AmaWaterways 2017 Sailings

[cruisesusie]

We returned home a few days ago after spending 3 days in Prague pre-cruise and 7 days on the Danube on the Amacerto. It was our first river cruise after many ocean cruises. Our experience in Prague was wonderful. After picking up our luggage, we were able to easily find the Ama representative. She called the driver and 5 minutes later we were on our way and our room was ready when we arrived. The first night the cruise manager, Martina, gave us all an overview of the cruise and specific instructions for our stay in Prague. The next morning we had a half day tour - our tour guide, Liba, was excellent. Both Martina & Liba were available all day & night to help with restaurant reservations and suggestions for sightseeing. The restaurant in the hotel was very good.

 

The bus ride to the ship took about 6 hours with a stop in Pilsen. Embarkation in Nuremberg was very quick - you give them a credit card and you're on your way. We had a room with a sliding door on the 3rd. deck. The only complaint we had about the room was the shower. The floor is very slippery and I would suggest putting a towel on the floor. The bed was comfortable, but the pillows very flat.

 

The food was very good. Don't miss the Chef's Table - it was awesome. In addition to the 3 meals a day, there are snacks in the lounge all day.

 

The excursions were very enjoyable. If you like history, don't miss the WWII tour in Nuremberg. Another nice touch was being met with cold towels, a special drink and snack upon returning to the ship after excursions. We didn't take the optional excursion to Salzburg, but everyone loved it. We're sorry we missed it.

 

A special note about our cruise manager, Martina - she was fabulous ! Always smiling and ready to solve any problem or answer any question. She truly loved her job.

 

If anyone has questions, I would be happy to answer them. If I remember any other details, I'll add them later.

 

Susan

[E316]

We are on the Lyra June 15th from Paris. Does anyone have any suggestions for the rest of the day before the boat sails?

 

 

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[Got2Cruise]

We are on the Lyra June 15th from Paris. Does anyone have any suggestions for the rest of the day before the boat sails?

 

 

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I think it is probably too late to get timed tickets to the Eiffel Tower but you can try.

 

 

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[Host Jazzbeau]

I think it is probably too late to get timed tickets to the Eiffel Tower but you can try.

 

Too late to get tickets from the Eiffel Tower box office, but you can probably still sign up for a guided tour. I set the alarm to get up in the middle of the night for the box office, and was still boxed out by the bots. So we ended up going with Fat Tire Tours -- and in the end we felt the guide added so much that the extra expense was quite worth it.

[bobalink]

We just ended our fabulous AMAViola Danube cruise and are spending a few days in Budapest before returning home. I wanted to post my thoughts while they are still fresh and please, if anyone has specific questions just let me know!

First AMAWaterways is top notch. They are up there with Tauck for sure. It is awonderful cruise and you won't be disappointed. There are many similarities and a few differences, but we find that a big part of our cruise enjoyment is the people we meet and the cruise staff. We loved the people we met on both Tauck Grace and AMAViola, but AMAViola had the best cruise staff. If you are sailing on AMAViola soon, the Cruise Manager Sebastian is fabulous and be sure to sit in Kolja's dining section with Ari serving you beverages (tell them Shelly sent you). Both Grace and Viola are beautiful new ships, clean and maintained exceptionally well.

If you are doing the Danube in Budapest (on any ship) the nighttime Illumination Tour is breathtaking and not to be miseed…our favorite part of the cruise.

There are several differences we noticed between Tauck and AMA not specific to itinerary or ports, and not necessarily better or worse depending on what your personal preferences are. So I will just highlight things I think others might be interested in:

1) Alcohol - Tauck is open bar all the time (you pay for it in your cruise price I'm sure). AMA gives you beer and wine with lunch and dinner (unlimited) and you pay for everything else (very reasonably priced).

2) Tour Guides - Tauck had 3 guides that traveled with us and usually accompanied us into towns to meet our local guides. AMA had only local guides that met us at the ship.

