Hank Schrader

August 12, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Sailing on the AmaMora in August 2021

Hank Schrader

August 12, 2021

Europe River Cruise

Sailing on the AmaMora in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who have a river cruise scheduled in 2021 want to know what the experience will be like.

So, here is our report

Our Airport Experience Flying Frankfurt

We flew on United Airlines from Houston. We flew first class in Polaris class. It was required to wear masks at all times except to eat and drink, even when sleeping.

It is amazing how quickly you forget some travel skills after an 18 month absence. We have TSA pre check (it’s awesome) but I forgot to tell them of my hip replacement, so as always I have to go through special screening device. In the old days, I would have remembered.

Prior to boarding the plane, we had to show passport and vaccination card. Even though we had electronic tickets on our I-phones, when we checked our 2 suitcases, we had them print out boarding passes. Probably a good idea, as at gate the agents marked OK on our boarding passes.

First class travel has really changed since COVID for food and beverage service. For dinner, I had braised beef short ribs. There no longer are courses served—everything comes at once. Anne had ravioli and her dish was much better than mine. The meat of my dish was very tough and with a small bowl of gravy, I was in a constant battle to avoid dripping on my shirt which I won only because my cloth napkin protected me from a couple of dribbles.

Wine is served in plastic cups. My mash potatoes were real but soupy with just a little too much liquid added. The salad was good and the frozen mango sherbet in a cardboard cup was refreshing and tasty.

My Malbec was OK but not great and I was offered a second glass but declined. Anne had champagne and put her sherbet in it—it is amazing how she upgrades food and drink!

My grades for the flight—food D+, service B+, comfort A-.

Getting to the Ship

We arrived by train and taxi after spending 3 days in Switzerland.

Here is our train report:

After landing in Frankfurt, and a very long walk (a quick note—our gate had one area of steps and even though there is an elevator it was a little bit of a struggle with our carry on bags as we walked up the steps) we went through security very easily. The only extra document is vaccination card and you must remove mask briefly so guards can see your face. Passport and vaccination card was all that was required— there were no health questions to enter Germany at the border control point.

Frankfurt airport is huge, our flight was delayed for about 40 minutes and finding the long distance train was very hard. With 2 rolling suitcases and Anne’s small rolling carry-on, the escalators were a challenge for me with trying to handle the two 24” rolling suitcases. After about 25 minutes of walking, we finally got to the right track. Luckily for us the train was about 15 minutes late, so we made our first of 3 train connections.

Our second train went well from Mannheim to Basel with one minor exception. Upon approaching Basel, we got off at Basel Bad and quickly realized our mistake and almost missed scrambling back for the short 8 minute ride. The train conductor helped us load up—still we are too heavy for quick loading and unloading but for a 20 day trip it may be the cost of having enough clothes and travel items. Perhaps the saying bring half as much things and twice as much money is great travel advice.

The 3rd train was another challenge. We missed our desired train by 3 minutes but knew there was another in an hour. We had a great ride to Lucerne and after a short walk to our hotel, we have arrived after about 20+ hours.

Daily Life on the AmaMora

Since this is our 18th cruise on AmaWaterways, we can give you a very good comparison on what has changed.

Here are some photos I took on the AmaMora in 2018 on a quick visit with permission of the captain as it was docked next to the AmaCello.

Boarding was easy. A temperature check and passports, vaccination card with the security guard, a warm welcome by the pursor Adam who we have sailed with before and a quick document check and off to cabin 204.

The only changes onboard are masks in public areas, no bar stools at the bar, and some plastic dividers in the lounge.

There are 2 pictures at the end of the blog of the lounge changes.

My Final Thoughts

We believe travel is safe. It is different but there are some advantages to traveling now. Less crowded, only minor inconveniences, and travel folks are welcoming you back with open arms.

What a great adventure—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures and our report as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

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 49 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

Hank Schrader

August 5, 2021

Europe River Cruise

The Restart of River Cruising in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader

August 5, 2021

Europe River Cruise

The Restart of River Cruising in Europe in August 2021

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps the burning question on many traveler’s minds is how the restart of river cruising is going in Europe?

I am sure many of you, especially the folks who plan to travel in Europe in 2021, want to know what the experience will be like and will it be safe.

So, here is the latest information I can find about resuming sailing and health protocols. I will provide sources to help provide as factual a report as possible but we have no real inside knowledge, so please accept this as an overview and, under no circumstances, consider this a source of the current requirements of each company—you must go to the individual company’s website and read their updates.

This is only a snapshot of 5 August 2021. The sailing dates and number of vessels sailing should be very accurate but policies will and have changed, so do not rely on this as a definitive source.

I want to emphasize this changes daily as governments and cruise lines adapt to the ever changing situation, but knowing a little about the return to the rivers is an important step in learning about how the 8 companies we follow are restarting their operations.

Overview

None of the cruise lines are at full operations, as they gradually restart. Some lines will not reach full operations in 2021.

It seems pretty clear the trend is you must be vaccinated against COVID at least 14 days prior to your trip, or you will be denied access to many activities in Europe. Even with vaccinations, there will still be some mask requirements during your travels. 7 out of 8 lines now require vaccination proof and I am almost certain Tauck will soon follow suit.

Some European countries are requiring up to a 10-day quarantine period for unvaccinated travelers (Source: Insider Travel Report 5 August 2021). It is clear to me and all the river cruise lines that they just can’t provide the proper guest experience with unvaccinated travelers.

At present, all meals will be served on all river cruise lines, as the traditional buffets for breakfast and lunch are not being used by any of these 8 lines.

It is also clear, each line takes safety and health very seriously and all seem to have excellent procedures in place.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways resumed sailing in Europe on 3 July 2021. They are currently sailing on the Douro, the Rhône, the Danube and the Rhine.

Vaccinations are required and you must answer an online health survey and provide details of pre and post travel. At embarkation, there will be a temperature check. Luggage handles will be sanitized before delivery to your staterooms. Masks will be required at interior public locations but protocols continue to change. Ample hand sanitizers are available in several locations on the ship. There is no recirculating air in the stateroom. Limitations on the number of guests on each sailing is currently in effect. Bikes are sanitized after each use. No visitors are allowed on the ships. Shore excursions will be in small groups. The crew is well trained in protocols for health and sanitation and will wear face coverings. (Source: AmaWaterways website).

Avalon

Avalon, owned by Globus, has restarted sailing in July 2021.

Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination is required for all Avalon cruises. Avalon has instituted a “Cruise with Confidence” policy to insure health and safety without taking away from the joy of traveling with them. They emphasize smaller number of passengers sailing on each ship (no more than 150 guests), a commitment to clean ships, fresh air inside and out (air is not circulated between staterooms), a safe crew who will take measures to ensure guest comfort and health and safety procedures and new technology to help ensure cleanliness. (Source Avalon River Cruise website).

Crystal

The 4 ships of Crystal have not returned to cruising yet in Europe. The Crystal Ravel and Crystal Debussy plan to return to sailing on the last days of August 2021. (Source Sea Trade Cruise News).

As of 27 July 2021, Crystal requires all guests to be fully vaccinated. Crystal protocols are named “Crystal Clean+--version 6.0). It starts with secure online Declaration of Safety, providing them a true picture of your health. The next item is vigilance aboard and ashore, with temperature checks, disinfected all off shore luggage and compliance with all local health regulations. They emphasize “in space we trust” by fewer guests per square foot in the river cruise industry on 135 meter ships. The next item is called ‘purified to perfection” with each guest stateroom frequently disinfected and electrostatic fogging with medical grade disinfectants. These are also used in the next protocol, named “high-frequency purification” of public areas. “Fresh air” is achieved by not having recirculated air onboard. Thy also use a “responsive mask policy” by remaining nimble but meeting government compliance. They will also display common-sense precautions reminders called “our pact for safety”. (Source: Crystal Cruises website).

Emerald

The Emerald cruise line just restarted sailing on 31 July 2021 on the Douro River.

Emerald requires all guest to be fully vaccinated. Emerald emphasizes its “Peace of Mind” pledge to provide their guests “comfort, well-being and assurance you need on your journey”. These include a medical evaluation prior to boarding which include a vaccination for all guests. Their dedicated crew will ensure health and safety protocols will be practiced on a daily basis. Guests will be looked after by a healthy crew. They also emphasize contact free check-in and check-out; frequent briefing and screenings; enhanced cleaning commitment in staterooms and public areas; socially aware dining; no recirculated air in the ship; small groups during shore excursions; carefully selected local partners to ensure safety and health; and wellness throughout your journey. (Source Emerald Website).

Scenic

Scenic has already started sailing in Portugal on the Douro River.

Scenic requires all guests to be fully vaccinated. All guests will be required to complete a pre-departure medical health evaluation. Your temperature will be check during embarkation. Scenic is the parent company of Emerald and has adapted the same procedures as Emerald, which I covered in more detail in their section of this blog. (Source Scenic Cruise website).

Tauck

The famous tour company.is not currently sailing in Europe but will resume operation on 25 August on the Rhine.

Tauck is not requiring that all guests be vaccinated, however if a country, establishments or public transportation require vaccination, all guests must comply. If the guest is not fully vaccinated, they must present a negative PCR test within 72 hours of departure. All Tauck guests are required to sign their Travel Wellness Pledge and COVID-19 Liability Waiver. (Source Sea Trade Cruise News and Tauck Website).

I expect Tauck to require vaccinations to travel.

Uniworld

Owned by the Travel Corporation, Uniworld began its 2021 season on 20 June 2021 on the Po River in Italy, then in France on 27 June 2021.

All guests traveling between 13 August and 31 December are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to travel on their ships. All guests must complete a Travel Declaration prior to embarkation and during boarding there will be a temperature check. Hand sanitation will be required before entering public spaces. Housekeeping will disinfect public area touch points often daily. Contactless payment procedures will be practiced. Stateroom will be thoroughly cleaned daily. Crew will be trained on enhanced health protocols. (Source Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Website).

Viking

The largest river cruise company is sailing in Portugal, France and now on the Rhine. Viking is celebrating its anniversary today—they started sailing 24 years ago today.

All Viking sailings are available exclusively for vaccinated guests, until further notice. (Source Viking River Cruise Website Frequently Ask Questions). They are also recommending, but not requiring a PRC test 72 hours prior to sailing. Viking has partnered with VerFLY to upload a digital copy of the vaccination certificate that will be required for each guest. Viking has instituted a Health and Safety Program which includes a saliva PRC test, new air purification technology installed on all Viking ships, and additional health checks, sanitation and physical distancing to protect Viking guests and crew during the journey. (Source Viking River Cruises Website).

My Final Thoughts

It sure has been a strange 18 months for the travel industry but I truly believe river cruising in Europe will rebound strongly. Each of these 8 lines have instituted sound procedures to enhance the safety and health of their guests.

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

Hank Schrader

July 22, 2021

Travel Planning

European Wanderlust

Hank Schrader

July 22, 2021

Travel Planning

European Wanderlust

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Have you ever returned home from a trip and immediately started to plan another one? Do you day dream about being in Europe often?

You are not alone—many of us face the same dilemma—why can’t I travel more?

You are suffering from wanderlust!

So, let’s explore together and learn about wanderlust— a common aliment among many of our travel clients and friends.

Wanderlust Defined

Wanderlust is “an impulse, longing or desire to wander or travel” (according to

yourdictionary.com).

This strong desire to travel is quite common among our clients and the Schraders.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition, it states that the word has German roots.

“Wandern” (German) means to wander (it is from Middle High German) and “Lust” means desire (also from Middle High German).

Literally, Wander Desire is the definition of Wanderlust.

Doesn’t this sound familiar to you?—I’m pretty sure it does.

Our Advice—Start Planning and Booking Now!

We have been through many ups and downs as travel advisors, but the recent shut down of travel by the pandemic is the most challenging event we have faced.

Changed bookings, restarts, uncertainty, fears and closures were so frequent we had our heads spinning, as we tried to help our clients and friends navigate the new normal.

But the end is here—it is time to act on your wanderlust feelings.

Why Now?

It is an excellent question—is it too soon or how do I proceed in the new travel world?

There are really 3 reasons to consider booking quickly.

First, most folks who regularly travel on ships have future cruise credits for both ocean cruises and river cruises. There is a large group who are currently booking in 2022 and vendors are reluctant to discount the value of these vouchers.

What this means is there are fewer “deals” than normal and many are taking advantage by quickly booking their preferred cabin or ship cruise at a pace faster than previous years such as 2019, and booking earlier than usual.

There is fear that in the last part of 2021 we are not ready to return to fully normal travel conditions prior to the pandemic. These include restrictions of comfort (masks, social distancing), but the biggest fear is getting struck or limited venues or restaurants not being open which devalues the vacation experience. This includes vaccination requirements and documentation to prove vaccines; quarantine requirements; if any; and testing prior to departure, during the vacation and upon return to the US.

I personally think many of these fears are overblown.

There is the pent up demand factor—I haven’t been able to travel for almost 18 months or more and folks want to solve their wanderlust problem.

The result—2022 is going gangbusters.

Maybe a nice glass of wine and some treats

Our Cruises Recommendations

There is a continuous roll out by both the river cruise lines and ocean cruise ships. The restart has limited sailings with good safety procedures in place. Some of these early sailings offer very good pricing, especially for October thru December of 2021.

Most of the wanderlust tribe, which we are charter members, are ready to travel and they are fully vaccinated and are willing to accept the safety rules of each individual country as more inventory and sailings become available. We will be able to give you our first-hand experience, as we will be in Europe in August and sailing on our 19th European River Cruise on AmaWaterways.

We will get to see these castles on our Rhine Cruise in August

If you are looking for really good pricing, less crowds than usual, we can help you solve the wanderlust problem many of us faced for the last year and a half with a 2021 booking.

My Final Thoughts

Wanderlust in Europe—it always a great adventure! It is just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We can’t wait to get back and we would love to help you solve your wanderlust problem.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

July 8, 2021

Europe Travel

Our Battlefields of Europe 2022 Tour

Hank Schrader

July 8, 2021

Europe Travel

Our Europe Battlefields Tour

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We are planning another exciting tour in 2022. Similar to our two D Day Tours of 2014 and 2019 in concept, we are going to visit key places in France, Luxembourg and Belgium that shaped the history of Europe from the 1800s to 1945.

By understanding these conflicts, we hope to help our guests learn about how present day Europe has developed into its modern nation states.

It won’t all be just military conflicts and warfare—we also will drink some champagne in Reims and visit 3 great capitals—Paris, Luxembourg and Brussels. Our plans are to lead this tour in the fall of 2022.

While still in the draft stage, we are going to Europe in August to make a recon trip and begin finalizing our plans for the tour. There is also a possibility that we start in Brussels and finish in Paris. Either direction, it should be a great trip—first class all the way!

We are sharing this information now, so that if you have any interest, you can get your name on the interest list. We will probably have room for only 30-34 folks and we anticipate this will sell out quickly, so don’t hesitate if you are interested.

We have not been able to figure out the pricing yet and with the fluid travel situation in Europe at present, may have to modify some plans based on hotel availability.

So, let’s explore together and learn more about our tour plans.

Trip Overview—Start in Paris

We are planning a special 2022 trip with a visits to 3 countries.

In France, we will start in Paris, then visit Reims to learn about military history and taste great champagne. We will also visit the WW I battlefield of Verdun.

In Luxembourg, we will visit this great capital city and learn about the Battle of the Bulge, with an emphasis on the American role in the battle with visits to 2 small town museums in this tiny country.

In Belgium, we will continue to learn more about the Battle of the Bulge in Bastogne.

We will finish up with a visit to the battlefield of Waterloo and then on to Brussels.

An additional AmaWaterways 7 day on the Rhone cruise as either a pre or post option.

Why Should You Take this Trip?

Here are 7 reasons you should take this trip:

• Learn about French Army Military History in Paris

• Learn about & taste Champagne in the Reims Area

• Learn about the 300 day WW I Battle of Verdun

• Visit Luxembourg City and 2 small towns in this tiny country

• Learn about the Battle of Bulge with visits to the American Cemetery, Patton Museum, 101st Airborne Museum and the Bastogne War Museum.

• Visit Brussels and the Waterloo Battlefield

• Have fun with Anne and Hank

Day by Day Draft Plan (Direction Paris to Brussels—might be in reverse order)

Day 1 Pre tour Paris Welcome Cocktail hour

Day 2 Paris Visit Army Museum and Napoleon’s Tomb Afternoon free Overnight Paris

Today we will visit the Hotel de Invalides which covers many of the conflicts fought by France. Some highlights include medieval armor and arms, Napoleon’s battles, WW I trench warfare and battles, WW II battles starting from the Blitzkrieg, occupation, the D Day campaign, liberation, the end of the war and the atomic bomb resulting in an allied victory. It also is the tomb of Napoleon, who rests under a gold dome.

The afternoon is free

Day 3 Reims Transfer to Reims (TGV/coach? 3 hours) Champagne Tasting & Tour (3-4 hours) (Overnight 2-3 days might be reduced to 2 days)

Day 4 Reims Epernay & Route de Champagne visit cathedral on your own

Day 5 Reims Verdun Battlefield Tour (1 hour, 15 minute drive to Verdun from Reims)

Today’s Tour will help us understand more about the 300 day battle of Verdun. We will visit the 2 floor Verdun Memorial Museum, L’Ossuaire Cemetery and two forts—Fort Douaumont (with the nearby Trenches of Bayonets) and Fort Vaux.

Day 6 Luxembourg Transfer to Luxembourg (visit on way in American Cemetery about 3 hours 30 minutes—2 hours, 15 drive directly to Luxembourg City) City Walking Tour Overnight Luxembourg

Today our first stop is at the American Cemetery, where LTG Patton is buried along with over 5,000 American soldiers, most who lost their lives in the drive to the Rhine and the Battle of the Bulge. This is a tranquil resting place for these heroes but a somber reminder of the cost of war.

Our next stop is to Luxembourg City. After checking in to our hotel, we will have a guided walking tour of the most important sights in Old Town Luxembourg, to include walking the Promenade of the Corniche with its great views, the historic square and the Grand Duke’s Palace.

