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AmaWaterway's seven itinerary options in Africa all combine a three- or four-night cruise on the Chobe River in Botswana with land stays in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe or Tanzania for a total of 10 to 17 nights. In addition to their cache of bicycles, AmaWaterways ships also offer a wellness program, led by an onboard Wellness Host. Classes on the Sun Deck or in the Lounge consist of morning yoga, meditation or core strengthening and afternoon stretching or active walks. Viking's fleet on the Nile River in Egypt currently numbers four ships, with two more in the pipeline. The two newest — Viking Osiris and Viking Aton — were launched in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The similarly sized Viking Hathor and Viking Sobek are set to join them in 2024 and 2025.
Choose AmaWaterways if you want cabins for singles or families.
On Uniworld ships, you'll find cabins that are individually decorated in a hugely diverse range of styles and with color schemes varying from deck to deck. ABD has offered far flung adventure itineraries for small groups since 2005. The aim is to let the destinations speak for themselves and the level of 'Disneyfication' of the ships is very discreet. On an ABD river cruise, expect scavenger hunts, pirate parties, crafts, a Rubik's Cube Magic Show and folk dancing.
What We Like About AmaWaterways
This week on Avid Travel With Britton Frost we will revisit my time aboard AmaMagna, speaking mostly to the public spaces on the ship such as multiple dining venues, the libraries, juice bar, and more. Would you like our personalized recommendations for an AmaWaterways river cruise that's perfect for you? Ships from both lines also have complimentary bikes onboard for passengers to use while in port. Both Ama and Avalon pay scrupulous attention to passengers' dietary needs. Both lines mark allergens on their menus and both offer gluten-free pastas, breads and entrees.
Luxurious Stateroom Surroundings
The Sun Deck features a shaded sitting area, as well as solar panels and an herb garden that allows chefs anytime access to fresh ingredients. Elevators on Viking ships also offer access to the middle decks but not the Sun Deck. It's at dinner that Viking's chefs inject more local flavors into the menu, with a suggested three-course Regional Specialties Tasting Menu (chicken paprikash as the main in Hungary, for instance). These offerings are complemented by a daily selection of two starters, two mains (always with a vegetarian selection) and one dessert.
Six Ama ships -- AmaViola, AmaStella, AmaKristina, AmaLea , AmaMora and AmaMagna -- also include several cabins that can accommodate three people (with a king-sized bed along with a chair that converts into a twin bed). These six ships also feature a number of connecting cabins, designed with families in mind. Although Avalon has added Active Discoveries sailings on several rivers and now has Adventure Hosts on its ships, AmaWaterways makes a point of having three activity levels -- active, general and gentle -- on tours in all of its ports. Most passengers go with the general offering, which usually combines tour buses, some walking and guided exploration of the top sites. Gentle tours are designed for those who need a slower pace or have mobility issues.
Family
Whimsical fantasies abound at Siegfried’s Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum and at the Palace Gardens of Schwetzingen, a cultural heritage site of European significance with more than 100 sculptures scattered throughout its surprising landscape. Blend German heritage with Italian in Trier, with its Roman Imperial Baths and the Porta Nigra; and with French heritage in Strasbourg, and you have the most splendid journey. Walk through thousands of years of history in the medieval towns of Rothenburg, Bamberg and Miltenberg.
Itineraries and Fleet
Embrace the magic of Colombia as you explore the country along the magical Magdalena River during this special 7-night journey. Move to the beat of a variety of Latin American musical styles including cumbia and vallenato, and revel in exciting performances at a colorful Carnaval experience in Barranquilla just for AmaWaterways guests. Listen for the calls of distinctive birds and wildlife not found anywhere else on the planet.
FRANCE
The quality of the food even in here does not match a regular dinner on Uniworld. In addition, both lines offer interconnecting cabins and onboard activities for the kids supervised by Family Hosts in the case of Uniworld, and Adventure Guides in the case of ABD. Finally, the new Viking Mississippi cruises five itineraries in America's Heartland. These range from seven-night roundtrips from New Orleans to 21-night journeys that cover the mighty Mississippi's entire 2,350-mile length from New Orleans to St. Paul, Minnesota.
