AMA Cruise booked

[SCHappilyRetired]

Just made our final deposit today for our AMA Rivercruise Provence and Spain! Staying in Paris pre-cruise and Barcelona post cruise. Yippee!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Just made our final deposit today for our AMA Rivercruise Provence and Spain! Staying in Paris pre-cruise and Barcelona post cruise. Yippee!

 

This is a fantastic itinerary, and AMA does it very well. Take the tour to Pont du Gard, and sign up for the Boulangerie limited edition tour [it conflicts with the Ghost tour, but you can walk around the town on your own even without the ghosts to lead you -- and where else will you get the opportunity to bake a baguette]

[TravelerThom]

Rahrah50, we have flown through both CDG and Frankfurt and we found CDG to be much more "user friendly" in our opinion. In addition to it's massive size Frankfurt also has an additional hurdle when landing in Germany and transferring to the Schengen countries (the rest of Europe) you must go through a 2nd immigration/customs checkpoint.

I have passed through CDG and FRA three times each within the last 14 months, and have NEVER gone through a second immigration checkpoint. When landing at either CDG or FRA from the US with a final destination within Schengen Zone you have to clear Schengen immigration at this first airport and get your entry stamp to Schengen. There are addition security checkpoints for connecting flights, but your next Schengen immigration checkpoint is when you depart the Zone, wherever that may be (and I have even departed the Schengen Zone in Iceland and a flight from Bergen to Reykjavik to the US). IMO CDG is no more user friendly than FRA, and it is not much smaller (FRA is #1 in Europe for traffic, CDG #2). CDG has separated terminals, and from some it is necessary to take ground vehicles to get between them, whereas I think you can always get between FRA gates without going outdoors (but it can still be a long way). Either of these massive airports makes one appreciate connecting in Vienna or other smaller airport.

 

Thom

[dan4182]

I have passed through CDG and FRA three times each within the last 14 months, and have NEVER gone through a second immigration checkpoint. When landing at either CDG or FRA from the US with a final destination within Schengen Zone you have to clear Schengen immigration at this first airport and get your entry stamp to Schengen. There are addition security checkpoints for connecting flights, but your next Schengen immigration checkpoint is when you depart the Zone, wherever that may be (and I have even departed the Schengen Zone in Iceland and a flight from Bergen to Reykjavik to the US). IMO CDG is no more user friendly than FRA, and it is not much smaller (FRA is #1 in Europe for traffic, CDG #2). CDG has separated terminals, and from some it is necessary to take ground vehicles to get between them, whereas I think you can always get between FRA gates without going outdoors (but it can still be a long way). Either of these massive airports makes one appreciate connecting in Vienna or other smaller airport.

 

Thom

 

My Wife and I, and two elderly female friends, flew non-stop from Houston to Frankfurt last Summer en route to Prague. I had made prior arrangements to be met by an electric cart at our arrival gate in Frankfurt. We rode the first cart at top speed for at least 20 minutes before arriving at the security checkpoint for "the rest of Europe (their terminology)". We went through that security checkpoint, passport check, 2nd set of x ray screening, etc, etc. Then we were met by another electric cart that took us a short distance to an escalator where we went down one level to be met by a 3rd electric cart. We then drove for app. 10 minutes to what we thought was the gate but, in reality, it was the gate to go downstairs where we all got on 2 buses and were bussed around the tarmac and around the airport where our plane was parked all alone on the tarmac with metal stairs leading up to the plane. We boarded the plane for what amounted to a 35 minute flight to Prague. We spent longer on electric carts and busses than we did flying to Prague.

 

All this was through Lufthansa. We WERE outside to board the plane to Prague. Our elderly travel companions could have NEVER walked the entire distance.

Edited May 22, 2016 by dan4182
correct typo

[TravelerThom]

...before arriving at the security checkpoint for "the rest of Europe (their terminology)"...

...We WERE outside to board the plane to Prague. Our elderly travel companions could have NEVER walked the entire distance.

Unfortunately I find this scenario quite believable, and I did agree that FRA (as well as CDG [and JFK and LAX]) is a massive airport, and FRA has multiple security checks. I still think that you can get between all FRA gates (this is where your ticket is scanned before proceeding to the plane) without going outside; however MANY of the planes at both FRA and CDG are parked at remote locations and access from the gate to the plane is by cattle car buses and then stair climbs. As I said connections are much easier in VIE or similar smaller airport (the Austrian Air non-stop from IAD to VIE is my preference for most of Central Europe).

 

Germans are usually quite precise, but generally FRA's idea of "the rest of Europe" equals anyplace in the Schengen Zone beyond FRA. Luckily I know enough that if I'm going to Belgrade or London (neither in Schengen), this does not meet their definition of "Europe".

 

Thom

[SCHappilyRetired]

This is a fantastic itinerary, and AMA does it very well. Take the tour to Pont du Gard, and sign up for the Boulangerie limited edition tour [it conflicts with the Ghost tour, but you can walk around the town on your own even without the ghosts to lead you -- and where else will you get the opportunity to bake a baguette]

 

Thanks Jazz. I'm not sure about Pont du Gard due to mobility issues and have read there is much walking. I'm a foodie so anything to do with cooking/baking I'm on it!

 

I just looked as the AMA site for our trip and noticed in their itinerary description there have been some excursion additions! Decisions, decisions.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks Jazz. I'm not sure about Pont du Gard due to mobility issues and have read there is much walking. I'm a foodie so anything to do with cooking/baking I'm on it!

 

I just looked as the AMA site for our trip and noticed in their itinerary description there have been some excursion additions! Decisions, decisions.

