Imasima752

On 3/1/2023 at 8:51 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

Does AMA still have the Cruise Director start with the pre-cruise group, stay through the cruise and the post-cruise extension?  You must have gotten to know him/her very well!!!

Yes, they do which I really like.  I became friends with our cruise director and have stayed in touch with her.  I know there are many cruise lines to choose from (we're sailing with Avalon next year since Ama doesn't do the Amazon), but one of the reasons we have loved our Ama cruises is how friendly/helpful/welcoming/fun the crew members have been.  It's the little things they do that make you feel like family that have made our cruises so memorable. 🙂

On 2/26/2023 at 8:19 AM, ak1004 said:

 

Yes, this what we will probably do.

 

Looking for an hotel now. Want something good, but not super expensive, and close to the center. Narrowed the search to Boutique Helmhaus, Schweizerhof and Alden suite, based on the reviews on TripAdvisor and Expedia. Thoughts?

We stayed at Hotel Schweizerhof last year and would stay there again if we go back to Zurich.  I don't know how expensive it was since it was included with our post-cruise extension price (Lucerne and Zurich stays).  The room was not large, but very clean and comfortable (had an adjustable bed and towel warmer), and the staff outstanding. 

12 hours ago, RobInMN said:

If Trier is a must-do, then have you looked at Ama's Europe's Rivers and Castles Nuremburg to Luxembourg (apparently the reverse itinerary has different ports, and skips Trier)?

It's not as long, but it's a great cruise, especially if you like history and castles (and wine).

My family (3 generations) did this in 2018 and everyone loved it (early teens to 80's). In Trier, we (sister's family and mine) actually left the ship early and walked up to the amphitheater and the baths and did those on our own before then catching up with the bus/walk tour where they dropped everyone off for a walk through the historic center area. I would recommend this to others also, as the bus/walk tour just does a drive-by on these 2 items.

 

As for Ama specifically, we've only done 1 with them so far, but leaving in 3 weeks for a 2 week AmaMagna cruise (with pre/post). On River's and Castles, we were on AmaDante, on the mid-deck, so we had the French balcony. I do not recall reading/seeing/hearing about any benefits/amenities differences in cabins other than size. I wouldn't be surprised if the suite's got something extra. But probably no difference between the lower level fixed windows and the standard balcony rooms. Someone with more Ama experience might know of something.

 

We're doing Europe's Rivers and Castles (Luxembourg to Nuremberg) later this year and cannot wait!  Thank you for the information about walking to the amphitheater and baths.  We did one of the Trier tours with our Ama cruise last year and would like to do something different during this visit. 

Hi Kim,

DH and I did the Rhine and Moselle Fairytales cruise with Ama last year with the pre and post cruise extensions and it was fantastic! We lucked out as there were only two other couples for the pre-cruise, one other couple for the post cruise, and the cruise itself only had 45 guests with DH and I included.

We were in a suite and it includes bottle of sparkling wine on embarkation day presented by your butler, early-morning coffee service by the butler, non-alcoholic drinks in the mini bar replenished daily, fruit bowl replenished daily, daily laundry service (no limit on how many pieces of clothing per day), bath salts for the bathtub, and room service for dinner if you wish.

We booked this 14-day itinerary last week and this afternoon we received the same notification.  I am very unhappy and plan to cancel as it's a completely different itinerary and we've already been to every country on this shortened cruise.  We researched 2024 cruises extensively to make our selection (we try to take an ocean or river cruise every year) and we were really looking forward to that particular cruise.  We were also looking forward to experiencing Oceania having already enjoying cruises with RSSC and NCL, but not now given how they have chosen to handle this. I understand these things happen, we've had cruises cancelled by NCL and Regent and a partial itinerary change by MSC in the past, but it would have been courteous if they gave us a few alternatives instead of automatically adjusting our booking to another itinerary.  I guess it's back to researching for 2024 this weekend 🙂!

19 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Can happen in the narrow valley... But could be another reason of course. Thank you for the itinerary sheet.

