Hank Schrader

May 2, 2024

Europe River Cruise

Castles on the Rhine Gorge

Hank Schrader

May 2, 2024

Europe River Cruise

Castles on the Rhine Gorge

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

In 1971, during my first visit to Europe. I took a KD cruise through the Middle Rhine River castles between Mainz to Koblenz. The are 40 castles, some in ruins, and some you can actually visit.

Overview

The Rhine River Gorge has the greatest concentration of scenic banks and castles in all Europe. It never gets old! This 65 km stretch of the Rhine has always been an important transportation route. The 40 castles that dot the steep hillsides were erected over a period of around 1,000 years ago to protect land holdings and exact tolls. Most are now picturesque ruins, as they were either destroyed in wars or abandoned. Still, you can feel like you are part of a bygone time cruising this portion of the river. No wonder, it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A Few Facts About Medieval Castles of the Rhine

These military structures were built for one reason—to defend the owner’s property and everything else is secondary. This concentration of these castle were in the heart of the old Holy Roman Empire where the Rhine was one of the most important, if not the most important transportation routes of the Empire.

These castle were prepared as a defense in depth—there were always a series of obstacles and defensive positions to provide the defenders with advantages during a siege or attack.

Castles became obsolete with the invention of more modern weapons and especially gunpowder .

Klopp Castle Bingen

Klopp Castle is the most famous landmark in Bingen but most folks on the river are drawn to the Mausetuen, as it is more colorful than the stark walls of Klop Castle.

Mauseturm Bingen

The Mouse Tower is one of the best legends of the Rhine Castles in this area. The wicked archbishop of Mainz Hato hoarded grain from the townsfolks. One day, for his harsh ways, he was attacked by mice and rats who gnawed him to death. The tower is on an island of the Rhine near Bingen and is used today as a lighthouse.

Ehrefels Castle

It was built in 1211 and remodeled in 1365. It is in ruins today. It once safeguarded the cathedral treasures in times of rebellion and unrest. It finally was destroyed by the French in 1689.

Rheinstein Castle

First built around 1000, perched 279 feet above the Rhine River, it always was a castle designed to collect tolls. Later, it became the felon’s court of Mainz in 1200. From 1282 to 1286, Rudolph von Hapsburg, the Holy Roman Emperor resided in this castle. By 1632 it was a ruin.

It has since been restored and is open to the public. Inside are stained glass windows and mural paintings as well as a Renaissance fireplace and stylish furniture. Castle and medieval games take place in the Knight’s Hall. The castle can only be reached by a short footpath.

Reichenstein Castle

The legend of this castle is one of a ghost king. The robber knights of this castle were in conflict with the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph who lived in Rheinstein Castle. Rudolph finally captured the castle and condemned the Noble rulers and his 10 sons. The father begged Emperor Rudolph to spare his sons. Rudolph agreed if father of the clan could walk past all his sons after his head had been cut off.

According to the legend, his will was so strong he walked past them and the dropped dead to the ground.

Burg Reichenstein is well preserved, has a good collection of armor on display.

The castle has a small hotel and restaurant available for guests.

Soonech Castle

This castle is built on the outermost tip of the Soon Forest. It was built around 1271 but not many years later, in 1282, besieged by Rudolph and destroyed.

It was later rebuilt but later destroyed by the French during the during the War of the Palatine Succession.

Heimberg Castle

Heimberg Castle was built to counter the castles of Soonech and Reichenstein by Count Ludwig the Severe (you can’t make these names up—amazing even for ages past!). It is now a private residence.

Nolling Castle

Nolling Castle was originally known as the watchtower—it really is not a true castle but part of the northwest Lorch city walls. It is near the town of Lorch. The castle was built to counter the power of Burg Furstenberg on the opposite bank of the Rhine.

Fürstenberg Castle

Now in ruins, this castle was bult in 1219 by the archbishop of Cologne. In 1620, the castle was taked by Spanish forces and in 1632 the Sweedish forces captured it. The French fina;;y finished off this castle during the Palatine war of succession (1688-1690) and has been in ruins ever since.

Stahleck Castle

This fortified castle was built on a crag 520 feet above the river. Like most castles on this section of the Rhine, it was destroyed during the 30 Years War and later by the French around 1689. Now it is a youth hostel with more than 42,000 bookings a year.

Pfalzgrafenstein Castle Toll Station

Perhaps the most dramatic castle/toll station of this whole area, this fortified position is in the middle of the Rhine at a very shallow point of the river. It was the perfect place to exact tolls, as it was almost impossible to avoid merchants and ships sailing on the Rhine.

Gutenfels Castle

Gutenfels Castle is high on the hill (110 meters) overlooking Kaub. The castle worked with Pfalzgrafenstein toll station.

Schonburg Castle

This castle was built starting in 1116. It is above the medieval town of Oberwesel. This was another castle to collect tolls until 1689 when the French burned it down.

This castle sometimes been described as “the most beautiful refuge on the Rhine during the Romantic Era”.

It is now a hotel and restaurant.

Lorelei (Loreley)

This rock formation is at the narrowest part of the Rhine River. The resulting swift current brought about a legend of a female water spirit than caused sailors to get distracted and wreck their boats.

Katz Castle

Katz Castle was built in 1371 to collect tolls on the Rhine River. The official name of the castle that overlooks the village town of St. Goarshausen is “Neukatzenellbogen”.

The castle was built by the Counts of Katzenelnbogen, so it is easy to see how the name was shortened by locals to Burg Katz.

In 1626, the castle was besieged by the Electorate of Cologne and while courageously defended by 10 cannons and 80 soldiers, surrendered after 5 weeks when they ran out of ammunition. The 7 electors of the Holy Roman Empire were constantly trying to increase their power and ranking among the 7 Electors, so armed conflict was just one means of getting more power.

France always feared a strong Germany, and they invaded this region in an effort to assert its superiority and dominance of the small, un-unified German kingdoms. Both Germany and France wanted control of the Rhine River. This important transportation river soon became an area of international conflict.

The next siege came in 1692 by the French. The castle survived other attacks until in 1806 it was ordered blown up by Napoleon.

By 1770 it was in total decay. It has been restored and now is used for a holiday center for German financial authorities. Burg Katz is closed to the public.

Rheinfels Fortress

Built in 1245, this castle was constantly improved and fortified. It is the largest castle on the Rhine and could shelter 4,000 people and stand a 6-month siege—it successfully defied 28,000 French soldiers for 6 month. In 1792, the commander of Rheinfels handed over the fortress to the French, who destroyed it, Visitors can tour the ruins.

Maus Castle

Burg Maus (officially Thurnberg Castle) is much smaller than Burg Katz but is higher on the hillside and looks like to me, taunting the larger Katz Castle to come and get me.

It overlooks the Wellmick village and construction began on this castle around 1356. The castle has a massive shield wall, and the keep (highest tower) is part of this wall. Directly opposite this smaller castle is Rheinfels Castle.

Burg Maus was built to secure the borders of Trier against the Counts of Katzenelenbogen’s territory and to collect tolls. Burg Maus was never destroyed.

Today it is used as a falcon training center and is open for visits.

The Katz and Maus Feud

The two Rhine River castles, Burg Katz and the smaller Burg Maus got their name from two feuding lords in the late 1300’s. Their different size and proximity to each other makes them a special part of the lore of the over 40 castles in the Rhine River Gorge.

To understand the rivalry of these two castles, many of these castles were constructed on this stretch of the Rhine by competing factions trying to gain more wealth and power Burg Katz, across the river from Rheinfels castle, was built by to support Rheinfels fortress, while Burg Maus was built by the Electorate of Trier (one of the 7 voters for the selection of the Holy Roman Emperor) near Katz castle to undermine its’ power by also collecting tolls from the river merchants.

The Waring Brothers

This is another great legend of the Rhine Castles. This is the story of 2 great castles, two brothers who pursued the lovely Angela to marry.

The castle with the big white tower, Burg Sterrenberg, and Burg Liebenstein were once very friendly. This changed when the 2 brothers, Henry and Konrad, both wanted to marry Angela and she must now decide.

Konrad was a knight and went away to war. Angela decided to wait for him. She was devastated when he returned with a wife from Greece after 5 years. When Konrad sailed done the Rhine , he saw a black flag on top of Burg Sternenberg and realized his father was dead and a new castle, Berg Liebenstein built.

Konrad landed, and drew his sword as a sign of respect to salute his father. Henry mistakenly thought Konrad was attacking him and drew his sword, as the anger boiled over. Angela got between the waring brothers and almost was killed.

Both brothers retreated to their castles, K onrad built a wall and the devastating Angela became a nun.

The whole result was a huge wall between the castles, a grieving girl and a family ripped apart.

**The Waring Brothers—**Burg Sterrenberg on the Left: Burg Liebenstein on the right

**The Waring Brothers** Burg Sterrenberg (left) and Burg Liebenstein (right)

Burg Sterrenberg (lower Castle); the Wall and Burg Liebenstein

Marksburg Castle

Marksburg is the only castle that was never sacked or ruined among the 40 some odd castles along the Rhine Gorge stretch from Koblenz to Rüdesheim. It is above the town of Braubach. Marksburg was built and served as primarily a fort and often these countryside castles lacked the grandeur of royal palaces. The white pained castle with red trim is distinctive and has a butter-churn keep tower, as the lower parts of the tower are wider than the upper parts and it resembles a butter-churn devise.

The construction of Marksburg was intended to defend the town and after entering the castle the first area in the Great Battery with its firing positions designed to protect the Rhine and town from enemies.

The next area on the tour is the wine cellar.

The gothic Hall was the kitchen area of the castle fort.

The next area was the sleeping area.

Next is the Chapel

Now the Armory Museum, called the Gimbel collection, uses life-sized figurines to show the changes in armor and weaponry through the ages.

Finally, the Horse Stables, which also was used as a prison complete with torture devices.

Stozenfels Castle

Stozenfels Castle the castle is located approx. 5 km to the south of Koblenz, which was originally built as a customs fortress and was destroyed by the French in 1689 in the Palatine War of Succession. It was rebuilt according to the plans of the Berlin master builder Schinkel and is now open to the public. It houses a number of valuable furniture pieces and a collection of armor and weapons. Here are some pictures:

Martinsburg Palace

This castle was built as a toll station for the archbishop of Mainz.

Lahneck Castle

This is a great castle to tour, as combines medieval fortifications, and great interiors. It was built in 1244 and destroyed in the Thirty Years War (1633). In 1852, it was rebuilt and finally fully restored in 1937.

Lahneck Castle view from the Rhine River

It is a very interesting and pretty residential castle. The stained-glass windows of the chapel date to the 1400s. There is even a portrait of Queen Victoria, painted in 1840.

It is full of fine furniture, porcelain, ceramics, a 15th century kitchen complex and a fully furnished 3-story doll house.

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

Just across from Koblenz, where the Moselle and Rhine meets, a huge fortress dominates the high ground of this river junction.

Our Final Thoughts

Sometimes, it is plain cool to visit sites that are important to you and try and imagine what it was like during that era. Can you imagine the castles, the scramble for power and land during these times?

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@visitdd.com . We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

ANNE has earned a degree from the University of Houston in Hotel and Restaurant Management. Serving as the President of Visit Dream Destinations, LLC, since 2016, she is uniquely experienced professional travel advisor with over 26 years’ experience in the travel industry. Among her numerous certifications, she is a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) by the Travel Institute, considered the gold standard in travel agent certification and she is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC) by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well Luxury Cruise Specialist also from CLIA. Having traveled often to Europe since 1989, she has expanded on her certification as a Destination Specialist in Western Europe (DS) with extensive first-hand experience in luxury vacations. She holds numerous other specialty designations from individual vendors. An expert photographer, she delights in capturing the true essence of destinations to share with all.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 52 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

April 24, 2024

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways 3-Day Loire Valley Land Extension

Hank Schrader

April 24, 2024

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways 3-day Loire Valley Land Extension

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

Most folks who travel to Europe from the US want to stay in Europe a few days before or after their 7-day river cruise. They often ask about the land extensions and what exactly one might get to see and experience on these extensions.

So, this will be the first in a series of land extensions offered by the various river cruise companies. We are going to start with the Loire Valley. To make this similar to what is posted on the website from AmaWaterways, I have put it in a bullet format and added some descriptions to enhance the visits with our pictures.

Transferring to Amboise

• BORDEAUX – DISEMBARKATION – LOIRE VALLEY/AMBOISE

• Disembark the ship and transfer to Tours for free time for lunch before arriving in the Loire Valley, where you will check into your Amboise hotel. (B)

Amboise

• Visit three of the Loire Valley’s regal châteaux starting with the Château de Chenonceau, one of the most beautiful castles in France.

• This château has been referred to as the “Women’s Castle” since it is the only castle in the region that has been built, inhabited, and saved by women during the Renaissance.

• Château du Clos Lucé was Leonardo da Vinci’s last home where he completed some of his most famous works under the patronage of the King of France.

• The Château d’Amboise, perched on a promontory overlooking the Loire River, was the first Renaissance château built in the Loire Valley and features extravagant residences, gardens and a Gothic chapel, where Leonardo da Vinci is buried. (B)

Amboise

This is a cool little town—great castle, good food, and the palace where the genius, Leonardo De La Vince spent his last 3 years. In 1516 Leonardo traveled to France and among the items he brought was his painting of the Mona Lisa and accepted a position working for the King of France as an engineer, painter and architect.

Chateau du Clos-Luce is an interesting look at Leonardo’s creativity—each room seems to emphasize his talents for painting, building, and inventing. The models of some of his inventions and ideas are really well done.

Chateaux Chenonceau—a Woman’s Palace

Built over the Cher River, this is an impressive chateau that I intuitively knew was going to be a special visit. From the entrance to this historic site, it is about a 15-minute walk to the chateaux through some wonderful gardens, a cool duck pond and a carriage house with splendid examples of horse drawn transportation and farming carts of the era. Here are some of our photos:

The tour took us through this palace, which originally was gifted by the King of France for his mistress. Diane De Poitier. We started of with the Guard Room and Chapel.

We next visited Diane De Poitier’s Bedroom, the Green Study, and the library. Here is the story about control of the palace.

Diane De Poitier is an interesting women—she was the mistress of King Henry II and he gave her the palace in 1547. When Henry died as a result of a jousting tournament accident in 1559, Henry’s wife, Catherine de Medici’s, quickly made sure Diane was no longer welcome and she took control of the Chateau.

My favorite room was the 200-foot-long Gallery. It instantly reminded me of the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles except with 18 windows instead of mirrors. The Gallery is actually the bridge over the river Cher. The dazzling chandeliers and tufa and slate floor of black and white tiles are stunning. It would be easy to imagine a wonderful evening ball here—there would be plenty of room to dance and socialize and this was exactly how this area was used by the royals for lavish parties.

**Chateaux Chenonceau 200-foot long Gallery Room over the Char River**

Amboise to Paris

• Check out of your Amboise hotel and, enroute to Paris, visit two more majestic châteaux.

• While Château de Chambord, located at the heart of Europe’s largest enclosed wooded park, began as an unassuming hunting lodge, it is now the biggest château in the Loire Valley with 426 rooms, 77 staircases and 282 fireplaces.

• Next, either marvel at the residence of seven kings and ten queens of France at the famous Château de Blois where you’ll discover the secrets of the French court or enjoy free time.

• Afterwards, transfer by motor coach to your hotel at Charles De Gaulle Airport. (B)

Château Chambord

One of the largest Chateaux in all France, Chambord has over 400 rooms. It was created as a hunting lodge and to impress visitors. On first sight, it does just that—this place is massive. 80 of the rooms are on display. This is a great example of French Renaissance architecture.

Château Chambord

There are 4 main areas of interest of this palace.

We entered and went up the double-helix staircase, the first of the must see in the chateau. It was designed so users could pass without seeing each other since there are two flights of stairs. It is rumored to be inspired by Leonardo De La Vince and some say it was designed so the King’s mistress and the queen could pass without having to meet.

The second area of great interest is the furnished apartments of the first floor. These are lavishly decorated and have furniture fitting for a king (although they are recreations—most of the original furnishings were looted during the French Revolution).

The third area is the keeps—the vaulted rooms of the second floor. The symbol of the king was the salamander and there are many carved into the walls and ceilings.

There are over 300 salamanders carved into the walls and ceilings of Chambord. It was the personal emblem of Frances I and symbolized resilence and fortitude.

The forth area is the terraces. The sweeping views, the turrets, the walkways are really special. In the center of the terraces is the lantern tower crowned with the fleur-de-lis.

The Lantern Tower—this is the highest tower in Chambord

Château du Bolis

This is a stop to view another great palace. There are 17 rooms of the Royal Apartments, 9 rooms of the Fine Arts Museum, and 4 other spaces including the largest room in this structure, the Estates General room, which has 6,720 flour-de-lis on the panels.

Our Final Thoughts

Sometimes, it is plain cool to visit royal palaces built to impress and try and imagine what it was like during that era to live as a royal.

This 3-day land extension is one of the best offered by Amawaterways, as it captures the heart of this region in an efficient and comprehensive manner. We would recommend this as well worth the extra expense.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

April 4, 2024

Europe River Cruise

Some Internet Articles Spread Confusion About Europe River Cruises

Hank Schrader

April 4, 2024

Europe River Cruise

Some Internet Articles Spread Confusion About Europe River Cruises

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

We almost exclusively specialize in European River Cruises and European travel. It often has us researching every aspect of river cruising.

Lately some press articles published just are not effective in helping you decide which river cruise to take, or even if you should use our services.

I guess I’m going to call out some really smart and good intended authors, but in my humble opinion, their focus is either misguided or misses the crucial reasons to take a Europe River cruise.

Let me be clear—it is excursions first and last. I’m going to shout it out-- Focus on Excursions to Decide Which Europe River Cruises is Right for You!!

A Professor Tells You Travel Agents Are No Longer Needed

In an article published on 23 March 2024 in Fortune, Andrew C. Spieler, a distinguished professor in business and finance at Hofstra University, compares real estate agents to travel agents. He said, “You just don’t need them”. His reasoning—the internet provides all you need.

Perhaps he is right for simple trips but let me counter this with facts from our 50 clients booked on Europe River cruises in 2024—35 have never been on a river cruise, and all told us the same thing—the information about river cruises in Europe was so confusing, they wanted help to decide how to get the best value for a trip that costs at least $10,000 to $20,000. And when they learned we don’t charge any fees, as the commission we receive is already built into the price, they are getting our unbiased advice basically for free.

So, Mr. Spieler, the 35 first-time cruisers and our 15 long-term clients, disagree with your bold statement as to our value, as do we. Great Headline but a disservice to professionals who do add value.

Dr. Spieler, you are a distinguished real estate expert, and I only graduated from West Point and also have two master’s degrees, but I learned critical thinking skills in these schools, and your flippant statement is not worthy of a man of your stature and academic skills—in the real world many folks need our expertise and help.

The Points Guy

In an article yesterday (2 April 2024) from Gene Sloan, on a free trip from Avalon Waterways, extolled the virtues of Avalon Alegria (their new ship in Portugal) for their bed facing view, spacious showers, and different colored towels in the staterooms (his and hers). While I totally agree with their lovely staterooms (all their ships in Europe have the same bed facing view), he avoids the critical decision point for taking a river cruise—the excursions.

Perhaps in fairness, since this is a 4 day PR cruise event, the excursions experiences were not his subject matter. However, read on—you will learn more about my thoughts on this bed placement room arrangement.

A great example of an Avalon Panoramic Suite with the large glass window.