 

Talk to the Cruise Director on board. You probably have a better opportunity with AMA to see Pont du Gard than if you tried to go on your own. Even if you can't experience every vantage point, it is an amazing engineering feat (and a beautiful river valley).

[TravelerThom]

...I'm not sure about Pont du Gard due to mobility issues and have read there is much walking...

Talk to the Cruise Director on board...

I second Jazzbeau's suggest to discuss it with the CD. I was at PduG last year, and my recollection (not currently having mobility issues, I wasn't paying as much attention as someone who had difficulties) was that the paths to much of the site (not to the upper aqueduct) were very accessible. The path from the parking lot to the Visitors Center is relatively short, wide and flat. From the Visitors Center to the major viewpoints of the Pont is less than 1/4 mile, slightly sloping (only slightly), wide and concrete paved (if I recall correctly). Check out http://www.pontdugard.fr/en/visits-disabled-persons : they certainly appear to be as accommodating as possible. IMO the most difficult part of a visit to PduG is getting in and out of the vehicle that will take you there.

 

Thom

[phabric]

Just made our final deposit today for our AMA Rivercruise Provence and Spain! Staying in Paris pre-cruise and Barcelona post cruise. Yippee!

 

This is a fantastic itinerary, and AMA does it very well. Take the tour to Pont du Gard, and sign up for the Boulangerie limited edition tour [it conflicts with the Ghost tour, but you can walk around the town on your own even without the ghosts to lead you -- and where else will you get the opportunity to bake a baguette]

 

I will be doing the Provence and Spain cruise including pre and post land stay June 1/17 (chartered private cruise) on the AmaCello. A whole year to wait.

 

Is the Boulangerie tour a different tour from the cooking lesson (learn to cook a local dish)? Is there extra charge for this tour?

 

Would like to hear about your river when you get back.

 

They say they offer optional tours in Paris and Barcelona, are you plan on taking them, and your thoughts on them, if taken?

 

With the land packages the transfers are included from Paris hotel to ship and ship to Barcelona hotel. Please let me know if we have to take our luggage with us on the train ourselves or does the cruise line takes them from the hotel and transports to the ship and we see them once on board?

 

Did you purchase their transfers from airport to Paris hotel and Barcelona hotel to airport? If not, what transportation did you use?

Edited May 23, 2016 by phabric

[phabric]

I read your very informative and helpful review on your Provence and Spain River cruise.

 

I thought I had saved it. Can you repost it or guide me to it?

Edited May 23, 2016 by phabric

[Host Jazzbeau]

Is the Boulangerie tour a different tour from the cooking lesson (learn to cook a local dish)? Is there extra charge for this tour?

 

They are on different days, so you can do both (but the Provencal cooking lesson is an option to Pont du Gard). AMA does not charge extra for any tours on their sailings. Even the "limited edition" tours are free -- only the number of slots is limited.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I read your very informative and helpful review on your Provence and Spain River cruise.

 

I thought I had saved it. Can you repost it or guide me to it?

 

The link is in my signature, "AmaDagio Provence 9-2015" Note that we did not do the Paris pre- or Barcelona post- parts with AMA. Our cruise was the creme filling in the middle of a three-week Oreo cookie of French goodness!

Edited May 23, 2016 by Host Jazzbeau

[SCHappilyRetired]

I will be doing the Provence and Spain cruise including pre and post land stay June 1/17 (chartered private cruise) on the AmaCello. A whole year to wait.

 

Is the Boulangerie tour a different tour from the cooking lesson (learn to cook a local dish)? Is there extra charge for this tour?

 

Would like to hear about your river when you get back.

 

They say they offer optional tours in Paris and Barcelona, are you plan on taking them, and your thoughts on them, if taken?

 

With the land packages the transfers are included from Paris hotel to ship and ship to Barcelona hotel. Please let me know if we have to take our luggage with us on the train ourselves or does the cruise line takes them from the hotel and transports to the ship and we see them once on board?

 

Did you purchase their transfers from airport to Paris hotel and Barcelona hotel to airport? If not, what transportation did you use?

 

Hi Phabric,

 

We are doing Paris/Barcelona through AMA. Yes more expensive than DIY but this vacation I'm lettinAMA do it all. I want to enjoy myself. We purchased airport transfer with AMA, again letting them do it! We will be taking the "optional" tours they offer...Montmartre & Illuminations, tapas tasting and Montserrat. We have a very large OBC from our TA so need to use as much as possible. We have privately book a Seine dinner cruise and Wine day tour going to 2 vineyards and a goat cheese farm while in Paris. Also, booked a Flamenco show while in Barcelona. AMA has added some excursions, included, to our itinerary so I will need to re look at those days. Once we return a review will follow. Part of the fun for me is planning. Enjoy!!

[SCHappilyRetired]

I second Jazzbeau's suggest to discuss it with the CD. I was at PduG last year, and my recollection (not currently having mobility issues, I wasn't paying as much attention as someone who had difficulties) was that the paths to much of the site (not to the upper aqueduct) were very accessible. The path from the parking lot to the Visitors Center is relatively short, wide and flat. From the Visitors Center to the major viewpoints of the Pont is less than 1/4 mile, slightly sloping (only slightly), wide and concrete paved (if I recall correctly). Check out http://www.pontdugard.fr/en/visits-disabled-persons : they certainly appear to be as accommodating as possible. IMO the most difficult part of a visit to PduG is getting in and out of the vehicle that will take you there.

 

Thom

 

Thanks Thom! Will take a closer look.