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Brightly colored floral and geometric patterns from stateroom to Main Lounge immediately show you that AmaViola is no ordinary river cruise ship. Twin balconies in most staterooms maximize your enjoyment as steeples and vineyards glide by. Mouthwatering cuisine worthy of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, an exclusive and internationally renowned gastronomic society, is served from sunrise to sunset. There’s something symphonic about the flourish and style of The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant and the coordinated effort to serve each bold, beautiful and delicious course of the regionally inspired tasting menu. Butterfly wallpaper in the hair salon highlights how you’ll emerge brand new while an inviting sun-deck pool with a swim-up bar refreshes your spirit. Plus, AmaViola inspires you to be the best version of yourself with a walking track, fitness room and fleet of onboard bikes to keep you happy and healthy during your cruise.
Exceptional service, excellent food, high class all the way! Embarking and disembarking is so different on this river cruise than we have experienced on ocean cruising... no line ups, very relaxed process, so smooth. The buffet breakfast was very good... all the options one would want including made to order omelettes and for the bread lover - a huge array of choices. Each meal featured a couple of options... a little less than we are used to on ocean cruises, but certainly satisfying. At one of the meals, I experienced the best pork I think I’ve ever eaten! The service was pretty top notch and the wine choices were very good! We found the shore excursions were excellent - local guides with a lot of knowledge. Having the bicycle option was an added bonus. The exercise room was well equipped with top of the line equipment. Our cruise manager, Kriss Stallabrass, was excellent! Very organized, knowledgeable and fun!
We boarded our first river cruise onboard the AmaViola in Budapest. As people used to ocean cruising, we weren't sure what to expect. Afterwards, we came away with a very favorable impression of AmaWaterways and river cruising in general. Embarkation was so easy. Technically, this was a National Geographic cruise, and the ship was not full... I believe there were 111 people onboard. We had a French balcony (which didn't get much use... it was COLD) but it provided a great view of the river. Only disconcerting part was looking out the balcony doors and seeing a concrete wall a foot in front of your face. The stateroom was small. I mean I didn't expect anything palatial, but it was tiny. Only had enough room to store one big suitcase under the bed. Did we overpack? Maybe, but with it being winter in Central Europe, a parka, boots and thermals were needed. That was my biggest beef. The food started off ok. Not fabulous, but certainly not bad. By the second or third day the culinary staff seemed to really get it together and the food became a real highlight. The Chef's Table was amazing, and I liked that you could get full breakfast in the dining room, then go up to the lounge for Second Breakfast. The National Geographic experts onboard were very accessible and all around wonderful human beings. So keen to share the history of the region and the best way to capture it in pixels. The lounge was great. The bartender was very generous with his pours and the drinks outside of the happy hour were very reasonably priced. One highlight was having that included drink hour. At the end of the trip, our bar/laundry tab was less than $100 US for two people over a full week. The ship itself is beautiful. It was decorated for Christmas, with lighted garlands on the upper rails and one evening we left shoes outside the door and woke up to find chocolate in the shoes. My biggest complaint, other than the size of the stateroom, was with the shore excursions. Don't get me wrong... there was nothing wrong with the excursions themselves. There were plenty of options, depending on your tastes and activity level. My complaint is that for a cruise featuring Christmas Markets, I would've expected more time in the markets. Too many times you got a long walking tour, followed by "we will meet back here in 45 minutes" which was hardly enough time to sample the local cuisine and crafts. At the end of the trip I could summarize it best as "good, but I wanted more" Were we to do a Danube cruise again, I would be less inclined to take the walking tour and more inclined to explore on our own.
We chose this cruise to spend a hassle-free week as a family, unpacking our bags once and experiencing 4 countries plus a taste of the Christmas markets. We also visited Prague and Munich on our own. We embarked in Budapest on Dec 29, disembarked in Vilshofen Jan 5. We have been on 2 ocean cruises (Caribbean and Alaska) and have 3 teenagers, so I was worried that river cruises have a reputation for catering to an older crowd and they would be bored. But there were several families on board with teenagers and young adults, maybe because of the time of year during school break? And if your kids love history, castles, and just know what to expect, it's a great experience. The boat is small - a dining room, a lounge, a VERY small workout room, and then small pool and track on the top deck. So no kids' club, no teen room, etc. But there is no time spent on the boat really because the destinations are so close. And since there are no interior rooms, everyone gets an amazing view from their room. Embarkation and Disembarkation were so easy compared to ocean cruises. The staff took the time to know everyone by sight. They were very diligent in making sure we checked in and out, so no one was left behind. The boat is able to dock usually just steps away from the central tourist locations, I think only 1-2 days where we needed to take a bus. The shore excursion teams did a wonderful job of breaking us into small groups and traveling different routes through our destinations so if felt very personal. They were all very knowledgeable and I loved the Quietvox speakers so the guides didn't have to shout and you could wander a little bit away and still hear the tour. Food was AMAZING!!! Lots of variety each night, and buffet style eating most of the day - again, very helpful with teenagers. Ours are not picky eaters at all, but there is always a very traditional American option at each meal if you are more choosy. There were several excursions and tours that felt special - I am always skeptical of anything that markets itself as an "exclusive" tour or similar, but these did pretty well. A Mozart concert, castle tour, Melk Abbey tour with no photos allowed - what? you mean you just have to EXPERIENCE a place?? So 20th century! Also an unexpected, amazing experience was docking in Vienna on New Year's Eve and being able to watch the fireworks over the city. It was like a dream. If you are going for the Christmas markets, you should go before Christmas. We knew this from our travel agent, so not a surprise. We were in Prague starting Dec 24 so got some flavor, Budapest still had some stalls Dec 29-30, Vienna and Munich still had hot wine stalls and some trinkets after New Year's. It's enough to get the flavor. Ditto for shopping in general - there were alot of holidays and Sundays when we traveled, so less chance to buy souvenirs. We had a wonderful time and would love to take a river cruise again someday!
