Balcony

AmaWaterways

River Cruises

Family Cruises

Gay & Lesbian Cruises

Romantic Cruises

Singles Cruises

Cruises for the Disabled

Senior Cruises

Gourmet Food Cruises

Budapest

Amsterdam

Prague

Cape Town

Europe - All

Europe - River Cruise

Europe River

Danube River

Germany River

Austria

Germany

Slovakia

Africa

Excellent

Terrible

Very Good

AmaCerto

AmaPrima

AmaSonata

AmaSerena

AmaLyra

AmaDolce

AmaCello

AmaViola

AmaKristina

AmaStella

AmaMagna

AmaDante

AmaDara

AmaLea

AmaVida

AmaMora

AmaDouro

AmaBella

AmaSiena

AmaLucia

AmaDahlia

AmaVerde

Zambezi Queen

Amawaterways all the way!

Fanning Island

We cruised on the AmaBella to the Christmas Markets. This was my first river cruise. I have been on over 65 ocean cruises, traveled to 108 countries and all seven continents.  I have been cruising since 1980 when I was 18 years old and took my first cruise.  The pre-cruise portion with Ama was just ok.  We were booked in a standard room at a nice hotel.  The cruise portion is where it gets bad.  We had booked a suite and the room was nice except we could not use the french balcony because it did not close properly which made the heat not function in our room.  We went to the Chef's table on our second night of the 7 night river cruise and the food was cheap and bad.  The main course was a brisket for the meat which was a fatty greasy cut of meat which I could not eat.  The other coursed were not good. I was so surprised as having experienced several tasting menus and other Chef's tables, which were all great except this one. The staff on the ship were outstanding and did a great job.  It was just they didn't seem to have what they needed to make things good.  The cruise manager was a very nice but did not have the ability to fix problems and was given mis-information when we questioned why we were placed in economy on a flight that Ama booked for us as part of our post cruise to Istanbul.  We always fly first class or business class and we booked the largest suite that the AmaBella had.  We were even asked by the cruise manager if we booked the flight Istanbul ourselves since he was told that by the home office for AmaWaterways. I spent two hours forwarding him emails proving to him that Ama booked this flight which he could easily see when he read the emails.  It was not his fault but he was powerless to fix our flight from economy to business class to Istanbul.  We were able to upgrade at the airport at 6 a.m. the morning of our flight after we waiting for two hours in line to do this.  Suites are usually booked for us and when we have booked suites in the past, the perks and other parts of the trip are planned and booked accordingly by the cruise line.  NOT SO with AmaWaterways.  The home office for AmaWaterways left us hanging all week and then sent an email after the fact, that they would somehow make this up to us.  HOW? How would you make this up to us after we spent a week waiting on a solution only to be told there was nothing they would do.  Shameful.  Just shameful.  The post three nights in Istanbul were at the Four Seasons and the hotel upgraded our room for us from (again) a standard room not a suite.  Again the hotel did this for us not the cruise line.  The hotel was great and we skipped all the tours that Ama provided as they were all cheap walking tours that could be purchased for a few dollars.  We booked private tours and they were all wonderful.  Ama crammed us in a very small mini van back to the airport at the end of the three days but the driver and guide were outstanding and did everything they could to help all of us.  They were wonderful.  We were asked before departing the AmaBella if we enjoyed our cruise as they had sent a bottle of wine to our suite a few nights before we were to depart with an apology note. We returned the wine to the staff at AmaWaterways as a bottle of wine would not make up for all the problems we had and the time we spend awaiting a resolution that was not to come.  The emails we received during and after the trip last week look like they were possibly written by very young people with not much experience in communications, written communications that is.  I was shocked that one of the emails came from a Vice President of air travel at AmaWaterways.  I don't think I have seen writing like this since before high school.  To say the least we were very disappointed.  We spent well over $22,000 for this 14 day trip and it was not worth even a fourth of that.  There are so many things I could go on and on about but I feel that AmaWaterways would not listen or even comprehend what someone booking a suite level cabin on their ship should receive.  There were so many things.  We met four gentlemen that had been on the same ship the week before and were doing a 14 night cruise.  They said the week before had been great but they noticed a lot of things wrong on the week we were there.  We really wanted to love river cruising but we did not.  I am sure if we will try another cruise line or just go back to ocean cruises.

Coordinator, Social Media

Stay away from AmaWaterways....

Second time sailing with Amawaterways, and of course it was a delight.  The cruise manager made it really special as well as the hotel manager, his staff and the captain and crew.   I wish I can name each one of them and thank them individually.  Had been in over 15 cruises, but Ama does it differently.   Great itinerary, great excursion options, super meals and attention to detail.   By the second cocktail hours the staff knew your preferences and got it just right.    Evening entertainment was always available.  Cabins were always tidy.   And the meals,  where to start.   Local cucine at port, and of course regular options in case you are picky.   Thanksgiving is time to indulge, and if that’s what you wanted, seconds were served.  Made the comment to the hotel manager, that I could have just have one desert for the holiday.   A tray with a selection for the table was presented in no time.  Can’t wait to do it again.

