The River Cruise Lady

River cruising and small ship luxury cruising

AmaWaterways River Cruises

Crystal River Cruise on the Rhine and Mosel

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From the welcome airport greeting to the final farewell, our Crystal River Cruise was a fantastic experience!
We met the friendly Crystal staff at the Amsterdam airport and were promptly transferred by Crystal’s own fleet of buses (that follow along the cruise) to the Crystal Mahler. The river cruise pier is located right in front of the historic Grand Centraal Station so we took a stroll around the ship, checked into our cabin (they call them suites) and headed out to tour the city.

We walked past the station, Anne Franks House, over many bridges & canals and even the Red Light District (which is usually fairly quiet during the day but a rather robust women was standing outside as we went by). Amsterdam is such a beautiful, bustling walkable city although one has to look both ways frequently to avoid the constant whish of bicycle riders that whiz past (at top speeds I might add) as that is their main form of transportation there.


Heading back to the ship, we decided to unpack and took some pictures to show the features of our Petite Suite – category S4/S5. The cabin was spacious enough at 188sq ft but with the closet & bathroom lacking drawer space to put some of our stuff, just made do with using the cupboards instead. The mini-bar was fully stocked with water, beer, pop and later white wine. The Nespresso type coffee maker is unique to Crystal as you don’t often see any type of coffee maker in a river cruise cabin. The suites are also equipped with binoculars, Audio machines for going out on tour to hear the guides without having to stand beside them and lots of plugs.(great for all the devices we tend to bring along)

If you upgrade to the Deluxe Suite -category S1/S2, which is larger at 253 sq ft (there is one cabin in category S3 and if ever interested in that one, just pop me an email to linda@therivercruiselady.com and I can explain the difference between that one and the S1/S2) you get a full walk in closet plus two sinks in the bathroom and drawers in both) Both have the luxurious King Size bed (or two singles), the Panoramic Balcony Window, interactive TV system with complimentary movies on demand, a bedside Ipad and wifi.

Dining options on the Mahler were plenty starting with breakfast at the Waterside restaurant, usually served between 7:30 and 9am or if felt like sleeping in, could catch the late risers breakfast at the Bistro served from 9 to 11:30am. If you happened to really sleep in, there were snacks & pastries at the Bistro from 11:30am to 6pm or lunch service started at 12:30 to 2:30pm. The Waterside restaurant times varied daily but was usually between noon and 2pm. Of course you could also order 24 hour room service (including selections from the main restaurant menu) or help yourself to the 24 hour self-service pantry which featured snacks, specialty coffees, teas and non-alcoholic beverages.
Dinner was either at the Waterside restaurant, the Bistro for a Tapas menu or for a special multi course with wine pairing evening, there was the Vintage Room which had an extra cost and needed to be reserved in advance. The food on Crystal was some of the best I’ve ever been served – the presentation was always artistically crafted and the taste was delicious.

Our cruise itinerary had to be changed due to the record low water conditions on the Danube so we ended up sailing on the Rhine, Mosel and the Belgian Waterways instead and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Crystal was to be commended for coming up with new excursions due to the changes and we visited some wonderful picturesque places like Bernkastel, Bruges, Ghent and Arnhem. They included cultural visits in Nijmegen to the Van Gogh Kroller-Muller Museum, the Mauritshuis Museum in The Hague, Drachenfels Castle in Bonn and a magical Concert evening with Eva Vermeeren, Hanne Roos & The Turnhoutse Snaar.

We participated in many of the bike excursions that Crystal offered and although they do not store the bikes onboard, top quality e-bikes were brought to each location where they offered the excursions. We rode through Historic Nijmegen, Veluwezoom National Park, the Netherlands Waterlands and even biked up a mountainside to play golf and sample some local wine (don’t worry, they bussed us home after that 😊)

If you would like to view a video about the bike excursions, you can view it below:

The evening entertainment ended up being something we looked forward to every night. Some lines just have a piano player softly in the background in the lounge but our cruise had Rita and Bruno, a musically talented couple who both sang and played the piano. They seemed to be able to sing anything and even led a couple of triva contests too. There was also an indoor pool that looked inviting but I never saw anyone using it (perhaps they did early in the mornings?) Same with the gym, but again, could have been used early. One place that did get a lot of use was the self service laundry room which included two washer/dryers and ironing board.

