mdroho34 Posted April 5, 2018 #101 Share Posted April 5, 2018 We leave in the morning for Zurich and will spend a couple of days in Lucerne before heading over to Basel to board the AmaSonata for our Rhine river cruise. I will try to pop in and let you all know how it's going. Sent from my iPad using Forums Have a fabulous cruise. Can't wait to read your updates, especially about the shore excursions. Have to pick wisely so I don't bore my 19 and 16 year old boys. I suspect we'll bike most days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seniormom Posted April 6, 2018 #102 Share Posted April 6, 2018 We are on AMAKristina in May for Rhine River cruise. Our first river cruise after many ocean cruises. Looking forward to new experiences and smaller vessel. We selected our excursions today, but am happy that we can change once we attend the overview on the first night. If anyone has any MUST SEE excursions on the Rhine River cruise, I am certainly interested in your opinion! We are only coming in 1 day early and trying to hit the highlights of Amsterdam before boarding the following day. At the end taking train from Basel to Stuttgart to visit the the Mercedes Museum which is a bucket list item for hubby. Thanks everyone for all of your postings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusin-Suzan Posted April 9, 2018 Author #103 Share Posted April 9, 2018 See many castle hikes!!! We want to see the castle but dont want the hike!!! Any tips??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 9, 2018 #104 Share Posted April 9, 2018 See many castle hikes!!! We want to see the castle but don't want the hike!!! Any tips??? Did you check out the level of the tour. The Gentle Walkers tour sometimes has transportation to take you to the locations without the hikes depending on where it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 11, 2018 #105 Share Posted April 11, 2018 Thanks so much. Have a great cruise.We sail on the AMAVIDA on the Douro beginning of June. Our third with AMA. Looking forward to booking excursions in advance Douro is at the top of our list. Hope that you will post about your experience when you return. Would love to hear all about it Eagleslover. Have a great trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 11, 2018 #106 Share Posted April 11, 2018 We leave in the morning for Zurich and will spend a couple of days in Lucerne before heading over to Basel to board the AmaSonata for our Rhine river cruise. I will try to pop in and let you all know how it's going. Sent from my iPad using Forums Richiebaseball, can't recall if I asked you this question or not, as I don't see it here on the thread, if I did, I apologize for the duplication. I was wondering if you took the train from the Zurich airport to Lucerne or if you hired private transportation. Looking for information on both if possible. Train sounds very reasonable and I understand the station is in the airport and they have some direct routes to Lucerne. If you took the train, can you tell me how it worked for you, and how easy or hard it was to find the ticket purchasing stations and the right train you required. We arrive at 6:15 AM into Zurich after an 8.5 hour flight. I'm not a good sleeper on the planes so like to know in advance where to head to pick up a ticket, etc. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoyed your river cruise. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 12, 2018 #107 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I agree, I like to be well prepared and there is limited info from previous river cruisers available.Thanks for all the info, my teenage boys will appreciate the snacks between meals :) With ocean cruising I picked my shore excursions months in advance, how does it work with Ama? We cruise in July on the Rhine and our final payment is due in April. Will I get all my info after final payment is in and that is when I pick my excursions or do you just decide once on the ship? Much appreciated. Maureen, Calgary, Alberta Canada Maureen, we picked up our documents yesterday, exactly one month prior to sailing. In the Itinerary guide, there is a section about choosing your shore excursions. It states that after you complete your online check in you will be able to register for all shore excursions including the special interest tours. Registration is available 90 days prior to departure once the booking is paid in full. Registration closes 14 days prior to embarkation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusin-Suzan Posted April 12, 2018 Author #108 Share Posted April 12, 2018 See many castle hikes!!! We want to see the castle but dont want the hike!!! Any tips??? I walk 3 miles a day but its flat!!! Signed up for level 2 but how hard is level 3!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 12, 2018 #109 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I walk 3 miles a day but its flat!!! Signed up for level 2 but how hard is level 3!! Sue it says level 3 is intermediate - walking for longer distances, with several inclines and/or sets of stairs. I walk too each day and am now trying to put some hills in my route to build up my wind for the next few weeks. Don't want to be huffing and puffing when we do inclines, lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angus0121 Posted April 14, 2018 #110 Share Posted April 14, 2018 (edited) We are on the AMA Kristina June 25, 2018 Amsterdam to Basel with the following 4 day land trip. We are looking forward to our first river cruise, would like to connect with any others on this sailing. Cathy and Doug Edited April 14, 2018 by Angus0121 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdroho34 Posted April 16, 2018 #111 Share Posted April 16, 2018 Maureen, we picked up our documents yesterday, exactly one month prior to sailing. In the Itinerary guide, there is a section about choosing your shore excursions. It states that after you complete your online check in you will be able to register for all shore excursions including the special interest tours. Registration is available 90 days prior to departure once the booking is paid in full. Registration closes 14 days prior to embarkation. We are fully paid and approaching 90 days so that is great to hear. Anxious to read more about them. Thanks so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusin-Suzan Posted April 16, 2018 Author #112 Share Posted April 16, 2018 I know you can bring your own liquor onboard but I also heard you could give it to the bartender so you could have a drink in the lounge with your own liquor???? Please can someone tell me if this is true!