This is a first class experience (also in 2016 on the AmaCerto).  Food, service, comfort and tours are all top notch.  Our room, indeed the entire boat, was very clean.  Every day has multiple tours to choose from, all included in your booking.  One night there was an optional musical excursion to the Vienna Opera, which was an extra, but reasonable fee, but otherwise everything is included.  It is a floating luxury hotel and the crew will work to facilitate every detail of the trip.  Tours were done by expert local guides and had a reasonable number of guests.  Other cruise companies might put 40 or more on a walking tour.  Ama does not do this.  Our post cruise transfer to a hotel in Budapest was arranged by the crew and the disembarkation expertly managed.  The attention to detail is impressive.  Pre-cruise package in Prague is very much worth the money.  Prague was the highlight of the vacation — a must see.  An Ama cruise manager is there with you for this pre-cruise and manages everything.

Amazing cruise with Amawaterways

Seriously, not sure why you would river cruise with any other company.  They. Were. OUTSTANDING!  We left feeling like we left our family onboard.  Plus, the port stops were beyond lovely this fall.  I really prefer land-only travel, but this cruise completely sold me on River Cruising.  I am already booking my next.

The attention to detail in the cabins was perfect.  The customer service and the many attempts at making sure we felt special was pretty wonderful.  Each day when we left the ship for a tour, they would supply us with anything we could need, like umbrellas, then wished us well.  When we returned they acted as though they were so very happy to see us again.  Asking what all we saw and how things went.  The warm towels, warm drinks, and snacks were such a treat as we filed back onto the ship as well.  Dinners were such a treat!  The best food and served with such love by the crew.  The laughter and fun is something I already very much miss.  Well done, crew of AmaBella.  You are a special group of people!

AMA-zing!

We did the 14 days cruise from Giurgiu to Vilshofen. It was a great experience, we met nice people and the on board personnel was exceptional. 

I want to mention, particularly, Dajana Jakovac our first cruise manager; Sergio, the front desk; Boris the dining room director, Djivko, the Hotel manager; Rui, the sport director, the captain and all the staff that was really incredible. 

We spent the most lovely trip, it was an everyday dream that was coming true.

The only thing that I could suggest as improvement is the quality of bikes that sometimes are not really perfect for the conditions of the trails and the trip we did.

Overall, everything was delightful, excursions well planned; a variety of menus according the country we were going through; the quality of the wine offered and the quality of food.

Thank you to all the people that made this happened.



Wonderful people and wonderful personnel

This trip has been on our bucket list for a few years. The only thing that held us back was the price. But let me tell you. It was so well worth it. Everything was 1st class. From the transportation after the pick up at the airport, to the cabin, to the food, to the entertainment they brought on, to the shore excursions.

One draw back I found was no place to put your luggage. The closet had 2 bars in it so no place there and no room under the bed so we had to stack it up in front of the French door..

Everything else was really great. We spent 2 night in Vienna after the cruise, which was set up by Amawaterways. The transfer from the ship to the hotel was by bus and it went very smoothly Our cruise manager, Matyas Keresztes, could not have been more helpful. From recommending restaurants to helping everyone enjoy there time in such a beautiful city.

My husband and I have been on several large cruise ships but this really spoiled us.

We are hoping to get to go on the Rhine River next year and I would not even thing of anyone else to travel with.

Thanks for making our dreams come true.

Absolutely a Wonderful Experience

Jost Van Dyke

After spending three days in Singapore and two days in Amsterdam which we thoroughly enjoyed my friend and I hailed a taxi and headed for the wharf to embark on our river cruise.

We sailed on the Amabella from Amsterdam to Budapest and had an unforgettable voyage full of wondrous experiences, discoveries, taste sensations and much more.

I read the review by Lovable and Daisy and agree with and endorse their review of our time on the Amabella.

Our first delight was our cabin - 317 on the top deck. Even though we had 2 single beds we had plenty of room as well as our twin balconies to spread out and be comfortable. It was lovely sitting on the balcony watching the small towns, vineyards and scenery passing by.

Our next delight was the food- which was scrumptious. There were lots of food combinations and interesting tastes and presentations. We had plenty of options to choose from and excellent wines to compliment the adequate sized meals

The shore excursions successfully catered for peoples' differing interests, hobbies and experiences and where necessary buses were always on time and waiting to take us into the town and return us to the boat after a great shore experience.

The lounge was a great place to catch up with people, listen to the music, relax,have a delicious afternoon tea, watch going through the locks head on and enjoy a drink or two.