Day 7 Luxembourg Patton Museum (Ettelbruck 25 min coach ride) National Museum of Military History (Diekirch 30 minute coach ride) Overnight Vianden

Our first stop is the Patton Museum. You will learn about Patton’s life, and see displays of military equipment. The spotlight of this museum is on the Battle of the Bulge.

Our next stop is the Luxembourg National Museum of Military History. Using large scale dioramas, is a fascinating look at the fighting that took place around Diekirch. Also on display are weapons, military vehicles and other items used during WW II. There are also sections about the Resistance and WW I.

As an added bonus, we are planning to stay in the Victor Hugo Hotel near the town of Vianden. We will visit the Vianden Castle, one of the largest fortified castles west of the Rhine. We will stay overnight in this great Victor Hugo Hotel.

Day 8 Vianden to Bastogne (44 min coach ride) 101st Airborne Museum Bastogne War Museum Overnight Bastogne

We will begin today after arriving in Bastogne, with a visit to the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne. This cross roads village became famous for the defensive resistance put up by the 101st after it was encircled during the Battle of the Bulge in late December 1944.

Housed in a former military officer’s mess, this museum is dedicated to the Battle of the Bulge/Ardennes and the amazing defensive stand made by the soldiers of the 101st Airborne.

In the 4 floors of the museum, the focus is on the units, their weapons and uniforms, and realistic war scenes using mannequins. There is also an immersive experience of a cellar basement shelter that recreates the terror of bombardments during this battle.

Our next stop is the Bastogne War Museum. This museum covers WW II, with key events but the main emphasis is the Battle of the Bulge.

Using multisensory 3D technology, you will explore the past by first being placed in the Allied General Headquarters in southern England, then you will be placed in the Ardennes forest during the Battle of the Bulge ,and finally a visit to a local café with shelling exploding around you during the battle.

We also will have time to visit the Mardasson Memorial, erected in gratitude of the Belgium people for the soldiers who risked their lives to help free them. We will overnight in Bastogne.

Day 9 Waterloo and Brussels (about 1 hour 30 minutes coach ride)

Today we visit the Waterloo Battlefield, just outside Brussels, before continuing on to Brussels.

We plan to visit the Wellington Museum, see the Lion’s Mound (120 foot high memorial) and visit the Visitors Center and the panorama painting of the battlefield.

We will overnight in Brussels.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—another chance to visit Europe with a special tour we are leading. This will be a once in a lifetime experience and we hope you can join us!

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

July 1, 2021

River Cruise Reviews

19 Years Old--Happy Birthday AmaWaterways!

Hank Schrader

July 1, 2021

River Cruise Reviews

19 Years Old—Happy Birthday AmaWaterways!

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

On 30 June 2002, Rudi and Kristin sat at their kitchen table and started a river cruise company that was then called Amadeus.

19 years later, they have become the best River Cruise Company for most of our clients. As Kristin told me once just before my first guest appearance on AmaWaterways webinar for other travel agents, her vision and dream was to have 2 river cruise ships in Europe.

Little did she know how far the company would come 19 years later.

The company has grown into a company we trust to deliver a vacation that will exceed your expectations. As Kristin always says, their vision was to create a company that they would be proud to sail on. They certainly have achieved this!

In many ways, their growth parallels our growth as European River Cruise Experts—we learned about European river cruising by taking our first cruise on AmaWaterways in the summer of 2009 and realized this was a great vacation that would become the most important trip we offer to clients and our core product.

We have documented many of these achievements in older blogs—if you want more in-depth information, please visit our river cruise blog archives on our website https://www.dreamdestinations.com/europe-river-cruise-blog-archives

So, let’s explore together and learn about AmaWaterways’ history and river cruise firsts—you won’t be disappointed! There is so much to cover, I won’t be able to include it all but you will be amazed how far this great company has come in 19 years.

Company Founding and Overview

Founded in 2002 by river cruise pioneers Rudi Schreiner, Kristin Karst and Jimmy Murphy, AmaWaterways sails on Europe’s Danube, Douro, Main, Moselle, Rhine, Rhône, Garonne and Seine rivers. It has expanded into Africa and Asia.

The line now sails to more than 24 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia, including Austria, Belgium, Botswana, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Kenya, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzania, Turkey, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

Some Important Year By Year Changes

2006

The company launched its first originally designed and built ship, the AmaDagio (we sailed on her in 2013).

Along with a great ship designed by Rudi, there were two firsts in the river cruise industry—they were the first to carry bicycles on board and to have internet, free of charge, on board.

I heard a funny story about the internet from some older cruise managers about the internet. When other cruise lines companies learned about the internet being used on AmaWaterways, the would try to dock next to AmaWaterways ships to try and use the free Wi-Fi since their ships did not have this feature.

For me, this was the start of the exceptional trend setting of the AmaWaterways’ product—almost every other river cruise line now offers what AmaWaterways started in 2006 and later years. Here is what I wrote in 2016 on a blog about their bike program:

Explore on Two Wheels. AmaWaterways carries a fleet of bicycles on board (they are free of charge), so you can see Europe’s enchanting scenery on riverside pathways while getting some exercise. They dock close to many city centers and small towns, where you can ride along the locals. Options are to ride on your own, which has always been available since we started cruising in 2009, or join one of our exclusive guided tours, like a trek along the beautiful Danube River in Austria’s Wachau Valley.

Cycling group from our 2018 Danube cruise waving to us

This guided tour concept is new and we have had clients who love these tours (an update, these are now led by the on board wellness host and have 2 guides).

We have had clients take a ride along the scenic shores of the Inn River in Passau and along the banks of the Mosel around Cochem. Both reported, it was fun and a great experience. We also rode into Wurzburg on our own and really enjoyed our short ride—the bikes are very good and it was fun.

2009

AmaWaterways builds the Zambezi Queen and begins sailing in Africa on the Chobe River. Holding only 28 passengers, this is an experience of a lifetime. We sent 4 clients on this cruise in 2016.

2010-2012

AmaWaterways builds the AmaVerde and the AmaBella, with ship design innovations and features that changes the river cruise industry. Among the changes:

The Chef’s Table. In Europe, each AMA ship has the chef’s table specialty restaurant. This program began in 2012. This small dining venue (usually no more than 28 guests) features a kitchen where your meal is prepared right in front of you. This unique menu is paired with carefully selected fine wines. It is truly a great experience.

AmaWaterways spends more than most other river cruise lines on the food and wines and it shows, especially in this unique dining venue. We always go during our cruises and always arrange for the groups we led to dine together—it’s always a superb experience!

AmaWaterways is the first river cruise line member of the invitation-only La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, one of the world’s most prestigious culinary organizations.

Ship Design Improvements. The newer designed long ships (135 meters) have 4 great new features.

First, the twin balconies have been added to some cabins—one is a French balcony with a sliding glass door and the other is an outside balcony to sit and watch the river glide by.

Inside the twin balcony—the glass slides open for a French Balcony

The second feature is an enhanced pool topside, that includes a swim up bar. It is a nice upgrade from the hot tub on earlier riverboats.

Ported in Cologne, this is the pool on the AmaKristina

The third is two separated larger tables that can seat 10 in the front of the main dining room. These also serve as a wine storage area, so it’s like dining in a wine cellar.

The last design feature is the lounge library area-- a reading room complete with an electronic fireplace.

2015

In 2015, AmaWaterways expands into SE Asia, sailing on the Mekong on the AmaDara

2017

AmaWaterways added a wellness host on every sailing by expanding the program they started in 2017.

We got an early look at the program in the winter with the onboard wellness host, Selena on the AmaKristina. It was very good—as I have earned a master’s Degree in Physical Fitness, I think I have the credentials to properly evaluate the program.

Let me be clear—it is robust, fun and I was taken back about how many different activities were offered—it by far is the best fitness program on the Europe rivers by any company!

Among the features: They offer stretching, Yoga, resistance bands, core exercises, bike tours and jogging tours. All are professionally led—Marcello, from Portugal, was our onboard wellness host and he did an outstanding job on the AmaKristina in 2019!

Selena, now the overall director of the program, has created a wonderful addition to Europe river cruising—well done! Here is a sample of another great off board program that I had previously written about:

Go for a Hike. The beauty of Europe doesn’t just lie in its architecture and landmarks – there are also great views to see and unique experiences when you venture out into nature.

AmaWaterways has designed special hikes that will take you a bit off the beaten path in some very beautiful destinations. Examples include making your way up to Dürnstein Fortress (great views of the Wachau Velley), or walking the Philosopher’s Path in Heidelberg (an optional tour around the famous castle area).

You can see this would be a great hike for views of the Wachau Valley

2018-19

AmaWaterways expands its partnership with Adventures by Disney, and Backroads. The Adventures with Disney is focused on kid’s activities. Backroads is a premier cycling company.

2009-2021

It is not just the improvements of the sailing vessels, without a doubt, the most important improvement is the expanded tour options. Here is a brief summary of the key changes we have seen:

Limited Edition Tours. These tours are specially designed to give small groups an opportunity to be even more immersed in the places they are visiting. Best of all, these tours are included in the cruise fare—there is no extra charge! Popular options include a Belgian waffle and chocolate tasting in Antwerp, a beer and sausage tour in Nuremberg, or a chance to see Vienna’s hidden treasures, like the romantic Schönlaterngasse.

We have done the waffle tasting and the sausage and beer tour—both were awesome!

Anne also helped make a traditional soup in Bratislava—it was a fun experience.

We have had clients participate in the Vienna tour and they really liked it (one great benefit for us—we discovered a great schnitzel restaurant which we managed to eat at as a result of their tour—it was the largest schnitzel I’ve ever seen, and just melted in our mouths—a really neat experience!).

Limited Edition Tours are also a great option for a cruiser who is sailing on the same route a second or third time—it provides a new experience that enhances your trip. Along with the Bratwurst and beer tasting at the oldest brewery in Nuremberg described above, here are 2 other unique culinary experiences:

Learning how to knot a bretzel (German for pretzel) at a German bakery

Sampling regional specialties at the Les Halles market in Lyon (we have been on this tour—it is excellent).

Special Wine Themed Cruises

In 2013, we went on our first wine themed cruises. Since then, we have been on 3. There is now over 60 wine themed cruises a year. I have also written 2 special blogs about wine cruises on AmaWaterways (3 June 2021 and 24 September 2020)

2019

The double wide AmaMagna debuts and begins cruising on the Danube. It is the best river cruise ship in Europe. We have several clients sailing on her in 2021.

2021

AmaWaterways resumes sailing starting on 3 July 2021. In September, they will begin sailing on the Nile with the new AmaDahlia. We plan to experience this new 10 day route in December of 2021.

2022

AmaWaterways s partners with Ancestry—I covered this in last week’s blog (24 June 2021).

2023

AmaWaterways offers a new 7 rivers journey, 46 night cruising experience. I wrote about this in a blog on 17 May 2021.

My Final Thoughts

What a great story—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you. I think it is very easy to see why we think AmaWaterways is the best river cruise company.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 24, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways Partners with Ancestry®

Hank Schrader

June 24, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways Partners with Ancestry®

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

AmaWaterways just seems to be on a relentless mission to enhance their offerings in river cruising –their moto “Leading the Way in River Cruising”—still rings true.

Their latest partnership, just announced on 23 June 2021 is amazing—a true home run in my opinion. AmaWaterways has partnered with Ancestry to offer a specialized Ancestry themed cruise on 30 July 2022. If you subscribe to Ancestry or are interested in genealogy this is the cruise for you!

They are calling this specialized cruise Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience

We anticipate this cruise will sell out fast. We are waiting for final approval but may soon be able to offer $250.00 off the listed price on this cruise per person—please don’t wait! Space can be reserved by a non-refundable deposit of $1,550. The cruise will have an extra fee of $1,500 for the Ancestry® services added to the cruise prices. Your total price will depend upon what type of cabin stateroom you select for this special voyage.

Please don’t wait—if this appeals to you, call me at 713-397-0188 or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com—at max there will be only 156 spaces but I suspect even less, as AmaWaterways will need to provide a cabin stateroom or 2 for the genealogy experts from Ancestry.

So, let’s explore together and learn about this special partnership and the new river cruise.

The Route

Your route. Map from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

The route is a modification of the Captivating Rhine Cruise we have taken in 2016 and 2018.

A couple of disclaimers here—this is still in development, so there could be changes but I would not anticipate any big changes. Second, with AmaWaterways’ permission, I have copied much of this almost word for word.

Itinerary Overview

Heritage on the River: Your Personalized Ancestry® Experience

The sailing dates are July 30 – August 6, 2022
7-night journey on the Rhine, Amsterdam to Basel aboard the AmaStella (135 meter vessel)
Optional 2-night in Amsterdam pre-cruise and/or 4-night in Switzerland (Lucerne and Zurich) post-cruise packages

Your Cruise Ship—the AmaStella

The AmaStella is a twin balcony designed ship with 78 staterooms and has a max capacity of 156 passengers. As with all AmaWaterways ships with this design, there is a Main Lounge, a Reception Area, the Main Dining Room, the Chef’s Table, a Massage & Hair Salon, a Fitness Room, an Elevator, and a Swim-up Heated Pool on the top Sun Deck. These style ships are wonderfully designed and tastefully decorated.

While we have never sailed on this ship, we have sailed on several other similar riverships with AmaWaterways and they are first class in every respect.

Each sailing has a dedicated Cruise Manager and Certified Fitness Host and an outstanding crew to make your vacation experience special.

The meals are outstanding; the service is excellent and you become part of the AmaWaterways family and will want to come back to sail with them soon.

The best part of your journey will be the outstanding standards AmaWaterways uses on all its sailings coupled with the Ancestry Cruise—a true winning combination!

The AmaStella. Picture used with permission from AmaWaterways.

The Chef’s Table on the AmaStella. This wonderful dining option is included in the price of the cruise—there are no additional costs to dine here. Photo from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

One of the 2 wine rooms that are part of the main dining room. Picture from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

Please note, guests will have opportunity to see Floriade if they take a pre-cruise in Amsterdam. There is no opportunity to visit Floriade on the main cruise, as guests will be taken from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Antwerp, Belgium for the Ancestry specific excursion on Day 2 of the main cruise.

If you are not familiar with the Floriade, it is a once a decade horticultural show, that runs from April to October in 2022. The theme is “Growing Green Cities.”

Optional 2-night pre-cruise in Amsterdam:

Day 1 Amsterdam Hotel check-in; on Day 2 in Amsterdam a Walking Tour and on Day 3 prior to embarkation, a visit to the Floriade.

The famous Gabled Roofs on the narrow buildings. Most were built as narrow as possible to limit property taxes that were assessed by the width of the building.

This is a former gate entrance to the city. All the walls have been torn down of this former walled city. It is now a restaurant.

The Cruise

Day 3 Embarkation - July 30, 2022

Day 4 Amsterdam Transfer to Antwerp by bus

Antwerp “In the Footsteps of Our Ancestors”: Visit to Red Star Line Museum, accompanied by an expert genealogist

Ancestry Specific Excursion Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp, Belgium

This excursion is exclusive to the Heritage on the River sailing and allows guests to go in the footsteps of the emigrants who were in search of a new home in North America.

Guests will arrive from Amsterdam to Antwerp by bus and start the tour from the Antwerp Central Station. For many who immigrated to the New World, this is where their story began, and the accompanying genealogist will bring that history to life in this grand hub.

Later, guests will have a unique experience at the Red Star Line Museum, considered Europe’s counterpart to Ellis Island. There they will follow in the footsteps of three million emigrants as they embarked Red Star Line Ocean liners in Antwerp between 1873 and 1934 on their way to North America.

This excursion includes time for guests to personally search the Red Star Line’s database for ship manifests that may uncover the names of your relatives. Following the excursion, guests will transfer to Utrecht where they will re-join the ship.

For more information on the Red Star Line Museum, please visit their website:

Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp

Day 5 Cologne “Holy City” walking tour and cathedral visit; OR Kölsch beer tasting; OR Cologne bike tour

This wonderful photo taken by Anne shows this magnificent Cologne Cathedral.

Day 6 Rhine Gorge Castles along the Rhine scenic cruising / Rüdesheim

In Rüdesheim you have several options--wine tasting, OR a Gondola ride; OR Vineyard hike; OR Guided bike tour of the Rheingau region; Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum; OR Rüdesheimer coffee

Rüdesheim narrow streets. On the far right, with the yellow lollipop sign, is Chris, the cruise manager for the cruise when Anne took this photo in 2016. Guides use the lollipop signs for the small walking groups when on tour.

Hank (right) with his West Point Classmate Jim, drinking Rüdesheimer coffee (coffee, whipped cream and Rüdesheimer brandy)

Day 7 Ludwigshafen “Romantic Heidelberg” excursion OR Heidelberg Philosopher’s Path hike; OR “Secrets of Speyer” tour; OR Ladenburg bike tour

The Gate Bridge entrance to Heidelberg over the Neckar River..

Heidelberg Castle ruins in the snow—there will not be any on your 2022 trip.

Day 8 Strasbourg “The Gem of Alsace” tour; OR Strasbourg bike tour

Day 9 Breisach Riquewihr walking tour OR Freiburg excursion; OR Black Forest hike; OR Breisach wine country bike tour

Riquewhir cobblestone streets. This colorful village was used as the inspiration of Belle’s village in the Disney production of Beauty and the Beast.

The old Merchants Guild Hall in Freiburg.

Day 10 Basel Day 10 DISEMBARKATION, August 6th, 2021

Optional 4-night post-cruise in Switzerland:

Day 10 Basel highlights tour begins with a Transfer to Lucerne by bus; Lucerne walking tour and Hotel check-in. Day 11 Lucerne Lion Monument and medieval city walls. Day 12 Lucerne Lucerne Lake cruise and scenic drive to Zurich by bus, Zurich Hotel check-in. Day 13 Zurich “Little Big City” tour. Day 14 Zurich Return flight home

The old city walls and watch tower in Lucerne,

Lion Monument in Lucerne. The Lion Monument is a tribute to the 1000 Swiss Gurads who died trying to protect King Louie XVI of France in 1792 during the French Revolution.

What’s Included Before the Cruise

The journey begins the moment you make a reservation. An expert Ancestry genealogist will begin performing research into the your family history.
A welcome call with a designated expert genealogist (about 1 hour).
A five-hour consultation and introductory research to study aspects of your family that are of particular interest to them. (Additional hours are available at extra cost)
A summary of findings from the five-hour consultation and introductory research. (The summary is completed as part of the five hours). Through this research, Ancestry will look to identify places guests will visit or pass on the river cruise that may be connected to their ancestry.
Guests will also have an option to add-on an Ancestral Home Visits.