3) Evening entertainment - Tauck only had several evenings with any entertainment and AMA had something to do (always optional) every evening from local talent singing and dancing, a concert in Vienna to wine tasting in the village

4) Alternative dining for dinner - Tauck had a casual dining room at the stern that served hamburgers and hot dogs etc in the evening. AMA had a "Chef'sTable" dining room at the stern where you watched the chef prepare special meals (we did not eat there).

5) Top Deck – AMAViola has a swimming pool (with a swim up bar)

6) Balconies – AMAViola has balconies with tables and chair.

Again, please let me know if there is anything you may have questions about! We are already planning on where we can cruise next on AMAWaterways!

Shelly

Hi Shelly,

I am especially interested in the comparison between AmaWaterways and Tauck.

We have done 2 cruises with AmaWaterways (Danube & Seine) and have an upcoming cruise with them for the Douro in July.

We are very pleased with AmaWaterways, but have also heard such wonderful comments about Tauck.

We currently have a "hold" on a Tauck Rhine & Moselle cruise.

I would love to hear more about your Tauck Rhine cruise. Did you post a review?

Thanks!

Bobbie

[Got2Cruise]

Too late to get tickets from the Eiffel Tower box office, but you can probably still sign up for a guided tour. I set the alarm to get up in the middle of the night for the box office, and was still boxed out by the bots. So we ended up going with Fat Tire Tours -- and in the end we felt the guide added so much that the extra expense was quite worth it.

 

 

Yes. Check in viator for "beat the line" Eiffel Tower tours. There might be openings available. Eiffel Tower not far from where ship docks.

 

Another option could be taking the RER train to D'Orsay museum. The museum is not huge, the collection is marvelous, and there is a gorgeous rooftop snack bar. Again I would advise getting tickets before leaving home. You don't need a tour. Rick Steves has a free podcast with transcript.

 

 

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[caviargal]

 

A special note about our cruise manager, Martina - she was fabulous ! Always smiling and ready to solve any problem or answer any question. She truly loved her job.

 

 

We had Martina in Portugal last year and loved her! Our CMs on our AMA cruises have ranged from very good to exceptional and surpass any of the other lines we have traveled with, hands down. Kris and Csaba are our all time favorites, and Martina is right up there as well.

 

We have not found any line with staff and crew as consistently excellent and warm as aboard on our AMA cruises.

[PlanoCruisers]

Hi Shelly,

I am especially interested in the comparison between AmaWaterways and Tauck.

We have done 2 cruises with AmaWaterways (Danube & Seine) and have an upcoming cruise with them for the Douro in July.

We are very pleased with AmaWaterways, but have also heard such wonderful comments about Tauck.

We currently have a "hold" on a Tauck Rhine & Moselle cruise.

I would love to hear more about your Tauck Rhine cruise. Did you post a review?

Thanks!

Bobbie

 

Hi Bobbie,

 

Unfortunately I didn't do a review of Tauck last year because I couldn't even find a thread regarding Tauck at the time.

 

You won't be disappointed with Tauck and prior to this AMAViola cruise I would have said Tauck is #1. It is only after doing both that I now see slight differences. As Caviargal mentioned above, AMA staff and crew overall are just a little more excellent and WARM, among the best we've had on any cruise and any cruise line. On Tauck, whether it was our specific crew or as a result of Tauck's crew and ships being owned/supplied by Scylla, the service seemed more "rehearsed" and proper whereas AMA's crew truly enjoyed their jobs and it showed.

 

Since we all experience cruising a little differently I would recommend doing Tauck's Rhine and Moselle to see which is more appealing to you. I hope this has helped a little bit...we loved them both but would choose AMAWaterways for our next river cruise. If you have specific questions I'd be more than happy to answer those as well.

 

Shelly

[nccharlotte]

I love reading all the AMA reviews. We are very experienced ocean cruisers but we are now looking forward to our first river cruise. We are doing the Amsterdam to Budapest cruise departing Amsterdam on August 24th. Is anyone on this same cruise? If not has anyone been on this cruise in the past. We are on the AMA Prima.

Thank you!

[CaroleLee]

We are on the Lyra June 15th from Paris. Does anyone have any suggestions for the rest of the day before the boat sails?

