Monday, April 1, 2024

AmaWaterways vs Viking: Which of these popular river cruise lines is right for you?

ama river cruise line

Explore our last minute cruise deals and get a real bargain, or book in advance and box off your 2025 river cruise today. Viking also serves unlimited complimentary wine and beer with both lunch and dinner, but the selection is a bit limited. Passengers wanting more options can purchase a Silver Spirits drinks package to enjoy a wider choice, including the sommelier's selection of wines, which are often excellent local varietals. The package also includes cocktails and other beverages, which can be enjoyed at any time. Options range from eggs Benedict or omelets to smoked trout or avocado toast. AmaWaterways elegantly appointed spacious stateroom and suite appointments include white-on-white plush bedding, terry bathrobes and slippers, high-quality bath and body products and bottled water replenished daily.

The Special AmaWaterways Philosophy

The number 20 was meant to correlate with the company’s milestone anniversary. No journey to Colombia is complete without hearing some of the country’s celebrated music. Much of the music is a blend of Spanish and European influences with indigenous sounds and African beats. From lively cumbia to the more emotional vallenato, rest assured that AmaWaterways will provide ample opportunities for you to hear a variety of live performances featuring regional music both on board and on shore. Expand your imagination in fairytale villages—enchanting Cochem where folklore and history come alive in every street, and in well-preserved Bernkastel with its medieval Market Square and half-timbered houses.

Choose Avalon if you want consistent quality of tour guides.

Both lines take a nonrefundable deposit, typically $500 in the United States and £250 in the U.K. Uniworld is a high-end line that describes itself as luxurious -- a description not used by Ama -- and this is reflected in the fares, which are invariably higher. You'll typically pay around $500 per person more on a seven-night Uniworld Europe cruise -- than Ama's.

AmaWaterways and Viking itineraries

ama river cruise line

AmaWaterways offers a variety of dining venues – at no additional charge – including The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant. Guests watch as the chef prepares a true tasting menu with three appetizers, a champagne sorbet intermezzo, three main courses and three decadent desserts—all paired with carefully hand-selected wines reflective of the places visited. In June 2023, AmaWaterways will offer a 46-night exploration of Europe that sails through 14 countries on seven rivers. We’ve had our own magical moments on AmaWaterways, cruising the mighty Mekong, enjoying the coziness that AmaWaterways creates on Christmas Markets cruises and exploring Europe in what feels like a boutique luxury hotel that glides along the rivers.

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Both lines have bicycles to use in port, but one of the big differences is that Ama has teamed up with Backroads, an active adventure biking, walking and hiking journeys company to offer bespoke tours in each destination. Uniworld offers sedate walking tours in each port, and two optional coach excursions further afield. As a family-owned and operated company dedicated solely to river cruising, AmaWaterways’ executives focus all of their time and effort on perfecting the art of delivering the quintessential river cruise experience for their guests. This has led to award-winning ships inspired by luxury yachts and designed specifically to maximize every aspect of the guest experience. Avalon's special sailings include beer, wine, World War II, classical music, culinary, opera and Jewish heritage.

This Week in Cruise: AmaWaterways' New Investor, Ponant's New CEO - Travel Agent Central

This Week in Cruise: AmaWaterways' New Investor, Ponant's New CEO.

Posted: Mon, 11 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The "aquarium class" cabins feature small windows on the water line and average 160 square feet. The ships also feature suites, though not the largest in the industry, a very respectable 350 square feet. The newer ships also have several inter-connecting cabins, making them ideal for families. Some groups buy out the entire ship, but the average is 70 to 80 passengers, or about half the ship's capacity. That means you could be sailing with a large group that's keenly focused on wine.

These tours involve little walking, and destinations are mostly seen by bus or other vehicles. Active tours will go faster and might include stairs, a hike or a guided bike ride. These tours can be challenging, with bike rides ranging from 14 to 21 miles. Both Avalon and AmaWaterways include at least one shore excursion in every port you visit.

AmaWaterways: 21 Best Ship Features

Choose Ama if you're happy to pay for drinks (or if you don't drink), gratuities and certain shore excursions. Ama also has a slighter younger, more active clientele, as well as special charters through APT, Backroads and Adventures by Disney. On both ships, you'll find giant chess, x's and o's or checkers on the sun deck. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Guests who prefer a lighter, more informal breakfast or lunch can skip the Main Restaurant and opt to enjoy a small selection of options served in a central buffet in the Lounge. While the general theme uniting the accommodations across AmaWaterways' European fleet is contemporary design with destination-inspired touches, suite decor is unique from ship to ship.

This trip is a must for anyone interested in the best of French culture, lifestyle, wine and food. Two iconic cities, Prague and Paris, bookend this perfect journey that combines three beautiful rivers, each of which is striking in its own unique way. From the meandering Main to the UNESCO-designated Upper Middle Rhine Valley with its multitude of castles dotting its shores to the vineyard-clad hills of the Moselle, enjoy Europe at its most picturesque. Let the storybook villages—Bernkastel, Cochem and Wertheim—captivate you; and Rothenburg, located on the Romantic Road enchant you. Marvel at the world's largest ceiling fresco in the Würzburg Residenz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the beautiful Chagall windows while in Mainz. Savor the many flavors of Germany with a chance to sample the world-famous wines of the Rheingau, the hearty smoked beer of Bamberg and Rüdesheim’s famed coffee.

It's not going to make you swoon with pleasure, and the knowledge from the wait staff is a little patchy. AmaWaterways attracts a similar demographic, which skews slightly younger. Roughly 80 percent of passengers hail from North America, with most from the U.S. There may be a handful of Brits and other European nationalities onboard too.

ama river cruise line

Service is also a notch up on Uniworld, with both knowledgeable and intuitive wait staff with an excellent command of English, unlike many of the Ama crew. Both lines serve buffets at breakfast and lunch, along with made-to-order items off the menu and a three-course lunch menu. Both also have one set time at dinner, usually at 7.30 p.m., which features a five-course menu and where you sit at larger tables with other passengers. Uniworld operates 19 ships, including three purpose-built Super Ships that carry 150 to 159 passengers. Viking offers 29 different itineraries in Europe on the Danube, Rhine, Rhone, Seine, Garonne & Dordogne, Douro and Elbe rivers, as well as the waterways of Belgium and Holland.

Countless dam-controlled canals crisscross these countries, protecting the idyllic scenery – from cows grazing in the pasture to iconic windmills – from flooding. As your ship sails along these waterways, you’ll also experience some of the world’s most beautiful sunsets. AmaWaterways may share your information with trusted independent travel advisors to help you book your cruise. With year-round departures and a mild climate with temperatures that typically fluctuate just 20 degrees, Colombia is the ideal destination to experience at any time of year. Ama's dining is slightly more uneven -- sometimes a hit, but sometimes just average -- and that even extends to The Chef's Table.

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