Actually, the hype about the bed facing the view is part of Avalon’s key selling points. I cannot support this point of view. First, the amount of time spent lying in bed, watching the river scenes go by is minimal at best or should be minimal. Second, a slight turn of your head on different river cruise ships provides the same view, perhaps not as comfortable as the Avalon stateroom, but even that is a stretch. Mr. Sloan writes constantly about these staterooms, and I respect his opinion and 30 years of experience writing about cruises, but I differ in their overall value in selecting a river cruise line.

I should also point out that an opposing river cruise line told travel advisors in the 2023 River Cruise Expo that their line did not use the window view concept used by Avalon because it makes the guest feel the river more than other bed placement options. Having sailed on a ship with the bed facing the balcony window (the AmaMagna), I promise you this is a myth, as the stateroom ride was similar to our other 22 Europe River Cruises.

If stateroom is the only criteria, I’d still be torn between several lines, but my guess is that Avalon and Uniworld would fare better than we rate them overall.

An Interesting Interview with the President of Avalon Waterways

I just finished reading an interview in Travel Market Report about Avalon’s Pam Hoffee today on 3 April 2024. She is the president of Avalon Waterways. I got a chance to meet her briefly last year and found her very warm and personable. What caught my eye about this interview was her advice to travel advisors about who to target as potential clients. She said, “River Cruisers, when they pick a brand, tend to stick with that brand.” “There are very few that switch between brands, but most are very much entrenched in the brand they love.”

I realize this is just another reason we are so valuable to our clients—we match them to their preference as first-time river cruisers by knowing which line will probably be best for them. It just further reinforces our thoughts that all river cruise lines deliver a great vacation, probably the best trip most folks can take as part of a Europe vacation, but the initial choice may be more important than many feel it is.

So, what should you focus on after reading these 3 points of view? Excursions during the Cruise!

Destination and Itinerary of the Cruise—You First Consideration

With good route options available to our clients, the most important factor we find is what they will see and experience during their river cruise.

River cruising is all about the destinations. Even though I have been traveling to Europe for over 52 years and we have led several group tours, I could not do what the river cruise companies do in one week—these folks are experts in showing you the best sights in the least amount of time.

It is truly a unique way to see the interior of a country. It is different from a land-based tour and different from an ocean cruise.

You usually dock very near or right at the destination of the day and there is a tour or place to see every day—no sea days like on a big ocean cruise ship. Being near or in the center of the city, town, or village you are about to explore is a big advantage. In five minutes, all guests are off the boat and seeing the sights.

Most lines also offer different groups during the tours—regular, active walkers or gentle walkers, so your desired way to see the destination is matched with your tour.

So, now you know what route appeals to you, what should you also consider? Extra Charges for Excursions!!

Excursion Extra Charges—A Real Negative for River Cruisers

To me, this is a charge that should be included in the fare, although some charges are understandable and reasonable, in my humble opinion.

Only Scenic and Tauck do not charge for any tours available to their guests.

AmaWaterways only charges for the Vienna concert in their Europe cruise routes (I was told that they were losing money by making reservations for the nighttime concert when too many folks decided not to attend after signing up to go either from being too tired or having a bit too much to drink with dinner). To me that is reasonable. These 3 companies get our best rating for quality and quantity of excursions.

The quality of the excursions offered and the quantity at each port is also a key factor in selecting your river cruise company and is also as important as the price. When you see charges that seem high for more exciting tours, it causes one to muse that the price is not what it seems to be on the advertised cruise fare.

We have now completed 122 different day-by-day route descriptions with our pictures on our website for the 7 different lines we follow, so you can really evaluate the differences between lines. You will see some of the sample slides as images in this blog. Many have over 50 to 100 slides in the day-by-day descriptions along with our pictures—we use the cruise lines descriptions to provide an balanced, comprehensive description of the route.

Uniworld and Viking make my worst offenders list.

Uniworld, which promotes itself as an all-inclusive line, has some significant charges on its Rhine Route for example, but at least they are up front and specify the amount of charges online. On another route in Holland and Belgium, they actually charge extra to go to Kuekenhof Gardens to the tune of $81.00 per person, which is the highlight of most Holland cruises during the 6 weeks in Spring the gardens are open. To me this is just a charge that gouges clients.

Uniworld Extra Charge to see Kuekenhof Gardens—should be included in our opinion

They also sometimes describe a feature on a tour, that it is impossible to determine what you will actually see (like some proof—in Brussels on one tour they emphasize waffles over and over, you will drive by 3 sights, but it never mentions if you will go into the square of guild houses, that most consider the prettiest in all Europe, or if you will visit Manneken Pis, the child fountain statute who wears constantly changing costumes). Here is the slide:

After reading this, do you have any idea what you will actually see? We don’t!

Part of what you could to see in the main square in Brussels

Manneken Pis, the child fountain statute who wears constantly changing costumes—here he is as a patient. Photo Anne Schrader

Viking, however, is the worst offender in my opinion—for example, on each cruise they include only 6 excursions on an 8-day cruise and the rest result in extra charges. To make matters worse, it is extremely difficult to ferret out these charges—most guests receive a printed sheet in their stateroom of the optional charges which can add as much as 500 to 1000 euros to a fare.

Here is an example from their Rhine cruise:

This is a sample of what you would see on a Viking port stop in Strasbourg. Note there is one included tour and two optional tours.

This is a sample of what might be charged to a guest on a Rhine Cruise. Usually we don’t know how much they charge for an optional tour.

The Flammkuchen for 2 with beers costs us 32 Euros which we did on our own—makes the price of the limited tour seem excessive! It’s true we didn’t make it, but many recipes are available to learn how to make this simple dish.

All 16 of the sailing day-by-day sailing routes provided by Viking on our website have extra charges. Usually, it is 2 or 3 every day that have extra charges. Unless you like the one included excursion, or can wander on your own, it is going to cost you extra to take these optional excursions. I have been told by some in our industry that this is a huge money maker for Viking, so it is unlikely that they will change this practice.

Here is probably my favorite example of how Viking uses optional excursion to the max extent possible. On Viking’s Grand Europe Tour in Vienna with a 2 day stop, they offer 8 excursions and there is an extra charge for 7 of these tours. It is quite possible to do some of these tours on your own, since Vienna has a great subway system which allows visitors to get to most of these places on there own. We do it all the time during our river cruise stops. The point of this is exactly the shore excursion mentality of Viking—on their most popular route they work hard to get extra money for tours.

On the first day in Vienna on their Grand Tour route, they offer 1 included tour and 4 optional tours.

On the second day in Vienna, all excursions are extra cost.

Here is the day 13 shore excursions—all extra cost.

Avalon and Emerald do charge extra for some tours, but most seem reasonable if you accept the fact that they will charge extra instead of including them in the fare.

On Avalon for example, I read an article in Travel Weekly that there were 31 options and 23 were included on a Rhone River Cruise and they were priced between $58-$69 per person. They seem very strong in Active and Discovery tour offerings and also have classic excursions in each port stop.

For example, they charge extra to go to Kuekenhof Gardens on one route and for some bike excursions on their Holland and Belgium routes. At least they are clear about extra expenses on their website, without prices, but some like the two above examples just seem excessive and should be included in my opinion.

Here is another example of how you will find out about tours at a port stop and which optional tours have an extra cost.

On the best of the Rhine Route, here is an example of the optional tours offered during this port stop on an Avalon Cruise..

There are 3 optional tours for extra costs—we think the bike tour should be included.

On all of the 22 day-by-day cruise sailing routes provided by Avalon we have completed on our website, all have some extra charges for some excursions.

Emerald charges extra for their DiscoverMore program. Some may have to be pre-booked prior to departure on the cruise. Examples are a beer festival in Passau, a guided tour to Pont du Gard or a concert in Vienna.

To help you determine what costs extra, we have clearly indicated which tours include an extra charges on 14 of the day-by-day sailing routes on our website from the Emerald Brand.

It is clear the 2 DiscoverMore are extra charges on this Emerald Cruise. We just don’t how much they charge

Combined Land Vacations of Pre or Post Land Excursions

The option of adding to their vacation either a pre- or post-excursion is also a key motivating factor for our clients. Almost all involve an extra fee, but sometimes there are promotions that include complementary pre or post options.

We find that most of our clients want a more in-depth look at some destinations and the land excursions options provide just that. There are some great places to extend the river cruise experience and it often makes sense to stay for at least a week either before or after a 7-day cruise or both, which most of our clients choose to do. Long haul flights and flying expenses make a longer stay a better overall value to most of our clients.

Maybe Paris, Budapest, Prague, Lucerne, Zurich, Lake Como, or the Lorie Valley—already you can see the great options directly added by including a tour extension with the river cruise lines or we can help tailor a trip for the more adventurous.

Our Final Thoughts

Wow—some strong opinions here, but I hope we have backed them up with facts. Please don’t fall into the trap of amenities over excursions—you will miss out on the real reason to go and what you will see and experience.

We also hope the extra costs for excursions is a real eye opener. Excursions should be the focus and perhaps this will help you select the line that best fits your travel expectations.

We hope you enjoyed this report, and it helps you to understand why we enjoy helping folks experience river cruising—it packs so much in so little time yet in a relaxed and fun trip that is hassle free.

Don’t you think it is time you went on a river cruise—we would love to help you get the trip you desire!

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

January 19, 2023

Europe River Cruise, River Cruise Routes

AmaWaterways Sails 2 Rivers to Help You See the Best Castles in Europe

Hank Schrader

January 19, 2023

Europe River Cruise, River Cruise Routes

AmaWaterways Sails 2 Rivers to Help You See the Best Castles in Europe

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

While all 7 river cruise companies we follow sail on the Rhine and through the Middle Rhine or, as it is more popularly known, the Rhine Gorge with its 40 castles, they usually sail from Amsterdam to Basel (or reverse) on a 7-day route. But expanding the usual Rhine route by blending this more traditional 7-day route of these awesome castles with a cruise on the winding Moselle in a 10-day cruise and suddenly this becomes the best castle watching opportunity on Europe Rivers. The result is the best castle experience in Europe on the rivers.

The added bonus is a combination of small, charming villages, cool castles, the oldest city in Germany and finally the canals of Amsterdam. Add a visit to Lucerne and Zurich, for a taste of Alpine German speaking Switzerland on a land extension and this becomes an epic journey.

So, let’s explore together and learn about the port stops of 2 great routes—Rhine and Moselle Delights (starting in Basel) and the reverse right the Rhine and Moselle Fairytales

Rhine and Moselle Fairytales (Amsterdam to Basel)

Since the routes are so similar, I will report on the port stops of just the Rhine and Mosel Fairytales. I hope by the time I finish you will want to go on this route.

There are only 6 sailings on this route in 2023—so after reading this you should quickly reach out to us (sailing dates are at the end of April, 2 dates in May, 1 in June, 1 in August and 1 in October). Space fills up quickly and some dates have the special free land extension promotions going on right now but please remember they are capacity controlled and have limited space.

Amsterdam, Netherlands. This ringed city of canals is unique to say the least. A land of bikes, canals, and a free-wheeling culture, we have visited Amsterdam several times and escorted folks there. This is a city of 165 ringed canals, a population of 750.000 (it has as many bikes as people) and always full of tourists.

It is the capital of the Netherlands, with two world class art museums. It is a major port; once the wealthiest city in the world; and residents and visitors live with a tolerant atmosphere.

The tour today is a view of Amsterdam on a scenic canal cruise—it is a neat experience.

Gabbles are unique architecture in Amsterdams

Cologne, Germany. The huge Cologne Cathedral, with its twin pointed towers, is the best-known landmark in Cologne. Construction of the cathedral begin in 1248 and took the next 600 years to complete.

Next door to the Cathedral Romano-Germanic Museum which has artifacts from the old Roman town, including part of an old Roman villa.

Hohenzollern Bridge--This is one of the 7 bridges that cross the Rhine in Cologne. About 1200 trains pass over this bridge daily in route to the main train station.

The old town square is also another good site to visit.

There are 3 tour options today. They are: Join a guided tour through the Old Town and explore the UNESCO-designated cathedral. Continue on to the Cologne Rathaus, Germany’s oldest town hall, and take in other local sights.

For a different view of the city, visit a local tavern to taste its famous Kölsch beer, only made in Cologne, and reibekuchen mit apfelmus, potato pancakes typically served with applesauce.

Or, take a Cologne Bike Tour.

Lahnstein is a port near the Moselle and Koblenz. Here you will get the chance to tour Lahneck Castle, either by tour or take a hike up the castle. Lahneck castle was built in the 13th century above the confluence of the Lahn River. It was heavily damaged during the Thirty Years war in 1633 by Swedish soldiers. Later it passed in private ownership and has been family owned since 1907. The tour is an exclusive feature of the tours offered by AmaWaterways. The next 8 pictures are about this wonderful tour:

Anne took this photo in 2013 of Lahneck Castle on a gloomy day in March

For the slightly more daring adventure, take a cable car ride from Koblenz across the Rhine River to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is the 2nd largest preserved fortress in Europe. It stands 120 meters (360 feet) above the Rhine River.

The Deutsches Eck (the German Corner) is located at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers

For the more active, there is a “Two Rivers” bike tour.

Cochem, Germany, on the Mosel River, is a former walled city. It has a population of about 5,800 and is a traditional old German town. The town has many fine buildings, quaint cottages, guild houses, and winding cobblestone streets. The town square, lined with half-timbered houses, is a wonderful, scenic area of this small town.

Schloss Reichsburg stands watch over the village of Cochem

In Cochem, if you go on an AmaWaterways cruise, you will enjoy a guided tour of Cochem that takes you to the spectacular hilltop Reichsburg Castle (also known as Cochem Castle but the correct name is Schloss Reichsburg). It has fantastic views of the river valley below. Touring inside the castle is great!

Schloss Reichsburg as we viewed it during a walk down to the village of Cochem.

There are two other options here—a visit to Cochem Mustard Mill and, for the more active, a Cochem bike tour.

On the way sailing to Trier, there are 10 wonderful castles, most that are visible from the Moselle River. One of my favorites is Thurant Castle with its twin castles. Here are 2 pictures to show you how scenic and beautiful this route is:

The ruins of Thurant Castle on the hills. The village in the foreground is Alken with an estimated population of 640

Trier was an old Roman outpost which was first settled by the Roman in 17 BC. It is the oldest city in Germany, and is near the Luxembourg border—in fact, one side of the Moselle River is Trier, Germany and the opposite other side is the tiny country of Luxembourg. Anne & I first visited here in 1989.

Important Roman sights include the Roman Baths, an amphitheater, Basilica of Constantine (it was the throne room of Emperor Constantin), and the huge city gate, the Porta Nigra gate, that dates back to 180 A.D. It has earned the nickname of “the Rome of the North.”

Other sights are the Trier Cathedral (it is the oldest Cathedral in Germany) and the ornate Trier Electoral Palace and gardens. Also worth a visit is the old town area of the main market (Hauptmarkt)—besides people watching, the backdrop is the Porta Nigra and the large square is lined with a variety of architectural styles and is quite colorful.

There are three tours at this port stop. First is the “Ancient Tales of the Porta Nigra” and for the active, two options--a Petrisberg hike or a Trier Bike tour.

Bernkastel is a wonderful town of around 8000. It is located about halfway between Cochem and Trier on the Mosel River. There are many half-timbered buildings, especially around the market square. Easily seen from market square is St Michael’s church, built in the 14th century that had a dual purpose— it served as a house of worship and its tall bell tower served as a watch tower in the old city ramparts. The city has some wonderful fountains—they include St. Michael's fountain on the Market Square, the bear's fountain, and the doctor's fountain. Overlooking the town is the Landshut Castle ruins. It was first built in 1277 but was ruined by fire in 1692.

When sailing from Trier, the Castle and bridge are a dramatic introduction to Bernkastel!

Bernkastel is located in the middle of the Mosel wine-producing region. This area has been producing wine for over 500 years. You will get to experience a guided walking tour through the old town center and a winery visit to sample several different regional vintages are scheduled for this portion of your cruise if you go on an AmaWaterways cruise.

Not to be overlooked, there are two active tours—a hike up to Landshut Castle or a Moselle bike tour.

Rhine Castles. Prior to arriving at Rüdesheim, you will marvel at the Rhine Gorge. Long before modern river cruising, in 1971, I first sailed this route on a day cruise on a KD ferry ship. After maybe 7 or 8 times cruising this stretch of the Middle Rhine, it still holds the wonder it had for me back in 1971.

Photo Anne Schrader of Katz Castle in the Rhine Gorge

A photo from 2015 during a cruise through the Rhine Gorge

Stahleck Castle in the Rhine Gorge. Photo Anne Schrader

Rüdesheim, Germany. The town of Rüdesheim is a charming wine village.

It is famous for the great white wines grown in the region, along with a special coffee drink, aptly named Rüdesheimer coffee (Flambé Asbach brandy, sugar cube, coffee garnished with whipped cream).

A lively lane, the Drosselgasse, is lined with taverns and wine-cellars.

The tours here are a Gondola ride and wine tasting, a vineyard hike, a Schloss Johannisberg bike tour, a visit to Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum or tasting Rüdesheimer coffee. There are certainly a lot of options here!

Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum

Hank and Jim drinking Rüdesheimer coffee—it is awesome!

The crowded Drosselgasse Lane in Rüdesheim

Ludwigshafen, Germany

You won’t really visit anything in Ludwigshafen because it is the gateway to two great tours—Heidelberg and the Mannheim Baroque Palace.

Heidelberg is a historic university town. Top sights in Heidelberg, include a visit the red-walled Castle ruins, with its Great Vat, a 49,000-gallon 18th century wine cask. There are beautiful views of the Neckar Valley and Heidelberg below.

The old town area is a great area to explore. Heidelberg is charming--where narrow lanes, shops and pubs housed in 17th-century structures in the Altstadt are kept lively by the cadence of student life. It also has the longest shopping street in Germany.

You can also chose an active tour in Heidelberg by hiking the “Philosopher’s Path”, where scholars at this university town have wandered when thinking about academic pursuits.

Mannheim Baroque Palace is one of the largest residences in Europe. It was built to highlight the important role of the Prince Electors to the Holy Roman Empire. In 1720 the palace replaced Heidelberg Castle as the residence of the Prince Elector.

The interiors of the palace are magnificent, especially on the main floor which you will see on your tour. The building was severely damage during WW II, but it has been restored to its former glory.

There are 2 other options here—a visit to Schwetzingen Gardens or a Landenburg bike tour.

Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg’s old town is a wonderful stop. After several visits to Strasbourg, it still beckons us back. Our first visit was on Bastille Day (14 July) over 30 years ago and the floodlights on the Cathedral were breathtaking.

There are several main attractions. The Cathedral of Notre-Dame is massive, and the Cathedral square always has lots of life.

Anne took this picture of the huge spire of the Strasbourg Cathedral. The spire is 142 (466 feet) meters high. It is considered one of the most beautiful gothic cathedrals in Europe.

Wander down to Petite France—the home of tanners, fishermen and other artisans—the half-timbered areas are just stunning.

There are 2 options here for tours—the “Gems of Alsace” tour or a Strasbourg bike tour.

Breisach, Germany

Breisach is another gateway city—there are another two great options here—Freiburg, Germany and Riquewihr, France.

Freiburg, Germany (the official name is Freiburg-im-Breisgau) is a blend of old and new.

This city among other claims to fame is said to the sunniest city in all of Germany. Located on the southern edge of the Black Forest, and near the Rhine River, it was a good trade location and rich burghers, and the mercantile guilds were the original political force in the city.

It is a university town (started in the 1400s), once was a walled city but its number one sight is the Freiburger Münster (Freiburg Cathedral) (started in the 1300s). The cathedral was completed in 1513.

