AmaWaterway's Europe's Rivers & Castles Ports

Hi, I'm thinking of booking AmaWaterway's Europe's Rivers & Castles Itinerary for my first river cruise (ports listed below) and wanted some feedback on the Main river ports (bolded) on the itinerary (also if you've done this particular cruise, comments on that would be wonderful).

How close to town does the ship dock?

What did you like/dislike about the port?

Thank you very much! Itinerary (doing cruise only):

Nuremberg

Bamberg

Schweinfurt

Kitzingen

Würzburg

Wertheim

Mainz

Rüdesheim

Koblenz

Cochem

Zell

Trier

Luxembourg

Bamberg - enjoyed my 2 visits there. Good sized town. We docked away from the center and bused in.

Würzburg - really enjoyed this city. The Residence was impressive and the town itself lovely. Lots of great walking areas along the river. This was a bus ride into the city as well.

Wertheim - tiny town and a short walk from the dock. We walked all the way up to an old castle at the top of the town, on our own. Not much to do here but it is quaint and we found a great pub that we visited both trips.

Of the others, we really enjoyed Luxembourg and flew into this city and overnighted there before our cruise. Took public transport to meet the boat.

Koblenz is a larger city. We walked all over from the boat. Lots to see and all around a nice place to spend a day. There are some lovely spots along the river for lunch or a beer.

Mainz was a surprise. We flew into Frankfurt two years ago and spent the day and night before the cruise here. Stayed in the Hilton, which is very nice. Totally enjoyed Mainz and will be there for NYE in just 9 days.

Zell was very small and we did a wine tasting there on our AMA cruise. Easy walk from the dock.

Cochem, also small and picturesque and walked to town from docking location.

Hello,

this sounds like a great itinerary. While I cannot comment on the Main ports as I do not know them well enough, I agree with caviargal's impression of Mainz. It is easily accessed by train from Frankfurt, is opposite the confluence of the Main with the Rhine and has a very old, famous Dom (cathedral). It is also home to the Gutenberg museum, him being the gentleman who revolutionized printing in the Middle Ages.

I think Mainz, a Roman settlement, is underrated as a stop for river cruises and there should be more opportunities to see the town on a cruise. One reason for ships not stopping might be the proximity to Rüdesheim which is so famous as an image of "Old Germany".

Caviargal,

have a great time on your cruise. New Year's Eve on the Rhine, with all the fireworks, is great. If all goes well I shall have the pleasure of seeing fireworks above the river as well. Perhaps meet up -half serious, perhaps more on the roll call!

Everyone have a peaceful and great Christmas, whether on a cruise or at home!

notamermaid

River level has risen, but not much. Sky an uninteresting grey today.

<Caviargal,

have a great time on your cruise. New Year's Eve on the Rhine, with all the fireworks, is great. If all goes well I shall have the pleasure of seeing fireworks above the river as well. Perhaps meet up -half serious, perhaps more on the roll call!>

We are excited to be in Mainz for NYE and look forward to the fireworks and local celebrations. We spent NYE in Vienna a few years ago and the fireworks were amazing!

I did not see you on the roll call?

Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it!

I enjoyed Mainz a lot. Much more than I enjoyed Rudesheim on a visit 40 some years ago. Mainz has an interesting Roman ship museum, a combination of excavated ships and full-scale reproductions. http://web.rgzm.de/en/museums/museum-of-ancient-seafaring-mainz.html It was a short, 10-15 minute walk from the Dom area, where our walking tour ended and only 20-30 minute walk back to the ship - downhill to the river, spot the ship and walk along the bank.

Our cruise had an optional excursion with dinner to Rudesheim, which we skipped, rather than a full stop there.

Hi, I'm thinking of booking AmaWaterway's Europe's Rivers & Castles Itinerary for my first river cruise (ports listed below) and wanted some feedback on the Main river ports (bolded) on the itinerary (also if you've done this particular cruise, comments on that would be wonderful).

 

How close to town does the ship dock?

 

What did you like/dislike about the port?

 

Thank you very much! Itinerary (doing cruise only):

 

Nuremberg

Bamberg

Schweinfurt

Kitzingen

Würzburg

Wertheim

Mainz

Rüdesheim

Koblenz

Cochem

Zell

Trier

Luxembourg

Possumcat, did you end up booking this cruise?