AmaWaterways offers cruises along Europe’s Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Main, Seine, Saône, Rhône, Dutch and Belgian Waterways, Dordogne and Garonne, and the Douro; Southeast Asia’s Mekong river, Africa’s Chobe and Nile rivers and soon Latin America. Both cruise lines use a QuietVox system during excursions, where the tour guide speaks into a headset while passengers listen on receivers. This allows passengers to go at their own pace while still hearing the guide.
Each bend and twist in the river affords new surprises just waiting for you to discover. This website will provide you with information on the financial protection that applies in the case of each holiday and travel service offered before you make your booking. At the time of booking, our Cruise Concierge will also confirm the financial protection applicable to your specific holiday.
The majority of Uniworld ships also have a guest laundry, a rarity on river vessels. Both lines offer a laundry and pressing service, which is free for Uniworld suite guests. Older and refurbished Uniworld ships on the main European rivers have 54 to 63 cabins and the majority of vessels have four stateroom categories, none with walkout verandas. Cabins typically measure 151 square feet with fixed, panoramic or French balconies. In late 2024, AmaWaterways will become the first upscale river cruise company to sail the Magdalena River in Colombia.
In general, cabin decor has become lighter and brighter with each new (or newly refurbished) ship, with interesting textures and patterns replacing more traditional fabrics. AmaWaterways also operates one vessel on the Chobe River in Botswana, and like AmaMagna, it's an outlier — but for the opposite reason. At just 150 feet in length, Zambezi Queen was designed in 2019 specifically for wildlife viewing and accommodates just 28 passengers and 22 crew. In Egypt, AmaWaterways currently operates AmaDahlia, which carries 72 passengers and 62 crew. When a second ship, AmaLilia, launches in 2024, it will accommodate 82 passengers and 65 crew. AmaWaterways was founded in 2002 by Vienna-born Rudi Schreiner, Germany native Kristin Karst and the late Jimmy Murphy, who was Irish.
Get complimentary tours worth thousands of dollars with this amazing cruise line offer - The Points Guy
Get complimentary tours worth thousands of dollars with this amazing cruise line offer.
Posted: Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The meal has 15 courses (they are small) and is held in the ship's main lounge. It almost always reflects regional dishes and offers a menu that changes seasonally. Because they have French balconies instead of outdoor space, the 200-square-foot Panorama cabins on Avalon's Suite Ships feel bigger and roomier than most river cruise cabins. Avalon's bathrooms also seem larger, due to the cabin's configuration at a slight angle (to give cruisers that river view mentioned earlier). AmaMagna offers some of the largest suites on the rivers, including six 474-square-foot Grand Suites and one massive 710 square foot Owner’s Suite. Both Avalon and AmaWaterways have enrichment activities and port talks that focus on the destinations visited.
On a June 2019 seven-night Rhine sailing, the entry price on AmaWaterways for the lowest category cabin is nearly $1,000 higher than Avalon's, ($3,349 versus $2,399) and the suites have even more of a discrepancy ($6,648 on Ama versus $4,598 on Avalon). Guided by a wine expert from North America or Europe, you will enjoy an enhanced epicurean experience in iconic wine regions from France's Bordeaux to Austria's Wachau Valley, Germany's Moselle, Portugal's Douro Valley and beyond. Africa’s Chobe River supports a diversity and concentration of wildlife unparalleled anywhere else on the continent. Our Africa itineraries pair a unique cruise on this waterway with luxurious land and safari programs that include the UNESCO-designated Victoria Falls, stays at authentic wildlife lodges, unforgettable safaris through national parks and more. Cruise the Mekong River along this fabled waterway through Vietnam and Cambodia, gliding past flourishing forests, lush green hills and colorful stilt houses. Our river cruise and land adventures also allow you to witness the majesty of breathtaking sites such as the Angkor Archaeological Complex, Ha Long Bay and even Bangkok’s Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
Lunch is similar, with buffet selections available as well as a menu with daily selections (soup, salad and two main options) plus always-available dishes (such as salad Nicoise and burgers). The lunch menu does not always have a locally inspired dish, but Viking guests can enjoy their midday meal while surveying local surroundings by opting to dine alfresco on the Aquavit Terrace. This aft space is popular on days when the weather is good and offers much of the same menu as the Main Restaurant. Several factors play a role in the passenger mix aboard these competing river cruise lines. For one, Viking's ships are adults only (passengers must be at least 18), while AmaWaterways welcomes multigenerational families.
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