AMAprima, stateroom categories, and Rhine & Moselle Fairytales

[Kimba123]

Hello all!

 

I am verrry new to the world of river cruising, so please bear with me. Husband and I are looking to do a cruise in 2024, and he is leaving the planning entirely up to me. He really doesn’t care where we go, as long as he feels as if he’s getting his money’s worth. In some ways, this is great for me; in others, it’s left me with dizzying possibilities.

 

While I was initially looking at a straight Amsterdam to Basel/Zurich cruise, after a bit of research, I decided that we really also needed to do the Moselle and, more specifically, we need to have Trier as a port. (We are both history buffs, so I don’t see how we can pass that up.) I’d been hoping that Scenic (which seems like it is aligned more with our preferences) would offer a cruise that fits the bill, but that was a no-go.

 

Uniworld (our second choice line; obviously, we were looking at the “all-inclusive” lines) offers a 10-night Frankfurt-Frankfurt cruise [https://www.uniworld.com/us/river-cruise/central-europe/rhine/magnificent-moselle-and-rhine/2024-frankfurt-to-frankfurt] — which seemed okay, until I found an AMA cruise, Rhine and Moselle Fairytales (11-night, Amsterdam-Basel) [https://www.amawaterways.com/destination/europe-river-cruises/2024/rhine-moselle-fairytales]. And the bonus here is the ability to add 2 nights pre-cruise in Amsterdam, plus 2 nights post-cruise in Zurich, plus 2 nights post-cruise in Lucerne.

 

What do you guys think about each of these cruises? After many years of being a planner, I’ve decided that I’m kinda “planned out,” so I’d rather have things done for me. Which would you choose and why?

 

Also, can anyone tell me if there are any additional amenities added on AMA according to their stateroom categories? Or do you just get bigger and nicer rooms?

 

Oh, and one more thing: I don’t have a TA, and it seems I need one. I’m located in Austin, TX, if that matters. Does anyone have any suggestions? (And I apologize if this questions isn’t allowed. Mods, please edit my post, if necessary.) 

 

TIA,

Kim

[Host Jazzbeau]

Did you look at Scenic's Charming Castles & Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle?  It doesn't go to Amsterdam, but except for that city itself the part of the Rhine from Frankfurt to Amsterdam is IMO the least interesting so you aren't missing much, and by limiting the itinerary in this way they can spend more time on the parts you care about.

https://www.scenicusa.com/tours/charming-castles--vineyards-of-the-rhine--moselle/14564

 

We have done 4 river cruises on AMA and like them very much, but our Scenic Seine cruise last spring (b2b with AMA Tulip Time) put Scenic #1 on our river cruise list.  And the above itinerary is the one I have selected for a future Moselle cruise.  7 nights, so plenty of time for Lucerne and Zurich on the Basel end, and if you really want to see Amsterdam it's an easy train ride from Frankfurt.

[Kimba123]

I did look at that, but it doesn’t really offer the opportunity to explore Trier itself. Unless I misread or misunderstood something? I’m willing to give up Amsterdam, but I don’t know that I want to give up Trier.

[Host Jazzbeau]

9 minutes ago, Kimba123 said:

I did look at that, but it doesn’t really offer the opportunity to explore Trier itself. Unless I misread or misunderstood something? I’m willing to give up Amsterdam, but I don’t know that I want to give up Trier.

I see.  Didn't realize is was only the evening concert in Trier.

 

[PS – Your impression was correct:  discussing particular travel agents is forbidden on Cruise Critic.]

[Kimba123]

Are there any perks/advantages to staying in a higher stateroom category on AMA?

[RobInMN]

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.

 

[Lois R]

Hi, regarding your stateroom question.  The BIGGEST cabins are suites. I think most of the other cabins are all basically the same size. And keep this in mind, you will be offer the Riverboat every day for almost the entire day. So unless ya'll need lots of extra space? You can probably save quite a bit of $ by booking a regular cabin.  I sailed AMA back in 2016 so it has been a long time but I do remember having a wonderful cruise.😀mine was called  TULIP TIME........Amsterdam round trip.

[Host Jazzbeau]

No, Lois, AMA cabins do vary in size.  But I don’t recall amenities differences with size. Haven’t sailed in a suite on AMA so don’t know if they get anything. On Scenic suites do get bennies. 

[Imasima752]

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.

[Imasima752]

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. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Imasima752 said:

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.

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!!!

