruise. I've read the service and the boats are quite different there but it is great to read how your experience was.

enjoyed your review.

Host Jazzbeau, thanks for the tip. When we mentioned not liking the red offering one evening all the waiter offered was a chance to purchase a bottle they would have held for us if we didn't finish it. There was no mention of offering the complimentary wines from a different evening - we'll know to ask next time!

AweighToSea - thank you. If I can, I always like to do a comprehensive review of my trips to pay it forward since I rely so heavily on the reviews, comments, and opinions of those who have travelled before me! If there's anything you'd like to know that I am missing, please let me know!

More later....

AweighTo Sea, We sailed the Mekong with Avalon and would do it again. It is a newer boat now complete with exercise room and massage facility. It is the only of our 21 river cruises that we have sailed with Avalon--so not a cheerleader for the line. 3 years ago Avalon was the only line sailing directly from Saigon. Also need to let you know that AMA is my favorite river cruise line. Another reason we chose Avalon was the size of the boat--32 pax max.

Thanks for your review. I have a question on dinner service. In the main dining room for dinner is the seating all at one time with the service of each course all at one time?

Seating for dinner was at 7pm or 7:30pm, depending on the excursion schedule for the day. People seemed to wander in within a 20 minute window of the dining room opening. The wait staff gave it about 10-15 minutes to determine if a table was going to fill up (during which time the wine staff poured the evening's selections or brought other drinks, if ordered), then returned to take the table's order. So, each table was on the same "course" schedule, but different tables were on different schedules. The process was for each person to order all courses at once, including dessert. If someone (like me) only ordered a starter and entree, for instance, it was served as if in a restaurant....my starter was delivered with all the starters, then I enjoyed my wine while others had the soup course. Entrees for the table were then delivered all together. Does this help?

WestChesterMom:

Thanks so much for taking the time to write up your review. We leave on Tuesday for the 5/5 Tulip Time sailing on AmaViola and appreciate any and all info as we prepare for our first river cruise!

kathy

Your review is very helpful to me also. We leave in 10 days for a Rhine River cruise with AMAwaterways. We're on the new AMAViola and are looking forward to the trip. Last summer we cruised the Rhone on one AMA's older boats and experienced several mechanical problems onboard. We've heard that is not typical of AMA so I am heartened to read your positive review.

Thanks for the kudo's and I am enjoying your review too:) So happy

you and your Mom had a good time:)

For those going AMA, it really is an awesome experience:)

Your review is very helpful to me also. We leave in 10 days for a Rhine River cruise with AMAwaterways. We're on the new AMAViola and are looking forward to the trip. Last summer we cruised the Rhone on one AMA's older boats and experienced several mechanical problems onboard. We've heard that is not typical of AMA so I am heartened to read your positive review.

I think you experienced an unusual problem. The oldest AMA ships (Cello, Dagio and Legro) are only 10 years old -- and they don't have to deal with salt water plus they get a nice spa visit every winter! We were on AmaDagio last summer and she felt good as new (and sailed with zero problems).

AmaStella Review - continued:

The excursions, including scheduled, optional and limited edition tours, were as advertised. There were a couple of adjustments due to matters outside anyone’s control. For instance, the original itinerary called for a bus tour of Amsterdam followed by a canal cruise on the day after embarkation (Friday). The ship was then to sail for Volendam with afternoon tours scheduled there and in Edam. Even before we embarked we had received notice (in our document packets) that we would, instead, be docking in Hoorn. Peter Whitehead (our cruise manager) explained that Volendam was limiting the number of ships allowed to dock, so we would be docking in Hoorn and the tours would depart from there. A walking tour of Hoorn was also added as an option. Given the timing, the canal cruise was rescheduled for the final day of the cruise and we departed for Hoorn around 11:30am. However, due to river traffic, we were turned around and returned to Amsterdam. The excursions went as planned, however transport was by bus, from Amsterdam.

A note here about the excursion process. When departing the ship for an excursion, each passenger picked up from reception a color-coded excursion card indicating a particular bus or guide, and a safety card indicating your cabin number. That security card needed to be turned in on return to the ship to confirm that all passengers were back on-board. The system worked. I’d also like to give major kudos to AMA and Peter regarding the availability of gentle walkers’ guides in almost every destination. Given that I was traveling with my 84-year-old mother, this made a great trip exceptional. Our guides were cognizant of the limitations of those in their groups and tailored the tours to the walking speed and endurance of the guests. And on our last day, there was a guide provided for just four of us. We really felt that each passenger was valued and that all possible was done to make the experience wonderful for everyone. It allowed us to enjoy everything without feeling like we were holding others up. On the other hand, and we did not participate, obviously, there was a bike tour one day and active tours in some other locations. When tours were called, Peter indicated whether we should bring our audiovox boxes. This system is wonderful. It’s light, allows people to move at their own pace and still hear the guide, and really enhanced our tours. The included earpiece, however, was uncomfortable for both my mom and me and we used earbuds I had brought with me.

