A Great Time to River Cruise
Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert
We have wonderful clients on the 14 day Grand Danube Cruise, who have been sailing on the AmaVerde since 26 September 2021. It is their first river cruise and first time sailing with AmaWaterways.
3 weeks prior to their departure, Amsterdam closed down for 5 days, then reopened (it was their first stop prior to the cruise; it looked like Prague was closing down, then their flight to Munich was cancelled. They decided to cancel the cruise reluctantly and then Amsterdam reopened. We scrambled; AmaWaterways rebooked them (thanks Jennifer Maddox who made it all happen at the last minute) and they are presently sailing on the Danube.
The couple, Ginnie and Neil, are really enjoying their cruise and her updates were so good, I ask her permission to share them with you. I have put them in a question and answer format and basically used her words exactly as she wrote them, with as little editing as possible. I have tried to use quotations to be clear it is what she wrote to me.
I want to make this clear, it is her report, and I’m sure you will find it fascinating to hear from her about the state of river cruising on AmaWaterways on the Danube during these unique travel times.
She titled her email to me as a great time to river cruise, so she even wrote the title of this blog.
To help add some spice to the report, I have included some of our pictures of the places she and Neil have visited on their cruise.
So, let’s explore together and learn about what it is really like to cruise right now with AmaWaterways in late September and early October 2021.
So, Ginnie tell us about Vilshofen, your embarkation city.
“We arrived yesterday at AMA! And finally had a great sleep. We enjoyed a lovely dinner and breakfast this morning. :-)
Neil went for a run yesterday - which is very important to him - and he loved running through Vilshofen. It's raining this morning, but I will likely go out for a short walk through town before the ship sails at 11:00 am.”
What about your experience on the AmaVerde?
“AMA is wonderful. The staff and service are fantastic. There are only 36 people on board-- the adventurous travelers! Our room is lovely and very comfortable. We're going to do the Chef's dinner tonight.”
What are other passengers saying about their trip?
“We had a chat this morning with a gentleman from Sacramento. To our surprise, they were able to easily enter Prague with no issue at all”
Do you find the COVID rules confusing?
“It does seem that while countries are setting out COVID procedures on the internet, there doesn't appear to be enforcement. We saw that in Amsterdam - and now Prague.”
What did you do in Passau?
“We're having a great time. Loved Passau - I did the hike up to the fortress (nearly killed me but I did it)! The view was worth it.
Ginnie walked up this hill in Passau
Another view of the fortress
Her view would have included this great view of the town of Passau
Neil did a bike ride and enjoyed that - once they finally found a helmet for his big head!!! ha ha.”
What did you do on the next day?
“Today we did the Salzburg tour-- the long bus ride was a pain, but once there we went off on our own, enjoyed a bite to eat, hit a museum, and people watched in Mozart Platz.
Mozart Platz
The castle is above Old Town Salzburg
The Salzburg Cathedral
Chef's dinner last night was wonderful, but seriously, as you know, the meals and wine are fantastic. Staff is great - lots of new folks but they are very friendly and helpful.”
Have you had any problems so far?
“We had an interesting blip in a restaurant today. It was an outside cafe - and the waiter asked us for our vaccine certificate or COVID test results. Seriously - we're outdoors and the tables are spaced - what a dumb procedure. Anyway, we did not have our vaccine certificates as they are kept with AMA. We were slow on the uptake, but remembered that our phones had the COVID certificates - so we were able to stay in the restaurant and eat lunch. Even the waiter said "the COVOID procedures are changing every day". It's so ridiculous. So much "Covid Theatre" going on - doing stuff to be "seen to be doing something" but minimal impact, if any, on reducing risk.”
What’s next?
“Durnstein, Melk and Wachau tomorrow. Really excited! I don't think I’ll do the hike - I found the last one rather tough. Neil will do the bike ride again.
Neil would ride a bike similar to these.
During his bike ride, Neil would probably wave to the AmaVerde during a break on their bike ride in the Wachau Valley
Schonbuhel Castle, about 3 miles from Melk, is known as “The Watchman of the Danube”
The village of Spitz and vineyards in the Wachau Valley
Hinterhaus Castle ruins in the Wachau Valley
Durnstein Castle ruins—not sure if Ginnie did hike up here or just enjoyed the small village
Europe is amazing! So beautiful. We are so glad we made the decision to come.”
Should folks sail now?
Sure, feel free to use my stuff for a blog I think I'll also write you a piece about how this is really a great time to travel - fewer crowds.....I've never felt unsafe re: COVID. While we were lounging on the sundeck yesterday, one guy said "it's like having your own private yacht" But it won't last forever.....now is the time to grasp the opportunity. We've seen lots of river cruise boats on this trip - things are coming back”
What happened today?