We chose this cruise to experience the European Christmas markets. I love the charm and magic of Christmas decorations and the stores and restaurant displays did not disappoint. Pre-Cruise: We arrived in Prague for two days prior to embarkation to allow us to adjust to the time change/travel fatigue. We stayed at the same hotel as others doing the full three day pre-cruise Prague package. This was helpful for the bus ride to Nuremberg, the port of embarkation. Upon check-in at the hotel I was directed to the table where the cruise director, Kata, greeted us. We did our own thing in Prague and enjoyed our time there. Shore Excursions: The scheduled excursions always include professional tour guides arranged by Amawaterways and all were all very knowledgeable. Each stateroom has two "receivers" for you to hear the tour guides speak on the tours. These receivers were of better quality than those I have used on other European tours. If your itinerary has you visiting Christmas markets on a weekend - be ready for large crowds. We chose several food/drink focused excursion options not associated with Christmas markets and were very pleased. One afternoon I took the gingerbread cookie decorating class. The cookies were baked by the staff and we were provided icing to decorate. One day we opted to stay on the ship while it changed ports, rather than taking a bus ride to a castle. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable afternoon. Those who opted for the castle tour were also pleased with their selection. We found we enjoyed the smaller cities and markets the most, with Regensberg our favorite. We had snow flurries one day in Melk - which added to the charm and Christmas spirit. Food: The first night's dinner was excellent. Unfortunately, the other meals were not as special. I attribute this to trying to feed 150-160 people at the same time. If you are not interested in the main courses being offered, there is always a beef, chicken and vegetarian option to choose from. You will never go hungry. Entertainment: We are not big on on-board entertainment, but found the violin players to be really enjoyable. We had the option of adding a Chechen-themed dinner and dancing entertainment in Prague but chose not to based on personal preference and prior experiences. Currency: We had three currencies to deal with on the cruise. Prior to the trip we went to a local currency exchange and got Korunas, Euros and Forints in amounts we thought we would spend in those locations. We did have some money left over to exchange upon our return, but found it very convenient to have local currencies at hand. Packing: The on-board laundry service which was around $15 Euros for five shirts, five pairs of underwear, a couple pairs of socks and two pairs of jeans. Next time we will pack less and do laundry more. Security: The Christmas markets in large cities always had a police presence in and around the market. The more crowded the market, the more likely for theft. No one we knew had anything stolen, but one couple felt their backpack being unzipped in Budapest and were able to turn and stop the thief. Also, be aware of bike lanes and don't wander into them. We had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves. I would recommend this cruise and the cruise line.
I should start this review out with a word regarding my rating. It would have to be OUTSTANDING for me to give a 5, so in most cases my "4" should be considered very good. Now to our trip: " Melodies of the Danube" (Wine themed cruise) Our cruise itinerary was slightly modified from the standard since it included 2 tours not generally available on the regular " Melodies of the Danube" cruise. Our Itinerary: Budapest VIENNA plus Viennese Heuriger Tavern Evening KREMS plus evening at Schloss Gobelsburg Wine Tasting WEISSENKIRCHEN GREIN plus Exclusive Clem Castle Visit with Private Wine Reception LINZ PASSAU VILSHOFEN Our embarcation was at Mahart-Garam1 which at first seemed odd and a bit inconvenient since this pier is located up river in north Budapest and really doesn't provide very good views and isn't really near many of the hotels or sites. However, once on board it became clear why this pier was selected. Earlier in the year an accident during an "illumination cruise" resulted in all such cruises to be suspended for safety.( this cruise provided beautiful views of the lighted parliament, bridges and other government buildings). AMAWATERWAYS found that after our embarkation that our ship needed to be moved to the usual International pier (directly across from the Parliament building) and this move "needed" to be made in the evening to allow everyone to board. The result was a fantastic view of lighted Budapest at at night (clever). The tour stops were all interesting and provided multiple levels of tour depending on your ability. I injured my knee before the cruise and keeping up with the tours was a concern. The "level 1" tours were just right and maybe even a bit slow paced at times ( this did allow for easy setup of pictures along the tour though). For the most part the tours covered the same routes just at a slower pace with the exception of areas with many steps, where the slower tour would deviate. Being this was a "special wine themed" version of the cruise our it included wine activities on board and extra stops as noted in our itinerary. Most of the days tours started at 9:30am which made the morning a bit less hectic however,(here's a negative). The first 2 added excursions took place AFTER dinner starting at (8:00PM or 8:30PM) so with the bus rides and event we didn't get back to the ship until about 11:00. The next days tours started at 9:00 (half hour earlier than most) which resulted in not much sleep and barely time for breakfast. I think a bit better planning by AMA can correct this issue. This wan't our first river cruise , but it was our first with AMA , and overall everything was "VERY GOOD" and we hope to take another cruise with AMAWATERWAYS in the future.