[DougK]

I wouldn't necessarily give up on Scenic because of Trier. Although it appears that Charming Castles and Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle only goes to Trier for the concert, you might want to take a look at Romantic Rhine & Moselle. It goes from Amsterdam to Basel (or vice versa), along with several days in the low countries, and several days on the Moselle. Although it doesn't dock in Trier, it does dock in Bernkastel, and one of the tour options from there goes to Trier. If you really want to go all out on Trier, I'd recommend going from Basel to Amsterdam. Although Scenic, like most river cruise lines, gives no indication of what the actual times in ports are, I've done some research on it, and it turns out that on the Basel->Amsterdam trip, the ship (on average) spends over 24 hours in Bernkastel, arriving around 7:30 in the morning and not departing until around 9am the following day. So if you're adventurous, you could take the ship tour to Trier in the morning, depart from the tour, and spend the whole day in Trier exploring, making your way back to Bernkastel via train/bus in the evening. It doesn't work as well in the opposite direction, since in that case the ship arrives (on average) in Bernkastel around 9:30p, leaving around 3:30p the next day, so not really giving a lot of opportunity to depart the ship tour, explore, and still get back before the ship leaves Bernkastel. But you at least still have the option of taking a Trier tour.

 

PS I, myself, am going on this cruise in 2024, from Basel to Amsterdam.  

[Kimba123]

16 hours ago, DougK said:

I wouldn't necessarily give up on Scenic because of Trier. Although it appears that Charming Castles and Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle only goes to Trier for the concert, you might want to take a look at Romantic Rhine & Moselle. It goes from Amsterdam to Basel (or vice versa), along with several days in the low countries, and several days on the Moselle. Although it doesn't dock in Trier, it does dock in Bernkastel, and one of the tour options from there goes to Trier. If you really want to go all out on Trier, I'd recommend going from Basel to Amsterdam. Although Scenic, like most river cruise lines, gives no indication of what the actual times in ports are, I've done some research on it, and it turns out that on the Basel->Amsterdam trip, the ship (on average) spends over 24 hours in Bernkastel, arriving around 7:30 in the morning and not departing until around 9am the following day. So if you're adventurous, you could take the ship tour to Trier in the morning, depart from the tour, and spend the whole day in Trier exploring, making your way back to Bernkastel via train/bus in the evening. It doesn't work as well in the opposite direction, since in that case the ship arrives (on average) in Bernkastel around 9:30p, leaving around 3:30p the next day, so not really giving a lot of opportunity to depart the ship tour, explore, and still get back before the ship leaves Bernkastel. But you at least still have the option of taking a Trier tour.

 

PS I, myself, am going on this cruise in 2024, from Basel to Amsterdam.  

Interesting! I hadn’t noticed that — which goes to show how overwhelming all of it can be. 😉 What sailing are you on?

[DougK]

5 minutes ago, Kimba123 said:

Interesting! I hadn’t noticed that — which goes to show how overwhelming all of it can be. 😉 What sailing are you on?

I'm on the Scenic Opal, leaving Basel on 5/22/24.

[Kimba123]

Ha — well, of course the Royal Balcony Suites are fully booked on that cruise! Sigh. How do the Deluxe Balcony Suites (the next level available) compare, do you think?

[Kimba123]

Imasima752, thank you for the information! The cruise itself, as well as the pre- and post-cruise information, looks enticing! You’re fortunate to have had so few people aboard. I suspect that won’t be the case this time around!

[Canal archive]

Deluxe are absolutely fine larger than the straight forward balcony suites gives you more room to swing that cat at the end of the bed. On Diamond deck you get almost the same perks but on Sapphire deck you don’t get complimentary daily clothes pressing, in suite breakfast service, or an invitation to table La rive. Enjoy your cruise. The Moselle is beautiful when we went our Captain said if we got up early (6 am) we could get some good photo’s of the confluence of the two rivers so 4 of us did only to get huge apologies from the Captain he’d got a message to leave the river as soon as possible because the water level was rising. It just means that we’ll have to book to go again.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Canal archive

[DougK]

1 hour ago, Kimba123 said:

Ha — well, of course the Royal Balcony Suites are fully booked on that cruise! Sigh. How do the Deluxe Balcony Suites (the next level available) compare, do you think?

Yes, the Royal Suites book very quickly. I jumped on it last October when I discovered that the itineraries had opened on their web site (with no announcement whatsoever that I ever saw). I don't have personal experience to compare Royal Balcony and Deluxe Balcony suites, and of course your personal priorities affect the significance of the differences. But as I see it, the big differences are a smaller room in the Deluxe (no separate seating area), and the loss of a few perks: unlimited complimentary laundry (I think the Deluxe on the Diamond gets one smallish bag of complimentary laundry for the cruise plus daily pressing), daily canapes, full meal room service, Captain's cocktail party, priority dining reservations (which I don't think has a lot of meaning, but presumably gives you some choice as to which day you do Table La Rive and Portobellos), daily newspapers, packing/unpacking, and private transfers (within Europe). For many people, these perks have limited value; for others, they're significant--only you know for yourself.