Riquewihr is a constant splash of colors, half-timbered buildings and wine shops jumbled together that just is so charming you will not know where to look next. The next 3 pictures are just some of the colorful structures in Riquewihr.

This medieval walled city still has most of its walls. There is a watch tower that today houses a museum about the defensive structures of the city, the people who manned the defensive structures and the weapons they used.

Don’t forget to shop, enjoy the food or a snack and sample the white wines this region is so famous for and brought wealth to this village!

Try some food here—the blend of German and French food results in dishes you won’t soon forget.

The regular tours are a Riquewihr walking tour, or an excursion to Freiburg. The active tours are a Black Forest hike or a Breisach wine country bike tour.

Basel, Switzerland

Basel is the 3rd largest city in Switzerland. The historic old town area, on the left bank of the Rhine, was once an old Roman citadel on the high ground. The Munsterplaz (cathedral square) hosts the large church and some wonderful Christmas Markets. There are no tours here, as it is time to disembark your wonderful cruise.

You will sail under this bridge right near the old town—perhaps now you understand why river cruise ships have only 3 decks!

For a truly immersive experience, there is a three-day Amsterdam pre-cruise land extension and ta 4-day Switzerland post cruise land extension that spends 2 days in Lucerne and 2 days in Zurich.

Our Final Thoughts

This is an exceptional opportunity to see some of the most fascinating and interesting sights in Western Europe. We think this cruise is unique and really deserves consideration for your European travels. We hope you enjoyed this report.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

January 5, 2023

Europe River Cruise

Who is #1 in 2023--Comparing River Cruise Companies

Hank Schrader

January 5, 2023

Europe River Cruise

Who is #1 in 2023—Comparing River Cruise Companies

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

A year ago (early 2022), I wrote an article for Travel Weekly magazine for their digital publication (they also have a print publication), about the search for the number one river cruise line. The premise of the article was that you really don’t have to know who is number one—you should be more concerned about getting a line that matches your desired travel style.

While primarily aimed at travel professionals, if you would like to read this short article, here is the link:

https://www.travelweekly.com/Articles/How-to-choose-the-right-river-cruise-line

Yet, there is always that fear among our clients that they didn’t get the best. We all want the best—more value for less money if that is possible. It is difficult to find what the best option for many is—it is confusing to many professional travel advisors, so I’m not surprised if you have ever wondered—how can I solve this problem and get the best European river cruise for me?

So, let’s explore together and learn about who is # 1 in 2023 among river cruise lines, or better yet how can I get the best river cruise company that matches my travel style?

They all look very similar—there are differences between lines!

Overview—Why Trust Us About River Cruise Comparisons?

It certainly is a fair question to ask—why care about our opinion? Here are a few facts about us—as a friend once told me “It ain’t bragging if you’d done it!”:

Last year (2022) we helped 34 couples going on river cruises. Already in 2023, we have booked 17 couples who will take a river cruise (if you are a good mathematician, that means we sold 51 river cruises in 2022 but 17 haven’t traveled yet). We have booked folks on 5 of the 7 lines we follow and offered a quote on each of the 7 lines since we have been selling river cruises.

To provide some clarity about this in terms of other travel professionals who sell river cruises, according to Travel Weekly’s Annual Report on Travel Agent bookings (all these statistics are from their report), only 47% of all agents specialize in selling river cruises. Among home-based travel professions, we book more travel than about 76% of our peers, and that number is only for total sales—almost 95% of our business in 2022 was from booking river cruises.

In 2022, our article Europe River Cruise Comparisons 2022-2023 was opened on the web 19,237 times. Our Best European River Cruise Route Guide has been opened 8,148 times.in 2022. Both rank # 1 on Google searches.

We have been on 24 River Cruises. There is an excellent chance we have either been on a route you are interested in or have sold the route to a client. Experience counts!

So, the bottom line is that we really know about river cruising and are well positioned to help you get the best match for your river cruise vacation.

Why is it so Confusing to Evaluate Europe River Cruise Routes and Cruise Lines?

There are really three reasons, in my opinion, for the confusion about Europe River cruising.

First, a simple answer is that good advertising and a good overall product make all lines sound great. For example, almost all have heard of Viking due to its homerun decision to advertise on PBS, especially on Downton Abbey—the stunning video clip still resonates today even for me who has seen and visited ever sight on the short video clip—it is just a great chance to see some of the most interesting places in Europe in an easy vacation.

But does that make Viking the best cruise line? At least 6 other good lines (they are the main Europe River cruise companies in the US market) sail the exact Upper Danube route where the majority of the Viking Ad takes its video scenery from for their TV Ads. Now it starts to get confusing!

Second, few folks have been on more than one river cruise line and/or on multiple Europe Rivers used by the 7 companies that we study almost daily. Most who have taken a river cruise in Europe think it is such a good vacation, that they tend to remain loyal to their first cruise line, without really investigating other companies. But could there be a better option? —more confusion!

Third, there is no standard way to evaluate differences among suppliers. All have won some type of award or are rated the best in one phase or another of their product offerings. I recently had a great conversation with another travel professional, who ranked our second-best line as her number one. But one thing was clear the differences were so minor, the ranking was essentially not important—all that mattered was the client experience. We both agreed however, that many travel writers who cover river cruising, tend to hype all and the lines are not all equal. What was clear to me, she had an excellent grasp on the industry and the advantages and disadvantages of each river cruise company—far more important than ranking lines.

We had a client last year take back-to-back river cruises on our 2 highest rated lines. He told me it really was a toss-up, but he favored our second rated line. His rating was that they were both so good, he didn’t think it would matter to most folks which line they chose.

It just reinforces for us what a good vacation river cruising is for the majority of our clients.

So, what is the solution to this confusion?

Our Approach to Determining the Best Match for your River Cruise Vacation

There are really 4 areas we try to explore with potential clients to determine their best match for taking a river cruise vacation. They are:

Why do you want to go on a river cruise?
What routes are you interested in?
What are the specific benefits to you from a particular river cruise company—do they match your expectations?
Are you a good fit for a river cruise?

Why Folks Go on River Cruises?

There are 6 main reasons folks go on river cruise. For us, the destination and itinerary are almost always the most important factor among our clients

The second reason is the perceived value of this luxury vacation—it is almost all inclusive on all lines and even though, as I like to say, an expensive hobby, there is a great perceived value for all that is included in the fare.

Most like the combination of smaller towns and visiting the great cities of Europe.

The included tours and land programs are very important, and we find it a key difference between lines.

Smaller ships, intimate atmosphere and ambience is a major appeal, especially after the pandemic.

The services by the caring staff always resonate—most would like to take some home with them if they could.

It is hassle free, convenient, and fun and you often travel with likeminded people.

What Route Interests You?

There are many great rivers in Europe, some more navigable than others, available to choose from. The variety of routes makes repeat sailing, especially in Europe, an attractive option for folks. Each route is different, the seasons make the experience different, so for many of our clients it is not a one and done option.

I’m sure now you can understand why we wrote our Best Route Guide to help you learn about these different options.

Along with that guide, we have created 51 port guides along these routes, with our pictures.

The bottom line—we have the knowledge to match you with the right route for you.

Here are some pictures about the many places you can see on a river cruise:

What are Your Travel Expectations?

Matching your travel experience with the various vendors will make a difference. Stateroom amenities, ambience, crew interactions, port stops, food and wine, themed cruises, promotions, and perceived value all factor into an informed decision.

There are differences between lines. Here is a simple comparison on balconies—would you prefer a half balcony with a push button window (the Scenic picture) or the twin balcony (the AmaWaterways picture)?

Sorting all this out requires extensive knowledge, perceptive questions, and a connection to your advisor, in our opinion. While 6 of the lines we follow sell directly to customers, I just can’t understand why some try to do it on their own—control I guess, or fear someone is trying to sell them something they really don’t want.

Buyer be warned—direct sales folks have one mission—sell quickly. You are far better off connecting with a professional who takes your concerns and wants and then matches your expectations to the correct vendor.

Just remember all agents are not created equal—some, like us, are the real deal!

Are You a Good Fit for a River Cruise?

We find that most of our clients who enjoy a river cruise have some or all of these characteristics in common:

Well-traveled, having visited Alaska/Hawaii/Europe previously
Age 60 or older (although recently, we've noticed this trending younger)
Retired
They enjoy small villages/historical sites
In the $80,000 median annual income range
Veterans of a seven-day or longer ocean cruise
Willing to spend $400 or more per person, per night, if the value is there
Celebrating a milestone event
People who enjoy good food and wine

Perhaps you share some or all of these characteristics—then you’re a great fit for a river cruise!

As with any type of vacation, a river cruise is not for everyone. Folks who don't like schedules, have mobility challenges, want huge staterooms or are looking for the Vegas-style night entertainment ocean cruises often feature may find river cruising a poor choice to take a river cruise.

Our Final Thoughts

As you can see—it doesn’t matter who is number one—it only matters that you get the right river cruise vacation that matches your travel style. As, I like to say, “There are no bad river cruises, all lines probably will provide you the best vacation you will ever take!”

Bottom line? If you: desire fine dining; a hassle-free vacation that is easy to plan and arrange; want to discover leisure destinations that they may later want to return to and explore in-depth; are looking for good value; and seeking a reliable and safe vacation, then European river cruising is a great choice for you.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to give you the best possible trip experience. And you want someone who can help you with the decision-making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you with high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 51+ years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

December 15, 2022

Europe River Cruise

Danube Christmas Markets on AmaWaterways in 2022

Hank Schrader

December 15, 2022

Europe River Cruise

Danube Christmas Markets on AmaWaterways in 2022

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

This is a report of our 23rd Europe River Cruise. We are back on the Danube and it is just the start of the Christmas Markets after being cancelled during most of 2020 and 2021.

So, let’s explore together and learn about Christmas Markets in 2022 on the Danube and in Southern Germany.

What are the Christmas Markets?

In Europe, many squares are used for various street markets. At Christmas time, these squares are transformed into one unique blaze of color, goods and foods from small vendors. It is a social gathering where hot mulled wine, beer and street food are served and all seem to get along as they browse the various vendors.

Christmas markets date back to 1300 or so and started in Germany, Austria and the eastern portion of France. The season usually starts about November 25 and lasts until 23 or 24 December, roughly following the Advent 4 week season. Even for a person like me who does not really like shopping, this is so much fun that everyone should try this at least once. Unlike American Malls, this is not combat shopping and crowds of hassled folks; this is a gathering of folks socializing with food and drink, music, and buying gifts at a much gentler pace.

Seeing the decorations alone is worth the trip but many booths have handmade items that are unique and priceless. Most sell only on cash, so make sure you have enough local currency to get your purchases. And, as we have learned though our own mistakes, if you see something you like, buy it or you will often miss out. Most markets open around 10:00 AM and close around 9:00 PM but it varies a lot and it is not uncommon for booths to close down for short periods to take a break or get something to eat or an owner to take a day off and not open their booth.

As long as you dress warmly, these markets offer a cultural experience second to none—it is an experience not to be missed!

Munich

Before the start of our cruise, we visited the Christmas Markets in Munich. It was overcast, sunny then thunder showers. Right after it rained, we got this picture of the Christmas Markets in front of the new Rathaus with a rainbow over it.

Budapest

Another picture of the markets taken by Mark Thomas.

Bratislava

This capital city of Slovakia is a great gathering place at night for folks during the Christmas Market season, as you can see from this picture.

Vienna

We visited 3 Christmas Markets in Vienna. We took the excellent subway system out to the markets at Schönbrunn Palace. The first 2 pictures are of this excellent market.

The next 2 pictures are at the markets around St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Passau

The markets in Passau are among our favorites—we always seem to find great gifts here in this small market.

Nuremberg

Nuremburg is famous as one of the best and biggest Christmas Markets in Germany. Here are some pictures:

The famous Nuremburg sausages on the grill.

Regensburg

Our favorite Christmas Market is in Regensburg. It is on the grounds of the Thurn & Taxis palace grounds. The next 4 pictures are of the wonderful market—we highly recommend you visit it.

Across the famous stone bridge is a market that features a lot of good food and drink—it was small and packed with folks having a good time.

No trip to Regensburg would be complete unless Anne got a new hat from the Hutkonig. It is her 7th.

Our Final Thoughts

The Christmas Markets in Europe are special—we highly recommend you enjoy them on a visit to the Old World. We have have enjoyed them at least 6 times and plan to return—they are that much fun.

We hope you enjoyed this report.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

November 17, 2022

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways Land Extension Promotions in Europe for 2023

Hank Schrader

November 17, 2022

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways Land Extension Promotions in Europe for 2023

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

AmaWaterways currently has an excellent offer. It is called the Complimentary Land Package. The package includes a free 2-3-or 4-night land package. The promotional package ends on 31 December 2022 and is available on many 2023 sailings.

I have included the normal cost of the land extension to help you see the amazing value of this promotion.

So, I thought I’d write about the different land extensions available and a little bit about the cities included.

Benefits of the Complimentary Land Package

The package includes the following:
Stays in 4- or 5-star hotels near the major sights
Daily breakfast
Guided tours and excursions
Transfers between your hotel and the ship
All packages include an on-site cruise manager to assist you

Featured Land Packages

There are many options here and it is beyond the scope of this blog to include every sailing. However, never fear, I will organize the land package options by the river and tell you a little bit about each extensions that are available, using our pictures and guides, so you can see if one option is available to enhance your river cruise to take advantage of this promotion.

Rhine

On the Rhine, there are 3 land package options available. They are:

Amsterdam (valued at $1,190 per person)

A land of bikes, canals, and a free-wheeling culture, we have visited Amsterdam several times and escorted folks there. This is a city of 165 ringed canals, a population of 750.000 (it has as many bikes as people) and always full of tourists. It is the capital of the Netherlands, with two world class art museums. It is a major port, once the wealthiest city in the world, and residents and visitors live with a tolerant atmosphere. On this 2-night extension you will have a walking tour of the city and a visit to either Haarlem or Zaanse Schans.

Lucerne and Zurich (valued at $1,680)

You will spend 2 nights in Lucerne and 2 nights in Zurich. The Zurich portion includes a guided tour of the old town area. In Lucerne, a visit to the alpine old town area, a visit to the Lion Monument and a scenic cruise on Lake Lucerne are some highlights of this extension.

Lake Como (valued at $1,440 per person)

Lake Como, in the Northern area of the Lakes Region of Italy is a place of spectacular scenery. Included in this extension is a scenic boat ride on Lake Como to the stunning port of Bellagio.

Danube

On the Danube, 4 land extensions are available. They are:

Prague (valued at $1,320 per person)

The city of 100 spires is fascinating and interesting—good sights and bohemian culture, make it one of our favorites in Europe. Prague is organized into 4 quarters and most folks spend their time in the Castle Quarter and Old Town Square area. On this extension, you will get to visit Prague Castle, cross the St, Charles Bridge, visit Old Town and see the famous Astronomical Clock and get to taste Czech beer. On the way to the ship, you will get a stop in Regensburg during the transfer.

Budapest ($840 per person value)

Perhaps the most stunning city on any river cruise, Budapest is 2 cities rolled into one. By far the most impressive city on the Danube, Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a town we love to visit. It is really two towns—the high town of Buda that overlooks the banks of the Danube and Pest on flat land. They are united by several bridges, but the Chain Bridge is the most important and is a symbol of the city. Both sides have some awesome structures—among them Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion (Buda side) and the Parliament building (Pest side). Once you visit, you will want to come back.

Vienna (valued at $980 per person)

Vienna is a true treasure—the importance of this city on history cannot be overstated—it once was the capital city of the Hapsburg Empire of Austria-Hungary. Palaces, great museums, great shopping, and good food make this an easy choice for an extension. This package is a 2-night extension. It features an “Imperial Vienna tour.”

Romania (valued at $1,800 per person)

You will spend 2 nights here in Bucharest and 2 nights in Brasov. Bucharest is known as the “Paris of the East.” We visited it as part of our Black Sea voyage on AmaWaterways.

Brasov is one of the best cities in Romania. Your tour will start in Sinaia at the Peles Royal Castle on your way to Brasov. On day 2 you will tour Brasov and visit the birthplace of Dracula in Sighisoara. Next, is a visit to Dracula’s Castle in Bran. Then off to Bucharest for a tour.

France

On French River Cruises, the main land extension is Paris, but some new extensions are available.

Paris (valued at $1,340 per person).

This 2-night land package has excursions to Montmarte and Atelier des Lumieres. The extension starts with a city tour of the city of lights.

Barcelona (valued at $1,770)

This extension is a 3-night stay in Barcelona, Spain. This extension includes the “Best of Barcelona” tour and a visit the next day called “The Mountains and Abbey of Montserrat.

Bilbao and San Sebastian Spain (valued at $1,760 per person)

This is a 2-night package in the Basque region of Spain. The tour starts in Bilbao with a Guernica walking tour and an introduction to tapa, and a visit to the Guggenheim Museum. In San Sebastian there is a tour of the city.

Geneva, Switzerland (valued at $2,000 per person)

This is a 3-night extension in Geneva. The tour includes a city tour of Geneva, a visit to Annnecy in the French Alps and a visit to Chillon Castle.

French Riviera visit to Nice and Monaco (valued at $1,980 per person)

This is a 3-night land package. The package includes a Nice city tour, and an Eze and Monaco tour.

Loire Valley, France (valued at $1,800 per person)

This is a 2-night land extension. It visits Chateau de Chenonceau, Du Clos Luce, and Chateau d’Amboise on the first day. Then the second day includes Chateau de Chambord and Bois.

St. Malo, France (valued at $1,720 per person)

This is a 3-night package. This tour includes a visit to Fourgeres during the transfer to St. Malo, tours of St, Malo, Dinard and Dinan, and a visit to Mont St. Michel.

Douro

Prior to the 7-day cruise on the Douro, you will have a wonderful 3-day land extension in Lisbon.

Lisbon (valued at $1,380 per person).

This land extension spends 3 nights in Lisbon before the 7-night Douro cruise. Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and is located on the Tagus River.

Key sights include the Alfama (oldest section of the city, with a Moorish feeling, has cobblestone streets and white-washed houses), St. George’s Castle, and the Tower of Belem.

The land extension includes a tour of the city of 7 hills, the excursion to Sintra to visit Pena Palace, a visit to Tomar Castle, and the transfer to Porto for the cruise.

Our Final Thoughts

Wow—what an offer! This promotion is a great way to save money, extend your trip and add value.

We hope you enjoyed this report and can’t wait to help you select one of these cruises for your next vacation.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

November 3, 2022

Europe River Cruise

15 Day Sailings from Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverships

Hank Schrader

November 3, 2022

Europe River Cruise

15 Day Sailings from Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverships

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

The opening of the Main-Danube Canal, linking the Rhine and its tributary, the Main River, to the Danube, was really the central idea that allowed modern day river cruising to become a mainstream vacation for many US travelers. PBS and Viking were the other catalyst, as their sponsorship resonated with viewers.

If you could get one of the two absolute best of the European Rivers on one cruise, my choice would be either the Amsterdam to Budapest route in either direction or sailing on the entire length of the Danube. It is one of the two good options for those seeking an extended sailing experience in Europe by rivership.

The voyage goes from Amsterdam to Budapest along the Rhine to the Main River, then to the Main-Danube Canal and finishes on the upper Danube. This cruise combines the best of the two most popular river cruises in Europe—the 7-day upper Danube and portions of the 7-day Rhine and Main Rivers route.

We have never sailed this exact route but have sailed to every destination. 14-day cruises are awesome—it is even possible to create your own special cruise by combining two back-to-back cruises on the same rivership—we did this in 2015 by escorting two different groups.