 

I think you will enjoy the castle. I am a bit envious, could not get in on the day we were there on a day trip and to make others envious (I am mean I know) or to look forward to it in anticipation, here is the link to my day trip last year: https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2771435-rhine-water-levels-2021-and-similar-topics/page/9/

 

Make sure to go through the archway leading to the restaurant to see the view over the valley and towards Stolzenfels Castle.

 

notamermaid

 

 

 

We enjoyed the castle very much and I sincerely hope you’ll be able to visit the interior one day.  I can attempt to post photos if you’d like, but I think seeing it first hand would do it more justice. 😊I was disappointed when the tour ended, but going to the restaurant made me feel better as I had one of the best waffles ever!  It started to snow while we were there so my photos of the views aren’t the greatest, but it was a wonderful experience. 

14 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Thank you for taking the time to post from your cruise! Hope you have had a great stay in this fascinating city - I adore the Hohenzollern Bridge lit up. Lahnstein in snow, that should be interesting. Are you going up to the castle? Be careful, could be icy up there, I hope they clear their small road. If it snows, that is going to be an interesting photo op. We do not get much snow in our warm valley. There are a few clothes shop in Lahnstein, should you need additional layers.

 

Enjoy the Rhine Gorge and all the other sections of the river. And I admit to being a bit envious, the AmaPrima looks a lovely ship.

 

I see you are going to Cochem as well, didn't know the AmaPrima does such an itinerary.

 

notamermaid

 

Just typical, I responded to your message earlier but apparently lost internet connection so no post. 🙁 Thank you for the clothes shopping information and warning about the ice!  We just docked and our tour of the castle is in about 45 minutes. It’s currently cloudy but no snow or rain 😊.  I’m currently wearing top and bottom base layers, turtleneck, sweater, jeans, hat and gloves and I’m very comfortable. 
 

We’re on AMA’s “Rhine & Moselle Fairytales” itinerary and (hopefully) I’ve attached the list of our destinations if anyone is interested. 

2 hours ago, notamermaid said:

Thanks for the info. Wow, could even snow closer to my neck of the woods on Saturday. Altitudes above 100m rain could turn rain into snow and there may even be snow as far North as Rüdesheim which is below 100m at the river bank (but obviously extends into the hills which are above that).

 

notamermaid

 

We’re currently on the AmaPrima and docked in Cologne. I just checked the Daily Cruiser and we’ll be heading to Lahnstein tomorrow where the forecast calls for snow showers and temperatures 32 to 40 degrees. Should be interesting since we didn’t bring our winter coats 🥶(the forecast was better before we left home).  Snow showers also expected the following day for our visit to Cochem. Will be layering as much as possible and using the hand warmers my husband thought I was crazy for buying!

13 minutes ago, Gopherpharm said:

I just read this update: https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/tackling-new-coronavirus-in-the-netherlands/measures-announced

 

and here:

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2022/03/how-do-the-latest-changes-to-the-coronavirus-rules-affect-travellers/

 

if I understand correctly, this means fully vaccinated travelers from the US do not need a negative test to enter the Netherlands?!? 

I find the government website confusing at the moment as it still has sections that refer to a negative being necessary for travel from non-EU countries not on their safe list and the U.S. isn't on that list.

We're flying to Amsterdam next weekend for our pre-cruise stay so we'll wait and see what the website states on the 23rd.  Fingers crossed that you're right and a negative test will not be required!

https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/mandatory-negative-test-results-and-declaration/mandatory-when-travelling-from-a-high-risk-country

On 6/19/2020 at 6:02 PM, Imasima752 said:

Scheduled sail date: May 22, 2020 (Navigator)

Canceled by Regent: April 24, 2020

Refund request (submitted by TA): April 29, 2020

Refund confirmation received from Regent: April 29, 2020

 

This afternoon, I checked the bank I have multiple credit cards with and saw a refund payment was made by Regent earlier this week to the card used for the deposit.  It was for less than my deposit amount, so I called my TA who then contacted Regent and received a Guest Cancellation Statement. The statement shows multiple refunds were made this week by Regent to both of my credit cards, which total the full amount we paid.  I expect all refunds will be posted next week, which is great since we just booked a river cruise for 2022!  Thank you Regent and thank you SusieQft for creating this thread!