 

 

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Hi,

We will be on the Lyra (Paris-Normandy)in July. We plan to drop our luggage @ the ship and then Uber to Musee D'orsay.

I'm purchased tkts on line -to save time. Plan to enjoy the museum & perhaps walk across the street to the Museum of the Legion of Honor. Lunch will probably be at the restaurant in the Orsay-which is beautiful and is the original from its train station days. Then Uber back to the ship.

If you are on the Lyra Pars- Normandy would appreciate trip report, suggestions etc.

Enjoy

Carole

[bobalink]

Hi Bobbie,

 

Unfortunately I didn't do a review of Tauck last year because I couldn't even find a thread regarding Tauck at the time.

 

You won't be disappointed with Tauck and prior to this AMAViola cruise I would have said Tauck is #1. It is only after doing both that I now see slight differences. As Caviargal mentioned above, AMA staff and crew overall are just a little more excellent and WARM, among the best we've had on any cruise and any cruise line. On Tauck, whether it was our specific crew or as a result of Tauck's crew and ships being owned/supplied by Scylla, the service seemed more "rehearsed" and proper whereas AMA's crew truly enjoyed their jobs and it showed.

 

Since we all experience cruising a little differently I would recommend doing Tauck's Rhine and Moselle to see which is more appealing to you. I hope this has helped a little bit...we loved them both but would choose AMAWaterways for our next river cruise. If you have specific questions I'd be more than happy to answer those as well.

 

Shelly

 

Thanks, Shelly. This is very helpful.

We really do love our experiences with AmaWaterways. I agree, the crew are outstanding.

The "hold" we have with Tauck will expire tomorrow, so we have to decide today. I will do some more research for the Rhine and Moselle with AmaWaterways, as well.

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

Bobbie

[dan4182]

I love reading all the AMA reviews. We are very experienced ocean cruisers but we are now looking forward to our first river cruise. We are doing the Amsterdam to Budapest cruise departing Amsterdam on August 24th. Is anyone on this same cruise? If not has anyone been on this cruise in the past. We are on the AMA Prima.

Thank you!

 

 

We sailed on the Ama Prima in. 2015, Vilshofen to Budapest.

 

It was a great cruise with wonderful scenery and great local cuisine and wines.

 

The night tour up and down the Danube in Budapest was a highlight of the trip.

 

 

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[dan4182]

Thanks, Shelly. This is very helpful.

 

We really do love our experiences with AmaWaterways. I agree, the crew are outstanding.

 

The "hold" we have with Tauck will expire tomorrow, so we have to decide today. I will do some more research for the Rhine and Moselle with AmaWaterways, as well.

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

 

Bobbie

 

 

We love Ama but I really think you can't go wrong with either Tauck or Ama.

 

 

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[sugarnyc]

We did Tulip Time in April of 2013 on the AmaCerto - fantastic! We sailed the AmaSonata last September on the Romantic Danube - even better! We are booked for AmaLyra's Paris to Normandy in September 2017. We are big, big fans of AmaWaterways!

 

Allyson

 

Hi Allyson-

How was your AmaLyra Cruise? I am doing the same ship and itinerary in August. Did you stay in Paris pre or post cruise? If so where?

Any insight would be helpful since this is my 1st river cruise! 😊

Thanks so much!

[Lois R]

Hi Allyson-

How was your AmaLyra Cruise? I am doing the same ship and itinerary in August. Did you stay in Paris pre or post cruise? If so where?

Any insight would be helpful since this is my 1st river cruise!

Thanks so much!

 

Hi:)....it looks like they are sailing in SEPT (after you;p)........just thought you might have missed that part.

 

I took my first river cruise last year on AMA.....it was FANTASTIC:)

[sugarnyc]

Hi:)....it looks like they are sailing in SEPT (after you;p)........just thought you might have missed that part.

 

I took my first river cruise last year on AMA.....it was FANTASTIC:)

 

Thank you Lois! I focused on September.... A lot of these posts are older so I didn't catch that. But glad to hear that AMA is great!