All entertainment and enrichment actives were conducted in the lounge and appeared to be enjoyed by all.

It really was a fantastic complete holiday package.

All staff were very friendly and went above and beyond their duties to ensure that we all had a very enjoyable time at all times.

 I also enjoyed the Amabella over the Amaprima- felt it was more comfortable, or maybe I was just used to the Amabella.

Kristen was an excellent Tour Director and started up an extra group (Pink group for the slow walkers) when she realised there was a need for it.  She was always available to deal with any problems that could have interfered with the smooth running of our holiday programme.

The captain was superb at going through the really tight locks and was really disappointed he could only take us as far as Viena and couldn't sail us to Budapest because of the low water level of the river. 

We travelled by bus to Budapest and transferred to the Amaprima and had an unbelievable night cruise sailing past the lights of Budapest - absolutely awesome.

Unfortunately next day was disembarkation and taxis and buses took us all to hotels or the airport. It was a very smooth operation. I didn't want to leave the boat.

Some people had a few small whinges but I couldn't find fault with anything on the cruise.  I just loved everything about it.  I also loved the small size of the cruise,-161 people can move around and have their own space without being on top of each other.

I'm looking forward to my next river cruise.

Well done Amabella staff- an excellent job

A Marvellous Holiday by Sonia

My wife and a friend of hers thought a "Christmas Market" cruise would be a great idea. While I disagreed, my martyr complex compelled me to go. I have not been on a cruise of any kind in over 30 years and was happy to keep the record in tack. Needless to say the cruise exceeded my expectations in almost every way. The crew from the captain to our housekeeper were courteous, friendly, and efficient. Everyone associated with Amawaterways could not do enough to make the experience pleasant. The food and service were very good, with a varied selection. Though most passengers were American, we also had German, British, Australian, Canadian, and a few other nationalities. The planned activities on board and at each port-of-call were entertaining, interesting, and well organized. The stateroom was lovely with a both a French and standard balcony which provided great views.
Wi-Fi was slow to non-existent based on volume use and location of ship. Since most passengers were not of the "my face is stuck to my smartphone" generation, this was likely not a big problem.

Didn't Want To Go; Loved It

My husband and I have enjoyed numerous ocean cruises, but thought we would try a European river cruise for a change.  Luckily, his vacation days line up for a magical "Christmas Market" cruise from Prague to Budapest on the AmaWaterways Amabella. We began our holiday with four nights in romantic Prague in the Czech Republic. We also took an excursion to the lovely Cesky Kromlov.  The cruise included the bus to Nuremberg where we boarded the ship. There we joined several informative excursions of the historical city ending with the enchanting sights and smells of our 1st  Christmas market.  All of the additional ports were equally as magical, each with a unique Christmas Market experience. The tours and guides were interesting and informative, with an appropriate time allowed for “on your own” time. Tours were often divided into groups according to their walking ability, which was appreciated by all.

We stayed in a lovely, large stateroom with a French & outside balcony from which we enjoyed viewing the beautiful countryside and numerous locks and dams along the way.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner were always delicious. Often they offered fresh local options reflecting the countries we visited.  Not to be missed is the Chef’s Table specialty restaurant.

One of the biggest differences on a river cruise is the personal interaction you have with the crew and the other guests.  Nick and Victoria made sure that everything ran smoothly on and off the ship.  The attention to individual needs and desire to please is something you would rarely see from large ocean cruise ship personnel. The passengers on this ship were also some of the most lovely, genuine and interesting people I’ve met.  I almost felt like I was leaving part of my family when I disembarked.

AMA Waterways Christmas Market

I am a single lady, British, in my mid-60's and I have just returned from an excellent cruise aboard Amabella river cruise down the Danube from Vilshofen to Budapest, taking in Passau, Linz, Durnstein, Melk-Krems, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest. I flew by scheduled flight from Heathrow to Munich where several of us were met by minibus and transferred to Vilshofen. Everything including embarkation was very smooth and I even managed to have a late light lunch aboard having unpacked. As the ship was half full, all passengers were upgraded and I had a lovely stateroom with a queen-sized bed, balcony and every kind of convenience ranging from safe, hair-dryer, mini bar and fridge, robe & slippers, umbrella plus the usual complimentary toiletries.
There is a choice of dining either in the main dining room or at the buffet laid out in the main lounge - the food & drink throughout the voyage were of a high standard, as was the service. There is a choice of shore excursions and you can take a more active route, a more moderately paced route etc. to suit individual needs and tastes. The cruise line provided several pleasant onboard evening entertainments relevant to the port being visited.
I was lucky to be able to disembark mid-morning and again, the smooth transfer back to the airport was everything one could wish.
The crew can not do enough to help you - everybody is so pleasant. I hope to return for another cruise on another occasion. Well done AMA Waterways.
 

River cruise on Danube

Filters

1-10 of 17