Update: As of Monday, all refunds have posted to my credit cards.

Scheduled sail date: May 22, 2020 (Navigator)

Canceled by Regent: April 24, 2020

Refund request (submitted by TA): April 29, 2020

Refund confirmation received from Regent: April 29, 2020

This afternoon, I checked the bank I have multiple credit cards with and saw a refund payment was made by Regent earlier this week to the card used for the deposit.  It was for less than my deposit amount, so I called my TA who then contacted Regent and received a Guest Cancellation Statement. The statement shows multiple refunds were made this week by Regent to both of my credit cards, which total the full amount we paid.  I expect all refunds will be posted next week, which is great since we just booked a river cruise for 2022!  Thank you Regent and thank you SusieQft for creating this thread!

We leave for Prague on the 14th. All of our transfers, and hotels in Prague and Budapest are through AMA. We will have 2 days on our own in Prague where I have booked private tours with Tours By Locals. After that we will start our 3 day pre-cruise with AMA. At the end of the cruise, we have 3 nights on our own in Budapest. We will do two private tours with gabriella@privatetoursbudapest.com. In my opinion, AMA prices for transfer, and hotels were reasonable. From my correspondence with AMA, their optional excursions seem to be a reasonable prices also. I will post upon my return, early May, helpful info.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

We did a private tour with Gabriella before our Ama cruise last November and she was great! We told her the places that were important to us to visit in Budapest and we went to all of them and more. We were both glad we took the tour with her as the panoramic tour included with Ama alone would have been insufficient. I hope you'll have a great cruise. We loved our trip and highly recommend Ama to everyone who asks about it.

It still shows "sold out" on the site. Maybe if someone calls...?

Maybe someone has already grabbed it. I just checked my MSC account and my booking status says it's been canceled.

Today I canceled our Seaside cruise for May 26, 2018.

In a way I'm sorry that the PH suite won. On the Navigator (only), the PH suites are exactly the same as the Concierge suites except for the butler. Everything is identical. And, while we usually book PH suites, IMO, it is not worth the extra cost on the Navigator. I would rather spend the $$$ for Regent Choice excursions. Depending upon the itinerary, some of those pricey excursions are worth every penny (more than having a butler, in my opinion).

 

In any case, enjoy your cruise.

That makes two of us, though I would have preferred to use the money for a few massages and a facial :). Thank you, I'm hoping we will enjoy it too - we'll be checking off some bucket list items.

Yes, Wes, fewer passengers really make a difference.

 

Imasima, As far as the suites go, we are in concierge, mid ship, on level 7. We feel the motion but not as much as you would forward or aft. Our friends are on deck 10 in a penthouse A suite. They feel more motion than we do. As far as choosing a cabin, most are exactly the same so I don't feel like paying more for inconsequential perks is exactly worth it. In our suite we get binoculars (which we have anyway), an expresso machine which we don't use, and a different color scheme. Our friends get a butler and afternoon snacks. Same size room, same size deck. Some suites do not have balconies and some suites in the back are smaller with obstructed balconies, so it is important to check the deck plans before booking a cabin.

Thank you for the info and tip Forgap. I was going for the Concierge but was out voted by DH and my mom. Mom's not going with us but offered to pay for the additional cost of the Penthouse, so Penthouse it is. I will be sure to bring Bonine and sea bands, etc. and pray for smooth seas. I hope you had fun snorkeling today!

Day 2

 

We are definitely in rough seas. Everyone who is not in bed is staggering in the hallways. I took a Bonnie and put on a patch last night and slept for 12 hours. Once I took the patch off this morning, I began to feel like was in the land of the living!

 

Dinner last night was very good. The menu is extensive so you would have to be one picky eater not to find something that tempts you. The ship really started to rock once we started out to sea. Since we had a later than expected sail-away, most passengers were already eating. One larger than expected wave caused a monumental crash in Compas Rose everyone in the pace clapped). Our waiter said that the charger plates were stacked up and that was the crash we heard. Given that they are Versace chargers, it must have been one expensive mishap! After the crash, the sommeliers were busy proactively taking the ice buckets filled with bottles of wine off of their pedestals and placing them on the floor.

