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The River Cruise Lady

River cruising and small ship luxury cruising

AmaWaterways River Cruises

Multigeneration River Cruising!

January 20, 2020 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

I thought I would share a few of the last bookings that I’ve done for river cruising because you may not have thought of this option if planning a multi-generation trip with your family.

My client was turning 80 and she thought about how she wanted to spend her birthday and decided on a family trip.  Her spouse had passed away years before so she decided to splurge and take her children and grandchildren on a European river cruise. There was a range of ages from 12 to 79 and even her brothers & sisters decided to join in the fun!

It worked out great for them because there are so many different excursions options to choose from (mostly always all included).

For example, on a Rhine river cruise with Ama Waterways, in Cologne the excursion choices would be a walking tour, or cathedral visit or Kölsch beer tasting or a bike tour through the city.  So what usually happened was everyone went off and did their choice of excursion and then they would gather for dinner together in the dining room and talk about their different experiences – such a great family bonding time.

Avalon Waterways also have Active & Discovery itineraries which work well with families too.  Then of course Uniworld and Tauck both have dedicated family departure dates (usually in the summer or for the Christmas Market cruises) which then have even more excursions geared towards family groups.

So consider river cruising as a way to create a wonderful legacy that your children/grandchildren will have of travelling with their parents/grandparents and memories that will last a lifetime.

Biking along Moselle Rive

Filed Under: AMA Waterways, Avalon Waterways, Christmas Market Cruise, Danube River, Europe, Mosel River, Rhine River, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, Scenic River Cruises, Tauck River Cruises, Uniworld, Virtuoso, Virtuoso Travel

Renew your vows on a River Cruise

January 14, 2019 by River Cruise Lady Linda 4 Comments

Do you have an upcoming milestone Wedding Anniversary?  Whether its ten, twenty-five, thirty, forty, fifty years or something in between – how would you like to renew your vows with your loved one ?  If your wedding day was a long time ago and you would love to re-marry your spouse all over again but with a romantic European town in the background, I have an amazing ‘proposal’ for you 😊

One of the river cruise companies that I partner with has a Renewal of Vows Package on their Danube River Cruise itinerary.

This romantic package includes:

  • Symbolic Renewal of Vows Ceremony led by a designated official
  • Two 1-hour massages PLUS one manicure/pedicure or hair salon service
  • Bottle of champagne
  • Romantic turn-down service with rose petals
  • Special custom-made dessert by the onboard chef
  • Sundowner excursion with champagne

The cost of this package is $500usd or $599cad but if you bring 2 other couples to go with you, I will pay the cost for you!  If you bring 5 other couples with you, one of you will sail for free!  Know a group of people? if you bring 10 other couples, you both sail for free!

Here is the Romantic Danube itinerary and the river cruise pricing starts at $5820usd/$6820cad per person for a French Balcony category (based on May/June 2019 dates) Extra nights in Budapest, Prague or Munich can be added on for a longer stay.

I look forward to helping you and your partner celebrate your Anniversary just the way you deserve!

River Cruise Lady Linda's Romantic Danube River Cruise Itinerary

Perhaps you could write your special date on a lock and add your own Love Lock to one of the bridges you’ll visit!

Love Locks on a Bridge
Love Locks on a Bridge

Filed Under: Cruises, Danube River, Europe, Featured Post, Quaint Villages, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, Vow Renewal Tagged With: Danube River, river cruise, River Cruise Lady, river cruising

Rhine River must watch video

July 22, 2018 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

If you are contemplating a Rhine River cruise soon, this video which was created by Ama Waterways on their brand new ship, the AmaKristina, is a fantastic look on what you will be seeing, life onboard and so much more! Hope you enjoy and feel free to leave a comment once you’ve watched it. Thanks, Linda

Filed Under: AMA Waterways, Rhine River, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, Virtuoso Tagged With: AmaWaterways, amsterdam, rhine river, river cruise, river cruise bike excursions, River Cruise Lady, river cruising

Viking River Cruise transformed into Ocean Cruise!

March 6, 2018 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

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

Filed Under: River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, Viking River Cruises, Virtuoso Tagged With: Viking River Cruises

How big is a river cruise cabin?

November 23, 2017 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

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

Filed Under: AMA Waterways, AmaCerto, Amsterdam, Europe, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising Tagged With: AmaCerto

Not just flowers on a Tulip Time River Cruise

July 22, 2017 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

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.

AmaCerto river cruise ship
AmaCerto river cruise ship
Amsterdam Centraal Station
Amsterdam Centraal Station

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.

Tulip Farm Bulbs Planted
Tulip Farm Bulbs Planted
Tulip Farm Greenhouse
Stop and smell the Tulips?
Tulip Farm Machinery
Tulip Farm Machinery

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.