“At the moment, we're cruising towards Durnstein. Very relaxing and peaceful. I hate to make you jealous, but I had eggs benedict for breakfast. :-) We had lamb for dinner last night - it was fabulous - Neil and I both love lamb. The red wine (a Bordeaux) was a perfect match.”
Why do you think it is a great time to cruise?
“My husband and I are currently cruising down the Danube - watching the amazing scenery and river. Heading towards the Wachau Valley in Austria. We are having a wonderful European river cruise. So, why is it a great time to do a river cruise NOW? Here are my thoughts:
1. We have always felt very safe. From our departure in California, to Amsterdam, then Munich and Vilshofen in Germany, onboard and in each place we've visited, every hotel, every restaurant, there have been COVID safety protocols in place. Everyone on our cruise must be vaccinated. Everyone has to get a COVID test before boarding a plane to Europe and coming on board the ship.
2. Because river cruises are just now starting up again, the numbers of people on board are low! On our cruise, we only have 36 people on a ship that holds about 160. There's no crowding whatsoever so it's very safe. And - best of all - you get fantastic personal attention from the staff who are thrilled to see you and to be back doing the work they enjoy. For example - there are no buffets where you have to fight and elbow your way through the crowds to get your food! There is personal attention from your waiter at every meal. Everyone has a private assigned table where you eat your meals. What a treat! We laughed with some of our fellow passengers that this is a great time to travel because "this is like our own personal yacht"!!! Why wait till the crowds come back?? Why??? This is an incredible and rare experience. Take advantage -don't wait for the crowds.
3. On the subject of crowding, we have wandered the streets of wonderful European cities, visited the restaurants, museums, gone on canal cruises, relaxed in town squares, etc. - With NO TOURIST HORDES!!! It's wonderful and relaxing, and you can fully enjoy the places you are visiting! You can see what you want to see. You can take amazing pictures without strange people wandering into your shots. There is space. Why wait for the tourist hordes to return and fight your way through the crowds? Why wait till the cruises are full? Right now you can enjoy Europe peacefully and fully embrace and enjoy the beauty and history. It's a great time to relax in a German Biergarten, an Amsterdam restaurant, walk the local streets, cruise the Danube or the Rhine.
3. After a rough year and a half of "the pandemic" and lockdowns, etc. - it is time to enjoy life again. We can't live like hermits for years and be afraid to travel. Let's learn to live and travel with the pandemic - SAFELY.”
You like to call minor travel problems blips, so what are the blips you have encountered?
“So - now on to "travel blips". As travel is starting to come back in the world, you can expect some surprises and blips along the way. Here are some that we have encountered.
1. Travel protocols in each country can change quickly. Stay informed! Example: One city put on a 10 day quarantine for US citizens, then surprisingly removed it 5 days later. In their airport, there were still signs remaining about the need to quarantine, but there was no enforcement! There seems to be reliance on the airlines to check vaccination cards and covid tests. Be sure that you are clear on exactly what Covid test is required to enter the countries you are visiting, and be sure to get those within the required timeframe!! On a positive note, Covid testing seems easy to get. In our case in Amsterdam, our hotel booked the test for us - with a 10% discount, and the place to get tested was a 2 minute walk away. We got our results on our phones very early the next morning. Perfect and easy!
2. Some restaurants require vaccination cards or results of Covid tests. That was a surprise to us when we sat down for lunch in one country in an outdoor restaurant. Fortunately, we had our covid tests on our phone, as our ship was holding our vaccination cards. Put a copy of your vaccination card and your Covid test on your phone so you always have them handy!!!
3. Have a supply of masks. They're required almost everywhere. While the internet said that Europe required a specific type of mask - we found that this was not really required - people wore all kinds of masks. You MUST wear your mask in the airline terminals and planes, all transit services (trains, buses, etc.) and in some cases it's enforced. I was told by one transit checker to "move my mask up over my nose".
4. The technology can sometimes be challenging. . We've had some glitches with VPN and setting up the cruise APP. Unable to get US versions of online papers. Mildly annoying.”
5. Because of constraints on #'s of people entering museums - tell people to get their tickets online months in advance!!! I do mean months. We could not get in to see any museums in Amsterdam that we wanted to. ”
Any Final Thoughts?
“We are in the Wachau Valley now. You were right - incredibly amazing!!! The peace and solitude....is wonderful.”
My Final Thoughts
What an awesome report—it just doesn’t get more real than this. Candid, insightful and really makes the point—it is a great time to river cruise now in 2021!!
It is another reason we love sailing on AmaWaterways in Europe so much—they under promise and over deliver!
We hope you enjoyed this report as much as we enjoyed bring it to you. We also hope the pictures helped you visualize the places and experiences she and Neil are having.
We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise specialists, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.
When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.
Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!
HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 50 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:
AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent
