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AMAWaterways Enchanted Rhine excursions

knoxclone

By knoxclone,
in River Cruising

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knoxclone Great Review Rare

knoxclone

Posted
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First time on AMA (AMALucia on the Rhine)  -  and I was wondering about any additional "optional"excursions.

 

The itinerary at this time only mentions daily "highlights of", hiking or or a biking excursion(s) which, given the fact we are traveling in "early spring" i.e. end of February  - may not be very practical! 🙂 

 

Would anyone happen to have dailies or experience on any other options? 

 

Thanks!

 

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CastleCritic

CastleCritic

Posted
Posted (edited)

Looking at it on the web site, that looks like what you can expect.  AMA doesn't really do "optional"  or surprise excursions, everything they offer is included and listed on the web site.

 

The one thing I see is that isn't clear is that in Strasbourg thats an all day available destination, there will be hourly shuttles between the ship and downtown in addition to the guided tour.

 

I have dailies from those ports from 2019 and 2021, but not the exact itinerary. (mostly...will be different on rudesheim.. which was all one day for me not spread around the two ports around it, and different choices from Ludwigshafen (I did Heidelberg) ).

 

this was Strasbourg 

 

 

99003E3B-5049-4DBF-AE9D-A28C839D8946.thumb.png.1adce50afa9512b297a9eb49034c3472.png

Cologne

A32F59C8-AFE6-4C64-BCC5-CBFC8997F7C5.png

Edited by CastleCritic
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Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

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First off, late February on the Rhine is not "early spring" – it is winter.

 

My understanding is that even on "Christmas Market" cruises the excursions are the same ones offered during summer, even though they play out very differently with winter weather.  So I would not expect [but could be pleasantly surprised] AMA to offer special excursions tailored to the weather on your cruise – not even sure what that would be [more museums and less nature?]

 

We usually choose the hiking option – but we sail in late spring or early fall, so probably not in February; and we never consider the biking option in any season, but especially not in winter.  So that would leave the "highlights" – which is a walking tour of the city or town and probably similar to the experience on a "Christmas Markets" tour.

 

You could go off on your own, but this isn't a tour of European Capitols so there just aren't that many indoor activities available [Cathedral, small museum, bars and restaurants].

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AF-1

AF-1

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You won't have access to shore excursions until after final payment 45 days prior to your cruise.  We sail July 8, 2023 and our shore excursions became available in their app three weeks ago.

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CastleCritic

CastleCritic

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16 minutes ago, knoxclone said:

Thanks for the insights so far - I am planning on winter' esque" weather, but was hoping that they may lay on a few other options. 

AMA is pretty adaptive but Ive never had an itinerary go off the rails to say what they would do.  If a day became entirely impossible (snow maybe) they would probably come up with something.  But just because its cold? no.

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knoxclone Great Review Rare

knoxclone

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I am totally fine w cold (midwest native)... Maybe I will see what the Christmas market cruises offer other than the "markets". 🙂 Regardless, I am looking forward to experiencing AMA, after Viking and Uniworld.

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  • 2 weeks later...
knoxclone Great Review Rare

knoxclone

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I have very much enjoyed all three of my Viking river cruises - Rhine, Danube Waltz and Tulip Time.  

 

Am taking my first Uniworld cruise in October with a group and then AMA in late February.  Will post review w my experiences and thoughts.

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Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

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1 hour ago, knoxclone said:

I have very much enjoyed all three of my Viking river cruises - Rhine, Danube Waltz and Tulip Time.  

 

Am taking my first Uniworld cruise in October with a group and then AMA in late February.  Will post review w my experiences and thoughts.

It will be good to hear your perspective.

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  • 4 weeks later...
gnome12 Excellent Advice! Rare

gnome12

Posted
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28 minutes ago, Gthenewsgirl73 said:

I'm seriously thinking of the AmaPrima Enchanted Rhine in December.  Any reasons to avoid that?  Solo female traveler here to celebrate 50th and NYE.  

I have sailed solo with 3 different companies; Uniworld, Ama and Avalon, and never felt uncomfortable. That said, NYE is very much a couples thing; I don’t know how that would work. 

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CastleCritic

CastleCritic

Posted
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1 hour ago, Gthenewsgirl73 said:

I'm seriously thinking of the AmaPrima Enchanted Rhine in December.  Any reasons to avoid that?  Solo female traveler here to celebrate 50th and NYE.  

Not really

 

it will be cold, it will get dark early, but other than that...uhh no..not really Ive done about half of my cruises in November and I dont regret it.  I know that AMA will have a NYE event because I looked into one of those cruises once, you may even meet up another ships passengers to do it.

 

And Im usually solo but Im a guy but if you are looking for temporary friends on the ship, you'll find them easily.

Edited by CastleCritic
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Gthenewsgirl73

Gthenewsgirl73

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21 hours ago, gnome12 said:

I have sailed solo with 3 different companies; Uniworld, Ama and Avalon, and never felt uncomfortable. That said, NYE is very much a couples thing; I don’t know how that would work. 

Ha. True, it probably won't be the best feeling in the world, but neither is sitting at home alone or with family that gets to carry out their traditions while I pine away for traditions of my own.  Thanks for your feedback, super helpful!!

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Gthenewsgirl73

Gthenewsgirl73

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20 hours ago, CastleCritic said:

Not really

 

it will be cold, it will get dark early, but other than that...uhh no..not really Ive done about half of my cruises in November and I dont regret it.  I know that AMA will have a NYE event because I looked into one of those cruises once, you may even meet up another ships passengers to do it.

 

And Im usually solo but Im a guy but if you are looking for temporary friends on the ship, you'll find them easily.

Super helpful, thank you.  I'm pretty social and make acquaintances easily because I'm charming and cute.  LOLOL  So, this is all the encouragement I need.  🙂

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  • 3 months later...
RobInMN Great Review Rare

RobInMN

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Don't get too stressed about selecting.

If you've never been on an AMA cruise before, I am pretty sure the picking of excursions before hand is just to gauge interest for lining up an appropriate number of tour guides for the different options. You are not locked in and can change your mind at the last minute. When it comes to getting your colored ticket, there is no verification that you are doing what you may have selected pre-cruise.

At least for the included ones. The optional ones with extra fees could very well be different. I have no idea.

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CastleCritic

CastleCritic

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Shouldnt be any extra fees ones on that list Im seeing on their site.  Ive done all those cities with amawaterways in the past.

 

Freiburg is a nice small town

 

Strasbourg there arent any options and you will have all day to explore here with shuttles too and from the ship.

 

Im a sucker for castles and Heidelberg is a really good one.

Rudesheim the music museum is good, the gondola ride isnt exciting but the sites are good

 

Cologne and Amsterdam the main tour is the only real option.

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RobInMN Great Review Rare

RobInMN

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8 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

No excursion fees on almost all AMA cruises.  This is one area they are truly all-inclusive.

Yes, almost all. But there are occasional ones like the Mozart & Strauss concert in Vienna. That was an additional cost.

 

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notamermaid Excellent Advice! Rare

notamermaid

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A couple of thoughts:

13 hours ago, CastleCritic said:

Rudesheim the music museum is good, the gondola ride isnt exciting but the sites are good

Have not been to the museum. The gondola runs but in winter it may be rather cold up there on the hill. Sunset is also early. https://www.seilbahn-ruedesheim.de/zeiten/

 

Castles. Do they offer Lahneck Castle in winter? That one is good, lovely small intimate setting and exclusive to Amawaterways. Check it out in this Amawaterways video at 30:56: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t37FdNKq9kM

 

notamermaid

 

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