 

We skipped the entertainment last night which was the movie, Florence Foster -Jenkins. Today I ate cookies for breakfast an then went to the lecture by Kalewa Correa on Hawaii's environment. It was part of the Smithsonian series and very interesting.

 

Th captain just made an announcement that the swells re 15-18 feet with strong winds. This is the view from our balcony.

I hope the sea is much calmer now. What category suite are you in and on which deck? We have a hold on a deck 9 penthouse suite on the Navigator and I'm concerned about how much motion there will be with bad weather. Last month we took a cruise (not with Regent) and we were all the way forward on the top deck (16th). The last couple of days were a bit rough and though I didn't really get sea sick, I ended up with land sickness for two weeks once we disembarked.

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

I don't recall seeing any excursions that specifically went there, but they do offer half- and full-day private cars/vans that would be able to take you there. It's not too far from the city, I don't believe.

Thank you for responding. I think we'll do that or see if we can Uber.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Does anyone here know if Regent ever offers tours to Rosslyn Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland?

Thank you for your extensive review. I enjoyed it. Having found strangers in your suite for a tour is not just "not cool" I would have flipped out!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

You're welcome and believe me, I wasn't happy and neither was our steward. Fortunately, they did not get beyond the living room area when our steward heard them.

Thanks for the review.

You're very welcome Riclop!

I appreciate your comparison! We have sailed in the Haven on the Breakaway and will be sailing on the Divina in 16008 next month. I am sad about the bathroom, too, but I will live.

 

Were you able to enjoy the balcony at all? I'm a bit concerned it not being very functional.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hope you'll have a great cruise! I think if I had seen photos of the bathroom beforehand I wouldn't have been as disappointed. It was very clean which I forgot to mention as a plus :). We both used the balcony, but there were times when it was just too windy. We didn't use the loungers which were toward the front,

opting to just use the chairs and stool at the side by the door. We tried to keep them towards the corner to avoid the wind. I'd share a photo but I don't have any without DH!

Thanks for the comparison... you have reminded me to do the same re: our last cruise in the YC on the Divina.

 

I have sailed in the NCL Haven on every ship that has one.. and found the YC to be quite a bit better in almost every respect.

 

Of course, your 'cons' are personal and subjective... and, that you are allowed. ;)

 

Most of the issues could have been resolved easily onboard...

e.g....we got our favorite canapes and much more every day in the cabin, simply by giving the butler a list of what we wanted on the first day.

 

Glad you enjoyed the cruise, but our 'Con" list is quite a bit shorter... :cool:

You're welcome and thank you for allowing me my Cons :). We liked our butler who really wanted to do anything to please us, but we decided to forget notes after our notes about the grapes :).

Thanks for such a comprehensive review.

You're welcome Lupy48!

Yes, today I got the other photos and saw the Haven Lounge. The only one I saw was the whole lounge and the buffet type picture. Sorry if I jumped the gun. Still looking forward to our Oct. Divina cruise. I was shocked that the "Sophia Loren" suite had such a normal suite bathroom. I guess I was expecting more opulence. We were in. Haven Spa suite on the Escape and our bathroom didn't have a tub, it had this double-sized walk-in shower. Our tub (whirlpool) was in the room. We loved the suite, did not like the Escape. Could've been it was because we were on a sailing right after a norovirus outbreak and everything was less "special". We didn't have menus, we had paper. All mirrors were streaked with disinfectant. No salt and pepper shakers, you had to ask for the little packets. Don't get me wrong, we appreciated all of the precautions, but because of all of them, service was lacking and more disgruntled employees.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

No worries at all Rojoand8 :). You should definitely look forward to your Divina cruise and I hope it will be a great one! I'm so sorry to hear about your Escape cruise. I haven't been to the NCL board in a while and didn't know about the outbreak. I hope you'll give the Escape another chance one day. Oh and if you eat up by the YC pool on the Divina, just know that you'll have the little packets of salt and pepper and unless you put your used packets under your plate, they will blow away with the wind :).