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 16, 2018 #113 Share Posted April 16, 2018 I know you can bring your own liquor onboard but I also heard you could give it to the bartender so you could have a drink in the lounge with your own liquor???? Please can someone tell me if this is true!!! We had our own liquor on board in our room, but never thought to give to bartender. We did get wine glasses from the bar tender for our wine and its my understanding that you can drink your own alcohol anywhere on the ship. We picked up several bottles of wine when we were off the ship and drank them in the room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 16, 2018 #114 Share Posted April 16, 2018 We are on the AMA Kristina June 25, 2018 Amsterdam to Basel with the following 4 day land trip.We are looking forward to our first river cruise, would like to connect with any others on this sailing. Cathy and Doug I see the AMA Kristina has been loading the April cruises on the AMACruiser app. A great app to familiarize yourself with your upcoming cruise if you are interested. Enjoy your first river cruise, we head out on our second in a few weeks. Loved the AMA experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seniormom Posted April 17, 2018 #115 Share Posted April 17, 2018 We are less than 30 days out and have not received our cruise documents yet. Should I be concerned? I'm emailing travel agent today as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 17, 2018 #116 Share Posted April 17, 2018 We are less than 30 days out and have not received our cruise documents yet. Should I be concerned? I'm emailing travel agent today as well. We received ours exactly one month out. Let us know if your travel agent has them now. AMA is usually right on with the printing of the documents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SK Posted April 17, 2018 #117 Share Posted April 17, 2018 We are on the Amadara 3/19/18 for the Mekong River Delta - can't wait to report back, everything sounds amazing! Hi! Did you enjoy the cruise? And, did you post a review? We're on AMA Dara, Riches of the Mekong, beginning December 24, 2018. We included 2 nights in Hanoi, 1 night Ha Long Bay and 3 nights Siem Reap pre-cruise and 2 nights Ho Chi Minh City post-cruise. I would like to connect with anyone else on this cruise :D Helene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seniormom Posted April 18, 2018 #118 Share Posted April 18, 2018 We received ours exactly one month out. Let us know if your travel agent has them now. AMA is usually right on with the printing of the documents. My travel agent said she checked with AMA and they said they were mailed Wed of last week, but she still has not received. Hoping to get them soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaroleLee Posted April 18, 2018 #119 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Does anyone have experience with transfers through AMA? We arrive in Munich very early in the morning. I assume there is some waiting for other guests before the AMA transfer leaves. Could we be waiting until the afternoon to depart for Vilshofen? We arrived very early to CDG(6:30am)- AMA rep was waiting for us as was our driver. Took us directly to the ship(AMALYRA). Incidentally the reception staff knew we would be early & our cabin was waiting for us-immaculately clean, fresh towels etc-and we were invited to enjoy breakfast. This was just the start of really excellent service. Have booked our 3rd cruise for these and other reasons with AMA Carole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosier2017 Posted April 18, 2018 #120 Share Posted April 18, 2018 Thanks Carole Lee. Every single thing I have read concerning AMA notes that exceptional service. I can’t wait to experience the same and know we won’t be disappointed. Our cruise isn’t for months and I already find myself looking at the other itineraries AMA offers for another cruise the following year. I see so many Viking threads but not many AMA threads. Doesn’t matter to me except I crave information and details prior to traveling. Everyone on this thread has been terrific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 19, 2018 #121 Share Posted April 19, 2018 Thanks Carole Lee. Every single thing I have read concerning AMA notes that exceptional service. I can’t wait to experience the same and know we won’t be disappointed. Our cruise isn’t for months and I already find myself looking at the other itineraries AMA offers for another cruise the following year. I see so many Viking threads but not many AMA threads. Doesn’t matter to me except I crave information and details prior to traveling. Everyone on this thread has been terrific. For anyone who is on Facebook and follows AMA Waterways facebook page, there is a great video on their site today which shows people's comments about AMA and about the river cruise from the Paris/Normandy area. Also for anyone who is going to Basel, hotel guests in Basel get free public transportation. The hotels will give you a card to use. Its called the Basel City Pass. It comes with a pullout map, and gives you free transportation. This also includes transportation from the airport to the hotels for free by just showing the bus driver your hotel confirmation. When you get to the hotel you will be given your Basel City Pass. This includes free WIFI at 17 hotspots in Basel, one free ferry ride and 50% off entrance to museums, the City Bus tour and the walking tour of Basel. Plus other attractions as listed. Another tip for the train system I found out this week is if you see a symbol of an eye when you board the train or buy your ticket with your route, it means that the train is unmanned. You must validate your ticket before entering the train or you risk a fine if the controller shows up and checks ticket. Hope this informations helps some of my fellow travellers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrp96 Posted April 20, 2018 #122 Share Posted April 20, 2018 We are on the AMA Kristina June 25, 2018 Amsterdam to Basel with the following 4 day land trip.We are looking forward to our first river cruise, would like to connect with any others on this sailing. Cathy and Doug I'm on that cruise with a group of several friends. Looking forward to my 2nd cruise with AMA. First one was amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobsdoll Posted April 22, 2018 #123 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Does anyone know if ama has different sizes of bikes on board? I will be sailing on the AMA prima in May. So excited ! Just hoping to find bysicles for shorter people!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachbumsns Posted April 22, 2018 #124 Share Posted April 22, 2018 Has anyone taken the train from Frankfurt to Interlaken and if so can you pass on any information? We have checked and with RailEurope it appears that trip which is around 5 hours works out to just over $500.00 Canadian for two adults. Before we book, we have been checking other options such as the German train station and it appears to be a bit less. If you have experience with this train route, please let me know. Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xRoadWarrior Posted April 23, 2018 #125 Share Posted April 23, 2018 Does anyone know if ama has different sizes of bikes on board? I will be sailing on the AMA prima in May. So excited ! Just hoping to find bysicles for shorter people!! The bikes are all one size, the crew does adjust them for you to raise or lower the seat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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