Review of Amadante Amsterdam to Budapest

[TravelingProf]

Hi everyone,

 

We just returned from our Magnificent Europe trip with AMA and magnificent it was. It surpassed our expectations and was the experience of a lifetime. We were blessed with good weather, great traveling companions and wonderful accommodations and service. Here are some specifics:

 

Ship: The ship was a delight--immaculate and well designed. Cabins are of adequate size, comfortable, have heavenly bedding and a great shower. We were on the Violin Deck and had a French Balcony (well worth the extra $)There were ample supplies of personal products that were replenished as needed. Public rooms were comfortable and tastefully decorated.

 

Food: The food ranged from very good to excellent--it was the best food I have had on a ship!! The portions were not large but were more than adequate--and seconds were always available. Breakfast was a buffet (some really great lox on this ship!!) and one could order omelets etc. Lunch and dinner were four course affairs (lunch was a mix--apps and dessert buffet style, soups and entrees served). The emphasis was on quality, not quantity. Food reflected the area we were in at the moment. Everyone was impressed with the food--it was a frequent topic of conversation! However, we met some passengers from the Amacello, which was with us for a few days on the second half of the trip, and they remarked that the food was OK. Not bad, but just OK.

 

Fellow travelers: Many, if not most, people were 65+, but there were quite a few couples in their 50s and one family traveling with their teenage children. 80% of the passengers were Australian, a few Brits and the rest American. It seems that APT (Australian Pacific Tours) bought into AMA and is bringing in the Australian market. We really enjoyed our new Australian friends and found them to be delightful--down to earth, friendly, and a whole lot of fun. Passengers were generally well educated and well traveled. And you have to hand it to the Aussies--they know how to vacation (or holiday as they would say). While we Americans think two weeks is a big deal, they consider four weeks a short hop. Many folks we met were on 2-3-4 month vacations!!

 

Service: In a word-impeccable. Crew was at the beck and call of passengers and could not be more helpful. Our steward kept our cabin immaculate and well stocked. Within a few days the bar and wait staff knew our preferences and catered to our tastes. They earned their tips and one should not even think of skimping here--just add it to the cost of the trip as APT does for the Aussies (they is no tipping in Australia).

 

We made use of the bikes frequently and on two days were able to bike from town-to-town to meet the ship. One day we biked from Miltenberg to Wertheim and one day from Melk to Durnstein. Both rides were awesome but the ride from Melk to Durnstein was breathtaking. We rode through small quaint towns that looked as if they were frozen in time and through the vineyards of the Wachau Valley. It was one of the best travel experiences of my life (the best was snowmobiling in Yellowstone--but this was a close second).

 

The only down side was that the "Infotainment" centers were on the fritz and TV had problems with sound (not a problem for me--who wants to watch TV on vacation?). Internet in rooms was not available but they had laptops set up in the lounge. Even so, Internet connections were spotty at best.

 

All-all, a wonderful experience.

 

A hint for Amsterdam (great city): if you want to get into the Anne Frank House, buy your tickets online in advance. We did this and were able to by-pass the incredibly long lines and walk right in. We were the only people we spoke to who were able to fit it in.

 

Regards,

Ann Marie

[Travel Nymph]

Thanks Anne Marie for an informative review.

We take this cruise and this ship next Sept. (2009)

It is always great to hear positive reviews.

 

Did you stay anywhere pre or post cruise? Who-what-where and how was it?

 

Were there any outstanding itineraries or tours you took?

 

You say the food was great. What kind of meals did they serve?

Beef-chicken-fish etc.

 

Joy

[TravelingProf]

Hi Joy,

 

We stayed in Amsterdam for a few days before the cruise--a great city. As I mentioned, get Anne Frank House tickets on line before you go. We also did a bike tour of the city which was really neat. (Mike's Bike Tours--easy to find online).

 

There was usually a meat (usually beef or pork, sometimes chicken) dish, fish dish and vegetarian dish each evening, as well as staples such as chicken breast, steak etc. if nothing on the menu appealed to you.

 

We took the Salzburg tour which was nice and the Rothenburg tour--which I enjoyed--it is like a fairytale land.

 

Hope this helps--you will have a wonderful time.

[Chesie]

You brought back wonderful memories of last year. We were on the Amadagio and it was the best vacation we every had. We would not hesitate to do another rivercruise.

 

Nancy

[letsgoeverywhere]

We are due to cruise on the Amacello next month and the food comment does cause some concern. We are not expecting gourmet but we are expecting very good without the excess of big ship cruising. I thought AMA had improved this season?