texasstar

Thank you so much for posting this exuberant review! This was our first Windstar cruise in 2010 on the WindStar. Like you, we were sold on Windstar also. You will love Tahiti!

I was on an Ama cruise in August. I know of one passenger that admitted to testing positive. They were quarantined to their room, and their spouse was moved to another room.

Thank you all for your comments. I posted here because trust the opinion of fellow Windstar fans. I have booked the Electra Metropolis. I like the location and it has gotten very good reviews.

Does anyone have hotel recommendations in the Plaka area of Athens? I am looking at the Electra Metropolis. Thanks for your thoughts.

Thank you all for your comments. I have put this trip on hold for the moment, and gone down another "rabbit hole" a Windstar trip in May with my sisters that starts in Athens, goes through the Corinth canal, two stops in Sicily, then Sardinia and ends in Barcelona. Looks like a great trip.

I was there the last week of August this year. We had two very hot days in Lisbon, but then we had very nice weather for the rest of the trip. It was warm, but not unbearable. It was lovely sitting on the deck watching the world go by.

Thank you all for your replies. Decisions, decisions. I am in the Pacific Northwest, to it is difficult to fly to that part of the country. I will check out the SFO flight. I had better options going than returning.

I am considering a cruise through the Panama canal. I have never been, so need advice whether to choose one that includes Costa Rica, or one that starts in Balboa and ends in Aruba. Thank you for your advice.

I would recommend that you try a river cruise. My husband recently passed away. We had a river cruise planned for May, which we did not get to take. I love to travel, and needed something to look forward to. I just returned from a river cruise of the Douro. I did travel with a friend, but I felt that I would be comfortable traveling solo. It is very easy to meet people on these small ships, Every night before dinner, they have a "sip and sail" and you feel very comfortable joining other people.

Three were AmaWaterways and we were on Scenic on the Seine last year. Maybe it was the "post covid" problems that all lines were experiencing last year, but our Scenic cruise had some issues with shore excursions. I know that many rave about them. I agree with your assessment that there are not many different cabin sizes on the AmaDouro. I got used to it, but it was confining. We had an amazing chef. I can't remember his name, but everything was delicious. I hope you enjoy your upcoming cruise . It is truly a beautiful area.

I just returned from an AmaWaterways cruise of the Douro. The whole trip was wonderful. It started with 3 days in Lisbon for the pre-cruise trip. There were 53 out of 90 that did this. It was great to get to meet a lot of cruisers beforehand. We were divided in to 2 groups so, the buses were not too crowded. Our local guides were very good. I arrived a day early, so that I could see places that were not included in their excursions. I would encourage you to do this. The AmaWaterways excursions focused on the Belem area. The hotel was the Intercontinental which was very nice, but I would have preferred a hotel that was closer to restaurants. On Friday, we had an excursion to Sinitra, and we visited the Convento de Cristo in Tomar on the way to Porto. We arrived in Porto on Saturday evening and were treated to an illumination cruise. We had 3 occasions to dine off- board during the trip. A highlight of the cruise was a tour and lunch at Casa de Quinta with the intriguing Maria. I would encourage everyone to take the trip to Salamanca even though it is a long bus ride. I really enjoyed just relaxing on deck as we cruised the beautiful Douro, with the hillsides covered in vineyards. AmaWaterways excelled in all categories on this cruise. The food was the best I have had on any river cruise, and this was my fifth. Andre, our cruise director, was knowledgeable, and entertaining. The crew was amazing, as they always are. The fellow passengers were so friendly and welcoming. This was my first cruise since my husband passed away, and even though I was traveling with a friend, I feel I would be comfortable traveling alone. The pre-dinner sip and sails make it very easy to make friends. The only downside was the small cabin size, but it has to be because of the restrictions of the lock size.

That is why I have a soft spot for AmaWaterways!

If you do the Rhine, try to find one that includes the Moselle.

We are on the Lisbon/Porto AmaWaterways that starts on August 26. Enjoy your trip and happy anniversary!

When we took this AmaWaterways cruise, we came a few days early to see Budapest prior to the cruise. We were very glad we did, because their tour really only consisted of a drive through look. Make sure you get tickets for an English speaking tour of the Parliment before you go. We stayed at the Sofitel and were able to walk everywhere. At the end, AmaWaterways allowed us to purchase only the transfers to Prague, then we made our own arrangements once we arrived in Prague. We stayed in the Old Town Hilton which is within walking distance of everything you need to see. This was our first river cruise and we were sold on the idea after that.

Franski, when will you be on this cruise?

Maybe they just used that term "couple" loosely. If it is something you would like to do, I would reply and ask them.

I have not been on Ama Magna, but have been on 3 other AmaWaterways cruises. If you want to wear a jacket, you may, but it is not required and most do not. Just wear a collared shirt and nice pants and you will be fine.

Another thought since your mother is 79. Request a wheelchair for her. They will wisk her to where you need to be. In JFK, one time, my husband had to have a wheelchair because of a foot issue. They took us on "secret passageways" and took us to the front of the line. Is that a doable connection if all goes well?

Years ago, the same happened to me. I was transferred to the above mentioned company. I got a good one, so maybe you just got one that was having a bad day. Try the one that Jazzbeau mentioned. She is very conscientious, haven't noticed any discounts, but she is very good at making sure all of our arrangements are taken care of.

Thanks for your fabulous report. I never thought I would want to do this trip because I have been to Venice, but you are making me rethink this.

The op was looking for a credit card that would be good for using miles for trips. That is what I was referring to.

I would steer clear of Delta American Express. They make it nearly impossible to book oversees trips.

Aren't you glad you are on the small ship! Your trip sounds fantastic. Enjoy!

Edinburgher, it was a low key excursion, in that it was mainly just walking in the town. It is a quaint little town and the views were exceptional. The excursion went to Motovon also, where we had lunch at a restaurant that was famous for truffles. Every course, even the ice cream had truffles. It was in 2017, so my memory is a little sketchy.