While it is true that the cost of a Crystal River Cruise can be higher than other companies offering an all inclusive experience, it seemed as though most passengers felt that it was a very good value for what they received. Plus their crew to guest ratio is one of the lowest at 1 to 1.55 which we noticed as there always seemed to be a helpful crew member to assist. Crystal has four Rhine class sister ships which are the Mahler, Bach, Debussy and Ravel while the Crystal Mozart that sails on the Danube is configured differently. Whichever one you choose, you’re sure to have a memorable river cruise!


For a video tour of the Crystal Mahler, please watch the video below:

Crystal River Cruises changing the world of river cruising!

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Crystal Cruises entered in the world of river cruising two years ago and is upping the ante all around.   They’ve just launched their 4th ship, the Crystal Debussy, which is a sister ship to the Crystal Bach, Crystal Mahler and Crystal Ravel. 

All four ships will sail either on the Danube, Rhine, Main or Moselle with only 106 passengers (compare that to their same size longship competitors sailing with almost 190 passengers) which means more spacious cabins and more lounge space.

They have also introduced open seating dining in their Waterside restaurant so no more 7pm rush for a table.  They also boast the following: 

  • The only all-suite river yachts in Europe; every suite featuring a King-size bed, most with walk-in closets and double sink vanities
  • The highest staff-to-guest ratio among all European river cruise lines
  • Michelin star-inspired farm-to-table dining, featuring Crystal’s acclaimed six-star cuisine with regionally-inspired menus
  • Unmatched culinary choices with flexible open seating dining in each restaurant
  • Wine sommeliers offering educational insight and endless pour of acclaimed vintages
  • Unmatched collection of multiple Complimentary Crystal Adventures® ashore in each destination; cultural, active and overland
  • High-tech in-suite amenities including: bedside iPad directory; interactive TV system with complimentary movies on demand, extensive music library; ambient lighting and temperature controls
  • A full service, well-appointed Crystal Life Spa aboard each river yacht, staffed by dedicated, highly-trained professionals
  • Crystal luxury motor coaches, featuring complimentary Wi-Fi and coffee bars

As part of their luxury all inclusive river cruising experience, Crystal includes:

  • unlimited fine wines, champagne, premium spirits, beers, soft drinks, specialty coffees, teas and bottle water in-suite
  • All gratuities both shipboard and shoreside 
  • Unlimited wifi/Internet plus electronic international newspapers
  • Daily yoga and fitness classes 
  • Complimentary self-service guest laundry  (so handy for those 15 day voyages)
  • Use of eBikes for both excursions and on your own
  • Complimentary airport transfers from the airport to the ship on day of embarkation/disembarkation

Here is a short video about these wonderful new ships

 

If you would like to view the deckplan seen in the video, just click CRYSTAL SISTER SHIPS DECKPLAN

I will be sailing on the Crystal Mahler in Sept so look for a new post with a full report upon my return.   Cheers, Linda

 

 

Viking River Cruise transformed into Ocean Cruise!

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I recently returned from cruising on the almost brand new Viking Sea sailing out of San Juan Puerto Rico. It was so impressive the way that Viking took all of the wonderful attributes of river cruising and copied them onto their ocean cruises. Plus since the ship carries just over 900 passengers, is considered a small ship which allows them to visit ports not available to the larger ships. Here we were docked right in the heart of the city in Willemstad, Curacao

Viking Sea Docked in Curacao

Viking Sea Docked in Curacao

Like river cruising, there are many inclusions like a shore excursion included in every port, beer/wine with lunch and dinner, specialty coffees, teas & bottled water and of course the biggest perk for me as I was still working, was the free WiFi. Most people that I talked to onboard said it was so nice to have all the inclusions and not to be nickle & dimed to death which tends to happen on many mainstream cruise lines. Also included are two specialty restaurants, one is The Chef’s Table which is a multi-course tasting dinner paired with select wines and the other is Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant serving freshly prepared pastas and antipasto accompanied by fresh seafood or special of the day. Not sure which one was my favorite as they both had amazing food.