Hi, yes we did. Very excited :D

Hi, yes we did. Very excited :D

Great itinerary. Happy cruising!

When are you going? We just booked for the 7/28 sailing!!

Bamberg - enjoyed my 2 visits there. Good sized town. We docked away from the center and bused in.

 

Würzburg - really enjoyed this city. The Residence was impressive and the town itself lovely. Lots of great walking areas along the river. This was a bus ride into the city as well.

 

Wertheim - tiny town and a short walk from the dock. We walked all the way up to an old castle at the top of the town, on our own. Not much to do here but it is quaint and we found a great pub that we visited both trips.

 

Of the others, we really enjoyed Luxembourg and flew into this city and overnighted there before our cruise. Took public transport to meet the boat.

 

Koblenz is a larger city. We walked all over from the boat. Lots to see and all around a nice place to spend a day. There are some lovely spots along the river for lunch or a beer.

 

Mainz was a surprise. We flew into Frankfurt two years ago and spent the day and night before the cruise here. Stayed in the Hilton, which is very nice. Totally enjoyed Mainz and will be there for NYE in just 9 days.

 

Zell was very small and we did a wine tasting there on our AMA cruise. Easy walk from the dock.

 

Cochem, also small and picturesque and walked to town from docking location.

Caviargal, did this cruise have any bike tours? Is there enough time in any of the ports to take out a bike and do some exploring on our own after the included tour AMA provides?

Thanks Jazz!

Peacemkr59 - we'll be going in May, so coming up soon!

Thanks Jazz!

 

Peacemkr59 - we'll be going in May, so coming up soon!

Peacmkr59 - PLEASE post a review when you return. We will be doing this cruise in early September. We are doing the pre cruise in Paris for 3 days, then 2 days post cruise in Prague. We are also adding an additional two days in Vienna at the end before returning to the states.

We are also interested in any bike tours and/or free time to ride bikes while exploring towns. We hope to be able to do AMA tours as an introduction to each town, then have time to explore on our own.

Anyone else who will be doing this cruise soon. . . looking forward to reading any information you post. We are a little over 4 months away from travel date and looking for as much info as possible. Thank you in advance.

In Mainz there is a church with Marc Chagall stained glass windows. Rudesheim go to the German dinner. So much fun. If you don't choose the dinner at least eat at one of the many Biergartens. One thing about Koblenz that no one mentions is that there is a tribute to 9/11. It is a peace loving town.

In Mainz there is a church with Marc Chagall stained glass windows. Rudesheim go to the German dinner. So much fun. If you don't choose the dinner at least eat at one of the many Biergartens. One thing about Koblenz that no one mentions is that there is a tribute to 9/11. It is a peace loving town.

Thanks!!! Love this info. Just what I was looking for. Anyone else. . .

There is a awesome review of this cruise . Go to thepriesmans.com . The Priesmans went on this trip in 2011 but the itinerary hasn't changed and his pictures are incredible.

This review was the reason we decided to go on this itinerary. We leave at the end of June.

There is a awesome review of this cruise . Go to thepriesmans.com . The Priesmans went on this trip in 2011 but the itinerary hasn't changed and his pictures are incredible.

This review was the reason we decided to go on this itinerary. We leave at the end of June.

Thanks KY Deb, I have also read the Priesmans review. I agree it was an awesome review. Your post reminds me to go back and read it again before we leave. I'm sure there will be some tidbits of information I had forgotten about.

Also, Ky Deb, I hope you will post a review when you return. Every little bit of information helps with planning. Thanks in advance.

That is an amazing review, thank you for pointing it out!

It is interesting to read that the boat waited for them in Remich. So far I had only heard of people being bussed from Trier to Luxembourg at the end of their cruise.

One important note about Koblenz on their trip in 2011: it was the year of the federal horticultural tour, a one-off event. Do not expect that many people, flower displays and cleanliness in town this year.