Our guides were uniformly great. Informed, pleasant, considerate, and flexible. All were fluent in English and provided real insight into the places we visited. We did hear from friends that such excellence was not enjoyed by everyone. Some guides did not live up to expectations, but I can only comment on ours and they were all terrific. We very much enjoyed our visits to Het Loo Palace and Antwerp, but the best, and the reason we came, was Keukenhoff. An unexpectedly lovely time was had in the small village of Willemstad and the UNESCO site at Kinderdyjk. Another note re: the flexibility of the cruise line. The morning we were in Antwerp was the running of the Antwerp Marathon, and many of the streets were closed, limiting the tours that day to walking tours from the ship. Given that the scheduled afternoon tours could not happen because of that, a Belgian beer tasting was held that afternoon as we sailed. What fun! I learned a lot and enjoyed some beers I would never have considered trying.

For us, the piece de resistance was Keukenhoff. It’s why we came, and in the third week of April, it was spectacular. The sun was shining after a very grey week, and the vast fields of flowers were unbelieveable. Tulips, and hyacinths and rhododendron and daffodils and some remaining crocuses…and orchids, and, and, and…. Our bus driver even drove us down some small roads that allowed us to see the fields of flowers outside the gardens. Everything was beyond gorgeous and being there first thing in the morning meant we avoided the worst of the crowds. There was even a “late bus” option for those who wanted to spend a couple of extra hours in the gardens. That evening, the last of the cruise, there was the rescheduled canal tour.

All in all, I give the excursions a thumb’s up. One disclaimer - we did not do any of the optional or limited edition tours, so I cannot speak to those.

Tomorrow (or maybe Sunday), our fellow passengers and the crew.

TargetsMom, have a great time! Hope you have better weather.....

So glad to hear that everything went well and especially that Keukenhoff was in full bloom. I am enjoying your review very much.

TargetsMom, have a great time! Hope you have better weather.....

Thanks! Right now the forecast is for clear skies the first half of our trip and 20-30% chance of rain each day during the last half. Fingers crossed!

kathy

AmaStella Review - final thoughts:

I must admit, I was a little concerned about the rumors surrounding the demographics of river cruising. I am 60 (today!), and though I was accompanying my mom, I wondered whether I would have anything in common with our fellow passengers. Boy, was I wrong. First, there were at least 4 mother-daughter duos and it was a lot of fun getting to know all of them. Second, there were at least a few younger couples and we became very friendly with some of them. And the rest -- lovely, interesting people with lots of river cruising experience eager to share their stories.

Our only complaint, and this had nothing to do with the passengers directly, was that there was a large group (maybe 15 people or so who had traveled together before) sponsored by a travel agency onboard, with someone from that agency as their leader. The only time it was an issue was in the dining room. There was a waiter in one section of the dining room who quickly became a favorite of many (more on that later). Many seemed to gravitate to his section each evening, understanding that there may be no seats available, which was really not a big deal. However, twice we went to sit down only to be told by this group leader that he was “saving these tables for his large group.” On the last evening, a couple (part of this group) asked us to join them at their table, and the leader tried to “suggest” that we sit elsewhere. Our friends told him that they had invited us, and that was that, but it was uncomfortable and, in my opinion, unnecessary. The AmaStella has two “private” rooms at the entrance of the dining, each of which seats at least 10 people. If there is a large group that wants to sit together at all meals, they should be offered the use of these spaces, and if they decline, they should not be able to “reserve” space in the dining room. This is, of course, just my opinion and I did indicate our displeasure about this one item in my comment card about the cruise.

The crew on this ship was phenomenal – the reception staff, our cabin steward, the bar crew, the captain and his staff, the dining room crew, and, of course, the cruise manager - each contributed to making our journey a success. Special thanks to Peter, our cruise manager whose Aussie sensibilities amd easygoing, approachable manner made us smile everyday. Dorin and Gosin made dining a real pleasure – it takes a special personality to adapt to new people each week and remember the little details that make good, great. This staff works hard…when the wine staff was not in the dining room, they were manning the bar in the lounge. We began to wonder if they ever slept! And to all the crew and staff we never saw, thank you. The ship was spotless, there were umbrellas and bottled water offered as we left each day and hot towels and hot tea to welcome us back on board after excursions, the menu was creative and delicious, and every request was addressed with a smile and a level of competence often missing when dealing with so many people week after week.