What’s Included in the Cruise

In addition to AmaWaterways regular inclusions, the Ancestry experience includes:

An expert genealogists will be with our guests for the entire river cruise, personalizing their experience, setting the historical context, and answering questions about their family, history, and the next steps they can take to research them. This expert will connect the places we are visiting to the guests’ family history. The expert will also explain changes in national borders and regional politics over time, all while providing a glimpse into the guests’ ancestors’ likely experiences and daily lives.
The expert genealogist will deliver at least two historical and genealogical presentations during the cruise. These presentations will help guests learn more about what life was like for their ancestors and what records are available to find out more about them.
Each participant will receive one private consultation with the expert genealogist while on board. (They will sign up during the cruise.) T his is a great opportunity to review their Ancestry Tree with their expert genealogist.
An Ancestry-specific excursion with the expert genealogist

My Final Thoughts

What a great opportunity to learn about your ancestry. Not only will you get a fabulous vacation, the added benefit of 5 hours of personalized research is amazing. If you really want to learn about your family tree and history, this is amazing opportunity.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 17, 2021

Europe Travel

Anne's European Photos--Some of My Favorites

Hank Schrader

June 17, 2021

Europe Travel

Anne’s Photos—Some of My Favorites

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know that the heart of these blogs is the pictures we take.

But to be perfectly honest, it is almost all Anne’s great eye, patience and most of all, skill as a great photographer.

To me, the essence of a really good travel photo is that it tells a story.

It is engagement that spark’s your imagination and Anne excels in telling a story captured by her lens.

Don’t expect any real rhyme or reason or great organized method to this collection of pictures—I just decided to organize them by subject. The hard part will be selecting only a few by topic. I will start with six topics on this blog and perhaps do another blog or two with other topics.

So, let’s explore together and learn about some of my favorite pictures taken by Anne and why I like them—you won’t be disappointed!

River Scenes and Ports

The story here is beauty in half-timbered buildings and the irregular shaped market square. The workmanship is amazing. This picture is well framed—the well is off center a little (adds interest) , bikes, in the fore ground and people add perspective. It is easy to imagine a market here.

The next picture for me is the story of Amsterdam—canals, bikes, flowers and narrow buildings. The bike and flowers in the foreground add interest to the long canal whose lines draw your eyes to the building in the distance. Classic composition.

The next story is the castle on the hill over the village below on the Moselle. The large castle dominates but needs the village for support. It is also clear the river twists in a bend, which adds symmetry to the walls of the castle.

The next story is of beauty of a unique town hall, built on a river when the city bishops refused to grant the citizens land to build their town hall. The slightly off center building, the striking yellow half timbers and the river current really add interest to the out of place structure.

This picture is the story of the history of the Rhine River Gorge, greedy barons seeking taxes and tariffs, a small village perched on the river banks and growing grapes to make excellent wine. The far left fort, is balanced by the castle in the far right upper corner above the village. The tax station fort in the foreground tells the story—no escape for the boats loaded with goods, helping the lords of the castle prosper.

In Passau, a fortress looms over the Danube. It is clear the fort dominates in the background, but is supported by the buildings in the foreground. The contrasting colors add interest.

At the entrance to the Wachau Valley, a fortified abbey guards the waterway, rising 130 feet above the river. It was owned by the Bishops of Passau and is known as the “Watchman of the Wachau”. The flowing river, the exposed rocks and 90 degree cliff of the fortified position clearly show how this position could restrict movement on the river and protect the inhabitants.

This stunning picture is the story of Budapest’s struggle for independence. At almost 880 feet long, and 315 feet high, designed in Gothic Revival style, the building used 88 lbs. of gold on the exterior. No wonder it is lighted at night! Anne did a great job capturing the entire building on the banks of the Danube. During the communist rule, a large red star was placed on the building but removed in 1990.

In the Iron gates, suddenly, an orthodox monastery pops up during your passage. The Iron Gates separate Romania and Serbia. The monastery was first built in 1523, destroyed several times by invading armies and finally rebuilt in 1999. Anne captured this unique building, the granite cliffs on the far shore and the Carpathian Mountains in the distance.

Gardens and Flowers

The story here is a spectacular rose garden in Bamberg with about 4,500 roses in the New Residenz Palace garden. Anne did a good job displaying the vast grounds, the centerpiece statue and the different types of roses.

Flower markets are important to the lives of Europeans. This is one of the several flower stalls on market day in Freiburg, Germany.

The story here is the importance of tulips in the Netherlands. Tulips are an obsession in the Netherlands and these tulips in Kuekenhof Gardens are part of about 7 million planted each year. They bloom for only 5-6 weeks each year in the Spring. By taking this photo at an angle, it is easy to see the depth of this indoor flower bed and the different types of bulbs that have been cultivated.

Amid the white homes of Mykonos, dramatic splashes of colors, among doorways and windows makes one wonder who lives here. The composition is excellent, staircases on the right, a flowering tree, the white buildings and blue balconies in the left-invites you to study this photo.

The story here in this Roman square is how it is used during the day and during the night. The flowers are vibrant and soon will be gone. In the background is a restaurant that will expand into the square for more al fresco dining in the evening.

The story here is a garden created by Arabs in Spain. Water was very important to the invaders from Africa who came from dry lands and creating gardens that featured fountains and lush plants were especially important—it was almost like a heavenly place for them. These linear water features and well trimmed plants are peaceful and relaxing. Anne’s photo conveys this tranquil area superbly.

Castles and Palaces

This well framed picture is the entrance to a small protected courtyard of this German Castle. The height and sturdy white towers stand out from the dark stones at this entrance.

It would hard to imagine a castle with more turrets, and defensive walls than this storybook castle in Wales. With the contrasting red phone booth, the fish and chips eatery and people in there foreground that all contrast but still doesn’t detract from the castle built in the 1300’s, it is easy to see the size of this structure but realize it is very old.

Life inside castles in medieval times is often a mystery for most of us. In Marksburg Castle, kitchen ware and game hanging helps bring this to life.

Who wouldn’t want to live in Peles Castles? The inside is even more fashionable and ornate.

The story of the Tower of London is the key history of England since 1066. These 4 towers were built by Edward the Conquer in the 1070s after the pivotal battle of Hastings. The tower has served as a fortress, a palace and a prison—it is the most secure castle in England and a symbol power, awe and fear.

The Norman Gate in Windsor Castle is one of the symbols of power of the English monarchy. The gate is named as recognition of the lineage of the 4 Norman kings who ruled from 1066 to 1154. The contrasting garden and bench sitting area adds both interest and prospective to the stone defensive tower.

Street Signs

This wooden sign in Germany is inviting way to let folks know of this establishment. The Golden Fleece is a good tavern in this German city.

Wrought iron sign tells patrons that a good time and good beverages await inside.

If the food is as good as the outside looks, it must be great. The flower boxes and half-timber construction first grab your attention but then lead your eye to the purpose of this building—a grill type restaurant.

In an age when many could not read, this sign told people what they could find inside. Is there any doubt that shoes and boots are available here?

A lantern was the symbol of an inn during the middle ages.

In Miltenberg, this well crafted sign tells quite a story. It is the sign outside perhaps the oldest inn in Germany—since 881 according to the sign. A coat of arms decorates this ornate sign of the Hotel Zum Riesen (the giant)

Colorful Places

The Merchants Hall in Freiburg, with its dominate red facade, adds a eye-catching focal point in the colorful Munster square. It is located on the south side of Munster Square and it has been in use since the 1400s. The decorations on this building are tributes to the House of Habsburg.

In perhaps the most colorful and quaint villages in Europe (Riquewihr, France), this tavern invites all in for a good meal and drink.

In Old Town Stockholm, colorful buildings sourround the main square.

In this protected harbor pocket, the colorful town of Portofino, with a luxury yacht ported, tells the story of the transition of a small fishing village on the Italian Riviera in Northern Italy. By 1950, tourism had replaced fishing as the top economic activity of this gem.

Stacked on top of each other, this small port village’s buildings are colorful and built side-by-side in a seemingly endless jumble of buildings into a steep cliff. Anne did a good job of capturing the height and jumbled town plan. It is a well known holiday vacation spot on the Amalfi Coast.

The Greek Isles dot the Aegean Sea, and Fira on Santorini in the south Aegen looks spectacular on the steep cliffside. The best way up these steep cliffs is by Cable Car.

You really don’t need words to look at this inviting, bubbling pool and the view and I’m sure you want to jump in.

The red tile roofs, splashes of color by paint and plants characterize the Alfama section of Lisbon, Portugal. The steep streets have stores selling traditional crafts and cafes for your pleasure. These streets lead to Sao Jorge Castle (not shown).

Dramatic Castle Scenery

Castles are built to dominate and defend. Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortified place in Europe; it has been a royal residence and a military garrison. Its height makes it a good defensive position but it is the most besieged fort in Britain. It houses the crown jewels and the Great Hall has hosted many royal events. For many Scots, this is the most important place in Scotland, and is open to visitors.

This defensive structure is a story of invasion and occupation. Built in the mid 13th century by Arab invaders, the Alhambra was the last Moorish stronghold to fall in 1492 during the Christian crusades or Reconquista as it is known in Spanish.

In the Julian Alps, overlooking Lake Bled, this castle is strongly positioned at almost 390 feet above the lake. This castle has defended the area for over 1000 years. It is now a museum. Anne really did a good job showing how well positioned the castle is on the heights.

A romantic fantasy land, this Portuguese Palace is constructed in the Romanticism style of architecture. It is a mixed palace of vividly painted structures amid the green vegetation that surrounds the palace. Anne took this unusual view to contrast the palace from the gardens.

The snow creates an eerie feeling to this large castle ruins 300 feet above the city of Heidelberg. The rust red facade seems to sharpen in the white snow but also holds secrets of past glory and power.

In this castle picture, during a rainstorm, Anne captures a strong castle fortress protecting a passage way in Transylvania. The small courtyard and protected passageways project strength. It is known as the castle home of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula. The rain adds to this picture effectiveness as a spooky place.

4 of Anne’s Favorites

This is a photo of Anne’s favorite city in Europe. The reflection of the canal, the contrasting light and distance bell tower make this one her best pictures. It is a photo worthy of her favorite city in Europe, Brugge.

Doors fascinate Anne—this is among her favorites. The contrasting colors make this plain doorway pop and peaks our curiosity—what is inside?

Another door, but quite a story here—the Swiss guards still stand watch protecting the Pope. Today it is the world’s smallest Army—about 135 strong. This guard is on Honor Duty with his traditional halberd. It is much like the guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in our Arlington National Cemetery as an honor guard position. The guard stands in silence, in the duty considered today as the most important among the guards duties, except for protecting the Pope. In 1527, 190 Swiss Guards were killed defending Pope Clement VII, and allowed him to escape during the Sack of Rome. These guards proudly continue their 500+ year service to the Pope.

I have to end with a sunset—Anne just loves these images! I picked this picture taken just off the island of Santorini because there is almost a cult like following of folks who just stop and watch the sun go down. This picture just makes us members of the cult!

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—Anne’s Photos—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels. She really captures the essence of a place, doesn’t she?

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 10, 2021

Veterans, Europe Travel

14 June--Flag Day and the US Army Birthday

Hank Schrader

June 10, 2021

Veterans, Europe Travel

14 June—Flag Day and the US Army Birthday

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

This June 2021 is a milestone year for me. On June 9, 1971 I graduated from West Point after 47 grueling months.

This next week on Monday, 14 June we will celebrate the 246 years of the US Army serving and defending our country. It also is the US Flag Day.

So, this week, I thought I’d tell you a little bit about these 3 events and their impact on my life.

West Point 1967 thru 1971

On 9 June 1971, I stood with my classmates and took the oath to “support and defend the Constitution of United States against of all enemies, foreign and domestic” during my commissioning ceremonies in the morning of 9 June 1971. I was fortunate to have my father, then a Major General and recently returned from Vietnam, swear me in with the oath that all officers take. I was now a commissioned 2LT, as an Infantry Officer.

I was 17 when I reported to attend West Point. This is my 4th class year picture (freshman year).

My cadet days were a struggle of rigorous academics in the engineering subjects, relative success in languages, social sciences and my favorite subject, physical education.

My success at West Point in many ways was connected to being a varsity track athlete, as a long sprinter in the 440 yard dash. I earned 5 letters, a few medals in competition , but it was the closeness of the team and how important track was to me that help me overcome my academic studies difficulties and graduate.

On the way to earning my first Army A letter in 1969 in the indoor tract meet against Navy. I ran at about 155-160 lbs in those days!

Handing off in the mile relay in 1970 against Navy in the Army Navy Track meet. In all varsity sports, if your team beats Navy, you get a gold star to wear under your varsity letter. In my 3 years on varsity track (under the old rules freshman could not compete on the varsity) we never lost to Navy and I proudly wore 5 gold stars under my Army A letter.

I would return in 1981-1984 to West Point to teach physical education and help coach the cadet rugby team.

In 1983, as a coach on the Army Rugby team, we took the A side to England to play the the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst Rugby team. I am on the right , second to last in the front row.

My lifetime has been always associated with the Army in some form—it started as an Army Brat (my Dad was a career officer), as you read above I went to West Point and returned to teach in the physical education department.

I served 20 years in the Army and once a soldier, always a soldier—I have tried to help in various military organizations and causes since my retirement. It was an honor to serve.

50 years ago—in many ways a long time but most of all it seems as it was just yesterday.

So, I guess it is just fitting to tell you about the significance of 14 June in my life.

US Army Birthday

First, the US Army Birthday deserves recognition. On 14 June 1775, the Continental Congress authorized expert riflemen to serve the United States Colonies for one year. Another act on that day was special for me also, as the first and only branch authorized that day was the Infantry—my branch. Other branches were authorized on 16 June 1775 but my branch was first.

It was a difficult task that faced the members of the Second Continental Congress in 1775.

On 19 April 1775, the American Revolution had begun with the engagement at Lexington and Concord, a local rebellion of New Englanders against the British. They surrounded the British troops that occupied Boston and appealed to the delegates of the 13 colonies for help.

The delegates also learned that Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold had taken the British forts of Ticonderoga and Crown Point. It no longer was a local rebellion, the military action had changed the situation.

They decided to take the next step by establishing the Continental Army and transformed a local war of rebellion into a war of independence for the entire 13 colonies. They resolved to “raise 6 companies of expert rifleman immediately from Pennsylvania, 2 from Maryland and 2 from Virginia and, as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under command of the Chief Officer in that army”.

The US Army and the Infantry Branch were born on that June day. On this Monday 14 June 2021 both the US Army and the Infantry Branch will be 246 years old.

So, how many serve today in the Army? The active Army has about 480,900 in an all-volunteer force. There are also around 336,000 in the Army National Guard and 188,700 in the Army Reserves.

To all of you who have donned the US Army Uniform, thank you for serving our country—there is no doubt in my mind you have made it possible for us to enjoy the freedoms that come from living in America!

Happy Birthday US Army!

June 14—Flag Day

The French and American flags in front of each grave in the American cemetery in Normandy, France on 5 June 2014. The French have never forgotten we came to help liberate them on D Day 6 June 1944.

Flags have been used throughout history as a way to identify military groups, ships, states and provinces, and nations. The most popular use of flags is to symbolize a country or nation. These symbols represent the pride of a nation and are used in times of celebration, protest and tragedy to express the feelings of the nation. Perhaps no one item can so eloquently capture the spirit of a country.

Our Flag and Flag Day

When our flag was adopted, it was created by a resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777. The resolution stated that the flag "be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." So, that is how the Stars and Strips was officially created and described by our forefathers.

There were several attempts to recognize our flag, especially after the Civil War, but it did not receive official recognition until 1916, by a Presidential Proclamation. It is not a national holiday but a day of observance to recognize the creation and importance of our flag. In 1949, by an Act of Congress, National Flag Day was created.

We all seem to know a lot about our flag and its meaning, but it got me thinking about flags in Europe. Here are some facts about European Flags, I hope you will find interesting.

Some Interesting Europe Flags

Dannebrog

According to Wikipedia, the Dannebrog (translated to Danish Cloth), the national flag of Denmark, is the oldest national flag still in use. This flag was adopted in 1478. The cross design has been adopted by the Scandinavian flags of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

The oldest national flags often use the cross. Here are some examples:

The Scottish Flag—one of the oldest used in Europe.

The Union Jack

Probably the most recognized flag in the world, the Union Jack is a combination of three flags: England, Wales, and Scotland and their patron saints. It was first flown on ships, hence the nickname Jack, refers to a ship mounted flag. The flag dates to 1606. Due the large colonial British Empire, it is the most common flag in the world, and is included in some form on 23 flags.

In Guilford, England another example of the Union Jack that flies over the castle ruins.

Tricolor Flags of Europe

There are two types of tricolor flags. They are vertical and horizontal designs. Tricolor flags are associated with republics, liberty and revolution. The French, Italian Romanian and Irish flags were all created on the formation of republics in those countries. Here are some of our favorite pictures of Tricolor flags:

Vertical Tricolor Flag

The Italian National Flag at the Victor Emmanuel Monument, Rome Italy.

The French Flag on display in Bratislava, Slovakia at the French consulate with a whimsical Napoleon gazes at the square.

Horizontal Tricolor Flags

The Croatian Flag flies over the walled city of Dubrovnik

The German Flag on display in Berlin in front of the Reichstag

Ship sailing on the rivers display the flag of the country they sail through. This is, of course, the German Flag on an AmaWaterways rivership.

To my knowledge, there are only two countries that have the exact same flag. They are Romania and Chad.

The Flag of Turkey

The flag of Turkey, in many ways, recognizes the importance of the old Ottoman Empire. It is very similar to the last flag of the Ottoman Empire. The modern flag of Turkey is also has been the inspiration for flags of other Muslim countries. The crescent and star on the flag is a symbol of Islam.

The Turkish National Flag on display in Istanbul

It is quite common in Europe to display multiple flags. Here are some examples

The flags from left to right, Athens City Flag, the Greek National Flag and the EU flag (hard to see the stars on the EU flag) in Athens

Flags in Lucerne, Switzerland. The Blue Flag is the Canton Flag of Lucerne. The red flag is an adaptation of the Swiss National Flag.

Flags in front of the Sacher Hotel in Vienna. From right to left, European Union, Austrian National Flag, the Union Jack and the American Flag.

Flags in Vukovar, Croatia at a war memorial. From left to right, EU flag, Croatian National Flag and the town flag of Vukovar.

National Coats of Arms

In Europe especially, there are often flags that display a national coat of arms. A flag of a country represents its population; the national coat of arms represents the government. These are displayed in different forms, sometimes on a flag, but usually on a building or perhaps a coin.

Here are just a few we have seen on our travels in Europe:

The national coat of arms on the Matthias Church window, in the Buda portion of Budapest, Hungary.

Presidential version Standard in Prague, Czech Republic The moto translated means “Truth Prevails”

The double eagle crest. The double eagle is the symbol of power and domination and used by empires. It was most notably used by the Byzantine Empire, the Holy Roman Empire, the Ausrto-Hungarian Empire and the Russian Empire. This crest is in Austria

The Double Eagle in gold at Peterhof in Russia—of course the czar would settle for anything less that gold on the crest.

My Final Thoughts

Nations and their borders are created by man. Most counties have a strong sense of national identity, with ethnic groups that have common languages, religions and customs and traditions.

Some of these countries have been created peacefully but many are a result of war or struggles of independence. Flag Day makes me proud to be an American. It makes me prouder yet to have served our country—Happy Birthday to the US Army and more importantly to all who have served.

It also makes me recognize there are many other wonderful folks who live in other nations and it inspires me to want to visit Europe more often. I want to be a good representative of our country and have more European experiences.

We hope this will inspire you to remember who were are as Americans, remember the importance of our flag and what it represents, and honor the US Army.

We also need to recognize many of our traditions and ideas came from Europe and by traveling to these places, we learn about our similarities and hopefully learn to embrace our differences.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

June 3, 2021

River Cruise Reviews

Great Wine and Dining Experiences on AmaWaterways

Hank Schrader

June 3, 2021

River Cruise Reviews

Great Wine and Dining Experiences on AmaWaterways

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is how well most seem to eat and drink responsibly—it is amazing!

This same tradition is carried on to river cruise ships, and to us, the best river cruise line for food and wine is AmaWaterways.

So, let’s explore together and learn about wine and dining experiences on AmaWaterways—you won’t be disappointed!

Different Regional Wines are Served on all AmaWaterways European Cruises Each Night

On our first cruise on AmaWaterways, along with the good food, I was really surprised to have my glass constantly refilled during the dinner meal. It was always a different red and white selection that changed each night and often during lunch. In the 17 cruises we have taken on with this great line, the free-flowing wine service remains and the quality keeps improving.

Hank on his first river cruise in 2009, selecting one of the two wine options at diner in the main dining room.

Wine Cruises on AmaWaterways

There are over 60 wine cruises each year on AmaWaterways. You will sail along some of the most famous wine regions of Europe, depending on the route you choose. Here are some vineyards you could sail past on your cruise:

The vineyards of Spitz in the Wachau Valley on an Upper Danube cruise

The vineyards just outside Rudesheim, Germany.

These wine cruises cost nothing extra of regular cruises and have 3 great benefits.

First, you will have a special wine host to tell you about and let you taste the wines they have created.

Mark Thomas preparing for an on board wine tasting hosted by Ledson Winery

Hank during the wine tasting using corks to make a trivet

Second, you will get to visit some of the premier vineyards and have cellar tours and tastings.

Champagne tasting on a special tour in Lyon

Wine server and Dejan, our cruise manager (right)

Hank and Anne at the wine tasting in Tournon

Third, you will learn about pairing wines with food.

Here is a link to a blog I wrote about Wine Cruises on AmaWaterways

Wine Cruises on AmaWaterways

Wine Pairings—Learn about the Art of Wine Paring

I really like wine, especially when it is properly paired with food!

Wine is a complex subject but it doesn’t have to be—it really is about what you like and how you can best enjoy it. I am sure part of the fascination for me is how it enhances food as well as how it is enhanced by food but also the complex process involved in making quality wine. Wine producers wear many hats—entrepreneur, farmer, chemist, blender, and business person.

Certain foods go well with certain types of wine. In particular, cheese is one of the simplest to pair wine with, but most foods are enhanced with a good wine, in my opinion!

During an AmaWaterways cruise, you can expect to learn more about this art. There will be at least 3 pairing chances—two in the main dining room and one at the Chef’s table. In the main dining room, the wine host will have a special pairing dinner featuring their wines. The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dinner is a feature on each AmaWaterways cruise and they match special wines that pair very well with the menu.

Dining Options on Your Cruise

You will be pleasantly surprised at the quality and different dining options and food available on so compact a ship. The fare is regionally-inspired cuisine, always fresh and locally sourced.

Most dining is in the main dining room. They often have special themed nights and lunches. For example, the German festival is served on the top deck when the weather cooperates, but is equally good in the main dining room.

Germany meal. Lazlo with Anne wearing his Bavarian apron — Germany meal

In the Lounge area, there is a continental breakfast, a light lunch option (usually one entree, a soup, salad and desert) a snack hour with homemade deserts and tapas. The Specialty Dining Room, at the rear (aft) of the ship is a unique feature and included in the fare.

It is often an option to get a cooking class on-board or as a shore excursion—they are included at no extra cost. There are also food tours of famous food markets, like this one in Lyon.

The Main Dining Room

The main dining room serves most of the meals you will eat on board this river ship. Breakfast and lunch used to be buffet style with options to order off the menu, but now all items are served to guests.

The one of the two wine rooms on the AmaKristina 2019

Most days I select the Eggs Benedict along with complimentary unlimited sparkling wine and fresh juices to start my day. All breads are freshly baked every day and they even make homemade ice cream for dessert at lunch.

Here is a sample lunch menu (quite an impressive selection, in my opinion):

Every evening on the dinner menu (a 4 course affair of an appetizer, a soup course, a main course and dessert), there are 3 Entrée’s choices—usually a meat dish, a fish dish and a vegetarian option.—all are excellent! To help you, at both lunch and dinner there is a Chef’s Recommendation for that meal, what he considers the best offering for that meal for all the courses. Many use this to try new food experiences.

Don’t be surprised if special celebrations happen during your meal—maybe a surprise desert or a special cake to celebrate a milestone event.

There is an Always Available Menu that features a steak, a grilled chicken breast, and a vegetarian or pasta option.

The lunch and dinner meals feature a white and red wine from the region you are sailing through and they change daily (not every river cruise lines changes wines every day or offers included wine and beer). There is also beer and other beverages.

One item of note—portions are slightly smaller in recent sailings and for the baby boomers of our generation, this is a smart move. You can always have more food, but even for big eaters like me, the portions were properly sized.

I do have to point out that on the Always Available Menu, I usually get the steak once during the cruise. It always is large, and very tasty. Here is a photo—looks very good, doesn’t it!

On every cruise, there is a special captain’s dinner. All guests have a great meal and the captain dines with some select guests. Here are some photos of the Captain’s Table.

The Chef’s Table. In Europe, each AmaWaterways ship has the chef’s table specialty restaurant. This small dining venue (usually no more than 28 guests but up to 38 on the AmaMagna) features a kitchen where your meal is prepared right in front of you.

This unique menu is paired with carefully selected fine wines.

It is truly a great experience. At least each year the menu changes, so we will look forward to our next sailing to see what great new features will be added to this fun dining experience.

AMA spends more than most other river cruise lines on the food and wines and it shows, especially in this unique dining venue. We always go during our cruises and always arrange for the groups we led to dine together—it’s always a superb experience!

Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Meal

AmaWaterways has another unique culinary achievement—they are the only river cruise line inducted into the La Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, a prestigious international gastronomic society dedicated to fine cuisine. There is a special Chaîne des Rôtisseurs dinner meal on each cruise.

The entire European fleet and President Rudi Schreiner were honored. According to the AmaWaterways website, the society was:

“Founded in Paris in 1950 to honor the royal Guild of Goose Roasters (whose origins date back to the 13th century), it is the oldest and largest food and wine society in the world. Membership to La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is by invitation only and is extended to those possessing world-class culinary acumen.”

AmaWaterways Awarded Best Onboard Dining (River Cruise) by TravelAge West Magazine for 2020

After sailing on AmaWaterways 17 times, we agree wholeheartedly with this award. There is no extra charge for all these options, so this makes it even a better deal.

If you want good food and wine on a river cruise, go on AmaWaterways—it seems a lot of other travel advisors share our opinion! Pretty easy to see why the won the Best Onboard Dining Wave Award for River Cruising in 2020.

Maybe you will get to share a meal with good friends, or comrades like we do when escorting our clients.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—great wine and superb food—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much and river cruising on AmaWaterways! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed eating, drinking and seeing the many venues that emphasize food and wine in Europe. We have loved them during our travels and hope to share them with you in the future.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

May 27, 2021

Veterans

Memorial Day 2021

Hank Schrader

May 27, 2021

Veterans

Memorial Day 2021

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps the most misunderstood holiday in our country is Memorial Day. Memorial Day honors those who have died while on duty in the military services.

However, I am sad to say few folks understand the significance of this solemn day of remembrance. For many people in our country, it is the start of summer and a way to gather with friends and families for a break from work. It is also about selling and buying for many—deals are offered in a dizzying amount to all of us.

Somehow, to me, the whole patriotic purpose has been pushed into the background. It should be a little somber, about fallen comrades, but I guess that with less than 1% of our nation who have served in the Armed Forces, it is understandable. Maybe the best way for folks to understand is the loss of a family member—there is an emptiness that never goes away. We who have served feel the same way about our lost comrades.

Many will say to others—“Happy Memorial Day”, thinking it is an accurate way to say thanks. It really is not a happy time—it is more about refection and recognizing there is something in life more important than a happy holiday. It doesn’t mean we should not express some joy during Memorial Day—just let’s express the joy about those fallen lives and remember them for their sacrifice and the good times we got to share with them. Their loved ones and comrades feel their loss every day but especially on this day and we should also pay our respects, even if for just a couple of minutes or so.

The Memorial Day holiday has its origins from the end of the US Civil War—it was originally called Decoration Day. Although the correct purpose of this holiday is to recognize those who actually died while on active service, for most American it also includes those who served their country and have passed on. I know I personally honor my Dad on this Day, even though he did not die on active duty but later in life after his retirement. He was lucky—he served in 3 wars and made it out alive. Many he served with did not.

In some functions in the military, especially formal dinners, we always toast our fallen. Almost all who have served, know a comrade who made the ultimate sacrifice. It is deeply personal—usually a vibrant life taken way too soon. One of my classmates, a 3 star general, always carried a notecard with every soldier’s name who died during his command assignment in Iraq wherever he went. He told me it was a constant reminder of decisions he made during combat came with costs, and those costs were soldier’s lives. It is not an easy profession, leaders very often put their soldiers in harm’s way—it is unavoidable but necessary to accomplish the mission.

Maybe as a tribute to these fallen, I will tell you most often they reflected in their wartime service, the values of Army soldiers. These values are: Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage. While these are the official Army’s values, maybe they should be our national values. There would be no better way to honor these soldiers, if we could all live our daily lives embodying some or all of these values.

This is a hard blog to write—the sheer numbers are staggering from the 5 major conflicts from WW II to present that have affected my 71 years on this earth. According to Wikipedia, combat deaths were:

WW II (1941-1945) 291,557;

Vietnam War (1955-1975) 47,434;

Korean War (1950-1953) 33,686;

Iraq War (2003-2011) 4,424;

The War in Afghanistan (2001 to present) 1,833.

This does not count the other operations during my lifetime or the American Civil War and World War I. From 1775 to 2019, there is a total loss of 666,441+ by combat deaths and 673,929+ by other causes during these war periods. It also does not count the missing 44,031+ missing or the 1,498,240+ wounded.

Despite this tragic tale, most of these fallen are buried in our national cemeteries in the United States and Overseas and are the symbol to us of their sacrifice. These places are dignified and respectful.

The American Cemetery in Normandy, France

It is like Arlington Cemetery, where my father and mother are buried—they use similar markers for each deceased, regardless of rank, but each has his or her legacy engraved on the markers, including their war time service and highest military decorations. It is a very fitting tribute to their service of our nation.

My Dad’s Grave marker in Arlington National Cemetery

June 9, 2021 will be the 50 year anniversary of my graduation from West Point. I never served personally in our declared conflicts in a war zone but shared the grief of loss of too many I personally served with. They upheld the Army Values and I remember them, as do others who served with them. The helped make our country a better place and deserve our respect and thanks.

Maybe this would be a good day to reach out to someone who has lost a soldier that you know—I promise you it will be meaningful to those left behind.

My Final Thoughts

While researching this blog, I realized how many members of our Armed Forces scarified their lives against nations determined to defeat us and impose their will upon our country.

I hope you will take a few minutes to reflect on this monumental effort and the cost to many who made the ultimate sacrifice.

They deserved to be remembered and honored. I hope this blog did them justice and I hope you will remember them also.

May we never forget—be thou at peace to each who gave so much for our country.

Hank Schrader, Major (Infantry) USA Ret.

Hank Schrader

May 20, 2021

Europe Travel

Train Travel in Europe

Hank Schrader

May 20, 2021

Europe Travel

Train Travel in Europe

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always find one of the most fun ways to travel in Europe is by train.

A train in France. SNCF is the abbreviation for French trains.

The Highland Chieftain—a train that runs between Scotland and London

Sometimes you can’t realize how scenic train travel is—please check these pictures out:

The train rolls past Conwy, Wales—we used the train to visit this great walled city!

The scenery doesn’t get better than this!

Train travel can get you to a new location efficiently and usually for less cost than a flight, or to get from the airport to your base of operations (a great example is the Heathrow Express from the airport to London’s Paddington Station) or can be used very smartly for day trips to outlying regions near your base city—we call it spoke travel. Some great spoke cities are London, Paris, and Munich as examples, since there are great sights easily reachable by train without staying overnight and they allow you to expand your explorations in comfort and generally hassle free, especially if you don’t mind a small walk from the station to the site, but even then, there may be a convenient link by tram or other method to cut out long walks in the larger cities.

From London, for example, we have taken 4 spoke trips. They were to Hampton Court and Windsor Castle from Waterloo Station, a long one to Bath from Paddington Station (about 1 hour and 30 minutes), and even a long trip to York from King’s Cross Station (about 2 hours ride). Just look at these pictures to see how train travel enhanced our stay in London:

A good example of a spoke train trip. This is the route between Hampton Court and Waterloo Station in London. Once you board the train, the trip will have 9 stops before arriving at Waterloo. The total time of the trip is 37 minutes, if we departed at 1454.

Maybe you will run into a lost bear looking for a home like Paddington Bear

One of the York City Gates in this former walled city

As with all travel after COVID-19, things will change—local authorities will require different protocols, so be prepared for this and adjust as needed—we anticipate rules and procedures will be altered for train travel.

Not all locations are easily accessible by train in Europe, but most are—and it is often the most relaxing way to get to new destinations.

So, let’s explore together and learn about train travel in Europe!

Buying Tickets

Buying your tickets can be complicated. An easy solution sometimes is a rail pass, but they may or may not be a good deal, depending upon how many train trips you need for your vacation. We often use a combination of both types of tickets.

Generally, you cannot purchase train tickets until 90 days before your trip. This often causes great concern for many travelers, but since many trains really don’t change much in Europe, we usually can guess the exact train.

Sometimes your tickets come with extras—boat/bus included trips and other discounts. Sometimes they substitute a bus on your route.

This is the bus between Nuremberg and Prague run by DB—the German rail system.

You might wonder why we would include this river port city from our 1990 trip—it was included in our rail pass—a KD boat trip through the spectacular Rhine River Gorge!

We can really help here—it often takes a professional like us to help to get the best deal and avoid restrictions that can lead to problems.

Station Skills and Tips

1. Before you arrive at the station put your train info on a small notecard or piece of paper. Listing the train number, car (coach) number, seat numbers, departure time and arrival time at the destination along with the correct station, will make your train travel much easier. It is amazing how many times we look at this piece of paper. It also safeguards our train tickets—we are not fumbling around trying to get the right info. If the station is close by, we often make a recon visit to help us familiarize with the station layout prior to our scheduled trip.

2. Know How Many Train Changes You will need to Complete Your Trip to the New Destination. This is critical—especially the time to get to the new train. Sometimes, the track will be right next to your arrival track; often it requires a change to another track. We have often had to run to make it—another reason to travel light. Make sure you have each leg documented, including the correct train station; track #; departure and arrival time; connection time; train car number; and seat number

3. Make sure you are at the right Station. Many European cities have more than one station (Brussels has 3, for example) and if you are making connections, a wrong station can be a real hassle or cause a missed connection.

The Cologne Train Station Master Train Schedules. Yellow background is for departures; white background is arrivals. Note dates are listed day, month, year in Europe and the use the 24 hour times. Hbf is the abbreviation for Hauptbahnhof (main train station).

A close up of the arrival schedule (black print on white background), Along with the arrival time, we can learn the train type, train number, and days the train might not run. ICE is high speed train; IC Intercity train.

4. Train Stations in Europe have a lot of things you might need for your trip. Many have information booths, food, drinks, restaurants, shopping, room-finding services, money-changing stores, lockers to store your luggage (sometimes), waiting rooms (sometimes), and convenient bus, local light rail and subway connections.

Restrooms are available but may cost some small charge (usually coins) to use.

The restroom in Rostock requires a .50 Euro coin to use this restroom

A change machine outside the restroom. “Wechsler” in German means coin change

We almost always get a picnic type lunch or least a couple of beers or a bottle of wine. It often is better tasting and less expensive than the on board food. With all the conveniences, also comes the occasional thief or beggar scam. Watch your valuables and luggage and keep your money in a money belt or zippered pocket.

The beautiful train station of Amsterdam

Shops of the modern Munich train station

The beautiful inside of the Prague Train Station. Most of the trains come into a very stark cement underground platforms, so this dome area of the station is an unexpected scenic area of the station.

