This month, I had an opportunity to sail with AmaWaterways during the height of European Covid restrictions when entry requirements for travel were constantly changing and the Omicron variant was making its initial appearance on the world stage. I traveled on a Medieval Treasures itinerary, sailing from France to Germany with pre- and post-cruise stays in Switzerland and the Czech Republic and had an outstanding experience. I thought it would be a good time to address five common misperceptions I often hear from my clients new to river cruising while sharing more of my personal experiences sailing with AmaWaterways.
Misperception #1: US citizens cannot travel in Europe due to Covid restrictions.
This is obviously false, since I traveled in Switzerland, France, Germany, and Czech Republic in November 2021. It is now possible for vaccinated travelers to explore many European countries—especially where river cruising is popular. Each country you transit will have its own entry protocols, such as Covid testing and vaccination requirements, health forms, and rules for face masks. AmaWaterways was great at providing resources for their guests to help ensure all requirements had been fulfilled prior to embarking on their cruise. An experienced and professional travel advisor is another outstanding resource when planning your next river cruise and navigating through the ever-changing travel requirements!
Misperception #2: River cruising is only for “old” people.
Are you calling me old? Ha! To say river cruising is only suitable for seniors is FALSE. River cruising is suitable for guests of all ages and physical fitness levels. AmaWaterways offered multiple excursions to choose from in nearly every port we stopped at, including active excursions such as hiking and bicycling around and between ports. For guests who preferred a faster walking tour, allowing more time for self-exploration and shopping, AmaWaterways had you covered. For guests seeking a more leisurely exploration of a port city, they offered Easy Pace excursion options. I loved the Easy Pace option as they gave me more opportunity to look around, pause to ask questions, and take tons of pictures without having to keep up with faster walkers in the group. I ended up enjoying two private walking tours and another city tour shared with only one other guest! I didn’t miss out on anything the faster walkers experienced, and I wasn’t exhausted and achy afterwards. A win-win. It was fantastic! Also, did you know there are river cruises geared towards families traveling with young children? And river cruising can be a great option for multigenerational family reunions, celebrating milestone celebrations, and seeing those destinations you’ve been dreaming about. I can help you identify the right river cruise (and ship) to suit your needs!
Misperception #3: There’s nothing fun to do on the ship.
This is FALSE. Many of today’s river cruise vessels have heated swimming pools (some with swim-up bars), spa services, fitness equipment, indoor and outdoor fitness classes multiple times a day, musical entertainment, and guest speakers in the lounge/bar area in the afternoons and evenings. On my ship, Ama Prima, I had all these amenities available to me as well as On-Demand movies in my stateroom. The WiFi throughout the ship worked great, too, so I was able to keep up with my daily Facebook posts and videos, sharing each days’ adventure with my faithful, virtual followers. Getting to know your fellow travel companions can be a lot of fun, too. It had been a long time since I laughed as hard as I did on my recent AmaWaterways cruise.
Misperception #4: Fine dining, alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks cost extra.
This is FALSE. Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea/snacks, dinner, and room service were all included in the cruise fare on AmaWaterways. Each guest also had an invitation to attend the Chef’s Table experience at no charge at least once during their river cruise. The featured alcoholic beverage of the day was complimentary during Cocktail hour each night before dinner, and beer, wine, and soft drinks were complimentary with lunch and dinner. Continental breakfast items were available in the lounge. Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were available 24/7 in the lounge. During the lunch/afternoon hours, if you didn’t wish to dine in the main dining room, you could order bistro items in the lounge, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, wraps, sandwiches, and salads. Room service was always available. Fresh fruits, produce, meats, and fish were brought on board almost daily when we ported. Breads/pastries/pastas were all handmade. Yum! Be sure to take comfortable stretchy pants as it’s unlikely you’ll lose weight on a river cruise.
Misperception #5: Port excursions cost extra.
This is FALSE. Unlike traditional ocean cruising, where port excursions can cost an arm and a leg and must be booked separately from the cruise, with river cruising port excursions are often included in the price of the cruise. With AmaWaterways I had up to three excursions I could choose from for every port—all included with the cost of my AmaWaterways river cruise. We were able to pre-select excursions prior to departure through our online account with the cruise line if we chose to do so. Onboard, our Cruise Manager would give a daily briefing of the available excursions that day, their level of difficulty, and what guests could expect to see. Before we left the ship for our excursion, we collected a color-coded ticket which indicated our choice. Even if we had pre-registered for a tour, we were free to change our minds on the day of our port stop. Once off the ship, our excursion leader would be waiting for us, holding a colored sign. It was very easy to locate the excursion leader with a sign matching the color of my ticket. Oftentimes, motor coaches were parked on the pier right beside the ship, so we never had too far to walk to rendezvous with our excursion leader. With fewer passengers on a river cruise vessel like Ama Prima, it was very easy to get on and off our ship for port excursions.
So, there you have it. Five misperceptions about river cruising laid to rest.
Summary:
- River cruising is a great option for anyone seeking an easier, more cost-effective way for visiting multiple destinations while enjoying luxurious staterooms, dining, and entertainment throughout their journey (bonus: you only need to unpack once!)
- River cruising is suitable for guests of all ages, fitness levels, and interests.
- Because there are many well-known river cruise companies, and a multitude of itineraries to choose from, it is easy for a do-it-yourselfer to be overwhelmed when trying to make their own travel arrangements. Adding to the confusion is the constantly changing Covid protocols required for travel these days. A professional travel advisor, especially one with personal river cruising experience, is your best resource when it comes to selecting the itinerary, river cruise company, and ship that’s right for you…and helping you navigate the travel requirements for the countries you’ll be enjoying along the river.
Ready to enjoy river cruising? I can help you! Call me at (309) 256-2984 or complete a Contact request form to get your planning started. And if you’d like to see photos from my AmaWaterways river cruise, click HERE.
Until next time…
Jennifer