Manfredis Restaurant VikingSea

Manfredis Restaurant VikingSea

One difference from their river cruises (which still offer cabins on lower decks that only have a window) is that all the cabins on the Viking Sea have a spacious private balcony. Another great option for those who love to eat outdoors (which includes me) is the restaurant at the back of the ship near the pool where you can enjoy breakfast or lunch on the patio.

Viking Sea Outdoor Restaurant

Viking Sea Outdoor Restaurant

Like river cruising, the Viking Ocean itineraries tend to be city/port intensive which allow you to really get immersed in the destinations visited. In fact, many of the passengers had taken a river cruise first and then decided to try out their Ocean cruises and were very impressed. So whichever one you choose to try first, you’ll be pleased with either!

For more information, see VIKING CRUISES

How big is a river cruise cabin?

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It seems as though the river cruise companies (or most cruise companies for that matter) always showcase their largest suite category cabins in their ads but in reality, most passengers end up in their regular cabins.

Every time I take a new river cruise, I try to capture some video or pictures of the cabins to share with you for size perspectives.

The one below is the AmaCerto built in 2012 by Ama Waterways which is 445ft long and holds 162 passengers

The cabins sizes shown in the video are
300 sq ft – Suite Category
210 sq ft – Twin Balcony Category BA
170 sq ft – French Balcony Category C
160 sq ft – Window Category D

Here is the deck plan of the AmaCerto

AmaCerto Deck Plan

AmaCerto Deck Plan

Here is the video tour of the ship

Not just flowers on a Tulip Time River Cruise

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I went on a Tulip Time river cruise this spring with Ama Waterways thinking that it would be all about flowers but nothing could be further from the truth!

Don’t get me wrong, we did see Tulips but we also visited a fabulous museum, learned how to make Belgian chocolate, biked through Antwerp viewing their incredible architectural buildings, strolled peacefully through the windmills in Kinderdijk and maneuvered the canals in Amsterdam.

The Tulip Time cruise started in Amsterdam and I took the ship picture to show you how close they dock to the main train station in Amsterdam (its the building in the background) and then the next picture is in front of the station which is stunning in itself.

We did a morning bus tour of the city before heading out in the afternoon to a Hoorn Tulip and Bulb field where we all became Tulip Specialists after getting a tour of their greenhouses to see all the different phases of growth (the process was very interesting and we learned quite a bit!) Once the bus dropped us off near the town trolley, we walked around the Hoorn harbor which was full of unique monuments and packing warehouses.

The next days tour decision was a tough one as you had to choose between the Arnhem Bridge & Airborne Museum (renowned for its role during WWII’s Operation Market Garden) or the Kroller Muller Museum (which boasts the 2nd largest Van Gogh collection in the world). So our small group split up and some did choice A and some did choice B and when we gathered back on the ship in lounge for a pre-dinner drink, all agreed that both were great tours. (read between the lines as this meant that each group thought their tour was better)

When we arrived in Antwerp, we opted for the bike tour through the charming streets of this Belgium major city. Our guide managed to steer us effortlessly through traffic and the drivers were so polite, always stopping for us when we were crossing the streets (that never happens back home!) It was a great way to see such a large area of the city in such a short time and our stop at the Antwerp train station was saved until the end because the beauty of the building just can’t be missed.

That afternoon took us to the Floralia Spring Flower show at Kasteel van Groot-Bijgaarden which had 14 hectares of brilliantly colored tulips, daffodils and many other spring flowers. The garden area surrounds the castle where the almost 1 million bulbs are still planted by hand each year ! (loved the Peacock)

Then we headed for the beauty of Bruges which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that included medieval buildings, winding canals and statuesque churches. I could have taken pictures there all day and this one was at the famous corner that is used many times when displaying Bruges.