5. At the Station, find the departure board to get on the right track. Most station have a big flip board or electronic board that has 10 or so departure and arrivals. The boards are organized by departure and arrival times. Find your train number and time on the departure board then wait until they post the track number. Remember Europeans use the 24 hour clock—1300 is 1:00 PM. Also the city name will often not match your English names—Prague is Praha, for instance. It can be easy to get confused—there may be identical times and similar trains—make sure you have the right one. Long distance trains are easier—often there will be this big rush to the correct platform once the track number is posted. Most long distance, high speed trains require an advance reservation and a conductor will check your ticket prior to boarding.

A Flip Board. The train that will depart next is at the top of the board. In some cases, the correct track number will not be listed until 15 minutes prior to departure and a big rush starts to get to the correct track.

6. Know the configuration of your train prior to getting aboard if possible. Many stations have the exact composition of your train on a display board. These are on the platform where the train will arrive. Locating this diagram can make boarding much easier. Each platform often has letters overhead to indicate where you should stand when the train arrives. Train cars are usually marked with a “1” for First-Class and a “2” for Second-Class and the car number.

Train Configuration Diagrams. You can see the car numbers. Yellow is first class; green is second class; and red is restaurant car.

Even if you have a First Class ticket, some local trains only have Second Class train coaches. If your coach is at the diagram for letter A for example, your coach should stop somewhere near that letter. In addition, each track will usually have a sign showing the next train arrival with a train number and other information so you can be pretty sure you are on the correct train platform. Trust the diagram and local conductors—almost all speak some English. Even if they are not sure, their guess is better than yours—they ride these trains every day. It is not uncommon for cars to be out of number sequence and a few years ago, I ran after a train car while Anne waited at the right spot—she was right, of course!

A Thalys train diagram. The train is 9339. The zones are divided in to A3, A2, A3, etc. The diagram tells you are at Zone A1

7. Tracks and Platforms can change. I missed a train to Berlin in 2008 once by sitting on the wrong platform—it had changed and I was too busy talking to my friend (an example, if I was on track 4 and the sign now says “gleis 4, auf gleis 12”, my track has changed from 4 to 12 “auf” in German translates to now). Luckily, there was another train one hour later. Even if you have scoped things out beforehand, if everyone suddenly starts running to another platform or track, just start asking—someone will tell you about the new track. With the recent COVID-19 situation in Europe, we guess some trains will change platforms or have unannounced train changes as travel returns to normal. In the past at every border, the crew often changed and there was a passport check but that has now changed. There will be more checks nowadays with the recent pandemic problems but overall the hassles should be minimal.

We are on the right track—#3. Our train is ICE 503 (high speed). Can you find the letter stops—A to G? You can also see First Class (1) and Second Class (2) configuration of the train.

8. Trains only stop for 2 to 5 minutes at most stops unless you are the first departure point on the route. If you have not been able to locate your reserved coach just get on the train. Do not waste time getting on; clear the platform as quickly as possible. Even if you are totally confused, just get on the right train and then get to the proper car and seat.

9. Know if you are required to validate your tickets. This will be often required in some form for individual tickets. There is often a machine device that will date stamp your tickets. For rail passes, you usually will have to visit the train station office to initiate your rail pass by the officials. Rail passes also require your passport to show the officials and conductors. Then, you will have to record, each leg of the trip in your rail ticket documents. Do not ignore either of these requirements—you can receive a hefty fine for non-compliance.

On the Train

1. Try to limit the amount of luggage you carry if you are using a lot of trains in Europe. We have seen people carry an amazing lot of stuff and have been guilty of this way too often ourselves. There are 2 problems here—many platforms require you to walk down steps, go under or over train tracks and back up or down lugging all your stuff. Often there is not a lift or escalator. Heavy bags can be a real problem. The second problem is putting your stuff away while on the train. Most trains have overhead racks that will hold 21 inch luggage but larger bags can be a problem. Sometimes there are luggage storage areas in your train car—sometimes not. Also there are folks in larger stations who will try to help you for a tip—you often think they are just helpful fellow travelers—be careful, train stations offer great opportunities for less honest folks looking for an easy chance to steal something. We constantly count luggage and check even if it is in the luggage area of our car. When in doubt, we carry a small chain & lock to make sure our items are secure.

2. Train seats are not for your luggage. We watched an American on a very crowded train take up several seats guarding their luggage and being very confrontational to others. Store you luggage properly—do not take someone’s seat on a crowded train. If you are obstructing a seat, be prepared to move your luggage if a new passenger arrives.

3. Do not assume just because you got on the right train all the cars are going where you want to go. Sometimes a train will split apart at some stations and part of the train will head to a different place than you want to go. Always ask the conductor if you are in the right car, right seat and right section of the train—especially if you do not have a reserved seat.

4. Even if you have a reserved seat, someone may be using it. Just politely show your ticket and try and work it out. Most often it is a family with young kids or some other good reason. Sometimes it is a second class ticketed person try to score a free upgrade or just an honest mistake—right seat, wrong car (just remember you might be wrong, as has happened to us). Keep your cool and if it is a real problem, let the conductor work it out.

5. Most announcements on the train are in English following another European language first, especially on long distance trains. We have learned to know about how long the trip is and get up early (about 10-15 minutes or so) so we can get off quickly, especially if we have 23-25 inch suitcases. If the trip announcements seem to get a gasp or two from other riders, you can probably guess the train has been delayed. Just ask—most folks who ride the trains speak a little English or are willing to help. Also you often will not know which side to exit the train, or in some smaller stations, especially in England, you may have to walk forward to others cars to disembark if the train is longer than the platform. In Munich, if you get off the wrong side of the train on the U-Bahn, sometimes you have to wait for another train to cross over the train to the center platform and get your proper exit—don’t laugh, it has happened to us!

6. At your seat, be considerate. First, no feet on the opposite seats, clean up after food and drink. We always bring disinfecting wipes to clean the common area, arm rests, etc. Please observe posted signs in the cars—for example, quiet cars that prohibit cell phone conversations and handicap spaces and seats.

7. Food Service varies on trains. First Class, longer haul routes, may include a meal served at your seat at no extra charge. There may be a cart service, where you can buy meals, snacks and beverages. There may be a dining car, where you can go to buy what you might need. Most small trains do not have food options. Some take credit cards, others require cash.

Our included breakfast on the Thayls train

We almost always have a beer or two—this was included in our fare.

Problems

1. Screaming at railroad employees is rude and wrong. We watched an American scream at a reservation person because the person did not speak English well. Finally a kind man who spoke English and French stepped in and helped resolve the problem. Screaming and rudeness just makes the situation worse. Our experience is that most railroad folks really try to help and resolve problems or get you a better train or seat or car. Be patient, use short clear words, no slang, and trust the reservation representatives. When you enter the reservation and ticketing area, usually there is a number system, so get a ticket and wait your turn (now serving #). If there is a representative at the entrance area, ask what the system is and if you have a short time to make a connection, let them know. Always ask before standing in line. Sometimes at ticketing offices in the stations you may have to wait up to a half an hour to get your problem resolved—so many travel by train, even in large stations the back log can be significant. If you have a rail pass or first class ticket, sometimes you can skip the waiting lines and get served faster.

2. Train Strikes do happen. We were in Brugge once ready to leave on a Monday and we found out while enjoying a small breakfast that all local trains in Belgium were on scheduled strikes on Mondays thru the month of December in protest of wages. All the locals knew, but we sure did not. We wound up splitting a cab to Brussels with another couple—an extra 80 Euros in cash we had not planned for. Our lesson learned—ask the hotel at check in if there are any problems for departure transportation.

Long Distance Train Travel

1. Overnight trains. We have had some really good results and some horrible experiences. First rule for us—get a private compartment.

In 1990, during the world cup, we wound up in a sleeper for 4 with 2 guys from Argentina. We were all worried, but since I spoke Spanish, we worked it out. It was so hot and if you opened the windows, a passing train would shatter any possibility of sleep. We wound up the next day with heat rashes and were so exhausted, we just slept most of the next day.

On a trip in 2014 from Grenada to Barcelona in a 2 person compartment, it was very good—we got some sleep and a good meal.

And another good trip was from Amsterdam to Munich that saved us a cost of a hotel room—we arrived rested and ready to explore Munich after dropping our luggage of at our hotel. We also discovered a hidden gem in the Amsterdam Station—not only stunning decor but great food—the perfect send off for our overnight train ride!

Grand Cafe Brasserie in Amsterdam Station

Our advice --spend a little more and arrive rested, so you can save a hotel room cost yet not be so tired the benefit of the overnight ride is not wasted.

2. Expect More Overnight Travel Routes. We know these will expand, as many are questioning the value of short flights in Europe (energy conservation) and the relaxation factor of train travel. Also, the expansion of high speed routes reduces travel times.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—train travel—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these tips and pictures as much as we enjoyed sharing them with you.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

May 13, 2021

River Cruise Routes

AmaWaterways Enhances 3 River Cruise Routes

Hank Schrader

May 13, 2021

River Cruise Routes

AmaWaterways Enhances 3 River Cruise Routes

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I attended two AmaWaterways webinars this week and realized I had not told my readers a little about how AmaWaterways has tweaked some of their previous river cruise itineraries to offer a slightly different route with options that are very interesting to us.

I’m sure you will enjoy comparing these 6 great vacation river cruise offerings.

So, let’s learn about 3 area routes that have some new options—it should be fun!

Netherlands and Belgium

Tulip Time Route. Map image from AmaWaterways and used by permission

In 2013, we took the Tulip Time route and it was a wonderful look at this northern region of Europe. The only problem was that this was a limited time cruise, only offered in the spring to view the tulips as a primary focus. The 2022 sailing season is March to April, just as it has been in the past (it will include the once a decade Floriade in 2022 starting on 14 April). Ports on this 7 night cruise are Amsterdam, Hoorn, Middelburg, Ghent, Antwerp, Rotterdam, the windmills of Kinderdijk and ends in Amsterdam with the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens to view the tulips and a canal cruise. It is a great cruise!

But river cruise operators realized during some low water problems in 2018, that the only region of Europe that never had any water level problems was the Netherlands and Belgium. Why?—these folks have been managing water levels for many, many decades, reclaiming land and draining swamp lands and could handle fluctuations in water levels seamlessly. Thus, was born the idea of sailing to this region without the flower shows as part of the cruise. It was a great decision!

The Best of Holland & Belgium Route Map. Map image from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

This resulted in the new itinerary the Best of Holland & Belgium (a 7 night cruise). The cruise starts in Amsterdam with a canal cruise, on to Utrecht (a chance to see the spectacular Castle de Haar which is on my personal bucket list as we have not visited it yet); then on to Veere (a great medieval harbor town); off to Ghent for a walking tour or on the Brugge (Anne’s favorite European city), then on to Brussels; the next port is Antwerp; on to Dordrecht (“Holland’s Oldest City”); on to the windmills of Kinderdijk and again ends in Amsterdam.

A great picture that really captures Amsterdam—canals and bicycles!

Both cruises allow you a pre-cruise visit in Amsterdam on the land extension. It is a must for those who want to see the world famous Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh museum, the Anne Frank House (get your tickets at least 2-3 months on-line before the trip or you will miss this experience) and a visit to Haarlem (we stayed there on one of our visits and it is a great Netherlands town).

Which is the best route? This is a toss-up, in my opinion, the deciding factor is the time of year and your interest in flowers. Both are great—either choice will result in a great vacation experience, especially if you add the land extension to visit Amsterdam in depth. And to make it even better, let us plan at least two days or more for you in Brugge, to make this a perfect trip package.

Here are some pictures of the ports we have visited:

New Rhine and Moselle Combinations

In 2009, when we took our first Moselle and Main cruise on AmaWaterways, there was little chance to combine it with a Rhine cruise. Now there are two good options to combine these two wonderful rivers. Basically, the popular Rhine River route is split in two and added to the Moselle River.

Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle

Wine Regions. Map image from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

This is a 7 night cruise from Amsterdam to Luxembourg or in the reverse direction. The Rhine River portion includes Cologne, the Rhine River Gorge, Rüdesheim, and Mainz. It then visits the Moselle with two ports stops (Cochem and Bernkastel).

The land extensions for this cruise includes the Amsterdam tour described above and the post extension in Reims (2 nights) and Paris. Reims is in the champagne region of France, and it provides you a worthwhile worthwhile chance to learn about and taste champagne on the Routes of Champagne tour and see the Cathedral where the French kings were crowned in coronation ceremonies.

Rhine & Moselle Splendors

This is a 7 night Luxembourg to Basel Cruise, starting on the Moselle and ending on the Rhine, turning south from Koblenz to Basel. On the Moselle, the ports are Trier, Bernkastel, and Cochem.

On the Rhine, the ports and sights are the Rhine River Gorge, Rüdesheim, Heidelberg, Strasbourg, Riquewihr and it ends in Basel.

The pre cruise land extension is the Paris and Reims tour described above. The post cruise tour is in Switzerland to Lucerne (it includes a Lake Lucerne cruise) and then on to Zurich, which has a good old town area in this bustling banking town.

While both are excellent, I lean toward the Rhine & Moselle Splendors, as it visits more of the quaint villages and towns I just love and Lucerne is one of our favorite Alpine cities. Combine that with the Reims visit and your vacation is over the top—a pure homerun!

Adding More Saône Ports to the Rhône Route

Colors of Provence Route Map. Map image from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

The Rhône route of the Colors of Provence has always been one of my favorites—I always use the term A Wine Lover’s Route. Ports are Lyon, Vienne, Tournon, Tarascon (gateway to Arles or Les Baux), and ends in Avignon (Palace of the Popes or Pont du Gard). You will sail on the AmaKristina for this 7 night cruise.

Wine Regions Map of the Saône and the Rhône . Map image from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

Since wine is such an essential part of both of these cruises, wine lovers need to study this map of the wine regions here—if one type of wine is your preference, the best cruise will become clear to you as the best choice for the vacation. To make it even better, combining either route with a special wine cruise, will help make this even more special for wine aficionados! We have been on several wine cruises offered by AmaWaterways, and they are just fabulous experiences, especially on the Colors of Provence cruise.

The Essence of Burgundy & Provence Route. Map image from AmaWaterways and used by permission.

The Essence of Burgundy & Provence has 3 days on the Saône River and then on to the Rhône. This cruise gets you the added advantage of exploring the Burgundy region of France. It is even better if you include the 3 day pre-cruise city of Geneva, Switzerland (visits to the Peace city on a tour, an Annecy excursion (known as the “Pearl of the Alps”) and a visit to Chillon Castle) because you also get a chance to visit Dijon (we were there in 1990) on the way to the AmaCello, your cruise ship.

Geneva—statues are the founders of the Protestant Religious Movement

The post excursion is in Barcelona (3 nights), with a stop in the old Roman town of Nimes.

Outside the food market of Barcelona on the Ramblas

While both are very good land extensions, the new Geneva tour really excites me—it is just loaded with very good sights and many have not visited this interesting area of Switzerland and France—I know we have not seen many of these places or it was so long ago, that this will high on our list of land extensions to try.

Sailing north to south, you will embark at Chalon-sur-Saône. The cruise starts off with a chance to visit the city tour with a local market, or Beaune on a walking tour (this would be my choice as the city has a wonderful medieval hospital with a famous multi-colored tile roof) or the Chateau de Couches—all included.

The next day is in Tournus, an important monastic town, to visit the Abbey of Saint Philbert, or Chateau Cormatin or a visit to medieval Brancion.

Once in Lyon (arriving late on day 3 of the cruise with an illumination cruise) there is a city tour on day 4 (1/2 day tour), on to Vienne (1/2 day tour) where you will port overnight. The next port is Valence (a city tour, bike tour or learn to cook French food at a cooking school, which would be our choice), then on to Avignon (Place of the Popes) and finally to Arles (great Roman ruins).

Both cruises rate very high with us (we have escorted clients on the Colors of Provence route), but I will lean towards the new route, as we have not seen all the sights, but as with all AmaWaterways cruises, there are no clear winners here—they are all great, so whatever choice you make will still be the trip you always wanted to take.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—3 new regional river cruise route itineraries —just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! All six cruises described here and the land extensions offer vacations and experiences you will long cherish—you will experience the trip of a lifetime on AmaWaterways!

We hope you enjoyed these pictures and description of the new features as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels and telling you about the new changes.

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49+ 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

Hank Schrader

May 6, 2021

Best Value Travel

Escorting Clients

Hank Schrader

May 6, 2021

Best Value Travel

Escorting Clients

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Yesterday, May 6, 2021, was National Travel Advisors Day.

I starting thinking about the things we miss about the current travel restrictions, and it became clear to me that one of the most important was guiding and escorting clients.

So, today’s blog is about that important and rewarding part of our job and a tribute to those who has trusted us with their vacations.

Our Role

Our role as escorts and guides is to provide a safe and unforgettable European travel experience to our guests and clients. We are part entertainers but our primary role is to educate our guests about the destinations we are visiting. Sometimes we handle all these duties ourselves. Other times we partner with others in our industry to provide an even enhanced travel experience.

Our Duties and Responsibilities

Our primary duty is that we are always responsible from start to finish, to manage all aspects of the tour.

Sometimes, especially with European River Cruises, we often handle any pre and post trips as the primary guide. During the river cruise, we assist the river boat tour manager and handle many details directly for our clients.

We do have special tours, designed and led by us. Our 2014 and 2019 Anniversary Celebration of D Day certainly are our best example of this type of tours.

We have other duties. These include:

We must have an expert knowledge of the European tour we are escorting clients on, to help our clients learn and experience more during their vacation. This always means we must thoroughly read, research and provide appropriate commentary about our tour destinations and be able to point out these unique features to our guests. This often requires us to visit the destination on our own to familiarize ourselves of the exact location of top sights and to be able to find these sights during the tour.

We must be able to handle various problems and emergencies that might arise during the tour and resolve them to ensure a great experience for our guests and have them travel in a safe and healthy manner.

We must be able to vet our vendors and coordinate every aspect of the travel experience so it is seamless and hassle free along with providing an outstanding trip.

We must be able to handle transportation and transfer operations during the tour—from reading maps, communicate directions (sometimes in a foreign language) and even handle luggage.

A Brief Look at Our Escorted Trips by Year—A tribute to our Guests!

2014

We started the year, leading a small networking group of the Houston Business Cabinet and some family members on a short 4 day Caribbean cruise.