So, let’s learn about this route and see if it is a good option for you to take a river cruise on this route for 15 days.

River Cruise Companies Offering the Route

6 of the 7 River Cruise Companies we follow offer this route going through the Main Danube Canal. Only AmaWaterways does not offer it as a complete route (they used to), as one of the owners, Rudi Schreiner, believes the water levels around Regensburg are often so low, it causes part of the cruise to become a bus tour. They do offer a way to avoid this by using two back-to-back cruises and skipping the problematic area. Here are the companies offering this complete route using the Main-Danube Canal and the name they use to describe the route:

Avalon Magnificent Europe

Emerald 15 Day Splendors of Europe

Scenic Jewels of Europe

Tauck Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat

Uniworld European Jewels

Viking Grand European Tour

It is really beyond the scope of this blog to try to match up each company in a comparison mode of their features, as the idea here is only report on the major port stops.

You can already see how complex river cruising can become, knowing all 7 offer good options to discover two key rivers in Europe. This is where we come in, to help you evaluate and match the lines to your travel style and preferences and budget.

General Route Overview

The route starts in Amsterdam and ends in Budapest or starts from Budapest to Amsterdam. Here are the ports, highlighted by our photos.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

This capital city is ringed by canals, has famed gabled buildings, there are more bicycles than you can even imagine—it is one unique place. Combine this with the free spirit of the residents and you will long remember this special town.

Cologne, Germany

Cologne has been a town for over 2,000 years (it used to be a Roman outpost), is the 4th largest city in Germany and is famous for its cathedral. The two 510-foot-high spires dominate the skyline of Cologne, and it holds the relics of the Magi. Cologne Cathedral is Germany’s most visited building.

We also liked the town squares, where some of Germany’s best Christmas markets fill the squares during the Advent season.

Rhine Gorge & Rüdesheim, Germany

The 65-kilometer Middle Rhine Valley is the best sailing route you will ever find in Europe. There are 40 or so castles, steep riverbanks and it is simply breathtaking!

After that most scenic stretch, you will visit Rüdesheim, famed for its coffee drink flavored with Asbach brandy, the winding, narrow, Drosselgasse lane, its fine Riesling wines, and a generally friendly, welcoming village.

Miltenberg & Wertheim, Germany

Miltenberg is one of the best preserved medieval cites on the Main River. The colorful half-timbered houses are magnificent. A walk to the town square is a wonderful experience.

Later that day, you will visit Wertheim, known by its nickname as “Little Heidelberg”, and get to see the narrow lanes of this village. Wertheim is located at the confluence of the Tauber and Main Rivers. The two top attractions are the castle and its medieval town square.

Wurzburg, Germany

Wurzburg has several unique architectural buildings but is most famous for the Residenz Palace. The gardens of this palace and interiors are magnificent. This Bavarian town is also a famous wine region.

Bamberg, Germany

Bamberg is a 1,000-year-old town with interesting buildings. The most famous are the town hall, built in the middle of a river, and its beautiful cathedral. It is built on seven hills and is located where the Regnitz and Main rivers meet. It is also home to a smoky flavored beer.

Nuremberg, Germany

The old walled city of Nuremberg is one of my favorite places in all Germany. It has an impressive castle, is crisscrossed by a river, and has some cool old buildings. The central market square, with its beautiful fountain, is another great place to see. It is also famous for its Christmas markets.

Regensburg, Germany

The town of Regensburg is located on the northernmost point of the Danube River. It started out as a Roman town, has a medieval bridge the crusaders crossed on their way to the Holy Wars (which is guarded by an impressive watch tower), and has a good old town area. Anne’s favorite hat maker is here, so we find this one of our favorite Bavarian towns.

Passau, Germany

Built on a tapering peninsula of land, the old town portion Passau is right on the German and Austrian border. Three rivers join here—the Danube, the Inn, and the Ilz. On the high banks of the Danube, a fortress dating back to the 1400’s, overlooks the old city center. There are several impressive churches worth a visit.

Melk & Dürnstein, Austria

Melk is famous for its impressive, huge abbey. It was built in the 11th century.

One of the awesome scenic waterways of Europe is the Wachau Valley. Here are 2 pictures :

Later as you cruise through the other great scenic waterways of Europe, the Wachau Valley, you will arrive in the charming village of Dürnstein. The blue tower of the Abbey, the cute little shops, and the castle ruins on the hillside, make this a favorite of many river cruisers.

Vienna

The capital city of Austria, once the capital city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is a city of impressive palaces, great museums, and good food. It is also known for the great composers of classical music, and many go to concerts while on their cruise.

Bratislava

The capital city of Slovakia is a fun place to visit. Located at the border of Austria and Hungary, this is a new country (it declared independence in 1993), as much of its history it was in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the part of the Czechoslovakia. The symbol of Bratislava is the fortress that overlooking the city. It is also known for its whimsical bronze figures, which delight cruisers in the old town area.

Budapest

By far the most impressive city on the Danube, Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is a town we love to visit. It is really two towns—the high town of Buda that overlooks the banks of the Danube and Pest on flat land. They are united by several bridges, but the chain bridge is the most important and is a symbol of the city. Both have some awesome structures—among them Buda Castle and Fisherman’s Bastion (Buda side) and the Parliament building (Pest side). Once you visit, you will want to come back.

Our Final Thoughts

This is a grand route and a chance to see a lot of Europe in a hassle-free way. For many, it is the trip of a lifetime, as you can see by the port stops.

Availability on this route, due to the number of ships dedicated to this route and the extra 7 days added to the itinerary, sometimes make it hard to find space, so if you are considering taking this cruise, we advise you to act quickly, so you won’t be disappointed—a year or more is a good idea.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to give you the best possible trip experience. And you want someone who can help you with the decision-making process. We think we have all these qualities.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

October 19, 2022

Europe River Cruise

The Chef’s Table on Our 2022 AmaCello Essenence of Brugundy & Provence River Cruise

Hank Schrader

October 19, 2022

Europe River Cruise

The Chef’s Table on the AmaCello in 2022

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

The Chef’s Table on Amawaterways is always offered during their cruises in Europe and Egypt. It is always included with your cruise fare at no extra charge.

It is a multi course specialty dining venue in a separate place on the ship.

So, let’s explore together and learn about the menu and the dining experience on the AmaCello in 2022.

Overview

The Chef’s Table has seating for 28 and has a chef who prepares all 7 courses in a demonstration kitchen. There are 3 waitstaff along with the chef to make this tasting menu a special occasion.

Here are some pictures:

4 Great folks preparing and serving our meal. From left to right Tanja (Croatia), Stelyan (Bulgaria), Petra (Romania) and Chris (Romania).

Here are pictures of our 7 Course Meal and descriptions of the wonderful food for each course:

Chef’s Welcome Course 1

Concasse Heirloom Tomato ~Mozzarella Carpaccio- Basil Oil- Olive Powder

Get The Taste—Course 2

Grilled Tiger Shrimp~Tahini Humus-Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

Tease The Senses—Course 3

Cauliflower Veloute~ Pine Seeds- Ginger Oil- Dried Figs

From The Rivers—Course 4

Pan Fried Salmon Trout Fillet ~Pumpkin Mash- Braised Radish

Riesling White Wine Sauce

Sorbet—Course 5

Raspberry Sorbet ~Sparkling Wine

Country Spirit —Course 6

Argentinian Beef Short Ribs~ Natural Jus- Horseradish Purée- Sweet Potato Fondant- Heritage Carrots - Broccoli

From Heaven —Course 7

Salty Carmel Chocolate Tart ~ Lime Macron- Cherry Sorbet- Fresh Berries

Wine Pairing

Chateau Belle Cure—White Wine

This white wine from the Bordeaux , France region is a Semillion-Sauvignon Blanc Blend.

The characteristics are a dry wine with aromas of tropical fruit and flowers, light, well balanced, fruity and a slight creamy aftertaste.

Bourgogne Pinot Noir—Red Wine

This wine is from Bourgogne, France and 100% Pinot Noir.

The wine characteristics of this medium light coloed, dry bodied Pinot wine are soft blackberries, cherry and strawberry fruits with just a hint of smokiness.

A Grand Celebration

We were honored to help our dear friends Linda and John Howard celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

Here are 2 pictures—the first with their son Ben and his wife Judith and the special cake the staff onboard prepared and presented them at the end of the meal. The second is the Howard’s and Alt’s before the start of the meal.

Our Final Thoughts

Wow—what a meal!

I think you can see why we are in the business—it just is awesome to help folks experience fine dining, good tours on a luxury cruise ship like the AmaCello.

We hope you enjoyed this report and we would be delighted to help have wonderful experiences like ours on the AmaCello.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

May 5, 2022

Europe River Cruise

21 Great River Cruise Experiences

Hank Schrader

May 5, 2022

Europe River Cruise

21 Great River Cruise Experiences

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

Anne and I find it very hard to find any trip experience that matches a river cruise. Wonderful food and wine, unmatched chances to explore Europe in a floating hotel, attended by a staff that enhances your trip, are all part of this vacation.

Small ship sailing on a river is so unique that one friend\client told me you cannot truly understand the differences until you try one—they are that good.

We just could not find one experience that summed it all up, so we decided to provide you 21 experiences that have made memories for us that will last a lifetime.

So, let’s explore together and learn about some of the great experiences we have had on 21 River Cruises!

1. Leading my West Point Classmates and other West Point Graduates on 5 Different River Cruises. Almost 45 years ago, after 47 months of training and studies, 729 of my classmates graduated from West Point. Prior to beginning my training as an Army Officer, I took my first trip to Europe. 43 years later I took several of my classmates on 3 different river cruises. What an experience—Anne & I help introduce these wonderful guys and their wives and some of their family members and friends to the joys of river cruising. We laughed, shared stories of West Point and had so much fun that many decided to take a river cruise with us again in 2016, 2017 2018 and 2019. Here is the bottom line—it is such a good experience; we just couldn’t wait to experience it again with each other, and we went 2016, 2018 and 2019 with different classmates who wanted to share this second adventure on the river with their friends.

2. Discovering Brugge after a Tulip Time Cruise. A town lost in time; laced with canals, gold trimmed buildings and churches, combined with seafood, the best frites (French fries) you have ever eaten and over 1000 beer choices, make Brugge our first or second favorite city in all Europe. We owe all to our Tulip Time cruise—we had only just begun exploring the Netherlands and Belgium and had read about how good the city was, but after the finish of our wonderful 7-day adventure, we got to spend 3 days in this magical place. Since then, we have been back 6 other times, in all seasons and have sent clients to Brugge to explore this fascinating city. Sharing a great discovery makes it better—we will continue to send others.

3. Meeting an ex-AmaWaterways bar server again in Budapest. In 2015, I was in Budapest with a West Point classmate getting a beer to take back to our room. Suddenly I heard “Hank; Hank”—someone was calling my name. It was Tomas, one of waiters from a Provence River cruise we took in 2014. After bear hugs and a fist bump, and he told me he was working in Budapest now (his girlfriend missed him too much sailing the river boats). I was stunned—I do not know a single person in Budapest. But here is the best part—when I told him we were sailing in a day on an AMA riverboat, he texted his friend, the on-board maitre’d and told him we were sailing on his ship and to take care of us! Amazing—he no longer worked for them, but he cared what happened to us—the crew really becomes your family.

Tomas is the tall bartender on the right.

4. The illumination cruise of Budapest. The two best nighttime cruises in all Europe are on the Danube sailing into Budapest and the Seine into Paris. We have done two in Budapest and sailed with a ferry-type boat in Paris in 1989—amazing is the only word to describe this experience. Another great night cruise is the Rhine in Flames—a fireworks spectacular that takes place on the most scenic stretches of the middle Rhine every year between May and September.

5. Visiting Regensburg—Hats, Wursts and a Christmas Market Gem. The former walled city, a medieval bridge, Roman ruins, a Christmas Market in a castle and der Hutkonig –the hat king, a world-famous hat maker and the oldest wurst house in Germany--this is one of our favorite stops on the Danube. Anne has purchased 5 hats—they are wonderful! This is the only Christmas market I know that charges an entrance fee, but AmaWaterways provided us tickets as part of the voyage. The markets surround the castles—there are fires burning, great booths with all sorts of merchandise and food and drinks—it is an atmosphere unlike the many Christmas markets we had been to—unique and memorable.

At the Christmas Markets with the owner who made our hats.

6. The Rhine River Gorge. I first sailed the most scenic part of any river in all Europe in 1971 on a KD ferry—long before the advent of the modern-day river cruise boat. It is still magical—30 castles dot the steep banks for views that are unmatched! It never gets old—can’t wait to sail it again!

7. Sailing the Iron Gates on the Danube. When the Danube narrows as it runs through the South Carpathian Mountains, the narrows are known as the Iron Gates. The granite walls of the mountains combined with a fjord-type cruise experience, easily makes this one of the top 3 most scenic stretches you will ever experience on a river cruise in Europe.

8. Food & Wine Galore. Exquisite multi-course dinners served with great regional wines, a unique Chef’s table experience and a selection of both buffet and menu items at breakfast (now served by the wait staff) ensure you will have the finest dining available on your AmaWaterways cruise—all 19 we have been on always exceeded our expectations. Scenic also had a great seafood buffet and a selection of 12 different wines. This is a true highlight of a river cruise trip.

9. Visiting Cesky Krumlov. A fairy tale city at a horseshoe bend of the Vitava River, this Czech city is cool beyond words. A dominate castle tower decorated in spectacular colors, the round tower and the huge castle frame the river and its charming town. Although it lacks the complete walls of Rothenberg, it has an old gate and has retained its charm of ages past. A true gem and well worth the hour or so bus ride from the Danube to visit—I am glad our Scenic cruise included this option.

10. The Rhone Ledson River Cruise. Wine makers themed cruises are special and when you put a top winery like Ledson onboard, it will enhance the already great trip into something special. To make it even better, we met the general manager and his wife and now we travel together—they are clients but most of all, great friends.

Mark Thomas prepares for the tasting with help from the crew.

11. Scenic Sundowner Party in Durnstein. Durnstein is a small, picturesque village of around 600 on the Danube and is often a favorite stop of many. It has an old Abbey, a famous castle ruin, great wine shops and apricot brandy stores. On our 3rd visit to this charming village on our scenic Opal cruise, we experienced a party in a wienstube to celebrate the setting of the sun—a small band, cheese, cold cuts, fresh bread, and wine and beer—a perfect way to end the day in the beautiful Wachau Valley on the Danube River.

12. Meeting Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst—2 of the 3 co-owners of AmaWaterways. Meeting the owners explains a lot—they love good things and are proud to share their creation. Their hand-on approach ensures each detail is right—their mission is to provide the best travel experiences on a riverboat and land packages. From our viewpoint, the have overwhelmingly succeeded! In 2018, at the TravelAge West Wave Awards, Rudi and Kristin won a major award for their contributions to river cruising and we were the only other couple to win an award at this annual gala.

13. Visiting the Charming Village of Riquewihr. This is a village that looks like it came right out of a Disney Movie—in fact, it was the inspiration for the town village of Beauty and the Beast. If you like white wine, cheese shops, half-timbered buildings, and fun-loving people, you need to go here. We have visited in the summer and during the Christmas Markets season and both were magical!

14. Escorting more Classmates in 2019 on the Rhine. Another great time after leading 33 folks on our 75th Anniversary of D Day trip. We shared many memories and relaxed in the familiar surrounding on the AmaKristina.

15. Helping Clients get more active on river cruises. Wellness is important to many of our clients and river cruising is emphasizing more active options on their cruises. AmaWaterways with their dedicated wellness host is leading this effort, and Avalon with their Active Discovery tours is another great option. Emerald and Scenic also have good options—Scenic has e-bikes for those who mike enjoy this added assist on their cruise.

Bike riders wave to us from the shore during their bike tour as we sail on the river. they rejoined us later after their fun ride.

The wellness host in yellow poses with us after a morning workout.

16. Learning about the partnership with Ancestry and AmaWaterways in 2021. This is a great option for those who want to learn more about their family history. We got a unique experience to visit the Red Star Museum and learn about the difficult journey many made to immigrate to the United States.

17. Visiting Egypt on the AmaDahlia. If ancient history is important to you, learning about the great civilization of Egypt is a true bucket list experience. This 10-day trip is not for everyone since there is so much to see and it is not quite as luxurious as European River cruising, but the stunning temples, pyramids and sites must be a once in a lifetime experience.

18. Working with the AMA sales and support staff. The staff at AMA is professional and they have helped us learn the river cruise business inside out. They are so good at what they do that it makes our job easier. Even more importantly, they watch out for the best interest of our clients and always strive to get them the best possible value on their river cruise. I have been honored to help other travel advisors learn about AmaWaterways by being a guest presenter 2 times on their Wednesday Webinars.

Shelia, our former business development manager from AmaWaterways teaches our group about a Bordeaux river cruise.

19. Seeing crew members on different cruises and watching them progress in their careers. We always seem to run into past crew, and often seek them out when more than 2 AMA ships are docked together. They always remember us, are smiling and fun. But the best part is to come back and learn they have been promoted to more responsible positions. We have even met some of their families—what a treat!

20. Onboard Celebrations. We have seen significant anniversary and birthday celebrations and even a proposal—folks using a great trip to mark the key events of their lives. We have been honored to share their joy.

Denise Thomas displays her cake on the AmaDahlia in Egypt on her birthday with her husband Mark.

21. Listening to the Experiences of our river cruise clients. Almost all of river cruise clients have chosen to use us again to plan another trip and most pick a river cruise—some 3 or more and still planning more. Nothing makes us happier convincing them the value and experience of a 7 or more-day river cruise and having them return raving about their trip.

Our Final Thoughts

I think you can see why we are in the business—it just is awesome to help folks have a great river cruise vacation. Perhaps this will inspire you to take a river cruise—we stand by ready to help.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

March 23, 2022

Europe River Cruise

Some Outstanding River Cruise Trips on AmaWaterways in 2022 and 2023

Hank Schrader

March 23, 2022

Europe River Cruise

Some Outstanding River Cruise Trips on AmaWaterways in 2022 and 2023

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Counselor & Certified Luxury Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

It’s been a while since I wrote an in-depth blog about AmaWaterways.

They always seem to be refining and upgrading their offerings, so I thought I’d report on this for you. So, our challenge is to give you great information about 18 different AmaWaterways cruises from our perspective after taking 20 different AmaWaterways cruises.

The route maps are all courtesy of AmaWaterways and used by their permission. As always, about 90%+ of the photos are ours and almost all taken by Anne, who is amazing capturing the essence of the places we have visited on these trips.

Yes, we have been on the whole route or parts of the route of all the cruises we are writing about in this blog!

So, let’s explore together and learn about AmaWaterways in 2022 and 2023.

I will start with a quick overview of the features of a cruise with AmaWaterways in Europe; tell you about a special promotion; and then dive into the routes in this long blog.

Overview

Before I start with specific cruises, I thought it would be a good thing to review what to expect on an AmaWaterways cruise trip with its onboard inclusions:

Fabulous food and wine in the main dining room & Chef’s Table Dining Experience—the awesome meals feature locally sourced fresh ingredients and recipes, and local wines.

Included “Sip & Sail” cocktail hour.
Elegantly Appointed Accommodations with never-ending scenic views on either their signature twin balconies, French balconies, or the fixed windows on the first deck
Complimentary Excursions in each port—including walking tours of historic areas, guided biking or hiking options (called active adventures) and cultural tours often featuring local great food and wine
Unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi access
An included Wellness program that is the best in Europe River Cruising—led by certified hosts who conduct fitness classes for you that range from Yoga to heart-pumping fitness cardio, and they help lead the bike and hiking tours.
A crew who always are exceptional—they provide the best service and safety for guests on Europe’s Rivers and your whole cruise is executed to perfection by a professional Cruise Manager to help you get the best experiences for your vacation.