Bruge

Bruge

After leaving Belgium, we headed back towards the Netherlands stopping in Rotterdam where excursions could be taken to visit the bustling city or a bit farther took in the charming city of Delft (known for the hand-painted blue and white pottery) with a stop in The Hague before travelling back to the ship. In the afternoon, we sailed peacefully into Kinderdijk to see hundreds of windmills dotting the horizon. With the sun shining brightly, it made for a wonderful stroll or bike ride through the area.

Kinderdijk Windmills

Kinderdijk Windmills

Our last full day was a full one with the morning touring the spectacular Keukenhof Gardens, a 70 acre park that probably had the most flowers I’ve ever seen. It was so colorful and I’m sure the pictures don’t do it justice.

Then onto Amsterdam where we finished up with a great canal cruise through the city (where you find out why they call it “Venice of the North” )

Now that I’ve taken you through my trip, I realize that I haven’t even talked about all the wonderful food (and drinks) we had onboard Ama Waterways! The staff were really friendly and our Cruise Director Rachel was one of the best ones I’ve ever experienced. She delivered her port talks with humor, personal stories and kept everyone interested, on track and on time.
I was in a French Balcony cabin and since the weather was great, enjoyed sitting in the stateroom with the breeze flowing in on many occasions.

I would highly recommend a Tulip Time river cruise to anyone !

Africa River Cruise Safari

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Ever since Ama Waterways brought out their Africa Safari and Wildlife cruise brochure, I dreamed of going on it and even had the cover pinned up on my wall.

Well my dream finally became a reality recently and it was even more amazing than I could have ever imagined. My pictures were almost the same as they had portrayed in the brochure as we were able to get so close to the animals on the river (and on the land Safari in Kruger) and I was also able to get some fantastic videos of them in their own environment that you can view at the end.

Their Stars of South Africa itinerary starts in picturesque Cape Town, where one could easily spend a week touring around the area as there is so much to see. We did a full day Cape tour which starts out going to Boulders Beach to see the African Penguins (could have watched them all day) then onto the famous Cape of Good Hope sign and Chapman Peak Drive.

Since we had gone in a day early, we were also able to visit Table Bay Mountain, Robben Island and the Cape Winelands area and we still didn’t see it all !

Then onto Botswana for the most incredible river safari where I couldn’t stop taking video of the Elephants (by day 3, my husband said, you have enough footage of the elephants!!)
We got to see them playing in the water, spraying themselves as it was so dry and watching the babies learn from their mommas. Of course we also saw Giraffes, Impalas, Hippos, Cape Buffalos, Lions, Warthogs and many beautiful African birds too. We also visited a local village which was very humbling. These are just a few of many pictures I took:

Then it was onto to Victoria Falls to see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World where the sound is so loud that the African name for the falls translates to “the smoke that thunders” The Victoria Falls hotel is filled with old world charm that feels like you’ve been transported back in time where you can peruse its history filled walls.


A quick plane ride to Johannesburg brought us to the big city where we overnighted before doing a full day tour of the city and Soweto (SouthWest Townships) that was very interesting (and sad at the same time as we saw some new townhomes that had been built to replace the tin shacks that still sit empty)

Another quick flight took us to Kruger Park to do our land safari where we were lucky enough to come across so many lions (that again – I just took way too many videos of!)

Within one day, we were fortunate to view the Big Five that everyone aspires to see – so amazing. Kruger was experiencing a major drought when we visited which was not good for the animals but great for viewing. We had morning (6am to 9am) and afternoon (4pm to 7pm) safaris which gives you an opportunity to see different animals who are more active at different times. It was so hard to narrow down the pictures to just a few and I will post some more again soon.


If you dream about Africa and its on your bucket-list, my advice is to make that dream become a reality and you will never regret it for a minute !