Our first major escorted tour was the 70th Anniversary of D Day during which we led 14 wonderful folks on a 7 day excursion in late May to the first week of June.

2015

In 2015, we led two groups on 2 different AmaWaterways trips. . The first was on the Blue Danube Discovery River Cruise on the AmaDagio. Prior to the cruise, we led one guest on a tour of Budapest and then escorted him in Nuremberg.

The second was the Rivers and Castles River Cruise on the Moselle and Main Rivers, again on the AmaDagio

Later, we escorted 2 guests on a Danube Christmas Time cruise on the AmaPrima. We continued on to Prague, where we escorted this couple during the Christmas markets festivities.

2016

In 2016, we led a river cruise group on a Provence River Cruise on the Rhône River on the AmaDagio.

Later that year, we escorted 2 guests on Rhine River Christmas Markets Cruise. At the end of the cruise, we led our guests on a tour of Paris.

2017

We escorted 2 guests on an AmaWaterways “A Taste of Bordeaux” river cruise. We continue on with the same folks on a special tour to the Loire Valley Region of France.

2018

We escorted 3 guests on two different AmaWaterways river cruises in 2018.

First, we escorted a great friend on the second leg of his 2 week AmaWaterways Danube Cruise and then guided him in Prague.

In December we led 2 guests on a Christmas Markets cruise on the Rhine.

Later, we continued on to Castel Engelenburg for a special European Christmas trip.

We continued on to Brugge, Ghent, and got a special Flanders Fields WW I tour, where we organized, guided and help arrange the special WW I tour.

2019

It was a very busy year in escort duties for us in 2019.

First we led 33 awesome folks on a trip of a lifetime to the 75th Anniversary of D Day celebration. We worked 3 years to design and execute the trip and the results were great.

Right after that trip, we then escorted 8 guests on a Rhine River Cruise on AmaWaterways on the AmaSerena.

We finished the year on a special themed jazz cruise escorting 2 clients on the AmaKristina on a Danube Christmas Markets cruise. Prior to the cruise, we escorted our clients through Vienna. At the end of the tour, we escorted them in Nuremberg.

Our Future Escorting Trips

We are looking at a special tour of WW I sights in the Belgium, Luxembourg and France areas in a special tour we will lead in 2022 or 2023, depending upon when Europe reopens and we can complete a tour recon to ensure the excellence our plan trips have achieved in the past.

You can be assured we will be on the rivers again, escorting clients when the opportunity arises.

If you would like to be placed on an interested travel list for either the WW I tour or a river cruise or both, please contact us using the email at the bottom of this blog.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventures—I really think you can see how much we love escorting our guests in Europe and sharing experiences—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!

Since 2014, we have led 12 escorted tours on land and on the rivers of Europe and one ocean cruise group—13 in all. We would like to thank our guests who trusted us with their travels—we believe we exceeded their expectations.

We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

April 29, 2021

Moselle River Cruise Port

5 Great Ports on the Moselle River

Hank Schrader

April 29, 2021

Moselle River Cruise Port

5 Great Ports on the Moselle River

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps there is no more scenic river in Europe than the Moselle.

It is a winding river that starts in the Vosages Mountains in France, flows through France, Luxembourg and Germany and ultimately ends up in the Rhine River. The river is about 340 miles long, but river cruising happens on about 150 mile stretch from Trier/Luxembourg to Koblenz in Germany.

It is historic (the Romans), famous for Riesling wines, and the steep vineyards make sailing here a joy.

So, let’s explore together and learn about these Moselle 5 ports (we will sail from south to north) and we will also explore 2 other places—Burg Eltz and Luxembourg City—you won’t be disappointed!

Trier was an old Roman outpost which was first settled by the Roman in 17 BC. It is the oldest city in Germany, and is near the Luxembourg border—in fact, one side of the Moselle River is Trier, Germany and the opposite other side is the tiny country of Luxembourg. Anne & I first visited here in 1989.

Important Roman sights include the Roman Baths, an amphitheater, Basilica of Constantine (it was the throne room of Emperor Constantine), and the huge city gate, the Porta Nigra gate, that dates back to 180 A.D. It has earned the nickname of “the Rome of the North.”

Porta Nigra (Black Gate) in Trier is the largest Roman Gate north of the Alps.

Other sights are the Trier Cathedral (it is the oldest Cathedral in Germany) and the ornate Trier Electoral Palace and gardens.

Also worth a visit is the old town area of the main market (Hauptmarkt)—besides people watching, the backdrop is the Porta Nigra and the large square is lined with a variety of architectural styles and is quite colorful.

Luxembourg City, in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is not really a port, but so close to Moselle River that it becomes a destination to visit while in this area. As with most historic cities, it is the old town and its fortifications that make this an interesting place to visit. Known as the “Gibraltar of the North” due to high rocky bluff (called the Bock Promontory) that rises from the river gorges carved out by the Alzette and Petrusse Rivers, it is a strategic point that could be easily defended. Little of the fortifications remain but it still is spectacular, especially if you walk the Chemin de la Corniche.

Some of the defensive walls of Luxembourg City. The Alzette River is in the foreground.

Other interesting sights include the Place d’Armes, the original square of the old town; the Grand Rue, a pedestrian only street with a wide variety of shops; Notre-Dame Cathedral, an impressive Gothic architecture church; the Grand Ducal Palace, originally a town hall, but now a palace for the Grand Duke and their families (sadly only open for tours in July and August); Chemin (Walls) de la Corniche, the walking path often called “the most beautiful balcony in Europe”; the Bock casemates defensive sections that remain and one of the fascinating bridges leading to the old village area.

The walk way on top of the defensive walls.

For many who are interested in World War II, a must visit to this area is the American Cemetery in Luxembourg. Along with the 5.075 buried here and the 371 reported missing, it is the burial site of LTG Patton. Anne and I visited this sacred ground in 1989 while I was still on active duty. It truly was emotional for me—I was so grateful and humbled for these soldiers. Many of these soldiers lost their lives in the Battle of the Bulge and the subsequent drive to the Rhine River. My Dad was part of the Battle of the Bulge and he survived—I am sure knowing this made me respect these dead heroes even more.

Bernkastel is a wonderful town of around 8000. It is located about halfway between Cochem and Trier on the Mosel River. There are many half-timbered buildings, especially around the market square. Easily seen from market square is St Michael’s church, built in the 14th century that had a dual purpose— it served as a house of worship and its tall bell tower served as a watch tower in the old city ramparts.

A good picture of market square with the talk St. Michael’s Church dual purpose Bell and Watch Tower.

The city has some wonderful fountains—they include St. Michael's fountain on the Market Square, the bear's fountain and the doctor's fountain.

Overlooking the town is the Landshut Castle ruins. It was first built in 1277 but was ruined by fire in 1692. On an AmaWaterways cruise, some like to hike up to the ruins for great views of the area.

Bernkastel is located in the middle of the Mosel wine-producing region. This area has been producing wine for over 500 years. You will get to experience a guided walking tour through the old town center and a winery visit to sample several different regional vintages are scheduled for this portion of your cruise if you go on an AmaWaterways cruise.

Zell is famous for its white wine zellerschwartzkatz (Zell’s black cat). It is a small town of about 4,300 people. It has an interesting market square and the town hall has a wine museum. It was once a walled city but not much of the old walls remain.

The really great draw of this village is the story of Zell’s Black Cat Wine.

According to legend, a large quantity of local wine was being stored in barrels in a regional cellar. When people approached, a black cat jumped on the barrel from Zell and started hissing to protect its contents. Seeing the hissing, caused the wine merchants to believe the wine from Zell was special and better quality than the other wines stored in the wine cellar building. Today the black cat is the symbol of this town.

AmaWaterways has an exclusive wine festival celebration in Zell. The local children, dressed up like black cats, provide a performance that everyone who has visited Zell on AmaWaterways will remember. I just recently heard Kristin Karst, one of the co-owners of AmaWaterways, describe how special and unique this visit and performance is during a webinar—it instantly brought back great memories of this port stop.

The children dressed up as black cats in Zell

Cochem, Germany, on the Mosel River, is a former walled city. It has a population of about 5,800 and is a traditional old German town. The town has many fine buildings, quaint cottages, guild houses, and winding cobblestone streets. The town square, lined with half-timbered houses, is a wonderful, scenic area of this small town.

St. George Fountain—he is cutting his cloak in half to give to aid the other person on this sculpture on top of the fountain.

In Cochem, if you go on an AmaWaterways cruise, you will enjoy a guided tour of Cochem that takes you to the spectacular hilltop Reichsburg Castle (also known as Cochem Castle but the correct name is Schloss Reichsburg). It has fantastic views of the river valley below. Touring inside the castle is great!

Reichsburg Castle high on the hill over Cochem hi

Knight armor—the big guy is 7 feet tall!

Berg Eltz is a beautifully preserved castle, with towers, half-timbered walls, and it is seemingly in the middle of nowhere—Anne and I hiked in 3 miles from the Mosel River town of Moselkern in early March one year to visit. The family who owns this castle still lives here, and has done so for 850 years in their ancestral home.

There are 2 places to visit here—the Treasury (pictures allowed) with a great display of precious items and tour of select rooms (no pictures) which takes about an hour or less.

Some of the many items on display in the treasury in Berg Eltz

3 families owned this castle and each has built separate wings. The tour includes an entrance way decorated with weapons, various gathering rooms, bedrooms and the kitchen—all very authentic and used by the families for over 33 generations. Perhaps the most famous room of the castle, is the Knight’s room, where the 3 different families met to celebrate and work our any conflicts that might arise. It is famous for the wall decorations, which served as a reminder to the 3 families about cooperation—a jester mask (representing freedom of speech) and a large rose (representing a code of silence—items discussed in the room need to stay there).

The entrance to the courtyard of Berg Eltz

Koblenz is located at the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers. It is a great base to explore parts of nearby castles and quaint towns—we used it as a base of operations and enjoyed it very much.

Key sights in and near Koblenz, include Deutsches Eck, Lahneck Castle, Stolzenfels Castle, Ehrenbreitstein Fortress and the Electoral Palace.

Deutsches Eck—German Corner. The statue is of Kaiser Wilhelm I who unified Germany in 1871

We stayed in a wonderful little hotel and this square was the view out of our room.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—the Moselle River—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

April 22, 2021

Ocean Cruise

Our 7-Night Celebrity Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise

Hank Schrader

April 22, 2021

Ocean Cruise

Our 2019 7-Night Celebrity Summit Southern Caribbean Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Accredited Cruise Counselor and Ocean Cruise Specialist

www.dreamdestinations.com

Our last ocean cruise was on the Celebrity Summit in 2019. It was an awesome trip!

We got to celebrate Anne’s Birthday on 26 April, the last day of our 7 day cruise.

Who knew we would not travel in 2020 due to a pandemic but things are slowly returning to normal. Our first clients are traveling in April of this year—it’s been 14 months since our last client traveled.

The big trip for one client couple is to celebrate their 30 year anniversary at a Sandals Resort in St. Lucia. Since this cruise also visited St. Lucia (it was our first time to visit this wonderful island), it inspired me to get our pictures together and tell about this cool vacation celebration.

It made me realize, that even though most of our business nowadays is river cruising and European travel, I had not written much about ocean cruising in a long time.

In many ways, the best way to get introduced to several different countries is on an ocean cruise. While most of our recent ocean cruises business is in the Mediterranean and Baltic Seas, or around the coastal areas of Europe, we also have helped many sail to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central American ports.

So, I’m taking this opportunity to write about our wonderful trip in 2019, where we both got to visit 3 new island nations. It might surprise you that along with the 50 European City guides and 51 European River Port guides we have written, that we have also written 13 Caribbean Port guides.

Ready—let’s enjoy island life together.

Our Ship—the Celebrity Summit

We were excited to try the Summit after it was updated on March 23, 2019. We were very pleased with the results—please join us as you can see her changes from our viewpoint.

A good look at just how big our ship was.

We had balcony cabin 9048. Celebrity does a good job with the cabins. Here are some pictures of our balcony stateroom:

So, here is where we spend a lot of time before our meals—the Martini Bar is a favorite of many. Perhaps you can see from this picture why we like this venue so much:

The Martini Bar. You can see the ice covering on the bar. Great drinks here! The bartenders are also performers—stacked glasses (we have seen 18 drinks pored at once—quite a spectacle) on occasion or just other flair techniques.

One of our favorite places on the entire ship was Cafe al Bacio. The coffee drinks and tea were our favorites and a daily visit or 2 were always in our routine.

Celebrity does a very good job with their dining options.

Sushi on Five is a modern take on traditional Japanese cuisine. It allowed us to enjoy some great food. Anne had udon noodles with shrimp tempura; I had ramen with lobster.

One of the best surprises was dinner at the Oceanside Cafe. Here was one of my meals:

What a platter from Ocean’s. This was Hank’s meal!

The main dining rooms also had good food. Here is one of my meals:

A great presentation and it was delicious! This was from one of the included dining rooms.Celebrity is known for their wines, which are very reasonable. I attended a wine tasting on our sea day. — A great presentation and it was delicious! This was from one of the included dining rooms.
Celebrity is known for their wines, which are very reasonable. I attended a wine tasting on our sea day.

Port # 1—Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas 21 April

On our 3rd visit to Charlotte Amalie, on a Sunday, with many shops closed, we decided not to make the long walk to the town. It was fun to just relax.

Here is a report from our 2014 visit: We wandered in Charlotte Amalie, after a long walk from the docking location to the city. It was our second visit to this vibrant town. On our first visit, we snorkeled and then visited Charlotte Amalie.

A great experience here, near some villas overlooking the bay, is the tram to the top of a great lookout. Here are some pictures:

Tram Station takes you to Paradise Point 700 feet above Charlotte Amalie on Flag Hill. There is a observation deck with the best views of the city.

So, please join us as we visited this interesting port city, well designed for shopping and eating and drinking establishments.

A list of shops on this sign on Hibiscus Alley

The cruise lines don’t miss a beat—they have their own shops in port!

As responsible folks, they even had a place for me—husband day care!

Port # 2—Basseterre, St. Kitts 22 April

I thought you might like to see some pictures from a previous visit to St. Kitts:

The Berkeley Memorial clock tower . There are 4 clock faces at the intersection of 4 roads that converge at this intersection .

Independence Square fountain . This historic square was renamed when St. Kitts & Nevis gained political independence on 19 September 1983. It has always been an important gathering place.

In St. Kitts, on our second visit to this island, I took the Scenic Railway tour. It was on a narrow gauge railroad, once used to get the sugar cane crop from the fields to mils. It started by bus, and then the train for 18 miles on the rails, to complete a loop of the whole island.

Come ride the train with me—it was fun and they provided rum drinks! This was a good tour for those who like a great overview of St. Kitts—I would recommend it.

Mount Liamuiga, the tallest point on St. Kitts is a dormant volcano. On the right peak is Brimstone Fortress.

Black Rocks—these are the lava remains from the dormant Mt. Liamuiga volcano eruption. Some of these lava remains at the sea have created dramatic coastlines on part of St. Kitts.

Port # 3--St. John’s, Antigua 23 April

I had considered taking the Amazing Antigua tour, but it was sold out, so I didn’t get to visit the famous Nelson’s Dockyard, the world’s only Georgian-era dockyard still in use today.

We decided to chill on the ship, as we were not in a shopping mood and didn’t want to go to the beach.

Here are 5 pictures we took from the Summit of the port, the main cathedral and Fort James ruins, which once protected the harbor entrance. We need to come back to visit with more time in the future.

Fort James ruins—it was built to defend the harbor entrance

Port #4—Castries, St. Lucia 24 April

We next sailed into St. Lucia. Here are some sights in Castries from the Summit:

A tourist pirate ship already sailing when we arrived

Government House—it is the official residence of the governor-general of St. Lucia

On what was certainly the highlight of the cruise, we took a Captain’s Club Exclusive tour to Eudovic’s Art Studio, for a wood carving demonstration and to view their creations and then to Fond Latisab Creole Park, where we learned about traditional life on St. Lucia.

We learned about the art of wood carving

The studio had an amazing display of wood art.

What a great display of carved art works!

At the Creole park, we had a demonstration of how cassava bread is made and got to sample the finished product.

Scrapping the cassava root—the Creole adapted and even used old wreckage from ships to make the scraping board.

Then a tour of the organic gardens, full of lush plants and spice bushes and trees.

Fresh nutmeg. Only the red covered seed is used in cooking.

We then learned how timber was cut for buildings using a two-person saw.

The 2 person saw. It was difficult work but according to our hosts, the bottom guy had to work the hardest

Last was a dance and music performance, where we learned to “Chak-Chak”.

As we sailed away towards Barbados, we saw two interesting coastal sights—the Sandals resort and the most famous peaks in St. Lucia, the Grand Pitons:

Sandals Regency La Toc—great vacation resort

The most famous landmark in St. Lucia—the pitons

Port #5—Bridgetown, Barbados 25 April

In Barbados, I took the Best of Barbados tour. There were 3 stops on this scenic tour by bus. Our first stop was St. John’s Church on the island’s east coast.

Next, I visited Orchid World, which had some amazing gardens.

Last stop was to visit Gun Hill Signal Station in St. George, to learn about the warning system the British devised to protect the island. This was the largest and most important outpost that consisted of 4 outposts. These were established in 1818 to 1819.

The lookout and observation tower has excellent views of the island and served its purpose as a early warning station in the defense of the island

The purpose of these stations were to let the British rulers know of approaching enemy ships, approaching cargo ships, hurricanes and even civil unrest. They used an interesting system of semaphore flags, and the cannons to spread early warnings. It was very detailed—they could even tell the type of vessels approaching the island and the system worked well according to the historical British records from that time.

Today, this obsolete system is an interesting look back in time and the views are spectacular.

A guard shack with model of a soldier at his post.

We even got to see a little of their daily life.

The British were always big on symbols, so it is no surprise they built a British Lion Statue. One of the officers stationed here carved this statue. I have told the story in the picture caption below.

The British Lion was carved from a single piece of coral stone. Very hard to see in my picture, the left front paw dominates a large red globe—it represents the dominance of the British Empire over the world. It was completed in 1868 by Captain He… — The British Lion was carved from a single piece of coral stone. Very hard to see in my picture, the left front paw dominates a large red globe—it represents the dominance of the British Empire over the world. It was completed in 1868 by Captain Henry Wilkinson, who was stationed at the Gun Hill.