Here is a blog I wrote about why you should sail on AmaWaterways a while back:

Featured

Dream Destinations, AmaWaterways Family

You Should Become Part of the AmaWaterways Family

Dream Destinations, AmaWaterways Family

AmaWaterways New “More to Love” Special Offer

This is a special offer that is a complete “all-inclusive trip”. It is available on select 2022 Europe River Cruises that are reserved and deposited by April 30, 2022.

The offer includes:

7-Night Luxury River Cruise, Roundtrip Airfare, Land Package, Transfers, Port Charges and Travel Waiver Plus From $5,499* Per Person!

The offer is for a French Balcony cabin, can be upgraded to other balcony cabins, and can be customized to include all features of the package or delete features.

This is a great offer—it can save as much as $3,000 off a trip on AmaWaterways—AMAZING!

More to love special offer

Rhine River Cruises

The Rhine is the busiest commercial river in Europe, yet it is also famous for castles, and vineyards. Let’s learn about some Rhine River cruises together.

Tulip Time and The Best of Holland and Belgium

The Tulip Time cruise was our 4th cruise on AmaWaterways in 2013. At first, AmaWaterways only sailed the Tulip Time route on the lower Rhine and canals in the Netherlands and Belgium in the spring. It is a round trip loop that starts and ends in Amsterdam.

Do you love flowers? Then visit the Netherlands in the springtime, when spectacular carpets of colorful tulips are in full bloom on a Tulip Time River Cruise. Throw in lush green countryside adorned with picturesque windmills and add delicious cheeses and already the trip sounds awesome. Also, this route can include the Belgium towns of Ghent, Arnhem, Antwerp, and our personal favorite Brugge.

Here is a blog I wrote about Tulip Time Cruises in 2019 on all major River Cruise Companies:

Featured

Dream Destinations, European River Cruises, Tulip Time River Cruise

2019 Spring Europe River Cruises--It's Tulip Time!

Dream Destinations, European River Cruises, Tulip Time River Cruise

While once only sailed in the spring, AmaWaterways now sails this route during the summer and autumn and call it the Best of Holland & Belgium.

Enchanting Rhine and Captivating Rhine

We first did the Enchanting Rhine in 2016 and 2021 the Captivating Rhine in 2019. The second route on the Rhine is usually from Amsterdam to Basel Switzerland on the Rhine, (or from Basel to Amsterdam on the next 7-day cruise), using both the lower Rhine and the upper Rhine (the upper Rhine is defined from Koblenz to its source in Lake Constance).

This is the second most popular cruise route in Europe.

This cruise begins with legendary canals and the colorful surroundings of Amsterdam, past the majestic Cologne Cathedral and on to the Black Forest region of Germany and the Alsace region of France. The best stretch is the Rhine River Gorge with its’ 40 castles dotting the hillsides—unmatched anywhere in the world!

Here are 2 blogs I wrote about this route—the first is the Enchanting Rhine route; the second is Captivating Rhine Route during Christmas:

Rhine Cruises

Dream Destinations, Enchanting Rhine

Sailing on the AmaMora in August 2021

Dream Destinations, Enchanting Rhine

Featured

Dream Destinations, Captivating Rhine

Rhine Christmas Market Cruises on AmaWaterways

Dream Destinations, Captivating Rhine

Rhine Castles & Swiss Alps

The difference in this cruise is the addition of Lake Como as a land extension and it only goes on the Captivating Rhine route but offers a trip to Lucerne at the Basel port. Lucerne is an awesome stop and perhaps our favorite Swiss city.

Rhine & Moselle Fairytales; Rhine and Moselle Delights and the Rivers & Castles Routes

First, the Rivers & Castle route—it was our first sailing in 2009 with AmaWaterways. We were instantly hooked—so much vacation in a 7-day trip. It sails from Trier, Germany to Nuremberg, Germany, or the reverse route (our sailing was the reverse route) on portions of the Rhine and the Main tributary and part of the Main Canal. It includes the best portions of the Rhine River dotted with picturesque castles from the Rhine River Gorge.

Rivers and Castles

The Rhine & Moselle Fairytales and Rhine & Moselle Delights is a combination of both the Rhine and Moselle and is a longer cruise (11 nights). The Mosel also has some stunning castles nestled near vineyards and the steep riverbank slopes. This route includes visits to two great wine regions of Germany—the Mosel region famous for Riesling wines and the Franconia wine region is less well-known producer of dry white wines made from Sylvaner grapes.

Some consider the Mosel the most beautiful river in Europe—this river has been one of my personal favorites since 1989 on my first visit.

Danube Cruises

Legendary Danube and Blue Danube Discovery

The Legendary Danube was our second cruise in 2011 and we have taken the Blue Danube Discovery route in 2012 and 2018. The Upper Danube is the other great route on Europe rivers (it is the single most popular river cruise route in all Europe—it has about 30% of all river cruise passengers that take a Europe River cruise every year)—and typically goes from Nuremberg or Vilshofen to Budapest.

You will get to visit 4 countries, 2 or 3 capital cities (Vienna, usually Bratislava and Budapest), castles, Abbeys, wine-sloped terraces, and even quaint villages--it is a great voyage.

This route sometimes uses the Main-Danube Canal if it goes all the way Nuremberg (106 miles long with 16 locks)—a marvel of engineering and completion of a dream started by Charlemagne in 793 that was finally completed in 1992—about 1200 years later.

Magna on the Danube

The AmaMagna sails the whole Danube on the Vilshofen to Budapest route and the Black Sea Voyage route. It can be a seven-night cruise, or a fourteen-night Grand Danube cruise described below.

The difference here is the best river ship in all of Europe—the Double Wide AmaMagna. We have never sailed her but looking forward to it! Since we have not yet sailed on the AmaMagna, the photos of this wonderful ship are courtesy of AmaWaterways.

Amamagna ship tour

Grand Danube Cruise

The Grand Danube is a combination of the upper Danube Route (described in the Legendary and Blue Danube routes) and the Black Sea Voyage on the lower Danube we did in 2014.

The lower Danube is the gateway to Eastern Europe. This segment begins in Budapest and ends near the Black Sea.

It starts with the rolling hills and vine-clad slopes of the Pecs in Hungary; then moves to the boundary waters that separate Serbia and Croatia; then traverses the narrow gorges of the Iron Gates, a stunning passage that divides the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains and either ends in Bucharest, Romania or at the Black Sea.

Here are 2 blogs I wrote about sailing on the Danube:

Danube Cruises

Dream Destinations, Danube River

The Lower Danube River Cruise Route

Dream Destinations, Danube River

Best Europe River Routes--The Upper Danube, The Most Popular Europe River Cruise Route

Dream Destinations, Danube River

French Cruises

Colors of Provence

We have done this route three times —in 2013, 2014 and 2016, leading a group. This Rhône and Saône cruise goes from Lyon to Arles or Avignon.

Starting in Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, the cruise goes through France's legendary wine growing regions of Beaujolais and Cote du Rhône, and allows you observe medieval villages in the Provence region of France.

Then on to the Papal town of Avignon and finish in Arles, where Vincent Van Gogh spent much of his time. The cruise then changes direction from Arles to Lyon for the next 7-day cruise. You will sample great wines, visit Roman ruins, and learn about the cuisine of Provence, among stunning scenery—fields of purple lavender, yellow sunflowers, and vineyards.

Here is a blog I wrote about the Colors of Provence River Cruise on AmaWaterways:

Featured

Dream Destinations, Rhone River

A Wine Lover's Route--Provence River Cruise on AmaWaterways

Dream Destinations, Rhone River

Essence of Burgundy & Provence

We are leading a group on this cruise in October 2022—come join us! There is more emphasis here on the Saône River.

Essence of Burgundy & Provence

A Taste of Bordeaux

In 2017, we sailed on the Taste of Bordeaux route. This cruise is in the Bordeaux region of France on the Garonne, Dordogne, and Gironde Rivers. It is a round trip cruise out of Bordeaux and features wine tastings, impressive chateaux’s, and abundant vineyards along the Garonne and its tributaries.

There are over 8,500 wine producing estates in this region—it is often considered the wine capital of the world. Usual port cities of Cadillac, Pauillac, Bourg and Libourne are included in most sailings of this region. This is an important wine region of France, and you will experience tastings of some of the most distinguished wines in the world including Sauternes, Medoc, and Bordeaux wines (my personal favorites).

If you like wine, cognac, oysters, truffles, chateaux, and the grand buildings of Bordeaux, this is the cruise for you.

Here is a blog I wrote about this cruise:

Special Cruises

Seven Rivers Journeys

This unique journey requires a completely different blog and we have sailed most of this route. It sails through 14 different countries on 7 different portions of Europe’s best rivers.

Featured

Dream Destinations, 7 Rivers Journey

AmaWaterways 46-Night Europe River Cruise

Dream Destinations, 7 Rivers Journey

Secrets of Egypt & the Nile

Queen Nefertari’s Tomb. in December 2021. Photo Anne Schrader

In December 2021, we sailed this new addition to the AmaWaterways offerings for a 10-day land and cruise package that will fascinate you. The adventure starts in Cairo, staying at the 5-star Four Seasons Hotel with views of the Nile, the world’s longest river.

In Cairo, highlights of the 3-day stay were visits to 3 Pyramids of Giza (the only remain intact structures of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World) and the Sphinx; touring the Egyptian Museum; a visit to Memphis (the old capital of Ancient Egypt); and the burial grounds of the Saqqara, with the wonderful step pyramid of Djoser.

Next, aboard the AmaDahlia, a newly designed Nile River cruise ship, we got to sail the Nile for 7 days. Among the highlights were visits to Hall of Karnak (my personal favorite due its size and grandeur), the beguiling Temple of Luxor, the burial tombs of Valley of the Kings (we saw 3 tombs including King Tut’s tomb) and in the Valley of the Queens, where we had exclusive access to the Tomb of Queen Nefertari (a stunning tomb that was Anne’s favorite).

We took optional tour to Abu Simbel, and it was amazing. I also liked the Temple of Kom Ombo (a temple dedicated to 2 gods—the Falcon god and the Crocodile god), and the Temple of Edfu (dedicated to the Falcon god).

This tour is not for everyone but an amazing experience and a fascinating look into Ancient Egypt. Here are 3 great blogs about this trip:

Secrets of Egypt & the Nile

Dream Destinations, Nile Cruise, Egypt

The Valley of the Kings

Dream Destinations, Nile Cruise, Egypt

Nile Cruise, Dream Destinations, Egypt

Sailing on the AmaDahlia in Egypt Part 2

Nile Cruise, Dream Destinations, Egypt

Dream Destinations, Nile Cruise, Egypt

Sailing on the AmaDahlia in Egypt Part 1

Dream Destinations, Nile Cruise, Egypt

Our Final Thoughts

I’ll bet by now you realize few travel advisors have the depth of knowledge we have about AmaWaterways cruises. If you want first-hand perspective with folks who really know the Europe River Cruise scene, we are the right choice!

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

January 27, 2022

Europe River Cruise

River Cruise News 2022

Hank Schrader

January 27, 2022

Europe River Cruise

River Cruise News 2022

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

There seems to be a lot going in in the river cruise world.

The pandemic has changed river cruising in a few ways making better in most cases but also has hurt some operations.

So, let’s explore together and learn about news in the river cruise world in January 2022.

Crystal

Perhaps the most shocking news of all is that Crystal has suspended river cruise operations until the end of May due to the bankruptcy of their parent company, Genting Hong Kong.

They are the first river cruise company that may become a casualty as a result of the pandemic.

No one is quite sure how all this will play out. Genting rapidly expanded and there are several media reports they over paid for their four 135 meter ships. Will they be able to restart operations at the end of May?—probably not in our judgement.

For over a year, we have been advising people that Genting was on shaky ground financially.

However, don’t think for a moment that competitors are glad—when a giant falls, all of us are very sad that a great option for some clients has an uncertain future.

The best guess from industry observers is that some other company will buy these four ships and put them back into service. Will they retain the Crystal name?—no one knows for sure.

Crystal has always represented luxury to their guests and it is sad to see such a great company face some hardships.

Scenic

Scenic has made an offer to those who can’t sail on Crystal due to their stoppage of operations, a $750 dollars discount for river cruises and $1,000 off for ocean cruises.

According to Ann Chamberlain, Scenic Group USA Vice President of Sales, “Our hearts go out to all the employees and crew members of Crystal Cruises as they have been a long-standing member of the cruise industry family, and although they are competitors, we have always been impressed with their outstanding brand and professionalism.” Well said, Ann.

Some agents who were faced with rebooking their clients, report Scenic has made the process easy and clients are grateful.

This offer was put out in a press release and it is clear it is an attempt to mitigate the cancellations that booked Crystal guests are facing and not to take advantage of a bad situation.

Avalon

There seems to be some interesting developments in Avalon—especially their new tour offerings.

Avalon has enhanced their Active and Discovery itinerates. Tours named “tourapalooza”—how about a wine tasting in a cave, or a medieval ghost tour in Viviers or cycling past French flamingos in the Camargue—all are offered on their Rhône River cruise sailings.

There may be a charge for some of the tours. For example, 23 of the 31 tours were included at no extra charge on the Rhône River route I used as an example in this section.

This is a great new idea!

Uniworld

Uniworld has announced a new stateroom upgrade program. It is called Category+ and allows booked guests the opportunity to bid on a potential upgrade before their scheduled sailing date.

By using their Plusgrade program, guests will be offered the chance look at possible upgrades and then place a bid for the upgrade. They will be able to make multiple bids.

According to the President and CEO of Uniworld, Ellen Bettrifge, “Our new Category+ stateroom program will give our guests an opportunity to add even more luxury to their vacation at a price point of their choosing, risk free.”

The guests should be notified if their offer is accepted or declined within 3 days. If accepted, the guest’s credit card will be immediately charged.

Since this program was just announced on 21 January 2022, it is a little soon to evaluate the results and popularity of this idea.

Tauck

After a 17 month delay, Tauck has begun sailing on the Douro River in Portugal. This is the first time Tauck has begun sailing on the Douro.

The Andorinha, an 84 passenger ship will continue Tauck’s signature 4 person operational staff of a cruise director and 3 Tauck Director Guides. The ship is named for a native Portuguese migratory swallows who return each spring to Portugal.

The ship is currently sailing 2 routes. The first is a 7 day sailing on the Douro. The second route is a 12 day itinerary that included the 7 day sailing cruise and two-night stays in Lisbon, Portugal’s capital and Madrid, Spain’s capital.

Viking

Most of the current energy and buzz in Viking is on the ocean cruise and explorer cruises, with new ships being built, but there is an exciting development for 2022—Viking will start sailing on the Mississippi River.

The Viking Mississippi is scheduled to sail in October 2022 and sold out at present for much of 2022. The Mississippi has staterooms for 386 guests. There are 7 categories of staterooms and all have king-size beds, large showers, the Viking signature heated bathroom floors. All are outside staterooms.

Unlike the river ships in Europe, the Mississippi has an aft infinity plunge pool.

The cruise fare will include some shore excursions and they will also offer curated optional tours which cost extra.

They will start on two routes for 2022—a round trip from New Orleans and a Heart of the Delta route from Memphis to New Orleans.

AmaWaterways

In the latter half of 2021, AmaWaterways started sailing in Egypt on their new ship, the AmaDahlia. If you read this blog regularly, you know Anne and I sailed on this new 10 day Egypt route in December of 2021.

Along with this great new route, I got a chance to talk to our long-time friend Alex Pinelo, who will be the new Senior Vice President of Sales in a couple of months to get his thoughts about the most important news from AmaWaterways for this blog. Here are his thoughts:

“AmaWaterways will continue to emphasize the guest experience and develop new and exciting routes and experiences for all. The 7 Rivers Journeys in 2023 and new route planned in South America in 2024 are great examples. More details to come. We are financially strong and committed to excellence and supporting our valued travel partners and their clients and our guests. I am proud and humbled to help lead the sales team for this great company.”

With Gary Murphy retiring on 1 April 2022 after 30 years in the travel business, Alex has the experience and drive to continue the great success of AmaWaterways and help lead them into the future.

My Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed this report. We will try to keep you updated as the year goes on about river cruising.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

October 21, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Part 2: A Great Time to River Cruise

Hank Schrader

October 21, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Part 2: A Great Time to River Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

This is part 2 of A Great Time to River Cruise.

Neil and Ginnie just finished a 14 Day Danube River Cruise. They sailed starting on 26 September 2021 and ended their cruise on 10 October 2021.

She is such a good writer and so honest, I ask her permission to use her thoughts and put them into a question and answer format, just like part 1 of A Great Time to River Cruise.

We are also using their pictures to document their journey!

So, let’s explore together and learn about Ginnie’s thoughts in her own Words—you won’t be disappointed!

“The overall travel experience on our 14 day Grand Danube Cruise with AMA Waterways was superb!”

Question # 1: What did you think about your Stateroom?

“Our stateroom was great. We had a veranda and a balcony - what a pleasure it was to sit out and watch the Danube flow by. We often saw groups of swans in the Danube.

The rooms are not big but are very well designed. We slept well - the bed was really comfortable.”

Question #2: What was your thoughts about the Cruise Director and the Crew?

“Our cruise Directors, Pau (Upper Danube) and Florentin (lower Danube), were outstanding. They gave presentations on all the excursions so that we could pick the right one for us, which was very helpful.

We were always kept informed of any changes, issues, etc. They were both positive, upbeat and fun and brought a sense of adventure and excitement to the cruise.

I can't say enough positive about the staff we interacted with, mainly in the dining room. It was wonderful to meet so many from other countries and talk with them.

The professionalism of the service in every area (dining room, lounge, chef's table, etc.) was impressive.

My husband and I sat at the same table for every meal (one of the COVID protocols) and our server was Andy at every meal. He was fantastic - I think he could read our minds on what we needed!

The staff seemed thrilled to be working and enjoying having travelers on board again.

Our room was also kept neat and spotless - I certainly felt that I was in a high end hotel room (albeit a rather small one - LOL!)

Narcis was the crew member taking care of our room and his housekeeping was 1000% better than mine. I will miss the chocolate on my pillow every night.

We never met any of the engineering crew - the ones who keep the ship going! But I have to thank them - the cruise was smooth and easy.

When we experienced some wind towards the end in the lower Danube, the ship remained stable --this was important to me because I get seasick really easily - and I had no problem at all.”

Question # 3: How was the food and wine during your cruise?

“The food and wine were outstanding. At every meal there was an extensive menu of choices so everyone will find something wonderful to eat.

We also dined a couple of times at the "Chef's Table", where the Chef cooked a special meal for a small group of people - it was fabulous.

I'm depressed thinking about going back to my own home cooking!! The wine served at the Chef's Table perfectly complemented the food. What a unique experience!

At dinner we were always offered a red or white wine, and the wine steward provided details about each wine.

I should also mention that the portions were reasonable. I had recently lost 15 pounds and didn't want to get stuffed with food on the cruise. I was able to eat extremely well and even enjoy desserts (ice cream being a favorite) and not gain weight.

Of course, if someone wants a lot more, that's completely possible - you can order as much as you want. You want 5 desserts or 3 main courses - go for it!”

Question# 4: Did you feel safe during your 14 day cruise?

“Safety - both from a ship/sailing perspective and COVID were primary areas of focus by the Captain, Cruise Director, and crew members.

