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aldukenew
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Posts posted by aldukenew
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Hi Larry.........AMAStella Tulip Time:D.......sailing out of Amsterdam.:)
We were on the April 2013 Tulip Time cruise from Amsterdam on the AmaCerto and had a fabulous experience! It was chilly, though!
Allyson
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I can't believe after 1 1/2 years of research and planning, our day has arrived. Leaving tomorrow, and flying in Paris. We are doing Ama's Rivers and Castles - Paris to Prague on the Ama Dolce. We are also adding a few days in Vienna on our own at the end. We will be gone for about 16 days.
We have been closely monitoring the low water levels, and it seems that our cruise route should not be affected. It does not seem as if AMA has had any cancellations at all, even on the Danube cruises. If possible, I may post a few "live from AMA Dolce", while we are traveling, but if not I plan to post a review upon our return.
We are experiencing the same excitement. We leave on the 5th for Prague for 3 days, then to the AmaSonata for the Romantic Danube cruise to Budapest! We booked this well over a year ago and thought the day would never come. Fingers crossed that the water levels cooperate.
Bon voyage!
Allyson
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The intimate ambiance board; the easy camaraderie fostered by the small number of passengers; the proximity to the town/city center on most itineraries.
The lack of children (IME); lack of nickel and diming; no tendering; no lines; no overcrowded buffets; no "liquor police" - if you want to pick up a special bottle of wine you are able to do so without being treated like a criminal.
No overpriced bottles of water; no "sales" in the lobby; no loud announcements; no constantly trying to sell you something; no cheesy entertainment; no overpriced drinks with forced service charges.
A staff who knows your name by the 2nd day and is warm and gracious and welcoming. In the case of AMA, the wonderful attention to detail from the high end and generous toiletries provided to the special touches throughout the cruise; free internet throughout the ship and computers in every room; cruise managers and staff who really make the trip special.
On the very rare occasion we would consider an ocean cruise, it is only on a smaller ship that has similar qualities to what we enjoy on the river. And that is a very small list, indeed.
I agree with everything you said. We are leaving in 18 days for Prague for our 2nd AMA cruise and can't wait!!!
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We loved our Tulip Time cruise with AMA in 2014. While the scenery is not the prettiest, we really enjoyed the ports.
Wifi was better than usual on this route, probably because the river is quite commercial and we had good coverage.
We did not use pool but others did and enjoyed it. Our Chicago friends use the heated pools and hot tubs when we take November and December cruises.
Laundry is reasonable. As I recall, jeans were about 3E, t shirts, etc. 1.50 or so. Very quick and also nicely done. We have used AMA's laundry on all our cruises with them.
We loved our Tulip Time cruise in mid-April of 2013 on the AmaCerto. We enjoyed the two bike tours, though it was cold and windy on one of them. I agree that the river scenery was not awesome, but we really enjoyed the ports.
We used the laundry service but I don't remember the cost, just that it was reasonable and worth it.
No one used the pool on our trip - very windy and chilly up top. We did sit up there enjoying cocktails one day.
We used the computer in the room and wi-fi in the lounge and it was fine for me.
Allyson
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PS, the Sonata is beautiful!!!!!! We are on AMAPrima from Budapest to Munich in November.
Thanks, Lynn. We were very impressed with the AmaCerto 2 years ago.
Allyso
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Hi Pat!
Yes, there are limited edition tours----no charge, but pre-book and limited capacity. AND there are optional, charge tours offered that can also be pre-booked. Once final payment has been made, go on their web site (whether you booked with a TA or not) and log in and proceed through cruise check in and then there is an option for selecting tour options and reserving online. They make it VERY easy. Hope this helps!!!!!
I guess my memory is not as good as it used to be. It's good to know that you can book ahead since we're sailing on the AmaSonata in September from Prague to Budapest! Can't wait!
Allyson
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So glad to hear the good reviews for AMA Waterways!! I'm booked on the AMAViola for the Tulip Time April 21, 2016 river cruise.
Question...I understand the excursions are included in the booking price. And there are "optional" excursions available at an extra cost. Can these optional excursions be booked pre-cruise or does a person have to wait until you are onboard??
Thank You in advance for any info you can share with me.
Pat :)
There are optional excursions you can pay for. We did the trip to Bruges and Brussels - both worthwhile. I believe you have to book on board. We did several of the guided bike tours (included) and they were wonderful, though a little chilly.
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That's so nice! Do they do that for all travelers, or just returning guests?
We received beautiful pink scarves. Nice touch.
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Yes it was, but we got to see a lot at Keukenhof Gardens!!!!! We were about 2 weeks early I think.
We took the same cruise on the AmaCerto 2or 3 years ago and loved it! It was a little early for the tulips then, too, but the the Gardens were spectacular! It was chilly, but we still went for bike rides and enjoyed the scenery. Nice and sunny the entire trip!