Our Day at Sea 26 April

Our day at sea was wonderful for Anne—it was her birthday. She got to visit the casino and relax and then a great meal for us as the Tuscan Grille. It is our favorite Celebrity Dining option and never disappoints—4 sailings on Celebrity and we always include at least one visit to the Tuscan Grill—usually we visit twice—it’s that good.

Creamy Burrata marinated tomatoe, pistachio pesto, shallots with toasted bread was Anne’s appitizer—she loved it!

A wonderful meatball appetizer—it is one of my favorites.

Come join our celebration—it was a memorable way to celebrate.

The lovely birthday girl—am I a lucky man!

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—a unique Caribbean cruise—just another reason we love travel so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
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Hank Schrader

April 15, 2021

Europe Travel

2 European April Celebrations We Missed

Hank Schrader

April 15, 2021

Europe Travel

2 European April Celebrations We Missed

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always try to travel to Europe in April—the 26th is Anne’s birthday.

We have enjoyed river cruises and visits to any of the 50 European countries—it is always fun!

But there are two celebrations we have never been to in Europe and hopefully we can add them to our list of future travel experiences. First, is National Tartan Day on 6 April of each year. The second is National Beer Day on 7 April.

So, let’s explore together and learn about how we might celebrate these 2 great festivals in Europe—you won’t be disappointed!

National Tartan Day

Anne has some Scottish ancestors, so we wear the Tartan. National Tartan Day originated in Canada and the celebration has become a global celebration. The clans in Nova Scotia (New Scotland) started this festival and it became a national holiday in Canada. The celebration recognizes the Declaration of Arbroath which was signed in 1320. This document is essentially a declaration of independence of the Kingdom of Scotland from English rule.

In 2004, the Angus Council of Scotland (Arbroath is a part of the jurisdiction of the Angus Council) established the first festival in 2004—I guess they really didn’t need a special recognition day since tartan wearing is in vogue year round in Scotland, but they recognized the historical significance of the date and now it is a Scottish festival.

A Short History of Scottish Clans

Scottish Clans have many traditions but the wearing of the tartan is one of the best known traditions. A tartan is a fabric made up of horizontal and vertical stripes in different colors, on a colored background. They originated in the Scottish Highlands. Each clan has their own pattern, or several patterns. This big benefit was to quickly identify the different clans and pride.

Scottish clans were certainly not afraid to fight among themselves—wealth, land, reputation and just fighting to stay alive were some reasons there was seemingly constant conflicts among the clans. Many did not survive the conflicts. However, there were many benefits of the clan system—group defense, a sense of identity, easier to produce enough food for all members of the clan and ways to make a living producing goods and services for other clan members.

Today, the warfare has stopped and disputes are settled differently than in the past.

Now, How is it celebrated?

As you would expect, the gents all get decked out in kilts, there are parades with bagpipes and drums, dancing, Highland Games, sport contests and plenty of a “wee bit of a dram of Scottish Whiskey” or two is raised in glasses or flasks by all.

The MacFarlane Clan

Anne’s clan is MacFarlane. It is a Scottish Highland clan which held territory between Loch Long and Loch Lomond. Here is a picture of the clan crest:

The clan was a rough bunch—stealing others cattle and food seem to be their favorite pastime. They were so adept at cattle stealing, a moon lite night for those near the clans land was known as a “MacFarlane Lantern”.

**This one of our clan T-shirts. It was designed by Douglas McFarland in 2015.**

There are 5 tartans associated with the clan

**A gathering of the MacFarlane Clan in Estes Park CO**

**Anne on the left waves during the parade in Estes Park CO**

Anne and I have handmade kilts using the Modern Hunting pattern. It is one of the 2 most popular weaves—the other is the Modern Red.

**Our dog Libby wearing the Modern Red Tartan**

**Anne in her Modern Hunting pattern kilt and sash at Estes Park, CO**

A collection of MacFarlane kilt patterns and accessories. On the far left is an everyday sporrran—it is a plain design. At the bottom left, no smart Scott would be without a mug. At the top middle is the Modern Red Tartan with a kilt pin on top o… — A collection of MacFarlane kilt patterns and accessories. On the far left is an everyday sporrran—it is a plain design. At the bottom left, no smart Scott would be without a mug. At the top middle is the Modern Red Tartan with a kilt pin on top of this pattern. At the bottom middle is the Ancient Hunting Tartan pattern with the sgian-dubh (dagger). On the far right at the top is a formal sporran. And at the bottom is a flask to carry your adult beverages.

Kilts

The original kilt (known as the great kilt) was a 5-6 meter long cloth worn around the shoulders and fastened at the waist with a belt. Around the 18th century, the “little kilt” became more popular and that is the kilts we wear today. Kilts are so important to Scots, in a bid to quash their national identity, their English rulers made it illegal to wear kilts.

A proper kilt is worn with a sporran (a purse attached to the kilt belt, nowadays often holding your flask of your favorite adult beverage); a sgian-dubh (an ornamental dagger) and a kilt pin. Traditional kilts don’t have pockets, so you can understand the need for a sporran and accessories hanging from a kilt belt.

**An everyday set of accessories. A kilt belt, a mug, a simple sporran and a sock dagger.**

The sgian-dubh was traditionally worn in the top of the sock by Highlanders. Sgian means knife and dubh means black in Gaelic

Scottish Highlanders were proud of their clan. They distinguished themselves from other clans by their tartan, their dagger, their kilt pin and their sporran. Highlanders had little trust in banks and often displayed their wealth by their clothing, which is always worn with pride by wearers of the tartan.

Kilts can be worn different ways—with a shirt for day wear or as formal wear with a Bonnie Prince Jacket and a clan or black bow tie. It is fun to wear and women really like it when men wear kilts, so enjoy this brief history of kilts for a celebration we would like to had somewhere in Scotland.

**Hank Wearing his Prince Bonnie Jacket with Vest and the clan kilt**

**Anne and Hank on the AmaKristina during a Christmas Markets Cruise**

**Christmas Dinner at Kastel Engleberg in the Netherlands**

National Beer Day

In an event I’ve been training for since I was 18 (the old legal drinking age many moons ago when I was younger), the answer here is what cool places in Europe have we tasted a brew or two? Often, we began our trips with a great beer together and take a picture—it has been a Schrader tradition for the many years we been traveling together.

Ok, this is an American holiday—this was the date of the passing of the Cullen-Harrison Act, which legalized the sale of beer in 1933 at the end of prohibition. Beer became legal first, then was followed by the repeal of the 18th amendment, which ended prohibition in December of 1933.

If you have never heard of this celebration, you are not alone. It was actually the idea of a craft beer guy in Virginia, who created a Facebook page with the title of National Beer Day.

There is actually a beer purity law in Germany. The only allowed ingredients are water, hops, and barley. It was written by Bavarian noblemen in 1516. Yeast is now also an acceptable ingredient.

For sure the best way to celebrate this day, is in a tavern, pub or other suitable drinking establishment with friends lifting a pint or two, as they say in England. We however, seem to celebrate this holiday year round, so we have expanded Nation Beer Day to be European Beer Year for the Schrader’s and we plan to show you some of our celebrations throughout Europe.

Enjoy our pictures—it really shows we just like beer, in most European countries.

**Anne with one of her favorites—Guinness beer at the Guinness Storehouse Dublin, Ireland**

**Anne poses with Lazlo, one of the special waiters we have befriended on AmaWaterways during German Festival**

**Bitburger Beer served on AmaWaterways river cruises**

**Anne with another favorite Leffe beer in Brugge**

**Ganter Beer on the left in Freiburg Germany.**

**De Konnick beer in Antwerp It is a Belgian style pale ale.**

**Duval Beer. It is a golden ale beer.**

**Hank with 2 beer boots in a German restaurant in CO with Warsteiner Beer**

**Grimberg beer on the train in Europe**

**2 beers—it is easy to identify Anne’s Guinness**

**Hank with 2 beers in Brasov, Romania**

**Hank with 2 Leffe beers. It is a pale ale style beer.**

**2 Maas beers. It is a Belgian pilsner style beer.**

**Hofbrau Beer in Munich—it is brewed using the 1516 beer purity laws.**

**Hank with 2 Paulander beers. It is a German Lager beer.**

**Hank with 2 Peroni Beers—it is an Italian Lager Beer**

**Soproni beer—a Hungarian Lager—we had these in Budapest**

**Hopus Beer in Antwerp. It is a IPA Belgian style beer.**

**Hank with another of Anne’s favorite Beers—Stella Artois. It is a Belgium pale lager style beer.**

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—American and Canada festivals honoring the traditions started in Europe, so for us, it is a good reason to return to Europe and celebrate whenever we get the chance.—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed experiencing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
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Hank Schrader

April 8, 2021

Europe Destination

Fountains of Europe--Water Becomes Art

Hank Schrader

April 8, 2021

Europe Destination

Fountains of Europe—Water Becomes Art

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We all know water is essential to life. So, it stands to reason that drinking sources of water were important to maintain life. Yet mankind, in its endless quest to make what is functional into something more, started decorating water sources and wells for various reasons.

Some were to display power and wealth to dazzle all in palaces; some were displays of religious significance; some were to replicate their vision of paradise in their gardens; some were to display craftsmanship—pretty much the idea was to enhance this essential element of life.

Don’t expect any real rhyme or reason or great organized method to this collection of pictures—they just caught our eye and we were fascinated seeing them used in the daily lives of Europeans in their public gathering places, or at their palaces.

So, let’s explore together and learn about fountains through our eyes—you won’t be disappointed!

Dramatic Palace Fountains

Let’s begin our journey by the most dramatic fountains, usually found in Palaces.

Perhaps the best known collection of fountains is at Versailles. Water in French gardens has always been important, and there are about 50 fountains on the palace grounds. Here are some photos of these wonderful fountains:

Latona’s fountain depicts the story of Latona, the mother of Apollo and Diana. She pleads with Jupiter to protect her children from the insults of the peasants of Lycia about her children. Jupiter grants her request and turns the folks in Lycia in… — Latona’s fountain depicts the story of Latona, the mother of Apollo and Diana. She pleads with Jupiter to protect her children from the insults of the peasants of Lycia about her children. Jupiter grants her request and turns the folks in Lycia into frogs and lizards.

Apollo’s Fountain may be the best known fountain in Versailles. It shows Apollo, the Sun god, bursting from the water in his chariot ready for his daily flight above the earth. It was a symbol of the power of the Sun King, Louis XIV.

**This is the holding basin reservoir and is the supply of water for some of the fountains in Versailles. 2 water jets sent water high in the air so it could be easily seen from the palace.**

Next up has to be Peterhof, just outside of St. Petersburg in Russia. Not to be outdone by the magnificence of Versailles, there are 64 fountains. None of these require pumps, as water is supplied from natural springs and by using elevation difference, it creates enough pressure to get the fountains to work.

Here is a picture of the famous Samson Fountain in Peterhof. This symbolizes the defeat of Sweden (the lion was the symbol of Sweden) by Russia on Samson’s Day during Peter the Great’s reign

Trying to replicate their idea of paradise, the fountains of the Alhambra in Grenada, must also be on this list.

**Paseo of the Cypress has been renamed as the Garden of Saint Francis.**

The Courtyard of the Lions was built in the 1360’s. This garden was designed to represent the heavenly garden of Islam. The large bowl sits atop 12 lions and 4 water channels stream from this fountain. The 4 channels are symbols of the 4 rivers o… — The Courtyard of the Lions was built in the 1360’s. This garden was designed to represent the heavenly garden of Islam. The large bowl sits atop 12 lions and 4 water channels stream from this fountain. The 4 channels are symbols of the 4 rivers of paradise. Water also come from the mouth of the lions.

**A great photo of one of the water features of the Generalife gardens.**

The Alcazar in Seville, has some great fountains in the gardens.

**This is the Pond of Mercury in the Alcazar, Seville. The statue in the middle of the pond is of the ancient god Mercury.**

**The beautiful blue tiles provide a great backdrop for this fountain.**

In Bratislava, Solvakia, in the Primate’s Palace this small fountain depicts St. Gorge slaying the dragon.

Famous Fountains

No European fountain list would complete without including Trevi Fountain, in Rome. It is the largest fountain in Rome—86 feet by 161 feet. Before the pandemic, this fountain was visited by 10 million people a year.

The theme of the Trevi Fountain is that water is the source of health and abundance it brings to the earth. The many sculptures are themed around Oceanus, not Neptune, as many visitors think. The fountain source of water dates back to ancient Roman times and the modern fountain was completed by direction of the Pope

Most know the legend from the movies—throw a coin into the fountain and you will come back to Rome.

The ancient Trajan Fountain, in Ephesus, Turkey was built in the 2nd century AD (or the Common Era). The fountain had two stories, with one interior pool of water and one exterior water pool. It was decorated with 10 different statues.

It was built to honor Trajan, a former ruler of Rome—it was quite common to build monuments to Roman Emperors and this carried forward to the Roman colony of Ephesus. This was a massive structure—about 9.5 meters high and 17 meters long and it is hard to realize the true size from the present day ruins.

Our next stop is a little naked guy, who can’t hold his water. Of course, I’m referring to Manneken Pis, located in Brussels. In an effort to hide his naked body, thousands of costumes have been designed to cover him up but they still leave part of him exposed. It has become the symbol of Brussels because it represents for the Belgium people their sense of humor and independent thinking.

This bronze statue was designed by Jerome Duquesnoy in 1619.

He even has a replica in Colmar.

In Antwerp, the Brabo Fountain is another spectacular art work display. It is located in front of the town hall and was dedicated in 1887. The legend is about a Roman soldier who defeated a giant terrorizing the Scheldt River by forcing all to pay tolls. Water of the fountain comes out from the severed wrist of the giant.

Here is a much smaller water well that has great iron works also in Antwerp,

At a place where they always seem to be repairing this fountain, Der Schoene Brunnen ( in English the beautiful fountain) , in Nuremberg, is just stunning.

The fountain is 19 meter high, was built in the 14th century, and is in the shape of a Gothic spire. There are 40 colorful figures on this fountain and represent important ideas and people of the Holy Roman Empire.

We finally got some pictures of this gem—please enjoy.

In Basel, Switzerland, we found two small fountains that were richly decorated with painted figures. My favorite is the statue of Neptune that is really good art work. These small fountains are quite typical of Swiss fountains

**Sevogel Fountain in Basel. The statue at the top is Herman Sevogel, the hero of battle of St. Jakob.**

Paris, France Fountains

The Fountain Medicis, in the Luxembourg Gardens is an interesting water fountain. It was built around 1630.

The Fountain Saint Michael was built in 1860. It depicts St Michael defeating the devil. There are 2 winged dragons that provide water to the fountain. 9 different sculptors worked on the fountain.

The Fountain Stravinsky, in the Pompidou Center, is a colorful display of 16 different sculptures. These whimsical collection of works are designed to represent the works of the musical composer Igor Stravinsky. This fountain area was created in 1983.

The massive fountains at the Palace de la Concorde are impressive. This is the Fountain of River Commerce and Navigation.

**The Fountain of the Rivers represent river navigation, agriculture and industry.**

Bordeaux, France

This massive fountain is in a park in Bordeaux.

Along the waterfront, Bordeaux has some amazing fountains. This is the Monument aux Girondins Fountain. Girondists supported the French Revolution and this fountain was built as a memorial to these folks as they became political martyrs and were often killed for their beliefs during the reign of terror.

Baltic Fountains

In Stockholm’s Old town, there is an impressive fountain.

**The gargoyles serve as protectors for the water spouts of this still working fountain in old town square in Stockholm.**

On the Esplanade in Helsinki, several cool fountains caught our attention. Havis Amanda is recognized as one of the best works of art in Helsinki. Here are 2 pictures of this fountain.

**The sculpture is cast in bronze an the water basin is made from granite. The sculpture is a mermaid rising from the water and four sea lions spouting water from their mouths.**

**A close up view of one of the sea lions.**

**Water Nymphs Fountain in the Esplanade in Helsinki**

Some Fountains of Southern Europe

In Dubrovnik, a huge water supply system, kept the walled city well supplied.

This tiny fountain in Montenegro is more functional than ornamental.

In Pecs, Hungry, this dazzling fountain has always impressed visitors and locals for the detailed tile work. This is the Zsolnay Fountain is an Art Nouveau fountain built in 1912 using tiles from the Zsolnay factory.

In Malta, there are some neat gardens among the heavy fortifications. This is the Upper Barrakka Garden Fountain in Valletta. This garden is located on the upper tier of of the Peter & Paul Bastion and really stands out among the strong defensive walls ,

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—European Fountains—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

April 1, 2021

French River Cruise Ports

Vienne, France--an Often Missed Gem

Hank Schrader

April 1, 2021

French River Cruise Ports

Vienne, France—an Often Missed Gem

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is a new discovery.

Vienne, France falls into this category—few Americans know much about this town and river cruise port on the Rhône unless they have sailed the Rhône. It is at the confluence of the Rhône and Gère Rivers.

Just, 35 miles south of Lyon, it would be easy to overlook.

Vienne has great Roman ruins, cobbled lanes, an historic abbey, a castle and some of the best food experiences in France—perhaps, you are now getting more interested.

We have visited Vienne 3 times on a Rhône River Cruise (2013, 2014 and 2016 all on AmaWaterways) and before our 3rd Rhône cruise we spent 2 delightful days in Vienne pre-cruise.

We were inspired by a great looking restaurant in Vienne, L’e Table de Bouchers (The Table of Butchers in English) and wanted to try it out. Our instincts were correct and it opened us up to this gem overlooked by most pre-cruise visitors who might choose Lyon over Vienne.

So, let’s explore together and learn about Vienne—you won’t be disappointed!

Mount Pipet

On river cruises, some lines take you up to one of the best places to see the entire city on Mount Pipet, the highest hill in the town area. They use a tourist train and the short ride up the steep hill is a worthwhile trip for great views.

Wandering the City

The winding lanes and streets are just made for walking. Why not take a stroll with us with these pictures?

Roman Ruins

Julius Caesar was the founder of the Roman colony in 47 BC (or correctly now BCE—Before the Common Era). It became a major trade and commerce center in the Roman Empire.