Antwerp Bike Tour
Antwerp Bike Tour
Antwerp Train Station
Antwerp Train Station
Antwerp Train Station Inside
Antwerp Train Station Inside

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)

Floralia Castle
Floralia Castle
Floralia Garden and Planter
Floralia Garden and Planter
Floralia Peacock in Flowers
Floralia Peacock in Flowers

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.

Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens

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” )

Amsterdam Canals
Amsterdam Canals
Amsterdam Canals
Amsterdam Canals
Amsterdam Canals
Amsterdam Canals

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 !

Filed Under: AMA Waterways, Amsterdam, Bruges, Europe, Keukenhof, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, Tulip Time, Virtuoso, Virtuoso Travel

Africa River Cruise Safari

March 16, 2017 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

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.

African Penguins
African Penguins
Cape Of Good Hope Sign
Cape Of Good Hope
View of Cape Point
View of Cape Point

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:

Chobe River Elephants
Chobe River Elephants
Chobe River Impalas And Giraffes
Impalas And Giraffes
Chobe River Lion
Chobe River Lion

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.

Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls Hotel From Bridge
Victoria Falls Hotel From Bridge
View From Vic Falls Hotel
View From Vic Falls Hotel


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)
Soweto
Soweto
Nelson Mandela Square
Nelson Mandela Square
Johannesburg
Johannesburg


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.

Kruger Leopard
Kruger Leopard
Kruger Cape Buffalo
Kruger Cape Buffalo
Kruger Baby Lion
Kruger Baby Lion


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:

Filed Under: Africa, AMA Waterways, Cape Town, Kruger Park, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, River Safari, Victoria Falls, Virtuoso Travel Tagged With: Africa, Botswana, CapeTown, Kruger Park, RiverCruise, Safari

Breathtaking Bordeaux Scenic River Cruise

December 13, 2016 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

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.

Scenic Diamond docked in Bourg France
Scenic Diamond docked in Bourg France
Scenic River Cruise Saint Emilion City Tour
Scenic River Cruise Saint Emilion City Tour
Stunning Chateau in Saint Emilion France
Stunning Chateau in Saint Emilion France

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.

Saint Emilion France
Saint Emilion France
Chateau Soutard Saint Emilion
Chateau Soutard Saint Emilion
Welcome to Libourne
Welcome to 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.

Wine Tasting in Bordeaux
Wine Tasting in Bordeaux
Scenery along the river
Scenery along the river
More Scenery along the river
More Scenery along the river

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)

Medoc Area Chateau
Medoc Area Chateau
Wines of Chateau Lagrange
Wines of Chateau Lagrange
Chateau Lagrange in Bordeaux
Chateau Lagrange in Bordeaux

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.

Bike riding in Pauilliac
Bike riding in Pauilliac
Chateau du Tertre
Chateau du Tertre
Chateau du Tertre estate
Chateau du Tertre estate

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.

Scenic Bike Tour
Scenic Bike Tour
Biking around Bordeaux
Biking around Bordeaux
Bike Tour around Bordeaux
Bike Tour around Bordeaux

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.

Dining on Scenic River Cruise
Dining on Scenic River Cruise
Dining on Scenic Cruise
Dining on Scenic Cruise
Another meal on Scenic
Another meal on Scenic

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.

Welcome to Loupiac
Welcome to Loupiac
View from Loupiac hike
View from Loupiac hike
Castle ruins along our hike
Castle ruins along our hike

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.

Scenic docked in Bordeaux
Scenic docked in Bordeaux
Bordeaux at night
Bordeaux at night
Moon over Bordeaux
Moon over Bordeaux

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 !

Entrance to Chateau de Myrat
Entrance to Chateau de Myrat
Chateau de Myrat
Chateau de Myrat
Wine lesson at Chateau de Myrat
Wine lesson at Chateau de Myrat

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.

Walking up the stairs at Dune du Pilat
Walking up the stairs at Dune du Pilat
Paraglider at Dune du Pilat
Paraglider at Dune du Pilat
Walking down in the sand at Dune du Pilat
Walking down in the sand at Dune du Pilat

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.

Les Veneurs d'Epernon on Scenic Cruise
Les Veneurs d’Epernon on Scenic Cruise
Les Veneurs d Epernon on Scenic Cruise
Les Veneurs d Epernon on Scenic Cruise

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.

Scenic Bike Tour from Blaye
Scenic Bike Tour from Blaye
Scenic Bike tour past the Citadelle
Scenic Bike tour past the Citadelle
Scenic Bike Tour through Blaye
Scenic Bike Tour through Blaye

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 🙂

Hennessy Ferry in the town of Cognac
Hennessy Ferry in the town of Cognac
Cognac tasting at Remy Martin
Cognac tasting at Remy Martin
Which Remy Martin Cognac to buy?
Which Remy Martin Cognac to buy?

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.