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We stayed at the Hotel Estherea. We walked everywhere and the immediate area is quiet and lovely. I would stay on a canal. Jmo
We stayed at this hotel, too, and would stay there again in an instant! Small, lovely, friendly and only a 5 minute walk to Dam Square.
Allyson
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Which airlines?
The UK is not part of the Schengen group of countries but it doesn't greatly complicate things either.
Your baggage will still transfer through London and on to Prague without you seeing it (can confirm absolutely when airlines are known) and you will go to the transfer desk at LHR rather than the normal immigration lines where you will be routed on to the correct terminal for your next flight.
British Airways.
Allyson
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You will see immigration at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam and get a Schengen entry stamp; Amsterdam to Nuremberg should be treated as a "domestic" flight with no further interaction with immigration. Leaving Budapest you will be on a "domestic" flight to Amsterdam; the flight to the US will be on an "international" concourse and you should see an exit immigration person and get a Schengen exit stamp at entry to that concourse. Some airport (especially in southern Europe) can be lax about issuing entry stamps, and if you don't get one officially you are illegally in Schengen and might have issues when you try to exit - northern European airport can be pretty strict about this. US bound flights will often have some additional security immediately prior to the gate for that flight - nothing to worry about.
I am less certain of baggage rules, but think that your checked bag will automatically go from IAH through AMS to NUE, and there probably will be a Red Line (something to declare) / Green Line (nothing to declare - most tourists fit in this category) upon exiting baggage claim. Upon return your bag should be checked through BUD - AMS - IAH. In the US you always have to claim your baggage at your first port of entry, but sounds like IAH is both your port of entry and your final destination.
Nuremberg to Budapest is a great trip - ENJOY!
Thom
I have the same question but with different cities: Washington Dulles through Heathrow to Prague; Prague through Heathrow to Washington Dulles.
Allyson
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We have just returned from a trip to Athens and Greece and we used PK Travel. We first had contact with them during a Mediterranean cruise in 2013 when we had a driver and car for a day trip from our ship. We were met by Dimitris and he turned an interesting day into a day to remember with his help, knowledge and the ability to take us to just the right places for the right times.
We loved it so much that, in planning a return trip to Europe in December 2014-January 2015, we specifically wrote to them and asked about a one week driving tour through the Greek mainland. They worked with us to put together a tour that matched our interests and the result exceeded our expectations! We had a personal driver and took their advice to use guides for some of the key locations such as Delphi, Meteora and Philippi.
We cannot speak too highly of our experience. I am not the sort of person who is given to hyperbole but it was a week we will always remember. A definite 11…
We were met at the airport by the same person who would drive us during the week and then picked up at our hotel the next day for the week’s travel. Travelling with Dimitri, we did a total of 1,600 km and visited Corinth, Delphi, Meteora, Berea, Thessaloniki, Philippi, Kavala and Athens. The travel was relaxing and informative and the driver was safe, professional and interesting - it was like leaving a friend when we finished. Potoula, who managed all our correspondence and planning, was incredibly well-organised and responsive. Paul, the manager, was always in contact when needed to make sure everything was progressing well and to make any small adjustments necessary. On one day, when we decided to ask for a guide for the next day, he organised it late in the day and we were so happy with the result.
The weather in January was cold, but not at all a problem. The days were sunny, the roads were good and the food and accommodation were excellent value. We are from Australia and we loved the weather.
This was a trip we will never forget and we have determined to return and do an expanded journey, possible driving ourselves. I was very impressed with the quality of the roads, both the highways between major cities and the secondary roads.
We would highly recommend PK Tours as our experience with them was entirely positive.
We used them list past June and had Demitris, also. Loved it and would highly recommend them!
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I have a general question. On excursions included in the river cruises in Europe, are the passengers divided into smaller groups? What size group can we usually expect? We do not want to be shepherded in large groups. A walking tour with fifty people does not sound very appealing. What kind of buses are generally used? Full size or medium and mini? We avoid ship excursions on ocean cruises and want to be certain that is not what we get on a river cruise in Europe. Thanks for your insights.
Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app
Hey there, Bill! I was "cruising" around CC and saw this post by you about river cruise excursions. How are you guys? Kathleen and I booked a Sept 2015 Prague to Budapest river cruise on AmaWaterways. We did the Tulip Time with them last year and loved it. Our excursions were usually about 10-12 people. Hi to Lisa!
Allyson (from the Reflection in June)
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Thanks to all who responded. These are exactly the kind of report I was hoping for. Glad to hear also the good report of this particular itinerary on Certo.
Aldukenew, what was the date of your chilly Certo tulip trip? Did you catch the tulips in full bloom?
PS to Nana: Yes, I do know that the AMA website has pictures, but I also know that professional publicity pictures sometimes are better-looking than the reality. And in any case, what I asked was not what the cabins look like, but what's it like to be in them. Thanks again for your thoughts, though.
Sorry about my recent post. I read it wrong :-(
Our Tulip Time cruise was April 15th of last year. The tulips were a little late but there were tons in bloom! Keukenhof Gardens were spectacular!