The best ruin is not really a ruin—it is the wonderfully preserved Temple of Augustus and Livia. It was built around 1 or 2 in the Common Era. This is one of the two best preserved Roman temples in France. Only priests were allowed inside—other citizens gathered in the Forum for religious ceremonies.

There is a very good display of Roman artifacts in the indoor museum.

Looking down from Mount Pipet, the amphitheater shows the grander of this once thriving city—it was said to be only slightly less important than Trier. The amphitheater could seat over 14,000 and is used today for concerts.

Archeological Garden of Cebete at first may not look that impressive but was an important part of Roman life. There are foundations of several buildings, archways decorated with carved limestone figures and opening up to a forum (square)

The Pyramid of the Roman Hippodrome is another interesting past relic. A hippodrome is a chariot race track.

This picture shows what remains of the hippodrome—it takes a lot of imagination to see it as the center of a race track, as buildings and streets have covered the old race track area and only the center pyramid stands today. This pyramid like structure was the center of the chariot race track.

4 teams would compete—the winner was the first to complete 7 laps. The judges were in the Pyramid. It is built to resemble an Egyptian Obelisk.

Saint-André le Bas Abbey

The abbey was probably constructed in the 600’s. It was a men’s monastery. Starting in the 9th century, it was the palace chapel of the Kings of Burgundy. In the 10th century, the abbey adopted the Benedictine rules and practices.

It was one of the most important monasteries in the diocese of Vienne during the Middle Ages. As time passed, it fell into disrepair and importance. It really is an interesting structure of what remains of this once important abbey. Here are some photos

Medieval Castle Chateau de la Batie

Built on another high point of Vienne, the ruins of this castle were built on old Roman fortifications on Mount Solomon. In 1225, the castle was the residence of the archbishops of Vienne until the mid-14th century. The only thing that remains today is the ruins of this once proud castle residence.

On the Right Bank of the Rhône

On the right bank, a large defensive tower caught my interest. It is the Tour de Valois. Nearly 30 meters high, it was once part of the defenses of Sainte Colombre (the name of the city on the right bank). It is in ruins today and is not available to visit. Here are 2 good photos of this impressive tower:

Our Hotel—true Luxury

We stayed at La Pyramide Hotel in Vienne, France, a 4-star Relais & Châteaux hotel and it has a two-Michelin star gastronomic restaurant—I guess you can figure out why foodies like us wanted to experience both.

Room 103 was lovely—here are some photos.

Great Food

We had 3 outstanding meals here!

First, the restaurant that inspired our stay, L’e Table de Bouchers. One look at the menu after enjoying the wonderful building design, and I was hooked! Here are some pictures of what inspired us:

We ate there on the second night of our stay. The meals of the day specials that are quite common in Europe not only was a great value but the entire meal lived up to our expectations and the portions were huge! Please imagine yourself eating here.

Our First Day Meals

Prior to our wonderful evening meal, we spent a great time drinking a bottle of wine along with some cheese and meats platter. I can’t begin to tell you how wonderful, relaxing and fun it was. We lingered for a couple of hours, enjoying the slow life that France is so famous for—perhaps one of my most favorite experiences in France. Please savor our experiences through these pictures.

Now for gastronomy that is an epic experience—a true Michelin 2-Star restaurant Patrick Henriroux's restaurant La Pyramide. Instead of describing this unique meal, our pictures should convey what an experience it was for us.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—the town of Vienne, France—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! I think you can see why this town deserves a night or 2 stay for your travels in France! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

March 25, 2021

Europe Travel

European Half-Timbered Buildings

Hank Schrader

March 25, 2021

Europe Travel

European Half-Timbered Buildings

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

Perhaps there are no more interesting buildings in Europe than Half-Timbered Buildings. Wood craftsmanship always interests us.

We always find one of the most fascinating aspects of Europe is how well all seem to use the limited space in the cities and villages and sometimes keep their historic buildings intact to honor the past—it is amazing!

So, let’s explore together and learn about these wonderful part wooden structures and other examples of how well Europeans use wood in their construction.

Overview

Timbered frame construction is quite common in Europe where there is a good supply of wood. When the load-bearing timbers are left exposed on the outside of the building, it is referred to as “half-timbered”.

The exposed timbers and the spaces in between the wood often creates a contrast, so the overall effect is a very distinctive structure, which is associated with construction methods of times past. The material used between the spaces is called infill and could be a variety of materials, such as brick, stone and other materials. It is often covered with plaster on the exterior to improve the overall appearance of the structure and to keep the fill material securely in place.

The timbers usually came directly from logs, instead of the square lumber we use today in construction. It fit well with the times, as axes, adzes, and draw knife scrapes were the woodworking tools most used during this time of construction. It was very labor intensive, but since there were not powered tools to make this process easier, it really was the only way to use wood in structures.

Most exposed timbered frame homes are located in Northern Europe, so let’s explore these cool buildings from our pictures in various countries.

Germany

As you probably know, Germany is the country where half-timbered buildings are quite prevalent.

The tiny town of Cochem has some half-timbered gems. Please enjoy!

Bernkastel is another town with a lot of half-timbered buildings. This is a charming village with scenic beauty. Please enjoy these 4 pictures!

Miltenberg is famous for its half-timbered buildings—it has over 100. Here are some of our pictures of this interesting town.

**Milteneberg, Germany Market square. Many believe it is one of the most beautiful squares in all of Germany.**

**5 levels of a timbered building in Miltenberg**

**Zum Rissan—it probably is the oldest continuously used hotel in Germany. It is a great treasure of Miltenberg.**

Wertheim, Germany also has some very good half timbered buildings.

**Market Square has some half-timbered buildings**

**Colorful building in Wertheim with flower boxes.**

**Even banks can have half-timbered designs in Wertheim.**

In Rudesheim, there are many half-timbered buildings. Here are some of them:

**Another great half-timbered venue—Keller in German translates to cellar**

Perhaps one of the most famous German half-timbered buildings is in Bamburg, Germany. Legend has it that the citizens wanted to build a town hall but were denied space by the ruling Bishop, so they built in the middle of the river on a bridge! This is one awesome building and worthy to see in person.

We found this unique half timbered house near Marksburg Castle, after taking a train from Koblenz to the town of Braubach on the Rhine River on our way to tour Marksburg. This charming little town has a good collection of half-timbered buildings. This one caught our attention due to the unique window carvings

You would expect at least a castle or two with half-timbers, so not to disappoint, here is Berg Eltz

One of my favorite views of this unique castle—Anne really captured what is like to enter the courtyard.

France

There a many surviving examples of half-timbered buildings in France. Let’s start with the Alsace region.

Another Riquewihr half-timbered building.

**Riquewihr just seems to never stop—another building that caught our eye!**

The next 5 pictures are in Strasbourg, France.

**In this narrow lane on the right of the picture, there are some good examples of half-timbered buildings.**

In France’s Loire Valley, there are some good examples of half-timbered buildings.

Old timbered building in Amboise, France

In St. Emillion we found a really old half-timbered building.

Switzerland

You might expect this construction style in Switzerland—this land locked country in the Alps with plenty of timber available and the heavy influence of Germany in parts of the country, are probably good reasons there are some wonderful buildings constructed in the half-timbered style.

England

There are some really cool examples of these structures in England.

Let’s start with the bard—Shakespeare’s house and his wife Anne Hathaway’s family home in Stratford-on-Avon.

Shakespeare’s home in Stratford-on-Avon.

Anne Hathaway’s home just outside Stratford-on-Avon.

One of the more unique half-timbered buildings is the Globe theater in London, where Shakespeare put his plays on for the public. This is a repical of the original theater—you can see the large half-timbered beams.

Now, on to Warwick, England

York is famous for many half-timbered buildings. Here are a few:

**The Punch Bowl Pub in York. This pub is over 400 years old.**

**Old blends with new in York—a half-timbered structure next to the National Trust Gift Sop.**

While most of the exposed construction is readily visible in half-timbered buildings, there are special roofing techniques that deserve a look. Here are two great examples in England—let’s start with Chipping Campden in the Cotwolds. The open air roof construction of the market hall shows great techniques of this type of classic roof structure .

**Open air market in Chipping Camden where livestock and wool was sold.**

**Note the complex wooden structure of the open air market. It was strong enough to support a slate roof.**

**Another picture of the roof structure.**

Here is one example of a special roof in Hampton Court Palace. It is a great example of a hammerbeam roof. Henry VIII wanted the roof in the most important and impressive building of his palace to recreate the craftsmanship of ages past of his medieval predecessors. It is just stunning!

**The magnificent roof of the Great Hall.**

**This picture really shows how large and impressive the Great Hall is!**

**On the walls are the Abraham tapestries. They were woven in Belgium and are very valuable. Anne did a great job capturing the detailed carvings in the roof structure.**

Denmark

We got a good chance to see some examples of half-timbered buildings in an outdoor display in Aarhus, Denmark. In the open air museum, Den Gamle By, has an outstanding collection of timbered buildings.

•Aarhus is the second-largest city in Denmark.

• It is located on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula, in the geographical center of Denmark.

•Its chief attraction is the Old Town called Den Gamle By. It is an open-air town museum of 75 old buildings collected from all over Denmark and reassembled here in the museum

**Colorful half-timbered buildings in the museum**

**Examples of half- timbered buildings in the museum.**

**Old Mill using a water wheel for power**

Romania

You probably wouldn’t think about Romania as a place with half-timbered structures but here is an excellent examples of this style of construction. Peles Castle in Sinaia, Romania is really a palace with 170 rooms not a true castle. Some of the exterior looks more like a half-timbered building. It was ready for the king and queen of Romania in 1883.

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—half-timbered homes—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much! We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

Hank Schrader

March 17, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways 46-Night Europe River Cruise

Hank Schrader

March 17, 2021

Europe River Cruise

AmaWaterways 46 Night Europe River Cruise

Hank Schrader, USMA '71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

AmaWaterways has done it again—a bold new program that is unmatched in European River Cruising. No wonder their slogan rings true—“Leading the Way in River Cruising”

Taking a note from the popular world ocean cruising offerings, AmaWaterways has created their version of a “world” cruise in Europe on a 46 night adventure using 4 different AmaWaterways riverships.

Please read this whole blog—I have some real new news about a second cruise that were released about 1 hour ago on 18 March 2021—a new opportunity to an added chance for a second added sailing that is slightly different!

The cruise will start on 1 June 2023 and is open for reservations on 15 March 2021.

So, let’s explore together and learn about this unique opportunity to visit 14 countries on 7 different rivers—you won’t be disappointed!

Overview of the Cruise

Map of the entire route. Image from AmaWaterways who gave us permission to use in this blog.

The 7 rivers of this unique sailing are the Seine, the Rhône, the Saône, the Rhine, the Moselle, the Main and the Danube Rivers.

The 14 countries on this trip are: France, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Czech Republic (if you take the Cesky Krumlov tour), Slovakia, Austria, Hungry, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.

The French Part of the Cruise—14 days

The Seine route is a 7 day round trip cruise into Normandy, starting and ending in Paris. The cruise highlights are Monet's village of Giverny; the harbor town of Honfleur; Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy and the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431 (also of special note is the 700 restored half-timber buildings in the old quarter); as well as a chance to visit the medieval towns along this scenic route and visit the D-Day Normandy beaches.

Statue at Normandy Beach in 2014 in France

This is a gentle voyage along farmland and meadows, historic towns and good food such as brie and camembert cheeses, calvados (apple brandy) and Normandy cider. If you like history, such as the 100 Years War between England and France, want to learn more about the largest amphibious landing in history at the D Day beaches, and like impressionist paintings, this portion of the cruise will especially appeal to you.

The first leg of the journey will be on the AmaLyra.

**Our first river cruise was on the AmaLyra in 2009—what a great experience—it got us hooked on river cruising and AmaWaterways**

When you arrive in Paris after completing the Seine portion of the cruise, you will then take the TGV to Lyon for the second leg of the France portion of the cruise. The transfer will be seamless—AmaWaterways will handle all the luggage and you will be escorted to the TGV high speed train. We have experienced a transfer similar to this on a previous AmaWaterways cruise in this region and it is a very easy process—professionally handled as you would expect from AmaWaterways.

The Rhône and Saône cruise goes from Lyon to Tarascon, France (Tarascon is about 14 miles south of Avignon). You will sail on the AmaKristina.

Starting in Lyon, the gastronomical capital of France, the cruise goes through France's legendary wine growing regions of Beaujolais and Cote du Rhone, and allows you observe medieval villages in the Provence region of France.

Truffle Dog during one of our 3 Provence river cruises.

Then on to the Papal town of Avignon.

Wine regions of the Rhone River Valley. Image from AmaWaterways

You will sample great wines, visit Roman ruins, and learn about the cuisine of Provence, among stunning scenery—fields of purple lavender, yellow sunflowers and vineyards.

We have sailed on this route 3 times and each time it was awesome—we are ready to return anytime.

From Tarascon, you will take the TGV to Mulhouse Germany.

The Middle Leg on the Rhine and its Tributaries—17 Days

This is combination of the best voyages on the Rhine, the Moselle, the Main and the uses the Main-Danube Canal to reach the Danube.

You will sail this leg on the AmaPrima.

The first part sails from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam (it is a version of the Enchanting Rhine itinerary). The first part of this cruise is a visit to the Alsace region of France for Strasbourg and Riquewihr or to Freiburg in Germany. At the port of Ludwigshafen, guests can take a trip to either Heidelberg or Speyer.

Strasbourg France canal—you can see the famous cathedral in the background.

Then to the Rhine River Gorge, with its 40 castles guarding the steep banks after a visit to Rüdesheim.

Among the many highlights of this leg is a visit to Lahneck Castle tour (a unique exclusive private tour only available on AmaWaterways). The last two stops are Cologne and Amsterdam. We hope you like our pictures from previous cruises:

Now, back south on the Rhine again, through the Rhine River Gorge again and off to the Moselle. Key port stops are Cochem, Bernkastel, Trier and Luxembourg.

Then back up north on the Moselle, with a chance to visit Berg Eltz, again, unique to my knowledge in the river cruise industry.

Here are some of our favorite pictures from the Moselle:

Now, a chance to explore more of Germany on the Main River, after a visit to Koblenz (the confluence of the Moselle and Rhine) and a third trip past the Rhine River Gorge (trust me it never gets old—most folks consider this the best stretch of sights on any river in Europe).

Port stops on the Main include Miltenberg, Wertheim, Wurzburg, Bamberg and Nuremberg before cruising the Main-Danube Canal with a final stop in Vilshofen. I really like the Main tributary and here are a few of our favorite pictures of this great leg:

The Final Leg on the Danube—14 Days

At Vilshofen, you will make a transfer to the AmaVerde (we haven’t sailed on it so no personal picture of this 135 meter rivership).

The Upper Danube is the other great route on Europe rivers (it is the single most popular river cruise route in all Europe—it has about 30% of all river cruise passengers that take a Europe river cruise every year)—and it goes from Vilshofen to Budapest on the first 7 day leg of this 14 day cruise segment. You will get to visit 4 countries (the four are Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary, but you can up it to 5 countries if you take the Cesky Krumlov excursion in the Czech Republic), 3 capital cities (Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest), castles, Abbeys, wine-sloped terraces and even quaint villages--it is a great voyage.

**Schonbuhel Castle —The Watchman of the Danube**

The lower Danube is the gateway to Eastern Europe. This segment begins in Budapest and ends near the Black Sea. It starts with the rolling hills and vine-clad slopes of the Pecs in Hungary; then moves to the boundary waters that separate Serbia and Croatia; then traverses the narrow gorges of the Iron Gates, a stunning passage that divides the Balkan and Carpathian Mountains and ends near Bucharest, Romania.

What is included in this Epic Journey?

This cruise will have a dedicated cruise manager for the entire 46 night journey. Gratuities are included for the ship crew and for all the 130 included tours. Each ship will have all the standard wonderful offerings of AmaWaterways—great staterooms; awesome dining with included regional wines, beer and other beverages; Sip-n-Sail happy hour; complimentary laundry; free Wi-Fi; seamless transfers between ships; and included chef table at no additional costs.

Costs and Availability

The cruise is limited to 144 guests. Prices begin at $25,999 per person with $1350 port charges (also per person) for a fixed window stateroom. French balconies start at $34,988 per person with port charges of $1350 per person. Balconies start at $48,988 per person with port charges of $1350. There was a pre-cruise waiting list offer and currently AmaWaterways is contacting those on the list to apply their refundable deposit of $4,800 to the cruise.

As of 17 March 2021, according to a webinar I attended from AmaWaterways, there still are openings for this cruise—if you are interested, we suggest you contact us quickly!

Added Epic Cruise in April 2023 (20 April to 4 June) BREAKING NEWS!

This was announced last week (10 March 2021) during a weekly webinar for travel agents only by the AmaWaterways leadership—a slightly different version of the 46 night unique journey. This version will include only the Rhône cruise as the first leg and expand the Rhine leg by adding a Tulip Time route in the Netherlands and Belgium. The rest of this section will use the same route described above. The last segment will be on the Danube but use the double wide AmaMagna.

3 ships only on this route, so only one transfer by TVG from the Rhône to the Rhine. Reservations have not opened up yet and my friends at AmaWaterways gave me some amazing pricing just before I was about to send out the blog.

There is some amazing pricing for this trip. Each person has to pay $1350 port charges.

Cat E (fixed window) $24,999 Total Price with port charges $26,349

Cat D (fixed window $28,398 Total Price with Port Charges $29,748

Because their are different types of riverships on this cruise, balcony prices have a total range as follows:

$33,348 $35,348 $36,348 $40,348 $41,348 $43,348 $44,348 $51, 348

For those of you who want the ultimate suite staterooms, here are the prices (note very limited):

Suite/GS $57.384 total Suite/OS $62.348

Learn more About this Amazing Cruise

Here are some pictures and a map of the Tulip Time route:

My Final Thoughts

What a great adventure—a world cruise on Europe’s Rivers—just another reason we love the Old World of Europe so much!

We have sailed on all these rivers except the Seine and from personal experience can testify this will be a trip of a lifetime, unmatched by any other river cruise company. We hope you enjoyed these pictures as much as we enjoyed seeing them during our travels.

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

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