We are booking a Christmas Week cruise on AMASonata ! General AMA questions...

[robertmartha]

After much back and forth we are booking!

 

The boards have been very helpful thus far as well as a current "Christmas Week cruise" thread that I have been following. Since this will be our first river cruise (have sailed many ocean ones) - just a few general questions specific to AMA.

 

Boarding time in general on the first day? Would love to arrive, drop our bags and hit the Basel Christmas market on its last day!

 

Not to beat the dining room attire question to death - but I tend to always wear a sport coat/jacket to dinner (which I know is not expected) - with a collared shirt. Dark jeans (no rips, tears, faded) with dress shoes acceptable - sorry not a dockers / chino's kind of guy....:confused:

 

Dinner I know is at 7pm - but is that a hard and fast 7pm - shut the doors? would never arrive at 7:30 but hate the mad rush (I know its only 100+ passengers if that on a holiday sailing) but tend to think we will be out and about until at least 6-6:30 depending on the city and if we choose to dine on board I hate to have to punch that clock and run in to be there exactly at 7.

 

right now there are still quite a few open cabins on our sailing (Christmas week I would think would be lighter then usual) so thinking that the atmosphere may be even that much more relaxed?

 

thanks everyone

[Got2Cruise]

We sailed the Sonata last July. The service is superb. I'm sure they'd accommodate you if you arrived past the 7:00 hour. You can't think you will be out 6-6:30 because the time the ship stays in port varies day to day. It has to do with the current and the locks.

 

 

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[rahrah50]

I sailed the AMASerena in May. One evening I did see a gentleman in a jacket - no tie...Your chinos will be perfect as will your dark jeans and button down shirts. We boarded about 3 pm in Budapest but we had been in Budapest for two days. Dinner starts at 7 but you do not need to be there on the dot at 7. They seat everyone very quickly so there is not a large group standing around waiting. Have a wonderful time. We loved AMA Waterways and would not hesitate to book with them again...

[Host Jazzbeau]

You will figure out the dinner service once you're on board. There will be a general meeting in the lounge where the Cruise Director presents the next day's program and asks you to choose your options, then everybody troops downstairs to the dining room. They don't 'seat you' -- everyone goes into the dining room on their own and selects a table, so the process goes very quickly. If you wait until the very end, you will have to take whichever table is left over [on a full cruise there are exactly as many seats as passengers]. But it is actually far more natural feeling than this sounds -- and will be even more so on the 2018 itineraries with the new complimentary cocktail hour!

[caviargal]

 

Boarding time in general on the first day? Would love to arrive, drop our bags and hit the Basel Christmas market on its last day!

 

Not to beat the dining room attire question to death - but I tend to always wear a sport coat/jacket to dinner (which I know is not expected) - with a collared shirt. Dark jeans (no rips, tears, faded) with dress shoes acceptable - sorry not a dockers / chino's kind of guy....:confused:

 

Dinner I know is at 7pm - but is that a hard and fast 7pm - shut the doors? would never arrive at 7:30 but hate the mad rush (I know its only 100+ passengers if that on a holiday sailing) but tend to think we will be out and about until at least 6-6:30 depending on the city and if we choose to dine on board I hate to have to punch that clock and run in to be there exactly at 7.

 

 

We arrived into Basel at 8:30am and our AMA transfer took us directly to the ship. We dropped our bags and spent the day in the city, a pleasant stroll from the boat.

 

You will be fine dressed as you describe. DH and I always dress up a bit for dinner, as that is our preference.

 

I do wish AMA had a true open dining policy for dinner. We prefer a later dinner time but most guests will go in at 7, as they request. We finish our drink and wander in after the crowd has dispersed.

[twincheryl]

Agree about a more open dining policy. We are early diners and would prefer to eat around 5:30pm. Looking forward to our Christmas Market cruise this December!