I recall talking to the Captain when we experienced some windy weather in the lower Danube for a couple of days. He did a superb job navigating through that area. He told me that he'd been on boats since he was 3 years old with his dad!

With respect to COVID, there were many protocols in place to keep us safe.

Every morning our temperature was taken.

Everyone on the ship was vaccinated.

We had to mask when walking through the ship and could only take it off when sitting to eat.

AMA also arranged for 2 COVID tests which were required by countries we were entering.

Everything went extremely smoothly - and everyone tested negative!”

Question # 5: We always tell potential clients that the primary reason to go on a river cruise is to see and do things. Did the included excursions meet your expectations—did you get to see and do things?

“A choice of excursions was available in each location. These included bike tours, hikes, and walking tours. Walking tours were available for regular and gentle walkers.

The local guides who took us on the tours were professional and knowledgeable. Some were also hysterically funny.

In Passau I decided to be adventurous and hike up to a fortress - it was tough but I made it. The view was superb and I was able to get some wonderful pictures.

My husband is more athletic than I am - he went on several bike tours and also he would often run through the local city in the early evening - he really enjoyed that.”

Question # 6: A river cruise entertainment is quite different than big ocean cruises. Would you please comment on the evening entertainment?

“On a few occasions we had special evening entertainment or events.

My husband Neil enjoyed a wine tasting event.

We had an "Oktoberfest event" in Vilshofen to kick off the cruise. Five guys in lederhosen-- I honestly thought it would be corny - but it was so fun! Everyone was rocking and rolling!

Beer on demand. :-)

Another event was Serbian dancers. Again, I thought it would be corny - but their dancing and moves were amazing I'm 69 with a bad knee so I could only dream of doing the moves they did.”

Question # 7: What did you think about the cruise itinerary?

“Cruising the Danube was a beyond superb experience.

The Danube is a calm river and it was relaxing and peaceful to cruise along. We loved seeing amazing places --castles and fortresses, older cities with unique architecture, the Wachau Valley (very special and beautiful), the Iron Gates, - too many to name here.”

Decbalus, the last prince Dracians (87-106). It is 40 meters high in the Iron Gates area.

“The visits to wonderful cities, both large and small, were fabulous - including Vienna, Budapest, Vilshofen-- too many to mention here.--We learned so much about the history of Europe. “

The Name of Mary Church in Novi Sad, Serbia with its famous Zsolnay ceramic roof.

Uncle Charlie Statue in Budapest—rubbing his stout belly is believed to bring you good luck!

Question # 8: Do you have anything to add that our readers might benefit from your experience?

“I’d like to give a special thanks to Hank Schrader!

When we first started thinking about a river cruise, trying to sort our way through all the various cruise lines and itineraries, it was daunting. Neither of us had ever done a river cruise.

My husband found Hank's website "Dream Destinations"--and we got in touch with him. His deep experience and personal knowledge of cruises helped to guide us to pick AMA Waterways.

To be honest, I'd never heard of them before. Hank takes the time to understand who you are, and what you want in your travel experience. He listened to us and gave us his thoughts and recommendations.

He NEVER "pushes product". He genuinely cares about his clients and wants them to have a fabulous cruise experience. He helps you work through any challenges to find the right solution. He is fast and flexible, and always available. “

My Final Thoughts

Wow—what a report!

I think you can see why we are in the travel business and specialize in Europe vacations and European River Cruises—it just is awesome to help folks have a great vacation.

We hope you enjoyed this report. Ginnie you are a ROCK STAR!!!

Perhaps, like Ginnie and Neil, you will love the chance to try the river cruise experience, then use us to help guide you and ultimately buy a future cruise credit after you finish your first river cruise, so you can go again.

I can’t tell you how much we appreciate this report and, as we always say. Thanks for your trust in us!

Thanks Neil and Ginnie for your trust in us!

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

September 30, 2021

Europe River Cruise

A Great Time to River Cruise!

Hank Schrader

September 30, 2021

Europe River Cruise

A Great Time to River Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We have wonderful clients on the 14 day Grand Danube Cruise, who have been sailing on the AmaVerde since 26 September 2021. It is their first river cruise and first time sailing with AmaWaterways.

3 weeks prior to their departure, Amsterdam closed down for 5 days, then reopened (it was their first stop prior to the cruise; it looked like Prague was closing down, then their flight to Munich was cancelled. They decided to cancel the cruise reluctantly and then Amsterdam reopened. We scrambled; AmaWaterways rebooked them (thanks Jennifer Maddox who made it all happen at the last minute) and they are presently sailing on the Danube.

The couple, Ginnie and Neil, are really enjoying their cruise and her updates were so good, I ask her permission to share them with you. I have put them in a question and answer format and basically used her words exactly as she wrote them, with as little editing as possible. I have tried to use quotations to be clear it is what she wrote to me.

I want to make this clear, it is her report, and I’m sure you will find it fascinating to hear from her about the state of river cruising on AmaWaterways on the Danube during these unique travel times.

She titled her email to me as a great time to river cruise, so she even wrote the title of this blog.

To help add some spice to the report, I have included some of our pictures of the places she and Neil have visited on their cruise.

So, let’s explore together and learn about what it is really like to cruise right now with AmaWaterways in late September and early October 2021.

So, Ginnie tell us about Vilshofen, your embarkation city.

“We arrived yesterday at AMA! And finally had a great sleep. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and breakfast this morning. :-)

Neil went for a run yesterday - which is very important to him - and he loved running through Vilshofen. It's raining this morning, but I will likely go out for a short walk through town before the ship sails at 11:00 am.”

What about your experience on the AmaVerde?

“AMA is wonderful. The staff and service are fantastic. There are only 36 people on board-- the adventurous travelers! Our room is lovely and very comfortable. We're going to do the Chef's dinner tonight.”

What are other passengers saying about their trip?

“We had a chat this morning with a gentleman from Sacramento. To our surprise, they were able to easily enter Prague with no issue at all”

Do you find the COVID rules confusing?

“It does seem that while countries are setting out COVID procedures on the internet, there doesn't appear to be enforcement. We saw that in Amsterdam - and now Prague.”

What did you do in Passau?

“We're having a great time. Loved Passau - I did the hike up to the fortress (nearly killed me but I did it)! The view was worth it.

Her view would have included this great view of the town of Passau

Neil did a bike ride and enjoyed that - once they finally found a helmet for his big head!!! ha ha.”

What did you do on the next day?

“Today we did the Salzburg tour-- the long bus ride was a pain, but once there we went off on our own, enjoyed a bite to eat, hit a museum, and people watched in Mozart Platz.

Chef's dinner last night was wonderful, but seriously, as you know, the meals and wine are fantastic. Staff is great - lots of new folks but they are very friendly and helpful.”

Have you had any problems so far?

“We had an interesting blip in a restaurant today. It was an outside cafe - and the waiter asked us for our vaccine certificate or COVID test results. Seriously - we're outdoors and the tables are spaced - what a dumb procedure. Anyway, we did not have our vaccine certificates as they are kept with AMA. We were slow on the uptake, but remembered that our phones had the COVID certificates - so we were able to stay in the restaurant and eat lunch. Even the waiter said "the COVOID procedures are changing every day". It's so ridiculous. So much "Covid Theatre" going on - doing stuff to be "seen to be doing something" but minimal impact, if any, on reducing risk.”

What’s next?

“Durnstein, Melk and Wachau tomorrow. Really excited! I don't think I’ll do the hike - I found the last one rather tough. Neil will do the bike ride again.

Neil would ride a bike similar to these.

During his bike ride, Neil would probably wave to the AmaVerde during a break on their bike ride in the Wachau Valley

Schonbuhel Castle, about 3 miles from Melk, is known as “The Watchman of the Danube”

The village of Spitz and vineyards in the Wachau Valley

Hinterhaus Castle ruins in the Wachau Valley

Durnstein Castle ruins—not sure if Ginnie did hike up here or just enjoyed the small village

Europe is amazing! So beautiful. We are so glad we made the decision to come.”

Should folks sail now?

Sure, feel free to use my stuff for a blog I think I'll also write you a piece about how this is really a great time to travel - fewer crowds.....I've never felt unsafe re: COVID. While we were lounging on the sundeck yesterday, one guy said "it's like having your own private yacht" But it won't last forever.....now is the time to grasp the opportunity. We've seen lots of river cruise boats on this trip - things are coming back”

What happened today?

“At the moment, we're cruising towards Durnstein. Very relaxing and peaceful. I hate to make you jealous, but I had eggs benedict for breakfast. :-) We had lamb for dinner last night - it was fabulous - Neil and I both love lamb. The red wine (a Bordeaux) was a perfect match.”

Why do you think it is a great time to cruise?

“My husband and I are currently cruising down the Danube - watching the amazing scenery and river. Heading towards the Wachau Valley in Austria. We are having a wonderful European river cruise. So, why is it a great time to do a river cruise NOW? Here are my thoughts:

1. We have always felt very safe. From our departure in California, to Amsterdam, then Munich and Vilshofen in Germany, onboard and in each place we've visited, every hotel, every restaurant, there have been COVID safety protocols in place. Everyone on our cruise must be vaccinated. Everyone has to get a COVID test before boarding a plane to Europe and coming on board the ship.

2. Because river cruises are just now starting up again, the numbers of people on board are low! On our cruise, we only have 36 people on a ship that holds about 160. There's no crowding whatsoever so it's very safe. And - best of all - you get fantastic personal attention from the staff who are thrilled to see you and to be back doing the work they enjoy. For example - there are no buffets where you have to fight and elbow your way through the crowds to get your food! There is personal attention from your waiter at every meal. Everyone has a private assigned table where you eat your meals. What a treat! We laughed with some of our fellow passengers that this is a great time to travel because "this is like our own personal yacht"!!! Why wait till the crowds come back?? Why??? This is an incredible and rare experience. Take advantage -don't wait for the crowds.

3. On the subject of crowding, we have wandered the streets of wonderful European cities, visited the restaurants, museums, gone on canal cruises, relaxed in town squares, etc. - With NO TOURIST HORDES!!! It's wonderful and relaxing, and you can fully enjoy the places you are visiting! You can see what you want to see. You can take amazing pictures without strange people wandering into your shots. There is space. Why wait for the tourist hordes to return and fight your way through the crowds? Why wait till the cruises are full? Right now you can enjoy Europe peacefully and fully embrace and enjoy the beauty and history. It's a great time to relax in a German Biergarten, an Amsterdam restaurant, walk the local streets, cruise the Danube or the Rhine.

3. After a rough year and a half of "the pandemic" and lockdowns, etc. - it is time to enjoy life again. We can't live like hermits for years and be afraid to travel. Let's learn to live and travel with the pandemic - SAFELY.”

You like to call minor travel problems blips, so what are the blips you have encountered?

“So - now on to "travel blips". As travel is starting to come back in the world, you can expect some surprises and blips along the way. Here are some that we have encountered.

1. Travel protocols in each country can change quickly. Stay informed! Example: One city put on a 10 day quarantine for US citizens, then surprisingly removed it 5 days later. In their airport, there were still signs remaining about the need to quarantine, but there was no enforcement! There seems to be reliance on the airlines to check vaccination cards and covid tests. Be sure that you are clear on exactly what Covid test is required to enter the countries you are visiting, and be sure to get those within the required timeframe!! On a positive note, Covid testing seems easy to get. In our case in Amsterdam, our hotel booked the test for us - with a 10% discount, and the place to get tested was a 2 minute walk away. We got our results on our phones very early the next morning. Perfect and easy!

2. Some restaurants require vaccination cards or results of Covid tests. That was a surprise to us when we sat down for lunch in one country in an outdoor restaurant. Fortunately, we had our covid tests on our phone, as our ship was holding our vaccination cards. Put a copy of your vaccination card and your Covid test on your phone so you always have them handy!!!

3. Have a supply of masks. They're required almost everywhere. While the internet said that Europe required a specific type of mask - we found that this was not really required - people wore all kinds of masks. You MUST wear your mask in the airline terminals and planes, all transit services (trains, buses, etc.) and in some cases it's enforced. I was told by one transit checker to "move my mask up over my nose".

4. The technology can sometimes be challenging. . We've had some glitches with VPN and setting up the cruise APP. Unable to get US versions of online papers. Mildly annoying.”

5. Because of constraints on #'s of people entering museums - tell people to get their tickets online months in advance!!! I do mean months. We could not get in to see any museums in Amsterdam that we wanted to. ”

Any Final Thoughts?

“We are in the Wachau Valley now. You were right - incredibly amazing!!! The peace and solitude....is wonderful.”

My Final Thoughts

What an awesome report—it just doesn’t get more real than this. Candid, insightful and really makes the point—it is a great time to river cruise now in 2021!!

It is another reason we love sailing on AmaWaterways in Europe so much—they under promise and over deliver!

We hope you enjoyed this report as much as we enjoyed bring it to you. We also hope the pictures helped you visualize the places and experiences she and Neil are having.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

August 18, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Cruising on the AmaMora in August 2021

Hank Schrader

August 18, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Cruising the AmaMora in August 2021

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

As I began to write this, I’m on the AmaMora on the Rhine. It is our first trip on this river ship, but it already feels like home—we have sailed on 19 Europe river cruises and this is our 18th cruise with AmaWaterways . There are 53 guests onboard on a ship that can handle 167 in normal times:

We have sailed with at least 5 of the crew in the past, and the AmaWaterways family really glad to see us again—we quickly start laughing and friendly banter of good times even though the crew is never permitted to remove their masks except for pictures.

The Route

Our cruise started in Basel, Switzerland and ended in Amsterdam, Netherlands. We have sailed this direction downstream 3 times and upstream twice. The amazing scenery has not changed much—the Rhine River Gorge and its’ over 30 castles is probably the best stretch of sights in all of Europe on any European River. The gorge is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so there are no bridges to interrupt the views.

On the Rhine River Gorge, with castles dotting almost every hill, and it is like turning back the hands of time to the age of land barons, defending their turf and collecting tolls for passage.

But I managed to get ahead of myself—this cruise will port in 4 different countries. We started in Basel, after 3 days in Switzerland staying in Lucerne, and a day visit to Bern.

Then we were off to France—Strasbourg and Riquewihr. The tour to Riquewihr was very good but you are required to wear masks on the bus and during the guided tour. I went off on my own and used my mask part of the time if an area got crowded.

Riquewihr

Strasbourg

In Strasbourg, Anne and I used the AmaWaterways tour bus to get to the old town city center. We had to wear masks on the bus. It was about a 20 minute ride. I was a little surprised by how many people were out—some wore masks even outside. To go in a store, you must wear a mask.

To eat in a restaurant, we had to show our passports and vaccination certificates to be seated. The waiters wore masks. France just announced a health vaccine app download but our documents were fine.

We ate at a small café outside. We had some local cold beers (the temperature was 87 degrees) and flammkuchen (flatbread pizza bacon, cheese and an onion sauce). This is an Alsacien speciality and very tasty!

Strasbourg half timbered buildings with the Dom Steeple

Some tours in Rudesheim

Niederwaldd Monument (commemorating the unification of Germany)

Outside Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Museum —a tour option

Cruising the Rhine River Gorge

Pfalzgrafenstein toll fort with Burg Gutenfels in the background

Lahneck Castle tour

We took a quick bus ride up to the castle. We had to wear masks during the entire tour.

Cruising towards Cologne

Remagan Bridge ruins. This bridge was captured by the allies during WW II and allowed tanks to cross the Rhine before it collapsed.

Cologne

Here is a brief day by day description of our tour stops:

In Germany, Heidelberg and Speyer, were the morning tours and after an afternoon sail, we arrived in Rüdesheim for a night visit.

The Monday morning tours options are a gondola ride in Rudesheim, or a hike or bike tour; then sailing the Rhine River Gorge and it’s wonderful castles and a special tour of Lahneck Castle.

On Tuesday we were in Cologne.

We ended in Amsterdam on Wednesday.

All are great stops.

What are the Onboard Programs?

The wellness program and the Sip ‘n’ Sail cocktail hour just before dinner continue strong. Both are real hits in our opinion with guests.

While most who know me well, would say my favorite change is the new included Sip ‘n’ Sail free cocktail hour, but, I was most impressed with the wellness program (I got to learn first-hand about this program on our summer cruise on the AmaCerto in 2018). The wellness program was on 6 ships for the 2018 season and it is now on all the AmaWaterways river cruise vessels.

The wellness person, will conduct stretching classes, yoga, core strengthening classes and lead bike rides. Based on what I saw again this summer, what impressed me most that it was all age appropriate, scientifically sound, and the response on board the 6 roll out vessels has been very good. As a former nationally certified physical fitness instructor in college and for sports teams, it was interesting to see how well the programs were conducted and how the cruisers enjoyed adding a little fitness to their daily routine last summer.

Another great feature is the Sip ‘n’ Sail program. Free (included) drinks prior to dinner is a great idea and well received by guests. Wine, beer and a good selection of well drinks—even martinis are included. Great improvement!

What remains the Same With a Few New Procedures?

Anne always reminds me that consistency is the key to great travel. On AmaWaterways, the good things remain the same or are slightly better than past cruises.

Food and service is excellent—always well planned meals.

All meals are served and each guest has assigned seating. Each morning there is a temperature check just before going into the dining room. You wear a mask until you sit down at the table. Now all items are ordered off the menu—there is a great variety and a special each morning.
If you want to sleep in or want a light breakfast, here is what was available one morning on the AmaMora.

Here are some breakfast pictures:

Fruit table items served by wait staff to guests

Here are some lunch pictures

Dinner photos

Our wonderful dining room service staff wearing their Chaîne des Rôtisseurs aprons

Lunch is available in two locations. In the lounge, there are hamburgers, wraps and sandwiches.

Most guests eat in the main dining room. Again, you sit at your assigned table, and order off the menu.

Every evening on the dinner menu (a 4 course affair of an appetizer, a soup course, a main course and dessert) there are 3 Entrée’s—usually a meat dish, a fish dish and a vegetarian option.—all are excellent!

There is an Always Available Menu that features a steak, a grilled chicken breast or a vegetarian or pasta option.The meal features a white and red wine from the region you are sailing on, and they change daily (not every river cruise lines changes wines every day).

Each year, the included (yes, no extra charge) Chef’s Table menu changes. I liked the meal this year, and the wonderful view from the stern of our river ship. It is the little extras that make the difference—the Chef’s Table remains a hit.

Bar service is outstanding and the wines were particularly good with meals. It still amazes me how generous the pours are by the bar staff—the idea is to give you enough and not too much.

I can’t say enough about the crew—they work 18 hour days, and every detail is about making your vacation better.

Our Cruise Experience

We are traveling during COVID-19 and some new procedures are in place that I have highlighted in this blog. It really wasn’t much different except for the masks.

We felt very safe and it was a great trip!

My Final Thoughts

When folks find out we have sailed this route before, they want to know why—wouldn’t it be boring?

Our response —it never is! You can’t see it all on the first trip and when you consider the different seasons, it changes. Spring brings new life, summer is full of flowers and green trees, autumn is ablaze with color and Christmas is a festival not to be missed.

These are wonderful places to visit and we hope one day you will let us plan a trip to one or all of these great places. AmaWaterways has the right procedures to protect you in our opinion.

When you are spending your hard earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

August 12, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Sailing on the AmaMora in August 2021

Hank Schrader

August 12, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Sailing on the AmaMora in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who have a river cruise scheduled in 2021 want to know what the experience will be like.

So, here is our report

Our Airport Experience Flying Frankfurt

We flew on United Airlines from Houston. We flew first class in Polaris class. It was required to wear masks at all times except to eat and drink, even when sleeping.