About Rüdesheim: The ruins of the Hindenburg bridge are at the end of Rüdesheim when you walk along the bank upstream. The bridge was one of the three sister bridges of more or less identical design over the river Rhine. The other two were the Urmitz bridge and the Remagen bridge. You might not be able to do this, but perhaps you can cram it into your itinerary if you are interested in history. I strongly advice only to do this in daylight.

http://www.ruedesheim.de/en/discover-ruedesheim/castles-buildings/

Oddly, the Irish Pub just round the corner form the docking station in Koblenz (if you dock on the Moselle, that is) has just been voted one of the ten best outside of Irland by an Irish newspaper. But perhaps you prefer the German Biergarten on the river bank. ;)

Have fun planning and a great trip.

notamermaid

Possumcat, I hope you'll come back here and tell us how you liked your trip!!

Possumcat, I hope you'll come back here and tell us how you liked your trip!!

I will, got my docs last week, 5 weeks ahead of time! I few of you mentioned wanting to know about the bike tours. There are three bike tours in my itinerary (Nuremberg to Luxembourg), all rated with a difficulty of 5 ("a long, strenuous walk/bike ride with many stairs/inclines/hills, requires excellent physical condition").

"For more athletic guests, we carry a fleet of bicycles on board to use on their own or on an escorted bike tour. There are a limited number of bicycles available, so please reserve them early."

Guided Bike Ride Along the Main

Wertheim, 3 hrs

"Today enjoy a pleasant bike ride of Wertheim and its surrounding area. The tour begins with peddling through the historic Old Town of Wertheim and a photo stop of the castle. Outside of town you will ride along the Main River through the picturesque countryside. During the return trip you will cross the Tauber bridge before headin back into Wertheim".

Guided Bike Tour of Cochem

Cochem, 3 hrs

"Embark on a bicycle tour from Cochem, along the beautiful river banks of the Mosel to Senheim and back. You will see the town center, remains of the old town wall,, the market place with "Martin's Fountain", and picturesque gabled houses built on steep narrow alleys."

Guided Bike Tour of Trier

Trier, 2.5 hrs

"On this bike tour you will learn about one of Germany's oldest towns, Trier. You will cycle along the Mosel River past the Imperial Baths and Porta Nigra. You will also cycle by the Roman Bridge, the marina, and Schloss Monaise which is a summer palace built for the count."

Hello possumcat,

Thank you for the info. These sound like very scenic cycle rides. I am not so familiar with the terrain around Trier, but that ride I think is not too bad as regards hills as the Schloss is right on the river bank. I would ask the experts onboard about that tour, if I did the cruise. You will certainly see a lot of the attractions. I had not heard of Schloss Monaise, as I have not been to Trier that often. Did the typical "Roman remains tour" lots of years ago. For the architectural fan in me it was a delight to find out about the summer palace, so intriguing:

http://www.trier-info.de/english/monaise-palace-info

I find this itinerary more and more appealing, wish I could go. :(

notamermaid

Possumcat, thanks so much for the information!!! I'm even more excited about the trip now that I know there are included guided bike tours!!! When are you leaving? Are you doing the land extensions in Prague and Paris? We're doing them but on our own!

Hello,

We are on the 6/16 sailing on the Amalyra from Budapest to Luxembourg. It's called the ultimate river cruise but includes most of the stops listed in the rivers and castles itinerary. It is our first river cruise and we are very excited about it. I have been reading these boards for months picking up clues for things to do and see.

I am also very interested in the bike tours. What a great way to see the see the towns. We will have 4 days in Budapest and 4 days in Paris so any suggestions for the "must sees" are welcome.

Jane

Jane, that sounds like an incredible trip!! So many things to see in both Budapest and Paris! One thing I remember in Budapest was the market with food, spices, etc. Can't remember the name of it but it's a huge indoor market. I'm sure you'll also do a night time cruise in Budapest to see the buildings all illuminated!! Amazing sight!!! Enjoy!

Possumcat, thanks so much for the information!!! I'm even more excited about the trip now that I know there are included guided bike tours!!! When are you leaving? Are you doing the land extensions in Prague and Paris? We're doing them but on our own!

We're on the first cruise for this itinerary, 5/19. We are not doing Prague or Paris, but spending some time in Munich, Colmar and Freiburg.