Filed Under: Bordeaux, Europe, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, Scenic River Cruises Tagged With: Bordeaux, France River Cruise, river cruise, River Cruise Lady, Scenic River Cruises

Comparison of River Cruise Companies in Europe

November 2, 2015 by River Cruise Lady Linda Leave a Comment

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

 

 

Filed Under: AMA Waterways, Avalon Waterways, Comparison of River Cruise Companies, River Cruise Lady, River Cruises, River Cruising, Scenic Tours River Cruises, Tauck River Cruises, Uniworld, Viking River Cruises

Rhine River Cruise

September 19, 2015 by River Cruise Lady Linda 2 Comments

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 !

Filed Under: AMA Waterways, Rhine River, River Cruise Lady, River Cruising

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Linda is a #rivercruise expert who can help you sort through all the options out there. She has done all the rivers in Europe and more!⚓️

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#rivercruiselady #rivercruise #nilecruise #dreamingoftravel #staysafe
It’s Ama-zing what you find when you’re quaran It’s Ama-zing what you find when you’re quaran-cleaning!  I remember celebrating with @amawaterways & blue champagne when we reached the highest point of the Main-Danube canal 10 years ago (did not recall getting this certificate though 😏) ⚓️ #rivercruiselady #rivercruise #amawaterways #danube #river #covidcleaning #rivercruiseladylinda
Feeling sad for all the river cruisers who plans h Feeling sad for all the river cruisers who plans have been postponed & hope they can rebook for the future & while on a walk yesterday, realized the only one who isn’t sad is Mother Nature as she continues to blossom just like this beautiful tree I saw ⚓️ #rivercruiselady #travel #rivercruise #future #mothernature #blossom #wewillgetthroughthis
In honor/honour of International Women’s Day, I In honor/honour of International Women’s Day, I am striking the pose #eachforequal and so proud of how far we’ve come but realize we’ve still got a long way to go!  Wearing my @amawaterways scarf that I received as a gift on my #rivercruise because #amameanslove which is spread throughout their company by their ama-zing leader & co-owner Kristin Karst ❣️ Kudos to all the other women  in executive positions in the #rivercruising (or any other) industry 👏🏼
⚓️ #internationalwomensday #rivercruiselady #womensupportingwomen #womeninbusiness
Did you know you can do a river cruise starting in Did you know you can do a river cruise starting in Venice ?  Uniworld is doing a complete design renovation & will debut the super ship #lavenezia in a couple of months. Will be a fantastic way to explore Northern Italy ! 
#rivercruiselady #uniworld #rivercruise #poriver #italy #newship #cantwait
Remembering the balmy Oct weather 🌞 while strol Remembering the balmy Oct weather 🌞 while strolling through the captivating streets of Avignon to the incomplete bridge on our Rhone River Cruise in France ⚓️ #rivercruiselady #rivercruise #rhoneriver #avignon #france #sunshine #bridge
Guess what is one of the hottest destinations righ Guess what is one of the hottest destinations right now? Yes, you guessed it - Egypt!  Plus @uniworldcruises has a brand new ship launching on the Nile in Jan so you’ll be cruising in style while you follow in the footsteps of renowned explorers as you venture into the ancient burial grounds like the Valley of the Kings ⚓️ #rivercruiseladylinda #egypt #nile #rivercruise #uniworld #sphinx #newship #adventure #pyramids #unesco
Enjoying our last day in Budapest - such a great w Enjoying our last day in Budapest - such a great walkable city with wonderful views 
#rivercruiselady #danube #rivercruise
#budapest #rivercruising #walkingtour #excursions #castles #citystay
I think the Scenic Jade has the nicest docking spo I think the Scenic Jade has the nicest docking spot in all of Budapest - directly across from the majestic Parliament Building! ⚓️ #rivercruiselady #danube #rivercruise #budapest #rivercruising #scenicjade #parliament #niceparkingspot
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River Cruise Lady Linda

2 weeks ago

River Cruise Lady Linda
In less than 3 weeks now, I will be sharing the details of a brand new Seven River Journey through 14 countries in Europe happening in 2023 - it will be a once in a lifetime event so stay tuned for more information !! #rivercruiselady #rivercruise #SevenRivers #staytuned ... See MoreSee Less
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River Cruise Lady Linda

5 months ago

River Cruise Lady Linda
Happy World Rivers Day! Once we can start travelling on them again, which one are you looking forward to the most? #danube #rhine #seine #rhone #douro #mississippi #columbia #snakeriver #mekong or ??? ⚓️ #rivercruiselady #rivercruise ... See MoreSee Less
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River Cruise Lady Linda

9 months ago

River Cruise Lady Linda
#rivercruiselady #dreamingoftravel #brighterdaysahead ... See MoreSee Less
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River Cruise Lady Linda

10 months ago

River Cruise Lady Linda
Would have been a ‘cruising down the river’ day on my @uniworldcruises Nile Cruise Egypt itinerary so looking at the intriguing landscape until I can get there again one day. ⚓️#rivercruiselady #rivercruise #nilecruise #dreamingoftravel #staysafe ... See MoreSee Less
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