Fancy a river cruise ?

I have just returned from a fantastic weekend at the ACE ( Association of Cruise Experts ) river cruise expo in Amsterdam.

I have worked in the cruise industry for many years but had not been on a river cruise so was very excited and interested to have this opportunity to not only learn more about river cruising but also to experience many different ships first hand.

After a night out in Amsterdam we met with the various river cruise lines at the Movenpick hotel in Amsterdam to listen to representatives from these companies and to learn more about their product.

If you are thinking of adding a stay in Amsterdam to a river cruise the Movenpick is right next to the cruise terminal so it is an excellent location for this.

However it is about 20-30 minutes from the centre of Amsterdam so you could always book a stay in a more central hotel then take a transfer to join the cruise. We stayed at the NH Centre hotel which was in a really good location close to all of the many shops and nightlife Amsterdam has to offer.

During our 1^st day we had lunch on the Amadeus Elegance by Amadeus Luftner . I had no previous experience of this cruise line so wasn’t really sure what to expect. However it became apparent very quickly that this is a very friendly and welcoming ship, The staff really could not do enough for you and always had a smile on their face. Lunch was fantastic with a delicious 3 courses before returning to the Movenpick to continue the conference.

Once the conference had finished we transferred to our ships and I was very lucky to be staying on the SS Antoinette with Uniworld. This ship was stunning, I was amazed from the moment I stepped on board at how beautiful this ship was. The décor was classic and it was white glove service throughout. We were escorted to our cabin which had 2 twin beds but could convert to a double and we were provided with the use of bathrobes and slippers, there was complimentary bottled water, toiletries, speakers for shore excurions and drinks bottles to take ashore. There were even multi pin plugs so no need for an adaptor. The beds were very comfortable and we had a French balcony so in warmer climates these will open halfway so you can relax in the comfort of your cabin and watch the world go by.

Dinner was amazing we were served a beautiful  5 course meal and I can honestly say the Beef was probably the best I have eaten in a long time and melted in your mouth. Of course wine, beer and soft drinks were also served throughout the meal which are complimentary.

There is also a more casual area on deck serving afternoon tea, crepes etc

I tried the crepes and I would definitely recommend them.

There is a traditional lounge/bar area to enjoy drinks and occasional entertainment which is very low key and is usually a singer or local entertainment from the port you are visiting.

There is also a more modern bar at the back of the ship called the Leopard room to enjoy pre or after dinner drinks.

Another feature of this ship is the swimming pool. It is a small indoor pool but there are windows that can be opened to the deck area in warmer weather. There is underwater music and you can turn on a current for anyone seeking exercise. There is also a small cinema on board open at various times during the day.

The following day we visited the other remaining ships.

My favourite of these was the Ama Waterways AmaDante.

This ship combined modern with traditional features and was very warm and friendly.

They had even gone to the trouble of putting up Christmas decorations just for us to see as the ship was going into drydock and the crew had to them take down the decorations after our visit.

This ship had a very upmarket feel to it. The cabins were lovely but I would definitely recommend upgrading to a French balcony because the windows on the lower decks are high windows so although you would get daylight through there would be no view which is such a shame considering the scenery you would be cruising past.

Most French balcony cabins also have the beds facing the balcony so you can imagine how lovely it would be to relax in bed in the morning with wonderful views to take in.

There are single cabins on this ship which are a fairly good size making it more affordable than being charged single supplements. Be quick though because they sell out quickly.

There are always complimentary tea and coffee stations available for refreshments on board and they offer complimentary beer,wine and soft drinks with your evening meal.

Ama Waterways also include a choice of excurions so even if you have done the same itinerary before there will always be new places to visit and tipping is also included in the price.

So really there isn’t much more to pay on top of the price so even if the price seems a little more than you would expect when you consider what is included it really is excellent value.

When speaking to people some were concerned about the lack of entertainment etc because they are used to ocean cruising with endless facilities on board. I wouldn’t be put off by this because if like me you like good food and beautiful places to visit you would enjoy a river cruise. Also the ships do not cruise at night so you have plenty of time to explore or even have an evening out in one of the many cities without being too concerned about the time.

Most of the companies refurbish and replace their ships regularly so you can be sure of the standards to expect and after a day of sightseeing what better way to relax than on a luxury river cruise ship enjoying good food in good company.

If you have any questions about river cruising or would like to speak to me about any of these ships please feel free to give me a call.