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Thanks to all who responded. These are exactly the kind of report I was hoping for. Glad to hear also the good report of this particular itinerary on Certo.
PS to Nana: Yes, I do know that the AMA website has pictures, but I also know that professional publicity pictures sometimes are better-looking than the reality. And in any case, what I asked was not what the cabins look like, but what's it like to be in them. Thanks again for your thoughts, though.
I think you replied to the wrong person. I did not say anything about pictures on the website, just that we enjoyed this itinerary last year and it was too cold to enjoy the outdoors while sailing.
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We're considering a Low Countries ("Tulip Time") cruise next April on either AMA Certo or AMA Sonata, and wondering whether there are any significant differences between the "suites" and the AA cabins (other than cost). We've never been on a river cruise, but have sailed in and enjoyed higher-end cabins on the small ships of Star Clippers, Windstar, Regent, and Silversea. Can anyone who's used both a suite and a AA cabin on either of these AMA vessels or their sister vessels provide an experience-based comparison?
This does not answer your question, but we did this exact cruise last year on the AMACerto and absolutely loved it! We were in a C cabin with a French balcony and were not disappointed. The weather was too cool to even it upstairs on the deck, so a balcony would have not been useful. We took 2 bike tours and loved every minute of it. You will enjoy it regardless of the cabin.
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For such a monumental anniversary- I would probably stay at the Marriott across from the Borghese Park. You can walk to many places from there and it's just such a great location- with the park. I'd spend a bit extra and stay there.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-photos/romdt-rome-marriott-grand-hotel-flora/
We stayed at this Marriott a night before and again a night after our cruise and loved it! Across the street from the Metro and Via Veneto is a lovely street. We walked to the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and the rooftop has a spectacular view! Say hello to Antonio, one of the bell captains!
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Taking our first cruise next May. I've put a deposit with a big discount store travel agent, but not sure if I should book flights through that agent or directly with cruise line. Same question about airport transfers. Advice?
We took the same cruise from Rome last month on the Reflection (LOVED IT, by the way) - flew from Washington Dulles to Rome non-stop on United a day ahead. We booked it ourselves because the Choice Air prices were not better and most involved a connection. I would suggest 2 days because of all of the things to see and do. We were very tired when we arrived, but hit the ground running! We did hit the hay early, though! We stayed an extra day after the cruise so we wouldn't have to rush off to the airport. We had time to tour the Vatican. What a great trip it was!
Allyson
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Yes, we've been called several times since they added "to call first" to our Upgrade Preferences.
I do not see an option to be called first. There is a list of criteria, none of which is agreeable to me. We always book an aft cabin, when available, and we won't give it up unless the upgrade is to a suite. It says you will be notified of your upgrade (if one of the is met) by email. I always check that I do not want an upgrade.
Allyson
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Caviargal-
Im doing some searching and digging up this old thread to ask you a couple of questions!
First, I was searching for Marriott Millennium, and this popped up. We are considering this...the regular Marriott is 1000, the Sofitel my TA booked is 1300, the sofitel with AMA is $1000 and this is less than $500. (I did the euro conversions) I don't need fancy, and a view is nice, but not for that price and when we are touring day in and day out, not sitting in the room. Sounds like you stayed here. Did you like it? Find it convenient for touring? Was there a market nearby to buy food for the kitchen (I love the idea of a kitchen!!)
Next question related to this old thread: We are traveling AMAPrima, Budapest to Bucharest (Black Sea voyage) If I recall, I think you did this one?? My question is I just paid my final and logged onto AMA to discover that the "optional tours" are all "foodie" tours (making yoghurt in Bulgaria, brandy tasting etc) That's fine, but one of the reasons we picked AMA was to take some bike tours. Your comments here on this thread answered one of my questions - Is mid Sept too late for bike tours (too cold) but clearly you had them in November! Are they only offered once on board? For some reason I expected they would be capacity controlled and only offered ahead of time. Do you think this means they have no organized bike tours of the various cities? :(
Anyway, those are my questions, since there was a thread discussing some of this I figured I'd hop onto it and ask...of course anyone's opinions are appreciated!!:D
We cruised with AMA in April of last year for the Tulip Time cruise and went on 2 bike tours when it was really cold and windy - we were wearing every layer we could but enjoyed it immensely!
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Thank you! I enjoyed reading it. Our experience on the AmaCerto for the Tulip Time cruise last year was amazing. It appears we had a different crew, but can't wait to try another one! Spectacular service, nice accommodations, great excursions, and very relaxing!
Allyson
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We did that cruise on AmaCerto two years ago and loved it! I wrote a detailed review if you are interested. It is posted here on CC.
Caviargal,
Can you point me to your review? I have been trying to find it.
Allyson
What is it about River Cruising that you love so much?
in River Cruising
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We are leaving tomorrow for Prague for our AmaWaterways Danube cruise. I will be curious to see who on that trip has heard of CC. I am amazed at the number on my recent ocean cruises who don't know about it!
Allyson