[Kimba123]

Doug — what made you decide on the 22May cruise? The weather? Do you think the 19Aug would be too hot, and the 14Oct too cold?

 

I noticed that a Jr Balcony Suite is available on the Sapphire Deck on your cruise. While I really love the Royal Suites, I think the amenities available in the Jr Suites is probably the lowest I could go. I don’t mean to sound like a snob, but when I’m on vacation, I really choose to be *away* (i.e., not doing laundry, occasionally relaxing and ordering room service in the room, etc.).

[Canal archive]

Have you tried the Owners Suite yet? Having your luggage couriered is one of my favourites.

Edited March 2, 2023 by Canal archive

[Kimba123]

Oh, no, I haven’t, CA. This will be our first river cruise! Very exciting!

Do you have any opinions about the time of year for the Scenic cruise? I know that I’ve read (in other Moselle River cruise threads) that July is considered to be too hot (and, despite living [involuntarily, due to a transfer] in Central Texas, I’m certain I’d agree about that. Significant heat gives me migraines. In fact, DH refers to our house as “the space station” because I keep it at 72 degrees F year-round.). Would the end of August/beginning of September also be too hot? Would mid-late October be too cold? Would June be (to quote Goldilocks) “just right?” I know that I also have to take into account water levels (and I understand that June is somewhat unreliable in that regard). So many variables….

 

 

[DougK]

37 minutes ago, Kimba123 said:

Doug — what made you decide on the 22May cruise? The weather? Do you think the 19Aug would be too hot, and the 14Oct too cold?

 

I noticed that a Jr Balcony Suite is available on the Sapphire Deck on your cruise. While I really love the Royal Suites, I think the amenities available in the Jr Suites is probably the lowest I could go. I don’t mean to sound like a snob, but when I’m on vacation, I really choose to be *away* (i.e., not doing laundry, occasionally relaxing and ordering room service in the room, etc.).

 

As I said, it all comes down to personal preferences. For me--and I freely admit that my priorities are likely different than those of many other people--one of the priorities was getting a Royal Panorama suite on the Opal, Amber, or Jasper. I love having the view out both the side and aft. And the perk of full meal room service is important, since sometimes just having a picnic on the bed is preferable to the long dinner service in the dining room. With that priority, it meant a choice between 22May, 17Jul, or 7Aug. May has the least likelihood of water level problems (late enough so flooding is unlikely, and early enough that low water shouldn't be a concern). The downside of May is that plants may not be blooming yet or even leafing out, including the vineyards. I prefer not to be traveling during the peak seasons of July and August due to crowds (plus possibility of heat). There's more daylight with the May dates than the August dates, and even a little more than the July dates. Plus the May dates fit in nicely with my schedule. So it was an easy decision for me--but that's with *my* priorities.

 

Personally, I'd be a little nervous about water levels in late August, and maybe a tad about heat. I'd be concerned about lack of daylight in October, limiting available sightseeing; plus thinking some venues will have reduced hours due to being well past peak tourist season (though the tradeoff is that there would be fewer crowds). And maybe getting chilly, especially by the end of the cruise. Between the two, I personally would probably go with August, but I can see arguments for October.

[Canal archive]

Trying to keep up with the vagaries of the weather systems is a full time occupation. We did Amsterdam to Basel one year at the end of April - freezing 🥶 in Amsterdam and warm enough for shorts by the time we got to Basel. The Seine in late July beautiful not to hot and not to chilly. The south of France in May - scorching but a dry heat so even I could cope with it again in June different year amazing hot but acceptable. I have a sneaky feeling there may be a little challenge with low water again this year as the snow fall looks a bit lacking across mainland Europe.

The time of year is of no consequence to Scenic they for myself have always provided a superb product. June is always a good time of year, my birthday month, and yes they always do something special for you. Personally I do prefer the Diamond deck but that may be because we started travelling with Scenic before they became ‘all inclusive’.

[notamermaid]

On 3/1/2023 at 2:31 PM, 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)?

I find this looks like a great itinerary. I know most of the places from land trips and can say that it gives you great scenery and much history. The drawback is that it gives you only one country really, with just a glimpse of life in Luxembourg as the second country. From that perspective the Amsterdam to Basel with detour to the Moselle is more diverse. If you do not mind missing Cologne and Amsterdam you could go for the Trier/Luxembourg to Basel itinerary offered by a couple of lines. Or you could start in Cologne, do the Moselle and finish in Basel. I think a European line does this.

 

2 hours ago, Canal archive said:

I have a sneaky feeling there may be a little challenge with low water again this year as the snow fall looks a bit lacking across mainland Europe.

I am with you on that one right now. Hope we are proven wrong.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Fingers, toes and everything crossed!