When the time came for disembarkation, it was as smooth as Peter had promised it would be. One more small thing really stood out to us – we were given a form to fill out early in the week regarding debarkation. This was where we could order a taxi to the airport at a specific time as we did not purchase ship transfers. On arriving to Amsterdam we took a taxi to the hotel, so we had some idea of what that would cost. We were told there would be a board by Peter’s desk with color-coded luggage tags and specific debarkation times depending on the type and time of transport requested. For many of us who requested taxis, he changed it to a transfer (at less than the taxi would have cost, even for both of us) charged to our shipboard account, and ordered cars. This alleviated the need for me to head over to the train station to get more Euros. On the morning we left (7:15am for a 10:40am flight), we put our bags outside the cabin at at the appointed time of 6:30am, had breakfast and walked off at 7:10am. Our luggage was waiting by the curb, watched over by AmaStella crew, and our car was waiting. We shared with another couple and were at the airport in plenty of time. Just a final touch that left us smiling.

A note regarding the airport – we were flying Delta Economy Comfort. Check-in at the kiosk was seamless, but then we saw the line to check our bags . . . it was practically back to the other terminal. I had not expected this and had not made arrangements for wheelchair assistance at the airport. However, I approached some Delta/KLM staff and they quickly moved us into another line where we could check our bags; they also flagged her ticket as needing assistance and directed us to where we could get a wheelchair assist. She was already exhausted from a week of traveling so this made all the difference. Our wonderful assistant moved us seamlessly through Schilpol, immigration, and security and his counterpart did the same at JFK. Mom is an active 84-year-old but given some longstanding medical issues, standing for long periods of time would have made the end of the trip unforgettable for the wrong reason. So, if anyone in your party needs assistance – it’s well worth booking in advance.

Well, as is often said, “that’s all, folks!” A trip that exceeded expectations and AmaWaterways fans for life.

Thanks for a great review! Glad that you and your mom had a great cruise.

FuelScience

Yikes, the luggage checkin at Schilpol where one has to weigh and tag your own luggage. I remember that and luckily other airports don't think it's such a great idea

Thanks for your review:)

A couple of points......I totally agree with you about the "reserved spots

for dinner"........that is ridiculous. We also had a group on my sailing and

"their leader" was pretty nice...fortuntely they didn't take over a spot

in the dining room (that I could see). The dining room is not like an

Ocean liner and so to reserve spaces make no sense. It is much too small

to do something like that.......find a table and sit down.

As for the airport? I must have gotten very lucky....NO LINE at all for

checking in my bag.:).......there were lines for going through security

(which would be normal I would think) but to check the big bag? Nope,

nada, no lines at all:)

I am going on another river cruise next year in May...Amsterdam to

Basel...want to go?:D

And one more thing, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU:D

A couple of points......I totally agree with you about the "reserved spots

for dinner"........that is ridiculous. We also had a group on my sailing and

"their leader" was pretty nice...fortuntely they didn't take over a spot

in the dining room (that I could see). The dining room is not like an

Ocean liner and so to reserve spaces make no sense. It is much too small

to do something like that.......find a table and sit down.

 

I too agree. On our Vantage Rhine/Moselle cruise last year, one group reserved one of the best tables (corner table at the rear of the boat) for the entire cruise. One or two nights is one thing, but allowing one group to take the best tables for the duration denies the other cruisers the opportunity occasionally enjoy the best views.

FuelScience

I enjoyed your review and am so glad you and your mom were able to make many memories together. She will have so many happy moments recalling the trip and I'm sure you will treasure always the recollection of this special time spent together.

Peters was the CD on our cruise and handled everything so well. We had an unusual problem occur on the morning of our departure due to the carelessness and oversight of our TA (have not used her again). Even though Peter was really busy making sure everyone disembarked on time, he stopped to help us out. Without him I am not sure how we would have solved the problem.

I do agree with you and others about the reserved tables. Just not necessary. We had a group of about 10 on our cruise. I believe they used the private room at the enterance to the dining room but they were quite loud and unfriendly to the rest of the guests.

Again, thanks for taking the time to share your trip with us and a very happy birthday!

Sharon

Thanks, Lois! Wish I could join you but I think my husband has his eye on another Windstar voyage before we consider another river cruise. As for Schilpol, someone mentioned that our departure day corresponded with a holiday weekend in southern Holland which caused the bag drop-off backup.