Video clips of the trip can be seen below:

Breathtaking Bordeaux Scenic River Cruise

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I now see why the new Bordeaux region river cruises are becoming a fast favorite – it was wonderful (and not just because of wine tasting at 10am !)

There are a couple of different ways to get to the region, one being a pre-cruise stay in Paris and then taking the 3 hour train ride to Bordeaux or flying straight into BDX which is the airport in the region.  Since I had previously been to Paris, chose to fly straight in and the representative from Scenic Cruises was there to meet us for the 20 minute transfer to the ship (one of their complimentary inclusions, even if you don’t book your airfare with them)

After settling in our cabin, enjoyed a welcome buffet dinner but due to some jet lag, many turned in early that night.

The next morning we sailed to Bourg and once we were docked, we headed off for our first excursion which was a Saint Emilion city tour where we got our first glimpse of the stunning chateaus that fill the wine region.

On our way back after the tour, we stopped at Chateau Soutard for a “sundowner” drink which was very nice.  It is one of the oldest estates in the area dating back to 1513 !Then we met up with the ship in Libourne.

Our next day gave us a choice of three different excursions and I chose to do the wine tasting at Chateau Franc Mayne  (we were in Bordeaux after all 🙂 )

The Chateau is not only a vineyard but also a charming little hotel that has a total of 10 rooms, each of them different with a specific theme.  Right in the middle of their vineyard, they even have a tree house that you can stay in.

Back to the ship again for a scrumptious lunch and then we did a leisurely sail along the river heading towards Pauillac enjoying the scenery along the way.   We also had great talk about “Understanding the Gironde Estuary” from Captain Jeremy followed by a port talk from the cruise director on what to expect for the next day.  Then the Captain rejoined us for a his welcome reception before we headed off to dinner.

Another day, another wine tasting !  This time we had a guided tour of the Medoc area and passed so many stunning chateaux, especially on such a beautiful sunny day.  Our tasting was at Chateau Lagrange and since we were such a small group, hardly needed to use our “Tailormades” (which are Scenic’s GPS locator guides connected to personal headphones that allow you to wander around while still being able to hear your guide without having to stand right next to them, plus they are also useful when walking around on your own or sitting up on deck listening to the diverse selection of topics)

After lunch we had a free afternoon so took the bikes out for a spin around the Paulliac area, such a nice leisurely way to see the town.  The Scenic bikes are so easy to use and don’t like to admit but the power assist boost sure made it easy to go up any hills.  For dinner that night, we were treated to a meal off the ship at the famous estate of Chateau du Tertre and it was so special, we felt like royalty.

It was nice to have a leisurely morning the following day as we sailed back to Bordeaux.  Since we enjoyed the bikes so much the day before, signed up for the Bordeaux City tour by bike and although there was more traffic, was still a very enjoyable way to see the sights.

I haven’t even talked about the food yet which is another wonderful part of river cruising, you certainly never go hungry !   Dinner every night is served at 7pm in the dining room but there are two other choices available.  One is a separate dining area on the ship called L’Amour which is a separate smaller venue that you can make a reservation for. The other one is exclusive for Diamond deck guests and they are treated to a special six course degustation menu dinner called Table La Rive with sommelier paired wines.  Only ten guests per evening partake in this so it makes for a more intimate dining experience.

There was a multitude of excursions to choose from the next day which were 1) Hiking tour through Loupiac (which we chose) 2) Walking tour of Cadillac 3) Excursion to Roquetaillade or 4) Excursion to Saint-Macaire.

We were lucky to have another beautiful day for our hike and with our quirky local guide leading us, felt very immersed in the area and had some wonderful views of the river from the ruins of the castle that we hiked to.

That evening because we were still in Bordeaux, took advantage of going for a walk after dinner and we found out why its nicknamed, Breathtaking Bordeaux as the lights that lit up the buildings were just that.  We were docked right in the heart of the city and could walk around easily.

Whew, the next day we were back to wine tasting – this time in the Sauternes region with a visit to Chateau de Myrat  – run by the Pontac family who have been winemakers for over 400 years !