Exceptional service, excellent food, high class all the way! Embarking and disembarking is so different on this river cruise than we have experienced on ocean cruising... no line ups, very relaxed process, so smooth. The buffet breakfast was very good... all the options one would want including made to order omelettes and for the bread lover - a huge array of choices. Each meal featured a couple of options... a little less than we are used to on ocean cruises, but certainly satisfying. At one of the meals, I experienced the best pork I think I’ve ever eaten! The service was pretty top notch and the wine choices were very good! We found the shore excursions were excellent - local guides with a lot of knowledge. Having the bicycle option was an added bonus. The exercise room was well equipped with top of the line equipment. Our cruise manager, Kriss Stallabrass, was excellent! Very organized, knowledgeable and fun!
We boarded our first river cruise onboard the AmaViola in Budapest. As people used to ocean cruising, we weren't sure what to expect. Afterwards, we came away with a very favorable impression of AmaWaterways and river cruising in general. Embarkation was so easy. Technically, this was a National Geographic cruise, and the ship was not full... I believe there were 111 people onboard. We had a French balcony (which didn't get much use... it was COLD) but it provided a great view of the river. Only disconcerting part was looking out the balcony doors and seeing a concrete wall a foot in front of your face. The stateroom was small. I mean I didn't expect anything palatial, but it was tiny. Only had enough room to store one big suitcase under the bed. Did we overpack? Maybe, but with it being winter in Central Europe, a parka, boots and thermals were needed. That was my biggest beef. The food started off ok. Not fabulous, but certainly not bad. By the second or third day the culinary staff seemed to really get it together and the food became a real highlight. The Chef's Table was amazing, and I liked that you could get full breakfast in the dining room, then go up to the lounge for Second Breakfast. The National Geographic experts onboard were very accessible and all around wonderful human beings. So keen to share the history of the region and the best way to capture it in pixels. The lounge was great. The bartender was very generous with his pours and the drinks outside of the happy hour were very reasonably priced. One highlight was having that included drink hour. At the end of the trip, our bar/laundry tab was less than $100 US for two people over a full week. The ship itself is beautiful. It was decorated for Christmas, with lighted garlands on the upper rails and one evening we left shoes outside the door and woke up to find chocolate in the shoes. My biggest complaint, other than the size of the stateroom, was with the shore excursions. Don't get me wrong... there was nothing wrong with the excursions themselves. There were plenty of options, depending on your tastes and activity level. My complaint is that for a cruise featuring Christmas Markets, I would've expected more time in the markets. Too many times you got a long walking tour, followed by "we will meet back here in 45 minutes" which was hardly enough time to sample the local cuisine and crafts. At the end of the trip I could summarize it best as "good, but I wanted more" Were we to do a Danube cruise again, I would be less inclined to take the walking tour and more inclined to explore on our own.
Every feature in an AmaWaterways stateroom was thoughtfully conceived with the comfort of their guests in mind. Their staterooms start at 160 square feet, and suites can be as large as 350 square feet, giving you more space to sit back and relax in between meals and explorations. Artfully crafted to a first-class standard, each room is equipped with innovative designs, plush bedding, multi-jet shower-heads, and many other special touches that make you feel like you’re getting the royal treatment. Most of the staterooms have a balcony — or two — so you can enjoy stunning views of the magnificent sights along the river’s edge.
Savour exquisite cuisine at a variety of dining venues, like the Main Restaurant and The Chef’s Table. You can also order delicious tapas between meals in the Main Lounge.
Your river cruise with AmaWaterways will be a luxurious experience from start to finish. Customise how you explore Europe with a variety of included shore excursions and flexible tour options.
After dinner, we invite you to enjoy engaging evening entertainment. You are sure to be enthralled as different performers come on board each night. It's the perfect complement to your daily discoveries.
With a walking track on the Sun Deck, a fitness room and a fleet of onboard bicycles to use on your own or on one of the many guided bike tours, as well as healthy menu choices, you’ll have everything needed to stay active and healthy while sailing Europe’s great rivers.
Please note: this ship does not feature any children's facilities.