It is amazing how quickly you forget some travel skills after an 18 month absence. We have TSA pre check (it’s awesome) but I forgot to tell them of my hip replacement, so as always I have to go through special screening device. In the old days, I would have remembered.

Prior to boarding the plane, we had to show passport and vaccination card. Even though we had electronic tickets on our I-phones, when we checked our 2 suitcases, we had them print out boarding passes. Probably a good idea, as at gate the agents marked OK on our boarding passes.

First class travel has really changed since COVID for food and beverage service. For dinner, I had braised beef short ribs. There no longer are courses served—everything comes at once. Anne had ravioli and her dish was much better than mine. The meat of my dish was very tough and with a small bowl of gravy, I was in a constant battle to avoid dripping on my shirt which I won only because my cloth napkin protected me from a couple of dribbles.

Wine is served in plastic cups. My mash potatoes were real but soupy with just a little too much liquid added. The salad was good and the frozen mango sherbet in a cardboard cup was refreshing and tasty.

My Malbec was OK but not great and I was offered a second glass but declined. Anne had champagne and put her sherbet in it—it is amazing how she upgrades food and drink!

My grades for the flight—food D+, service B+, comfort A-.

Getting to the Ship

We arrived by train and taxi after spending 3 days in Switzerland.

Here is our train report:

After landing in Frankfurt, and a very long walk (a quick note—our gate had one area of steps and even though there is an elevator it was a little bit of a struggle with our carry on bags as we walked up the steps) we went through security very easily. The only extra document is vaccination card and you must remove mask briefly so guards can see your face. Passport and vaccination card was all that was required— there were no health questions to enter Germany at the border control point.

Frankfurt airport is huge, our flight was delayed for about 40 minutes and finding the long distance train was very hard. With 2 rolling suitcases and Anne’s small rolling carry-on, the escalators were a challenge for me with trying to handle the two 24” rolling suitcases. After about 25 minutes of walking, we finally got to the right track. Luckily for us the train was about 15 minutes late, so we made our first of 3 train connections.

Our second train went well from Mannheim to Basel with one minor exception. Upon approaching Basel, we got off at Basel Bad and quickly realized our mistake and almost missed scrambling back for the short 8 minute ride. The train conductor helped us load up—still we are too heavy for quick loading and unloading but for a 20 day trip it may be the cost of having enough clothes and travel items. Perhaps the saying bring half as much things and twice as much money is great travel advice.

The 3rd train was another challenge. We missed our desired train by 3 minutes but knew there was another in an hour. We had a great ride to Lucerne and after a short walk to our hotel, we have arrived after about 20+ hours.

Daily Life on the AmaMora

Since this is our 18th cruise on AmaWaterways, we can give you a very good comparison on what has changed.

Here are some photos I took on the AmaMora in 2018 on a quick visit with permission of the captain as it was docked next to the AmaCello.

Boarding was easy. A temperature check and passports, vaccination card with the security guard, a warm welcome by the pursor Adam who we have sailed with before and a quick document check and off to cabin 204.

The only changes onboard are masks in public areas, no bar stools at the bar, and some plastic dividers in the lounge.

There are 2 pictures at the end of the blog of the lounge changes.

My Final Thoughts

We believe travel is safe. It is different but there are some advantages to traveling now. Less crowded, only minor inconveniences, and travel folks are welcoming you back with open arms.

What a great adventure—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures and our report as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

August 5, 2021

Europe River Cruise

The Restart of River Cruising in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader

August 5, 2021

Europe River Cruise

The Restart of River Cruising in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps the burning question on many traveler’s minds is how the restart of river cruising is going in Europe?

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who plan to travel in Europe in 2021, want to know what the experience will be like and will it be safe.

So, here is the latest information I can find about resuming sailing and health protocols. I will provide sources to help provide as factual a report as possible but we have no real inside knowledge, so please accept this as an overview and, under no circumstances, consider this a source of the current requirements of each company—you must go to the individual company’s website and read their updates.

This is only a snapshot of 5 August 2021. The sailing dates and number of vessels sailing should be very accurate but policies will and have changed, so do not rely on this as a definitive source.

I want to emphasize this changes daily as governments and cruise lines adapt to the ever changing situation, but knowing a little about the return to the rivers is an important step in learning about how the 8 companies we follow are restarting their operations.

Overview

None of the cruise lines are at full operations, as they gradually restart. Some lines will not reach full operations in 2021.

It seems pretty clear the trend is you must be vaccinated against COVID at least 14 days prior to your trip, or you will be denied access to many activities in Europe. Even with vaccinations, there will still be some mask requirements during your travels. 7 out of 8 lines now require vaccination proof and I am almost certain Tauck will soon follow suit.

Some European countries are requiring up to a 10-day quarantine period for unvaccinated travelers (Source: Insider Travel Report 5 August 2021). It is clear to me and all the river cruise lines that they just can’t provide the proper guest experience with unvaccinated travelers.

At present, all meals will be served on all river cruise lines, as the traditional buffets for breakfast and lunch are not being used by any of these 8 lines.

It is also clear, each line takes safety and health very seriously and all seem to have excellent procedures in place.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways resumed sailing in Europe on 3 July 2021. They are currently sailing on the Douro, the Rhône, the Danube and the Rhine.

Vaccinations are required and you must answer an online health survey and provide details of pre and post travel. At embarkation, there will be a temperature check. Luggage handles will be sanitized before delivery to your staterooms. Masks will be required at interior public locations but protocols continue to change. Ample hand sanitizers are available in several locations on the ship. There is no recirculating air in the stateroom. Limitations on the number of guests on each sailing is currently in effect. Bikes are sanitized after each use. No visitors are allowed on the ships. Shore excursions will be in small groups. The crew is well trained in protocols for health and sanitation and will wear face coverings. (Source: AmaWaterways website).

Avalon

Avalon, owned by Globus, has restarted sailing in July 2021.

Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination is required for all Avalon cruises. Avalon has instituted a “Cruise with Confidence” policy to insure health and safety without taking away from the joy of traveling with them. They emphasize smaller number of passengers sailing on each ship (no more than 150 guests), a commitment to clean ships, fresh air inside and out (air is not circulated between staterooms), a safe crew who will take measures to ensure guest comfort and health and safety procedures and new technology to help ensure cleanliness. (Source Avalon River Cruise website).

Crystal

The 4 ships of Crystal have not returned to cruising yet in Europe. The Crystal Ravel and Crystal Debussy plan to return to sailing on the last days of August 2021. (Source Sea Trade Cruise News).

As of 27 July 2021, Crystal requires all guests to be fully vaccinated. Crystal protocols are named “Crystal Clean+--version 6.0). It starts with secure online Declaration of Safety, providing them a true picture of your health. The next item is vigilance aboard and ashore, with temperature checks, disinfected all off shore luggage and compliance with all local health regulations. They emphasize “in space we trust” by fewer guests per square foot in the river cruise industry on 135 meter ships. The next item is called ‘purified to perfection” with each guest stateroom frequently disinfected and electrostatic fogging with medical grade disinfectants. These are also used in the next protocol, named “high-frequency purification” of public areas. “Fresh air” is achieved by not having recirculated air onboard. Thy also use a “responsive mask policy” by remaining nimble but meeting government compliance. They will also display common-sense precautions reminders called “our pact for safety”. (Source: Crystal Cruises website).

Emerald

The Emerald cruise line just restarted sailing on 31 July 2021 on the Douro River.

Emerald requires all guest to be fully vaccinated. Emerald emphasizes its “Peace of Mind” pledge to provide their guests “comfort, well-being and assurance you need on your journey”. These include a medical evaluation prior to boarding which include a vaccination for all guests. Their dedicated crew will ensure health and safety protocols will be practiced on a daily basis. Guests will be looked after by a healthy crew. They also emphasize contact free check-in and check-out; frequent briefing and screenings; enhanced cleaning commitment in staterooms and public areas; socially aware dining; no recirculated air in the ship; small groups during shore excursions; carefully selected local partners to ensure safety and health; and wellness throughout your journey. (Source Emerald Website).

Scenic

Scenic has already started sailing in Portugal on the Douro River.

Scenic requires all guests to be fully vaccinated. All guests will be required to complete a pre-departure medical health evaluation. Your temperature will be check during embarkation. Scenic is the parent company of Emerald and has adapted the same procedures as Emerald, which I covered in more detail in their section of this blog. (Source Scenic Cruise website).

Tauck

The famous tour company.is not currently sailing in Europe but will resume operation on 25 August on the Rhine.

Tauck is not requiring that all guests be vaccinated, however if a country, establishments or public transportation require vaccination, all guests must comply. If the guest is not fully vaccinated, they must present a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure. All Tauck guests are required to sign their Travel Wellness Pledge and COVID-19 Liability Waiver. (Source Sea Trade Cruise News and Tauck Website).

I expect Tauck to require vaccinations to travel.

Uniworld

Owned by the Travel Corporation, Uniworld began its 2021 season on 20 June 2021 on the Po River in Italy, then in France on 27 June 2021.

All guests traveling between 13 August and 31 December are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel on their ships. All guests must complete a Travel Declaration prior to embarkation and during boarding there will be a temperature check. Hand sanitation will be required before entering public spaces. Housekeeping will disinfect public area touch points often daily. Contactless payment procedures will be practiced. Stateroom will be thoroughly cleaned daily. Crew will be trained on enhanced health protocols. (Source Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Website).

Viking

The largest river cruise company is sailing in Portugal, France and now on the Rhine. Viking is celebrating its anniversary today—they started sailing 24 years ago today.

All Viking sailings are available exclusively for vaccinated guests, until further notice. (Source Viking River Cruise Website Frequently Ask Questions). They are also recommending, but not requiring a PRC test 72 hours prior to sailing. Viking has partnered with VerFLY to upload a digital copy of the vaccination certificate that will be required for each guest. Viking has instituted a Health and Safety Program which includes a saliva PRC test, new air purification technology installed on all Viking ships, and additional health checks, sanitation and physical distancing to protect Viking guests and crew during the journey. (Source Viking River Cruises Website).

My Final Thoughts

It sure has been a strange 18 months for the travel industry but I truly believe river cruising in Europe will rebound strongly. Each of these 8 lines have instituted sound procedures to enhance the safety and health of their guests.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 24, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways Partners with Ancestry®

Hank Schrader

June 24, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways Partners with Ancestry®

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

AmaWaterways just seems to be on a relentless mission to enhance their offerings in river cruising –their moto “Leading the Way in River Cruising”—still rings true.

Their latest partnership, just announced on 23 June 2021 is amazing—a true home run in my opinion. AmaWaterways has partnered with Ancestry to offer a specialized Ancestry themed cruise on 30 July 2022. If you subscribe to Ancestry or are interested in genealogy this is the cruise for you!

They are calling this specialized cruise Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience

We anticipate this cruise will sell out fast. We are waiting for final approval but may soon be able to offer $250.00 off the listed price on this cruise per person—please don’t wait! Space can be reserved by a non-refundable deposit of $1,550. The cruise will have an extra fee of $1,500 for the Ancestry® services added to the cruise prices. Your total price will depend upon what type of cabin stateroom you select for this special voyage.

Please don’t wait—if this appeals to you, call me at 713-397-0188 or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com—at max there will be only 156 spaces but I suspect even less, as AmaWaterways will need to provide a cabin stateroom or 2 for the genealogy experts from Ancestry.

So, let’s explore together and learn about this special partnership and the new river cruise.

The Route

Your route. Map from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

The route is a modification of the Captivating Rhine Cruise we have taken in 2016 and 2018.

A couple of disclaimers here—this is still in development, so there could be changes but I would not anticipate any big changes. Second, with AmaWaterways’ permission, I have copied much of this almost word for word.

Itinerary Overview

Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience

The sailing dates are July 30 – August 6, 2022
7-night journey on the Rhine, Amsterdam to Basel aboard the AmaStella (135 meter vessel)
Optional 2-night in Amsterdam pre-cruise and/or 4-night in Switzerland (Lucerne and Zurich) post-cruise packages

Your Cruise Ship—the AmaStella

The AmaStella is a twin balcony designed ship with 78 staterooms and has a max capacity of 156 passengers. As with all AmaWaterways ships with this design, there is a Main Lounge, a Reception Area, the Main Dining Room, the Chef’s Table, a Massage & Hair Salon, a Fitness Room, an Elevator, and a Swim-up Heated Pool on the top Sun Deck. These style ships are wonderfully designed and tastefully decorated.

While we have never sailed on this ship, we have sailed on several other similar riverships with AmaWaterways and they are first class in every respect.

Each sailing has a dedicated Cruise Manager and Certified Fitness Host and an outstanding crew to make your vacation experience special.

The meals are outstanding; the service is excellent and you become part of the AmaWaterways family and will want to come back to sail with them soon.

The best part of your journey will be the outstanding standards AmaWaterways uses on all its sailings coupled with the Ancestry Cruise—a true winning combination!

The AmaStella. Picture used with permission from AmaWaterways.

The Chef’s Table on the AmaStella. This wonderful dining option is included in the price of the cruise—there are no additional costs to dine here. Photo from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

One of the 2 wine rooms that are part of the main dining room. Picture from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

Please note, guests will have opportunity to see Floriade if they take a pre-cruise in Amsterdam. There is no opportunity to visit Floriade on the main cruise, as guests will be taken from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium for the Ancestry specific excursion on Day 2 of the main cruise.

If you are not familiar with the Floriade, it is a once a decade horticultural show, that runs from April to October in 2022. The theme is “Growing Green Cities.”

Optional 2-night pre-cruise in Amsterdam:

Day 1 Amsterdam Hotel check-in; on Day 2 in Amsterdam a Walking Tour and on Day 3 prior to embarkation, a visit to the Floriade.

The famous Gabled Roofs on the narrow buildings. Most were built as narrow as possible to limit property taxes that were assessed by the width of the building.

This is a former gate entrance to the city. All the walls have been torn down of this former walled city. It is now a restaurant.

The Cruise

Day 3 Embarkation - July 30, 2022

Day 4 Amsterdam Transfer to Antwerp by bus

Antwerp “In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors”: Visit to Red Star Line Museum, accompanied by an expert genealogist

Ancestry Specific Excursion Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp, Belgium

This excursion is exclusive to the Heritage on the River sailing and allows guests to go in the footsteps of the emigrants who were in search of a new home in North America.

Guests will arrive from Amsterdam to Antwerp by bus and start the tour from the Antwerp Central Station. For many who immigrated to the New World, this is where their story began, and the accompanying genealogist will bring that history to life in this grand hub.

Later, guests will have a unique experience at the Red Star Line Museum, considered Europe’s counterpart to Ellis Island. There they will follow in the footsteps of three million emigrants as they embarked Red Star Line Ocean liners in Antwerp between 1873 and 1934 on their way to North America.

This excursion includes time for guests to personally search the Red Star Line’s database for ship manifests that may uncover the names of your relatives. Following the excursion, guests will transfer to Utrecht where they will re-join the ship.

For more information on the Red Star Line Museum, please visit their website:

Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp

Day 5 Cologne “Holy City” walking tour and cathedral visit; OR Kölsch beer tasting; OR Cologne bike tour

This wonderful photo taken by Anne shows this magnificent Cologne Cathedral.

Day 6 Rhine Gorge Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising / Rüdesheim

In Rüdesheim you have several options--wine tasting, OR a Gondola ride; OR Vineyard hike; OR Guided bike tour of the Rheingau region; Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum; OR Rüdesheimer coffee

Rüdesheim narrow streets. On the far right, with the yellow lollipop sign, is Chris, the cruise manager for the cruise when Anne took this photo in 2016. Guides use the lollipop signs for the small walking groups when on tour.

Hank (right) with his West Point Classmate Jim, drinking Rüdesheimer coffee (coffee, whipped cream and Rüdesheimer brandy)

Day 7 Ludwigshafen “Romantic Heidelberg” excursion OR Heidelberg Philosopher’s Path hike; OR “Secrets of Speyer” tour; OR Ladenburg bike tour

The Gate Bridge entrance to Heidelberg over the Neckar River..

Heidelberg Castle ruins in the snow—there will not be any on your 2022 trip.

Day 8 Strasbourg “The Gem of Alsace” tour; OR Strasbourg bike tour

Day 9 Breisach Riquewihr walking tour OR Freiburg excursion; OR Black Forest hike; OR Breisach wine country bike tour

Riquewhir cobblestone streets. This colorful village was used as the inspiration of Belle’s village in the Disney production of Beauty and the Beast.

The old Merchants Guild Hall in Freiburg.

Day 10 Basel Day 10 DISEMBARKATION, August 6th, 2021

Optional 4-night post-cruise in Switzerland:

Day 10 Basel highlights tour begins with a Transfer to Lucerne by bus; Lucerne walking tour and Hotel check-in. Day 11 Lucerne Lion Monument and medieval city walls. Day 12 Lucerne Lucerne Lake cruise and scenic drive to Zurich by bus, Zurich Hotel check-in. Day 13 Zurich “Little Big City” tour. Day 14 Zurich Return flight home

The old city walls and watch tower in Lucerne,

Lion Monument in Lucerne. The Lion Monument is a tribute to the 1000 Swiss Gurads who died trying to protect King Louie XVI of France in 1792 during the French Revolution.

What’s Included Before the Cruise

The journey begins the moment you make a reservation. An expert Ancestry genealogist will begin performing research into the your family history.
A welcome call with a designated expert genealogist (about 1 hour).
A five-hour consultation and introductory research to study aspects of your family that are of particular interest to them. (Additional hours are available at extra cost)
A summary of findings from the five-hour consultation and introductory research. (The summary is completed as part of the five hours). Through this research, Ancestry will look to identify places guests will visit or pass on the river cruise that may be connected to their ancestry.
Guests will also have an option to add-on an Ancestral Home Visits.

What’s Included in the Cruise

In addition to AmaWaterways regular inclusions, the Ancestry experience includes:

An expert genealogists will be with our guests for the entire river cruise, personalizing their experience, setting the historical context, and answering questions about their family, history, and the next steps they can take to research them. This expert will connect the places we are visiting to the guests’ family history. The expert will also explain changes in national borders and regional politics over time, all while providing a glimpse into the guests’ ancestors’ likely experiences and daily lives.
The expert genealogist will deliver at least two historical and genealogical presentations during the cruise. These presentations will help guests learn more about what life was like for their ancestors and what records are available to find out more about them.
Each participant will receive one private consultation with the expert genealogist while on board. (They will sign up during the cruise.) T his is a great opportunity to review their Ancestry Tree with their expert genealogist.
An Ancestry-specific excursion with the expert genealogist

My Final Thoughts

What a great opportunity to learn about your ancestry. Not only will you get a fabulous vacation, the added benefit of 5 hours of personalized research is amazing. If you really want to learn about your family tree and history, this is amazing opportunity.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

March 17, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways 46-Night Europe River Cruise

Hank Schrader

March 17, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways 46 Night Europe River Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

AmaWaterways has done it again—a bold new program that is unmatched in European River Cruising. No wonder their slogan rings true—“Leading the Way in River Cruising”

Taking a note from the popular world ocean cruising offerings, AmaWaterways has created their version of a “world” cruise in Europe on a 46 night adventure using 4 different AmaWaterways riverships.

Please read this whole blog—I have some real new news about a second cruise that were released about 1 hour ago on 18 March 2021—a new opportunity to an added chance for a second added sailing that is slightly different!

The cruise will start on 1 June 2023 and is open for reservations on 15 March 2021.

So, let’s explore together and learn about this unique opportunity to visit 14 countries on 7 different rivers—you won’t be disappointed!

Overview of the Cruise

Map of the entire route. Image from AmaWaterways who gave us permission to use in this blog.