[Lois R]

Thank you Lois! I focused on September.... A lot of these posts are older so I didn't catch that. But glad to hear that AMA is great!

 

:D....I am still trying to figure out what to do for my 2nd River Cruise. My 60th birthday in in March and there are so many

choices! Actually, the Paris to Normandy looks very enticing to me as well.

[pbeach]

Thanks, Shelly. This is very helpful.

We really do love our experiences with AmaWaterways. I agree, the crew are outstanding.

The "hold" we have with Tauck will expire tomorrow, so we have to decide today. I will do some more research for the Rhine and Moselle with AmaWaterways, as well.

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

Bobbie

 

We just returned from Tauck Rhine and Moselle and have done 4 AMA cruises and 1 Uniworld prior. I would sail on any of them again without hesitation. Given those kinds of choices, my tie breaker is the itinerary itself.

[bobalink]

We just returned from Tauck Rhine and Moselle and have done 4 AMA cruises and 1 Uniworld prior. I would sail on any of them again without hesitation. Given those kinds of choices, my tie breaker is the itinerary itself.

 

Thanks, pbeach, for your reply. I believe you are correct, any of those 3 river cruise lines would be excellent.

 

You have quite a record of river cruises! Which itinerary has been your favorite so far?

 

After showing my hubby the Tauck DVD and Exotics catalog, now he wants to go on a Safari with Tauck!

[sugarnyc]

:D....I am still trying to figure out what to do for my 2nd River Cruise. My 60th birthday in in March and there are so many

choices! Actually, the Paris to Normandy looks very enticing to me as well.

 

Lois- Sounds like a nice bday cruise!! 😊 You have many good itineraries to pick from!

I have a lot more time until that milestone bday approaches. I keep trying to top each of my vacations. Since life is too short. So many great destinations in our world!

[deec]

If far off lands are in the mix, my vote is to do the most exotic adventures as soon as possible! We are trying to do LONG flights and the locales that include lots of pangas, rickshaws, arduous stairs now while our hips and knees do not complain too much. Also if multiples vaccines or malaria drugs are indicated we will tolerate them now better than in 10 years!!!

 

African Safari was the highlight of travel experience!!

[bobalink]

If far off lands are in the mix, my vote is to do the most exotic adventures as soon as possible! We are trying to do LONG flights and the locales that include lots of pangas, rickshaws, arduous stairs now while our hips and knees do not complain too much. Also if multiples vaccines or malaria drugs are indicated we will tolerate them now better than in 10 years!!!

 

African Safari was the highlight of travel experience!!

 

That is exactly our plan, too. The physical demands and stamina required for some of our trips is manageable now. Having the mental sharpness for dealing with foreign currencies, transportation, maps and general planning is easier now, too.

 

We find river cruising carefree and relaxing. And, AmaWaterways makes it especially easy. (It's the independent trips we tack on before and after that require lots of planning.)

 

Glad you mentioned the safari was a highlight. I think going with Tauck will be a good way to see Africa. We're likely going to choose the Botswana, South Africa & Zambia tour. Lots of moving around, but Tauck takes care of everything.

 

Happy planning!

[deec]

Our safari was land based and arranged by andBeyond.........the animal sounds at night were amazing as well as the individual Tree House rooms!!! They had hot running water (heated by open fired tended 24/day by a Massai tribe's men) and entertaining elephants strolling. One night in a ground tent we could see shadow of a giraffe!!!

 

It was truly a lifetime's adventure!!!

[TravlGrl]

Our safari was land based and arranged by andBeyond.........the animal sounds at night were amazing as well as the individual Tree House rooms!!! They had hot running water (heated by open fired tended 24/day by a Massai tribe's men) and entertaining elephants strolling. One night in a ground tent we could see shadow of a giraffe!!!

 

It was truly a lifetime's adventure!!!

I must say that all this safari talk renewed my desire to go on one! DH and I have talked about it, and are considering for his 50th (in 4 years!).

[TravlGrl]

We received our Check-In link from AMA for our Christmas Markets cruise in December! All checked in! Looking forward to choosing our excursions at some point.