After dinner, a local guitarist, Jeremy Dupouy came onboard and had most of the crowd singing along with him for an evening of fun.

We had a longer bus ride the next day as headed all the way to the coast to Arcachon where we did a really interesting hike up and down Europe’s tallest sand dune.  It is called Dune du Pilat and when we got to the top, (felt like I cheated go up the stairs so walked back down the dune ) had a great time watching this fellow try to paraglide but there wasn’t quite enough wind so he just couldn’t get going.

Stopped for a great lunch (included) before heading back to the ship where we were joined by some amazing musicians called Les Veneurs d’Epernon.  They play what is classified as Trunk Hunting which belongs to the family of natural brass and its origin was a church instrument for liturgical songs and concerts.

When we sailed to Blaye/Bourg the next day, we were feeling very brave and signed up for the 30km/18.6m guided bike tour and it turned out to be one of our most favorite ones.  The scenery was spectacular, the weather was wonderful and felt better knowing that I was burning off some of those delicious meals!.  Scenic even presented all the bike riders with a certificate at the end for our accomplishment.

As we head into our final day, I should mention that Scenic is the only company (currently) who offers Bordeaux as a 11 day itinerary which is why we were able to fit so much touring in, while most others usually do it as an 8 day sailing with pre-nights in Paris or post nights in Amboise/Loire Valley to create a longer trip.

Speaking of our last day, it was also a pretty special one as headed up to Cognac where we had a picturesque walking tour through the town before continuing on to visit the Remy Martin estate and sample a few tastings.  The toughest decision was deciding on which bottle to bring home as a souvenir ! (the kind of souvenir that doesn’t sit on your shelf gathering dust 🙂

As we sailed back to Bordeaux, that evening we were treated to a beautiful illumination cruise up to the Pont de Pierre bridge to help create more memories of this breathtaking river cruise.

Comparison of River Cruise Companies in Europe

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Which river cruise company should you choose ?

Many times, it just comes down to a monetary choice, a personal choice or a recommended choice from a friend/family or cruise agent.

Sometimes it may come down to which cruise might be available at the time you are looking as many of the itineraries book up so far in advance, your 2nd or 3rd choice might be the one you end up on.

For a very quick comparison overview of AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Emerald Waterways, Scenic Cruises, Tauck River Cruises, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises and Viking River Cruises, here is a snapshot below and if you would like to view it on your own computer as a pdf for better viewing, click HERE to view as PDF.

Whichever one you choose, it will be a great river cruise and you’re going to love it !

Comparison of top River Cruise Companies in Europe

Comparison of top River Cruise Companies in Europe

 

 

Rhine River Cruise

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After doing a Rhine River cruise, I can see why it is one of the most popular choices for travelers.  It takes in everything – from the canal lined city of Amsterdam, the historical city of Cologne, the picturesque city of Rüdesheim, the imperial city of Speyer to one of my favorites which was the contrasting city of Strasbourg with its French and German culture.

Of course the many benefits of river cruising also factor in:

  • unpack once
  • docking near the heart of the cities & towns
  • your ‘hotel’ cruises along the river while the mesmerizing scenery floats by
  • the almost all inclusive value
  • flexible sightseeing – you can go on the tours or off on your own
  • fewer passengers onboard so can get to know fellow travelers

This list goes on and you will understand once you have taken a river cruise as you’ll be hooked and want to do them all and I haven’t even mentioned the food and wine yet!

We had wonderful meals onboard Ama Waterways and the wine flowed freely at lunch and dinner.  They also have a 24 hour coffee/tea station in their lounge area so if you happen to be up at odd hours, could always find a nice hot cup of something plus various pieces of fruit and those darn good cookies that I kept saying I didn’t need.

The staff onboard were also very friendly and it didn’t take long after a day of touring off the ship to feel like you were coming home as you were welcomed back onboard.

I’ve made a short video of the trip, hope you enjoy and may it lure you to journey down the Rhine !

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