The 7 rivers of this unique sailing are the Seine, the Rhône, the Saône, the Rhine, the Moselle, the Main and the Danube Rivers.

The 14 countries on this trip are: France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic (if you take the Cesky Krumlov tour), Slovakia, Austria, Hungry, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.

The French Part of the Cruise—14 days

The Seine route is a 7 day round trip cruise into Normandy, starting and ending in Paris. The cruise highlights are Monet's village of Giverny; the harbor town of Honfleur; Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy and the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431 (also of special note is the 700 restored half-timber buildings in the old quarter); as well as a chance to visit the medieval towns along this scenic route and visit the D-Day Normandy beaches.

Statue at Normandy Beach in 2014 in France

This is a gentle voyage along farmland and meadows, historic towns and good food such as brie and camembert cheeses, calvados (apple brandy) and Normandy cider. If you like history, such as the 100 Years War between England and France, want to learn more about the largest amphibious landing in history at the D Day beaches, and like impressionist paintings, this portion of the cruise will especially appeal to you.

The first leg of the journey will be on the AmaLyra.

**Our first river cruise was on the AmaLyra in 2009—what a great experience—it got us hooked on river cruising and AmaWaterways**

When you arrive in Paris after completing the Seine portion of the cruise, you will then take the TGV to Lyon for the second leg of the France portion of the cruise. The transfer will be seamless—AmaWaterways will handle all the luggage and you will be escorted to the TGV high speed train. We have experienced a transfer similar to this on a previous AmaWaterways cruise in this region and it is a very easy process—professionally handled as you would expect from AmaWaterways.

The Rhône and Saône cruise goes from Lyon to Tarascon, France (Tarascon is about 14 miles south of Avignon). You will sail on the AmaKristina.

Starting in Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, the cruise goes through France's legendary wine growing regions of Beaujolais and Cote du Rhone, and allows you observe medieval villages in the Provence region of France.

Truffle Dog during one of our 3 Provence river cruises.

Then on to the Papal town of Avignon.

Wine regions of the Rhone River Valley. Image from AmaWaterways

You will sample great wines, visit Roman ruins, and learn about the cuisine of Provence, among stunning scenery—fields of purple lavender, yellow sunflowers and vineyards.

We have sailed on this route 3 times and each time it was awesome—we are ready to return anytime.

From Tarascon, you will take the TGV to Mulhouse Germany.

The Middle Leg on the Rhine and its Tributaries—17 Days

This is combination of the best voyages on the Rhine, the Moselle, the Main and the uses the Main-Danube Canal to reach the Danube.

You will sail this leg on the AmaPrima.

The first part sails from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam (it is a version of the Enchanting Rhine itinerary). The first part of this cruise is a visit to the Alsace region of France for Strasbourg and Riquewihr or to Freiburg in Germany. At the port of Ludwigshafen, guests can take a trip to either Heidelberg or Speyer.

Strasbourg France canal—you can see the famous cathedral in the background.

Then to the Rhine River Gorge, with its 40 castles guarding the steep banks after a visit to Rüdesheim.

Among the many highlights of this leg is a visit to Lahneck Castle tour (a unique exclusive private tour only available on AmaWaterways). The last two stops are Cologne and Amsterdam. We hope you like our pictures from previous cruises:

Now, back south on the Rhine again, through the Rhine River Gorge again and off to the Moselle. Key port stops are Cochem, Bernkastel, Trier and Luxembourg.

Then back up north on the Moselle, with a chance to visit Berg Eltz, again, unique to my knowledge in the river cruise industry.

Here are some of our favorite pictures from the Moselle:

Now, a chance to explore more of Germany on the Main River, after a visit to Koblenz (the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine) and a third trip past the Rhine River Gorge (trust me it never gets old—most folks consider this the best stretch of sights on any river in Europe).

Port stops on the Main include Miltenberg, Wertheim, Wurzburg, Bamberg and Nuremberg before cruising the Main-Danube Canal with a final stop in Vilshofen. I really like the Main tributary and here are a few of our favorite pictures of this great leg:

The Final Leg on the Danube—14 Days

At Vilshofen, you will make a transfer to the AmaVerde (we haven’t sailed on it so no personal picture of this 135 meter rivership).

The Upper Danube is the other great route on Europe rivers (it is the single most popular river cruise route in all Europe—it has about 30% of all river cruise passengers that take a Europe river cruise every year)—and it goes from Vilshofen to Budapest on the first 7 day leg of this 14 day cruise segment. You will get to visit 4 countries (the four are Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, but you can up it to 5 countries if you take the Cesky Krumlov excursion in the Czech Republic), 3 capital cities (Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest), castles, Abbeys, wine-sloped terraces and even quaint villages--it is a great voyage.

**Schonbuhel Castle —The Watchman of the Danube**

The lower Danube is the gateway to Eastern Europe. This segment begins in Budapest and ends near the Black Sea. It starts with the rolling hills and vine-clad slopes of the Pecs in Hungary; then moves to the boundary waters that separate Serbia and Croatia; then traverses the narrow gorges of the Iron Gates, a stunning passage that divides the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains and ends near Bucharest, Romania.

What is included in this Epic Journey?

This cruise will have a dedicated cruise manager for the entire 46 night journey. Gratuities are included for the ship crew and for all the 130 included tours. Each ship will have all the standard wonderful offerings of AmaWaterways—great staterooms; awesome dining with included regional wines, beer and other beverages; Sip-n-Sail happy hour; complimentary laundry; free Wi-Fi; seamless transfers between ships; and included chef table at no additional costs.

Costs and Availability

The cruise is limited to 144 guests. Prices begin at $25,999 per person with $1350 port charges (also per person) for a fixed window stateroom. French balconies start at $34,988 per person with port charges of $1350 per person. Balconies start at $48,988 per person with port charges of $1350. There was a pre-cruise waiting list offer and currently AmaWaterways is contacting those on the list to apply their refundable deposit of $4,800 to the cruise.

As of 17 March 2021, according to a webinar I attended from AmaWaterways, there still are openings for this cruise—if you are interested, we suggest you contact us quickly!

Added Epic Cruise in April 2023 (20 April to 4 June) BREAKING NEWS!

This was announced last week (10 March 2021) during a weekly webinar for travel agents only by the AmaWaterways leadership—a slightly different version of the 46 night unique journey. This version will include only the Rhône cruise as the first leg and expand the Rhine leg by adding a Tulip Time route in the Netherlands and Belgium. The rest of this section will use the same route described above. The last segment will be on the Danube but use the double wide AmaMagna.

3 ships only on this route, so only one transfer by TVG from the Rhône to the Rhine. Reservations have not opened up yet and my friends at AmaWaterways gave me some amazing pricing just before I was about to send out the blog.

There is some amazing pricing for this trip. Each person has to pay $1350 port charges.

Cat E (fixed window) $24,999 Total Price with port charges $26,349

Cat D (fixed window $28,398 Total Price with Port Charges $29,748

Because their are different types of riverships on this cruise, balcony prices have a total range as follows:

$33,348 $35,348 $36,348 $40,348 $41,348 $43,348 $44,348 $51, 348

For those of you who want the ultimate suite staterooms, here are the prices (note very limited):

Suite/GS $57.384 total Suite/OS $62.348

Learn more About this Amazing Cruise

Here are some pictures and a map of the Tulip Time route:

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—a world cruise on Europe’s Rivers—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!

We have sailed on all these rivers except the Seine and from personal experience can testify this will be a trip of a lifetime, unmatched by any other river cruise company. We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

March 4, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Why it is so Hard to Determine the Best River Cruise Company?

Hank Schrader

March 4, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Why it is so Hard to Determine the Best River Cruise Company?

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

In 2016, I wrote a blog about what is “luxury” in river cruising and which lines should be classified as luxury lines. It seems that some version of this question keeps popping up over and over again. It is clear there is a lot of confusion and conflicting opinions about choosing the best river cruise company.

It has happen in our business recently. Several recent inquiries from clients and potential clients want help in deciding this question--What is the best river cruise company line?

The problem is there is no single best line for everyone.

So, I thought maybe we could provide some answers by helping match the features of various cruise company lines to help you make an informed choice.

Snippets from my old Article

In 2016, the Editor-in-Chief of Travel Age West Magazine, a publication for travel professionals, posed this question to his readers and asked for comments from the field. He basically challenged us to explain how we explain “luxury” river cruising to our clients. He also asked if we have any amenities that we feel are mandatory to classify a river cruise line as “luxury”.

Before we begin, it is important to decide what luxury is. The American Heritage Dictionary defines luxury as: “1) Something that is not essential but is conductive to pleasure and comfort. 2) Something that is expensive or hard to obtain. 3) Sumptuous living or surroundings.”

Are there any “Luxury” River Cruise Lines?

We think we cannot define or segment river cruise lines using the “luxury” classification.

We feel that each client has different ideas of what luxury is, so a label of luxury has little meaning to most of our clients, if it does not include what is luxury to them.

Here are 2 important reasons why:

Reason # 1 Most River Cruise Lines are already in the Premium Oceangoing Category—Defining What is Luxury or Not Luxury is Difficult at Best

A problem, when trying to place a river cruise company in the luxury category and trying explain what is luxury river cruising to clients new to river cruising, is that the starting bar is already very high. By 2021 all of the eight major lines that market to US clients (AmaWaterways, Avalon, Crystal, Emerald, Scenic, Tauck, Uniworld, and Viking) have good accommodations, free Wi-Fi, wine & beer with lunch and dinner, limited entertainment and tours included in their base fare.

I have said over and over again—there is no bad river cruise, all are very good. Most ocean cruise lines charge extra for many of the included items by all of these 8 river cruise lines.

Each river cruise company offers suites on their riverships, so if a suite moves the needle to luxury, so be it.

This is a suite bath tub on an AmaWaterways suite. Most staterooms on river ships only have showers, so a suite bath tub might move this into the luxury category.

Does included all alcoholic drinks make it luxury? Does the quality of wine make it luxury? Does included gratuities make it luxury? Does a butler make it luxury? Does no extra charge for any tour make it luxury?

How about the food?

Seafood buffet on the Scenic Opal—lobster thurmidor is one the menu—one of my personal favorites!

Does the breakdown of the nationalities make it luxury—does the guest want to be with Americans or other nationals? Does one factor outweigh the others and make it luxury? Do you have to have a specific number of these factors to make it luxury?—we just do not presume to guess our clients preferences.

Reason # 2 There are no true Luxury River Cruise Ships like there are in Ocean Cruise Ships Due to Lack of Luxury Facilities on Riverships Except the AmaMagna

This is a pretty bold statement, but true.

The biggest reason for this is due to rivership size limitations. The most common rivership size is 110 m (361 feet) or 135 m (443 feet) longships and they are all 11.58 m (38 feet) wide or so. The size limitations are necessary so riverships can fit into most of the various locks in Europe, especially the Main-Danube Canal.

They also can only be 3 decks tall to fit under some bridges—while there is a roof sun deck 4, all items on the deck, including the navigation cabin can be lowered, so the rivership is only 3 decks in height when passing lower bridges.

The Tauck Treasures river ship. It is easy to see the 3 passenger decks. Level 1 is at the water line with fixed windows. Levels 2 and 3 are French Balconies. At the front is the lounge area.

The Emerald Sun lounge (top level) and dining room below on deck 2.

It was completion of the Main-Danube Canal that was the impetus for modern river cruising—pioneers like Rudi Schreiner realized this canal completion could offer a boat tour of unparalleled experience that would be far better than a bus tour along most of the heartland of Europe.

Hank and Anne with Kristin Karst of AmaWaterways

River cruising went from pretty sparse overnight accommodations in the early 1990s to really nice staterooms and riverships in the later 2000s.

A typical Scenic luxury balcony stateroom. This ship is the Scenic Opal.

AmaWaterways twin balcony stateroom—looks like luxury to me!

Riverships must use the limited amount of space to decide what to include with their onboard facilities. River cruise ships have smaller suites sizes; are missing many onboard upscale facilities found on oceangoing vessels (casinos, multiple restaurants, multiple shopping areas, huge entertainment areas, several pools and large gyms and large spa facilities) and there are no large entertainment shows.

A small exercise area on the AmaKristina rivership. This Compact exercise room is very small compared to the massive workout areas on ocean cruise ships.

These luxury items are common are oceangoing vessels, and are lacking on riverships. This is one reason the luxury designation is not a good term to use when describing river cruising.

Only AmaWaterways has found a way around this space problem by creating a double wide river cruise ship and sail it on only the Danube River. It was completed in 2019 and is widely accepted as close to luxury available on European rivers by most river cruise authorities.

An artist drawing of the double wide AmaMagna. Image used by permission of AmaWaterways.

Crystal tried this approach by refitting an oversized, older vessel, to get closer to the “Crystal Experience” that their clients have come to expect on their two Crystal oceangoing ships. The Crystal Mozart went into service in 2016 and they finally decided to remove the larger ship in 2019—it had constant maintenance problems and now Crystal sails 4 normal sized riverships with king sized beds, and walk-in closets.

The only problem with this approach to improve the onboard facilities with a double wide ship, is that now the destinations the ship can visit are limited to only the Danube River. It really is not that much of a problem, as there are a lot of smaller sized riverships to cruise the other rivers of Europe.

Our 2020-2021 River Cruise Company Comparisons

This is so complex a subject that only a complete comparisons like our 86 slide 2020-2021 River Cruise Company Comparison Guide adequately address these questions (there are 17 comparisons charts in the presentation).

Here is the link to this Guide:

2020-2021 River Cruise Comparison Guide

One Reasonable Segmentation Method: More Inclusive vs. less Inclusive River Cruise Companies

There are 4 more inclusive lines (Crystal, Scenic, Tauck, & Uniworld), but even on these lines, there may be extras, especially on Crystal (helicopter rides, speed launches, private tours, and an extra charge for exclusive dining).

There are butlers on Crystal, Uniworld and Scenic.

Our butler (left) doubled as a waiter at Portobellos on our Scenic cruise.

On Scenic, the butler service increases in relation with cabin category selected. For example, the Diamond category guests on Deck 3 have better butler services, and a unique dining experience (unfortunately in the same main dining room as the other guests).

Often these lines charge $1500--$2000 per person extra for minor perks and clients would come out ahead pricewise on other lines with as good or even a better cruise experience. If a butler and room service is luxury, then that may make it a luxury cruise to some and worth the extra price.

Even more inclusive lines may own or lease their ships—again a subtle difference—Tauck leases its ships and their ships just do not match others in the all-inclusive category.

Each river cruise line has its distinct advantages and disadvantages—it all comes down to the perception of value by each client.

We do not classify river cruise lines—we talk about their advantages and disadvantages, but most of all, what will be the experience for our clients.

Here is a link to one of our most popular blogs about the advantages and disadvantages of a river cruise:

River Cruise Advantages & Disadvantages

How we help Our Clients Navigate the Maze of River Cruise Companies

This is part of a blog I wrote earlier about the maze of river cruise companies.

“Here is how we start the process. Our first step is to match you with the available options.

We first learn who you are, visit with you by asking lot of questions about what you like and do not like and then find the best options.

We have developed a great Europe River cruise questionnaire that will help us learn what you really want on your river cruise.

We spend our time doing the research for you, so you can spend your time dreaming about the memories you are going to make.”

We never address luxury directly, we address the advantages and disadvantages of each line and what is included and how the line will best match their preferences. Then we discuss value—is the extra price worth the extra perks?

Our European River Cruise Questionnaire

Besides basic contact info, here is the absolute minimum info we need to help our clients get the best possible river cruise—previous cruise experience, days available for the trip, activities (we ask about 14 activities), what you like to see and where you want to go, how many Europe countries previously visited, how important is wine and food, passport data and special meal requirements and any physical mobility problems.

Then we start expanding on these responses until we get the perfect trip described from our clients in their own words.

Then, using our knowledge of all European Rivers, who sails them, and what factors are important to the client, we match them to the right company. Having written 50 Europe city guides, earning 6 river cruise specialist designation from all of the previous 8 mentioned lines that currently offer specialist programs and personally sailing on 18 river cruises, makes this process easy for us. We have also written 51 river cruise port guides that are available to you by request on our website.

Here is the link to our Questionnaire:

River Cruise Questionnaire

Destinations—the Number One thing to Decide on Selecting a River Cruise Company

The primary consideration for taking a river cruise, in my opinion, are the destinations—what you will get to visit and see.

Budapest Parliament Building at night on the Danube River—an amazing destination!

The Roman aqueduct—pony du Gard—difficult to see on your own but easy on a Provence river cruise.

This is a great look at just how large this engineering marvel of thebPont du Gard

Most companies use a pool of similar guides—we have seen the exact same guide led a tour from AmaWaterways one day in Nuremberg, Germany and the next day for Viking—pretty hard to miss a 6 foot 8 inch former pro basketball player holding a lollipop AmaWaterways sign one day and a Viking sign the next.

The real question boils down to what you will get to see and visit and if there are any exclusive tours or experiences that only the river cruise line you are considering to travel with offers.

Here is a unique tour—this is a trained truffle dog finding truffles buried—the guests just loved her! We took this tour on an AmaWaterways cruise on the Rhone River.

At present, only Tauck uses on-board guides, so if that is important, maybe it becomes more in the luxury category.

Does AmaWaterways Late Riser tours or Limited Edition tour make it luxury?

This is our tour guide on a late risers tour on AmaWaterways. There were only 3 of us—it was like hiring a private, professional guide but it was included for free!

Here is Hank on a food tour in Nuremberg with their famous sausage at a brewery. Again an included tour in the cruise fare.

Does Scenic’s Sundowner experience make it luxury?

This is a Scenic special Sundowner celebration in Durnstein, Austria. We had great music from these 2 gentlemen.

Here was our Sundowner meal spread, served with beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. It was a really fun experience, with tasty food and included at no cost to the guests on that sailing.

How about concerts in an exclusive location, like Tauck and Scenic offer or after-hours access to sights offered by Uniworld—are these luxury?

River Cruise Company Cruise Travel Industry Awards and Brochures Make it Difficult for Consumers to Decipher Claims About who is the Best River Cruise Line

When defining luxury cruise line on ocean going ships, the luxury lines usually have smaller ships (less passengers), offer better food and premium service, may include alcoholic beverages and spend more time in port and there is less emphasis on selling extras—there are more inclusions and they command a higher price point. The problem when trying to apply this to river cruising is that most all river cruise lines already include many of the distinguishing features of luxury cruise lines in their base fare.

Most river cruise lines have won several awards and selected as best in reader polls. Again, this confusion makes it very hard for the consumer to objectively evaluate the highly competitive Europe River cruise companies. Adding in world river cruises like the Nile, Amazon, Africa and Asia adds a whole other dimension to trying to segment river cruises into a luxury category—each area of the world is quite different and the experiences they provide are quite different.

Brochures often claim they are the best but the truth is there is no best river cruise for everyone.

The Bottom Line

Using a term like a luxury river cruise line and trying to put them into distinct categories does not translate well to river cruises—it is such a distinct product, that all lines fall into the premium category at least and most really are pretty much luxury in the Europe market, just different degrees of luxury depending upon one’s personal definition.

We prefer not to segment—we prefer to explain the advantages and disadvantages of each line.

The only thing that works for us is matching client expectations by knowing exactly what they want to experience and having an exceptional knowledge of what each lines offers. This is where we shine—we know Europe River Cruises better than most travel professionals.

My Final Thoughts

We hope this helps sort out a confusing subject—there is no short, easy answer. Focus on features about the varying offerings by the 8 major lines who focus on US clients and it is far easier to decide what is best for you.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

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